Williamstown v Northern Bullants

[GVGjr]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

This should be a good encounter and I intend to get there early to watch both games. With Stack making his debut I'm hoping O'Keefe has a cracker of a game to keep the pressure on.

For the younger guys I'm expecting good games from Boumann and Roughead today and I think Daniels will be just about ready to play a blinder in the reserves.

[comrade]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

This should be a good encounter and I intend to get there early to watch both games. With Stack making his debut I'm hoping O'Keefe has a cracker of a game to keep the pressure on.

For the younger guys I'm expecting good games from Boumann and Roughead today and I think Daniels will be just about ready to play a blinder in the reserves.

Hopefully Lynch gets promoted, maintains the form he has shown in previous weeks and cements a senior spot. He needs to stay in the game for 4 quarters, rather than fade in and out.

Also, this round features the '23rd player' rule, where each senior team includes a TAC Cup player. Sherlock from the Western Jets is playing for Willy today.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

This should be a good encounter and I intend to get there early to watch both games. With Stack making his debut I'm hoping O'Keefe has a cracker of a game to keep the pressure on.

For the younger guys I'm expecting good games from Boumann and Roughead today and I think Daniels will be just about ready to play a blinder in the reserves.

I might try and catch up with you there. Going by Comrades and your reviews Lynch should be a monty to play in the seniors.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Final Score

Northern Bullants 5.1 13.3 16.9 20.13 (133)
Williamstown 6.2 8.6 14.8 14.14 (98)

[comrade]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Final Score

Northern Bullants 5.1 13.3 16.9 20.13 (133)
Williamstown 6.2 8.6 14.8 14.14 (98)

Willy were way down on form today, with most, if not all, of the Bulldogs players having average games - will write some more later as I'm currently thawing out.

[GVGjr]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Willy were way down on form today, with most, if not all, of the Bulldogs players having average games - will write some more later as I'm currently thawing out.

A number of the Bulldog guys did have averages games and like you I'm still trying to thaw out a bit. I might leave the game report to you today.

[GVGjr]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

VFL Reserves
Northern Bullants 1.2 6.3 7.10 8.14 (62)
Williamstown 5.5 8.7 13.10 16.14 (110)

GOALS:
Northern Bullants: Groth 2 Hill Young Bilney Gianfagna Totino McMahon
Williamstown: Galea 3 Roughead 2 Miller Shaw Joyce Cartelli Cravino Florance Daniels Georgiadis Gotch Sharp Grossman

BEST:
Northern Bullants: McDermott Bentick Prior Gale Totino Austin
Williamstown: Roughead Gotch Grossman Cartelli Shaw Cravino


VFL Seniors
Northern Bullants 5.1 13.3 16.9 20.13 (133)
Williamstown 6.2 8.6 14.8 14.14 (98)

GOALS:
Northern Bullants: Cloke 5 Saddington 3 Boundy 3 Bentley 2 Bannister 2 Hartlett 2 McCorkell Hadley Bannister
Williamstown: Little 4 Rose 4 Davies Langlands Egan Skipper Stretton Cordy

BEST:
Northern Bullants: Iacobucci Cloke Bransgrove Hadley Bannister Yarran
Williamstown: Rose Davies Little Reid Everitt Stretton

[comrade]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Reserves

Ogle: An improvement on last week's game. Didn't get a lot of it, but he was much cleaner and got some nice handballs away that opened up the corridor.

Daniels: Still struggling with fitness I think. His kicking was good but probably didn't get to enough contests. He got crunched early and I thought his shoulder was gone but he kept going. A big game isn't far away, I hope.

Mulligan: I continue to be impressed by big Mully at full back. He just doesn't get beaten in the air and absolutely thumps the ball when he spoils. He's reading of the play has improved with each outing, and more than once he read the play so well that he timed his run to be in front of his opponent, grabbed the ball and rebounded out. His kicking is acceptable but it still has that Queenslander tinge. A work in progress but I like what I'm seeing.

Shaw: We know he's more of a work horse, but his movement around the ground was very good today. He and Roughy dominated the ruck, and Shaw was dangerous in attack. Ended up with 1 goal and should've had a couple.

