- Aug 2, 2016
- 548
- 761
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
Jordan Croft is 2023, as would his brother be if he didn't choose volleyball
Is he any good?
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Jordan Croft is 2023, as would his brother be if he didn't choose volleyball
Not rated inside the top 30 as I understand it, which means nothing as kids move in their ratings during their final u18 year - sometimes drastically (e.g. Oliver, Darcy)Is he any good?
Key position player. From memory he had a great game earlier in the year kicking a bag in the u18s but haven’t heard a lot since.Is he any good?
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and Young Young would be called Youngen don't know how that would be speltI know it's not your intent, but given the 'variety' of first names these days, I won't be surprised when a draftee with the given first name 'Young' actually turns up.
As long as it's not the offspring of Lewis, Angus or George Young!
And Young Young sounds more like a name for the latest exotic arrival at Melbourne Zoo!
Hopefully worst case is we mop him up with our late picks. Don't really want to be using our early picks on another tall forward. Mind you that would mean he's a gun. Feel like I'm in the twighlight zone with our talls situation!Not rated inside the top 30 as I understand it, which means nothing as kids move in their ratings during their final u18 year - sometimes drastically (e.g. Oliver, Darcy)
At this stage he's playing CHF
Pre-season reports are pretty bullish on Marra, Bruce and Keath this far. We might actually have the best spine on the paddock in recent Bulldogs historyHopefully worst case is we mop him up with our late picks. Don't really want to be using our early picks on another tall forward. Mind you that would mean he's a gun. Feel like I'm in the twighlight zone with our talls situation!
Marra has great forward instincts but if Bruce does get back to 2021 levels then I wonder if Marra plays up the ground on a wing (maybe moves forward when Lobb goes into the ruck and Timmy has a spell).Pre-season reports are pretty bullish on Marra, Bruce and Keath this far. We might actually have the best spine on the paddock in recent Bulldogs history
Good write-up.We have talked a lot about the wings.
What makes a great winger - Smith and Langdon are the prototypes - they have a heavy influence on the game with their elite running and metres gained. Langdon averages nearly 25 possessions at game and over 420 metres gained.
There are also hard runners who don’t play quite as wide but are very effective like Macintosh and Acres and Polec and high endurance and agile like Sidebottom, Atkins and Hunter.
For all they must be able to run long and wide - creating spread and long clear options and do it all day.
Options seem to be:
Regular last year - boat have improved and become OK but are not great.
Williams - would like to see him inside - but took it on last year and did a decent job. He will get better but still worry that he has dropped of from an auto pick a couple of years ago. I don’t think we have seen anywhere near the best of him yet.
Roarke - is rapidly becoming our new Picken - gives it all, plays multiple positions and gets better every year. I think he will get one of the wings early on and hope he can hold it.
Mids rotating / all good enough but we need them inside also
Trelor
Smith
McLean (won a number of the running trials before hurting his hand).
At times
McNeil - underrated I believe but his lack of any specific strength works against him
García - if he stays fit he will play a lot more - has great burst speed and agility but not sure about the Long runs needed
VDM - has the speed and tank and would be thinking this is an opportunity to get a regular spot - his marking and decision making is holding him back atm.
Hope
Bedendo - has all the natural attributes but will need to get the confidence and consistency to use them - the big hope
Jones - too early to know.
Gallagher - new and already showing something could be a big surprise
Confusing
McComb - can run all day but doesn’t have the skills - much more an inside than outside player.
Left field
Hannan - fast but not sure he is ever in the endurance group. Was horrendous as a HBF - don’t do it again Drink!!! But he has some assets.
Daniel - I am big fan - he is a star and has held many of the endurance records - is also quick and smart. He could be Boomer Harvey like if he focussed on this new position but has only been OK when plying there
JJ has everything needed to be great except perhaps endurance (which could be fatal
Cleary - not sure of speed but beautiful movement and kicking - want him in the side soon but not sure this so for him (could allow Dale to move up?)
Dale - could be very good but he is our best metres gained player from HBF and would probably lose more than we gain. Last year he was not as effective but this was also because with Keath not being fit and Duryea also and Williams dropping off - he was forced to defend in the air a lot rather than being the breakout quarterback he excelled at. This will change this year and he could come back to being the top metres gained player in the league .
Such lazy journalism. You can tell they get their data off AFL tables which haven’t updated the tables for Williams. He has played 23 and 22 matches in the past two seasons and only missed one game last season as the sub.Players that are out of contract or free agents.
Western Bulldogs (7)
Taylor Duryea^, Ryan Gardner*, Tom Liberatore^, Toby McLean^, Tim O’Brien^, Roarke Smith*, Bailey Williams
The Bulldogs did an impressive job in the past year or so of retaining key talent. The 2023 crop isn’t quite as star-studded, but the likes of Liberatore, Williams and Gardner fill important roles at the Kennel. Williams, who grew up in Adelaide, looms as the most gettable of that trio, given he has never played more than 14 matches in any one season. O’Brien joined the Dogs as a free agent last year and will aim to make more than 11 senior appearances in season two. Duryea, McLean and Smith will also try to go beyond being fringe members.
Such lazy journalism. You can tell they get their data off AFL tables which haven’t updated the tables for Williams. He has played 23 and 22 matches in the past two seasons and only missed one game last season as the sub.
Such lazy journalism. You can tell they get their data off AFL tables which haven’t updated the tables for Williams. He has played 23 and 22 matches in the past two seasons and only missed one game last season as the sub.
