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  1. #1
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    The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    You make the boldest and biggest move in your club’s recent history – to overpay a young and supremely talented forward to be the linchpin of your next successful side – so then what?

    Well if you are the Western Bulldogs you go to the draft and build around him.

    It is hard to know if the Bulldogs’ draft strategy changed with the recruitment of Tom Boyd, but the clear direction in the 2014 draft was to build a forward line of the future with Boyd as the focal point.

    The first four picks of the Bulldogs’ draft were taken on medium-sized forwards with midfield capabilities in a clear step towards building a forward line in one off-season.

    Typically it is rare for a club to take the step of focusing entirely on one area of the ground in one off-season. The standard is that you will improve a little bit across the board, trying to counter losses with ongoing development. Again though, the Bulldogs’ case is different in that by making a move with Boyd the need is there to surround him with talent that grows and develops with him.

    Western Bulldogs have had an unusual strategy in building a list, albeit it has been changed on the fly by player departures. But in essence after years of focusing and building a young and strong midfield the attention has gone to their forwards. Jake Stringer showed some form late in the year and seems to be one forward locked in, along with veteran Stewart Crameri and the aforementioned Boyd. The rest though is up in the air and that is where the 2014 draft has its value for the Bulldogs.

    Toby McLean and Lucas Webb were taken with consecutive picks in the 20s and both should see time in the forward line during 2015. McLean had a strong 2014 season, showing himself to be a real goal kicker and a player who could find the ball. Webb had a couple of standout games and appears to have a strong read on the mental side of the game. With differing body sizes, McLean and Webb can work together in the same forward line and give a different look to what the Stringer-Crameri-Boyd combination does.

    What is interesting is that the next two picks, Declan Hamilton and Bailey Dane, have similar skillsets to the earlier two. Hamilton may end up being more suited as a midfielder because of his endurance and Dane is a little smaller, but still with these two picks it is hard to get a read on whether Western Bulldogs have done this for back up on the first two, i.e. multiple picks in the likelihood that one hits, or whether Dane and Hamilton are also part of a best-look forward structure.

    If the latter concept is what Western Bulldogs are thinking it is alarming but at the same time exciting that their forward line may look like Stringer-Crameri-Boyd-McLean-Webb-Hamilton-Dane at some point in 2015. Of that group of seven forwards only two were at the club last year and three years ago none were. It is indeed a fast rejuvenation of the forward line.

    Western’s final two picks were used on Caleb Daniel, who himself could be another part of the Western Bulldogs forward line of the future as a small forward, and Zaine Cordy, who fans will hope has a better start to his career then brother and fellow father-son pick Ayce Cordy.

    With this last pick Western Bulldogs perhaps showed their hand at next year’s draft, where the need to build a defence will be the greatest requirement. Cordy has shown to be an outstanding prospect as a key defender in underage football and it was a genuine surprise that Western were able to get him with pick 62.

    There are still holes on the Western Bulldogs’ list, and it has been an unusual way in which to build, but on pure excitement it is there for these Bulldogs.

    They may not win as many games as they would hope in 2015, but they may still surprise a few people with how they go about the game. Youth has a habit of doing that.


    http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/12/20...ward-thinking/

  2. #2
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by Bulldog4life View Post
    You make the boldest and biggest move in your club’s recent history – to overpay a young and supremely talented forward to be the linchpin of your next successful side – so then what?

    Well if you are the Western Bulldogs you go to the draft and build around him.

    It is hard to know if the Bulldogs’ draft strategy changed with the recruitment of Tom Boyd, but the clear direction in the 2014 draft was to build a forward line of the future with Boyd as the focal point.

    The first four picks of the Bulldogs’ draft were taken on medium-sized forwards with midfield capabilities in a clear step towards building a forward line in one off-season.

    Typically it is rare for a club to take the step of focusing entirely on one area of the ground in one off-season. The standard is that you will improve a little bit across the board, trying to counter losses with ongoing development. Again though, the Bulldogs’ case is different in that by making a move with Boyd the need is there to surround him with talent that grows and develops with him.

