Tom Boyd

[Scotland]

HF: Dunkley Cloke Stringer
F: Smith Boyd Dickson

Cloke to CHF, Boyd deep forward and rucking 30% game time. Boyd and Roughead could conceivably share the ruck 50/50 but Roughead isn't a noted goalkicker.

Stringer more freedom to roam inside and outside 50. Has been a 14 possession nearly 2 goal a game player this year. Should be a 15-20 possession a game player chipping in with the odd bag of 3-4.

Smith, Dunkley as part of the forward/mid rotation.

It's a lot more balanced than relying on Dickson and Stringer to play as key forwards and carrying a second ruck.

 

[Headless]

I hope he dobs a torp from 65 after the siren to win the Grand Final. Would be grouse.

 

[nobbyiscool]

HF: Dunkley Cloke Stringer
F: Smith Boyd Dickson

Cloke to CHF, Boyd deep forward and rucking 30% game time. Boyd and Roughead could conceivably share the ruck 50/50 but Roughead isn't a noted goalkicker.

Stringer more freedom to roam inside and outside 50. Has been a 14 possession nearly 2 goal a game player this year. Should be a 15-20 possession a game player chipping in with the odd bag of 3-4.

Smith, Dunkley as part of the forward/mid rotation.

It's a lot more balanced than relying on Dickson and Stringer to play as key forwards and carrying a second ruck.

No, but Roughead does have the ability to go and play a key defensive slot, which is pretty bloody unique across the whole competition.

 

[JeffDunne]

Not true - our first game against North Melbourne we only had Stringer as a marking target there and we were absolutely murdered.
Since then we brought in Redpath off the back of poor VFL form simply for structure - we improved our F50 system markedly.

Our best forward structure and biggest scores have actually come during the finals, when Boyd is down there with Zaine Cordy splitting the tall defenders, save for one game late in the season where Boyd spent most of his time in the forward line to lead us for score involvements.

Cloke comes in and either replaces Cordy (who isn't a natural forward) and/or provides support to whichever ruck duo is playing that round, noting Campbell & Roughead were the combo for most of the year while Boyd was injured then getting back to fitness.

Was talking more over the past month when I've been paying attention.

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is his forward pressure is non extent. To me he's the complete opposite to what the Bulldogs need.

 

[Damon_3388]

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is his forward pressure is non extent. To me he's the complete opposite to what the Bulldogs need.

He's actually a pretty motivated and effective tackler for a big guy. Drive and workrate in any form has never been his issue.

 

[andrewb]

Was talking more over the past month when I've been paying attention.

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is his forward pressure is non extent. To me he's the complete opposite to what the Bulldogs need.

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is that Buckley has had it in for him since he took over.

He will be a gun under a coach that makes him feel like one

 

[Damon_3388]

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is that Buckley has had it in for him since he took over.

Lol, based on what?

 

[FoochPackage]

Was talking more over the past month when I've been paying attention.

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is his forward pressure is non extent. To me he's the complete opposite to what the Bulldogs need.

Look man. You took billings over bont. We get thats hard to live with. But stop nit picking. Go enjoy your off season

 

[Shiel Be Right]

Look man. You took billings over bont. We get thats hard to live with. But stop nit picking. Go enjoy your off season

So JeffDunne from this very forum is a StKilda recruiter?

 

[Ozil]

So JeffDunne from this very forum is a StKilda recruiter?

He's as much a St Kilda recruiter as you are a GWS fan.

 

[Shiel Be Right]

He's as much a St Kilda recruiter as you are a GWS fan.

I'm a Country football fan I support no one.

 

[ManOfClay]

I'm a Country football fan I support no one.

Yarra valley mountain district fl right Adam?

But you do support the saints and anyone playing the Bulldogs or Collingwood

 

[Pugz89]

For a guy on his sort of money that was recruited mostly as a KPF you would expect him to kick at least one goal in 3 finals, especially when the Dogs have had a dominant midfield.

If you're satisfied with his output in the last 3 finals you're very easily pleased.

Bruce was recruited as a defender. Shit changes. If you can't see he is being moulded as a fwd/ruck rather than a kpf then you need to. Change your sunglasses.

 

[Shiel Be Right]

Yarra valley mountain district fl right Adam?

But you do support the saints and anyone playing the Bulldogs or Collingwood

Not really like the WB don't really like a couple of there supporters. Was heavily involved with them years ago.

 

[ManOfClay]

Not really like the WB don't really like a couple of there supporters. Was heavily involved with them years ago.

Cleaning the toilets at whitten oval doesn't count.

Being a jilted ex employee explains your bitterness

 

[Shiel Be Right]

Cleaning the toilets at whitten oval doesn't count.

