Preview Changes vs Hawthorn, Rd 22, 2023

[Freshwater]

Nash is a great match up for Bont, but I still reckon Finn will get the gig.

You will have to tag Sicily. I've never seen him in this type of form. It's next level.

Sicily being a Werribee lad I think was a Bulldogs fan growing up.

 

[Munnez]

And Terry Wallace tried that once on prelim final day…..

Still trying to forget Shane Ellen having a career outing on poor old Smithy

 

[TiAn_]

They all have 2 key defenders?

Collingwood Moore and their CHB Murphy same height as Mc Crae

Port Adelaide ???

St.Kilda ???

Carlton Weitering and???

Sydney ???

That is 5 of the top 10 that have 1 at best.

With Jones and O'Donnell we literally had the tallest KPD'S of any club in the top 10.

You don't think that this obsession with 3 talls down back has not also co incided with our worst ball movement from the backline over the last 2 years.





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I don’t think any meaningful discussion on this point can be so focused on the players’ listed heights and setting arbitrary height limits that you just ignore how they actually play. What even is the point of comparing Nathan Murphy and Jack Macrae based on height? Jack Macrae is taller than Jeremy Howe, it’s totally irrelevant to how they play.

Moore, Murphy and Howe all play tall. Maynard can too when needed and Quaynor is great overhead and far better than any of our smalls in that regard. Port have Aliir, McKenzie and Jonas/raft of half backs that are great overhead like Bergman, Houston and Williams. Carlton use Weitering, Marchbank, McGovern, Kemp, Young. Saints use Howard, Wilkie, Battle and Cordy. Plus Lions, Dees, Cats, etc.

Even the Swans last night still had McCartin & Francis as KPDs flanked by 196cm Blakey who played pretty deep in defence.

Having two KPDs surrounded by half a dozen mostly ground bound small defenders that have combined for about 12 contested marks between them all season (just to use that stat as an example) by choice would make us the exception, not the rule, as you’re trying to say.

 

[dogwatch]

Nash is a great match up for Bont, but I still reckon Finn will get the gig.

You will have to tag Sicily. I've never seen him in this type of form. It's next level.

We won’t.
You can pencil in the win now.

 

[Dogs 13]

Will be interesting to see what selection brings this week.

Jones and JOD will be fine as the talls down back and Naughton can go down there if there is am injury.

Having a more mobile, more run better skilled back 7 allowed us to stop their momentum by creating run and a goal. Surprised it has taken 2 years to work that out.

Ins this week to replace Scott and possibly A Jones (any other changes unless there is illness or injury would be absurd) could come from Baker as a like for like replacement of Scott, Clarke for A Jones if he is dropped and Buss or Keith as the sub if we 2 only take in 2 KPD'S and wish to provide cover

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Who’s going to convince Bevo & Nauts for him to go back

 

[doggies ftw]

I’m on the small backline side of the fence, yeah ideally we’d have another medium who can play tall, we don’t (well we do but we’ve played him FF/Ruck for the last 2 years for some absurd reason) but the downside of not having another medium is lower than the downside of playing 3 talls IMO. It’s clear we need to prioritise ball movement for our forward line to shine, that’s how we win games, the difference between having a shit defence, or a really shit defence, is not winning us games.

Gotta remember going short in defence is also less risk for us because we also have a team that allows us the flexibility of throwing Naughty back, rolling English back behind the ball and Lobb into the ruck, Williams can roll back as a Maynard type and play tall at a pinch, hell I’d even throw Bont back behind the ball at times as an interceptor.

But again there’s no point having these options when we also have a coach who is dead against using them in game, so maybe that doesn’t help us…

 

[TiAn_]

You’ll also find that we have no medium sized intercept defenders (other than Richards who is only 185cm) to carry the burden of only having 2 key talls. From the contenders, the following players can play on guys taller than 190cm.

Pies - Moore, Murphy, Howe, Maynard
Port - Aliir, Mckenzie, Bergman, Burton
Lions - Andrews, Payne, Lester
Demons - May, Lever, Smith (or Petty)
Saints - Howard, Battle, Wilkie
Giants - Taylor, Buckley, Himmelberg, Haynes
Cats - Esava, De Koning, Stewart, Kolo

Didn’t see this, spot on.

 

[Foxman98]

You’ll also find that we have no medium sized intercept defenders (other than Richards who is only 185cm) to carry the burden of only having 2 key talls. From the contenders, the following players can play on guys taller than 190cm.

Pies - Moore, Murphy, Howe, Maynard
Port - Aliir, Mckenzie, Bergman, Burton
Lions - Andrews, Payne, Lester
Demons - May, Lever, Smith (or Petty)
Saints - Howard, Battle, Wilkie
Giants - Taylor, Buckley, Himmelberg, Haynes
Cats - Esava, De Koning, Stewart, Kolo

You’ll also find that all the ones youve mentioned there are good by foot Keath/Gards aren’t hence playing them as a “lockdown” only is not that beneficial as they’re both at best mediocre at it,

We have Williams Richards Dale who are all in that mid range who can intercept or play taller

 

[Charlie Bucket]

I remember not too long ago when supporters were out for Bevo’s blood because we didn’t play enough talls. Including in the back 50.

How attitudes have changed.

 

[Next Waiting]

Sicily has been a star and it wouldn’t be inconceivable that we bring in someone like Raak to tag him - probably 200-1 but worse things have happened.

Seems pretty inconceivable to me.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

We played Hawks as a must-win last game in Launceston last year. Naughts played well and Darcy stunned us! Roake Smith played well too.

 

[Dog 36]

Another opportunity vs Hawks to somewhat confirm our position in the 8 and in doing so start to get some momentum going.

