It's time to step up

[GVGjr]

We lost a lot of experience and a couple of excellent players so obviously we need a few of our boys to step up in 2015.

2 Players spring to mind for me.

Koby Stevens - A low cost recruit for the Bulldogs after 2 seasons at West Coast. With the departures of Griffen and Cooney and now with 50 senior games under his belt, Stevens needs to become a genuine senior player and leader around the club.
Despite some deficiencies with his skills I think Stevens is well placed to have a good season in 2015. His pace

Jason Johannisen - His journey to the club is an interesting one and his promotion from the rookie list speaks volumes for how much he has improved since his arrival. Johannisen is an efficient user of the ball but his main strength is the pace he provides us out of back line. I think JJ is going to be one of the real improvers in 2015 and we need him to be one of the guys that reaches another level.

Who do you think might step up for us next season?

[F'scary]

Hrovat - Played like he belonged in the AFL when he got back into the team in 2014. A classic in-everything rover, agile, nippy great vision, top shelf disposal skills. The gutting of our senior midfield means the opportunities are there for him in 2015, he just needs to take them.

[Remi Moses]

Michael Talia - to put it bluntly, last season was a big disappointment .
The MC and the coach clearly saw defiencies that needed to be ironed out, and it is vital he steps up
Fletcher Roberts - Unlucky with injury and looked composed when he came into the side , and as with Talia he should be playing more often next season.

[Throughandthrough]

Tom Boyd

[bulldogtragic]

Stew Crameri & Jarrad Grant - Boyd, Roughie & Stringer will all take good defenders, you have licence to smash bottom rung defenders.

[azabob]

BT with all due respect Grant first has to get in the team. Surely Crameri will get the first if not second best defender?

[bulldogtragic]

BT with all due respect Grant first has to get in the team. Surely Crameri will get the first if not second best defender?

No need for respect. It's a contract year, so Grant will be playing good footy. Bank on it. He's still a favourite of mine though. If Roughie & Boyd are in, I think they get the two bigger defenders. I think Stringer and Crameri raffle the 3rd defender, I think Stringer gets them if he stays closer if Stew plays lead up type roles. You can substitute the nomination to be Jake & Grant. Playing on 4th and 5th defenders they have the talent to be a nightmare for oppositions. It's no criticism on anyone, it's about stepping up and having lesser defenders as opponents is a reason why we need them to step up.

[boydogs]

3/4 of the team, but some notables:

Lin Jong - we need him to take his midfield explosiveness from the VFL finals series and show it at AFL level. Griffen & Cooney are gone and we are in danger of being a midfield of slow plodders that struggle to clear the ball from the contest

Tom Liberatore - needs to learn to deal with a tag

Mitch Wallis - needs to become a staple of the midfield and not a fringe player or tagger

Jordan Roughead - needs to shut down the best forward each week

[Sedat]

Michael Talia - to put it bluntly, last season was a big disappointment .
The MC and the coach clearly saw defiencies that needed to be ironed out, and it is vital he steps up
Fletcher Roberts - Unlucky with injury and looked composed when he came into the side , and as with Talia he should be playing more often next season.

If you're right with these two, we will improve immeasurably next year.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Great thread GVGjr

Ive been watching a few replays of the season and we have so many who you'd expect growth and progression from

Easton Wood is one who I view as being very close to playing consistently good football

So many of the younger players we'd be hoping for a jump from also

Mitch Wallis is one who we will need to, but there will also be nowhere to hide, he's got to get the balance between offence and defence rich, must win more of his own ball and use it more constructively

[GVGjr]

Ive been watching a few replays of the season and we have so many who you'd expect growth and progression from

Easton Wood is one who I view as being very close to playing consistently good football

So many of the younger players we'd be hoping for a jump from also

Mitch Wallis is one who we will need to, but there will also be nowhere to hide, he's got to get the balance between offence and defence rich, must win more of his own ball and use it more constructively

I nearly nominated Easton Wood myself. I never really thought he was going to have a good AFL career but after his performances in 2014 I think he can achieve further improvement next season. Like Stevens, he now has to step us as a leader.

[ledge]

Great thread GVGjr

Ive been watching a few replays of the season and we have so many who you'd expect growth and progression from

Easton Wood is one who I view as being very close to playing consistently good football

So many of the younger players we'd be hoping for a jump from also

Mitch Wallis is one who we will need to, but there will also be nowhere to hide, he's got to get the balance between offence and defence rich, must win more of his own ball and use it more constructively

I thought Mitch had come of age and was doing everything right until the foot injury destroyed the rest of his season

[GVGjr]

I thought Mitch had come of age and was doing everything right until the foot injury destroyed the rest of his season

He got dropped for 5 games after the Carlton game so I don't think it was just the injury that wrecked his season.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I nearly nominated Easton Wood myself. I never really thought he was going to have a good AFL career but after his performances in 2014 I think he can achieve further improvement next season. Like Stevens, he now has to step us as a leader.

He had such an interrupted run that it was hard to know with Easton - but he had some really terrific games in 2014 where he figured out how to use his athleticism and strength to real advantage - was very good when I look back.

Im less bullish on Stevens - I love his effort, and preparedness to work but his decision making, ability to get hands free when tackled, and mistakes like kicking into the man on the mark let him down. Maybe Gia will be the perfect coach for him.

[Bulldog Revolution]

He got dropped for 5 games after the Carlton game so I don't think it was just the injury that wrecked his season.

He was ultra defensive early and not doing enough constructive with the ball. Theres little room for a pure defensive centre square player in modern footy. They have to be able to win it and create a little.