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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
Tom Liberatore impressing at Western Bulldogs pre-season training, says Marcus Bontempelli
Tom Liberatore has been impressing for the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein
January 16, 2018 3:26pm
by MICHAEL THOMPSON
Source: FOX SPORTS
WESTERN Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli believes fellow midfielder Tom Liberatore has shown signs this pre-season that he could return to his best form in 2018.
Liberatore, a premiership Bulldog, averaging a career-low 17.2 disposals from 18 games through his patchy 2017 campaign, which saw him dropped to the VFL midway through the season.
But Bontempelli said he had been impressed by his teammate’s determination on the track this pre-season and was confident he could recapture his brilliance of 2016.
“Tom’s going well, responded quite well to some of the criticism that he faced last year,” Bontempelli told SEN Breakfast.
“It’s a tough challenge of consistently performing at the top level, that’s how the competition is. Sometimes you might not always get it right.
“Based on what I’ve seen throughout the pre-season, Tom’s training really well and we can’t really ask much more else from him at this point. It’s great to see Tom back at the level we know he can play and train at.”
Liberatore wasn’t the only Bulldog last season that struggled to back up from a fairytale 2016 as the club failed to make the finals.
But Bontempelli said he is confident the Dogs could return to their flag-winning form this year.
“One thing definitely will be to continue to find new ways to definitely challenge and improve your style of footy,” he said.
“I don’t think we relaxed, but we definitely weren’t as strong in some of our key areas. As we saw teams around us got better and improved and started doing things better than what we did.
“That’s the challenge of probably being how we renew our strengths and how you continue to find new ways to improve.”
Bontempelli said a key to his side’s return to form would be its power around the footy.
“It’s quite an intense style of footy and we like to move the ball quite rapidly. It’s probably for us just getting back to what we know we are good at and that’s our best brand and style of footy,” he said.
“There’s nothing yet that’s going to be too out of the ordinary, just hopefully better again on what we’ve done in the past.”
It always seems impossible until it's done. Nelson MandelaComment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
Cheers Choc. Very positive feeling around the club from the sound of it. Really determined to make amends this year."Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"Comment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
I try not to get swept up in pre-season and reports of how players are going....
...but gee Libba is looking really good.Comment
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They've done studies you know, 60% of the time, it works every time!
Brian Fantana.Comment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
I'm looking forward to Libba recapturing his best."Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"Comment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
I am willing to call Libba 'our barometer' ratsmacThere is no sadder sight than a young pessimist.
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
More Libba love plus a few others given a wrap by Hansen
Western Bulldogs coach Ashley Hansen says Tom Liberatore primed to return to his best
WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore is making good on a pre-season pledge his club hopes can see him return to his best football.
Liberatore, a free agent at the end of 2018, has been among the eye catchers over the summer at Whitten Oval after an indifferent 2017.
Liberatore returned to pre-season early after being among a number of high-profile Bulldogs to endure form woes last year, the 25-year-old dumped mid-season as his club looked for ways to turn around their year.
But Bulldogs assistant Ashley Hansen said the pre-season signs pointed to the tackling machine rebounding from his last year’s up-and-down season.
“He’s been fantastic, working really hard,” Hansen told the AFL website.
“We’ve started to really see what he’s capable of on a consistent basis, week to week, which is exciting.
“It is an important time of the year, and certainly Tom’s put in the work so far to set himself up for a strong season in 2018.”
After a slow start last season, Liberatore was dropped after his team’s Round 8 loss to West Coast after having just one kick among eight touches.
He returned in Round 13, enjoying one of his best games of the season, but his form mirrored his team as the Dogs battled to regain their premiership-winning mojo.
Liberatore’s manager, Tom Williams, ruled out a potential move post-season as ‘Libba’ returned to training early in a bid to prepare for 2018.
Hansen said there was a hunger among the Bulldogs, with Liberatore and fellow free agent Luke Dahlhaus not the only ones impressing.
“Certainly the way the players have presented themselves and the way they’re training at the moment, we couldn’t be happier,” he said.
“And we were expecting a response because they’re all really proud footballers, highly competitive, and they want to turn it around as much as anyone.
“Our younger guys, that middle bracket of Bailey Dale, Toby McLean and Caleb Daniel are starting to take their training to a new level which has been really exciting.”
Hansen, in charge of the forwards under Luke Beveridge, said there’d be no armchair ride for new recruit and former no.2 draft pick Josh Schache.
“If he’s in our best six (forwards) come Round 1, he’ll play,” Hansen said.
“We’re still in the process of trying to find the best combination, and that’ll change throughout the course of the year and could change over that fortnight of the JLT (Series).”Comment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
Most players but I think GVG is right there is a skill to passing the ball by foot running at full tilt. If you can pull it off the ball fairly flies with just a tap from the foot. I can remember practising them as a kid, the ball goes low and straight to where you want it to go.They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.Comment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
Aker was an outstanding exponent of the full tilt, stay in stride kick.TF is this?.........Obviously you're not a golfer.Comment
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Re: Pre-season Training 2018
Slowing down to get the kick off does allow the opposition the chance to tackle you. If no one is around you then it's a smart move but I think most of the better players can kick well at full stride. If you are kicking it to a leading forward they don't have to second guess the timing of their leads.
Years ago players would jump in the air slightly to accept a handball and in the process lose a bit of momentum. I think West Coast were the first ones to make sure their players stopped it and they looked so much quicker than other sides.
If it can be taught to kick the ball well at near full pace it would certainly be an advantage.Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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