2025 Starting Line-Up

[Mofra]

Backs:

Bramble - Jones - Duyrea

Dale - Lobb - Freijah


Outside: Williams - Davidson


Inside: English - Bont - Sanders - Richards


Forward:

McNeil - Naughton - M Kennedy

Weightman - Darcy - West


Int: VDM - JOD - Libba - Harmes

Sub: Garcia/Gallagher


In the Mix: Karmis - Buss -Jaques - Arty - L Kennedy - Gardener -

Relevant Injury: Marra - Trelor - JJ

I'm just giving thumbs up to any team that has both McNeill and Davidson in it.

Remember the crap Bramble copped at the start of last year an be then shut everyone up at the year wore on?

I think McNeill can be that guy this year.

[Rusty12]

I'm just giving thumbs up to any team that has both McNeill and Davidson in it.

Remember the crap Bramble copped at the start of last year an be then shut everyone up at the year wore on?

I think McNeill can be that guy this year.

I think every dog fan at the G Vs Melb last year in round 1 was on that train, bagging both Bramble and Bevo.
By mid-year, I ate all that humble pie, and was 100% wrong.
Great thing about being a supporter is you are either right about an opinion or wrong, and get a good player, win/win.

[Rusty12]

I'm glad that Davidson is getting a bit more attention because he has had an impressive summer training block.
The fact that he has an AFL type speed and endurance combination also helps.
He's still got a bit to learn but he's accountable for his opponent and capable of getting the ball moving forward gives him a chance if an early debut

What's your call GVGjr, Wing, half-forward or genuine 50/50 split?
Half-forward probably brings Gallagher back into heavy contention opposite Williams, if Wing, then Gallagher no lock for selection.
Davidson being there round 1, seems a lock unless injury either-way.

[GVGjr]

What's your call GVGjr, Wing, half-forward or genuine 50/50 split?
Half-forward probably brings Gallagher back into heavy contention opposite Williams, if Wing, then Gallagher no lock for selection.
Davidson being there round 1, seems a lock unless injury either-way.

At the moment I'd seriously consider him on a wing. Unless A.Jones or Gallagher lifts their performances it's Davidsons spot to lose.

[Bornadog]

Backs:

Bramble - Jones - Duyrea

Dale - Lobb - Freijah


Outside: Williams - Davidson


Inside: English - Bont - Sanders - Richards


Forward:

McNeil - Naughton - M Kennedy

Weightman - Darcy - West


Int: VDM - JOD - Libba - Harmes

Sub: Garcia/Gallagher


In the Mix: Karmis - Buss -Jaques - Arty - L Kennedy - Gardener -

Relevant Injury: Marra - Trelor - JJ

I haven't posted up a team, but I would go with this one, except I would spell Gardner correctly

[Mofra]

I haven't posted up a team, but I would go with this one, except I would spell Gardner correctly

Ditto. Right now, I think Rusty's team is what I'd expect too

[Bornadog]

Ditto. Right now, I think Rusty's team is what I'd expect too

The only possible change is whether to include Harmes or Garcia. One of them as sub.

[angelopetraglia]

First round V NMFC.

North Melbourne star midfielder George Wardlaw will be sidelined for up to three months with his latest hamstring injury in a massive blow for the Kangaroos.

The third-year hard nut suffered a high-grade hamstring strain in the club’s match simulation on Wednesday and is not expected to be available for selection until about Rounds 6 - 8.

The Kangas confirmed on Thursday Wardlaw would miss the next 10-12 weeks with his latest serious soft-tissue problem, this time in his right hamstring.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Mature-age draftee Sam Davidson in frame to replace Jamarra Ugle-Hagan at Bulldogs

With doubts over Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s early 2025 season status growing, a mature-age Bulldogs recruit has put himself into the mix for a stunning debut against the Kangaroos.

Western Bulldogs’ mature-age draftee Sam Davidson has surged into the frame for Round 1 selection as a potential replacement option for star goal kicker Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

Davidson, who last year completed a medicine degree, has made an immediate impact at the kennel as a mobile 190cm goal kicker who could provide x-factor deep forward or on the wing.

The 23-year-old has emerged as the biggest AFL selection bolter of the summer so far and a potential straight swap for Ugle-Hagan who is training away from the club to deal with personal issues.

Ugle-Hagan appears unlikely to be available for the early rounds of the season with the Bulldogs confirming on Wednesday that they would head to Noosa for a pre-season camp on Friday and match simulation session on Sunday without him.

Football manager Sam Power could publicly comment on the matter on Thursday.

While the Dogs have vowed to support Ugle-Hagan, there are fears over his immediate career prospects after 67 games and 103 goals in red, white and blue.

Ugle-Hagan, 22, was not at training again on Wednesday after the club last week confirmed the No. 1 draft pick was on a “flexible” training program.

His ongoing absence is a considerable blow for the club ahead of a big decision on the future of out-of-contract coach Luke Beveridge this year.

But Davidson has emerged as the silver lining after impressing on the track with his outstanding running capability, flexibility forward, mobile marking and clean skills since he arrived at the club with pick 51.

