5 things the western bulldogs need to take the next step in 2016

[bornadog]

A fit Fletcher Roberts



Fletcher Roberts sprints away from Matt Buntine of GWS. (aflphotos.com.au)

The departure of Michael Talia to Sydney further depleted the already-shaky key defensive stocks at the Kennel, with only Roberts, Joel Hamling, Dale Morris and reborn ruckman Jordan Roughead equipped to handle the big forwards.
After playing just seven games in three years, Roberts took great strides in 2015, playing twelve games and signing a two year contract extension. Originally drafted as a key forward, he became a pillar in defense, losing just 11 of 32 contests and using the ball at an efficiency of 87%, as of August.
If the Dogs are to progress, they need a strong, healthy Roberts on the park. If his shoulder continues to trouble him, hulking key forwards will continue to trouble his team.

A career year from Jordan Roughead



Jordan Roughead grapples with North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein. (aflphotos.com.au)

Originally drafted and blooded as a ruckman, moved to the forward line, remodelled as a key defender and then thrown into the ruck once again, Jordan Roughead has come full circle in his seven years on the Bulldogs’ list.
After battling to contain the likes of Taylor Walker, Jake Carlisle and Jay Schulz over his three years in defense, Roughead was a revelation when moved into the ruck earlier this year, racking up 24 hitouts (and 11 to advantage) in a dominant display over the Giants’ Shane Mumford, who at the time was considered the best ruckman in the competition.
The Dogs fought to secure an athletic ruckman in the trade period, with brazen bids for Brisbane’s Stefan Martin and Port Adelaide’s Matthew Lobbe rejected by their respective clubs, but the answer may have been under their noses the entire time.
With Luke Beveridge preferring athleticism and demanding increased ground coverage from his big men, there is nobody more suited than Roughead to shoulder the ruck duties at the Kennel, provided his battered body holds up.

Tom Liberatore to hit the ground running



Tom Liberatore in a 2014 match against Collingwood. (aflphotos.com.au)

Following a summer in which the Bulldogs lost their captain, coach and several experienced players, Tom Liberatore’s ACL injury in a NAB Challenge match was seen as the final nail in the coffin for the crippled club’s season.
Instead, it saw opportunities handed to young midfielders such as Mitch Honeychurch, Josh Prudden and Caleb Daniel, as the Dogs surged to their first finals appearance in five years. Suddenly, Liberatore was an afterthought.
With preseason training underway, the sight of ‘Libba’ running around Whitten Oval again has Dogs fans excited. Coach Luke Beveridge told his charges earlier in the year that the midfield bull’s eventual return will be like getting “a No. 1 recruit.”
When he does return, Liberatore will add to a formidable centre bounce rotation that already features Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Mitch Wallis and Luke Dahlhaus, among others. If the Bulldogs are to maintain the contested ball dominance they established under Brendan McCartney, he could be the most important of the lot.

Continued improvement from the 2014 draft class



L-R: Lukas Webb, Zaine Cordy (back), Bailey Dale, Toby McLean, Caleb Daniel, Declan Hamilton. (theage.com.au)

While supporters bemoaned the lack of key position players in Simon Dalrymple’s 2014 draft haul, the Bulldogs recruitment manager did address one glaring need – class, and in spades. The Dogs under Brendan McCartney had no trouble winning the ball, but had little idea what to do with it.
Enter Toby McLean, Lukas Webb, Bailey Dale and Caleb Daniel.
McLean aside, they didn’t accumulate possessions, but nor did they waste one. If the Dogs are to capitalise on the talents of Tom Boyd, Jake Stringer and Tory Dickson, they need the ball in the hands of the class of 2014, as often as possible.