Roughead: Great game. He just clunks big marks, around the ground and up forward, and his tap work is sublime. His second BOG in a row and it should lead to a promotion (probably at the expense of Cordy)

Will do the seniors soon - fair warning that it won't be great reading as there were a number of average performances.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Question on notice to GVGjr and Comrade (and other recidivist Willy watchers):

White, Mulligan and Shaw are coming up to 2 years. Do they stay and get promoted?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Question on notice to GVGjr and Comrade (and other recidivist Willy watchers):

White, Mulligan and Shaw are coming up to 2 years. Do they stay and get promoted?

Thanks Comrade. Roughy has got to come up. Seems FAR too good for VFL ressies.

[comrade]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Question on notice to GVGjr and Comrade (and other recidivist Willy watchers):

White, Mulligan and Shaw are coming up to 2 years. Do they stay and get promoted?

White: Has shown glimpses, but has yet to really break open a game. Henry is pacy, but lacks the football smarts to get to positions where he can win possessions.

For: The Bulldogs do lack some depth in the pace department, and White is quick. He is also well balanced, and when given time does kick the ball nicely. Gotch obviously rates him as he has squeezed into the seniors for a few games.

Against: We rookied Jamason Daniels. Similar in that they both have raw pace, JD also has the ability to win his own ball. IMO JD looks to have the tools to go to the next level, whereas White seems to lack those crucial smarts that would allow him to be something other than player that fades in and out of games.

Conclusion: If we are looking for pace in the draft, Henry might be in trouble if he doesn't have a break out second half of the year. If JD performs well for the remainder of the season, he'll most likely leapfrog White - who I fear will be let go.


Mulligan: Has struggled with injury in the early part of this season, but has improved with each outing.

For: He has the size to take on big forwards, and the athleticism to be a rebounding weapon. His reading of the play is becoming a real feature of the game, as he times his spoils well and is rarely beaten in the air. Can pinch hit in the ruck, and could probably go forward.

Against: The Bulldogs now have some depth in their tall, defensive stocks. He is still raw and his kicking, whilst improved, still needs work.

Conclusion: At this stage, he hasn't exactly demanded to be promoted to the main list but if his improvement keeps trending upwards, he could find himself at Whitten Oval next year.


Shaw: An absolute work horse in the mold of Hudson. Isn't a smooth mover, but his tap work is very good and can clunk a mark when moved forward.

For: Huddo isn't getting any younger. Skip has probably run his race. Roughy will probably be ready to go next year, but he's only young and has form when it comes to shoulder injuries. Ayce is years away and will be a forward most of the time. Basically, you can never have too much ruck depth, and body-wise Shaw could step in tomorrow if need be.

Against: He's from the old school of tap ruckmen, not really a big midfielder like Cox/Jolly etc. Isn't overly tall and has yet to crack Willy seniors this year.

Conclusion: IMO rookie ruckmen are either long term projects or insurance policies - Shaw is an insurance policy. It'll obviously depend on how he performs for the rest of the year - if he can somehow work his way into the seniors through good performances, we might want to keep him as he'll be a better insurance than drafting a raw 18 year old who won't be able to compete for a few years. Perhaps he'll be delisted and re-rookied.


Basically, the second half of the year is crucial for these 3 guys. Each have pros and cons. Looking into my crystal ball, if Mulligan keeps improving he'll be promoted, Shaw will be re-rookied and White will be gone.

Please note that I could be very far off the mark.

[GVGjr]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Question on notice to GVGjr and Comrade (and other recidivist Willy watchers):

White, Mulligan and Shaw are coming up to 2 years. Do they stay and get promoted?

I think we are still a few weeks away from making decisions because a lot can change.
Early on in the season I just couldn't see how Shaw could make it but his last 3 weeks have been encouraging and I thought he was one of the better players today. If he continues in the same vain for the balance of the season then I would consider him.
Mulligan is an interesting one because he spent his first year battling as a ruckman when really he was better suited to a key defenders role. He has shown some good signs of late but just lacks genuine or traditional footy smarts.
Given he still isn't in the senior side I have my doubts that we will preserver with him.
Henry White has made a lot of progress this season both in his physical development and with his endeavors on the field but my gut feel is that he won't be maintained.

