Team, Round 1 2023

[hujsh]

4 season ago West coast were premiers. Aint no one can predict where we'll be in 4 years

[The Bulldogs Bite]

If we don't win another Premiership in this Bont/Naughton era, it has to be seen as a big fail.

It's HARD to win flags, bloody hard, but we've actually been our own worst enemy and defeat ourselves.

[dog town]

If we don't win another Premiership in this Bont/Naughton era, it has to be seen as a big fail.

It's HARD to win flags, bloody hard, but we've actually been our own worst enemy and defeat ourselves.

Are you counting both Bont and Naughton at top form with no injury concerns? Naughton hasn’t even fully developed yet and Bont has only been at top form in 1 of the last 3 seasons. Surely their capabilities in any given year need to be taken into account?

If you told me prior to 2023 that Bont plays to 2021 level and Naughton takes a step forward to become a top 1-2 key forward in the game then that makes a big difference to where I think we can finish. If Bonts form and body are questionable for half a season and Naughton is rolling on the ground in pain every week then that also has to factor into expectations in my view.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Are you counting both Bont and Naughton at top form with no injury concerns? Naughton hasn’t even fully developed yet and Bont has only been at top form in 1 of the last 3 seasons. Surely their capabilities in any given year need to be taken into account?

If you told me prior to 2023 that Bont plays to 2021 level and Naughton takes a step forward to become a top 1-2 key forward in the game then that makes a big difference to where I think we can finish. If Bonts form and body are questionable for half a season and Naughton is rolling on the ground in pain every week then that also has to factor into expectations in my view.

It's a good point, although it is true of any good side. Like any side, we need luck on the injury front to contend.

Do we manage our stars well? Bont had a pretty ordinary year and never looked right from R1. Could we have rested him more? We didn't have the luxury from a W/L perspective but he couldn't get back to 2021 levels.

Naughton certainly played sore but still had an impact with 50+ goals.

Ultimately I think this group needs to steer away from excuses, as I think that's been a bit of an undertone throughout this year. I'm confident that will change, but I'm also tiring of our yo-yo effect from year to year.

Time for this group to deliver IMO.

[dog town]

It's a good point, although it is true of any good side. Like any side, we need luck on the injury front to contend.

Do we manage our stars well? Bont had a pretty ordinary year and never looked right from R1. Could we have rested him more? We didn't have the luxury from a W/L perspective but he couldn't get back to 2021 levels.

Naughton certainly played sore but still had an impact with 50+ goals.

Ultimately I think this group needs to steer away from excuses, as I think that's been a bit of an undertone throughout this year. I'm confident that will change, but I'm also tiring of our yo-yo effect from year to year.

Time for this group to deliver IMO.

I don’t think we managed Bont well at all. He is a match winner that can separate games and in hindsight he would have been rested earlier in the season.

We will be in a better position to manage Naughton and any niggles this season I think, encouraging that he doesn’t appear to have had post season surgery.

It’s not so much an excuse but if we are going to use them as a reason for a premiership then their actual output needs to be considered. Was Bont in our top 6 players in the first 1/3 of the season? I would say no so there is no sense in rating our performance based on him at 100%. I do agree that holistically I would like to see these problems that all clubs have matter less for us. At the moment I think it’s fair to say there is an unhealthy reliance on those two to separate games.

[bulldogtragic]

2022 Elimination Final Team:

FB: Richards - Gardner - Cordy
HB: Daniel - Keath - Dale
C: McLean - Macrae - R. Smith
HF: Treloar - Ugle-Hagan - Johannisen
F: Weightman - Naughton - Darcy
R: English - Bontempelli - B. Smith
I: Hunter - Dunkley - Vandermeer - Williams


Round 1 Team (updated - 5 on the Bench):


FB: Richards - Gardner - L. Jones

Notes: Cordy Out. Liam Jones In - Jones in 2021 av. KPD #1 IC Marks, #1 1-on-1 loss rate, #6 IC poss', #7th spoils - if he can get close to those 2021 performances, that's a HUGE upgrade on Cordy
Notes: Gardner and Richards with another pre-season - I have Bruce in the mix as a defender too


HB: Daniel - Keath - Duryea

Notes: Keath released to play a more intercepting role. If his body isn't holding up, Bruce comes in for him
Notes: Daniel still the general down back with Duryea when fit. Two very smart, calm and wise heads


C: R. Smith - Macrae - Dale

Notes: Dale moved to the wing. Improved I50 entries from his kicking and with 16.3 (nearly 80% accuracy) since playing as a defender, he adds a new avenue to increase goals with such accuracy from long range by getting him more shots throughout the season from the wing. This kind of accuracy is a weapon, and he has the training as a forward and defender to help him in the job
Notes: R. Smith a defensive winger


