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FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018. -
Tough for me to get to with travel for work all day tomorrow, two young girls at home and work the next day. We'll see though, would like to get there!W00F!Comment
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Team changes to last Giants matchup:
DOGS
In - Darcy, McNeil, Poulter, Baker, Garcia
Out - Khamis, Harmes, Davidson, Dolan, Hynes
GIANTS
In - Aleer, Coniglio, Angwin, Fonti, Brown, Rowston
Out - Buckley, Ward, Kelly, Greene, Wehr, Stone
So... quite a bit of change! I would say, on the aggregate, we've improved our best 23 on paper.Comment
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Bevo has commented a number of times that Darcy has scored a significant number of his goals when actually in the ruck. It frees him up from the close checking and multiple opponents he has to deal with when playing forward. There is no evidence that Darcy would have kicked more goals or had a better season, if that is even possible, if he spent all his time forward. Also, doesn't Bont normally go forward when Darcy is in the ruck, which adds a 195cm forward, who also happens to be the best player in the comp, to the forward mix. Bevo has also stated that Darcy is at less risk of injury in the ruck as opposed to when he playing forward.
We have 3 players over 197cm in our backline. If all 3 are needed there, then I doubt Lobb does any rucking. But, Callum Brown is only 188cm. Jake Riccardi is 198cm, but except when he is rucking and is opposed to one of our rucks, is more likely to be rotating with Cadman and Hogan, rather than playing forward with them. So it is also likely that only having two of our talls there will be sufficient at certain times.
I'm happy with team selection.
The Angels have the phone box. [SIZE="2"]Don't blink![/SIZE]Comment
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Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is willing to risk exposing his defence by rotating Rory Lobb through the ruck in a season-defining clash against GWS on Thursday night.
Beveridge tweaked Lobb’s role so he could spare Sam Darcy the second ruck duties and keep him forward alongside Aaron Naughton for longer in the crushing win over Essendon.
Darcy was able to increase his game time from the previous week by 10 per cent as he and Naughton piled on 13.3 in the 93-point win last week.
The coach said he would revisit the aggressive move again despite the size and power of the GWS forward line, which will boast five players taller than 188cm including in-form premiership Bulldog Jake Stringer.
The Bulldogs will go into the game unchanged, while GWS have made three forced changes.
Leek Aleer, Harvey Thomas and Harry Rowston will come in for injured duo Jack Buckley and Josh Kelly, and the suspended captain Toby Greene.
James O’Donnell (44 games), Luke Cleary (19) and Jedd Busslinger (three) would be left with the responsibility for Stringer, Jesse Hogan and Aaron Cadman should Lobb go into the ruck.
“The knock-on effect (of moving Lobb) was we were able to keep Sam (Darcy) and Aaron (Naughton) out on the ground a little bit longer,” Beveridge said.
“That was between 20 and 30 minutes longer … it makes a difference.
“It depends how the game is playing out, but it’s definitely something that worked for us last week.
“So if you’re going to guess at how we might start the game, it’ll be in a similar vein.”
Beveridge conceded settling down his back seven was the “last piece of the puzzle” as the Bulldogs prepared for the first of four cutthroat games in the finals qualification battle.
He confirmed Busslinger would get another chance ahead of veteran key back Liam Jones and Ryan Gardner after a “pretty encouraging game” on return against the Bombers.
“We’re trying to do different things with different personnel through some of the roles closer to the opposition’s goals,” he said.
“Not necessarily the higher defenders and the playmakers – I think Bailey Dale, JJ (Jason Johannisen) and Lachie Bramble, they’ve been pretty solid in their affairs.”
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Could Lobb just follow Riccardi and go into the ruck when he does?Comment
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To me the individual matchups don't matter too much (unless a forward starts getting on top of one of our backs), so Lobb, JOD, Buss for Hogan, Cadman & Riccardi. Lobb doesn't necessarily have to play on Riccardi, just go into the ruck when he does.
Cleary on Stringer or Brown. One of the other running defenders is going to have to play undersized on the other. Personally I would prefer Freijah down back but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen.Comment
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Thursday night games are great for exposure and our sponsors, not as great for the fans that want to attend. I don't think the club would seek to minimise them but this season we have 1 or 2 too many I feel.
GWS and Gold Coast are the games that should be in Ballarat, by far the smallest supporter groups that will attend games in Melbourne. Even with a better deal at Marvel I fear games like tonight don't do much for our bottom line. It is a much better game for TV than recent offerings however.
I don't usually go to Thursday night games, can't take the kids and getting home after midnight isn't ideal. However I'm making an exception tonight and making the trek in with a non-Bulldog supporting mate.Comment
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There should be more Thursday night out of Melbourne. Teams like Gold Coast and Giants are attractive to watch as neutrals. People watching at home on a Thursday are happy to watch any game as long as it's decent. It doesn't have to be the big clubs for neutrals to watch."I'll give him a hug before the first bounce and then I'll run into my pack and give them orders to rip him apart."Comment
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Retired & within walking distance so I like Thursday night matches. Rest of weekend free for other activities with no more butterflies in stomach.
Totally understand difficulty of those with young kids, those who have early work starts and those who travel a long way.
Josie :)
Our day will come
And we'll have everything.
We'll share the joy
Just like '54 again.Comment
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Yeah yeah alright ill shut up
Bevos boys sure made me look like an idiot tonight, give me VDM at leastComment
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Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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