Daniels is another rookie (1st season) and I would definitely keep him. Picken has obviously locked in a spot.

[Bornadog]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

I originally thought this game was on Sunday and was intending on going, but unfortunately missed out.

How did Boumann and Grant play? What about Reid and O'Keefe?

[comrade]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Ok, here we go.

Cordy: I think he's starting to hit the wall and is in need of a spell. Yesterday, he still presented but he wasn't as clean as he has been. He spent some time in the ruck and held his own. Did have a nice highlight where he kicked a running goal from the pocket. Roughy needs to come in.

Grant: He's had a few disappointing weeks in a row - yesterday continued the trend. His fitness levels are becoming a real issue and it makes me think he could be carrying something. Missed a mark on the lead in the opening minutes and struggled from there. Some of his leading was good at times, but the Willy guys (Johnson, Rose, Davies) continually look for Little in the forward 50. Grant spent a lot of time on the pine and even played in defence in the last quarter where he looked ok reading the play, but a passage of play summed up his day - he had the ball on the back flank and needed to chip a kick no more than 15 metres to hit up a team mate. Due to being exhausted he snubbed it, the opposition recovered and they got a goal. A concern at the moment.

O'Keefe: Was generally pretty clean but struggled to have much of an impact. Needs to improve his work rate to make sure he gets into better positions where he can hurt the opposition as a lot of his possessions where across half back.

Reid: Probably the best of the Bulldogs boys, but even he wasn't a stand out. His kicking is still a concern, but his work rate was good and he kept running until the end. Next in line for a call up in the midfield.

Lynch: I was happy to see Lynch get a call up as his last few weeks had been good - my fear was that he'd fade in and out at the higher level. Unfortunately, he did. Of course, he always does some silky things, and his weaving and ducking in traffic was good - but he just doesn't get to enough contests. I hope he stays up next week, as another run will be good for him, but geez, he needs to lift.

Everitt: Another one who worked hard but was still shaded by his opponent. The Bullants forward line got silver service all day so it was hard for the defensive unit, but Everitt did get lead to the ball at times. His rebounding has again become a feature of his game and he made some big runs through the middle which was pleasing. If Tiller gets dropped and Tommy isn't right, Dre should get a run.

Boumann: Not a great day for my boy (). He was switched around in the back line and ended up on Saddington who was a touch too good in the air. Didn't stop battling away even if he wasn't having a great day, which is encouraging. Not the worst at all.

Wight: Wasn't really a factor. Started forward, but was quickly sent back when Cloke started to get on top. Gave away a few silly frees which cost the team.

Skipper: Probably broke even with his opposition ruckmen, but just didn't give as much around the ground as previous weeks. The Bullants got first use out of the middle time again. Has Minson and Hudson's good form made him drop his head?

Callan: Played midfield again as the Bullants didn't have a match up in the forward line. Didn't have much influence, but as always, never shirks an issue and fought hard to the end. Could be in line for a call up to take on one of Port's smaller players, possibly for Tiller, if the MC decide Everitt isn't the one.

Addison: Was better than last week - a lot cleaner with his disposal and read the ball better. My concern with him is how does he get back in? He will never dominate a game, even at VFL level. It's all about the little things, like blocking, running hard, laying tackles. He did those things yesterday, but his influence was still minimal.

GVG, have I missed anyone? All in all, a disappointing game where no one really put there hand up and demanded a spot. Reid may have jumped the queue and is probably on par with O'Keefe now - maybe even ahead as he is better in the air and has that bursting ability to get away from a pack. Everitt should also be considered.

For mine, Grant was the most disappointing - if he's injured he needs a rest. If he's not, he needs a rocket and needs to get fitter.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Williamstown v Northern Bullants

Thanks Comrade. Bou would have learnt a thing or two from Saddington, good experience at least.

Grant sounds a little concerning.