Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

[Twodogs]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

You couldn't hear 'sons of the scray' from where you are?

I was at my parent's house in Yarraville for fish and chips when the game finished. Friday night.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

I was at my parent's house in Yarraville for fish and chips when the game finished. Friday night.

There's another thread there about traditions. That was a big one of ours growing up and through the generations, you can bank on my grand parents still doing it (with some help) and they're pushing 90.

[Twodogs]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Funnily enough it's my kids who are keenest on it. The first thing they say when they walk through the door on Friday from school is "fish and chips tonight"?

[Bornadog]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Western Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli impressed in the VFL


RICHMOND and Western Bulldogs’ prized draft picks took another step towards validating their summer hype with impressive performances in last night’s VFL practice match.
Ben Lennon, who joined the Tigers with the No. 12 pick, collected 16 first-half disposals at Whitten Oval after minor knee surgery last month, while best-and-fairest winner Daniel Jackson got through the hit-out and should bolster the AFL side next week.
Jackson’s pre-season was interrupted by a hamstring strain but he is expected to win promotion to Richmond’s side for Thursday’s blockbuster against Carlton.

Daniel Jackson well held by Josh Prudden. Source: News Corp Australia


Dogs No. 4 pick Marcus Bontempelli is starting to creep into AFL contention after overcoming a small knee setback last month.
The 192cm midfielder roamed the ground impressively with his long arms and surprising speed standing out.
Bontempelli, who plays in Scott Pendlebury’s mould, joined the Dogs as a raw and skinny 17-year-old but has his teammates excited with his similarities to emerging star Jack Macrae.
Lennon, a classy medium forward, is shaping as another blue-chip selection after the ready-mace successes of Brandon Ellis, Nick Vlastuin and Reece Conca.
Tough midfielder Clay Smith got through his second VFL clash unscathed following his swift return from a knee reconstruction, but Daniel Pearce left the clash with a suspected knee injury.
Smith’s injury effectively cost him just seven matches given he ruptured his ACL in Round 16 last year.
Spearhead Liam Jones took some strong grabs around the ground and was trialled in the ruck as Footscray kicked clear late to win by 62 points.

Liam Jones lays a tackle on Nathan Gordon. Source: News Corp Australia


Former Crow Chris Knights collected 24 disposals for the Tigers.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs left value pick Mitch Honeychurch out of their side to face West Coast at Patersons Stadium tomorrow.
But the No. 60 selection is on standby and will make the trip west today.
Coach Brendan McCartney will unveil spearhead Stewart Crameri while the Eagles overlooked former Dogs goalkicker Josh Hill.
Ayce Cordy and ex-Magpie Tom Young also missed the cut for the Bulldogs.

link: here

[Remi Moses]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Thanks for the reports folks. Sad for young Pierce if it's a knee, by all reports Perkins from Port Colts was very impressive. Nice bit of depth we're developing .

[soupman]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

I went but only saw the first half. I thought we were the much better side, the first quarter was pretty even with us kicking into the strong wind and the second quarter we were dominant and should have kicked about 4 more goals than we did. I am used to sitting at level 3 at Etihad so my perception of the game is limited from the ground level, particularly in contests and on the other side of the ground so my impressions are based on open play and the one wing.

Bontempelli: Really exciting. He just glides into space and looks very calm and assured with the ball. Is very well built, certainly not slight, and is probably as big as guys like Talia. I would be surprised if he hasn't debuted by round 5. Looks the real deal.

Williams: Looked a long way away. Barely had a touch that I saw, and at times looked very slow. Wasn't an encouraging performance.

Smith: Probably the best player from that first half, is clearly to smart with his positioning and his movement is fine because he was throwing himself around in all directions. Should have snapped a goal in the second, but was impressive. Will be back in the side by round 3, which is remarkable considering he did his knee in round 16.

Tutt: I didn't notice Tutt get more than a couple of touches, but he looked to break away and get the ball to space when he did. His work rate was there though, there were a few times where he picked up a couple of touches chasing the ball downfield.

Roberts: Played forward again, which seems to be where they are focusing on putting him. Was quieter than Jones.

Jones: Was pretty impressive. Read the flight of the ball really well and took some great marks as a result. Did a lovely chase down and was very encouraging.

Pearce: Was pretty quiet in the first half.

Hrovat: I don't remember seeing him get the ball but I didn't see much of the play around the contest where he would get his touches. Doesn't shut up though, was shouting constantly while on the bench instructing guys like Markovic.

Prudden: Got a fair bit of it and physically looks good. Had three very gettable shots at goal in the second quarter and shanked them all. I think he looks good.

Howard: Was ok, but doesn't really have any strengths and didn't stand out, which is dissapointing from someone in his 4th (?) season). Did courageously run back with the flight though and nearly got taken out as a result.

Talia: I didn't really notice him but Richmond hardly got it forward.

