Brian's Back

[bornadog]

Bulldogs Website (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/westernbulldogsnewsfeatures/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/129863/default.aspx)

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An un-interrupted pre-season and a new mentoring role has breathed new life into Western Bulldogs defender Brian Lake, with the 30 year-old looking forward to once again cementing his place in the Club’s senior line-up.

After a horror 2011 Season with injuries where he claims “everything possible that went wrong did” Lake’s confidence has been buoyed by a preseason with no major setbacks.

Named in the Bulldogs’ NAB Cup squad to take on Carlton this Sunday at Etihad Stadium, Lake now turns his focus to regaining match fitness ahead of the season proper.

“As soon as I got back out in training - being able to sprint, change direction, jumping as well - it has given me a hell of a lot of confidence,” Lake said.

“I’m reasonably fresh I have dropped a few kilos - that I probably needed to - to help the knee out a little bit and I am very excited.

“For me personally I want to play as much as I can because not being at the highest level for so long I need to get that touch back, that feel back for AFL football.”

Lake expects to play out the first half of Sunday’s match with the aim of building up game time as the NAB Cup progresses.

“I’ll go into half time and see how the body is tracking but most likely [play] the first half,” he said.

While Lake is eyeing Round 1, the dual All-Australian defender plainly stated he’d have no hesitation building match fitness through the Bulldogs’ AFL affiliate Williamstown. Ultimately he just wants to play football.

“It is really a matter for the fitness staff if they think I have played enough game time,” he said.

“So if I do have to play a couple of weeks down for Williamstown to get match fitness then so be it.”

Lake has also added a new dimension to his on-field role, acting as a mentor to the younger compatriots in the back six.

“I guess my role now getting a little bit older and with some of the guys coming through is to be more of a teacher - trying to get the boys around me as best as possible,” he said.

Lake will be a welcome addition to the Bulldogs defensive stocks on Sunday as they line up against Carlton at Etihad Stadium at 5:40pm.

To view the Western Bulldogs’ full NAB Cup squad for Sunday’s match against Carlton at Etihad Stadium, click here.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I thought that was a great interview/press conference, and it was fantastic to hear from Brian. He's virtually said nothing for 12 months, so it was really pleasing to hear him talk about last year and his prospects for this year.

Looked very upbeat and on his toes, with great body language -- can't help but feel excited to see him back out there. One of my favourite players to watch when on song.

[Greystache]

Great to see Brian looking happy and keen, some people in the football world seem to have forgotten just how good he is when at his best. Hopefully this year will be a reminder for them.

He looks quite a bit slimmer yet no less muscular, perhaps a sign he's really making an effort to be at his physical best.

[Cyberdoggie]

Well i'm feeling much more confident in Brian after watching that.

He looks enthused and genuinely excited about playing.

Also looks fit, never seen Brian with any sort of cut in the arms before.

[Sockeye Salmon]

First mention I've heard of OP

[ratsmac]

First mention I've heard of OP
Yeah same here.
I just hope he can get back to his best. His confidence is what helped make him a champion, so if he can get his confidence back we should get Brian back.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

He was ready for any 'challenge' the interviewers threw at him. Hopefully that's indicative of his footy mindset.

[the banker]

Surprised at his relaxed frame of mind. Threw light on last year. If his body holds up can see a terrific contribution from Brian. Would really like to see Markovic and Williams take the talls and leave Brian as the third man floater.

[westdog54]

I thought that was a great interview/press conference, and it was fantastic to hear from Brian. He's virtually said nothing for 12 months, so it was really pleasing to hear him talk about last year and his prospects for this year.

Looked very upbeat and on his toes, with great body language -- can't help but feel excited to see him back out there. One of my favourite players to watch when on song.

Last year the only words we heard from him were the the interview he did with Barrett/Hutchinson (can't remember which) for the Footy Show, which painted a pretty ordinary picture, so to have him fronting the media looking relaxed and with a smile on his face is great to hear.

I think its been said before that Brian is so relaxed he'd fall asleep on the rub down table on Grand Final day. I saw a bit of that in the interview.

