Was a training drill
I’m still very much in the camp that it had to be related to what was rumoured. That gastro swept through the club. Players had no energy whatsoever. Smack was a late out versus Dogs week before with it. Hep was crook also.
And Tim English ended up being an out with it week after our game against them.
West coast and the dogs are the only teams that can make a move into the top 4.
Not as bullish as others.
Lost a final by 10 goals, and added 2 useful - not game changing - KPs.
I still see them as around the mark - 10-13 wins, bottom end of finals ish - but what’s changed to make them a real contender?
3 gun front line mids and a good handful of useful, hard working smallish runners keep them in a lot of games, a pretty poor forward line, a solid backline that relies a fair bit on a few old stagers, and ruck division of 1 will hold them back.
The ruck bit is particularly weird when Pittonet changed clubs for pick 54, Darcy Cameron for pick 56, Philips for pick 57, Zac Smith for pick 58, and Jacobs and Frampton both for future 4th rounders.
WB had pick 53 and took a small. The very next pick was Bigoa Nyuon, a ruckman.
Not interested in any of them? Not rate the position? Just arrogance?
English looks a good thing, but a) he’s 22 and not entirely proven and b) he’s bound to miss games at some point.
If Naughton has a bit of a downturn - and sides will be putting a lot more work into him after his break-out games - they’ll struggle.
If English breaks down, they’re stuffed and crossing their fingers for the mid season draft.
I just don’t see what separates them from Hawthorn, St K, us.
I’d have Trengove in the side for that reason, but Bruce did ruck a bit at the Saints over the past couple of years.
11 premiership players? (The oldest of which is 30)
In no way did they bottom out.
Their midfield. Bont, MacRae, Dunkley and Hunter are all pretty clearly top shelf in their respective roles. Libba is capable of producing elite footy too. Smith looks very promising and adds a level of explosiveness.
Those 4 have played every game last year and they were 7th, a fair way behind the top few.
They all missed 2-3 games in 2018, and they were 10th ish.
They’re very, very good, but I think pretty much all their eggs are in that basket.
This is what I posted as my prediction before last season:
"I think their list rebuild is tracking nicely…helped by things like ridiculous compensation for Dahlhaus…cheap access to West as a father-son…and I seem to recall there being more father-son prospects coming through…
They won’t be relevant in 2019…but they should be aiming for finals from about 2021 onwards."
So their list build has gripped much quicker than I thought…but most Blitzers were writing them off as something like bottom 4 at the time.
Now, having topped up with Bruce/Keath at decent value, I expect them to be a finals team again this year. And with Ugle-Hagen coming at a discounted price at the end of the year, I think their list is nicely positioned for a multi-year premiership tilt. They’ll be at the opposite end of the ladder to us.
Agree. They were totally dominant at times during the back half of the season.
We should poach their recruiters/list managers.
Whoever they are they seem to do a much better job than ours
They certainly had their issues with consistency last year. They put in some absolute stinkers at times. Early season losses to suns, Blues and freo that Essington would be proud of.
They had problems with their backline structure and figuring how to play with a legit contested marking beast ahead of the ball.
I think they’ve improved their backline and their forward line in the off season and they will be looking to atone for the elimination final embarrassment.
Their draw is also super soft somehow.
Bont is 24
Macrea is 25
Dunkley is 23
Hunter is 25
I agree they don’t have the key position stocks nailed yet, but those 4 are only just coming into their prime and should get better if anything.
Sure.
I’m not saying they’re going to go over a cliff. I just don’t see those 4 improving any vast amount, and I think their backs, forwards and ruck leave a lot to be desired.
Alex Keath tho.
Bulldogs in 20: good but ultimately still the poor, smelly kid at school who mysteriously had way more sick days than anyone else in the AFL classroom.
Naughton in doubt for rd 1 with surgery on his right knee - he had surgery on the left one last year.
English missing a couple with concussion.
Take out those two and they’ll have the worst spine in the league.
I love the balanced look of the dogs, but as with all teams they can’t replace their elite players if they get LTIs. Ceteris paribus, I think they’ll be top 4.
I don’t think much about our game v them last year. However I do think it was one of the best performances of our coaching group to get the players confidence up the week later to win in Perth.
Could argue these guys have the best midfield in the comp now. Bont Dunkley and Macrae are all young and top of their game now. - like a Selwood/Bartel/Ablett at peak or Hodge Lewis, Mitchell
Their bookends have been strengthened with addition of Bruce and Keath who should fit their style.
Would list ruck as the weakness should English have a lenthy spell on the sidelines.
Easy draw, wouldnt be surprised to see this team at the pointy end at the finish of the year.
Hopefully our recent result (flogging) means we will come out breathing fire.
I reckon their balance is the worst in the league.
Maybe the best starting midfield in the league - if not, very close.
2 ruckmen on their entire list - both 22yo, with 29 games between them.
Key forwards of Bruce (27yo, 113 games) then Naughton (20yo, 41 games) and Schache (22yo, 56 games).
Their balance (without LTIs) is a very talented & mobile young ruck, 2019’s most exciting young KP forward, and they have enough tall backs now, to go with their brilliant midfield. They should be able to build a good forward line around Naughton + Bruce or Schache…unless injuries bite.
I think their potential weakness is small forwards. That’s where we have them covered. But they can send Bont down if they need a goal or 3.