How will Western Bulldogs fare wearing tag of 2024's most intriguing side?

[jeemak]

Firstly most of the players will need to look up what intriguing means. Then they'll probably be OK with it!

I guess we are intriguing, but it's a strange thing to suggest as a tag for players to feel pressure over. Everyone at the club will be expecting pressure and criticism from all comers if we don't play well. Not sure they'll be too fussed about the intrigue.

That aside, there shouldn't be any excuses from the group for not improving over the summer. What that means in terms of ladder position and total wins, I don't know. I guess maybe at least one more win than last year, maybe two? It's a tough competition, we're not the only team trying to improve.

[The Pie Man]

I don't know.

Last year Brisbane lost in Round 1 - went OK. Essendon had a 10-goal win. Terrible year for them.

Too much is put on Round 1...I mean, Collingwood beat the Cats but all the 'vibe' about the Cats was that they were a good side, unlucky to lose a close one...nope, they were no good. Tiges and Blues drew in a quite honestly appalling game of footy...as it turned out, Richmond were a terrible side. And Carlton were quite good...

I'm not fussed what happens in week 1. Gotta let the butterflies settle and get the season underway...

Round one has proven to be reasonable indicator for us at times

- Johnno?s 300th was a great springboard for 08, felt very important at the time?a loss would?ve been demoralising

- Turtle did his knee in one of our only wins for 03, you felt it was going to be tough from there (and was it ever)

[Uninformed]

The constant flow of players into the rehab group was very noticeable plus Lobb getting injured just before the season started took him a long time to catch-up and threw the balance out.

Judging from your earlier note about the players really appreciating the surface Whitten Oval, there is hope for less injuries.

[Uninformed]

I don't know.

Last year Brisbane lost in Round 1 - went OK. Essendon had a 10-goal win. Terrible year for them.

Too much is put on Round 1...I mean, Collingwood beat the Cats but all the 'vibe' about the Cats was that they were a good side, unlucky to lose a close one...nope, they were no good. Tiges and Blues drew in a quite honestly appalling game of footy...as it turned out, Richmond were a terrible side. And Carlton were quite good...

I'm not fussed what happens in week 1. Gotta let the butterflies settle and get the season underway...

Not that we still can't make top four if we lose to Melbourne, but I think they will be hyped to do well in round one and they are a decent side. Bevo wants us the fittest and best prepared for round one. If we knock them over it would be a good indication to me that we are in for a good season. If give them the sort of hiding CountryDog is speaking of, then the lid is off (for this simpleton anyway!)

I agree though that round one is not the thing that will decide the season. Would just be a great sign for us enthusiasts and losing it would make me uncertain but shouldn't do so to the players and coaches and the more level headed supporters.

[josie]

One of the biggest issues for me is that the Dogs are one of the worst teams having a big difference between their best and their worst, for individual players, the team and within games.

Why is this?

Until we can fix this, IMO we will not be a contender.

Agree 100%. Jekyll and Hyde. Need less reliance on Bont carrying us, a more even spread like 2015/2016. Plus goal kicking accuracy.

[FrediKanoute]

You were as close as anyone to the seemingly great standard of our pre-season training last year. Was their anything that stood out in your mind to explain the poor performance in the first two games?

Aside from tactically getting it completely wrong?

I don't think round 1 and 2 was a pre-season hangover, it really was being victims of a successful deployment of the 4 talls inside 50 against north in the pre-season game. There were signs in the pre-season game of things not being right that we chose to ignore and take into rounds 1 and 2.

[Mantis]

Aside from tactically getting it completely wrong?

I don't think round 1 and 2 was a pre-season hangover, it really was being victims of a successful deployment of the 4 talls inside 50 against north in the pre-season game. There were signs in the pre-season game of things not being right that we chose to ignore and take into rounds 1 and 2.

Other than deploying 4 talls in the front half what other issues were uncovered?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Intriguing is right.

I'm not sure where I place us heading into the new season. The reality is we have stunk it up for 2 years so maybe we're just not as good as we thought we were.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited (JUH, Darcy, Sanders etc) but I think if we are to contend, it actually needs to be driven by the leaders and I'm still uncertain on them.

I think our depth will be better, which is a concept severely underrated by the media. No depth and you're no good. If we get a bit from our 1st-3rd year players + Harmes/Coffield/Bramble, we should have enough to be top 6 but as others have said, a pass mark is top 4 and then the season starts again.

[Olddog]

I couldn?t completely agree that the list wants for nothing - I see two areas where an improvement is required the first being the pace of our midfield and the second a lack of a classy half forward. Hopefully Harmes and Sanders can improve the midfield pace issue although the loss of Smith in there is a real blow. As for the classy half forward I can?t see that being easily covered but hopefully one of last years or this years draftees emerges in that role

[Axe Man]

Round one has proven to be reasonable indicator for us at times

- Johnno?s 300th was a great springboard for 08, felt very important at the time?a loss would?ve been demoralising

- Turtle did his knee in one of our only wins for 03, you felt it was going to be tough from there (and was it ever)

Plus the most obvious recent example in 2016 smashing the prior year's minor premiers in Freo.

To counter that the following year we had a good win v Collingwood, but we all know how 2017 panned out.

[Brass Dog]

Definitely think we?re the most intriguing side for 2024. Such a cull both on field and off field makes it hard to predict what will eventuate. I feel like the list is strong?. hopefully with the change in performance, our fade outs which allowed multiple goal runs will cease. A small spike in goal kicking accuracy would have had us a winning more games in 23. Prediction: Premiers 🥳

[MrMahatma]

Not that we still can't make top four if we lose to Melbourne, but I think they will be hyped to do well in round one and they are a decent side. Bevo wants us the fittest and best prepared for round one. If we knock them over it would be a good indication to me that we are in for a good season. If give them the sort of hiding CountryDog is speaking of, then the lid is off (for this simpleton anyway!)

Gee that clip is gonna get some airtime if we get rolled by 9 goals again.

[Sedat]

Intriguing is right.

I'm not sure where I place us heading into the new season. The reality is we have stunk it up for 2 years so maybe we're just not as good as we thought we were.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited (JUH, Darcy, Sanders etc) but I think if we are to contend, it actually needs to be driven by the leaders and I'm still uncertain on them.

I think our depth will be better, which is a concept severely underrated by the media. No depth and you're no good. If we get a bit from our 1st-3rd year players + Harmes/Coffield/Bramble, we should have enough to be top 6 but as others have said, a pass mark is top 4 and then the season starts again.

We should have expectations of being a serious premiership contender this year, both internally and externally. The last 2 seasons have been abject failures and the entire organisation should be on notice to make every moment count right here and now. Pressure to perform is a good thing IMO.

I fully expect us to be in the thick of the action this September.

[SonofScray]

My expectations are sky high.

Lobb talking about rucking more feels to me like there’s been some reflection on system and team attitudes. If they can can find some fight as a squad, and the supports around them haven’t absolutely misfired again, flag will wag.

[Vred]

Gee that clip is gonna get some airtime if we get rolled by 9 goals again.

Think the meeedya will be to busy beating the ''fire Bevo'' war drum if that happens.