Welcome to the Western Bulldogs Rory Lobb

[The Underdog]

Fixed it for you, TU.

Gonna be a breakout season. Can replace Dunks grunt and field kicking. Just need to get him a mattress sponsorship.

[Go_Dogs]

I am not expecting anything at all from Darcy. He is a kid who is having another delayed pre season and is starting from a fair way back. I tend to think it is the media pushing Darcy forward at a quicker rate and it is probably to get a rise out of Bevo.

I really hope Darcy is everything we are hoping for but I do think some of the hype is a bit much, he has taken a handful of clunks but we really don’t even know what type of player he will be. If forward can he create separation? If back is he able play on more mobile players to intercept because that’s how most of them play.

More time at VFL level will not be the worst thing for Darcy and will help refine some parts of his game. At the moment he is very reliant on contested marking, this will always be his best asset but he needs more footy to understand what he can do at the level. If he is dominant in the VFL as he gains fitness we can bring him in as roles open up with some confidence.

In some of the VFL I saw last year, his work once the ball hit the ground was his biggest asset for a bloke his size, as was the fluid movement at ground level. His ability to pluck marks from a standing / small leap position at the highest point is a good skill but will really be best one v one deep. His intercept work a highlight too.

Ideally he plays 5-10 games This year at senior level when form of others (or injury / rest for some of our older talls) allows.



Back on the Lobbster, I’m increasingly excited to see him play. As a second fiddle forward who spends time in the ruck, working with a few other studs, I think we can unlock a lot more than what Freo did last year. Playing under the roof should also suit. The most interesting element is how we structure our forward line, transition and ball movement to play to our new strengths.

[Mofra]

Back on the Lobbster, I’m increasingly excited to see him play. As a second fiddle forward who spends time in the ruck, working with a few other studs, I think we can unlock a lot more than what Freo did last year. Playing under the roof should also suit. The most interesting element is how we structure our forward line, transition and ball movement to play to our new strengths.

While he plays, either Lobb or Naughton will get the 2nd tall. Both attracted the no 1 defender last year. There is the real possibility that one of them finds 2023 easier that 2022.

If we can really nail down that mobile 3rd marking option (JUH how badly do you want it?) then we have some proper structure in the F50.

[bornadog]

IMPRESSED BY RECRUIT’S PRE-SEASON IMPACT




The Western Bulldogs are “rapt” with how recruit Rory Lobb has looked this pre-season according to AFL Media’s Josh Gabelich.
Lobb joined the Bulldogs for pick No. 30 and a future second-round selection in the trade period following a career-best season with Fremantle where he kicked 36 goals.

According to Gabelich, the Bulldogs have seen why the Dockers were so reluctant to let him go with his teammates “raving” about what he’s already brought to the line-up in training.

With a key role inside 50 beckoning for the 29-year-old, Gabelich expects his mere presence to help out the club’s other tall forwards.

“They’re rapt with him (Lobb) so far,” Gabelich told SEN WA.
“He had a little scare a couple of weeks ago with his ankle, but he actually never missed a session in the end.
“They’ve partnered him with Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan so far across the summer.

“I think we’ll see Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (improve) - speaking to a lot of people around the club over the last couple of days - the benefit of Rory Lobb isn’t just what he brings in terms of his output, but what he does for Naughton and Ugle-Hagan.

“I spoke with Naughton and he was just raving about Rory Lobb and what he’s brought to that forward line.
“I just think you’ll see it in those two because they’re still quite young, Naughton especially and Ugle-Hagan, I think Naughton will bring plenty.”

With a three-pronged tall forward line, Gabelich expects there to be a selection squeeze at the Bulldogs with players like Josh Bruce trying to earn a place in the team down back.

After also adding Liam Jones in the off-season, Gabelich expects Luke Beveridge’s biggest selection headache to surround the club’s tall timber.

“But the question is how do they fit all of these talls into the same side? it was only a few years ago that they struggled for depth at either end,” Gabelich said.

“They bring in Rory Lobb and bring in Liam Jones as a free agent, all of the sudden there’s pressure for spots.”
The Bulldogs open their 2023 season with a Round 1 clash against Melbourne at the MCG on March 18.

[EasternWest]

He's borderline flying, really training the house down and the boys are getting around him.

Did I miss anything?

[Mofra]

He's borderline flying, really training the house down and the boys are getting around him.

Did I miss anything?

Has he unveiled a shithouse stomach tattoo as yet?

Honestly, Lobb is a great get for us and he'll drop off just as Darcy is ready for regular time forward. Arguably, for what we need him for there is probably no other player in the competition who is a better fit. Even the fact he can kick 60m bombs stretches the opposition defensive zone by an extra 5-10m, meaning we should find more holes to lead into if we're in a slow play.