So what pick do we have?
So what pick do we have?
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
What concerns me most..and it's gotten louder with the media noise suggesting Lever has given us the thumbs down, is that our performance this year...almost undermines our win last year - not in terms of legitimacy- but in terms of how our club looks long term to talented players looking to move clubs.... That Lever might favour the Demons or Collingwood...despite their fortunes for some years now...and in spite of our so-called young talented list...WHY?????
We really needed to consolidate this year in terms of performance I think to break down the long built up perceptions both outside and within the football community of our club.
We are a long way from being a destination club. And with that being the case.. I really hope we don't try and go down the route of trading for ordinary guys just for the sake of getting someone. If we're not getting an A grader.. hold on to our picks and back in Dalrymple.
As I write.. we've got the talking heads wondering what we do with Lever turning us down, whether we go back to Roughy again down back... goodness me.. If Roughy is our fullback in 2018.. I might as well just take up the darts again right now...
I thought I was wrong once but I was mistaken.
I obviously hope we don't. But to be fair.. We've been owned by key forwards all year, and especially more since Adams and Wood have gone down. Adams hasn't been durable to date, Collins has 1 game to his name...Cordy ain't gonna do it by himself. Moz, if he goes on, can't be the guy to shoulder the load.
But for that, our defense is not our most glaring problem and I think is really a reflection of our woes further upfield and specifically our inability to stop teams from quickly transitioning.
Our team defense requires time to settle and position... How many outnumber situations have we seen, particularly as the season has worn on? We're intrinsically small down back, we were last year too. It didn't hurt us last year because our skill execution firstly was better and resulted in less turn overs that would expose our shorter backline... and secondly we didn't allow teams to move the ball easily from out of our forward line to theirs with any speed, which allowed us to get sufficient numbers back in defense.
Not this year..
We missed 2016 versions of Libba, Dahl, Clay Smith, Dickson, Hunter, JJ and even Dunkley, to maintain pressure and stifle opposition ball movement out of our territory.
Unless Bevo and Co have a completely differently nuanced game style in store for 2018, we'd better hope like hell those players find their 2016 versions of themselves once they get back to training.
Let's not panic and blow the joint up
BT, what is the thought around Campbell requesting a trade? Is there a team that would make him the number one ruckman?
To me the only way Campbell asks to be traded is if we land a Kruezer and he's shunted down to number 3
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
Agree, he's not a number one ruck man anywhere and I can't imagine anyone offering him that role. He already can't grab that role on a team that is screaming out for it, although injuries have played a part. I can't say he's ever struck me as a high quality AFL player though. If we did have to trade him the compensation would be negligible.
Park that car
Drop that phone
Sleep on the floor
Dream about me
Yep. 1) Hopefully we land a high quality first ruck. Kruezer is my target.
2) Bevo doesn't seem to have faith in him. Rather than play him earlier this year, we went with Boyd as the primary ruck, and no second ruck. If he stays, and if there's a lack of faith, then his career is dead with another season in the VFL.
It's just intuition on my part.
Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023
And those names concern me greatly to be able to get to their 2016 best.
Libba- depends on application. Last night showed what am important player he is to our team and how elite he can be in the competition. The question remains...is he hungry enough?
Dalh- still in and under bulldog quality, but I'm seeing a hint in lack of pace, and disposal is very questionable most games.
Smith- I think 3 recos are starting to catch up with him, and will be lucky to play half the season in the 1sts next year unless we can see some of that spark return. Lacks pace, disposal questionable, and depending on our setup may see him on the back burner.
Dickson- looked a completely different player this year to last. Injuries hit hard, but also looked quite slow in games and couldn't get near it often enough. I'm a big fan, and his kicking for goal is by far our best. Really need him to find form and play 22 games next year.
Hunter- tries hard, but can have lazy moments with disposal that lets him down. Really need him to go to a new level next year and be an elite mover between 50's.
JJ- one of the most important to our team with run and carry. Surely can't have another year like this one. Weak at the tackle and this needs to be rectified if he's going to be playing more upfield during games.
Dunkley- another, due to injuries who took a major step back. Needs a huge preseason and work on his disposal.
I will never see #16 the same!!
My view is we keep all remaining players from our premiership team. There is still 20 of them and thats good enough for another premiership crack. We just have to get their heads right and their bodies right. But the ability has been proven so we should keep it.
I would let go
Honeychurch
Webb
Hamilton
Crameri
Cloke (retain if Redpath goes)
Boyd - retired
Murphy - retired
So that would be 7 from the primary list.
Listening to Brahm's 3rd Racket
Wouldn't be letting HC or Webb go they are both ready to perform next year , HC was starting to get comfortable just got a health issue.
Webb also got a feel this year at the end.
More of a give the kids a go year and prepare them for next year it seemed.
HC I see as a forward pocket mid.
Webb to be a mid forward pocket.
Bring back the biff
If you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.
Formerly gogriff