Round 1, 2021

[LondonBulldog]

West Coast played three in 2018 - Vardy, Kennedy, Darling.
GWS (I know I know) also played three in 2019 (Cameron, Finlayson, Himmelberg).

We just don't have a swarm of small pressure forwards so we need to play the best personnel we have rather than follow another team's blueprint.

I would argue or best form of the last few years was Naughton 1 out tall with support from Schache who plays small (finish to 2019).

I'm not saying go smaller than that, yet Naughton and resting ruck in English is enough. What did Bruce do to be an automatic selection aapart from contest, get in Naughton way and fumble. Needs to earn his spot this year. Good to see he has lost weight though. Will be interesting to see the round 1 side. I think we need a slight change up and that for me control the ball and use speed all through the ground when we get the opening.

 

[yebiga]

I would argue or best form of the last few years was Naughton 1 out tall with support from Schache who plays small (finish to 2019).

I'm not saying go smaller than that, yet Naughton and resting ruck in English is enough. What did Bruce do to be an automatic selection aapart from contest, get in Naughton way and fumble. Needs to earn his spot this year. Good to see he has lost weight though. Will be interesting to see the round 1 side. I think we need a slight change up and that for me control the ball and use speed all through the ground when we get the opening.

I see this a bit differently. Bruce tirelessly created contests and brought the ball to ground to give us a second or third go at it. He was physical and put as much pressure on the defence as we have seen from a big forward. This is why he was rightfully kept in the team, when his contested marking seemed to abandon him last year - he continued to work hard at the contest and as required gave English a valuable respite from the Ruck.

Of course he needs to clunk a more marks and kick more goals this year. Looking at his new svelte shape, if he retains the same work ethic, we should be confident he will be a valuable asset and an automatic selection.

 

[Virgin Dog]

I have doubts over Bruce and Naughton being a good fit together. I honestly feel pairing either one with Schache would actually work better unless one drastically changed their player style

 

[dogwatch]

I see this a bit differently. Bruce tirelessly created contests and brought the ball to ground to give us a second or third go at it. He was physical and put as much pressure on the defence as we have seen from a big forward. This is why he was rightfully kept in the team, when his contested marking seemed to abandon him last year - he continued to work hard at the contest and as required gave English a valuable respite from the Ruck.

Of course he needs to clunk a more marks and kick more goals this year. Looking at his new svelte shape, if he retains the same work ethic, we should be confident he will be a valuable asset and an automatic selection.

I wonder whether being urged to crash packs and be physical affected his touch with marking.

Or did he just have a s**t season?

 

[Dogsman16]

I have doubts over Bruce and Naughton being a good fit together. I honestly feel pairing either one with Schache would actually work better unless one drastically changed their player style

Schache would be more suited to this side with the addition of a 2nd ruck. That way he can play 3rd tall forward and isn't required to fill any ruck time.

I'm not saying Schache should be selected over Bruce (genuine issues regarding his effort and physicality remain), just suggesting that the 2 ruck combo would help him out a bit.

That being said can we play Naughton, English and Schache in the same forward line with the defensive pressure they would provide (naughton is elite for a big man but the other two arent defensive pressure minded players).

 

[doggies ftw]

Schache would be more suited to this side with the addition of a 2nd ruck. That way he can play 3rd tall forward and isn't required to fill any ruck time.

I'm not saying Schache should be selected over Bruce (genuine issues regarding his effort and physicality remain), just suggesting that the 2 ruck combo would help him out a bit.

That being said can we play Naughton, English and Schache in the same forward line with the defensive pressure they would provide (naughton is elite for a big man but the other two arent defensive pressure minded players).

It’s a shame we don’t have any genuine pressure smalls to make the most of a tall forward line. Wallis is good but slow, Vanders could be very very good but plays high a lot too. I know he’s not exactly defensively minded but I wonder if JJ could help out, and Richards coming on would solve a lot of problems too.

 

[Libba39]

It’s a shame we don’t have any genuine pressure smalls to make the most of a tall forward line. Wallis is good but slow, Vanders could be very very good but plays high a lot too. I know he’s not exactly defensively minded but I wonder if JJ could help out, and Richards coming on would solve a lot of problems too.

JJ is a lot of things but an ability to consistently lay tackles is not one of them. Probably in the 5 worst tacklers on the list.

 

[Mattdougie]

JJ is a lot of things but an ability to consistently lay tackles is not one of them. Probably in the 5 worst tacklers on the list.

Yep he is one of the last blokes on the list that could fill a “pressure” role. Also would just be tagged out of the game as teams know he can’t deal with a tag at all.

 

[doggies ftw]

JJ is a lot of things but an ability to consistently lay tackles is not one of them. Probably in the 5 worst tacklers on the list.