[LostDoggy]

I loved it when one of the interviewers quizzed him on his mental toughness in playing through injuries, and although you could see him bear up slightly, he really rolled with the punch and just reiterated all the times he had played with painkillers, and just put the bloke right in his place, I thought. No better way to show up a journo than highlight a lack of research.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I loved it when one of the interviewers quizzed him on his mental toughness in playing through injuries, and although you could see him bear up slightly, he really rolled with the punch and just reiterated all the times he had played with painkillers, and just put the bloke right in his place, I thought. No better way to show up a journo than highlight a lack of research.

A few supporters (and coaches) alluded to this throughout last year too.

Absolute tripe; he played with injections in both 2009/2010 and particularly in the 2010 finals series.

It's harder to return from injury (surgery), than it is to play with it, in some cases. Brian's was one of these, particularly given he had 3 major operations.

[LostDoggy]

He's looking good, isn't he? Sounding confident too! Yay!!!:D

[Ghost Dog]

He is a relaxed chappy isn't he? Comes across very well on camera.

Still, a bit too much expectation on him with press conferences like this?
Shaggy is back, with our defense in back in business as soon as Dale returns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P0yrwmJmdI

A little Brian Harris finishing move for your pleasure

[GVGjr]

I was really happy to see this. Welcome Back Brian.

However, are we not heaping a bit too much expectation on him with press conferences like this? Wish him all the best. So good to see Shaggy and Brian back. And when Dale makes a return, that's a very strong back three.

I'm not so sure we are heaping too much expectation on him but I think we should be getting excited about the possibility of having a back line of a fit and in form Lake and Hargrave and the arrival of Morris in the not too distant future.
Lake, Williams, Morris and Hargrave are great building blocks that can be topped up by the likes of Wood, Howard, Veszpremi and Markovic.
Getting Lake back to somewhere near his best is vital for us this season.

[Ghost Dog]

I'm not so sure we are heaping too much expectation on him but I think we should be getting excited about the possibility of having a back line of a fit and in form Lake and Hargrave and the arrival of Morris in the not too distant future.
Lake, Williams, Morris and Hargrave are great building blocks that can be topped up by the likes of Wood, Howard, Veszpremi and Markovic.
Getting Lake back to somewhere near his best is vital for us this season.

Like

[MrMahatma]

Welcome back, Brian!

Great to see him chirpy and smiling again. Fingers' crossed for a massive year from the big guy.

[LostDoggy]

I loved it when one of the interviewers quizzed him on his mental toughness in playing through injuries, and although you could see him bear up slightly, he really rolled with the punch and just reiterated all the times he had played with painkillers, and just put the bloke right in his place, I thought. No better way to show up a journo than highlight a lack of research.

You could tell that was the question he wanted to be asked so he could clear it up and tell his side of the story.

[bornadog]

Good game (half) from Brian, he looked like his old self tonight.

[jeemak]

I'm not so sure we are heaping too much expectation on him but I think we should be getting excited about the possibility of having a back line of a fit and in form Lake and Hargrave and the arrival of Morris in the not too distant future.
Lake, Williams, Morris and Hargrave are great building blocks that can be topped up by the likes of Wood, Howard, Veszpremi and Markovic.
Getting Lake back to somewhere near his best is vital for us this season.

It's such a shame we're back to not having all our talls fit, or approaching fitness. I fear that even with Lake working back towards match fitness and potentially his best that we're still massively exposed due to Morris still being a huge uncertainty and Williams being out for around 12 weeks of the home and away season.

In a list transition period your backline is desperately important. I hope neither Williams or Morris miss a beat in their recovery, because one more injury to a tall in the first half of the season would be disasterous.

[ledge]

It's such a shame we're back to not having all our talls fit, or approaching fitness. I fear that even with Lake working back towards match fitness and potentially his best that we're still massively exposed due to Morris still being a huge uncertainty and Williams being out for around 12 weeks of the home and away season.

In a list transition period your backline is desperately important. I hope neither Williams or Morris miss a beat in their recovery, because one more injury to a tall in the first half of the season would be disasterous.

Its only one tall who is injured and we have Markovic to cover Williams, not a bad replacement, if we lose another, even with Williams gone we are still going to find it hard to give Cordy, Minson and Roughead all a game at once.
Cordy has already been mentioned as one who could play CHB

Apart from that have you seen our Rookie list?
Campbell I think is a deadset gun ready to go
Redpath from what I have seen goes well.

