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  1. #16
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited: that some of our younger stars are coming into their prime. I speak of English, Naughton, Gardner, Richards, Weightman and B.Smith particularly.

    Uncertain that we have enough small forward power to make the most of ground level opportunities. We have the aerial firepower not sure we have the same level on the ground.

    Worried about what causes our switch offs that allow teams to score a glut of goals quickly and we can't seem to do anything about it. Last 2 finals we have done this to me but there have been numerous other examples of it. Have we found a remedy?
    Listening to Brahm's 3rd Racket

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  3. #17
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited.
    I think the Dunkley and the Hunter moves are important. I think it gives the group an opportunity to recommit to the cause. I suspect a few things have been papered over these past 3 years, and there's new opportunity for players to step up, and for the group to maybe acknowledge some of the underlying reasons why Dunkley left, and why Hunter had to leave.
    I think the signs from the track observers during pre-season thus far, have described a pretty tight and focused group from coaching to players down.
    No idea how this translates onto the field, but I'll take it as a good sign.

    Uncertain
    I'm not sure if Bruce playing down back is a genius move. His career was certainly going nowhere fast when he first started as a defender for GWS. Now a long time has transpired since then, and maybe his experience will help him transition back into that role.
    I hope it works, but I'm not sure.

    Worried
    Treloar. His bromance has left, he's injured... I know he's a professional and he'll get on with it, but I just wonder whether his drive and heart is still in it to perform at the super high level we need him to be at. I hope we've invested in making sure he's in a good head space.

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  5. #18
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited: Big Timmy English. I thought he had a better 2022 than most and he has the best raw skill-set of any ruckman in the comp. Think this is the year he dominates and takes over from Gawn as the most dynamic ruckman in the game.

    Uncertain: Can our mids up their defensive accountability to make up for the loss of Dunkley? Libba gets stuck in, but I'm not sure there are many others in our mix that make it hard for opposition mids when they get their hands on the footy.

    Worried: Lobb. I've thought pretty poorly of him across his career and would've preferred not to get him, but hopefully he can add to our forward mix. He had a good 2022 but not sure that is enough to discount what's been a fairly mediocre career. Would be stoked for him to prove me wrong.

  6. #19
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    What one thing has you excited about the 2023 season? The spirit of the group looks to be back where it needs to be. We know we have the talent to contend but we were miles off the pace with our spirit and mentality. From the top down, we look re-focused and that's exciting.

    What one thing has you worried about the 2023 season? The older group. We need them fit and firing - Libba, Duryea, Jones, Keath, JJ and even Bruce will all be quite important. Duryea has had his injury concerns, Jones is a bit of an unknown, Keath was awful last year and Bruce is trying to revitalise his career.

    What one thing makes you uncertain about the 2023 season? Managing Jamarra. Expectation is he plays every game, I'm not sure he's there yet. How would he/will he react to going back to VFL? How do we manage the need to play him/test him during form slumps, but also win, while potentially having Buku breathing down his neck? I'm excited by Marra but my expectations are tempered. In my mind, Buku might actually be ahead of him for a spot..
    W00F!

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  8. #20
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited: To see what Lobby and Jonesy bring to the team.

    Uncertain: Whether we finish in the top 4 for the first time since Bevo has arrived.

    Worried: That North will beat us in the praccy game and WOOF goes into melt down.

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  10. #21
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited: Lobb transforms our forward structure and gets Bont/Buks/Hannan away from the 2nd ruck role

    Uncertain: Liam Jones. It's going to take actual H&A games for me to be satisfied.

    Worried: Our leading goal-kicker curse now has Naughts in it's sights. Plus, our midfield lacks that 'defensive animal'.
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

  11. #22
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    Aug 2007
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    What one thing has you excited about the 2023 season? What does our midfield look like with Dunks and Hunter out of the side. West, McLean, Garcia and Flea all look capable of filling in the midfield role and taking turns through there.

    What one thing has you worried about the 2023 season? Is Jamarra ready? Can he be that tricky decoy half forward and find space to hurt teams with a small amount of possessions.

    What one thing makes you uncertain about the 2023 season? can Jones still be as effective as he was at Carlton or is he done at 32? Can Lobb be the effecting 2nd tall allowing Naughton to play his game? Can West/Garcia/McLean slot into the midfield and cover the Dunkley/Hunter hole

  12. #23
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited
    A fit Bontempelli and the emergence of Richards, Weightman and West and the returning McLean.
    The real bonus is what Lobb might be able to bring us up forward.

    Worried
    I have some slight concerns on our back line around if Jones, Keath, Bruce and Duryea can stay fit and if we can find a couple of mid sized players capable of being used as 1 v 1 defenders and shutting down an opposition forward.

    Uncertain
    How the surface of the Skinner Reserve might have impacted our preparation for the 2023 season.
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

  13. #24
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    Dec 2006
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited
    Naughton - one of the most exciting players to ever wear the jumper

    Worried
    Team defence - we just haven't been very focused or good defending the ground

    Uncertain
    Getting the forward line mix right and getting enough of the boring, unglamorous, chasing, tackling, corralling, not conceding uncontested marks etc

  14. #25
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    Dec 2011
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited. JUH is poised to take the comp by storm.