Tom Boyd to find his feet



Tom Boyd celebrates a goal against Fremantle. (aflphotos.com.au)

Despite criticism from the media and opposition fans, the prodigiously talented Boyd did make a positive contribution to the Dogs’ campaign in 2015. From the beginning of the season through to his final match in Round 16, the former Giant brought structure to the forward line (an area in which countless predecessors had failed) and occasionally chimed in with a strong mark and goal.
However, he’ll attack 2016 with a full preseason under his belt for the first time in his fledgling career, and Dogs supporters will be hungry for more.
While Jack Redpath filled in admirably in the latter half of 2015, a fit and firing Boyd is a mouth-watering prospect for a club that for so long lacked a menacing presence up front.

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[LostDoggy]

Seems a pretty fair assessment, where's the article from BAD?

Comparing the photo of ZC (presumably taken around this time last year) to the one posted recently from this week, he really looks to be developing physically very quickly. Exciting.

[bornadog]

Seems a pretty fair assessment, where's the article from BAD?

Comparing the photo of ZC (presumably taken around this time last year) to the one posted recently from this week, he really looks to be developing physically very quickly. Exciting.

I have the link at the end of the article.

[Mofra]

Has anyone seen a photo of Toby McLean smiling? Ever?
Seems a very intense kid

[LostDoggy]

Blue Steel?

[Twodogs]

Has anyone seen a photo of Toby McLean smiling? Ever?
Seems a very intense kid

A bit like Robert Smith. I've never seen him smile either.

[comrade]

If those things happen, we just about win the whole shooting match!

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

The challenge will be to move from 8th position to become a premiership contender. The game today is largely built around having a strong midfield and the return of Liberatore and Stevens is critical.This would help add depth to the likes of Bontempelli Wallis and Macrae.
Establishing the right ruck combination last year was a huge challenge and this is where Campbell and Roughead both need to step up. Tom Boyd has struggled in the key forward role and maybe eventually be better suited as a ruck man.
Stringer Crameri and Dickson all helped overcome the lack of a key forward last year together with Dahlhaus who enjoyed a good season.
Hamling and Roberts need to continue to improve as key defenders after helping to stabilize our back line . The recruitment of Suckling is important given the fact that Morris Murphy and MBoyd all may need to be replaced beyond 2016.
Biggs like Suckling was a fine addition and both being recruited from strong clubs has been a coup for the Club as has been Crameri.
We need McLean Webb and Dale to step up and become regular senior players. Our three draft picks between 20 and 30 becomes significant to ensure that we have the depth of talent required to take the next step towards an elusive second flag.

[LostDoggy]

A bit like Robert Smith. I've never seen him smile either.

Hell of a goalsneak though apparently.

[jeemak]

I see some fundamental issues with the article, particularly when it comes to Roughead's promise as a ruck when he had only two less than half the hit outs the man he apparently bettered throughout the day in the example given.

Roughy's form as a ruck throughout the year was extremely concerning to me, as it showed he's a bit of a nowhere man more than anything else. Sure, he was better than Ayce, almost a breath of fresh air, but seriously there's a reason why we chased Martin and Lobbe in the trade season.

The 2014 draft class is a drop in the ocean when it comes to improvement of our list, and this includes Tom Boyd. We will only see incremental improvement from all of them, especially the latter this year. It's a tough game and we're going to be defended more harshly than we were in 2015, meaning improvement will come from stronger players that have put in a few preseason campaigns to this point. Honey and Hrovat are two players we've collectively pinned as being under the pump, but watch this space as an additional preseaon for each will produce significantly greater output as they hit the age of 21-22.

I picked Mitch Wallis as the big improver last year, this year I'm hitching my wagon to Honey and Hrov. In their own right they've shown bits and pieces at senior level, however, they've been able to dominate in their own way when playing seconds. Each of these guys are the real deal in my view, they're just extremely raw and under developed.

The article gets our KPD situation right, but we'll see how much we need genuine KPD stocks throughout the year and address it later. If all goes to plan, I'm pretty sure a genuinely A-grade KPD can be helicoptered in at the last minute.