Opinion 14 Points a Game

[acker]

Baby steps first year

But I think 50 Goals should be a target for Tom Boyd in his first year at the Western Bulldogs which is almost 20 goals more than last years highest Stuart Crameri

30 Goals is too low for a bigger player, playing closer to goal even if they are young.

 

[Tommycash]

I think that is asking a bit much. I will be impressed if he kicks 30. That said, the way people talk him up, 50 would probably be on par. I just don't think he's played enough footy to be able to consistently score goals against more experienced opponents.

 

[timtamWB]

He won't kick 50 goals. He's not experienced enough, and he's not used to his teammates. Even guys like Jon Brown (38) and N. Riewoldt (21), didn't kick 50 goals in their second season.

This is going to be the downfall of Boyd. Ridiculously high expectations. We just need to see signs that he can command the forward line. He won't even play all games, in fact I'd be very surprised if he plays more than 15.

 

[Hrovat24]

I think 50 goals over the next 2 years is more realistic

 

[dogwatch]

Baby steps first year

But I think 50 Goals should be a target for Tom Boyd in his first year at the Western Bulldogs which is almost 20 goals more than last years highest Stuart Crameri

30 Goals is too low for a bigger player, playing closer to goal even if they are young.

I think 50 goals over the next 2 years is more realistic

Paradoxically, I agree with all the above posts:
Acker: "50 goals should be the target". Yes why not? Why set yourself a target of 20 or 25 goals? Go talk to Tim Cahill about believing in yourself and setting ambitious targets. It works for him.
TC, timtam, Hrovat24 : "he won't do it". I agree he almost certainly won't. It may well take two full years to get 50 goals but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be aiming high.

As timtam says the first big challenge for Boyd is to deal with expectations - from WB fans, the club, the media, even from fans of other clubs who will laugh at our "million dollar man" when he goes goalless from time to time. The pass mark for me is playing 14+ games, helping straighten up our forward structure and, if we must talk in terms of goals, kicking 20+ majors. But a pass mark is different to your own personal target.

 

[fargy]

I think both Stringer and Crameri* should be looking at 40+, while Dahl and Boyd around 25.

 

[TedDougChris]

I agree with dogwatch - I like the more ambitious target, but realistically I'm hoping for around 30 goals from around 15 games, with one bag - ideally early in the year. If he were to kick 4 - 6 one afternoon, it would really ease the pressure on himself and the club - as people would situp and take notice. From that point on, people would acknowledge his capability and then give him more leeway as his body and game develops (or at least I hope....)

 

[Hrovat24]

Paradoxically, I agree with all the above posts:
Acker: "50 goals should be the target". Yes why not? Why set yourself a target of 20 or 25 goals? Go talk to Tim Cahill about believing in yourself and setting ambitious targets. It works for him.
TC, timtam, Hrovat24 : "he won't do it". I agree he almost certainly won't. It may well take two full years to get 50 goals but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be aiming high.

As timtam says the first big challenge for Boyd is to deal with expectations - from WB fans, the club, the media, even from fans of other clubs who will laugh at our "million dollar man" when he goes goalless from time to time. The pass mark for me is playing 14+ games, helping straighten up our forward structure and, if we must talk in terms of goals, kicking 20+ majors. But a pass mark is different to your own personal target.

I agree with you finding his feet this year would be the priority and settling getting use to the new game plan and new teammates , I honestly am only hoping that this year he can show he can make it at afl level and a bonus if he shows flashes that he will become a very good footballer

 

[Cori]

Tim Cahill is 35 and has been an athlete for as long as Boyd has been alive. I don't think this thread is about his own expectations, it's about public and member expectations. He's 19 and still has a 19 year olds body. dogwatch is right with this pass mark though, that is very realistic.

 

[Proffessor]

I think 50 goals over the next 2 years is more realistic

If the reported finances are accurate, he will be costing us around $40k per goal on that level of output. Not exactly great value, so I hope we get a better rate of return than that.

By the way, I know he will only earn around $200k this year, but considering we are reportedly still paying $800k to Griffen this year as part of the deal to get Boyd, he is still costing the club around 1 million dollars for his services.

Boyd's agent has negotiated a massive contract for the young bloke, and with that amount of coin comes a large amount of expectation and scrutiny. He will not be given the same amount of grace provided to other 2nd year players, and nor should he.

It will be unavoidable, so I hope he is prepared for it, and prepared to deliver something approaching good value.

 

[Hrovat24]

If the reported finances are accurate, he will be costing us around $40k per goal on that level of output. Not exactly great value, so I hope we get a better rate of return than that.

By the way, I know he will only earn around $200k this year, but considering we are reportedly still paying $800k to Griffen this year as part of the deal to get Boyd, he is still costing the club around 1 million dollars for his services.

Boyd's agent has negotiated a massive contract for the young bloke, and with that amount of coin comes a large amount of expectation and scrutiny. He will not be given the same amount of grace provided to other 2nd year players, and nor should he.

It will be unavoidable, so I hope he is prepared for it, and prepared to deliver something approaching good value.