At the state combine, Davidson ran the 2km in 6min 12sec, which was the fourth-best result in the boys’ division, and would give the Dogs some extra running power in the forward half of the ground.

Davidson’s rise is an extraordinary climb from a man who worked in a cafe in Brighton last year and previously ran riot for various country footy clubs including Maffra and South Mildura in 2023 and Sale City in 2022 as he completed his regional medical placements.

He starred at times in the VFL last year for Richmond, booting 26 goals from 17 games in the VFL, including bags of six (Northern Bullants) and four (Port Melbourne) to lob on recruiters’ radars.

The attention came quickly after he was overlooked in the opening rounds of the VFL for selection at Punt Rd.

Western Bulldogs’ recruiting boss Dom Milesi said in a post-draft club video Davidson was a special character and brilliant runner.

“Unbelievably good interview, probably was close to the best we did all year,” Milesi said.

“Just going to be fantastic in a group and not surprisingly he is pretty intelligent.

“Some of his running to get from one end of the ground to the other late in the year he was playing as the high forward role was as good as I’ve seen anyone do.

“Athletically, yes he’s straight up with one of our better players.

“I think this guy will find a way to play AFL footy because there’s so many good things about him.”

At the end of the season Davidson was awarded the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the VFL’s most promising young player.

Without Ugle-Hagan, Davidson could offer immediate assistance to Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy as the Dogs look to reshape their forward line for 2025 after successfully recasting Rory Lobb as a defender late last year.

The Bulldogs take on North Melbourne in Round 1 at Marvel Stadium on Saturday March, 15 when new Roo Caleb Daniel prepares to face his old team in the Kangaroos’ first game of the season.

Beveridge has shown he is prepared to be bold with selection in the first game of the season after dropping Lachie Hunter from the best 22 in 2022 and opting for more run in favour of premiership stars Daniel and Jack Macrae last year.

Davidson, who is from St Kevin’s, will audition for a Round 1 guernsey this month in the club’s practice match against Essendon at Whitten Oval on February 15 and the formal pre-season game against Hawthorn in Launceston on February 27.

This Sunday also looms as a key opportunity when the Dogs play an internal scratch match at Maroochydore Sports Complex from 9.30am.

Davidson is vying with 201cm untried big man Jordan Croft, 19, for a spot in the team.

Great, as I suggested, seems he could do it from reports.
Plus my father and namesake played for St Patrick's, Ballarat, at the time undefeated for fifty years and dad's year was the first defeat, against St Kevin's.

[Garbs_7]

Treloar missing the start of the year hurts, but if there's one position we have some depth in, it's inside mid. Big opportunity for Sanders to step in to that role as well as Kennedy to get some CBAs early on.

[bulldogSimmo]

Treloar missing the start of the year hurts, but if there's one position we have some depth in, it's inside mid. Big opportunity for Sanders to step in to that role as well as Kennedy to get some CBAs early on.

Yes agreed. I think we are seeing some of our older guns getting to the point where the end is in sight. We need to see some of our younger kids step up this year or think about a strategy to acquire top end mids for 2026

[Cmac1297]

Re: 2025 Starting Line-Up

Thought I’d have an early crack on what I think the starting 23 and emergencies should be

B- Bramble Jones Busslinger
HB- Dale Lobb JJ
C- Williams Libba Poulter
HF-Richards Naughton West
F- Darcy Jamarra Weightman
R- English Bont Treloar
I- Sanders Freijah M.Kennedy Garcia
S- Gallagher
E- Harmes Khamis Coffield

Updated 23

B- Duryea Jones O’Donnell
HB- Dale Lobb Bramble
C- Williams Libba Davidson
HF-Harmes Naughton McNeil
F- West Darcy Weightman
R- English Bont Richards
I- Sanders Freijah M.Kennedy Garcia
S- Gallagher

[Willow18]

Team starting to pick itself with some of these injuries


FB: Duryea, L. Jones, Dale

HB: Freijah, Lobb, Bramble

C: Williams, Bontempelli, Davidson

HF: West, Naughton, M. Kennedy

FF: Weightman, Darcy, McNeil

R: English, Sanders, Richards

I: O’Donnell, Harmes, Liberatore, Garcia
Sub: Vandermeer

Emerg:
Jaques, Khamis, Gallagher, Gardner

[jeemak]

The Hun putting a fair bit of expectation on Davidson or having a laugh about how he replaces 40 goals? Looking forward to seeing how he finishes off the preseason against some genuine opposition, but keeping my powder dry for the moment.

Will have another crack at this leading up to our first preseason game, but as others have said, through injury or absence spaces are opening up for some.

[JackCJohnston2000]

Updated Best 23 R1 v Kangaroos

FB - Duryea Jones Bramble
HB - Dale Lobb Frejiah
C - Williams Richards Davidson
HF - McNeil Naughton Kennedy
FF - Weightman Darcy West
Foll - English Bont Libba
INT - Sanders Garcia O'Donnell Vandermeer
Sub - Harmes

Emergencies - Poulter (to cover for a mid or fwd) Gardner (to cover for English) Busslinger (to cover for a key defender)