Darley: He looks, moves and plays like Dal Santo. Just glides, lovely kicking action and trajectory and apart from a shanked kick out was very good by foot.I think he looks good.

Greenwood: Was pretty good. Gets a fair bit of the footy and did a Crossy type mark running backwards a couple of times. Work rate looks good, just not sure if he has anything extra to his game that will give him an edge in the AFL.

Fuller: Was very quiet, got a couple of handballs and short kicks. For a mature age recruit he isn't very big, and based on this performance and the intraclub is probably the furthest away of all our draftees from the past two years.

Redpath: Didn't do much that I saw.

Jong: Did some good stuff through the middle and was on the end of some scoring chains which was good to see. I'm really excited by Jong.

Austin: Didn't notice him.

Lower was good, if not a tad untidy. Markovic looks incredibly slow. Perkins looks dangerous.

Good to see Campbell, Stringer, Wallis, Roughead, Cordy, Stevens, JJ, Young, Liberatore, Higgins and Griffen all lurking around the huddle at quarter time.

I did notice that our key forwards were really good at taking marks with arms fully extended, particularly Roberts and Jones. Kind of the opposite of what Cordy does which makes me think he isn't listening to instruction.

[KT31]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Great report. thanks Soup.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Thanks Soupa, great write up.

Very happy to read about Jones, I'm hopeful he can really progress this year and perhaps a few weeks in the VFL building work rate and confidence is a good way to start the season for him.

Going to be really interesting to see how we plan to fit Smith and Bontempelli (as well as Griff of course) back into the midfield rotations. We have so much depth in that area.

[comrade]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Great report.

Looking forward to seeing Darley get a shot. I think he has plenty to offer with his running and kicking skills off half back.

Let the Bonti bandwagon roll on.

[Eastdog]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Great report soupaman thanks. Great to hear that quite a few players played very well. I think from what I've heard that Pearce did his knee which is bad news for him.

[Bornadog]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

Footscray’s pressure tames Tigers

March 24, 2014 6:04 PM

Liam Jones of the Bulldogs celebrates during the 2013 AFL Round 16 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Essendon Bombers at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne on July 14, 2013. (Photo: Michael Willson/AFL Media)

A consistent team defensive effort from the Footscray Bulldogs saw them defeat Richmond by 62 points in the VFL practice match at Victoria University Whitten Oval last Friday night.

The Bulldogs contained Richmond for much of the four quarters match, however were unable to translate this to a scoreboard advantage early missing opportunities in front of goals.

Finishing with the wind behind them, Footscray kicked seven unanswered goals in the final term to runaway with the win – their first of the pre-season.

Development Manager Chris Maple said Footscray were consistent in their application across the four quarters, chipping away at Richmond with their defensive pressure and contested work.
“It was a very contested game of footy, due to the wind,” Maple said.

“We were pretty happy with the boys, their contested footy was really good, our stoppages and clearances were good as well and we out-tackled our opposition.”

Assuming on-field roles they hope to make their own at AFL level, a host senior-listed players capitalised on the hit-out to put forward their case for a round two call-up to play North Melbourne on Sunday.
“We got a good chance to look at our AFL boys in the positions we wanted to play them in and some of our VFL boys were able to play against some good company – which was exciting for them,” he said.

“Some of our VFL-listed players did really well which we were really pleased with – it was a win-win on both sides.”
Crediting Alex Greenwood as a standout, Maple said a number of the Bulldogs’ AFL-listed players competed strongly in the match.
“I was really happy with Alex Greenwood’s game, I thought he had a very balanced game both in attack and defensively,” he said.
“It was great to see Clay Smith back in action and Christian Howard, who have both had interrupted pre-seasons with injury, so very good to see those guys getting in and doing well.

“It’s exciting for Lin Jong once again, who had a great pre-season, to see Marcus Bontempelli run around with the boys again and Liam Jones was also quite impressive.”
It wasn’t just the senior listed players who contributed on the day with the Footscray Bulldogs Coach also commending a number of VFL-listed players in their roles.

“From our VFL-listed players Darcy Fort came up against [Richmond’s] Orren Stephenson – one of the premier VFL ruckmen over the past few years – and competed really well against him,” he said.
“Jase Perkins kicked a few goals which was impressive, while Todd Finco came on and really shone in the second half and showed some speed and dash.
“Nick Lower was really tough inside and had some good clearances.”

VFL practice match results:
Footscray Bulldogs 16. 13. (109) defeated Richmond VFL 7. 5. (47)
Goals: J Perkins 4, M Bontempelli 2, N Hrovat 2, L Jones 2, F Roberts 2, A Greenwood, C Howard, L Jong, D Pearce
Best: A Greenwood, M Bontempelli, C Smith, L Jong, L Jones, J Perkins, D Fort

link here

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Practise Match - Footscray take on Tigers - March 21 4.30pm

I know having a stand along 'stacks the deck' with the bests, but I love not seeing VFL players being consistently better than some very well compensated AFL players. Good for Greenwood too.