Bulldogs make call on SSP hopefuls

[jazzadogs]

THE WESTERN Bulldogs have released VFL stars Brayden Crossley and Dom Brew ahead of Friday's pre-season supplemental selection period deadline.
After trialling the pair across the summer, the club has opted to keep the spot open ahead of the Mid-Season Rookie Draft in a few months.
Brew, 27, had been training with Luke Beveridge's squad since the SSP opened at the end of November.
Crossley was invited to play in the intra-club in Maroochydore at the start of February before the trial was extended last week, including the match simulation clash against Essendon.
The Bulldogs made a final decision on Wednesday afternoon to not sign either player.

Link

[G-Mo77]

Rolls eyes or face palm. Gardner or Buku as our backup ruck now.

We never learn.

[jazzadogs]

I'm pretty surprised, but not overly upset.

There are a lot of people in our club with fingers crossed that English doesn't get injured in the first half of the year.

I do wish that we had invited Crossley (or other ruckmen) down for the entire pre-season, but I think with the options we had in front of us we have made a good call.

[MrMahatma]

Seems like a high risk, low reward option. No 2nd ruck when we could've at least given Crossley 1 season as back up on minimal $... but instead we want to keep the spot open for a rookie?

[Bornadog]

I don't believe either were AFL standard

[Before I Die]

I’m relieved, though a little disappointed for Brew, but he had his chance. Crossley was pretty obviously just a “why not have a look, nothing to lose” thought bubble when Tim was unavailable for the intraclub game in Queensland.
I’m also hopeful this means there is increased confidence in JUH getting back on the ground, as that frees up Darcy for some short stints on the ball.
There are still two days, so I guess a left field appointment is still possible, but I suspect it’s more likely we wait until the mid-season draft and see what our most pressing needs are.

[jazzadogs]

When you contrast our approach with Adelaide, it's not hard to feel a bit disappointed. We challenged Tim English with....Ryan Gardner.

Adelaide has been impressed by the work of call-up ruckman and former Swan Lachlan McAndrew over the pre-season.
McAndrew was delisted by Sydney at the end of the 2024 season after two AFL games, but joined the Crows' SANFL side in the hope of a league lifeline.

The West Lakes club opted to invite the 24-year-old following the serious injury to fellow ruckman and AFL-listed tall Kieran Strachan, who suffered an acute navicular stress fracture in his right foot, sidelining him for up to four months.
Adelaide's busy off-season that saw Alex Neal-Bullen, James Peatling, Isaac Cumming and draftees Sid Draper and Tyler Welsh walk through the doors has meant the club, at this stage, doesn't have a vacancy on their list.

"When Kieran Strachan went down with his foot injury we went on the search for a ruck that could come into our SANFL program," Crows Head of Football Adam Kelly said.
"So Lachie signed with our SANFL program, which meant that he could train with the AFL squad over the pre-season, and he's been really impressive.
"But at the moment we don't have a list spot. Our list is full, and I guess the pre-season supplemental period ends next Friday, so touch wood we don't have any long-term injuries between now and Friday, and that means we'll go into the year without a list spot.
"Beyond that, the only other opportunity to add anyone to the list will be the Mid-Season Draft.

"In negotiation with Lachie, we're going to get through this period and then we're going to reassess. But what it has enabled us to do is to have somebody challenge Reilly O'Brien right through the summer, which was really important to us."
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks lauded the work of McAndrew over the summer months, saying how impressed he has been.

"Lachie has been great," Nicks said.
"We brought him in knowing Kieran wouldn't be there at this pre-season and needed someone to work hard and challenge 'Rob' (Reilly O'Brien) like he has.
"Credit to him because he's taking it to Rob so we will see how it plays out."

The pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP) is set to wrap up on Friday 21 February, and barring any long-term injuries at the Crows, they will go into season 2025 with a settled list.

[Rusty12]

Can't wait to go back and re-read all those posts about Crossley being the no1 ruck and tap specialist, and what a gun AFL ruckman he was going to be..............
Harsh, but neither player was worth the time and resources it takes to keep and develop a player, clubs dont have unlimited staff.

[Countrydog5]

Can't wait to go back and re-read all those posts about Crossley being the no1 ruck and tap specialist, and what a gun AFL ruckman he was going to be..............
Harsh, but neither player was worth the time and resources it takes to keep and develop a player, clubs dont have unlimited staff.

