List assessment: Western Bulldogs

[Sedat]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/102870/default.aspx

Not a bad read.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Pretty solid assessment.

When you go through it, we did have a lot of our talented players hampered by injury/bad luck. Most of it was completely out of our control. Like any side, we need a good run with injuries to be a realistic chance at the Premiership.

[Axe Man]

I didn't realise that Addison & Wood played the second half with broken ribs. Along with Murphy hurting his knee, Morris his hand and half the team carrying previous injuries we would have struggled to get a team on the park this week if we had of gotten over the line.

[bornadog]

I didn't realise that Addison & Wood played the second half with broken ribs. Along with Murphy hurting his knee, Morris his hand and half the team carrying previous injuries we would have struggled to get a team on the park this week if we had of gotten over the line.

Plus Picken was knocked out in the 2nd quarter.

[Ghost Dog]

Better luck next season.

[LostDoggy]

The Saints had serious soft-tissue issues in the years that their window was supposed to be open (Grant Thomas era) -- only when they did a major overhaul of their medical support structure did they get some continuity into their players, so much so that previously injury prone players have gone two years without incident, and they managed to not need to dig into their reserve players (last year especially). Whether this will be an issue for their future development remains to be seen, but the injury record has been impressive nonetheless.

I am worried that we seem to have quite a lot of niggly soft-tissue stuff hanging over a lot of our players, which probably means that there may be a systemic flaw somewhere in our support structures -- definitely worth a review.

[Ozza]

^^^
Agree that this year has been frustrating with injuries, and its hard to not question the medico's a little based on what we saw.
Having said that - last year we had the least injuries - so it may well have been bad luck more than anything else.

[Topdog]

Didnt the Saints get the Swans medical guy? The Swans also had an impressive track record with injuries.

[azabob]

Didnt the Saints get the Swans medical guy? The Swans also had an impressive track record with injuries.

Yes they did. Dave Missen.

[macca]

Why did we rest these sore players more often, and play more of the kids ? Give guys like hooper more games under their belts? Collingwood blooded their kids like Dick, Beams, Toovey,Maccaffer in their 1-2nd years. Is that because they weren't up to it? Whats the harm in playing them against the bottom 4 like Richmond, and Brisbance ?

[Dry Rot]

Why did we rest these sore players more often, and play more of the kids ? Give guys like hooper more games under their belts? Collingwood blooded their kids like Dick, Beams, Toovey,Maccaffer in their 1-2nd years. Is that because they weren't up to it? Whats the harm in playing them against the bottom 4 like Richmond, and Brisbance ?

How does Collingwood's VFL side go?

[Mantis]

How does Collingwood's VFL side go?

Middle of the road.

[Dry Rot]

Middle of the road.


Thanks. Interesting that they have had got such good development out of their young guys in a VFL team which isn't too flash.

[comrade]

Thanks. Interesting that they have had got such good development out of their young guys in a VFL team which isn't too flash.

When it comes to developing AFL players: Middling, stand alone team > Dominant, affiliate team. The coaches are all on the same page and every decision is made with Collingwood's best interests at heart.

If that means playing inexperienced kids in a key positions and losing games, so be it.

No doubt we'd love to be able to afford this luxury but I get the feeling German does his utmost to accommodate us.

[LostDoggy]

Ayce Cordy: The lean ruckman played one game in the VFL before dislocating his shoulder and requiring a season-ending shoulder reconstruction. Has spent the year in the gym and has added 16kg to his frame. Club hopes a big pre-season will see him play seniors in 2011.

- Is this correct. The weight has to be across the last two seasons asi saw him a couple of times this season and he still looks like a skeleton with skin streched over it.

[LostDoggy]

Ayce Cordy: The lean ruckman played one game in the VFL before dislocating his shoulder and requiring a season-ending shoulder reconstruction. Has spent the year in the gym and has added 16kg to his frame. Club hopes a big pre-season will see him play seniors in 2011.

- Is this correct. The weight has to be across the last two seasons asi saw him a couple of times this season and he still looks like a skeleton with skin streched over it.

According to the official site, his 90kg.

So he has put on a fair bit of weight.

[Greystache]

According to the official site, his 90kg.

So he has put on a fair bit of weight.

He was 90kg before round 1 this season, the 16kgs was put on in 2009. I don't know what he weighs now but given he's had both shoulders reconstructed you wouldn't think he'd have made substantial gains like he did last year.

[LostDoggy]

When do we start putting a few games into Bouman? How far off Afl pace is he?

[Greystache]

When do we start putting a few games into Bouman? How far off Afl pace is he?

A long way, I'd think he's probably going to struggle to stay on the list next year.

[bornadog]

A long way, I'd think he's probably going to struggle to stay on the list next year.

Personally I would give him one more year. He is a big young athletic type, just needs to show abit more hardness at the ball and learn this game.

[Greystache]

Personally I would give him one more year. He is a big young athletic type, just needs to show abit more hardness at the ball and learn this game.

He might well do, I just don't think in 3 years he's shown anything to suggest he can be a contributing AFL player. He has some shortcomings I'm not sure he'll overcome.

[bornadog]

He might well do, I just don't think in 3 years he's shown anything to suggest he can be a contributing AFL player. He has some shortcomings I'm not sure he'll overcome.

Don't forget the talls take alot longer to mature and develop.

[LostDoggy]

A long way, I'd think he's probably going to struggle to stay on the list next year.

Didn't we extend his contract last year?

[Greystache]

Didn't we extend his contract last year?

Yes, by one season.

[Greystache]

Don't forget the talls take alot longer to mature and develop.

I agree with that, I just don't think the commitment is there to overcome his shortcomings, ie skinny frame, decision making, and preparedness to take physical contact.