Changes against Eagles

[DognBones]

The 3 best Bulldogs listed players at Footscray last week in Sweet, Mclean and Crozier are all at long odds to be on the list next year.

The problem is that Footscray has been carried by the likes of Sullivan, Sweet, McLean and a host of VFL listed players all season. That team is full of AFL listed guys not deemed ready. List cloggers without much in the way of upside beyond being able to adequately fill injury holes. Or guys filling time until the axe falls on the careers.

And yet, if we had any selection integrity McLean should be playing this week. His VFL form has been excellent and he provides something clearly lacking in our team - grunt. Also, he's a better footballer than the four interchange players selected. I don't subscribe to the view offered by many on here that he's totally "cooked" and that we need to look towards the future. We need the best in form players selected to win the game now.

 

[perro_loco]

I am fully confident that if we make the 8, we will win four games in a row to be the 2023 miracle Premiership team. It is for that reason that I have so far walked 700 kms in the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela to sacrifice my body, soul and spirit so that we win the flag this year. Alternatively, I am a total fool. Greetings to you all from the town of Villafranca del Bierzo. Yours truly Saint perro_loco del Camino.

 

[CDBulldog]

If Sweet looks like he is improving (and I'm not a regular VFL watcher so will need to rely on others here for that view) then why wouldn't you give him a game? Give English a rest, or preferably play him in the Lobb spot and Sweet in the middle. The most dangerous this side have looked across the past 5-6 seasons was the first half of 2021 when we had Martin/English playing. That Bevo hasn't tried this more, even against some poorer teams to try it out, remains a mystery to me - if Sweet just wasn't justifying selection in the twos then I can understand it, although we don't seem to have that selection integrity for others.

In regards to the rest of the side, I agree with those who are saying West should play in Libba's spot. Couldn't really care less about the rest of it, as long as the players get an absolute roasting for their collective efforts on Sunday. That was simply unacceptable on a number of levels.

There's nothing surer than we'll burst out of the blocks against WC like the Richmond game, and probably cruise to a 10-12 goal win rather than really boost percentage. Then have to beat Geelong, where we'll get out to a 4-5 goal lead early and then gradually be worn down by the gap in coaching competence and player execution.

For anyone watching the VFL it’s evident Sweet is absolutely killing it. I’m on board with the idea of playing Sweet and English instead of Sweet and Lobb. English is a better mark than Lobb and just an all round better player, while Sweet is a bully of a ruck. Would instantly make us a better team. Gives me the shits that people write off ruckmen in their early 20s. Not all (most) are ready at that time. Sweet is absolutely an AFL level ruck.

 

[DognBones]

For anyone watching the VFL it’s evident Sweet is absolutely killing it. I’m on board with the idea of playing Sweet and English instead of Sweet and Lobb. English is a better mark than Lobb and just an all round better player, while Sweet is a bully of a ruck. Would instantly make us a better team. Gives me the shits that people write off ruckmen in their early 20s. Not all (most) are ready at that time. Sweet is absolutely an AFL level ruck.

What I've noticed is his improved mobility and willingness to get to more contests around the ground. He's also chasing more balls around his own ruck contests as another 'midfielder'.
I'm sure a few rival clubs will be interested.

 

[doggy_dog]

And yet, if we had any selection integrity McLean should be playing this week. His VFL form has been excellent and he provides something clearly lacking in our team - grunt. Also, he's a better footballer than the four interchange players selected. I don't subscribe to the view offered by many on here that he's totally "cooked" and that we need to look towards the future. We need the best in form players selected to win the game now.

I love Toby but he’s been left wanting whenever he’s stepped up to senior level this year. Including after posting 45 disposals in the two’s

 

[DueWest]

Let’s not mention ‘fumbles’ Baker or ‘just enough’ Scott

Has Baker stolen Vandermeer’s nickname ?

 

[DognBones]

I love Toby but he’s been left wanting whenever he’s stepped up to senior level this year. Including after posting 45 disposals in the two’s

Another way of looking at it is that, of the 5 games for which he's been selected, he was an activated sub on 2 occasions, a non-activated sub once, was subbed off once and collected 17 disposals in the only full game he played this season. He also had injury problems mid season.
I acknowledge that he's not the same player he was prior to his knee recos but his form recently indicates that he'd provide more than have a few of the fringe types currently selected.

 

[hutchy31]

For anyone watching the VFL it’s evident Sweet is absolutely killing it. I’m on board with the idea of playing Sweet and English instead of Sweet and Lobb. English is a better mark than Lobb and just an all round better player, while Sweet is a bully of a ruck. Would instantly make us a better team. Gives me the shits that people write off ruckmen in their early 20s. Not all (most) are ready at that time. Sweet is absolutely an AFL level ruck.

