Four-headed monster

[Grantysghost]

Weightman isn't a crumber; perhaps he should be but currently he is not. I'd also put Scott in that basket.

Team balance wise A.Jones makes more sense than Weightman but I can't see the MC doing that.

Have to say I really loved seeing the two indigenous boys roaming our forward line on Saturday.

I think Weightman gets first crack if he's right, Jones maybe as super sub.

[bornadog]

Weightman isn't a crumber

Cody can crumb and does sometimes and hopefully he stays down more and feeds off the big boys.

[Happy Days]

Cody might not be a natural crumber but he’s a phenomenal pressure player, which is absolutely vital to have if this four tall structure is going to work.

I know that in theory there’s going to be a ton of ground balls to get to, but I think it’s established now that repeat entries and forward stoppages, both generated through pressure and ball retention, are more consistent avenues to scores.

[Go_Dogs]

Kane Cornes in the money. Awesome.

[azabob]

Cody can crumb and does sometimes and hopefully he stays down more and feeds off the big boys.

Going back to your post in another thread did Cody say that to you or on stage?

[bornadog]

Going back to your post in another thread did Cody say that to you or on stage?

On stage. Johnno was interviewing him and mentioned the talls and he said he will have to stay down in future.

Good opportunity for him if he follows through.

[DISHLICKERS]

With potentially having 3 or 4 tall players in our forward line, how important does the role of the small/medium forward become both for crumbing and applying pressure.

The success of our forward line may hang on how we go about the small/medium sized forwards.

The role becomes very important.

[The Doctor]

With potentially having 3 or 4 tall players in our forward line, how important does the role of the small/medium forward become both for crumbing and applying pressure.

The success of our forward line may hang on how we go about the small/medium sized forwards.

The role becomes very important.

Very good point DL.

I have felt for a long time now we lack in the small forward area of our list. In the absence of it perhaps our coaching staff have recognised this as a potential weakness. This could be why we have seen this pre-season the deployment of Arty Jones in the forward half and the clever use of Anthony Scott as a wingman/half forward.

[doggies ftw]

There’s going to be enormous opportunities for smalls at ground level, we haven’t seen Cody yet this preseason but he will excel here. He is a natural crumber and our best pressure player but yes we know he’s a bit too eager to try and sit on blokes heads. It’s just a mindset thing for him though, I think it will start to sink in as he realises he’s more chance of cleaning up at ground level then outmarking Darcy & Lobb etc and then it will start to become first instinct.

I had West as my next picked but he’s still obviously not doing all he needs to be doing from a coaches POV, and will have to work his way in through the VFL I suspect, I’m a big fan though. McLean is a great defensive player and tackler but lacking a touch of pace - I guess the same could be said for Cody that they’re both brilliant tacklers but not necessarily the quickest so I think there has to be one of JJ or Jones in the mix, JJ is super important for us so I just want him to get his body right and I’d go Jones up front, his aggression and speed is great and will have an impact up there.

For us all we have to do when the ball hits the ground from our 4 talls is lock the ball in long enough for our midfield to get forward and clog it up. Then you have the likes of Libba, Bont & Macrae holding it in and working their magic from stoppages. But we just need to be able to hold it up until they arrive for reinforcement. The good thing is Naughty especially, and Marra are as good as it gets at following up their own work at ground level and Lobb/Darcy for their heights aren’t exactly dinosaurs. I don’t think you can just throw any 4 talls forward of the ball and have it work but for this mix I’m adamant it will work.

[The bulldog tragician]

Tackles inside 50 are an area where Cody could improve. Last year he averaged 1.9. Naughton has 2.1, and is ranked 12th highest for tackles inside 50, while Kosy Pickett (boo) has 2.7.

(Hey, look at me doing a stats analysis. For the first and most likely last time).

[Stevo]

There’s going to be enormous opportunities for smalls at ground level, we haven’t seen Cody yet this preseason but he will excel here. He is a natural crumber and our best pressure player but yes we know he’s a bit too eager to try and sit on blokes heads. It’s just a mindset thing for him though, I think it will start to sink in as he realises he’s more chance of cleaning up at ground level then outmarking Darcy & Lobb etc and then it will start to become first instinct.