    Uncertain. Can we cover the losses of Dunkley and Hunter?

    Worried. Keath and Jones no longer up to first 22 footy.
    Officially on the Bus-wagon

  15. #26
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited. A fit Bont

    Uncertain. Can Jones be the big man down back?

    Worried. Midfield work-rate going the other way.

  16. #27
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    Oct 2012
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited - our forward line, I think we have enough competition for small forwards to keep up the tackle pressure to keep ball I50 plus with an abundance of very good/good and emerging talls I’m reasonably confident our forward line will perform aok.

    Uncertain - our defensive pressure when things not going our way all over the ground, starting with our mids. With competition for mid spots and some tough good tacklers like Garcia, West and Maclean hopefully this improves all over the ground (gee we missed him and I pray he has a good run without injuries, one of my faves). With a seeming increased focus on running in pre-season this year team could improve heaps with defensive pressure.

    Worried - our wings. A lot has been said about our defence with Jones, Keath, Bruce ageing but Gardener has improved a fair bit and we’ve got Khamis and Darcy as well. I’m slightly more worried we lack ball winning ability and composure on the wings. Who is going to replace Hunter’s gut running and ball winning ability? (hopefully with better goal kicking and less loopy kicks). Cross fingers Treloar, Baz, Roarke, Scott (who I think is a neat player), Baker, Hannan or other players make our wings a strength. Would love Bedendo to win a bit more of his own ball and be tried on a wing as I think his silky skills could be good there. Dale would be good on wing but he is so good in backline I’m reluctant to move him out of there.

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  18. #28
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Quote Originally Posted by josie View Post
    Excited - our forward line, I think we have enough competition for small forwards to keep up the tackle pressure to keep ball I50 plus with an abundance of very good/good and emerging talls I’m reasonably confident our forward line will perform aok.

    Uncertain - our defensive pressure when things not going our way all over the ground, starting with our mids. With competition for mid spots and some tough good tacklers like Garcia, West and Maclean hopefully this improves all over the ground (gee we missed him and I pray he has a good run without injuries, one of my faves). With a seeming increased focus on running in pre-season this year team could improve heaps with defensive pressure.

    Worried - our wings. A lot has been said about our defence with Jones, Keath, Bruce ageing but Gardener has improved a fair bit and we’ve got Khamis and Darcy as well. I’m slightly more worried we lack ball winning ability and composure on the wings. Who is going to replace Hunter’s gut running and ball winning ability? (hopefully with better goal kicking and less loopy kicks). Cross fingers Treloar, Baz, Roarke, Scott (who I think is a neat player), Baker, Hannan or other players make our wings a strength. Would love Bedendo to win a bit more of his own ball and be tried on a wing as I think his silky skills could be good there. Dale would be good on wing but he is so good in backline I’m reluctant to move him out of there.
    What do you think about Williams moving onto a wing Josie?

  19. #29
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited. Rory Lobb. The idea of him in our forwardline has just marinated this whole off season and I'm really looking forward to what he can produce. Think his combo with our other high ceiling forwards could be so cool and fun to watch. Love how dangerous we are gonna be in the air.

    Uncertain. The backline. I'm optimistic that all of Jones, Gardner, Keath, Darcy and Bruce look good, but they are almost all 7/10 prospects back there. Maybe they'll fire and it'll be fine, but maybe Gardner is the only one I trust i can bank on having a good season, the rest are maybes.

    Worried. Have we actually fixed the underlying issues with this team? That we a) can't trust them to play to their actual potential, and b) play such a stupidly high intensity gamestyle that against the good sides (mainly Geelong) as soon as we drop off we get annihilated? Our gameplan has not been sustainable in that we rarely beat any half way decent side "easy", or rather, without it being hard work. Maybe the new forwardline helps with this, but I worry that if we aren't giving it everything we will still be prone to seeing the opposition gain the ascendency when we can't afford to.
    I should leave it alone but you're not right

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  21. #30
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    Feb 2023
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    Re: Excited, worried, uncertain

    Excited - our forward line and our back line. Forward You'd think with Nauhgton, Lobb, JUH, maybe Darcy, etc we'd be almost unstoppable. Back, with Jones, Keath, Gardner etc , in theory, we'd stop or slow down almost anyone.
    Worried- our forward line and our back line. Our forwards tend to compete and get in each others way. Could be even worse now. Three of our backs are 31, can they last injury and fatigue wise, and Jones really is an unkniwn we're banking on..
    Uncertain - Lobb career wise isnt really a star. Had a career high last year sure, but was that it, is he done and will he replicate Bruces first year. Is Jones done having been out of AFL too long at 31. Can we adequately cover Dunkley, Hunter - no its not a worry just a wonder because we have plenty of options I think but can they step up. So are we really going to be the team we're hoping for/expecting or another fail when it counts.

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