Review Dogs choke the life out of The Eagles

[stefoid]

Got nothing against Dermie - hes a man of the people. Just like an old uncle that rambles on - no particular insights but nothing particularly horrible either.

For mine, Brayshaw is the worst. Just talks about himself and drags anyone in the booth down with him to talk useless drivel

 

[go the dogs]

Coaches Votes

Western Bulldogs v West Coast​

10 Adam Treloar (WB)
7 Bailey Williams (WB)
4 Aaron Naughton (WB)
3 Lachie Bramble (WB)
2 Jeremy McGovern (WCE)
2 Tim English (WB)
2 Laitham Vandermeer (WB)

Bevo
5: Treloar
4: Williams
3: Bramble
2: Vandermeer
1: Mcgovern

Simpson
5 Treloar
4 Naughton
3 Williams
2 English
1 Mcgovern

 

[weltschmerz]

Naught ‘n’ four in the votes

 

[weltschmerz]

 

[_Mike_]

I wouldn’t read too much into VDM’s game. He goes missing against better opponents/teams.

 

[Bulldog Brent]

I wouldn’t read too much into VDM’s game. He goes missing against better opponents/teams.

He has on his resume kicking the winning score in a final. Not too shabby!

 

[Pocket Terrace]

Among the 46 players who were rucks and attended centre bounces last year English was:

30th in hitout win rate
6th proportion of hitouts won that become to advantage
3rd in % of ruck contests attended

So yes he probably isn't "physical" enough that he doesn't do well enough to beat his opponent in getting first hands on the tap and to prevent the potential for an opponent to get a hitout to advantage. (ie rank 30 of 48 players).

An element of this is English probably being too "cute" and looking for a hitout to advantage (rank 6 once he does get the hitout) rather than prioritising mere prevention of opponent hitout, even if own hitout is not to advantage either.

Also, keep in mind that an element of his value comes from the ability to attend so many and be part of the physicality of it all game long. One would assume that the ability to approach a ruck contest "physically" increases when you know that you're only going to go to 50 stoppages all game, instead of 70 or whatever. Stamina in rucking is an element of athleticism itself that English has but gets no credit for.

And to suggest he doesn't have ruck craft is incorrect. 33.8% of his hitouts were defined as to advantage in 2023. Maybe that's having Libba and Bont). But Gawn was tapping to Petracca and Oliver and 30.1% of his hitouts were to advantage.

I agree it's below average. But I don't think it's anywhere near as poor and deficient as people are making it out to be nor does it seem to have any meaningful effect on midfielders or stoppages. More than half of all stoppages are either sort of both rucks hitting it out at the same time or neither to advantage or being sharked. The value add of the difference between the best tap rucks and a capable one in the league are perhaps a handful of first possessions at a stoppage, that don't appear to correlate with subsequent clearance success anyway.

What I do know is that once you have a bloke who can battle in the ruck and win a few hitouts to advantage, the fact that they can spread, read the play, mark, kick goals, execute skills while the Oscar McInerneyies of the world do not is incredibly valuable.

Good post. I have no issue with his work in Centre Bounce. He’s often involved in the play after the bounce and can spread as another midfielder.

It’s boundary throw-ins where I’ve been a bit flat on him in the past. Far less talented players like Riley O’Brien and Briggs have had big moments in close games at throw ins and non CB ball ups.

It’s hard to be too crticial, because that’s just the player he is. Those other rucks couldn’t dream of doing some of the stuff he does around the ground.

Chilli played well on the weekend. If he plays well against Geelong, we are a sniff.

 

[_Mike_]

He has on his resume kicking the winning score in a final. Not too shabby!

IMO Needs to build on consistency in his game

 

[Dazb86]

Williams has been very good since playing half back again

 

[HK_Bulldog]

Williams has been very good since playing half back again

Easiest position on the ground. Amazing how many players become guns at half-back after being middling in any other position. Move them out of Half-back and they turn to water again...

 

[Shacf501]

I wouldn’t read too much into VDM’s game. He goes missing against better opponents/teams.

I love to see him tackle more... 1 tackle only

 

[maddog37]

I love to see him tackle more... 1 tackle only

I would like him to tag some gun players to learn from them if the opportunity presents.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Easiest position on the ground. Amazing how many players become guns at half-back after being middling in any other position. Move them out of Half-back and they turn to water again...

Which shows why some players should be allowed to play where they are most effective.

 

[Dazb86]

Which shows why some players should be allowed to play where they are most effective.

Bonty at half back would be amazing

 

[mcgleereturns]

Bonty at half back would be amazing

How Daicos nearly won a Brownlow in half a season there


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[Fossie 32]

Bonty at half back would be amazing

Steady on Bevo