When fit and at his best, McLean is easily a best 22 player. Hard at it, busts his arse and is skilful with the ball. Not to mention he can rest forward and kick a goal. Duryea is picked every week when fit and Williams is a solid player, but I'd like to see him take a step this year to where he was 2 years ago. Wouldn't actually see him return to defence and move Dale to the wing where he can nail forward 50 targets and kick a goal or 2 himself.Players that are out of contract or free agents.
Western Bulldogs (7)
Taylor Duryea^, Ryan Gardner*, Tom Liberatore^, Toby McLean^, Tim O’Brien^, Roarke Smith*, Bailey Williams
The Bulldogs did an impressive job in the past year or so of retaining key talent. The 2023 crop isn’t quite as star-studded, but the likes of Liberatore, Williams and Gardner fill important roles at the Kennel. Williams, who grew up in Adelaide, looms as the most gettable of that trio, given he has never played more than 14 matches in any one season. O’Brien joined the Dogs as a free agent last year and will aim to make more than 11 senior appearances in season two. Duryea, McLean and Smith will also try to go beyond being fringe members.
Even if this hadn’t been a good post I’d still have given it a like for using the good old Australian word “arse”.When fit and at his best, McLean is easily a best 22 player. Hard at it, busts his arse and is skilful with the ball. Not to mention he can rest forward and kick a goal. Duryea is picked every week when fit and Williams is a solid player, but I'd like to see him take a step this year to where he was 2 years ago. Wouldn't actually see him return to defence and move Dale to the wing where he can nail forward 50 targets and kick a goal or 2 himself.
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Which two catches your eye?
Anthony Scott? Showed a bit of promise as a wingman - I'd probably prefer him there over anywhere else.We have talked a lot about the wings.
What makes a great winger - Smith and Langdon are the prototypes - they have a heavy influence on the game with their elite running and metres gained. Langdon averages nearly 25 possessions at game and over 420 metres gained.
There are also hard runners who don’t play quite as wide but are very effective like Macintosh and Acres and Polec and high endurance and agile like Sidebottom, Atkins and Hunter.
For all they must be able to run long and wide - creating spread and long clear options and do it all day.
Options seem to be:
Regular last year - boat have improved and become OK but are not great.
Williams - would like to see him inside - but took it on last year and did a decent job. He will get better but still worry that he has dropped of from an auto pick a couple of years ago. I don’t think we have seen anywhere near the best of him yet.
Roarke - is rapidly becoming our new Picken - gives it all, plays multiple positions and gets better every year. I think he will get one of the wings early on and hope he can hold it.
Mids rotating / all good enough but we need them inside also
Trelor
Smith
McLean (won a number of the running trials before hurting his hand).
At times
McNeil - underrated I believe but his lack of any specific strength works against him
García - if he stays fit he will play a lot more - has great burst speed and agility but not sure about the Long runs needed
VDM - has the speed and tank and would be thinking this is an opportunity to get a regular spot - his marking and decision making is holding him back atm.
Hope
Bedendo - has all the natural attributes but will need to get the confidence and consistency to use them - the big hope
Jones - too early to know.
Gallagher - new and already showing something could be a big surprise
Confusing
McComb - can run all day but doesn’t have the skills - much more an inside than outside player.
Left field
Hannan - fast but not sure he is ever in the endurance group. Was horrendous as a HBF - don’t do it again Drink!!! But he has some assets.
Daniel - I am big fan - he is a star and has held many of the endurance records - is also quick and smart. He could be Boomer Harvey like if he focussed on this new position but has only been OK when plying there
JJ has everything needed to be great except perhaps endurance (which could be fatal
Cleary - not sure of speed but beautiful movement and kicking - want him in the side soon but not sure this so for him (could allow Dale to move up?)
Dale - could be very good but he is our best metres gained player from HBF and would probably lose more than we gain. Last year he was not as effective but this was also because with Keath not being fit and Duryea also and Williams dropping off - he was forced to defend in the air a lot rather than being the breakout quarterback he excelled at. This will change this year and he could come back to being the top metres gained player in the league .
I hope we do try him out on the wing. Think he would be a good fit.Aren't we chucking Bedendo on a wing? At his height he could dominate. A Blicavs type that runs all day.
Shithouse Journos - Duryea is not a fringe playerPlayers that are out of contract or free agents.
Western Bulldogs (7)
Taylor Duryea^, Ryan Gardner*, Tom Liberatore^, Toby McLean^, Tim O’Brien^, Roarke Smith*, Bailey Williams
The Bulldogs did an impressive job in the past year or so of retaining key talent. The 2023 crop isn’t quite as star-studded, but the likes of Liberatore, Williams and Gardner fill important roles at the Kennel. Williams, who grew up in Adelaide, looms as the most gettable of that trio, given he has never played more than 14 matches in any one season. O’Brien joined the Dogs as a free agent last year and will aim to make more than 11 senior appearances in season two. Duryea, McLean and Smith will also try to go beyond being fringe members.
Bedendo is 191cm which is tall for a wing plus he’s good overhead but still a reasonable gap to a 198cm and super athletic Blicavs.Aren't we chucking Bedendo on a wing? At his height he could dominate. A Blicavs type that runs all day.
Bedendo is 191cm which is tall for a wing plus he’s good overhead but still a reasonable gap to a 198cm and super athletic Blicavs.