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  1. #1
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    “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

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    No team in the AFL has a better midfield than the Western Bulldogs heading into the 2021 season, according to Nick Dal Santo.

    The Bulldogs added to their star-studded midfield mix by securing the signature of Adam Treloar in a blockbuster trade from Collingwood during last year’s trade period.

    Given their embarrassment of riches through the midfield, Dal Santo says the Dogs should run opposition clubs off their feet throughout the upcoming campaign.

    “I think this is now the best midfield in the competition,” he told SEN Summer Breakfast.

    “(Adam) Treloar, (Marcus) Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, (Lachie) Hunter, (Bailey) Smith, (Josh) Dunkley and ‘Libba’ (Tom Liberatore).


    “Obviously only three of four go through at a time and you throw in a couple of wingers, but you tell me a better midfield than that.

    “I look at that midfield – exploit the opposition, use your strengths as much as you can, and you make the opposition adjust to you.

    “You would love to be able to sit here in nine or 10 months’ time and say our midfield was dominated – we exposed the opposition for their inability to run with us for four quarters.”

    The Bulldogs also bolstered their ruck stocks with Brisbane veteran Stefan Martin joining the club to support emerging big man Tim English.

    “They’ve also brought in another ruckman in Stef Martin,” Dan Santo said.

    “Tim English made some really good steps forward last year. I think his craft as a ruckman was superb.

    “You’ve now got the ability to exploit the opposition. You look at Paddy Ryder and Rowan Marshall and the way they were able to work together and they were the team that beat the Bulldogs last year in the finals. They were able to work together and make it look seamless.

    “You would love to sit here in 10 months’ time and say we’ve got a great duo, a great combination in the ruck.”

    Martin, 34, joined the Dogs on a one-year deal.
    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.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Dal Santo was an idiot until I read this.
    But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by 1eyedog View Post
    Dal Santo was an idiot until I read this.
    He's very one dimensional and a poor commentator from my perspective.

    Trade period every year
    "I think the Hawks are up to something"

    I listened to his recent analysis of Treloar coming to us and why Collingwood would trade him
    "I think we will find out that Collingwood were up to something when they let Treloar go and they will sign someone else in the trade period"

    He adds nothing and your initial reference is spot on
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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    He's very one dimensional and a poor commentator from my perspective.

    Trade period every year
    "I think the Hawks are up to something"

    I listened to his recent analysis of Treloar coming to us and why Collingwood would trade him
    "I think we will find out that Collingwood were up to something when they let Treloar go and they will sign someone else in the trade period"

    He adds nothing and your initial reference is spot on
    I’m just waiting around for Danjul to see the description of English’s ruck craft as “superb”.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by The Underdog View Post
    I’m just waiting around for Danjul to see the description of English’s ruck craft as “superb”.
    And Danjul and others should challenge Dal's comments.
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    And Danjul and others should challenge Dal's comments.
    It's not just that.

    I still maintain the best midfields have BALANCE. The Lions had the fab 4 in Black, Voss, Lappin and Aker...but Hart was there as well playing a key role on the best opposition mid.

    I think these discussions of the 'best midfield' are very focussed on ball-in-hand actions and not thinking about how to structure the side to win games of footy.

    To me, we have too many inside mids, not enough outside mids and not enough small forwards (as in, we have none) to be a threat right now. It does sound cool to say we have 3x All-Aust (Bont, Macrae, Treloar) plus the best young mid in the comp (Smith) plus Dunks, Liber, Hunter etc but I wish we had some games so we could see them actually play together.
    What should I tell her? She's going to ask.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    It will only be the best midfield in the competition if it shows up unconditionally week to week and runs both ways.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    It will only be the best midfield in the competition if it shows up unconditionally week to week and runs both ways.
    Agree - I think the headline should be Potential Best. Let's face it, we haven't been in a position like this for a very long time.

    The Grandfinal year, we rotated something like 9 players through the centre at times to compensate, plus the third man up helped us.
    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.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    Agree - I think the headline should be Potential Best. Let's face it, we haven't been in a position like this for a very long time.

    The Grandfinal year, we rotated something like 9 players through the centre at times to compensate, plus the third man up helped us.
    10 if you consider Libba's complete role change at half time (an underrated reason we actually won the game)
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    It will only be the best midfield in the competition if it shows up unconditionally week to week and runs both ways.
    Is this really a thing? I mean we have two AA in there and Libba...
    Not sure we are any different to others in this respect.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by Grantysghost View Post
    Is this really a thing? I mean we have two AA in there and Libba...
    Not sure we are any different to others in this respect.
    When we look our worst I think a lot of it has to do with how switched on our midfield is, their intent to tackle and position defencively and it seems to happen a bit.

    You're probably right though, all midfields have lapses but I guess the truly elite ones have fewer of them.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    When we look our worst I think a lot of it has to do with how switched on our midfield is, their intent to tackle and position defencively and it seems to happen a bit.

    You're probably right though, all midfields have lapses but I guess the truly elite ones have fewer of them.
    I'm with you I see the same things but I wonder more broadly if we as supporters are hyper vigilant or critical. We do have an amazing midfield

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    It will only be the best midfield in the competition if it shows up unconditionally week to week and runs both ways.
    Really it's the same midfield as last year but with Treloar who can add a bit more run and some long random wayward kicking.

    We will still get beaten if we don't work hard defensively, which is where we started so slowly last year.

    The big concern for me is that with this so called "embarrassment of riches", that we will do what we usually do and play like we assume someone else will do all the hard work and we all wait for the soft stuff.

    Don't let it get to your heads dogs, we still have a below average Ruck department, a forward line which can struggle to kick goals, a small defence that has a history of struggling against the big forwards and a lack of go to marking targets in general play.

    I think the forward line will improve, and the running option in vanders, treloar and smith will help get it in there faster. Still have doubts about our ability to stop the counter attack goals where we turn it over and the opposition explodes, opens us up and walks into an easy goal. This burned us so many times the last two years, our lack or runners and leg speed both ways, and slow defenders that get caught out.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    It's clearly the best midfield on paper. It's hard to believe we have somehow picked up Treloar and the number 1 pick the year after playing finals.

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    Re: “this is now the best midfield in the competition”: Dal santo

    I’ve always said our mids are better on paper than on field. Too one dimensional, and very lacklustre in a defensive form. Will Treloar change this? Who knows...soon find out, but I wouldn’t say we had the best...yet.
    I will never see #16 the same!!

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