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With Dogs so menacing, who needs Barry Hall?
Western Bulldogs gun half-forward Shaun Higgins doubts the club will chase out-of-favour Sydney spearhead Barry Hall. The Bulldogs are believed to be the only club open to trading for Hall.
But Higgins, 21, felt the Dogs' 88-point demolition of Hawthorn, which sets up a "massive" match against Collingwood on Friday night, would help close the door on any speculation.
He said the team's precision kicking and selflessness in attack was more important than having a big-name spearhead.
"Outside of the club, there's a lot of big talk that we need a tall forward, but we don't believe that at all," Higgins said.
"Our forward line is working well and the way that we use the footy. If we can keep doing that, there is no need for the tall forward.
"And we are working well as a forward group, so we are not worried about getting a big forward at all."
Hall's future is unclear after he suggested last week he had considered retiring or switching clubs on the back of his latest suspension.
Showing a more balanced forward approach, the Dogs scored from 38 of their 52 inside-50s at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, demoralising Hawthorn's premiership defence.
Coming into the round, the Dogs had the second-best attack in the competition and they underlined that with 10 goalkickers.
In-form midfielder Adam Cooney said yesterday the 13-goal first half was special.
"It's probably the best first half I've been involved in since I've been at the club," he said.
But the focus at Whitten Oval has quickly turned to Collingwood and a battle that could determine which side finishes in third place behind St Kilda and Geelong.
"It's a massive game for us next week against Collingwood to try to secure a top-four spot. Collingwood is knocking on the door behind us," Higgins said.
"We will worry about Geelong and St Kilda later in the year.
"We have got to make sure we get the recovery right this week because we have got a short week coming up and Collingwood, over the last month, has played some really good footy.
"We have got to do our homework on them."
Higgins, who is out of contract at the end of the season and among Gold Coast's most wanted, said the players took a lot of confidence out of the win against the Hawks.
"Obviously considering what they were able to do last year -- and they have got a similar list -- we were expecting a tough game," he said.
"They have been down the past few weeks. We knew they would come out strong, so to put on the first quarter (nine goals to nil) that we did was pleasing."
He praised the team's kicking efficiency and finishing skills, but he said its tackling and toughness was even more important to its success.
Higgins said the work on pressure tactics in the past few years, and particularly in the pre-season, was paying off.
"We have come from a long way back in terms of defensive skills in the last few years," he said.
"We put a big emphasis on it in the pre-season.
"It's been a massive jump. That's what wins you games these days.
"Hawthorn has obviously built its game on hardness around the footy and stoppages in the last few years.
"But we are right up there now with hardball gets and clearances, which is pleasing."
Western Bulldogs gun half-forward Shaun Higgins doubts the club will chase out-of-favour Sydney spearhead Barry Hall. The Bulldogs are believed to be the only club open to trading for Hall.
But Higgins, 21, felt the Dogs' 88-point demolition of Hawthorn, which sets up a "massive" match against Collingwood on Friday night, would help close the door on any speculation.
He said the team's precision kicking and selflessness in attack was more important than having a big-name spearhead.
"Outside of the club, there's a lot of big talk that we need a tall forward, but we don't believe that at all," Higgins said.
"Our forward line is working well and the way that we use the footy. If we can keep doing that, there is no need for the tall forward.
"And we are working well as a forward group, so we are not worried about getting a big forward at all."
Hall's future is unclear after he suggested last week he had considered retiring or switching clubs on the back of his latest suspension.
Showing a more balanced forward approach, the Dogs scored from 38 of their 52 inside-50s at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, demoralising Hawthorn's premiership defence.
Coming into the round, the Dogs had the second-best attack in the competition and they underlined that with 10 goalkickers.
In-form midfielder Adam Cooney said yesterday the 13-goal first half was special.
"It's probably the best first half I've been involved in since I've been at the club," he said.
But the focus at Whitten Oval has quickly turned to Collingwood and a battle that could determine which side finishes in third place behind St Kilda and Geelong.
"It's a massive game for us next week against Collingwood to try to secure a top-four spot. Collingwood is knocking on the door behind us," Higgins said.
"We will worry about Geelong and St Kilda later in the year.
"We have got to make sure we get the recovery right this week because we have got a short week coming up and Collingwood, over the last month, has played some really good footy.
"We have got to do our homework on them."
Higgins, who is out of contract at the end of the season and among Gold Coast's most wanted, said the players took a lot of confidence out of the win against the Hawks.
"Obviously considering what they were able to do last year -- and they have got a similar list -- we were expecting a tough game," he said.
"They have been down the past few weeks. We knew they would come out strong, so to put on the first quarter (nine goals to nil) that we did was pleasing."
He praised the team's kicking efficiency and finishing skills, but he said its tackling and toughness was even more important to its success.
Higgins said the work on pressure tactics in the past few years, and particularly in the pre-season, was paying off.
"We have come from a long way back in terms of defensive skills in the last few years," he said.
"We put a big emphasis on it in the pre-season.
"It's been a massive jump. That's what wins you games these days.
"Hawthorn has obviously built its game on hardness around the footy and stoppages in the last few years.
"But we are right up there now with hardball gets and clearances, which is pleasing."
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