View Full Version : The Bulldog Pups
Aquamarinejewel
4 Jun 2006, 19:02
How much enjoyment have we had of late watching those pups develop? I for one am so excited how they are all mixing it up with each other and seeking each other out. We have some very good times to look forward to...Cooney, Ray, Griffen, Higgins, Minson are a very formidable group. With more getting ready to come up, Williams, Addison and a few others...the sun is even brighter for our club. We have the coach to mould them, our supporter base is growing...sky is the limit.
Whilst we are still in a developmental stage and we will still experience a few hickups along the way, we are definitely heading in the right direction.
Thoughts?
rapidshave
4 Jun 2006, 19:10
Next few years will see these players you mention mature and really add consistency to their game.
Our aim would to be play finals this year and Top 4 next year.
And Murphy, Gia, Hahn, Harris, McMahon etc are all around the 23-25 year old mark.
If we squeeze a few more years out of West and Johnston, and with Eagleton not yet 30, the future looks fantastic.
This year is just the beginning. We might be entering a golden age.
Aquamarinejewel
4 Jun 2006, 19:56
This year is just the beginning. We might be entering a golden age.
Totally agree...you can sense the tide is turning...slowly but surely. Those mid range players you mentioned will be raising the bar higher aswell. It's all good. :thumbsu:
jd hot stuff
4 Jun 2006, 20:29
The future looks very bright for the Bulldogs with all these pups:thumbsu::D
And with good list management, there's no reason why it can't continue.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
5 Jun 2006, 18:22
And with good list management, there's no reason why it can't continue.
Good point, whilst be no means there, we have the makings of a core of players that look to be very promising, it's up to them to fulfil the bulk of the potential of the team going forward.
However as Go Dogs alludes to, astute list management is required from here as well. In fact it may represent the biggest challenge in the club's quest for ultimate success.
I would say that all sides in contention for a flag must possess at the one time a combination of attributes to convert it into GF victory.
A host of them are to do with the attributes and skills of the players at a teams disposal: ie solid KPP strength, 2-3 Star players, a roster of highy motivated and team oriented individuals, solid defense and luck with injury, etc.
Another that shouldn't be underestimated is spread of experience throughout the squad. At the moment we are starting to get a nice layering of experience throughout the squad. We need to ensure that we continue to profit from the draft with our selections in the next few years to keep an even mix of promising youngsters coming on with an eye on potential retirements on our list.
We stand to lose at least 4- players within the next 5 years to retirement, from Grant, Smith, West, Darcy, and possibly Johnno, Robbins, and Eagleton.
Our current crop of "star" young players ie Griff, Cooney, Minson, Ray, Higgins will continue their development to hopefully take over the load from the above guys retiring. But if we are to avoid the oft recurring scenario for us- whereby we start to develop a list only to just not quite get enough spread of talent at the one time to win the flag, we need to really knuckledown at the draft and trade tables over the next few years.
We cannot afford any more Jade Rawlings or Nathan Brown situations for that matter when it comes to retaining and securing our list.
Furthermore if we make the 8 over the next 5 years, we are not going to be getting the top picks to choose our next crop of stars. This is where I believe Scotty Clayton will come into his own and help us maintain the talent coming through.As others have said these are exciting times to be a Doggies supporter, and I really hope this does indeed turn out to be an ultimately successful era for us.
I think our drafting and recruiting over the next 5 years, is going to turn out to be even more important to this achievement than our drafting in the past 5 years.Not because I think we will necessarily draft better players than the likes of Cooney, Ray, Griffen, Minson, Higgins et al, but because the next crop will be ones who shore up and round off our team. And without them it could well be the era of a false dawn as it was for most of Grant, West, Wynd,Libba, Johnno, Smithy, Darcy et al careers. If their team of 97 & 98 had just a few more players of genuine quality or consistency to support them they may've tasted ultimate success that was so close.
Hence I reckon keep your eyes peeled on our draft and trades in the next few years, our success with them is going to be vital to our quest for ultimate success.
Yes, list management becomes crucial. We need to squeeze 24+ players into the list who could play AFL every week at an acceptable level...make sure the back-up players are every bit as good and ready as those before them.
The group dynamics are interesting. You have the older core, Westy, Johnson, Darcy, Grant, Smith, Eagle, Robbo
The middle group of, Murph, Gia, Gilbee, Cross, Hahn, McMahon, Hargrave, Harris, Boyd, Morgan etc
Then the young group of Minson, Cooney, Griffen, Faulkner, D-Mac, Higgins, Williams, Walsh, Tiller etc...
