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  1. #1
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    It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    First things first: the 2016 Western Bulldogs are gone and they aren’t coming back.
    The game and the league have changed in the past three seasons, and half of the Dogs’ premiership players have either left or are unlikely to play for the club again.
    Too much of the analysis on these Bulldogs is still viewed through the 2016 prism. It’s time for everyone to move on and see them for what they are, and what they could be.

    The stars

    The Dogs don’t have many A-graders on their list, which is part of the reason they’re stuck in the middle of the ladder. But they do have two bonafide stars.
    It’s not difficult to make a case that Marcus Bontempelli is the best player in footy, and his prolific running mate, Jack Macrae, is one of the league’s best second bananas.

    The second tier

    This is the Bulldogs’ strength, and why when things click they can mix it with just about any side – they’ve beaten three of the current top-four.
    Jason Johannisen, Josh Dunkley, Caleb Daniel, Hayden Crozier, Tom Liberatore, Lachie Hunter and Toby McLean are all quality footballers. Sam Lloyd and Taylor Duryea have been smart additions.

    Captain conundrum

    As one of only two Bulldogs premiership captains, Easton Wood will forever be a legend at Whitten Oval, but Father Time is undefeated, and it appears he’s come for the skipper.
    Of 66 players this season who have been involved in at least 30 one-on-one defensive contests, Wood’s loss rate of 39.4 percent is worse than 62 of those players – blimey.

    The coach

    Luke Beveridge has earned some criticism since the glory of 2016. His regular shuffling of players both on the field and in and out of the 22 over the past three seasons has at times been baffling.
    But while criticism is warranted, he has also come up with a plan to put his team in a winning position on many occasions only to be let down by woeful finishing in front of the big sticks.
    Sunday’s loss to the Lions was a good example. There’s no shame in a three-goal defeat at the Gabba these days, but if the visitors had made the most of their early chances, it could have been a different game – that’s been a regular theme.

    The defence

    The Team That Should Be Footscray is far too easy to score against. They’re giving up a goal on 24.9 per cent of opponents’ forward-50 entries.
    Some of that is because their aggressive transition game can leave them badly exposed on turnovers, part of that is because their defenders aren’t very good.
    Zaine Cordy always seems to be outsized and outclassed, and while Jackson Trengove has been a solid addition to the back six, much of his good defensive work is undone by skill errors and poor decisions.

    The future

    There’s not a more exciting young prospect in the league than Aaron Naughton. He can be a little shaky in front of goal – it’s the Bulldog way – but he’s special in the air. Naughton is eighth in the league for marks inside-50 this season and has taken more contested marks than anyone. Oh, and he’s still a teenager.
    Tim English is starting to look every bit the modern ruckman he was advertised as, and Bailey Smith gives the club the kind of player they’ve been crying out for – an inside midfielder with breakaway speed.
    Ed Richards has had a bit of a second-year slump, but still looks a long-term player off halfback or a wing. Josh Schache might never live up the lofty expectations that come with being a No.2 pick, but he should play plenty of footy alongside Naughton and – unlike many of his teammates – is a reliable kick for goal. As are Patrick Lipinski and Bailey Dale, who are both contributing forward of centre.

    The now

    The finals door is still ajar and if the Dogs can beat the injury-hit Bombers on Saturday night, they’ll nudge it open a little further. It’s a game they should expect to win.

    Then what?

    There’s a strong foundation here with one gaping hole: they desperately need a quality key defender. That has to be the priority this offseason, and their entire haul of draft picks should be on the table for ready-made players.
    We’ve seen how even the league has become; the gap from first to everyone but Gold Coast is pretty slim, but if you don’t step up, you’ll quickly be left behind.
    Three years without finals would be tough to swallow, a fourth would be borderline unacceptable.

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  2. Thanks GVGjr, azabob, bornadog, KT31, HOSE B ROMERO, macca thanked for this post
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  3. #2
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Pretty accurate. That Easton Wood stat just confirms what a lot on here have been saying.
    Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.

  4. #3
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by comrade View Post
    Pretty accurate. That Easton Wood stat just confirms what a lot on here have been saying.
    I wonder if that stat was instead for Lew Young or Fletch Roberts what the conversation would be. That's a not insignificant stat. Is being the fourth worst across the entire competition for one-on-ones just him slowly adapting to the 6-6-6 rule etc?