Providing pressure is not only about laying tackles, there’s an inferred pressure that would
come from him buzzing around, it’d only take a couple of run downs from behind before he’d have people second guessing them selves running out of defence. Also tacklings a whole different ball game chasing people down from behind rather than having blokes try to run through (which yes JJ does struggle with)

Not saying he’s gonna be the difference but could definitely add something to the mix with his pace imo

 

[Mofra]

JJ is a lot of things but an ability to consistently lay tackles is not one of them. Probably in the 5 worst tacklers on the list.

If we're after a pressure forward to play that role, VDM would be ahead of JJ anyway and honestly I'd play Ed Richards ahead of JJ in the front half too.

 

[blagodellago]

Time for Weightman to show why he was a first round pick. That would be amaze-balls


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[doggies ftw]

If we're after a pressure forward to play that role, VDM would be ahead of JJ anyway and honestly I'd play Ed Richards ahead of JJ in the front half too.

Quite easily room for all 3

 

[Mofra]

Quite easily room for all 3

With Wallis, Bruce, Naughton, English, and our resting mids?

I have Ed Richards just scraping into the last bench spot - and that's with Hannan out due to injury.

 

[doggies ftw]

With Wallis, Bruce, Naughton, English, and our resting mids?

I have Ed Richards just scraping into the last bench spot - and that's with Hannan out due to injury.

Depends what we do with our mids I guess, but I’d like to have 7 dedicated forwards in the team if possible + playing all 4 of those slower talls/mediums is all the more reason to fit in Vanders, Richards & JJ imo. I’d also have all 3 cycling through the wings, English dropping back to defence etc so I think there’s room.

If any were to miss its Richards for mine, I’ve seen enough from JJ to suggest he offers more there at this stage imo

 

[Mofra]

Depends what we do with our mids I guess, but I’d like to have 7 dedicated forwards in the team if possible + playing all 4 of those slower talls/mediums is all the more reason to fit in Vanders, Richards & JJ imo. I’d also have all 3 cycling through the wings, English dropping back to defence etc so I think there’s room.

If any were to miss its Richards for mine, I’ve seen enough from JJ to suggest he offers more there at this stage imo

Given the cap reduction from 90 to 75, our 'flexibility' mantra and stacked midfield I don't think we will play 7 forwards. I suspect we'll have a few utility types (e.g. VDM) who pushes up to a wing at times

 

[grassman75]

Anyone else reckon the footage from training was probables v possibles?

All the highlights i saw gave me the impression the light blue was the probables and black the possibles

 

[doggies ftw]

Anyone else reckon the footage from training was probables v possibles?

All the highlights i saw gave me the impression the light blue was the probables and black the possibles

Agreed but there was a lot of outliers that were confusing, Libba in the black, Bedendo in the blue, Mcniel in the blue, Williams in the black, Naughty in the black, Buku in the blue (most of those players wore both at one stage though)

Too many outliers for us to take any real insight from it imo

 

[Bulldoge]

Agreed but there was a lot of outliers that were confusing, Libba in the black, Bedendo in the blue, Mcniel in the blue, Williams in the black, Naughty in the black, Buku in the blue (most of those players wore both at one stage though)

Too many outliers for us to take any real insight from it imo

I think they swapped some players around after the first half of the match sim - the blue were carving them up so they evened out the teams a bit, or tried different things/match ups in the second half

 

[WallyStringhaus]

Re: the Cordy/Gardner/Young debate. Hands up if halfway through 2016 you thought that Hamling and Roberts would be our Premiership KPD's?

Hamling broke into the side in Round 19 and Roberts only played in the PF and GF cos Suckers was injured.

A lot can happen in the course of a season. I think if our mids fire like I think they can and we get some intensity and pressure back into our forward line, then it wont really matter which player emerges to give Keath a chop out. The lucky bastard will be wearing a premiership medallion though...

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Gardner is coming from further back than either of those were though.

 

[NthBondiDoggies]

Which positions do we think are open (O) versus locked in (L)?

Wallis (L) Bruce^ (O) Cavarro/West/Weightman#(O)

VDM (L) Naughton (L) Jong/Dale/Hannan/Bedendo (O)

Hunter (L) Macrae (L) Daniel* (L)
Martin (L) Bont (L) Libba (L)

JJ (L) Keath (L) Wood (L - Cordy or a Doc will play while injured.

Williams (L) Gardiner/Young (O) Crozier (L)

Int: Dunkley (L) Trelor (L) Smith (L) English (L)

^Bruce is probably a L while JUH or Schache both appear not ready - I like him but had a shocker last year and these two will push him hard.

