Western Bulldogs Devoid of Stars

[Topdog]

Out of interest how many stars do Richmond and West coast have?

[bornadog]

Out of interest how many stars do Richmond and West coast have?

No more than us.

[soupman]

No more than us.

Well for the most part we seem to be in agreement that we have one genuine star (Bontempelli), 2 very very good accumulators (Macrae and Hunter) who aren't really stars and a star in a version of the game that doesn't involve taggers (JJ).

We can compare that to Martin, Riewoldt, Rance or Kennedy, McGovern and maybe Niatanui.

I think I'm comfortable saying they have more than us.

[Twodogs]

One thing I can not understand.

The bulldogs in 2016 bought back a love for the game for so many people. The buzz around football and the feelings from all fans of other teams was amazing. It was the romantic story from the western suburbs against all odds. What a finals series it was.

So the bulldogs united football fans and and rejuvenated the game with how exciting they played. This did wonders for the AFL and the game itself. And how were we rewarded, they changed the rules to combat our advantage. Instead of embracing the doggies for rejuvenating the game they f$&@€#g punished us. This is just so ridiculous in so many ways

sorry a bit off topic but had to get it out.

And at the same time Essendon were dragging the game's reputation through the mud with the drug cheating and refusal to accept their right whack.

But out of those two clubs which one gets rewarded with, frankly, ridiculous rule changes to favour them? That's right it was Essendon who got to keep the top up players they wanted to keep (after being told they would have to go back into the draft and every club would have a chance to pick them up) and being allowed to treat the salary cap as an aspirational target rather than a fixed limitation on how much they can pay their players.

What a *!*!*!*!ing joke.

[Topdog]

Well for the most part we seem to be in agreement that we have one genuine star (Bontempelli), 2 very very good accumulators (Macrae and Hunter) who aren't really stars and a star in a version of the game that doesn't involve taggers (JJ).

We can compare that to Martin, Riewoldt, Rance or Kennedy, McGovern and maybe Niatanui.

I think I'm comfortable saying they have more than us.

I'm not comfortable saying Rance is a star.

Nic-Nat could be but isnt yet as he hasnt spent enough time on the ground.

You really dont need a whole lot of stars but once you win 2 premierships everyone becomes labelled as a star.

[Twodogs]

I'm not comfortable saying Rance is a star.

Nic-Nat could be but isnt yet as he hasnt spent enough time on the ground.

You really dont need a whole lot of stars but once you win 2 premierships everyone becomes labelled as a star.

Rance is a showpony. He's far too easily put off his game, I've never seen a player argue with crowd members the way he does. Lake ran rings around him as a key defender.

[bornadog]

Well for the most part we seem to be in agreement that we have one genuine star (Bontempelli), 2 very very good accumulators (Macrae and Hunter) who aren't really stars and a star in a version of the game that doesn't involve taggers (JJ).

We can compare that to Martin, Riewoldt, Rance or Kennedy, McGovern and maybe Niatanui.

I think I'm comfortable saying they have more than us.

In my opinion Macrae is a star, an underrated one. As others have said Rance is no star, so who does that leave for Richmond, Martin and Riewoldt which I agree on.

[Mofra]

I'm not comfortable saying Rance is a star.

Nic-Nat could be but isnt yet as he hasnt spent enough time on the ground.

You really dont need a whole lot of stars but once you win 2 premierships everyone becomes labelled as a star.

Rance (who should be a Bulldog player, stupid AFL changing rules) has made the past 5 AA teams on the trot, was AA captain in 2017 and until McGovern's rise was considered the best backman in the game. He is absolutely a star.

[Axe Man]

If Rance isn't a star then no key backmen can be stars. Cotchin is another for Richmond I would have thought.

[Axe Man]

Rance (who should be a Bulldog player, stupid AFL changing rules) has made the past 5 AA teams on the trot, was AA captain in 2017 and until McGovern's rise was considered the best backman in the game. He is absolutely a star.

Murray only played 40 games for us so Alex wouldn't have qualified under the old 50 game rule either.

[Mofra]

Murray only played 40 games for us so Alex wouldn't have qualified under the old 50 game rule either.

Damn, I thought he clocked up 50.
IIRC we would have been likely to take him over Ward (we rated both highly) until Richmond got him just before our pick.

[Topdog]

If Rance isn't a star then no key backmen can be stars. Cotchin is another for Richmond I would have thought.

A star stops Mason Cox from kicking 5 goals in a prelim final IMO.

[soupman]

Rance (who should be a Bulldog player, stupid AFL changing rules) has made the past 5 AA teams on the trot, was AA captain in 2017 and until McGovern's rise was considered the best backman in the game. He is absolutely a star.

Yep. If Rance isn't a star then there is one star backman in the league in McGovern. He is absolutely a star, even if at times he is slightly overrated. If Easton Wood continued his 2016 form for the last two seasons then i believe everyone here would consider him a star, but he hasn't. Meanwhile Rance has done that and possibly more, and isn't a star? Please.

If Rance isn't a star then no key backmen can be stars. Cotchin is another for Richmond I would have thought.

Yeah Cotchin is borderline but I don't think is quite in the realm of the others. He does go to my next point though.

In my opinion Macrae is a star, an underrated one. As others have said Rance is no star, so who does that leave for Richmond, Martin and Riewoldt which I agree on.

Macrae is just shy of being a star, but i wouldn't say he is one yet. However, if we include him then Cotchin definitely comes in, as does Gaff. So the number difference doesn't change.

Nic-Nat could be but isnt yet as he hasnt spent enough time on the ground.

Nic Nat definitely was, it remains to be seen if he still is after two knees.

[Axe Man]

A star stops Mason Cox from kicking 5 goals in a prelim final IMO.

IMO a player is judged over their career, not 1 game. Every great player has had games they would rather forget.

[GVGjr]

The top end of our playing list is strong enough and I think we are very even through the middle but time will tell this year if we have the genuine depth most successful clubs need