dogupya
16 Jun 2007, 04:40
Are the Dogs in the fight?
Robert Walls | June 16, 2007
TONIGHT'S game in Darwin is crucial for the Western Bulldogs. Their opponent, Fremantle, sits one game behind the Dogs and is a keen rival for a final-eight position. In effect, tonight becomes an eight-point game for Rodney Eade's men: a win will give them an eight-point buffer over Fremantle, a loss and it's all square.
Opinions vary as to how well the Bulldogs are travelling. After winning a final last season, for the first time in eight years, most believed they were on track to be certain finalists in 2007 and many had them pencilled in with a top-four finish.
Even the Bulldog faithful are divided as to how their team sits. One talkback caller suggested the coach would be quietly chuckling to himself as the upside to the second half of the season was massive. Another commented the fact that they have the third-worst defence, behind Carlton and Richmond, and that if you allow the opposition to average more than 100 points a game, then you could forget about winning a premiership.
Even last week against the Brisbane Lions, the Dogs won but lost at the same time. They took home four points but couldn't kick a goal in the final quarter and lost quality players in Daniel Cross and Ryan Griffin to long-term injury. So what does the immediate future hold for a team that has set itself to break a 53-year premiership drought?
THE UPSIDE
THE RECO BOYS
Darcy may not be the ruckman he once was, but he is a fine leader and will help develop Will Minson and Peter Street as ruckmen while he consolidates as the effective tall forward the Dogs desperately need.
Murphy is, in my opinion, the Bulldogs' best player. It has been a slow return for him.He has averaged only 11 disposals and one goal a game. From here on, he will go close to doubling those figures, and what a difference that will make.
Hahn has played five games for an average of eight touches. He, too, will double his output and add grunt to a team that needs as much as it can get.
THE RECRUITJason Akermanis is the man, but has he delivered? I don't think so. The Dogs got him to provide a touch of magic that would get them over the line in the four to five down-to-the-wire games they reckoned they would play this year. He has done it once this season, against Melbourne in round seven. He needs to deliver more.
TALL DEFENDERS
The Doggies are delighted with the development of three tall, skinny young defenders in Cameron Wight, Tom Williams and "Spida's" young brother, Andrejs Everitt.
Wight has been a regular in 2007, Williams has just come into the team and Everitt is an emergency for tonight's game. All are shaping up as excellent long-term prospects, in positions where they are sorely needed.
YOUNG IMPROVERS
Shaun Higgins played only five games last year before fracturing his elbow. This season, he has not missed a game and with 17 goals is the third-highest goalkicker. He is on track to be a star.
Dylan Addison tasted two games in 2006, now he is a regular. A tough tackler with a strong appetite for the contest, he is another example of the coach adding much-needed grunt.
Jarrod Harbrow is one to watch. A speedy ball carrier who wins contests, he is another example of a touch of toughness being added to the mix.
MATTHEW BOYD
Boyd is a low-key Bulldog who has come off a rookie list to earn a senior position. It's always been a struggle for the 24-year-old. Tonight will be his 80th game, but Bulldog fans know the tough tagger has gone up another notch. He always has led the way with tackles and hard-ball gets, and has become a quality playmaker in his own right.
THE VETERAN
Chris Grant is yet to play a senior game but he's not far off. Because he can play at either end of the ground, Grant will provide the coach with terrific options as September nears.
THE DOWNSIDE
DEFENCE
MARKS INSIDE 50
Geelong, Sydney, Collingwood and Essendon are the top four teams for marks inside 50 because they all have quality power forwards. The Bulldogs rank 16th because they don't have a quality tall forward doing the job. Maybe Darcy or Grant can improve that situation.
CLEARANCES
The Dogs rank 12th for clearances. Their A-graders are Adam Cooney (45), Scott West (43) and Boyd (40). What is needed is for the B-graders to lift in close. Nathan Eagleton (21), Daniel Giansiracusa (18), Akermanis (11) and Hahn (4) need to contribute a lot more.
BIG SCALPS ARE NEEDED
After tonight's game, the Dogs have a terrific run, with eight games out of the next 10 to be played at Telstra Dome. They need to have wins over Geelong and West Coast at the Dome and an away win against Adelaide to gain confidence and credibility come September.
It's not just the defender, it's the forwards and midfield, too, who don't lock down the opposition when they take, or look like taking, possession of the ball. End result, the Dogs too often get big scores kicked against them. The spoiling technique of the defensive six leaves much to be desired, causing Jordan McMahon to lose his spot in the side two weeks ago.Luke Darcy, Robert Murphy and Mitch Hahn are returning to senior football after knee reconstructions. It takes time and adjustments to build the strength and confidence to get back to your best. All three will have better second-half seasons.