HF: Treloar - Ugle-Hagan - Johannisen

Notes: Ugle-Hagan gets the third tall with Naughton and Lobb having the best two defenders. 2022 Ranked #36 Marks I50
Notes: Treloar with more midfield minutes with Dunkley leaving
Notes: JJ could be pushed up to the wing, or even HBF group again with McLean, West & Garcia available forward


F: Weightman - Naughton - Lobb

Notes: Darcy to the bench. Lobb in. 2022 AFL Ranked #29 Goals, #19 Cont. Marks, #15 Marks I50, #6 TOG
Notes: Naughton 2022 AFL Ranked #11 Goals, #5 Cont. Marks, #12 Marks I50
Notes: Weightman 2022 AFL Ranked #29 Goals, #49 Marks I50
Notes: Weightman and Naughton again with another pre-season and a dangerous foil in Lobb


R: English - Bontempelli - B. Smith

Notes: Hoping English gets better training with Lobb, and ruck coached by Lade
Notes: Hoping Bonts body gets cherry ripe and B. Smith raises to the next level yet again
Notes: Second Ruck. Cordy was ranked our #2 for hit outs. Lobb takes that. Lobb was ranked 27th in the league as a KPF. A MASSIVE upgrade


I: Williams (def) - Liberatore (mid) - West/Garcia (HFF/mid) - McLean (HFF/mid) - Darcy (KPF/KPD)

Notes: Darcy added as the new 5th spot. Ability to play tall at either end. Darcy the give us 3 AFL Quality athletic talls over 205cm. This gives Darcy the time to work into his career, at either end, which is good for his development but also gives Bevo match day options to move his huge frame around as the game requires it
Notes: West or Garcia in for VDM (who i'd move to the wing or HBF group)


E: Bruce (KPD) - West/Garcia (HFF/mid) - Vandermeer (HBF/wing) - O'Brien (def) - Khamis (def/for) - Scott (wing)

Notes: Hoping Bruce's body gets back to match fitness and using him down back
Notes: VDM moved as per above. O'Brien and Khamis hopefully commanding a spot down back


Rest: Hannan - Crozier - Sweet - McNeil - McComb - Bedendo - A. Jones - Cleary - Raak

Draftees: By 3-5 Players across ND & RD (at least a couple at the sharper end of the draft). A bolter into the team maybe??

Delisted Free Agent: ?? (Is Rowe still on the radar? If he comes, can his abilities as a more natural forward force say JJ off the HFF?)


Overall Change 2022 Elim Final Team vs Round 1, 2023 Team:

2022 Elim Final Out (4): Cordy, Hunter (recent version, not the B&F version) & Dunkley, Vandermeer
2023 Round 1 In (5*): Lobb, Jones, Liberatore, Duryea & West/Garcia (plus $1M+ salary savings to go FA shopping)
* Extra 'In' owing to bench being extended by one spot

Notes:

Libba for Dunkley - draw (Treloar more midifeld minutes could even be a win)
Jones for Cordy - win
Lobb for Hunter - win
West/Garcia for VDM - win (for mine)
Duryea in 5th Spot, but with Darcy to the bench - win


The Round 1, 2023 Team is a much better outfit, not just on new mature acquisitions, but also on injured players coming back into the line up, natural improvement in players with <100 Games Experience and positional improvements such as Lobb Second Ruck (not Cordy), Marra getting the third defender, Keath being released to intercept a little more (as at Adelaide), more mid minutes for Treloar in the middle.


Assessment:

1. In form, with good development among younger players and acquisitions, the window is open in 2023.
2. Get the list fit and healthy.
3. Keep the list as healthy as possible, managing many players (ie Bruce, Keath, Duryea, Jones, McLean, Bonts, Treloar)
4. Give no coach, nor any player, any excuses in 2023.

[bornadog]

Good team BT with sound logic. The only one I am worried about is Dale to wing. I would probably swap him for Daniel
.

[bulldogtragic]

Good team BT with sound logic. The only one I am worried about is Dale to wing. I would probably swap him for Daniel
.

I can live with that too. Doing the same with Dale (16.3 since moving to defence), since Daniel moved back he’s kicked 11.3.

Not quite as many scores as Dale over a longer period, but Dale is about 85% accurate and Daniel about 77% accurate. Giving either of these guys more shots at goal creates a new source of additional scoring power and improve I50’s.

I think I could live with either if they’re generating additional score board pressure. Maybe we can have them in a ‘kick off’ of 30 running shots and 30 set shots, with 40 I50’s (to advantage) to determine who gets the nod? (Best of 100)

[bornadog]

I can live with that too. Doing the same with Dale (16.3 since moving to defence), since Daniel moved back he’s kicked 11.3.

Not quite as many scores as Dale over a longer period, but Dale is about 85% accurate and Daniel about 77% accurate. Giving either of these guys more shots at goal creates a new source of additional scoring power and improve I50’s.

