Top 10 Bulldogs

[LostDoggy]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

For some reason when I did this I ended up splitting the ten players into three categories.

The Mainstays

1. Ryan Griffen
2. Will Minson
3. Tom Liberatore
4. Dale Morris

Pretty clear cut, these are the four that I believe do a great job every week and bust a gut leaving nothing out there.

Whipping boys

5. Rob Murphy
6. Daniel Giansiracusa
7. Matthew Boyd

These 3 are in their own category, all almost as valuable as the big 4 but all have weaknesses in their game which cause frustration.

Rising Stars

8. Jordan Roughead
9. Jason Johanisen
10. Jackson Macrae

The rising stars of the group, all have weaknesses, but after they reach their peak should be in either of the above two categories.

Dickson, Young, Stevens, Smith and maybe a few others unlucky.
Dahlhaus should be in the top 10 as a rising star, but his recent form has dragged him out for Macrae.
Guys like Stringer, Talia fall just below the rising stars group.
Higgins and Williams similar to the middle group except he can't get on the park.
Cooney would most likely be in the first group but for his knee.
Jones/Cordy types are rising stars with frustrating weaknesses. Potential to be top 10 after the middle group + Morris retire.
Addison, Markovic etc. are fringe players still.
Grant, Vesz, Austin and a few others going going gone.

There's probably players I'm forgetting but I tried to cover most of list in the extra part.
What started out as a top 10 almost ended up as a list analysis.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

A bit like Sheahan's AFL Top 50.

I am not saying the top 10 most value, don't really like upszing/downsizing a guy's value based on defencies/strengths of the rest of the team (i.e overrating defenders value because the rest of the team can't defend or a tall forward just because we have no other tall forwards). Just the top 10 footy players we have at the moment.

1- Ryan Griffen: Massive believer that the effect of the tag or lack there of results in players being underrated/overrated. Griff definitely has it harder than anyone in our team. He is our only inside/outside mid (on two legs). Jet.

2- Bob Murphy: Adds desperately needed rebound and also does his job defensive. It's a massive sacrifice for teams to play out and out defensive forwards and Bob warrants that.

3- Matthew Boyd: Yeah he wastes it but when you get it 40 times a week your efficiency doesn't need to be too high to earn your keep. Great in the clearances too, would love to see him play a more defensive role, have my criticisms of him etc but it would be shortsighted to not value his contributions.

4- Luke Dahlhaus: The most exciting thing about the club. No 2nd year blues here as he has gone from a forward pressure machine who get it here and there to a constant threat. It will be interesting to see how he copes with more pressure but he is number 4 with a bullet.

5- Liam Picken: Tagger who actually beats his opponents.

6- Adam Cooney: On one leg but still warrants close attention from the opposition. He has added value going forward.

7- Brian Lake: In 2010 he was the best FB going around and in 2011 he was an ordinary VFL FB, as you do. Looks like he is more 2010 than 2011 and hopefully it's number 7 with a bullet.

8- Daniel Cross: We all know his limitations but he is a good ordinary player in a very ordinary team. One of very few who creates spread (yes it's slow but slow beats not there at all), wins his own ball and tackles.

9- Daniel Giansiracusa: Had his career best season last year but looks like the game has gone past him all of a sudden. Hopefully it is more a short term injury rather than him being simply done but he is purely 9th on credit in the bank.

10- Tom Liberatore: Very good debut season. Was great in Round 1 and on the weekend as a sub, the next stage is coping with more attention/having a consistent influence on the game.

How things have changed? Only 5 players remaining from 3 years ago, with 4 players being at different clubs this season.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

Here's my end of 2015 edition, same conditions. Not just about this year, no weighting for types we have less/more of, just the out and out top 10.

1- Marcus Bontempelli
2- Jake Stringer
3- Bob Murphy
4- Luke Dahlhaus
5- Easton Wood
6- Mitch Wallis
7- Matthew Boyd
8- Tory Dickson
9- Liam Picken
10- Jackson Macrae

Liberatore misses out due to injury. I would have had Koby Stevens in the top 10 if not for injury.

