The Bulldog’s Great Dane Forward Line

[Fat Tony!]

The Bulldogs are about to experiment with a forward line that will include Rory Lobb

7

Rory Lobb

Age

31

Ht

207cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.9

4star

D

11.3

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

1.4

2star

G

1.0

4star

D

7.0

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.6

3star

(207cm), Sam Darcy (209cm), Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (197cm) and Aaron Naughton

33

Aaron Naughton

Age

24

Ht

196cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.7

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

4.9

5star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

6.3

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

2.3

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

0.8

1star

G

0.5

4star

D

12.8

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.0

1star

(195cm). We have never seen a forward line like it and it is reminiscent of the 1986 Boston Celtics. With Tim English in the ruck, it is likely that only four of these five players will be on the ground at the one time, but still, the Dogs will have an incredible amount of size in the forward line at all times. (I was surprised that the Dogs went after Lobb last year given they had just recruited Darcy the year before.)

What do posters think about this? Are you worried that the Dog’s aerial prowess will get on top? Will it be revolutionary? Or will defences be able to get a third man up and then exploit the lack of pressure when the ball hits the deck?

Personally, I am a bit sceptical that it is the ideal way to go. The Tigers won the flag only six seasons ago with a forward line of just Jack Riewoldt and smaller players, so it is really a big swing in philosophy in a short space of time. The other point I think is that the greater number of talls in the forward line makes it less likely that Bontempelli drifts forward in marking contests. That said, Darcy is an incredible talent, Naughton is an excellent player, Ugle-Hagen was the most talked about number 1 forward in years and Lobb showed he is still a very good player in 2022.

I guess my question is, how can this Western Bulldogs team be stopped?

 

[Mofra]

For most of the gametime I'd expect only 3 talls in the forwardline at any one time, with Darcy sent back occasionally to intercept mark as well.
It's weird as for many many years we would have been happy with one decent KPF to build the side around.
Not to mention Jordan Croft if a 196cm KPF eligible to us this year as a FS.

Now we have a different problem - a lack of intercept marking power in D50.

 

[Shane Heard]

Dacy looks like an absolute gem of kid.

And way more athletic and skilled than his father at the same age.

 

[Shane Heard]

For most of the gametime I'd expect only 3 talls in the forwardline at any one time, with Darcy sent back occasionally to intercept mark as well.
It's weird as for many many years we would have been happy with one decent KPF to build the side around.
Not to mention Jordan Croft if a 196cm KPF eligible to us this year as a FS.

Now we have a different problem - a lack of intercept marking power in D50.

I reckon your Kolbe Catholic kid will go to up a level massively this year.

He’s a star.

Naughton *

 

[AFDogs]

We haven't had an effective tall forward line in the 15 years I have been watching and supporting us. The prospect of this forwardline excites me.

 

[Toump Ass]

I was pretty surprised they went after Lobb too, but Darcy still gotta build his tank so Lobb may end up as depth.
The bigger surprise was losing Schache though, kid is going to be a gun. Watch this space.

 

[Substance]

It looks like Bevo is trying to pull a smooth one on the comp. Maybe it doesn't work at all and we're bottom 10. Maybe it works but is countered/worked out by round 10. But regardless of outcome I'm excited about it as a dogs supporter

 

[Sphynx]

It worked pretty well on the weekend.

It probably only works also if you have some hyper athletic unicorn prospect like Darcy, which he is for 208cm's.

 

[Milanista28]

Naughton pressures like a small so that helps, he's an absolute ripper.

 

[Purple Suit]

Naughton pressures like a small so that helps, he's an absolute ripper.

Lobb pressures like a trainer. I wonder if he's been recruited to be the decoy forward and every week the plan will switch between one of the other three as the main target.

 

[kreglze]

Not to make it about the Suns, but we seem to be going with a similar set up this year running with 4 tall forwards picked from this group of 5.

Chol: 200cm
Lukosius: 195cm
King: 202cm
Casboult: 199cm
Jeffrey: 192cm

I wonder how out set up ends up looking different to the Dogs.

 

[Milanista28]

Lobb pressures like a trainer. I wonder if he's been recruited to be the decoy forward and every week the plan will switch between one of the other three as the main target.

Lobb will do some ruck work you'd expect.

 

[Sinjin Smith]

For most of the gametime I'd expect only 3 talls in the forwardline at any one time, with Darcy sent back occasionally to intercept mark as well.
It's weird as for many many years we would have been happy with one decent KPF to build the side around.
Not to mention Jordan Croft if a 196cm KPF eligible to us this year as a FS.

Now we have a different problem - a lack of intercept marking power in D50.

If Liam Jones recaptures his form from Carlton after a year you will be sorted there. He has the odd brain fade but damn he played some blinders, intercepting everything.

 

[Golumless]

Four key forwards? Been done before, with Adelaide 2017 a prime example of it.

Devestating if everything was in sync, but also with more than a whiff of unreliability to it.

 

[Substance]

Four key forwards? Been done before, with Adelaide 2017 a prime example of it.

Devestating if everything was in sync, but also with more than a whiff of unreliability to it.

Walker, Jenkins....lynch?(191cm)
Who was the 4th? Don't think the height comes close. I think that's more what is unique about the dogs setup. Average height of 202cm being what stands out. Is there is any side that has had 4 average 200+

 

[Mofra]

Walker, Jenkins....lynch?(191cm)
Who was the 4th? Don't think the height comes close. I think that's more what is unique about the dogs setup. Average height of 202cm being what stands out. Is there is any side that has had 4 average 200+

Mitch McGovern was considered a tall at the time (191cm?) - Lynch and McGovern are both shorter than Bont or Macrae! Hugh Greenwood was playing a hybrid marking type at times too IIRC.
The game has changed a lot even in a short time.

 

[Testekill]

Naughton pressures like a small so that helps, he's an absolute ripper.

Naughton and Ugle Hagan are both very good at applying pressure, it means that the forward line is more mobile than it seems.

 

[Substance]

4 games in and it hasn't been good. Averaging 9 goals a game, and the opposition have scored a whopping 117 pts from D50 against us.


Still think it needs more time. Lobb had surgery round 2 and Darcy got dropped, will have to see if Bevo goes with it again in the coming weeks.