Robert Walls | June 16, 2007
TONIGHT'S game in Darwin is crucial for the Western Bulldogs. Their opponent, Fremantle, sits one game behind the Dogs and is a keen rival for a final-eight position. In effect, tonight becomes an eight-point game for Rodney Eade's men: a win will give them an eight-point buffer over Fremantle, a loss and it's all square.
Opinions vary as to how well the Bulldogs are travelling. After winning a final last season, for the first time in eight years, most believed they were on track to be certain finalists in 2007 and many had them pencilled in with a top-four finish.
Even the Bulldog faithful are divided as to how their team sits. One talkback caller suggested the coach would be quietly chuckling to himself as the upside to the second half of the season was massive. Another commented the fact that they have the third-worst defence, behind Carlton and Richmond, and that if you allow the opposition to average more than 100 points a game, then you could forget about winning a premiership.
Even last week against the Brisbane Lions, the Dogs won but lost at the same time. They took home four points but couldn't kick a goal in the final quarter and lost quality players in Daniel Cross and Ryan Griffin to long-term injury. So what does the immediate future hold for a team that has set itself to break a 53-year premiership drought?
THE UPSIDE
THE RECO BOYS
Darcy may not be the ruckman he once was, but he is a fine leader and will help develop Will Minson and Peter Street as ruckmen while he consolidates as the effective tall forward the Dogs desperately need.
Murphy is, in my opinion, the Bulldogs' best player. It has been a slow return for him.He has averaged only 11 disposals and one goal a game. From here on, he will go close to doubling those figures, and what a difference that will make.
Hahn has played five games for an average of eight touches. He, too, will double his output and add grunt to a team that needs as much as it can get.
THE RECRUITJason Akermanis is the man, but has he delivered? I don't think so. The Dogs got him to provide a touch of magic that would get them over the line in the four to five down-to-the-wire games they reckoned they would play this year. He has done it once this season, against Melbourne in round seven. He needs to deliver more.
TALL DEFENDERS
The Doggies are delighted with the development of three tall, skinny young defenders in Cameron Wight, Tom Williams and "Spida's" young brother, Andrejs Everitt.
Wight has been a regular in 2007, Williams has just come into the team and Everitt is an emergency for tonight's game. All are shaping up as excellent long-term prospects, in positions where they are sorely needed.
YOUNG IMPROVERS
Shaun Higgins played only five games last year before fracturing his elbow. This season, he has not missed a game and with 17 goals is the third-highest goalkicker. He is on track to be a star.
Dylan Addison tasted two games in 2006, now he is a regular. A tough tackler with a strong appetite for the contest, he is another example of the coach adding much-needed grunt.
Jarrod Harbrow is one to watch. A speedy ball carrier who wins contests, he is another example of a touch of toughness being added to the mix.
MATTHEW BOYD
Boyd is a low-key Bulldog who has come off a rookie list to earn a senior position. It's always been a struggle for the 24-year-old. Tonight will be his 80th game, but Bulldog fans know the tough tagger has gone up another notch. He always has led the way with tackles and hard-ball gets, and has become a quality playmaker in his own right.
THE VETERAN
Chris Grant is yet to play a senior game but he's not far off. Because he can play at either end of the ground, Grant will provide the coach with terrific options as September nears.
THE DOWNSIDE
DEFENCE
MARKS INSIDE 50
Geelong, Sydney, Collingwood and Essendon are the top four teams for marks inside 50 because they all have quality power forwards. The Bulldogs rank 16th because they don't have a quality tall forward doing the job. Maybe Darcy or Grant can improve that situation.
CLEARANCES
The Dogs rank 12th for clearances. Their A-graders are Adam Cooney (45), Scott West (43) and Boyd (40). What is needed is for the B-graders to lift in close. Nathan Eagleton (21), Daniel Giansiracusa (18), Akermanis (11) and Hahn (4) need to contribute a lot more.
BIG SCALPS ARE NEEDED
After tonight's game, the Dogs have a terrific run, with eight games out of the next 10 to be played at Telstra Dome. They need to have wins over Geelong and West Coast at the Dome and an away win against Adelaide to gain confidence and credibility come September.
It's not just the defender, it's the forwards and midfield, too, who don't lock down the opposition when they take, or look like taking, possession of the ball. End result, the Dogs too often get big scores kicked against them. The spoiling technique of the defensive six leaves much to be desired, causing Jordan McMahon to lose his spot in the side two weeks ago.Luke Darcy, Robert Murphy and Mitch Hahn are returning to senior football after knee reconstructions. It takes time and adjustments to build the strength and confidence to get back to your best. All three will have better second-half seasons.