We are in a better position than most i would think if we had another tall go down

[Sockeye Salmon]

Its only one tall who is injured and we have Markovic to cover Williams, not a bad replacement, if we lose another, even with Williams gone we are still going to find it hard to give Cordy, Minson and Roughead all a game at once.
Cordy has already been mentioned as one who could play CHB

Apart from that have you seen our Rookie list?
Campbell I think is a deadset gun ready to go
Redpath from what I have seen goes well.

We are in a better position than most i would think if we had another tall go down

Dale Morris is also out. The only rookie with AFL experience is Austin who is also out. The rest haven't played a game between them.

If we lose another best 22 tall we are in big trouble.

[ledge]

Dale Morris is also out. The only rookie with AFL experience is Austin who is also out. The rest haven't played a game between them.

If we lose another best 22 tall we are in big trouble.

Morris is a tall?
Im confused he said tall, I was talking Talls, Cordy has played.
Just because the others havent played makes them no good?
Look at Tutts first game and Dahlhaus, we could all name heaps who come in and make an impact straight away.
Its called grabbing the bull by the horns, one might come in and be better than the old guard straight away, if your not going to move on where are you headed?
My point is we dont lack talls who COULD do the job.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We haven't got the luxury of being able to cover our better players, particularly in the form of a Morris. Williams is a big blow too, even though I don't consider him in our top 10. Structurally speaking, he's up there though.

I'm not overly disappointed despite these injuries because it allows us to develop (and test out) a few of our younger types. It forces us to fast track 'em in a year where we were never going to challenge, anyway.

Not ideal, but there is an upside.

[Greystache]

We haven't got the luxury of being able to cover our better players, particularly in the form of a Morris. Williams is a big blow too, even though I don't consider him in our top 10. Structurally speaking, he's up there though.

I'm not overly disappointed despite these injuries because it allows us to develop (and test out) a few of our younger types. It forces us to fast track 'em in a year where we were never going to challenge, anyway.

Not ideal, but there is an upside.

Agree. The biggest issue we have with Morris out is we really lack someone who can play on the dangerous small forwards, Betts carving us up early last week really highlighted that. We have some creative halfbacks, a solid number of key defenders, but are very limited in small shutdown defenders. Hargrave is probably our next in line given it's not Murphy's strength and we would miss his creativity if he played that role regularly, and I'm not sure Shaggy is a great option.

[jeemak]

Ledge I consider Morris to be a tall, as he can play that way when required.

The reason why I think we can ill afford to be left wanting for taller options in our back six is because I think that area of the ground is going to see a lot of footy due to our other issues across the ground and the fact we're in a development phase.

Getting experience in to players is great, of course, but throwing them to the wolves can be tough on their deveopment.

[ledge]

I think our biggest problem in the back line is stopping opposition smalls, we need another Picken.

[Mantis]

I think our biggest problem in the back line is stopping opposition smalls, we need another Picken.

But is Picken a good small defender? I would have thought he is better suited up the field.

[jeemak]

But is Picken a good small defender? I would have thought he is better suited up the field.

I'm hoping Picken can add another string to his bow rather than just being a stopper, and soon. He's shown glimpses of what he can do in different roles, but through opportunity probably hasn't been able to demonstrate other strengths consistently.

I don't think he's what we need in defense either.

[ledge]

But is Picken a good small defender? I would have thought he is better suited up the field.

Thats why we need another Picken he is a great tagger.

[Mantis]

Thats why we need another Picken he is a great tagger.

We need another Morris, not another Picken.

[ledge]

We need another Morris, not another Picken.

Good point:D

[JohnGentStand]

the Morris / Lake combo is what made our backline strong. 2 dead set guns who take the best 2 forwards, stay poised and make good decisions ( mostly!). Cant wait to see it back in action. :)

[DragzLS1]

Its only one tall who is injured and we have Markovic to cover Williams, not a bad replacement, if we lose another, even with Williams gone we are still going to find it hard to give Cordy, Minson and Roughead all a game at once.
Cordy has already been mentioned as one who could play CHB

Apart from that have you seen our Rookie list?
Campbell I think is a deadset gun ready to go
Redpath from what I have seen goes well.

We are in a better position than most i would think if we had another tall go down

I would agree we have alot of talls and cordy is looking good! Cambell is very promising very big and see him pushing for a spot soon!

Redpath is a very good size but let's wait and see how they all go tonight. Will be a good test to see our young blokes go up head to head with an experienced north Melbourne team. I'm excited and hopefully they show good signs as we may need them depth wise this season