I had West as my next picked but he’s still obviously not doing all he needs to be doing from a coaches POV, and will have to work his way in through the VFL I suspect, I’m a big fan though. McLean is a great defensive player and tackler but lacking a touch of pace - I guess the same could be said for Cody that they’re both brilliant tacklers but not necessarily the quickest so I think there has to be one of JJ or Jones in the mix, JJ is super important for us so I just want him to get his body right and I’d go Jones up front, his aggression and speed is great and will have an impact up there.

For us all we have to do when the ball hits the ground from our 4 talls is lock the ball in long enough for our midfield to get forward and clog it up. Then you have the likes of Libba, Bont & Macrae holding it in and working their magic from stoppages. But we just need to be able to hold it up until they arrive for reinforcement. The good thing is Naughty especially, and Marra are as good as it gets at following up their own work at ground level and Lobb/Darcy for their heights aren’t exactly dinosaurs. I don’t think you can just throw any 4 talls forward of the ball and have it work but for this mix I’m adamant it will work.

Great post and many good observations. Im all for letting Cody make his own decisions. If he flies for marks, crumbs off the talls or has a run in the midfield we should encourage him to go with his instincts and only make adjustments if its causing us a problem.

[Stevo]

Tackles inside 50 are an area where Cody could improve. Last year he averaged 1.9. Naughton has 2.1, and is ranked 12th highest for tackles inside 50, while Kosy Pickett (boo) has 2.7.

(Hey, look at me doing a stats analysis. For the first and most likely last time).

Keep em coming. Kossie is a special player in the way he provides so much pressure and how he can kick goals.

[doggies ftw]

Great post and many good observations. Im all for letting Cody make his own decisions. If he flies for marks, crumbs off the talls or has a run in the midfield we should encourage him to go with his instincts and only make adjustments if its causing us a problem.

Yeah 100% agree, he’s a very instinctual player and I wouldn’t want to damper that, nor can I imagine Bev trying to damper that either. But I think he does need to be a little bit more aware of when he flies and when he stays down, if he’s the genuine target of the footy and/or one out then sure sit on the blokes head and attempt the mark but a little bit too often he was flying in the way of Naughty last year and we just can’t have that in an even taller forward line this year.

He’s a smart player though so I expect him to figure it out, like I mentioned above I think his mindset will shift naturally after he realises that there’s more opportunity for him at ground level than aerially. He is a hungry small forward after all so I’m sure he’ll do whatever’s in his best interest to kick as many goals as possible!

[bornadog]

Beveridge: We’ll continue with tall attack

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says the team is likely to continue stacking the forward-line with height, as seen in Saturday’s practice match against North Melbourne.

A quartet of talls, consisting of Aaron Naughton, Rory Lobb, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Sam Darcy combined for 10 goals in the pre-season hit-out.

Beveridge said while he was impressed by the four players’ output, Darcy in particular might be swung forward or back depending on what is required of the team.

“We don’t mind the look of those boys playing together as they did on the weekend,” Beveridge told Garry Lyon and Tim Watson on the Bulldogs’ annual SEN Membership Day.

“Where we can trouble the opposition, absolutely (we will) but Sam as a young man is still at that stage where playing a full four quarters of AFL is within his reach - we’ve got to look after him.

“We’ve got to temper his ground-time, and that’s difficult to do when you’re playing as a key defender. If you’re playing as a key forward, you can regulate that game-time a little bit easier.

“Sam has got enormous courage as you would’ve seen, and his will to compete in the air is quite outstanding...while he can play at both ends and is absolutely willing to do so, it probably comes down to the balance of our team and where we feel we can get an advantage.”

Overall, Beveridge was pleased with his side’s performance against North Melbourne, as the group looks ahead to the season proper next Saturday night.

“We went in (to the practice match) wanting to treat it like a full rehearsal – it was a hot day, and we only planned on bringing Josh Bruce on as that definite substitute opportunity to test ourselves with our interchange as we lead into our round one game against Melbourne,” he said.

“We were probably outplayed a bit in the last quarter – North Melbourne had six interchange going, and 12 more they could rotate so our guys probably fatigued a little bit after three-quarter time.


“As much as we have reasons for it, we don’t make excuses. By and large, there were some positive signs.”

[1eyedog]

Keep em coming. Kossie is a special player in the way he provides so much pressure and how he can kick goals.

Kossie is geat I absolutely hate him.