Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Looks like Libba is a certainty but there is nothing firm on Macrae, Stringer a no brainer. I think we're having a light run through tomorrow and flying out Wednesday so hopefully Jack trains with the main group. I'll be there to check it out.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...144b7d3de04f1e
Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
JON RALPH, Herald Sun
September 4, 2016 6:51pm
Subscriber only
TOM Liberatore and Jack Macrae are both making late surges from injury in a desperate bid to be available for Thursday’s knockout final against West Coast in Perth.
The Bulldogs say Liberatore’s ability to play through the pain of his syndesmosis injury is the key factor in passing him fit to take on the Eagles.
He trained on Saturday and will have to do so again early this week, with the Dogs flying out for Perth on Wednesday.
Jake Stringer is a certainty to return after his banishment to the VFL but acting captain Easton Wood (ankle) is not yet passed fit.
The Dogs could make as many as five changes, having lost their past seven games in Perth by an average margin of 57 points, as they roll the dice in the sudden-death second elimination final.
Liberatore’s father Tony was one of the game’s most courageous characters, returning from a knee reconstruction in 18 weeks and constantly playing through pain.
The syndesmosis is the joint between the tibia and fibula bones at the ankle, with the injury taking away all explosiveness.
Liberatore was in such great form when he suffered the injury — beating opponent Patrick Dangerfield at Simonds Stadium — he might be worth the risk.
Dogs defender Matt Suckling, himself managing achilles pain, backed Liberatore to play.
“He trained yesterday. He is so important. It is just a pain thing and he is such a tough little bugger so I am sure he will be right,” Suckling said on Sunday.
Assistant coach Rohan Smith said over the weekend Stringer, held out of the VFL finals on Saturday, would play against the Eagles.
“There’s been a big improvement in what we’ve asked from Jake,” Smith said.
“He’s gone back with the most fantastic attitude. He’s played some really good footy and there are some really good signs.
“We’ll have to make that decision as a match committee group to see if Jake plays, but all things are pointing in the direction that ‘String’ will come into the side.”
The injury-ravaged Dogs have been brave all year but it would take a phenomenal turnaround for them to triumph against the resurgent Eagles.
Their last win in Perth was in Round 13, 2010 against West Coast, with spearhead Josh Kennedy kicking 23 goals against them in the past four Subiaco matches.
With key defender Marcus Adams still injured and Dale Morris’s back-related hamstring injury causing him to miss a chunk of matches, Kennedy will again loom large.
Suckling said he believed Stringer would play after being dropped for a combination of attitude and form issues.
“I don’t know about a certainty but he trained really well yesterday and we had a great session out at Whitten Oval,’’ he told Channel 7’s Gameday.
“He has worked really hard the last couple of weeks and I am sure the coaches will have him in their mind.”
Toby McLean was also held out of the Dogs VFL loss on Saturday, with Mitch Honeychurch and Lukas Webb among the club’s best in the 70-point loss to Casey.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
1eyedog
Looks like Libba is a certainty but there is nothing firm on Macrae, Stringer a no brainer. I think we're having a light run through tomorrow and flying out Wednesday so hopefully Jack trains with the main group. I'll be there to check it out.
At a function on Friday, Bevo said with the bye, we have the opportunity for three strong training sessions and for the guys to prove their fitness. Wood will play as will Roughead and Stringer. Will be great to have Libba and Macrae back in. Bevo pointed out that when JJ came back from injury v Swans, he played so well, and would expect our boys returning from injury to also do the same.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
1eyedog
having lost their past seven games in Perth by an average margin of 57 points...
...and people keep asking me why I am dreading the game on Thursday night.
Subiaco has been an absolute graveyard...I swear I have been at every single one of them until the Freo game when the thought of the Pav love-fest just forced me to stay home instead.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mjp
...and people keep asking me why I am dreading the game on Thursday night.
Subiaco has been an absolute graveyard...I swear I have been at every single one of them until the Freo game when the thought of the Pav love-fest just forced me to stay home instead.
Hehe, you poor bugger. Let's just hope that all those losses were in preparation for this stunning victory to come.
I'm sure they would all be worth it if you could see the dogs knock out the eagles on their home turf.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mjp
...and people keep asking me why I am dreading the game on Thursday night.
Subiaco has been an absolute graveyard...I swear I have been at every single one of them until the Freo game when the thought of the Pav love-fest just forced me to stay home instead.
What can we do to turn it around?