Unfortunately it looks like we’ll find out to our cost that he’s an AFL level ruck when he plays for another club. Not a great development story.

 

[Mr. Walker]

English is a better mark than Lobb and just an all round better player, while Sweet is a bully of a ruck. Would instantly make us a better team.

I haven’t seen Sweet play this year so I am taking it to mean Sweet has a very physical style. If that is correct I am wondering why English, if he is practicing every day against such a player, still seems to struggle to the same degree he always has against this type of ruckman. I mean I have coined a phrase for this - practice makes perfect. *

( * copyright pending)

 

[Mojorisin]

McNeil and Arty not playing Vfl today.

 

[Dog 36]

Unfortunately it looks like we’ll find out to our cost that he’s an AFL level ruck when he plays for another club. Not a great development story.

Real pity that Sweet didn’t get played more with Timmy.

I would say it is almost negligent and stubbornness that he wasn’t played

He will be at another club that wants to play this type of ruck that can tap, be physical and create space for the midfielders.

 

[hutchy31]

Real pity that Sweet didn’t get played more with Timmy.

I would say it is almost negligent and stubbornness that he wasn’t played

He will be at another club that wants to play this type of ruck that can tap, be physical and create space for the midfielders.

I agree - but quite a few disagreed on here over the years as he wasn't playing well enough at VFL level. Fair enough, I'm not a regular VFL watcher so couldn't comment authoritatively.

I just have good memories (which may be unreliable, tbf) of the football the team played with Martin 1st ruck and English KPF/second ruck in the first part of the 2021 season. We've brought Lobb in to play that role, and presumably Darcy is earmarked for it in the future, so we're obviously going to look at that setup. It wouldn't have hurt to see Sweet/English in tandem even a couple of times this year, maybe against the bigger/more physical rucks that Tim seems to have real problems with.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Seriously doubt anyone could be as bad as Van der Meer last week.

He fumbled everything he touched and lost every contest. McLean, Cleary, Crozier are much better.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

I agree - but quite a few disagreed on here over the years as he wasn't playing well enough at VFL level. Fair enough, I'm not a regular VFL watcher so couldn't comment authoritatively.

I just have good memories (which may be unreliable, tbf) of the football the team played with Martin 1st ruck and English KPF/second ruck in the first part of the 2021 season. We've brought Lobb in to play that role, and presumably Darcy is earmarked for it in the future, so we're obviously going to look at that setup. It wouldn't have hurt to see Sweet/English in tandem even a couple of times this year, maybe against the bigger/more physical rucks that Tim seems to have real problems with.

I have good memories of some of Sweets games in 2021 and 2022.

Our winning record with him in the side is likely to be pretty good.

 

[Werewolf]

I have good memories of some of Sweets games in 2021 and 2022.

Our winning record with him in the side is likely to be pretty good.

You're right: 9 wins from 11 games

 

[doggies ftw]

I agree - but quite a few disagreed on here over the years as he wasn't playing well enough at VFL level. Fair enough, I'm not a regular VFL watcher so couldn't comment authoritatively.

I just have good memories (which may be unreliable, tbf) of the football the team played with Martin 1st ruck and English KPF/second ruck in the first part of the 2021 season. We've brought Lobb in to play that role, and presumably Darcy is earmarked for it in the future, so we're obviously going to look at that setup. It wouldn't have hurt to see Sweet/English in tandem even a couple of times this year, maybe against the bigger/more physical rucks that Tim seems to have real problems with.

English is such a unique player obviously and such a weapon at his best, but geez at times you just wonder, if we’re gonna be paying him a mil a year is it really the best use of your cap?

Whilst I’ll obviously be stoked to keep him if it’s true he’s staying, a little part of me just wonders what could have been if the WCE trade plays out. I really do think we could well and truly cover the ruck with Sweet/Lobb and Darcy and even Croft coming through. If you saved a mil a year for a big name target, opened round 1 next year with Sweet in the ruck and Harley Reid coming through to revamp the midfield….

It’d be one hell of a shake up, but anyway seems like it’s not to be. Keeping the likely AA ruckman isnt the worst fall back option

 

[Dog 36]

English is such a unique player obviously and such a weapon at his best, but geez at times you just wonder, if we’re gonna be paying him a mil a year is it really the best use of your cap?