Being a jilted ex employee explains your bitterness

Lol you don't know your history very well. Your ex coach is my god father and your current saviours dad won a B+F with us years ago.

 

[Pugz89]

Well I can't argue that Billings is superior to Bontempelli at present but both are early on in their careers so there's a lot to play out yet.

As is Boyd, but you've written him off. Lol

 

[Snarls Barkley]

HF: Dunkley Cloke Stringer
F: Smith Boyd Dickson

Cloke to CHF, Boyd deep forward and rucking 30% game time. Boyd and Roughead could conceivably share the ruck 50/50 but Roughead isn't a noted goalkicker.

Stringer more freedom to roam inside and outside 50. Has been a 14 possession nearly 2 goal a game player this year. Should be a 15-20 possession a game player chipping in with the odd bag of 3-4.

Smith, Dunkley as part of the forward/mid rotation.

It's a lot more balanced than relying on Dickson and Stringer to play as key forwards and carrying a second ruck.

Don't forget Crameri is coming back as well. With Dunkley and Smith performing so well in the finals series, it might be hard to fit Cloke straight into the best forward line. With Redpath out for at least the majority of next year and absolutely no other KPF on the list it'll still be handy to add Cloke to the list though.

Boyd's future is as a ruck/fwd. Despite my worries through most of this year, Boyd and Roughead are becoming a handy combination.

 

[cosman123]

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is that Buckley has had it in for him since he took over.

He will be a gun under a coach that makes him feel like one

WTF.. Where the hell did you pull that from?

 

[the dog's kennel]

This is not necessarily on Boyd but the Bulldogs forward line looks and performs a lot better when he's not there.

It's not just the forward structure but also the delivery into the F50 that improves.

Given their game style, I'm not sure they need a key position forward like Cloke (or Boyd for that matter).

I know you got jumped on for this Jeff, but I don't think your comment was trolly at all. There have definitely been times we have looked better with Boyd in ruck instead of in the Forward line. And I can see why you'd have concerns about Cloke. I have a few myself.

But I do think the finals success of Zaine Cordy, who is clearly not a forward but just a big body doing team stuff in the forward line, shows the value of a committed hard-working big body in our forward line. Now if that big body can also take a grab that would be even better. I hope Boyd will be that man. But if not him then someone should be, in my view.

So we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. Sorry you got grief for your opinion.

 

[Scotland]

Forgot about Crameri, another useful HF option. Gives Stringer and Smith even more freedom to push up the ground.

The Bulldogs don't need Cloke, but I can see why they want him.

Good as the Dogs are they are 55 goals down on Sydney for the year. Currently it reads Stringer 41 goals, Dickson 37, Bont 26, Redpath (not playing) 20 which doesn't look like what you'd expect from a Grand Finalist. If you can add 30-40 from Cloke and 20-30 from Crameri that's a big improvement.

Anyway thread is about Tom Boyd who had 21 hitouts and 14 touches having to ruck most of the game on the weekend after Roughead went off. Got a lot of praise against us (I didn't think he was all that good) and was good again vs the Giants.

 

[Trav 20]

The use of the word "hate" is so overplayed on forums. I doubt anyone hates Boyd, they just may not rate him.

Look, the only reason Boyd is being lauded is because his first 2 years have been hopeless for a former number 1 draft pick who was snaffled by a rival with the lure of a 7 year deal and massive coin. He was secured to be a 200cm superstar key forward, who regularly kicked 60+ goals. That's what the punt was.

He is now a second foil forward/ruck toiler who did actually provide critical support to his team winning on the weekend. The fact that he's been such a disappointment and copped so much media scrutiny is the reason the plaudits for his game are a little over the top. When you've been rubbish and do OK the report cards become elevated because they're bench-marked against your previous rubbish. It's called being thankful for small mercies and all that.

He's been an abject disappointment for the money he's on and the modest potential he shows. Anything else is sugar coating.

 

[Testekill]

When you've been rubbish and do OK the report cards become elevated because they're bench-marked against your previous rubbish. It's called being thankful for small mercies and all that.

He's been an abject disappointment for the money he's on and the modest potential he shows. Anything else is sugar coating.

Ah yes, the Melbourne effect

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

If you win next week and tom Boyd never touches the ball again in a game it will still be a success.

100% Correct

 

[ZEV]

Was talking more over the past month when I've been paying attention.

The biggest liability I see with Cloke is his forward pressure is non extent. To me he's the complete opposite to what the Bulldogs need.

Hmm, averages more tackles per game than Nick Riewoldt, Patton, Daniher, Hurley, Tex Walker, Cameron, Lynch, Jenkins, Brown, Hogan, Moore, Casboult, Membrey and McCartin....

He did however average more contested marks per game ( in 2016, the worst year of his career ) than any bulldogs player....