Round 1 side

[Axe Man]

Western Bulldogs hard nut Liam Picken has been sidelined indefinitely with concussion

WESTERN Bulldogs premiership hero Liam Picken is the latest player to be ruled out indefinitely with concussion.

Picken, 31, suffered a second heavy knock inside 12 months and was stretchered off the Ballarat field during the pre-season win against Hawthorn on March 3.

He will not play against Greater Western Sydney on Sunday — 22 days later.

In Round 3 last year Picken lay motionless on the ground after his head collided with Fremantle’s Tom Sheridan.

The hard nut played six days later and has missed just four matches since 2010.

The Bulldogs said on Monday night they would take a conservative approach with their much-loved utility and 2016 finals star.

Picken, who is contracted for 2019 and shared the Bulldogs’ goalkicking with Jake Stringer last year, will continue non-contact training at Whitten Oval.

The Bulldogs will deploy a baby backline against the Giants with Dale Morris (knee) and Marcus Adams (ankle) injured and captain Easton Wood set to play in attack.

No. 9 draft pick Aaron Naughton will debut in a defence including premiership forward Zaine Cordy as they battle the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Jon Patton and Rory Lobb.

The 194cm Naughton turned 18 after he was drafted but has been a summer standout as an intercepting defender.

Fletcher Roberts and Lewis Young are likely to contend for the third key defensive post following Adams’ blow last week.

Roberts and Young did not feature in the pre-season.

The new-look backline has undergone a makeover since the departures of Joel Hamling (Fremantle), Matthew Boyd and Bob Murphy (retired) and Wood’s move forward.

“We’re evolving,” coach Luke Beveridge said.

“We’ve got a brand new back end (and) we’ve got new players playing in different positions.

“Last year seems like an eternity ago and two or three years ago seems like a lifetime ago.

“It is brand new.”

The Bulldogs will use ex-Fremantle forward Hayden Crozier as a running defender while key forwards Tom Boyd and Josh Schache are likely to begin the season in the VFL.

Ruckman Tim English is in the selection frame and understood to be closer to senior action than both Boyd and Schache.

Full-forward Jack Redpath is unavailable until Round 2 because of a suspension hanging over from late last year.

[lemmon]

Sam Landsberger reporting both Schache and Boyd will play VFL

[bornadog]

Bevo Press Conference:

* It is the uncertainty that requires us to use the word indefinite. Picko had concussion last year & he wasn’t right for a little while. He’s telling us the moment he isn’t right. We need to make good decisions for Liam & his future.

* I imagine Picko will play again, but that will be up to him & consultation with the Club doctors

* Dale’s facing same rehab as Gia, and he’s a resilient guy so he’s in good spirit. He knows he’s a fair way off, the medical staff are confident he’ll be right mid year.

* It is the uncertainty that requires us to use the word indefinite. Picko had concussion last year & he wasn’t right for a little while. He’s telling us the moment he isn’t right. We need to make good decisions for Liam & his future.

* We got to continue to understand that on a big field, you can’t get access to players like NBA, EPL. We need to get messages to our players.

* It was important for me (to keep the runner). We go in with plans week to week & to manage those plans we need to relay information. You need runners for that.

* Our backend has always played well when they’ve played in a systematic fashion. We think we can improve really quickly at both ends.

* We’ve seen enough good signs in our match practice, simulation that it will transfer at the level. Easton will start the season forward.

* Easton’s teammates have found him hard to play on (up forward). His athletic profile in this code is almost second to none. It’s early stages of a journey for us.

* The signs are encouraging (for Libba), his teammates have been vocal about how encouraged they’ve been. Especially his attention to detail.

* Aaron will play, we think he’ll hold himself in the right way

* Bevo also not very happy about the content of THIS article and says it is completely untrue.

[Mantis]

Also mentioned that reports Dahl, Libba and Clay were shopped around at trade time are a lie.

[always right]

Wood must move back to defence. Adams a real loss.......yet again.

I think we need Trengove as our big bodied defender supported by Cordy and Naughton. We need Roughead to make it through the game unscathed as our ruckman......good luck.

[Mantis]

Wood must move back to defence. Adams a real loss.......yet again.

I think we need Trengove as our big bodied defender supported by Cordy and Naughton. We need Roughead to make it through the game unscathed as our ruckman......good luck.

If Trengove & Wood go back who plays as our key forwards?

[Happy Days]

If Trengove & Wood go back who plays as our key forwards?

Boyd and Schache...oh wait.

I'm pretty down to not play one. If I learned anything from Richmond's flag its that teams have to learn to accentuate their positives and hide their negatives.

If no one is good enough to play AFL as a KPF then don't try and force it.

[Mantis]

Boyd and Schache...oh wait.

I'm pretty down to not play one. If I learned anything from Richmond's flag its that teams have to learn to accentuate their positives and hide their negatives.

If no one is good enough to play AFL as a KPF then don't try and force it.

That's ok if you play to your strengths, but our incessant need to bomb the ball forward doesn't suit our personnel at all.

I would rather we kick it along the ground to space than long and direct to the 'hot spot'.

[Mofra]

Boyd and Schache...oh wait.

I'm pretty down to not play one. If I learned anything from Richmond's flag its that teams have to learn to accentuate their positives and hide their negatives.

If no one is good enough to play AFL as a KPF then don't try and force it.

Richmond had Jack Riewoldt who is one of the best KPFs in the competition and is arguably the best KPF in the comp for applying defensive pressure. Teams will always need that get out kick on a slow F50 entry - right now it seems Trengove & Roughy will tandem the role.

[Twodogs]

That's ok if you play to your strengths, but our incessant need to bomb the ball forward doesn't suit our personnel at all.

I would rather we kick it along the ground to space than long and direct to the 'hot spot'.

I don't know why this isn't a thing. Teams mostly try to bring the ball to the ground in their forward 50 so why not kick it along the ground?

[bornadog]

Full Press conference here

Bevo says at the end Roughead is ok and will play.

[Happy Days]

Richmond had Jack Riewoldt who is one of the best KPFs in the competition and is arguably the best KPF in the comp for applying defensive pressure. Teams will always need that get out kick on a slow F50 entry - right now it seems Trengove & Roughy will tandem the role.

Not to say it's a like-for-like comparison, more just in principled thought.

[kruder]

Full Press conference here

Bevo says at the end Roughead is ok and will play.

He basically said that Boyd and Schache won't play also.

[Cyberdoggie]

He basically said that Boyd and Schache won't play also.

Jake Stringer our only tall?.....oh wait.

[Cyberdoggie]

Not sure what our best forward line would be against the giants.

I thought Dicko looked really rusty but he's the type that will be good against them.

I'm guessing Wood and Bont will spend a lot of time forward.