Need to make sure that our form from Tiggers game carries on and we stop the up and down season.

Ports form is so so, Pies form is starting to be so so and both clubs have injuries.
Cats are not the cats of 2022.
Real opportunity for us to get momentum going

Whatever happens West JOD should play for the rest of the season

Team seems settled especially with Red JJ back in the side

Go Dogs take nothing for granted

 

[bobs head soup]

Still trying to forget Shane Ellen having a career outing on poor old Smithy

Pretty sure it was Matthew Robran who Smithy lined up on. Kicked 6 for the only time in his career.

 

[bullish23]

Pretty sure it was Matthew Robran who Smithy lined up on. Kicked 6 for the only time in his career.

Exactly

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

We played Hawks as a must-win last game in Launceston last year. Naughts played well and Darcy stunned us! Roake Smith played well too.

Hawks have improved a lot since then

 

[Doggy]

Lucky we already know Whorethorn will win, because they said so. Will be able to do heaps on the weekend not having to worry about watching a game

 

[Munnez]

Pretty sure it was Matthew Robran who Smithy lined up on. Kicked 6 for the only time in his career.

Doing a better job of forgetting than I thought

 

[scooter600x]

Still trying to forget Shane Ellen having a career outing on poor old Smithy

Smith was on Matthew Robram. Ellis had his day out in the grannie v St Kilda

 

[Libbaaaa]

Hawks have improved a lot since then

On track for less wins this year than last. Yes they have two impressive scalps in Brissy and the Pies but they are still a super young side with a poor spine in my opinion.

I love Will Day and Sicily but.

 

[TiAn_]

You’ll also find that all the ones youve mentioned there are good by foot Keath/Gards aren’t hence playing them as a “lockdown” only is not that beneficial as they’re both at best mediocre at it,

We have Williams Richards Dale who are all in that mid range who can intercept or play taller

Sounds ok in theory but in practice Dale is a total non-entity overhead in defence, Williams plays on the wing and only makes cameos in defence and Richards for whatever reason the aerial side of his game hasn’t featured nearly as much this year compared to last. He was great in the air last year.

I don’t think Keath is so much worse than every other KPD offensively that Bev has to go Tolkien and turn our defence into the Shire around just Jones & O’Donnell. Keath can be shaky with ball in hand, but he’s fine for a 2KPD. I think O’Donnell is good defensively and athletic, clean and composed enough to effectively play as a medium without hurting our ball movement. Give him another 3 weeks to get comfortable and see what happens. I just wouldn’t want to go into a final against the Lions, Cats, Blues, Port, etc with just Jones & an inexperienced O’Donnell. And I wouldn’t want to be doing horses for courses with our spine come finals.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

If they want to sit Nash on Bont again so be it. Libba didn’t play when we beat them in Rd 6 and they only narrowly won the clearances. Think our midfield will be fine even if they go the hard tag again. If we move the ball fast again and get Naughton, Jamarra and Lobb in one in ones against their defenders we’ll cause them a bit of grief.

Sicily didn’t play in round 6 either, he was suspended. Let the games begin.

 

[Bazza Bulldog]

I hope we stick with JJ, Dale, Richards, VDM and Dureya down back with the 2 talls. Personally I'd keep Jones and JOD. They combined well and kick the ball better than Keath or Gardner. Having four (JJ, Dale, Richards and VDM) quick and skilful runners set us on our way. Repeat please!

 

[Munnez]

Smith was on Matthew Robram. Ellis had his day out in the grannie v St Kilda

Yep got that one wrong

 

[Al dente]

last time we played them they gave us a lot of trouble, they are better now and playing in Tas.
Only MacRae got more that 25 possessions, Hardwick, Reeves, Worpel, Day, Sicily, and Lewis, were all top 10 players on the ground.
Need to do our homework this week and get some match ups right.

 

[Foxman98]

Sounds ok in theory but in practice Dale is a total non-entity overhead in defence, Williams plays on the wing and only makes cameos in defence and Richards for whatever reason the aerial side of his game hasn’t featured nearly as much this year compared to last. He was great in the air last year.

I don’t think Keath is so much worse than every other KPD offensively that Bev has to go Tolkien and turn our defence into the Shire around just Jones & O’Donnell. Keath can be shaky with ball in hand, but he’s fine for a 2KPD. I think O’Donnell is good defensively and athletic, clean and composed enough to effectively play as a medium without hurting our ball movement. Give him another 3 weeks to get comfortable and see what happens. I just wouldn’t want to go into a final against the Lions, Cats, Blues, Port, etc with just Jones & an inexperienced O’Donnell. And I wouldn’t want to be doing horses for courses with our spine come finals.

Alex Keath has only taken 23 intercept marks for the year Dale has 20 Williams 17 and Richards has more with 26, Keath isn't anything more than a Gardner type now defensively and is often woefully out positioned or outbodied so having a smaller guy really makes no difference

We finally scored from D50 on the weekend because we didn't have Keath or Gardner slowing us down with their terribly slow style nor the constant issue with Keath kicking backwards before seeing what is actually open, Keath 100% slows our ball movement down and costs us goals both ways because of it.

Why? Currently his opponents would be Hipwood, Rohan (pending Hawkings hamstring + Geelong making it) De Konning/Silvagni, Ollie Lord, Cox/McStay, Van Rooyen/Petty, Mitchito Owens and Riccardi most teams don't have the depth of key forward we have now or if they do e.g Carlton/Geelong one of them is injured.

Look at the way we moved the ball on Friday night quick clean effective you don't get that with 3 talls hence there are essentially only 3 teams actually running with them