Dogs to chase big men

Smorgo's views...

Dogs to chase big men
The Age
Brent Diamond | September 21, 2008

WESTERN Bulldogs president David Smorgon has urged the club to trade aggressively to recruit a tall forward in the wake of its preliminary final loss to Geelong, saying "everyone looking at the Doggies over the last couple of years know that we're a couple of tall men short".

Smorgon said the club should not be content with finishing third, and had the potential to go further next season.

"I'm sure we'll be pretty aggressive about (recruiting talls) because we need to add to it (the forward line) as a club," he said. "We're not just going to accept finishing third and (thinking) everything will happen for us in the course of 2009 … It doesn't work like that in footy."

Smorgon said the Bulldogs must fill what he described as a "gaping hole" at full-forward.

"That will be assessed over the next few days and weeks obviously. We're probably (short) one down back and one up forward. We've got some excellent and talented midfielders and small and medium-sized players, but clearly we're lacking a bit of class in that area. I'll be leaving that to the match committee."

It is understood that tall, marking forwards, such as Hawthorn's Tim Boyle and Geelong's Tom Hawkins who have lacked chances this season, will be looked at.

"It's easy to talk about what you need. But it's much more difficult to go out and find them," Smorgon said.

He said that while he was disappointed at Friday night's result, there was plenty of positives from the season. "It's been 10 years that we were in the last one (preliminary final). I take some solace from the fact that no one earlier in the year rated us a chance to make the eight," he said.

Tom Hawkins! That would be huge, dont think Geelong would let him go.
2 players? Could it be Thompson at CHF and Hall at FF?

Surely Hawkins isn't up a serious offer.

More likely would be Lonegan if they dropped him this week.

The hard thing about aggressive trading is it's a two way street. If we want to carve aggressively into someone else's list we have to carve aggressively into our own.
Who's expendable? And don't say Eagleton, Ray or anyone who plays most weeks for Willy. Which of our regular, talented, reliable, mid career, senior players would we give up for a decent tall from another club?

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Originally Posted by Dancin' Douggy

The hard thing about aggressive trading is it's a two way street. If we want to carve aggressively into someone else's list we have to carve aggressively into our own.
Who's expendable? And don't say Eagleton, Ray or anyone who plays most weeks for Willy. Which of our regular, talented, reliable, mid career, senior players would we give up for a decent tall from another club?

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Boyd? Gia?

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Originally Posted by W W Biscuit

Boyd? Gia?

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Whilst I wouldn't necessarily want to lose either of them if we could land a top flight key forward then this is what we might have to do to get the deal done.

how many goals did mitch thorp kick in the vfl this year?
How did jarrad boumann play over the season?

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Originally Posted by sonofthewest

how many goals did mitch thorp kick in the vfl this year?
How did jarrad boumann play over the season?

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Thorp 11 games, 18 goals including games of 6, 3, 4, 3. Kicked 2 goals in the last 5 games when he was tried at CHB, so, as a forward, 16 in 6. Hw was in the bests 3 times in 11 games. He didn't start playing until May but I don't know what was wrong with him. Good chance he had a restricted pre-season.

Dowler 17 games, 24 goals, best player list only once all season.

Boumann, 15 games, 28 goals in the reserves. Best player list 5 times (all in the last 8 games). Started off with just 5 goals from his first 7 matches, 23 goals in the next 8 matches. 14 goals in the 3 finals.
Seniors 2 games, 1 goal.

Pretty rapid improvement late in the year for Boumann. Dowlers statistics are less than enticing.

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Originally Posted by sonofthewest

Pretty rapid improvement late in the year for Boumann. Dowlers statistics are less than enticing.

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Boumann was trialled down back in the ressies remember. Obviously he can't playt down back. Up forward his form speaks for itself.