Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

VFL watchers. Six wins in a row now. Why has our form in the VFL turned around so much? What is happening?

Early in the year we had very limited AFL listed players available due to the overall injury list.

Since we have been playing 12 plus AFL listed players we have been winning.

[kruder]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Where did Gallagher play? Wing?

[Prince Imperial]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Where did Gallagher play? Wing?

Yes.

[whythelongface]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Where did Gallagher play? Wing?

But also sometime on the ball. He did pick up some clean possessions playing in the mids.

[The Doctor]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Swans 8. 8. 56
FB: 17. 16. 118

Disposals: Sullivan 44, Gallagher 29, McLean 27


Goals: Khamis 4, Baker 3, Lobb 2, Jones 2, Gallagher 2, Sweet 1, Sullivan 1, Orgill 1, McLean 1

Gags is the real deal. Think we have a good one here. Would love to see him debut soon. Jones should have had 4 but missed a couple uncharacteristically. Baker was excellent. Buss is starting to find his groove. If Darcy isn't right for the next game why not give Khamis a go? What more can the guy do?

Sullivan should be on an AFL list.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Gags is the real deal. Think we have a good one here. Would love to see him debut soon. Jones should have had 4 but missed a couple uncharacteristically. Baker was excellent. Buss is starting to find his groove. If Darcy isn't right for the next game why not give Khamis a go? What more can the guy do?

Sullivan should be on an AFL list.

Khamis had 2.5 last week. If he kicked straight against Collingwood a lot more would be asking for his selection. 4 the week before that. 10 goals as a Fwd/Ruck in 3 weeks and has been one of our best over that time. He's doing more than enough so got to reward him.

[GVGjr]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Gags is the real deal. Think we have a good one here. Would love to see him debut soon. Jones should have had 4 but missed a couple uncharacteristically. Baker was excellent. Buss is starting to find his groove. If Darcy isn't right for the next game why not give Khamis a go? What more can the guy do?

Sullivan should be on an AFL list.

Good summary Doc. Khamis should be considered because if we want to ensure selection integrity and reward inform players he should have been given some chances by now. Gallagher is capable of playing in a few spots for us as well but he might need another week to have some continuity behind him.

[azabob]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Good summary Doc. Khamis should be considered because if we want to ensure selection integrity and reward inform players he should have been given some chances by now. Gallagher is capable of playing in a few spots for us as well but he might need another week to have some continuity behind him.

Good observation on giving Gallagher another week or two in the vfl. He has had a very stop / start year due to injuries and niggles.

[azabob]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

All bias aside whose form warrants the 2nd ruck spit. Lobb or Khamis?

[GVGjr]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Good observation on giving Gallagher another week or two in the vfl. He has had a very stop / start year due to injuries and niggles.

Over summer every time he started to show some form he would suffer a set back for a few weeks. If we can give him a a couple of weeks more at Footscray I think it would be the safer bet.

[Smads57]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Over summer every time he started to show some form he would suffer a set back for a few weeks. If we can give him a a couple of weeks more at Footscray I think it would be the safer bet.

I agree with your post G. I think Gallagher's game on Friday was the 'break out' game we were wanting/waiting for him at this level. He now needs to maintain this level of play in the VFL for the next couple of weeks and if he can, will hopefully get a call up to the senior squad.

[Smads57]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

VFL watchers. Six wins in a row now. Why has our form in the VFL turned around so much? What is happening?

Our first 8 rounds included 4 games against the current top four (ie Suns, Lions, Werribee and Casey). The draw has opened up a bit for us since then.

There was also a bit of turnover (as you might expect) with the VFL team from 2022 to 2023 and it took awhile for the VFL MC to get the selections right. For example, there were 7 different VFL listed players who played in Round 1 against Casey who weren't in Friday's team against the Swans.

As Bulldog Joe has pointed out in a seperate post, having a large number of AFL listed players available helps also. In that first game against Casey there were only 7 AFL players available.

There are five rounds of VFL left to play. We have two 'soft' games (Bullants, Port Melb) and also line up against the 5th and 6th placed teams in Box Hill and North. In amongst those games is another bye.

A point to note is with four VFL games remaining, the 'window' is starting to close for aspiring AFL listed players to break into the senior squad.

[Bornadog]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Smads, should Buss get a promotion this week?

[Smads57]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

Smads, should Buss get a promotion this week?

How to respond....

I've noted over the last few weeks how well Buss, Cleary and Bruce play as a backline group (a team within a team - you can add VFL players Chatfield/Hunt to that group). I have no doubt Bruce's long time in the twos has helped Buss (and JOD when he was playing VFL).

Buss' possession stats (including marking) are 'helped' by Bruce and Cleary playing thru him - he's a far better field kick than Bruce and has more kicking penetration than Cleary.

I make these points as they possibly overstate Buss' 'stat' performances (hence my opening gambit - How to respond...)

Having said all that, I would play him for JOD this week - it would be a like for like selection ie both are inexperienced but with upside.

[Bornadog]

Re: Round 16 ? Footscray Bulldogs v Sydney - Friday 14 July 2023 ? 12:05 PM

How to respond....

I've noted over the last few weeks how well Buss, Cleary and Bruce play as a backline group (a team within a team - you can add VFL players Chatfield/Hunt to that group). I have no doubt Bruce's long time in the twos has helped Buss (and JOD when he was playing VFL).

Buss' possession stats (including marking) are 'helped' by Bruce and Cleary playing thru him - he's a far better field kick than Bruce and has more kicking penetration than Cleary.

I make these points as they possibly overstate Buss' 'stat' performances (hence my opening gambit - How to respond...)

Having said all that, I would play him for JOD this week - it would be a like for like selection ie both are inexperienced but with upside.

Thanks Smads. I think we have found ourselves a potential good KPD. Still only 19 and 198cm he is a good size.