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
We are the underdog going into this match but I believe we are a chance for an upset. We must be on from the start and not let them jump us. I wish we played them down here and while still it would be difficult we would certainly fancy our chances much more but that is footy and we have to focus on beating them on their deck.
I hope Libba can play but I'm also weary on his injury and want to make sure that he is 100% ready to go.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MrMahatma
What can we do to turn it around?
LOL. All the rhetoric about 22 contributors etc is exactly that. To win we need the following to happen:
Best players: Bont, Boyd, Dahl, Stringer.
Goals: 5, Stringer, 4, Dickson, 2, Bont, Dahl
Basically, our best players have to play really, really, really, really well. If that happens, we can absolutely win.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
The Age is reporting that
"Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has all but confirmed four of his key players will return for the team's cut-throat elimination final against West Coast on Thursday night.
Easton Wood (ankle), Tom Liberatore (ankle), Jack Macrae (hamstring) and Jake Stringer are all set to give the Dogs a much-needed boost for their huge clash at Domain Stadium."
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-new...06-gr9ps6.html
You bloody beauty.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BornInDroopSt'54
The Age is reporting that
"Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has all but confirmed four of his key players will return for the team's cut-throat elimination final against West Coast on Thursday night.
Easton Wood (ankle), Tom Liberatore (ankle), Jack Macrae (hamstring) and Jake Stringer are all set to give the Dogs a much-needed boost for their huge clash at Domain Stadium."
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-new...06-gr9ps6.html
You bloody beauty.
About time we had some good luck. I just love that bye.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Just those 4 ins will create enough havoc. NO MORE INJURIES!
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Quote:
Originally Posted by
1eyedog
Just those 4 ins will create enough havoc. NO MORE INJURIES!
Please footy gods please leave us unmolested.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
Having no Wallis, Libba or Macrae has been worse than the backline losses. Reciprocally having Macrae and Libba back puts the dynamo back in our hum.
Re: Tom Liberatore, Jack Macrae push for injury comebacks in elimination final
From Brad Hardie/The Age on how we can beat WC:
But there are valid reasons the Bulldogs can be much better than they were when they travelled west to face Fremantle. And also why they can upset the apple cart against West Coast.
1. Weather:
It may not rain much through all of Thursday headed into the game but there will has been enough around in the two days previously - and a top of 18 will hardly constitute "drying weather" - that the best part of the Eagles' game plan have the potential to come unstuck. Can you expect Josh Kennedy to hang on to speared passes with a wet slippery ball? It's a dicey prospect at best and if the ball hits the deck, the more it will suit the fleet-of-foot and lower-to-the-ground Dogs.
2. Centre square set-up:
You can guarantee Luke Beveridge and company are going to get this right and that the addition of Tom Liberatore will help no end. The one thing the Dogs don't want is Luke Shuey running on to ruck taps at speed to deliver with precision to the forward line and you can rest assured stopping that will be top priority at centre-bounces and stoppages. Matt Priddis and Mark Hutchings getting the ball in the middle, the Bulldogs can live with - but not Shuey.
3. Make Matt Priddis kick:
You can't stop Priddis finding the footy - he's had less than 20 touches only twice all season. But you can impact how and what he does with the footy. The worst thing you can do is crowd Priddis and let him handball, because that's his most destructive weapon. Corraling him and making him try to beat you by foot is the best way of limiting his effectiveness. If he still finds a way to hurt you like that, then so be it...
4. A battery of bigs:
Will Minson goes out of the side which lost to the Dockers, meaning Jordan Roughead and Tom Boyd take on Scott Lycett and Jonathan Giles. With Lycett struggling with a knee and still potentially a doubtful starter, don't be surprised to see Tom Campbell called off the emergencies list too. Giles showed against Adelaide what he can do if he's allowed to do it. You wouldn't think the Dogs are going to give him that luxury.
5. Take Barrass and McGovern out of it:
The two Eagles key defenders showed against Adelaide two weeks ago how devastating they can be in the air when opposing teams bang it long and high to their forward targets. That's never been the Dogs' game and with shorter passing they can limit the intercept marks and easy spoils. If the Dogs can get the ball just outside the 50 and enter the footy low and hard from a 45-degree angle, the Eagles backmen will be out of their comfort zone.
6. Jake Stringer:
Quite simply, with his running ability, there is no big forward other than Buddy better suited to be playing at Domain Stadium than Stringer. And after his late-season omission, don't you think he'll have something to prove to his club...and the wider competition?
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/west-co...07-grb73o.html
