Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

[LostDoggy]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Thanks to everyone for the updates of todays intra club match.
Libbas form today sounds like he hasn't missed a beat.
Just about frothing at the mouth waiting for the season to begin!!!!!

#bringiton

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

We have young players maturing now and some are on the cusp of great things.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

I notice on the Club's website it states it was a "friendly" game. No doubt when playing a proper opposition there will be a lot more fierce tackling and aggression which will suit all players especially the backline players.

Yes different players will be suited to the more physical contest and the game tempo will be altered which again will suit certain players.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Caleb Daniel now must be pressing for senior selection when a few weeks ago I have outside of the best 22. Liberatore might complicate things for him a bit but Daniels abilities to influence play can't be ignored.

Daniel sounds like a weapon with the ball, but what about without? What's his defensive game like?

[kruder]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Like any early game of the preseason today presented a few challenges with selections going forward.

Caleb Daniel now must be pressing for senior selection when a few weeks ago I have outside of the best 22. Liberatore might complicate things for him a bit but Daniels abilities to influence play can't be ignored.

Josh Dunkley might have also pushed himself into the mix as a genuine option to rotate between forward and midfield roles with Bontempelli. I still think we would struggle to find a spot for him early on but he could be close.

Despite being loaded up with good running defenders, Shane Biggs name should also be discussed. He was good enough today to be right in the mix.

I think Nathan Hrovat would need to back up today's form with some more good efforts but he dropped off the radar last season and that might have spurred him to get his fitness level better. While he would probably prefer to be regarded as a genuine midfielder my guess is he would be seen as a forward who spends some time in the midfield.

Bailey Dale won't need to improve much to have his name in the mix either.

Lukas Webb is another who suffers from our logjam of mid sized defenders but I liked his game today and thought he looked good when he spent time in the middle.

While it's early in the season our taller defenders performances today weren't that encouraging so Joel Hamling, Fletcher Roberts and Marcus Adams have some work to do to push their names forward.

So much of future selections depends if the coach is determined to use Jordan Roughead as a forward/ruckman option.

Roughead is one of the most interesting players on our list. I think he only commands a spot as a defender in our best 22, he is awful going forward and I'm not sure he has the endurance to play ruck either. Its s big year for him IMO, time for him to bed down a spot.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Roughead is one of the most interesting players on our list. I think he only commands a spot as a defender in our best 22, he is awful going forward and I'm not sure he has the endurance to play ruck either. Its s big year for him IMO, time for him to bed down a spot.

If Roughead can't nail down a spot in the best 22 by season end, then he's going to figure in my trade scenarios on this forum in about 7.5 months.

[ledge]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Your kidding right ? Roughead would be the only tall who can play everywhere and is the only player capable of playing fullback, he would be a decent forward but doesn't get much time up their due to us being light on in the backline since Lake left.
Roughead would be one of the last players I would trade.
He is even a chance to be captain that's how much he is respected at the club.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Your kidding right ? Roughead would be the only tall who can play everywhere and is the only player capable of playing fullback, he would be a decent forward but doesn't get much time up their due to us being light on in the backline since Lake left.
Roughead would be one of the last players I would trade.
He is even a chance to be captain that's how much he is respected at the club.

At the moment he's to my mind a jack of all trades and master of none. He's trained all off season as a ruckman because he's considered to be a better ruck than defender. If he can't make the ruck, forward thing work then he's the quintessential jack of all trades, and master of none. He has injury issues and was dropped from the leadership group for this season. It's nothing personal, I think he's a quality bloke and has skill, but if he hasn't secured a best 22 spot in a single role by year's end and a trade offer of food proportion came in... I'd be having a good think about it.

[ledge]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

I don't believe players are dropped from the leadership Group I think they just give players a turn so you have many leaders on the field and they learn about leadership.

[GVGjr]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Despite the strong turnout on the day it doesn't appear that many WOOFers went along based on the replies so far.

[The Underdog]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Despite the strong turnout on the day it doesn't appear that many WOOFers went along based on the replies so far.

I couldn't make it as the travel takes forever and I was stuck looking after the kids. Taking them to a Family Day would have been a nightmare. I also don't understand why they always have to have it in Footscray, it's just inconvenient.
Noticed Roughead had his ankle iced in one of the photo's after the game, probably a positive that it was only the one joint but I guess it's early doors.

[ledge]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Did anyone do the $50 inner sanctum thing .. I was tempted but being on my own I think I would rather do It with someone else to share the experience.
My kids aren't into footy sadly.
If so was it worth it and did you get any information?

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Not really much to add that hasn't been mentioned yet, but personal highlights included seeing Liberatore back in action, Bontempelli moving a lot better than he seemed to a few weeks ago and the Goat demonstrating he might have the hands and nous to have an impact up forward in time.

Positive signs from Dunkley, Williams and Lynch too, who all showed enough to suggest they can have good futures at AFL level.

It was a shame that Boyd and Collins didn't get to play.

Overall, a very enjoyable and well organised day - the only hard thing was trying to find a car park.

[Smads57]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Did anyone do the $50 inner sanctum thing .. I was tempted but being on my own I think I would rather do It with someone else to share the experience.
My kids aren't into footy sadly.
If so was it worth it and did you get any information?

I did ledge. Got there at 8.30 and taken around to the front of the ELC but not inside. Couldn't really see much, but Bevo did come out and speak briefly to the group. After 30 mins, we were taken up to the 3rd level of the administration 'infill'. View was great (but sun was hot initially) and having a pair of binoculars, I was personally able to have a good morning watching the play.

They served up some bottled drinks, egg and bacon rolls and some fruit platters around 9.45 which went down well with the punters.

The CEO and COO both came around and introduced themselves to everyone including the children. Hannah from the football club looked after us.

At three quarter time, the group was taken back down to the front of the ELC so they could be first in line for autographs from players after the game (before they went into the Autograph tents). I actually elected to stay where I was until the end of the game, so not sure how successful the autograph session was for the others.

An opportunity that I did take advantage of was listening to the stats guys also working on the same level of the infill. It was interesting to hear how they compile the stats and at times I found myself listening to what they were describing which complemented what I was viewing thru the binoculars (like listening to a radio broadcast). I asked at half time who was the leading stat getter, but they preferred not to answer my question as I suspect they had better things to do.

With respect to the game, I thought last year's midfield players (plus Libba) were the most solid contributors on the day and that the ruck duels were interesting - i don't think this first hit out has made it any clearer who will head up the ruck duties for 2016. I noted the comment by Rohan Smith after the game (on the Bulldogs website), where he mentioned we may not necessarily have the one ruckman playing the role full time - suggests whoever does get a gig will need to be multi-positional (as suggested in other threads).

I noted after Lynch was beaten one on one by Dunkley (which led to a goal) that MBoyd spent time coaching Lynch around options he might have had and was 'geeing' him on - the result (I think) was a fairly good hit out by Lynch after half time.

[jeemak]

Re: Western Bulldogs Family Day -2016

Despite the strong turnout on the day it doesn't appear that many WOOFers went along based on the replies so far.

I was playing golf, and whilst the scratch match component might have been appealing to some it doesn't pique my interest at such early doors. Showing up to a family day by myself has never seemed right to me and I can find other ways to lend my support to the club.