I think I could live with either if they’re generating additional score board pressure. Maybe we can have them in a ‘kick off’ of 30 running shots and 30 set shots, with 40 I50’s (to advantage) to determine who gets the nod? (Best of 100)

The reason I went with Dale at HBF is he has a bit of height advantage, plus an AA in that role. Daniel is also a good decision maker and can feed the HFF with some accuracy.

[Bulldog Joe]

It's a good point, although it is true of any good side. Like any side, we need luck on the injury front to contend.

Do we manage our stars well? Bont had a pretty ordinary year and never looked right from R1. Could we have rested him more? We didn't have the luxury from a W/L perspective but he couldn't get back to 2021 levels.

Naughton certainly played sore but still had an impact with 50+ goals.

Ultimately I think this group needs to steer away from excuses, as I think that's been a bit of an undertone throughout this year. I'm confident that will change, but I'm also tiring of our yo-yo effect from year to year.

Time for this group to deliver IMO.

I agree wholeheartedly and we should consider ourselves as genuine chances.

While we have Bont at peak age we should expect to nail at least 2 flags from here.

The support cast is capable if we can engender the team ethic and game plan to utilise the strength of the list.

I don't want excuses, I want flags PLURAL.

[bulldogtragic]

The reason I went with Dale at HBF is he has a bit of height advantage, plus an AA in that role. Daniel is also a good decision maker and can feed the HFF with some accuracy.

Nice ‘problem’ to have (which elite kicker and highly accurate goal kicker) to take the wing, baring of course Hunter not falling away completely as he did or having a gun winger on the list.

In Daniel’s favour, his on-ball experience in his first few years is a tick in his column too is the plan would be to have a one winger as an extra at the contest.

Who would think opposition coaches would fear most streaming into our forward half? Daniel or Dale?

[bulldogtragic]

I agree wholeheartedly and we should consider ourselves as genuine chances.

While we have Bont at peak age we should expect to nail at least 2 flags from here.

The support cast is capable if we can engender the team ethic and game plan to utilise the strength of the list.

I don't want excuses, I want flags PLURAL.

I always thought North in late 90’s underperformed ‘only’ winning two flags with the sheer talent they had on their list. If we can plan how to replace Keath, Jones & Bruce as KPD’s in the next couple of years (McKay as a FA? as a start) then with the sheer talent in the rest of the list (plus 3 First Rounders and 3 other picks inside 40 in the next two years and with $1M in new cap space) we should have a minimum of 2016 win, 2021 loss, plus at least one more win (hopefully two) to look back and get a sense we cashed in properly. I agree on excuses, no more. If these players and coaches really want to win it again, they absolutely can. But no excuses or free passes.

[bornadog]

Nice ‘problem’ to have (which elite kicker and highly accurate goal kicker) to take the wing, baring of course Hunter not falling away completely as he did or having a gun winger on the list.

In Daniel’s favour, his on-ball experience in his first few years is a tick in his column too is the plan would be to have a one winger as an extra at the contest.

Who would think opposition coaches would fear most streaming into our forward half? Daniel or Dale?

Agree we could go both ways

[azabob]

B: Khamis, Jones, Duryea,
HB: Dale, Gardner, Daniel
C: B.Smith, Macrae, Scott,
HF: JJ, Ugle-Hagan, Garcia
F: Weightman, Naughton, Lobb
R: English, Bontempelli, Liberatore
I/C: Treloar, West, McLean, Richards,
EMG: Williams, RSmith, Keath, McNeil, Bruce

My first cut and a few thoughts on our positions of need from 2022.

I hope Khamis is having a huge pre season to get his endurance up as the 3rd defender/ intercept role is up for grabs. Hopefully Daniel can return to his creative best so Duyrea and maybe Richards can focus on being lockdown midsized defenders.

Can Bailey Smith be our attacking / goal kicking wingman with Anthony Scott riding shot gun as our defensive coverage? McLean makes my 22 as I think he can bring a defensive element to our midfield group. For mine we still seem too midfield top heavy talent wise (and have no choice but to play them).

English’s mindset and ability to physically influence the contest is still the most important component to our midfield makeup. I have my doubts he can bring this week in and week out.

I am still concerned with our forward line and the ability to bring defensive pressure and keep the ball in our forward 50. That’s why JJ and Garcia make my starting 18.
Similarly to our midfield group we appear to have no choice but to play JUH, Naughton, Weightman and Lobb (not taking into account Darcy & Bruce). Individually they are all talented and should play in the first 18 but as a sum of all parts, I’m not so sure it’s the best for the team.

Overall do we have too many first choice players that are too similar? Time will tell.

[bornadog]

I don't like Bailey Smith on a wing. We played him there for a few games and he was way down in possessions.

Bailey is a Mid/HFF