    Western Bulldogs have had an unusual strategy in building a list, albeit it has been changed on the fly by player departures. But in essence after years of focusing and building a young and strong midfield the attention has gone to their forwards. Jake Stringer showed some form late in the year and seems to be one forward locked in, along with veteran Stewart Crameri and the aforementioned Boyd. The rest though is up in the air and that is where the 2014 draft has its value for the Bulldogs.

    Toby McLean and Lucas Webb were taken with consecutive picks in the 20s and both should see time in the forward line during 2015. McLean had a strong 2014 season, showing himself to be a real goal kicker and a player who could find the ball. Webb had a couple of standout games and appears to have a strong read on the mental side of the game. With differing body sizes, McLean and Webb can work together in the same forward line and give a different look to what the Stringer-Crameri-Boyd combination does.

    What is interesting is that the next two picks, Declan Hamilton and Bailey Dane, have similar skillsets to the earlier two. Hamilton may end up being more suited as a midfielder because of his endurance and Dane is a little smaller, but still with these two picks it is hard to get a read on whether Western Bulldogs have done this for back up on the first two, i.e. multiple picks in the likelihood that one hits, or whether Dane and Hamilton are also part of a best-look forward structure.

    If the latter concept is what Western Bulldogs are thinking it is alarming but at the same time exciting that their forward line may look like Stringer-Crameri-Boyd-McLean-Webb-Hamilton-Dane at some point in 2015. Of that group of seven forwards only two were at the club last year and three years ago none were. It is indeed a fast rejuvenation of the forward line.

    Western’s final two picks were used on Caleb Daniel, who himself could be another part of the Western Bulldogs forward line of the future as a small forward, and Zaine Cordy, who fans will hope has a better start to his career then brother and fellow father-son pick Ayce Cordy.

    With this last pick Western Bulldogs perhaps showed their hand at next year’s draft, where the need to build a defence will be the greatest requirement. Cordy has shown to be an outstanding prospect as a key defender in underage football and it was a genuine surprise that Western were able to get him with pick 62.

    There are still holes on the Western Bulldogs’ list, and it has been an unusual way in which to build, but on pure excitement it is there for these Bulldogs.

    They may not win as many games as they would hope in 2015, but they may still surprise a few people with how they go about the game. Youth has a habit of doing that.


    http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/12/20...ward-thinking/

    Veterans seem to be getting younger every year.
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


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  3. #3
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    I really like this article but it is factually not that accurate on the point that we went for forwards in the draft. It is fairly true of pick 26 Toby McClean to say he is predominantly a forward, however, he has some versatility as he starred as a midfielder later in the TAC season. Our pick 27, Lucas Webb is very versatile and could be a HBF, BP or midfielder and has predominantly played as a HBF from what I understand. Hamilton and Dale shouldn't be pegged as pure forwards either at this stage of their careers, while Daniel looks like a true midfielder. The club said it chose these guys on the basis of flair and versatility and I can see why Dalrymple and co made the choices they did with that as the goal. And I support the priorities they made. We need a big injection of skill into the team.
    Officially on the Bus-wagon

  4. #4
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Lol this is complete rubbish. We recruited more defenders than forwards. He got Bailey Dale wrong 4 times. If he actually listened to Dalrymple after the national and rookie drafts he would have written a completely different article
    If you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.

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  5. #5
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by F'scary View Post
    I really like this article but it is factually not that accurate on the point that we went for forwards in the draft. It is fairly true of pick 26 Toby McClean to say he is predominantly a forward, however, he has some versatility as he starred as a midfielder later in the TAC season. Our pick 27, Lucas Webb is very versatile and could be a HBF, BP or midfielder and has predominantly played as a HBF from what I understand. Hamilton and Dale shouldn't be pegged as pure forwards either at this stage of their careers, while Daniel looks like a true midfielder. The club said it chose these guys on the basis of flair and versatility and I can see why Dalrymple and co made the choices they did with that as the goal. And I support the priorities they made. We need a big injection of skill into the team.

