2013 vs 2014 and how 2015 and beyond is looking

[Mantis]

Re: 2013 vs 2014 and how 2015 and beyond is looking

The key for us is also obviously a quality tall forward. The question is do we try to land a good young one via a trade or the Draft, or do we continue to develop around that missing piece and the nab a ~27 year old free agent when we're clearly on the cusp around 2017 or so?

As others have mentioned the key is building a defence.. We look dangerous going forward and have some developing types who will improve, but our defence is a huge concern.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: 2013 vs 2014 and how 2015 and beyond is looking

Interesting thread.

I think the alleged soft draw this year is overstated because of the actual timing. Our opening 2 games were efectively unwinnable despite being against sides missed finals in 2013. West Coast in the Perth heat in March was never winnable and then to come up against North Melbourne on an effective 6 day turnaround where they had 2 weeks was also close to impossible, particularly for a young group like ours.

We will again finish bottom 6 and my understanding is that guarantees us at least 2 (or is it 3) games against other bottom 6 teams. That means we almost certainly play Brisbane and St Kilda twice, so we will be assessed again as having a soft draw.

How the fixture goes with timing and travel may well determine if it is actually soft.

However, we should be aiming at finals and that really does require 13 wins. To get that we need Griffen fit for the year and Libba, Wallis, Macrae, Bonts, Stringer to continue on with their improvement. Jarrad Grant fit and playing like the end of 2013 wouldn't hurt either as would Liam Jones playing consistently close to what he showed against Collingwood.

Whether Campbell and Cordy can step up and even force Minson out could also add a lot to the prospects. We also need one of Roberts/Talia to take control of a key back post and get Roughy back on track.

I am optimistic, but there are lots of parts to the puzzle.

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2013 vs 2014 and how 2015 and beyond is looking

Interesting thread.

I think the alleged soft draw this year is overstated because of the actual timing. …

How the fixture goes with timing and travel may well determine if it is actually soft

I'm not really a believer in "soft" or "hard" fixtures as an absolute. Sure, in terms of 6 day breaks, etc. it's important in that regard, but there's nothing to be gained from accepting your fate before you've taken the field. Teams like Port Adelaide, whose fortunes differ wildly over the course of a season, make any assessment of a fixture before the season is under way little more than fodder for pre-season newspaper inches. Like the old timers say, you just play the team before you on the day, in the circumstances given you, and do what you must to win.

To go slightly off-topic (my favourite hobby): In my own perverse Bulldog fashion, I actually like that the odds are stacked against us. It makes beating the bastards all the more worthwhile. This really hit me at a function last Wednesday where I met Ross Oakley. The animosity was still there, but was much diminished, and primarily because we beat him. Not just the club, but all Bulldogs people, defeated the bastard. We're still kicking on, and he's a has-been writing books about the glory days with such humble titles as "The Phoenix Rises". It wasn't easy to beat him, it was a "hard" draw, but we did it anyway, and that's what adds to the glee.

Back on topic, I have to say, Webby, that I really enjoy reading your posts, keep up the good work.

[Happy Days]

Re: 2013 vs 2014 and how 2015 and beyond is looking

As others have mentioned the key is building a defence.. We look dangerous going forward and have some developing types who will improve, but our defence is a huge concern.

I really believe that a team's forward line can be created by the tools at its disposal; a crew of mid sized forwards can work if you play to their strengths (I.e: kicking to leads, quick movement, not kicking it on the heads of 175cm guys, etc.). Same goes if you have a tall, or a bunch of smalls (Freo almost won the flag with a forward line all shorter than Bontempelli last year). You can make it work if you shape your game style to work it (at least to some degree).

Defence, however, is dictated by the other team. We can't look to go up against teams with these aerobic guns and not have someone to go with them. The closest teams can come to dictating terms is if they get the ball to guys they want to have it in defence, and that only happens if they can stop the other team (Gibson/Stratton/Spangher (HAHAHAHA) at Hawthorn, Richards/Grundy at Sydney). We need guys like this to make guys like Murphy and, um, Darley (?) look good, and therefore make us look good.

Basically defence > offence. Or at least more important.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: 2013 vs 2014 and how 2015 and beyond is looking

I think you hit the nail on the head re Morris and/or Murphy coming out of the side at end 2015 or 2016 (or during 2016). This is my issue. They'll be very, very hard to replace. Murphy and Morris are club greats. The enormity of their looming retirements mean that I wouldn't be expecting finals in 2016. We're still two more years of introducing 20-21 year olds before we're a finals team. Although I'd be delighted to be proven wrong!

The terrible state of our list in 2010 shouldn't be underestimated. It was very very old by our third prelim year... It really should've had a mini-overhaul (similar to Collingwood's current one) from the end of 2009. However we just didn't have the 2005-2009 draftees to come through.... So we were in a position where we might as well have one last crack at a GF with a very old list... But what would be left at the end of 2010 was always going to be a big, big worry. So it's been a long road back!

We're at a point now where we'll probably have a 19 year old and a 22 year old finishing 1&2 in our b&f. Potentially another 22 year old finishing 4th. We've got three rising star nominees and another who's not far off a nomination. However we have very little in the 26-29 age group and 4 or 5 guns who are 30+. The 30+ retirements will hold us down in 2016, IMO, but we'll be primed by 2017.

As I say, I'd be delighted to see us in finals in 2016, but I certainly wouldn't expect it.

The infusion of Bonti Macrae and Stringer has helped paper over some of the cracks in our list, which still lacks depth. The inability of Jones Grant Roberts Talia and Cordy to become consistent and good senior players is a major concern. Whilst our attack on the ball has been a feature since Macca took over we still lack the necessary skill to match it with the quality sides going forward. Our need of a KPF and KPD is still most glaring such as the decision to play Morris as our second best tall defender which is a worry. Players like Howard Fuller Pearce Goodes Young and Tutt need to be put under the microscope at season's end, if we are going to again become a final 8 contender. The expected retirements of Gia Boyd Murphy Morris and Picken in the next year or two will require astute recruitment to further improve our playing list which is still in need of an overhaul.