Round 15 - Footscray Bulldogs v North Melbourne • Friday 4 July 2025 • 4:05 PM

[hujsh]

Across both levels it’s clear our backline is directed to mark at all costs, but if we’re going to refuse to spoil and kill contents we HAVE to learn to keep numbers in the right spots at ground level. The biggest club wide issue is us dropping a mark in defence where everyone else is out of position and it’s swarmed on by opposition for an easy goal

If we don’t want to spoil and kill contests then it’s a necessity to be in position when it hits the ground. We’re downright terrible at it. It’s pretty simple stuff, can’t we designate a sweeper whose job is to get in behind and mop up?

Something I noticed when North went forward after getting it down to 4 points, A long ball was kicked to a 2v2 contest with Sellwood drifting in from the side/front. I expected him to jump up and try to outmark the pack but he stayed down to deal with the ground ball. Probably a good sign that he's got a decent idea of when to go vs when not to.

[Pleather Sole]

FT Dogs 13.9 North 10.11

Thanks for the updates and commentary Smads57

[doggies ftw]

Something I noticed when North went forward after getting it down to 4 points, A long ball was kicked to a 2v2 contest with Sellwood drifting in from the side/front. I expected him to jump up and try to outmark the pack but he stayed down to deal with the ground ball. Probably a good sign that he's got a decent idea of when to go vs when not to.

Yeah I thought the exact same thing at one point, was probably the same contest. Was good to see, probably hasn’t been trained into him yet to fly into a 6 deep pack no matter the consequences

[kruder]

How are woofers viewing Cofty right now? I didn’t get to watch but another low posy game.

[ledge]

How are woofers viewing Cofty right now? I didn’t get to watch but another low posy game.

Of what I have seen is he cant play anywhere but forward.
put him forward he presents and will take marks but anywhere else he seems lost.

[ledge]

I thought it was a very mediocre game today where no one actually stood out a lot .
Walker looks a player , Scott got a lot but his disposal was terrible at times .
I don’t think the weather was good for stand out footy, windy and the ball does make funny bounces etc.

[doggies ftw]

How are woofers viewing Cofty right now? I didn’t get to watch but another low posy game.

I honestly just don’t think we’ll have any idea for another few years and then he’s going to need to get a chance at AFL level. Can’t see him and his game style ever doing much of anything at VFL level tbh

[Eastdog]

Thanks for the updates Smads57.

Much appreciated.

[Bigdog]

How are woofers viewing Cofty right now? I didn’t get to watch but another low posy game.

Would like to see him do more, but a couple of things holding him back:

- Consistent run of games - has he ever put more than 5 games together at vfl level?
- VFL Footy - looks to me to work himself into space quite a lot but the skill level at vfl just breaks down and he doesn’t get hit up. I’m pretty confident his game will translate better at afl level.
- Role Definition - I have no idea what he is being asked to do at the moment.

I will say, despite his low volume we are a much better side with him in the team. Seems to straighten us up even though his not a genuine key.

We need to be patient with him.

[Bigdog]

Really happy with Walker and Sellwood. Both look like weapons aerially. However both questionable by foot.

Walkers technique needs some work - it wasn’t holding up at marvel let alone VUWO.

Sellwood might just be adapting to the conditions. Might not get VUWO conditions over in WA. Also thought he looked neat in the highlights I saw from the wafl. Interested to know how his footskills are at training.

[GVGjr]

Scott was the clear best on ground from my perspective. Attacked and defended as well as you could hope for

Some genuine positives with Sellwood's game but my god he was really poor with some disposals when he was under no pressure at all and that is concerning.
I wonder if he is adjusting to really congested football. A lot of positives but those missed kicks just took the shine off his otherwise impressive game.
Cleary was a good performer and used the ball far better than Sellwood

Jones was really good, same with Gardner.
Busslinger did his job as we have become conditioned to.

Baker does some good things and consistently takes the game on so you have to wear some of his errors

Khamis needed that run and didn't disappoint.

[Hotdog60]

I like the look of Sellwood but as others have said his disposal at times makes me wonder. Is he rushing things? I like he wants to move the ball quickly, but he seems to be rushing and not getting settled.
Sellwood could be a future replacement for Doc if he can tidy things up.
I have my doubts on Croft and may take another season to see if he has anything.
Scott had a good game and his best in a while but him, Baker and Poulter I would have on the chopping block.

[doggies ftw]

Really happy with Walker and Sellwood. Both look like weapons aerially. However both questionable by foot.

Walkers technique needs some work - it wasn’t holding up at marvel let alone VUWO.

Sellwood might just be adapting to the conditions. Might not get VUWO conditions over in WA. Also thought he looked neat in the highlights I saw from the wafl. Interested to know how his footskills are at training.

I went and took another look at Sellwoods highlights last night because I also thought I remembered him using the ball really well there, looking at it more closely now you can still see the loopyness of it I think there was just so much space in that state game that a loopy kicking action doesn’t hurt too much.

Even VFL level is different in that you can’t kick like that it’ll get shown up, and AFL is a whole other level you just cannot put that much airtime on short kicks there is no where near enough space.

I think it’s something he will be able to adapt to, basically his long kicking looks fine and he has a long leg, just unless he can learn to kick flatter and harder then he can’t take on risky short kicks - it’s a limitation but I think the rest of his game is good enough to make up for it. I feel like this is something you can get better at though, at least under little pressure.

Hes also a bit sloppy by hand and with his decision making but I think that can be excused with a new team at a different level of game speed and different game style etc. From what I’ve seen he’s really really good defensively though and I love his desperation & hardness.

I think he could have an impact now and offer a genuine option who can play on those small-medium dangerous forwards who we literally have no other option for. He has the speed to go with the smalls, and then can offer an intercepting option too.

im excited about him, although that might just be mainly because how dire our existing options are in his role.

[Bornadog]

Scott was the clear best on ground from my perspective. Attacked and defended as well as you could hope for

Some genuine positives with Sellwood's game but my god he was really poor with some disposals when he was under no pressure at all and that is concerning.
I wonder if he is adjusting to really congested football. A lot of positives but those missed kicks just took the shine off his otherwise impressive game.
Cleary was a good performer and used the ball far better than Sellwood

Jones was really good, same with Gardner.
Busslinger did his job as we have become conditioned to.

Baker does some good things and consistently takes the game on so you have to wear some of his errors

Khamis needed that run and didn't disappoint.

Is Cleary a chance to come back or he has to wait till Coffield is out?

[GVGjr]

Is Cleary a chance to come back or he has to wait till Coffield is out?

I'm not sure Coffield replaced the role Cleary was playing. Coff is better suited to roles against some taller opponents whereas Cleary is better suited to more mid and smaller opponents.