Tom Boyd

[The Bulldogs Bite]

If Roughead isn't back this week, we need to play Campbell.

Not his biggest fan, but it's more about supporting Boyd and allowing him to spend more time up forward, than it is about Campbell deserving games.

Redpath to make way.

[S Coast Simon]

Bevo not setting up for that, or the on-ground leaders not setting up for that was most telling. The arrogance of our club from a centre bounce set up in particular pretty much cost us the game (apart from the Cloke and Adams brain fades, of course).

I don't like to think I know better but I to think we are being a little arrogant not paying attention to opposition players. We have arguably the best tagger in Picken. He only needs to run with them the first quarter to help us get into the game. Once they are a bit quieter then release him a bit to win the game. It is all about learning from the coaches but there is no better learning tool than to learn how to be a winner. The game is still above the shoulders. Hawthorn won a lot of games before the ball had even been bounced such was their dominance. We are not that good yet but teams are very nervous playing the Doggies. They know they will need to bring their A game to beat us

[Cyberdoggie]

It was a much better effort. Looked a bit more assured of himself and played with more aggression.
I definitely thought he would choke on that shot for goal which was identical to the GWS one, and when it started way left and came back I fell off the couch.

[ratsmac]

I don't like to think I know better but I to think we are being a little arrogant not paying attention to opposition players. We have arguably the best tagger in Picken. He only needs to run with them the first quarter to help us get into the game. Once they are a bit quieter then release him a bit to win the game. It is all about learning from the coaches but there is no better learning tool than to learn how to be a winner. The game is still above the shoulders. Hawthorn won a lot of games before the ball had even been bounced such was their dominance. We are not that good yet but teams are very nervous playing the Doggies. They know they will need to bring their A game to beat us

I'd like to see a player like Picken to discern when a Dangerfield or Selwood are getting off the chain and make a executive decision to go try shut them down and run with them for a bit. I think thats what Bevo was alluding to in his presser after the game as well.

[LostDoggy]

Really hoping to see Tom spend a bit more time up forward this weekend considering the inclusion of young English!

[Ozza]

Really hoping to see Tom spend a bit more time up forward this weekend considering the inclusion of young English!

I think that both the inclusion of English, and also the amount of time that Cloke was given in the ruck last week - would indicate to me that Bevo is also keen for Boyd to spend more time forward than he had been.

I think that picking English for this game - where the Saints will almost exclusively play Longer in the ruck - is a reflection that Bevo thinks we can expose the saints around the ground in that position, given that Boyd and (particularly) English move better than Longer.

[Sedat]

I think that both the inclusion of English, and also the amount of time that Cloke was given in the ruck last week - would indicate to me that Bevo is also keen for Boyd to spend more time forward than he had been.

I think that picking English for this game - where the Saints will almost exclusively play Longer in the ruck - is a reflection that Bevo thinks we can expose the saints around the ground in that position, given that Boyd and (particularly) English move better than Longer.

Who did the 2nd ruck duties for St Kilda last week? Bruce usually does this but he's out of the team.

[jeemak]

Boyd will likely spend more time in the ruck this week than he has in previous weeks.

English named at CHF will only pull a few minutes here and there given Cloke and Red are out.

[comrade]

Who did the 2nd ruck duties for St Kilda last week? Bruce usually does this but he's out of the team.

Gilbert.

[Mantis]

Boyd will likely spend more time in the ruck this week than he has in previous weeks.

English named at CHF will only pull a few minutes here and there given Cloke and Red are out.

Is English even capable as a forward? I would've thought his light frame would be better suited in the ruck than up forward where he will be cannon fodder for Carlisle.

[1eyedog]

Is English even capable as a forward? I would've thought his light frame would be better in the ruck than up forward where he will be cannon fodder by Carlisle.

Exactly. If he's right to go maybe he'll spend more time in the ruck than we think?

[soupman]

Exactly. If he's right to go maybe he'll spend more time in the ruck than we think?

That's my thinking. Longer isn't a very physical ruckman, certainly isn't as strong as most others, and contributes practically nothing around the ground. Maybe the plan is to exploit him with the more mobile English.

Gilbert as a backup is hardly intimidating either.

Boyd spending more time forward hopefully keeps Carlisle there as Brown is too short, and hopefully we end up with Brown trying to play on our other forwards who are too quick for him. The only player I don't see him as a liability on is Smith. And Smith is probably a 33% chance of kicking multiple goals regardless of who his opponent is.

[Mofra]

Is English even capable as a forward? I would've thought his light frame would be better suited in the ruck than up forward where he will be cannon fodder for Carlisle.

We seem to have form with taking guys at the draft then developing them elsewhere.

ie Minson as a forward, developed as ruck
Lake as a forward, developed as a backman
Roughy as a ruck, developed as a FB
Dal as a small forward, now a mid
Smith as a mid, now a small forward

English did take 8 marks last week at VFL level but not sure where he took them or if any were sideways switches, except for the one mark and goal late in the game released as a vid.

[Ozza]

We seem to have form with taking guys at the draft then developing them elsewhere.

ie Minson as a forward, developed as ruck
Lake as a forward, developed as a backman
Roughy as a ruck, developed as a FB
Dal as a small forward, now a mid
Smith as a mid, now a small forward

English did take 8 marks last week at VFL level but not sure where he took them or if any were sideways switches, except for the one mark and goal late in the game released as a vid.

English took his marks all over the place. He took a pack mark on the back flank, he took a pack mark at the top of the goal square. He also took a couple of 'pressure' marks with a defender on his hammer playing as a forward but working up higher.

I've seen him play 3 times now live, and I think he has excellent hands, and his ability to mark or impact in packs belies his skinny frame. He's just so tall - that once those arms go out full stretch, he's a real handful.

[bulldogtragic]

I realised listening to the commentary yesterday, I've been mistakenly taking the words against Boyd as harsh. Carey, Brereton and the Fox Footy team keep saying how unacceptable it is dropping marks. But when McCartin kept dropping much easier marks yesterday, the FF commentary team were saying that it's not that bad McCartin dropping marks because 'at least he was getting to where the ball was, even if dropping marks. That's better than not being involved at all'.

So all the commentators must have been actually lauding Boyd for getting involved and into spots where the ball was going to be kicked, and I've mistaken it as criticism. There's no way they'd be hypocritical over two #1 pick KPFs development years/games.