New Dogs set to excite

Take the Bulldogs' list and draw a line through the names of Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis, Adam Cooney and Robert Murphy.

Then, scrub out Scott Welsh, Mitch Hahn, Andrejs Everitt, Nathan Eagleton, Ryan Griffen, and perhaps Brian Lake and Daniel Giansiracusa as well (using erasable pencil for the last two).

What you have in front of you may be a seemingly depleted side, void of its usual crowd-drawing ability.

However, when you look at some of the names remaining, you see a youthful list of promising up and comers that will be trialled when the Dogs meet the Bombers next Friday in Darwin.

Coach Rodney Eade believes there is plenty to be excited about when it comes to the Dogs' first competitive hit-out for the year.

A number of the club's young guns will get their chances to shine – some for the first time, and some earlier than expected.

"Jarrad Grant and Easton Wood will play," Eade told westernbulldogs.com.au on Tuesday.

"Paul O'Shea and our new rookie Liam Picken will play. Henry White is a chance, and so are Jordan Roughead, Ayce Cordy, Jamason Daniels and James Mulligan."

Grant, 19, will finally run out after his highly-anticipated first season was ruined by osteitis pubis. Wood, the 19-year-old "smokey" of the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, will join him after a development year spent at Williamstown.

O'Shea, a previously-raw defensive option who has been on the Dogs' list for two years, will be on display.

The super-fit Picken will get his chance to run alongside Daniel Cross after narrowly chasing the 2008 club best and fairest around Whitten Oval in time trials over summer.

Roughead, Cordy and Daniels could be unveiled, meaning the club's fans will have waited less than three months to see their future prospects run out in the strip.

And, Mulligan and White – a ruckman and a winger – could show fans just what prompted the coaching staff to offer them second-year rookie contracts this season.

Eade is keen to not only get competitive miles into the legs of the youngsters, but he is also enthusiastic about having an arena to trial some new moves with his existing players.

"It depends on how far we go with what we do. The first game is usually about just giving them game time," he said.

"Conditions will be oppressive and it will just be about managing game time for players.

"Hopefully that can equate to a win, but if it doesn't, it's more about the preparation of players for round one.

"Nearly every player we'll be taking has done a really solid pre-season so they should be able to cope.

"We'll just share the game time around and play some players in different positions."

The game is scheduled for 6.40pm (local time) on Friday 13 February at TIO Stadium, Darwin.

We will probably get smashed, but this is my favourite time of the year when our raw kids get to mix it up. I love this game because it could unearth the next superstar for our club. I'm more excited now than if we took a full strength squad. I hope a few of them take their opportunities in the rw&b to impress. Bring it on.

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Originally Posted by 42-C-3

We will probably get smashed.

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So does that mean you rate Essendons kids better than ours? Both teams go in extremely in-experienced.

Looking forward to seeing some of the pups running around, really looking forward to seeing Picken having a crack.

Really looking forward to seeing the kids in action.

so is lynch or stack playing? They weren't mentioned.

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Originally Posted by 42-C-3

We will probably get smashed, but this is my favourite time of the year when our raw kids get to mix it up. I love this game because it could unearth the next superstar for our club. I'm more excited now than if we took a full strength squad. I hope a few of them take their opportunities in the rw&b to impress. Bring it on.

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Talking to an Essendon fan who said they would be lucky to have enough fit players to make a full side.

I don't expect any of our new ones to star but I think they will do well.

We should still have the advantage because the experienced players we will use will be across the board better players and better leaders than the Dons.

I'm excited too; for years we have been looking forward to having a bunch of young players who have pushed for the opportunities that appear to be opening up.

Now it looks like it's going to happen. I just hope that it's not a wind up to publicise the game and that the kids really do get a go. If nothing else it will give them a taste and an idea of how far they have to go.

Very keen to see what some of these guys can do. It should be like looking into the future of the club.

The beauty of this situation is that these untried young blokes will be placed in a situation where they are playing alongside teammates with much greater ability than they would experience in Williamstown seniors and seconds. Hopefully this will enable us to see what they're capable of. Some will show raw potential whilst others will surprise with their readiness to step up.

Disappointed that amongst our injured players are some of our younger brigade who I was looking forward to seeing this year after a big pre-season. Sam Reid in particular.

Don't forget the weather will most likely be wet.

At this time of year it usually rains and if i'm not wrong it usually comes in the evening.

Small bodies in very wet conditions. Will be interesting to see who stands up.


Personnally i'm really looking forward to seeing this game.
I usually hate rnd 1 nab cup as we normally go in full strength against a side that isn't and we struggle or look uninpressive. The last couple of years we've won the first round and i basically just feel relieved that we didn't have major injuries and we won. If you lose round 2 who cares.


With the amount of untried fresh players needed to play this game, you would feel bad if you were fit and didn't make the squad wouldn't you.

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Originally Posted by always right

The beauty of this situation is that these untried young blokes will be placed in a situation where they are playing alongside teammates with much greater ability than they would experience in Williamstown seniors and seconds. Hopefully this will enable us to see what they're capable of. Some will show raw potential whilst others will surprise with their readiness to step up.

Disappointed that amongst our injured players are some of our younger brigade who I was looking forward to seeing this year after a big pre-season. Sam Reid in particular.

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Reid is out but there was no mention of Ward or OKeefe our 2 best pups last year.
Where is okeefe at ? he wasnt mentioned by rocket as injured or likely to play.
Ward would obviously play if fit is he injured?

I forgot all about Ward. No one really talks about him.

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Originally Posted by The Hill Show

I forgot all about Ward. No one really talks about him.

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I have been bashing my friends ears about Ward and Higgins all summer they aswell as Griff really have me exited