*Daniel is an all Australian defender - the finals exposed us fairly easily when a good marking mid could make him accountable. He is one of our best runners and often the only one with the speed and endurance to get back when the ball goes the other way. Kind of like Hunter who you think is not that quick until you see them gut run the length of the field and burn their player off. He is one of our best players and I reckon is a lock cor a midfield role like the wing. He will rotate back often in that quarterback role he has taken like the Hawthorn champ who pioneered it but if he starts there commonly teams will cut us up again.

#would not be surprised if Hannan/Dale etc played FP and JJ came in as a HFF - would be crazy with VDM on the other flank and allow Richards to try and lock down HBF where he has shown a lot.

 

[TempletonTheRat]

Which positions do we think are open (O) versus locked in (L)?

Wallis (L) Bruce^ (O) Cavarro/West/Weightman#(O)

VDM (L) Naughton (L) Jong/Dale/Hannan/Bedendo (O)

Hunter (L) Macrae (L) Daniel* (L)
Martin (L) Bont (L) Libba (L)

JJ (L) Keath (L) Wood (L - Cordy or a Doc will play while injured.

Williams (L) Gardiner/Young (O) Crozier (L)

Int: Dunkley (L) Trelor (L) Smith (L) English (L)

^Bruce is probably a L while JUH or Schache both appear not ready - I like him but had a shocker last year and these two will push him hard.

*Daniel is an all Australian defender - the finals exposed us fairly easily when a good marking mid could make him accountable. He is one of our best runners and often the only one with the speed and endurance to get back when the ball goes the other way. Kind of like Hunter who you think is not that quick until you see them gut run the length of the field and burn their player off. He is one of our best players and I reckon is a lock cor a midfield role like the wing. He will rotate back often in that quarterback role he has taken like the Hawthorn champ who pioneered it but if he starts there commonly teams will cut us up again.

#would not be surprised if Hannan/Dale etc played FP and JJ came in as a HFF - would be crazy with VDM on the other flank and allow Richards to try and lock down HBF where he has shown a lot.

18/19 locks and 3/4 open spots - I think you are pretty close to the money

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

Which positions do we think are open (O) versus locked in (L)?

Wallis (L) Bruce^ (O) Cavarro/West/Weightman#(O)

VDM (L) Naughton (L) Jong/Dale/Hannan/Bedendo (O)

Hunter (L) Macrae (L) Daniel* (L)
Martin (L) Bont (L) Libba (L)

JJ (L) Keath (L) Wood (L - Cordy or a Doc will play while injured.

Williams (L) Gardiner/Young (O) Crozier (L)

Int: Dunkley (L) Trelor (L) Smith (L) English (L)

^Bruce is probably a L while JUH or Schache both appear not ready - I like him but had a shocker last year and these two will push him hard.

*Daniel is an all Australian defender - the finals exposed us fairly easily when a good marking mid could make him accountable. He is one of our best runners and often the only one with the speed and endurance to get back when the ball goes the other way. Kind of like Hunter who you think is not that quick until you see them gut run the length of the field and burn their player off. He is one of our best players and I reckon is a lock cor a midfield role like the wing. He will rotate back often in that quarterback role he has taken like the Hawthorn champ who pioneered it but if he starts there commonly teams will cut us up again.

#would not be surprised if Hannan/Dale etc played FP and JJ came in as a HFF - would be crazy with VDM on the other flank and allow Richards to try and lock down HBF where he has shown a lot.

Didn’t Caleb expose the Saints and almost pinch the final for us in the last qtr?

 

[DognBones]

If any were to miss its Richards for mine, I’ve seen enough from JJ to suggest he offers more there at this stage imo

Agree. I would like to see evidence that Richards has improved his involvement and output before he is picked best 22. Can't be an 11 disposals per game wing/forward forever.

 

[doggies ftw]

Agree. I would like to see evidence that Richards has improved his involvement and output before he is picked best 22. Can't be an 11 disposals per game wing/forward forever.

I like that he was playing half back in the intra club apparently. I can’t remember too many examples of players who can’t find the ball just magically learning that skill. It’s sort of a natural thing for mine, and some guys just don’t get it. I just don’t think he’s smart enough to get himself in positions forward of the ball to get enough of it and his disposal under pressure is really really poor.

I think he will thrive at HB because it’s just a really simple game plan for him, he just has to get given the ball and use his great attributes to run it out. Plus he’s really strong defensively & in the air.

I think JJ is better at delivering the ball inside 50, better finisher and will create more opportunities up forward so I’d move him to wing/hf. Plus JJ can get tagged out of games easily as a defender but it’s different as a forward because you can have literally no impact on a game, then get on the end of one or two and all of a sudden they have to completely reassess the match up.

Then Richards provides the run out of defence we need, alongside our other rebounders in Williams, Daniel etc who are more kicking based rebounders rather than run.

With Richards in def, JJ & Vanders forward, Baz & Treloar in the middle we now have some genuine pace across all lines. Should be some fun games to watch at Marvel when we get going