Crameri, JJ and Hunter thereabouts too. So basically I have no KPPs or ruckmen in our top 15 players.

[Twodogs]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

How things have changed? Only 5 players remaining from 3 years ago, with 4 players being at different clubs this season.

Obviously the ones playing at other clubs are off the list.

[Rocket Science]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

Jeez. Reminiscing over those 2012 lists made me want to slit my wrists in a warm bath.

Thank Christ it's 2015.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

A wee bit of an update

1- Marcus Bontempelli: Wonderful combo of amazing natural attributes and appetite for contest. Everything he does matters. And he should get better. Wow.

2- Easton Wood: His 2016 was less obvious than 2015 but so crucial to modern team defence with his ability to take crucial intercept marks.

3- Jason Johannisen: Best small defender in the league. Breaks lines in tight games we create. More than does his bit as an actual defender.

4- Tom Liberatore His hands are gold in tight, courageous as it gets and has developed great goal sense.

5- Luke Dahlhaus: Typifies our work rate.

6- Dale Morris: The man for any defensive job.

7- Matthew Boyd: Better than ever.

8- Liam Picken: Speed, aerial ability, goal sense...what a star?!

9- Jackson Macrae: Keeps evolving his game.

10- Lachie Hunter: His tank is massive in modern game.


Not a bad top 10.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

It's a good top 10 when Tom Boyd can't crack in after his finals and Grand Final performance.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

It's a good top 10 when Tom Boyd can't crack in after his finals and Grand Final performance.

I based my top few selections in relation to AFL Dream 22. I would have Bont in as well as Wood and JJ down back.

Tom Boyd is 11th!

[GVGjr]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

John West says that its the fish they reject that makes them the best so have a look at the players outside of this top 10. There are some impressive players. T.Boyd, Stringer, Daniel, Roughead, Dickson and the injured guys and new faces like Wallis, Murphy, Crameri and Cloke

[LostDoggy]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

I'm surprised you didn't have Morris in your top ten at the end of 2015, Rocco.

I would have Stringer in for Matthew Boyd if we're basing this list on heading into 2017. I know he had a poor year for his standards, but he is capable of utilising his brute strength, evasiveness and skill like no one else on our list. And he has genuine match winning ability. That's the only change I would have.

I also think you have Macrae way too low. He'd be third on my list.

[comrade]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

Geez, some of those names listed in 2012 were harrowing. Sherman, Djerkurra, Liam bloody Jones. We were miles off it.

Bravo to Dalrymple for absolutely nailing the critical 2012 & 2013 drafts (and 2014/15 are also looking the goods) and huge kudos to our development set up for getting these kids firing from early on.

[Twodogs]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

When a game is close and tense I know we are going to win because Bontempelli plays for us so he certainly nailed the 2013 draft.

[merantau]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

You won't get any arguments from me re your top ten but what I really like about our list is the quality of players outside the top ten - Murphy, Dickson, Crameri, Tom Boyd, Stringer, Wallis, Daniel, McLean, Roughead, Biggs, Redpath, Smith, Roberts, Cordy, Dunkley, Lin Jong, Adams, Honeychurch, Webb - have I left anyone out?
We have depth and a fantastic track record of covering our injuries. This is a very talented and even list and we should be a force for the next few years.

[jeemak]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

It depends on perspective, in terms of whether it's as at right now or how it will be in twelve months.

I have Jack Macrae a fair bit higher than most. He's so unbelievably impressive it's not funny, there's not a single player in the competition who plays like him.

Your list overall is pretty solid, I'd have Stringer and Dickson ahead of Hunter. They play a specifically hard position on the field, Hunter doesn't.

[Bornadog]

Re: Top 10 Bulldogs

My list on how they finished up after the finals and Premiership.

1. The Bont

2. JJ

3 Picken

4. T Boyd

5. Macrae

6. Wood

7. Dahl

8. Libba

9. Hunter

10. Morris

MBoyd, should be in but I can't see who to take out. Stringer will be in top 10 next year, Caleb Daniel and Dickson also very close.