    But there's enough highlighted talented already with us, that with an aggressive trade period should have us playing finals next year. Hopefully more maturity brings consistency next year, and with a kicking and skills coach and a goal kicking coach we might just get enough reward for effort we are contending.
    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

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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by comrade View Post
    Pretty accurate. That Easton Wood stat just confirms what a lot on here have been saying.
    Since 2017....

  6. #5
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by bulldogtragic View Post
    I wonder if that stat was instead for Lew Young or Fletch Roberts what the conversation would be. That's a not insignificant stat. Is being the fourth worst across the entire competition for one-on-ones just him slowly adapting to the 6-6-6 rule etc?
    This is the issue I constantly see, stats being used to justify why some players aren't measuring up but we simply won't use the same measures on our captain.

    In all honesty though, it's not like his role has really changed that much but I do feel he hasn't adjusted to the 6 6 6 rule change and it's exposed him just a bit as an inconsistent performer when asked to be accountable for his opponent.
    Last edited by GVGjr; 08-08-2019 at 05:03 AM. Reason: typo
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

  7. #6
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Good summary HD60, it is where we are at. I too think we should be looking forward and stop whining about the past few years.

    We have the nucleus to go on and be a force, but we need to plug a few holes as well as hang on to the best players we have.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  8. #7
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by comrade View Post
    Pretty accurate. That Easton Wood stat just confirms what a lot on here have been saying.
    I think it is in some ways misleading - how many of those contests would be against players his own height? In the first two rounds he was playing as a KPP despite giving up 12+ cms to every opponent.
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    I think it is in some ways misleading - how many of those contests would be against players his own height? In the first two rounds he was playing as a KPP despite giving up 12+ cms to every opponent.
    I think it was round 4 when he was selected to play on Cox. That’s more like 25 cm.

    And Cordy was the tall backman????

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  12. #9
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by Danjul View Post
    I think it was round 4 when he was selected to play on Cox. That’s more like 25 cm.

    And Cordy was the tall backman????
    And the domino effect of not having an athletic tall back continues to bite everyone else further down the line and the flow-on effects on our game contingencies.

    It's lovely for Bevo to laud blokes willing to do difficult, mismatched jobs but it'd be lovelier when we decide to see what we've got with Lewis Young. I feel like a broken record.
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocket Science View Post
    And the domino effect of not having an athletic tall back continues to bite everyone else further down the line and the flow-on effects on our game contingencies.

    It's lovely for Bevo to laud blokes willing to do difficult, mismatched jobs but it'd be lovelier when we decide to see what we've got with Lewis Young. I feel like a broken record.
    Lewis played the previous week and there was not one good word from anyone on this forum on how he played against GC and subsequently he was dropped.

    Trengove should have played against the Pies, but again, we don't know internally whether he was ready to play.
    FFC: Established 1883

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  14. #11
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    Trengove should have played against the Pies, but again, we don't know internally whether he was ready to play.
    Trengove was ok in JLT2, albeit in the ruck. He was fit to play,.
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

  15. #12
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    Trengove was ok in JLT2, albeit in the ruck. He was fit to play,.
    There must have been a reason we didn't play him.
    FFC: Established 1883

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  16. #13
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    Good summary HD60, it is where we are at. I too think we should be looking forward and stop whining about the past few years.

    We have the nucleus to go on and be a force, but we need to plug a few holes as well as hang on to the best players we have.
    The future is unknown, you have to take opportunities when they present.
    Over the past few years and particularly this year we have not taken our opportunities.
    More of an In Bruges guy?

  17. #14
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by azabob View Post
    The future is unknown, you have to take opportunities when they present.
    Over the past few years and particularly this year we have not taken our opportunities.
    This year we haven't and should have. With the huge injuries to senior players in the past two years, we really didn't have the cattle on the ground. We never looked like it.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  18. #15
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    Re: It’s time for the Western Bulldogs to grow up

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    I think it is in some ways misleading - how many of those contests would be against players his own height? In the first two rounds he was playing as a KPP despite giving up 12+ cms to every opponent.
    It doesn't happen as much as you think but on occassions it does happen. The problem is more that he doesnt have the required skill of someone around 187cm in height.
    When we lost to Geelong earlier in the year he was pitted against Gary Rohan early on who out marked him often and kicked a few goals. The height differential was just 2 cm.
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

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