Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

[The Coon Dog]

Patrick Keane from the AFL has just tweeted advising that the Western Bulldogs have placed Dale Morris on the Long Term Injury list & elevated Tom Campbell.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

Every year this gets asked and I never store it in the memory. Austin is elevated because of Williams and now Campbell is because of Morris. Williams is due back soon does he have to go back to the rookie list?

[Bornadog]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

Every year this gets asked and I never store it in the memory. Austin is elevated because of Williams and now Campbell is because of Morris. Williams is due back soon does he have to go back to the rookie list?

After 11 rounds, you can elevate one Rookie, so Austin should be fine.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

After 11 rounds, you can elevate one Rookie, so Austin should be fine.

That's the one I was looking for, thanks.

While I'm excited to see what Tommy C can do at AFL level I feel really bad for Dale Morris.

[Bornadog]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

That's the one I was looking for, thanks.

While I'm excited to see what Tommy C can do at AFL level I feel really bad for Dale Morris.

Yes, the gut feeling is we have seen his best years behind us now. Hard to come back at his age. Judas Brown was never the same after his broken leg.

[GVGjr]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

I picked this the other day on the Lucy Cornes thread. I'm not sure that he is ready to play but I think he will. McCartney seems keen to play 3 ruck man.

[Bornadog]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

I picked this the other day on the Lucy Cornes thread. I'm not sure that he is ready to play but I think he will. McCartney seems keen to play 3 ruck man.

In Macca's eyes, Cordy isnot a ruckman, so we are only playing two.

[Cyberdoggie]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

I picked this the other day on the Lucy Cornes thread. I'm not sure that he is ready to play but I think he will. McCartney seems keen to play 3 ruck man.

So what happens the next week when Will is back?

Is this week a battle royale to see who stays in?
or will they rotate from week to week.

Not a lot of confidence shown in Roughead's ability to ruck in my opinion.
Regardless it will be a interesting to see Campbell play and if he's up to the challenge.
Fitness and running ability will be interesting, and whether having him down forward at times will help Cordy and Jones or hinder them.

[Bornadog]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

In Macca's eyes, Cordy isnot a ruckman, so we are only playing two.

So what happens the next week when Will is back?

Is this week a battle royale to see who stays in?
or will they rotate from week to week.

Not a lot of confidence shown in Roughead's ability to ruck in my opinion.
Regardless it will be a interesting to see Campbell play and if he's up to the challenge.
Fitness and running ability will be interesting, and whether having him down forward at times will help Cordy and Jones or hinder them.

Can we stop thinking Cordy is a ruckman? Having said that, what does happen when Will is back.

[Bornadog]

Dogs elevate rookie ruckman

Link

READYMADE Western Bulldogs ruckman Tom Campbell is in line to make his AFL debut after being elevated from the rookie list to replace injured defender Dale Morris.

Morris, who has endured complications in his return from a broken leg suffered late last season, has been placed on the Bulldogs' long-term injury list and will now set his sights on returning for the 2013 season.

Following the one-match suspension handed out to the Bulldogs' No.1 ruckman Will Minson, Campbell's promotion opens the way for him to get his first taste of AFL football against the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

In Minson's absence, Campbell appears certain to partner Jordan Roughead, with occasional support from forward Ayce Cordy, against former Bulldog big man Ben Hudson.

The 20-year-old's eventual elevation appeared inevitable given his impressive pre-season form, which he has carried into the season proper with the Bulldogs' VFL affiliate Williamstown. He has been one of the standout performers for the Seagulls.

The 201-centimetre, 101-kilogram big man made his way to Whitten Oval after stints with the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup under-18 competition and VFL side Bendigo Bombers, where he played under current Bulldogs assistant coach Shannon Grant.

Campbell was the No.27 pick in last year's Rookie Draft. In time, it might well be considered a steal.

He showed just how damaging and versatile he could be in his only NAB Cup appearance - against North Melbourne at North Ballarat in late February - when he took three contested marks in attack and kicked a game-high tally of 3.3 in a losing team.

After the match, coach Brendan McCartney was suitably impressed.

"He showed enough [to suggest] that he's going to be able to find the ball forward and be a good, strong ruckman for us," he said.

"Shannon Grant has got to take a lot of credit for Tom - he worked with him last year [and] did a lot of one-on-one work with him.

"He's a good young fella and he's fitted in well as a person.

"They love him in the weights room - he handles the work in there very well."

Earlier, Minson had enthused about Campbell's potential: "I saw Tom Campbell kick a goal from 80 [metres] into the wind off one step the other week in a practice match and that got a few eyes going. I can’t say I've kicked too many into the northerly hear at the Whitten Oval, and he did that on a few occasions. So he's an exciting prospect."

Meanwhile, Morris' prospects of making a late-season return have fizzled.

The 29-year-old key backman broke both major bones in his right leg against Essendon at Etihad Stadium in round 21 last year.

He played a quarter with Williamstown's reserves team in early May but pulled up sore, with scans revealing a stress fracture in the fibula - in a different spot to the original break.

In better news for the Bulldogs on the injury front, the club's injury list has defender Tom Williams only a week away from returning after regaining full fitness following a shoulder reconstruction in early March.

Williams, 25, hurt his right shoulder in the NAB Cup clash with Carlton and was placed on the long-term injury list. He has trained strongly in recent weeks.

[Maddog37]

Re: Dogs elevate rookie ruckman

So Austin will get the post round 11 elevation spot when Tom comes back?

[Maddog37]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

If Campbell can produce and Cordy, Wallis etc continue to improve, this is shaping as a watershed year for the club.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

So what happens the next week when Will is back?

I said the same thing with the Austin elevation. Yeah different scenario but I've got egg on my face for being so against it.

A few people in here have said they're keen to get him in regardless. I don't think it will be just 1 week for Campbell.

[Twodogs]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

Merged two threads on the same subject.

[Scraggers]

Re: Tom Campbell Rookie Upgrade

I might be alone here, but I always saw Campbell as a lead-up forward and not as a ruck.

Watching him in the TAC Cup at the beginning of the year,he seemed to fit that role.


For those that have seen him play for Williamstown, what role has he been playing? Has he got the motor to play on the ball? Is he any good in the ruck (if that's where he has played)? How do you think McCartney will use him? (Here endith my questions ... for now )