Negativity? LOL. In Bevo we trust!

[mjp]

OK.

So much angst about losing Dahl (who has been average for 2 years), Roughie (who has been average pretty much his whole career - but is by all accounts a ripping bloke) and Adams (who has really done SFA).

I think we all need to chill. Our improvement (and I have already said this) is going to come from our BEST PLAYERS:

Bont.
Boyd.
J-Mac
JJ
Wood

Read those names again. We have the best young mid/leader in the game (though I admit, Cripps is pretty good). We have an elite ball winner who basically cannot be stopped. The single best running half back in the game. A top 5 intercept marker. An elite tall who can play ruck AND forward and has proven he has big game ability.

That list doesn't include the reigning B&F winner, the reigning leading goal-kicker or a host of other PREMIERSHIP PLAYERS who are still short of their 23rd birthday. AND it doesn't include our 2x first round (yep, TWO FIRST ROUND PICKS) from last year - who were both AMAZING in their debut seasons (Naughton and Richards) or a young ruckman who no-one here would be prepared to give away for almost any price.

...and...we have this guy as coach who might do some - well, kinda weird stuff - but who has already delivered a premiership.

I'm calling it now - we WILL play finals last year and there wont be too many teams looking forward to meeting us there...

So everyone just calm the hell down!

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I’m with you mjp if we can just get them on the park.

[Eastdog]

Yes I still reckon it will be tough to make the 8 depending on what the teams around us on the ladder do but I think we are every chance to play finals next year if we get some more improvement in players and less injuries will help massively.

Will have an 'easier' draw as well which gives us a chance.

I would like to see Bailey Dale get some form back.

[Bulldog Joe]

Thanks mjp.

I have felt that we are ready to push for finals based on the last month of footy, but it is frustrating that we are the ones who cannot add mature talent.

I see Lloyd and Duryea as nothing additions that only provide depth.

If we can play Bont midfield, without him needing to also be our saviour forward, we can be there.

[hujsh]

I guess one way to gain perspective is to ask what will improve us more between getting the players we have fit and in form or getting one or two big recruits into an injured out of sorts team.

Perhaps getting our fitness team sorted is the best coup we can pull this off season? (I have no idea how one does such a thing though)

[bulldogtragic]

I guess one way to gain perspective is to ask what will improve us more between getting the players we have fit and in form or getting one or two big recruits into an injured out of sorts team.

Perhaps getting our fitness team sorted is the best coup we can pull this off season? (I have no idea how one does such a thing though)

Recruit the Hawthorn fitness and conditioning guru, which Carlton did a couple of weeks ago after getting former Western Bulldogs footy boss Graham Lowe to review that area of the club and act on his recommendations. If only we knew how to contact Graham or that he did this kind of elite sports and fitness thing.

[GVGjr]

We are underestimating our list just because some other teams got some shiny toys

We have a great blend of talented players along with a list of emerging players many teams would be keen to have

Bontempelli and Macrae are two standout stars, if Liberatore gets his focus again that's huge for us and Johannisen rounds a strong list

We then have the likes of Boyd, Hunter, Dunkley and McLean who could all easily take a step forward next year and we should get a bit more from a fit Easton Wood.

We have reliable soldiers in Trengove, Crozier and Suckling which might now be supported by Duryea and Lloyd and we could have both Picken and Dickson in better form than 2018 and we have a warrior like Morris and a fit Wallis.

Now here is where things get interesting for us

From the class of 2016 we have English, Lipinski, Young and Greene who are all very talented and will be starting their 3rd pre-season with us. From a development point of view that is huge for us. English has plenty of potential, Lipinski got better as the season rolled on and Greene showed something at the back end of the season. Young was always going to take some time but he will be ready next year to take a step forward.

From 2015, I've already mentioned Dunkley but how exciting was Bailey Williams this year who also arrived that year?
From 2014 I've mentioned McLean but we also have Caleb Daniel and hopefully an emerging Bailey Dale and of course Zaine Cordy

Lets then look at two players from the rookie list that have been promoted in Gowers and Lynch. Gowers led our goal kicking and also played in other positions. Lynch has great kicking skills and should get better.