Whilst I’ll obviously be stoked to keep him if it’s true he’s staying, a little part of me just wonders what could have been if the WCE trade plays out. I really do think we could well and truly cover the ruck with Sweet/Lobb and Darcy and even Croft coming through. If you saved a mil a year for a big name target, opened round 1 next year with Sweet in the ruck and Harley Reid coming through to revamp the midfield….

It’d be one hell of a shake up, but anyway seems like it’s not to be. Keeping the likely AA ruckman isnt the worst fall back option

English is great but at $1M a year not sure?

You could get another ruck with 70% of his out put on 30% of English cost and spend extra on a midfielder or 2 or address another need

There is the dilemma

English Sweet should have been tried.

Pity Sweet is gone

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

Other than changes for changes sake. Im not sure what youse guys want in the way of changes.

Libba aside the sad fact is that this is probably as strong a side as we are likely to see for the rest of the year. It's just one that is completely devoid of confidence. This may be an issue of an inherent meekness in a team that outside of its talisman in Libba doesn't really care to fly the flag or get its hands dirty when things aren't going its way. It could be because the coaching panel is completely out of ideas. Or it could in a perfect storm or shitness. Be both.

The 3 best Bulldogs listed players at Footscray last week in Sweet, Mclean and Crozier are all at long odds to be on the list next year.

The problem is that Footscray has been carried by the likes of Sullivan, Sweet, McLean and a host of VFL listed players all season. That team is full of AFL listed guys not deemed ready. List cloggers without much in the way of upside beyond being able to adequately fill injury holes. Or guys filling time until the axe falls on the careers.

There doesn’t appear to be any strategy for selection though. We are neither picking the players in form to win this week (McLean and Crozier) nor are we picking guys with upside to give them a taste for the future.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

I haven’t seen Sweet play this year so I am taking it to mean Sweet has a very physical style. If that is correct I am wondering why English, if he is practicing every day against such a player, still seems to struggle to the same degree he always has against this type of ruckman. I mean I have coined a phrase for this - practice makes perfect. *

( * copyright pending)

I don’t think English has struggled against physical rucks this year. In the past, he definitely has but he’s improved out of sight in that area this year. He’s also a massive chance to be the all Australian ruck, he’s as close to elite as you can be

 

[JTCWBFC]

No way English is worth $1m / year.

Wouldn’t trust him to stand up in a tough final.

I’d be cashing him in this year for max value, keep sweet and fast track the rebuild of the midfield and defence + our 2 first rounders this year.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

If there was some way we can get pick 1 for English and something else to WCE I am all chips in. As others have mentioned ruckman have reduced trade value and cannot see this happening. Not even sure Tim wants to go back to WA.

 

[Proffessor]

Seriously doubt anyone could be as bad as Van der Meer last week.

Arty Jones waves and says Hi.

 

[doggies ftw]

There doesn’t appear to be any strategy for selection though. We are neither picking the players in form to win this week (McLean and Crozier) nor are we picking guys with upside to give them a taste for the future.

We left it too late in the year tbf, probably just have to ride what we’ve got now it would be suicide to blood the kids and/or change things up with 2 weeks to go.

I’m just mad that we didn’t do it 2 months ago, anyone with literally half a brain could see we needed to change it up but we just kept rolling with the same old shit and it cost us in the last month when shit finally hit the fan.

Just pathetic that the people in charge have just kept the status quo this year when it’s literally that obvious how far off it we are.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

And yet, if we had any selection integrity McLean should be playing this week. His VFL form has been excellent and he provides something clearly lacking in our team - grunt. Also, he's a better footballer than the four interchange players selected. I don't subscribe to the view offered by many on here that he's totally "cooked" and that we need to look towards the future. We need the best in form players selected to win the game now.

Selection integrity is just a nice buzz word that fans like to throw around whenever match selection doesn't align with their wishes.

Our side needs quality and run and carry much as much as it needs grunt. That Mclean may be better than those listed on the bench speaks as much about our depth as not does "selection integrity". Adding another slow, non agile player to the side would only compound the issues that we have.

There doesn’t appear to be any strategy for selection though. We are neither picking the players in form to win this week (McLean and Crozier) nor are we picking guys with upside to give them a taste for the future.

I think there is. We've put a line through McLean and Crozier and we're looking at the other fringe players with a view to their future. We may not rate the likes of McComb, but when he and the merry go round of fringe players get promoted its usually to play on the black hole of our wings and on the back of good form at Footscray.

 

[Zgope1]

Excited to watch the boys play tomorrow. I’m always so proud of our lads. Love watching them play. Will be cheering loud and supporting the club