Operation: Re-Sign Bailey Dale

[comrade]

Very impressed with young Bailey. He moves like silk, is good below his knees, pretty good mark, and good shot on goal. Can we clone him to fill multiple roles?

That finish on the run was elite. I'm excited to see how he performs with another pre-season in the gym.

[Ozza]

That finish on the run was elite. I'm excited to see how he performs with another pre-season in the gym.

Yep. I know the players all like to look up and survey their options inside 50 and have a pass-first mentality - but I have to say I quite enjoy that Bailey doesn't really even look, just a step or two and tees off....as he should with that finishing class.

[comrade]

Yep. I know the players all like to look up and survey their options inside 50 and have a pass-first mentality - but I have to say I quite enjoy that Bailey doesn't really even look, just a step or two and tees off....as he should with that finishing class.

It's been evident since day one that he is very good around goals. He kicked plenty at Footscray but couldn't quite put it together at AFL level. Now that the penny has dropped and he realises he belongs, the finishing has come with it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Williams undergoes a similar progression next year.

[DOG GOD]

That finish on the run was elite. I'm excited to see how he performs with another pre-season in the gym.

Very much so, and I agree, another preseason in the gym could give him qualities of a Fyfe type. A players that can break the lines, and has polish on the run. He's certainly got the skill level and marking ability to become an elite player in the competition, and most importantly to us, a goal kicker.

[DOG GOD]

I wouldn't be surprised if Williams undergoes a similar progression next year.

Williams has attributes too, but sometimes can be like a deer in headlights when quickly confronted by the opposition. Hopefully another preseason will build that upper body up even more, and becoming a regular in the 22 will give him that more confident approach to trust his instincts.

[josie]

Loved Bailey Dale since I saw him in vfl. Funny how the silky players or players with special attributes stick out like sore thumbs even in early games in vfl or preseason matches (Dale, Daniel, R.Smith). So happy the mc gave him a decent run in the seniors, albeit mostly through lack of depth this year. I think Dale is our new Bob.

Hoping Roarke Smith can recover well from his 2 knee recos 'coz I think he has some qualities we are sadly lacking (speed, marking ability, can make bone crunching tackles and fearless).

[bornadog]

Williams has attributes too, but sometimes can be like a deer in headlights when quickly confronted by the opposition. Hopefully another preseason will build that upper body up even more, and becoming a regular in the 22 will give him that more confident approach to trust his instincts.

We easily forget that Williams is still 19 years old and will be better in the next few years. Dale needs to get into the Gym and make those tackles stick, but as others have said, his goal kicking ability is fantastic to see.

[bulldogtragic]

We easily forget that Williams is still 19 years old and will be better in the next few years. Dale needs to get into the Gym and make those tackles stick, but as others have said, his goal kicking ability is fantastic to see.

And long range goal kicking. Bailey Williams is 0.6 from long range, Suckling would be less than 50/50 this season proper long range. I think we need Bailey Dale running past at 50 or set shots around 50. He's far more reliable based on this season.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Zero Hanger's take on Dale this season:

Bailey Dale ($561,100) - 2%
The sling-shotting Bulldogs backman is the eighth most expensive defender heading into the 2023 season off the back of his 101.9 average from last year.

Dale will again be Luke Beveridge's go-to man to run the ball out of the backline and will likely take a majority of the Dogs' kick-ins this year, particularly with fellow defender Caleb Daniel flagged for a potential move into the midfield.

Should Daniel split his time between the back third and the middle, Dale is likely to benefit most from a SuperCoach perspective, with more of the ball in his hands to relieve their last line.