    McLean, Dale, Hamiliton and Webb all played mainly as forwards during the season and Daniel is projected as a forward for the first couple of seasons. All players are versatile enough to play in other positions and given their endurance they can also push into the midfield. Cordy is a genuine defender.

    If you count the 4 rookies (which I don't think the article did) then that balances things up a bit but I do believe there was a focus on skillful forwards at the National Draft.
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

  6. #6
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Stuart Crameri is now a veteran after 79 games?

    Never heard of this Dane character.

    And then instead of than. Is there anyone who has a basic grasp of grammar anymore?

    People are supposed to take this seriously when the author can't even get the most simple things right.
    Western Bulldogs: We exist to win premierships

  7. Likes Twodogs, bulldogtragic liked this post
  8. #7
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Second the calls for this being a crap article.

    How do these people keep getting work?
    - I'm a visionary - Only here to confirm my biases -

  9. #8
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    That is some remarkably poor journalism.

    I sincerely hope he was not paid for that.
    W00F!

  10. #9
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Poorly written but at least there was some conceptual thought put into it.

  11. #10
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by Maddog37 View Post
    Poorly written but at least there was some conceptual thought put into it.
    I like that, for all the article's faults, the writer could see the method in our madness. Contrast this with numerous media evaluations of Carton's strategy.
    Officially on the Bus-wagon

  12. #11
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by Greystache View Post
    Stuart Crameri is now a veteran after 79 games?

    Never heard of this Dane character.

    And then instead of than. Is there anyone who has a basic grasp of grammar anymore?

    People are supposed to take this seriously when the author can't even get the most simple things right.
    At first, I thought he was referring to our noble recruit Hamlet!
    Officially on the Bus-wagon

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  14. #12
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    McLean, Dale, Hamiliton and Webb all played mainly as forwards during the season and Daniel is projected as a forward for the first couple of seasons. All players are versatile enough to play in other positions and given their endurance they can also push into the midfield. Cordy is a genuine defender.

    If you count the 4 rookies (which I don't think the article did) then that balances things up a bit but I do believe there was a focus on skillful forwards at the National Draft.
    Your right, technically it's not wrong but i don't think the drafting emphasis was based on getting forward for the future, it was more about getting players that had elite foot skills/high efficiency that could play in a number of positions. A clear directive from the coach and insight into his game plan as a result of the Hawthorn influence he has.

  15. #13
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by Greystache View Post
    Stuart Crameri is now a veteran after 79 games?
    You are of course right but for some reason since he has come to the Dogs I have thought of Crammers as a veteran.

  16. #14
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    This is going to keep happening as 'journalism' students copy & paste from Wikipedia to get their degree and then write articles based it seems on conversations and not facts from real research. Seriously, I used to go onto news.com.au every few days and the articles are garbage. The 24 news cycle is thinning the pool and articles are about 'guess what 80's child actor looks like now' or 'someone's TripAdvisor post bagged a restaurant'. And better yet they run articles from spoof newspapers as actual real stories. Basically the only time i avail myself for my own desire is on Media Watch. As for veteran, Tom Liberatore will qualify for veteran status this year, so i wonder if we can salary cap relief....
    Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023

  17. #15
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    Re: The Western Bulldogs’ forward thinking

    Quote Originally Posted by bulldogtragic View Post
    This is going to keep happening as 'journalism' students copy & paste from Wikipedia to get their degree and then write articles based it seems on conversations and not facts from real research. Seriously, I used to go onto news.com.au every few days and the articles are garbage. The 24 news cycle is thinning the pool and articles are about 'guess what 80's child actor looks like now' or 'someone's TripAdvisor post bagged a restaurant'. And better yet they run articles from spoof newspapers as actual real stories. Basically the only time i avail myself for my own desire is on Media Watch. As for veteran, Tom Liberatore will qualify for veteran status this year, so i wonder if we can salary cap relief....
    My tip would be to look for news just about anywhere that isn't news.com

    And to be fair copy and paste jobs get found out with turnitin software pretty quickly

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