We just have to keep topping up and make sure we have the personel to cover the losses of players as they retire etc...and also having enough back-ups, so when things go bad injury wise, we have enough people to cover the positions.
I believe strict list management is going to become much mor relevant over the next 10 years, and its really an area where a club and capitalise and continue to build for future success.
jd hot stuff
5 Jun 2006, 19:31
Yes, list management becomes crucial. We need to squeeze 24+ players into the list who could play AFL every week at an acceptable level...make sure the back-up players are every bit as good and ready as those before them.
The group dynamics are interesting. You have the older core, Westy, Johnson, Darcy, Grant, Smith, Eagle, Robbo
The middle group of, Murph, Gia, Gilbee, Cross, Hahn, McMahon, Hargrave, Harris, Boyd, Morgan etc
Then the young group of Minson, Cooney, Griffen, Faulkner, D-Mac, Higgins, Williams, Walsh, Tiller etc...
We just have to keep topping up and make sure we have the personel to cover the losses of players as they retire etc...and also having enough back-ups, so when things go bad injury wise, we have enough people to cover the positions.
I believe strict list management is going to become much mor relevant over the next 10 years, and its really an area where a club and capitalise and continue to build for future success.
I can see if Rocket stays with the team for another 5 or 6 years we will have a great team and some great retired players who will take us into the future. And by retired players i mean players who can help support the team when it needs help from some great players.
scooter600x
5 Jun 2006, 23:01
We stand to lose at least 4- players within the next 5 years to retirement, from Grant, Smith, West, Darcy, and possibly Johnno, Robbins, and Eagleton.
I agree that Monty has another 6-7 years in him. :D
jd hot stuff
5 Jun 2006, 23:10
I agree that Monty has another 6-7 years in him. :D
Well with all that list still to play a lot of footy still it looks good to help mature all our pups:D
The older players have to be smart to a certain extent though, and realise when it is there time to go, for the benefit of the team.
Cyberdoggie
6 Jun 2006, 11:03
griffen cooney and higgins, certainly going to be hot property.
i thought it was griffens best game on the weekend. His run was sensational. On one particular run he beat two opponent in the defensive 50, ran the length of the ground beat another 2 before passing it off for a goal.
He did that sort of thing several times against hawthorn, sensational to watch. Higgins really stepped up as well, boy does this kid know where to find the footy, doesn't back off from the ball despite his size and knows where the goals are. Doesn't have great speed but he'll be dangerous.
How much enjoyment have we had of late watching those pups develop? ...
Lots! I love watching replays of the passages of play when our young guns link up and run the ball forward. There's always moments of brilliance from the older brigade but it's certainly a buzz to watch the new guys turn it on.
I just have to mention Ryan Griffen - that passage of play when he eventually got the ball off to Eagleton who scored a goal gave me deep joy. Ranked No 2 in Fox Footy's top 10 plays of the round. I reckon it was No 1.
I just have to mention Ryan Griffen - that passage of play when he eventually got the ball off to Eagleton who scored a goal gave me deep joy. Ranked No 2 in Fox Footy's top 10 plays of the round. I reckon it was No 1.
I never tire of it. Had the crowd roaring louder than 29,000 should have been. And standing ovations all the way back to the next centre bounce.
That play and his goal really ignited us.
Could have started us even earlier if they had allowed the goal he kicked from the handball Monty gave off.
I just have to mention Ryan Griffen - that passage of play when he eventually got the ball off to Eagleton who scored a goal gave me deep joy. Ranked No 2 in Fox Footy's top 10 plays of the round. I reckon it was No 1.
It certainly should have been. No 1 was a fluke goal, which may have been goal of the day, but it didn't qualify as PLAY of the day.
I also fondly remember the game against Brisbane at the Dome last year, when again he took off with the ball and several bounces later delivered it to the goal square, where Chris Grant handballed over his head to Gia who soccered it through. (or should that be "footballed" it through? ;) )
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
7 Jun 2006, 18:45
It certainly should have been. No 1 was a fluke goal, which may have been goal of the day, but it didn't qualify as PLAY of the day.
Absolutely agree, that play and a couple of his other runs, will be the cause of many an opposition coach and player having nightmares over many coming years!! He is something special, and I am very pleased that at least out of the Rohde-kill era we had the opportunity to rebuild and rejuvenated our list with the likes of early draft picks Griffen, Cooney and Ray.