I think you might be a little disappointed you won't find the adamant posts you're after Rusty, I don't really recall many posts if any saying he was going to be a gun AFL ruckman. Pretty much all discussion was around his lack of fitness and preparation, but that he had AFL qualities to work with in his ruck craft if we decided to pick him up. Pretty easy to see why folks would have been optimistic in what he offered at centre bounces, given our current No.1 ruck struggles at times against opposition ruckman on significantly less coin than he is.

[G-Mo77]

When you contrast our approach with Adelaide, it's not hard to feel a bit disappointed. We challenged Tim English with....Ryan Gardner.

We sign Crossley, best case scenario he is not needed but that doesn't waste a spot. He gets to work on Tim English during training, bang into him and hopefully some toughness would rub off onto him with that. I see it as a wasted opportunity unless another ready made ruck is coming in. I thought the Crossley signing would have really been a win/win situation, 1 season on next to no money. Instead we'll use Gardner, great.

[doggies ftw]

Can't wait to go back and re-read all those posts about Crossley being the no1 ruck and tap specialist, and what a gun AFL ruckman he was going to be..............
Harsh, but neither player was worth the time and resources it takes to keep and develop a player, clubs dont have unlimited staff.

Can you quote even one post? Most of the posts I saw admitted he was absolutely scraping the bottom of the barrel for a #1 ruck and bemoaning the club for their shortsightedness in allowing us to be in this position trying to find a ruckman 3 months into the preseason, - yet were still keen for the change up from what isn’t working across several years (ie playing a ruckman who can’t ruck)

I think you’re just hearing what you want to hear if you truly believe many, if any, people said he’d be a “gun afl ruckman”

a big body who doesn’t get bullied by every other ruck in the league, sure, a gun ruckman? Yeah I don’t think anyone thought that

[JanLorMill]

Can't wait to go back and re-read all those posts about Crossley being the no1 ruck and tap specialist, and what a gun AFL ruckman he was going to be..............
Harsh, but neither player was worth the time and resources it takes to keep and develop a player, clubs dont have unlimited staff.

No one said that.

[BiteNibbleChomp]

I don't get this choice. Surely having someone in the list spot is better than having no-one?

Worst case scenario they don't play any games and we drop them in October. A bit of a waste of time, sure, but I'd prefer that over "damn it, we've got this key player injured and no-one to cover them", which could very easily happen.

- BNC

[soupman]

I don't get this choice. Surely having someone in the list spot is better than having no-one?

Worst case scenario they don't play any games and we drop them in October. A bit of a waste of time, sure, but I'd prefer that over "damn it, we've got this key player injured and no-one to cover them", which could very easily happen.

- BNC

It's probably a $250K investment, when you take into account player wage and match payments, the additional cost of supplying everything (including flights, accom, gear), and then te resources they take away from the club (hard to quantify, but an extra player takes time from coaches, medical staff etc.). If we think he isn't a meaningful improvement on Gardner then keeping the spot open for someone who may emerge mid season isn't a bad call.

I prefer having a backup ruck on the list, but i don't want someone we don't think is actually any good just for the sake of it.

[Rusty12]

Can you quote even one post? Most of the posts I saw admitted he was absolutely scraping the bottom of the barrel for a #1 ruck and bemoaning the club for their shortsightedness in allowing us to be in this position trying to find a ruckman 3 months into the preseason, - yet were still keen for the change up from what isn’t working across several years (ie playing a ruckman who can’t ruck)

I think you’re just hearing what you want to hear if you truly believe many, if any, people said he’d be a “gun afl ruckman”

a big body who doesn’t get bullied by every other ruck in the league, sure, a gun ruckman? Yeah I don’t think anyone thought that

Okay, some sarcasm that was cleary missed............

However, when people comment that Crossley is a smoky for round 1, is a better option than Tim as the no1 ruck, or any version of that, you are saying he is better than the 2023 All Australian ruckman option. And despite that and the gaping hole in our list for a back-up, he doesn't even get the selection.

If scraping the bottom of the barrel turns to replace Tim Elglish as the no1 ruck, then...........

What I haven't seen is 1 post saying, I got that one wrong...........