That deal is on the club not Tom boyd , if he fails he can walk away laughing as he pockets millions , on the other hand it will cost us millions and 5 - 10 years of development of our foward line

 

[Libba39]

I can't believe these expectations of Boyd. Unrealistic to say the least.

 

[Toastman]

It's not just Boyd getting the goals, he will need someone to get the ball to him to get goals. I think he might have a chance at around 40 with the Hawks mid field delivering it to him but realistically, our mid field hasn't exactly delivered the ball well over the last couple of seasons meaning that even the top forwards would struggle to put up big numbers let alone a second year guy.

 

[fronkalicious]

What I'd like guys to be aiming for:

Crameri - 40 goals
Stringer - 40 goals
Dal - 35 goals
Boyd - 30 goals

These are all stretches, but if 2 of the 4 guys hit these marks, I'd suggest we've improved considerably as a team.

 

[TMoney22]

I think both Stringer and Crameri* should be looking at 40+, while Dahl and Boyd around 25.

x2

50 is a bit too much. If he had the fitness of a 5yr player maybe. But he will drop away in 2nd halves.

 

[Werewolf]

On seeing the title, I thought this was a thread about Melbourne's forward line

 

[Bazza Bulldog]

Whlist the game has changed ... Chris Grant kicking 50 as a teenager in his first season, just shows how good he was! I'd think that Boyd kicking 30-40, but playing regular football and developing his forward craft and synergy with Dahl, String, Crameri and Hunter (hopefully an improved Redpath) would be a huge step in the right direction.

 

[Dav1d]

If Boyd kicks a bag in his first season in a single game, I'd be reasonably impressed

I don't care who it is against and who his match up is

 

[TempleKelvington]

I can't see Boyd impacting this year. I think the media will flog him and us every time he has a quiet game or is playing at Footscray. That's the reality of it for us and Tom.

He does not look ready to be the main man from the little of have seen of him. I expect he could be that in 2 or 3 years. For now he needs to build confidence, play his role take a good defender and leave it to String, Cramers and big Red to take the load off him.

 

[Yojimbo]

I am not fussed how many goals Tom Boyd kicks, but i am more
interested in how many goals the improved structure helps to
create.When we had Barry Hall it was interesting to note how
some other forwards (LJ) had good years. I realize Boyd is no
Hall as yet, but he can still provide the same structure even if
not the same output at this early stage of his career.Lets not
burn out the candle before it can truly shine.

 

[_Mike_]

As long as Boyd improves that is the main factor at this stage. I dont believe that putting expectations on the kid to kick 40-50 goals in his first year with us is realistic.. He's got to find his feet, learn our game and develop connections with the other players

 

[lachy]

If the reported finances are accurate, he will be costing us around $40k per goal on that level of output. Not exactly great value, so I hope we get a better rate of return than that.

By the way, I know he will only earn around $200k this year, but considering we are reportedly still paying $800k to Griffen this year as part of the deal to get Boyd, he is still costing the club around 1 million dollars for his services.

Boyd's agent has negotiated a massive contract for the young bloke, and with that amount of coin comes a large amount of expectation and scrutiny. He will not be given the same amount of grace provided to other 2nd year players, and nor should he.

It will be unavoidable, so I hope he is prepared for it, and prepared to deliver something approaching good value.

going by this logic Buddy Franklin costs the Swans over $25,000 per goal.

Too many in the media, supporters of other clubs and our own supporters are mesmerised by the sum of money offered to Tom Boyd and not the value.

Firstly, as recognised it is $200,000 in year 1. Then it is front loaded.

In 2016 we are able to pay 105% of the salary cap. Given we have to pay $800,000 of Griffens wages this year to hit 95% of the salary cap we have a fair bit of room to move.

Keep in mind the salary cap is funded by the AFL distributions, it is not what will send us broke.

As Tom Boyds salary reduces, the cap itself will be increasing by at least 10% per annum, probably more depending on the next tv rights agreement.

Good simple list management will ensure the quantum of Tom Boyds wages will be irrelevant in the context of developing a list to challenge.

His own supporters need to understand this and realise he is 3 to 4 years away from anything like his output can be, his wage was merely the vehicle to ensure we got the opportunity to grab an a potential a plus grade key forward that with some b grade KPP's and a grade kids we have developing forms a list that can genuinely challenge when the whips are cracking.

Whether he kicks 50 goals or 20 in 2015 is not relevant to the Tom Boyd story unless we the supporters of the club buy into the dim witted research and opinions of the media.

Yes he should have a personal goal of say 50, but there should also be a goal of how many goal assists either directly or indirectly through contest. Importantly development should be measured in context of where he is not where he will be

 

[Mofra]

He's played 9 AFL games and is 200cm.
I just hopes he gets through the season without injury and shows real improvement as the season progresses.

 

[AFDogs]

I'd like to see figures like that from Crameri, not Boyd.

 

[spider1004]

I'd like to see figures like that from Crameri, not Boyd.

We don't need huge improvements from our guys - in 2014 one goal more per game from our forwards and one goal less per game from our backs, would have seen us play finals.