And the topper was getting two diamonds from the 2017 draft in Naughton and Richards and landed Schache via a trade

Fast forward to now, we have pick 7 in what is regarded as a strong draft, we will land a father son pick who has had an impressive TAC and Vic Metro season and we will land at least two more players via the draft.

I get people are disappointed that we didn't do something big during the trade period but the draft is the future for clubs like ours and we will bring in some talented types for sure.

We can make the Bulldogs great again, we can and we will. We've cleared out many of the distracted players and while it might bite us in 2019 we will be right in 12 months time.

A message to Bevo, the coaches and the fitness and development team, it's now time for you all to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Stick with us fans, it's going to get interesting

[Doc26]

We are underestimating our list just because some other teams got some shiny toys

if Liberatore gets his focus again that's huge for us

If we can lock Bonts contract down early, avoiding the hype and distraction and for some added positivity, and Libba returns to what we all know he can deliver we will make some solid headway next season.

I will be hoping like many that Bailey Smith falls to pick seven to add that outside running class. Will make up for missing Wingard but without carrying a 1m pa overhead.

[GVGjr]

If we can lock Bonts contract down early, avoiding the hype and distraction and for some added positivity, and Libba returns to what we all know he can deliver we will make some solid headway next season.

I will be hoping like many that Bailey Smith falls to pick seven to add that outside running class. Will make up for missing Wingard but without the overhead.

That could easily transform our midfield by landing both Smith and West.

[Doc26]

That could easily transform our midfield by landing both Smith and West.

Can you imagine English tapping down to these guys in time? We would virtually have inherited a Gawn, Viney & Oliver type, and not including our existing and growing stars.

[Eastdog]

I like your sentiment GVGjr.

[bornadog]

I am with MJP, there is so much negativity just because we didn't pick up an A grader from another club. We have our own A graders and so many in the making.

If anyone went to the last game of the year, they would have seen the future right there.

[Mofra]

I see Lloyd and Duryea as nothing additions that only provide depth.

I see Lloyd making us at least a 1 goal per game better side. He's a natural goalkicker, I would have even chased another.

With Schache now locked into the best 22 we finally have an option for the get-out kick down the line and he covers decent ground, we've faced a HF black hole for a long time and now we have at least something there. That improves the way we move the ball all over the ground.
Wallis is our new Clay Smith - slowish contested forward who is vital in our structure as we score a higher % of goals from stoppages than most other sides.
Gowers is a natural goal kicker. Came from the clouds.

If we can cobble together some semblance of a forwardline - and we have a new forwards coach so hopefully new ideas - we will be a threat.

[AshMac]

I’d put Collingwood and essendons midfield (w Shiel) ahead of ours as promising young midfields. We have a lot of promise and upside but don’t see us as a genuine contender next year.

As for Bevo, the man is literally a god after 2016 to us. I think he has a vision and we’re working toward it. We’ll improve in 2019 but so will 15 other clubs. He gets an absolute A+ for not coming out in the media this year to devalue a player before draft period though.

[1eyedog]

I see Lloyd making us at least a 1 goal per game better side. He's a natural goalkicker, I would have even chased another.

With Schache now locked into the best 22 we finally have an option for the get-out kick down the line and he covers decent ground, we've faced a HF black hole for a long time and now we have at least something there. That improves the way we move the ball all over the ground.
Wallis is our new Clay Smith - slowish contested forward who is vital in our structure as we score a higher % of goals from stoppages than most other sides.
Gowers is a natural goal kicker. Came from the clouds.

If we can cobble together some semblance of a forwardline - and we have a new forwards coach so hopefully new ideas - we will be a threat.

Agreed. If the number of times we entered F50 with little return over the past two years is any indication we should start to capitalise on our opportunities with Lloyd, Gowers, Schache et al. in F50. A fit Dickson and Picken make us more a threat in the forward half as well. We have options. Our list is actually looking more balanced than it has in a long time. Our ability to score does still largely depend on the pressure the opposition exerts in the midfield but we showed at the back end of last year that our midfield still has the ability to win contested possession and apply enormous pressure. We certainly get plenty of it so we will have our opportunities again.

Say what you want about Lloyd's defensive capabilities but he's a nice long kick and has a knack for kicking goals.