Opinion Dees V Dogs - Sunday MCG 1.00 PM

[Optimistic Dog]

I think we start a few goals behind the Dees given they will have played a game for points unless they get some key injuries. Two weeks out there are number of selection queries.

If fit the locks are Bont, Libba, English, Astro, JUH, Jones, Richards, Dale, Treloar, Sanders, Cody, West. Williams

The other 9 spots in the 22 are up for grabs expect Macrae (if fit), Caleb and Harmes will play but not locks, then the other spots are between, Lobb, Darcy. Coffield, Kharmis, JOD, McNeill, Bramble, JJ, Doc, Poulter, Gallagher, Arty, VDM and Scott.

The dees have caused us problems since 2021 and we need to arrest their dominance over us. More than ever Bevo and the dogs need to get off to a good start. The dees prior to the practice games had a terrible pre-season, the Oliver and Smith sagas plus Brayshaw's retirement.

I get the feeling notwithstanding the advantage they get in round zero we are a real chance if we hit the ground running. Hopefully the pressure on selection to keep your place in the team, the changes in assistant coaches and a refreshed Bevo will see us perform to the quality we expect.

 

[dogwatch]

I think we start a few goals behind the Dees given they will have played a game for points unless they get some key injuries. Two weeks out there are number of selection queries.

If fit the locks are Bont, Libba, English, Astro, JUH, Jones, Richards, Dale, Treloar, Sanders, Cody, West. Williams

The other 9 spots in the 22 are up for grabs expect Macrae (if fit), Caleb and Harmes will play but not locks, then the other spots are between, Lobb, Darcy. Coffield, Kharmis, JOD, McNeill, Bramble, JJ, Doc, Poulter, Gallagher, Arty, VDM and Scott.

The dees have caused us problems since 2021 and we need to arrest their dominance over us. More than ever Bevo and the dogs need to get off to a good start. The dees prior to the practice games had a terrible pre-season, the Oliver and Smith sagas plus Brayshaw's retirement.

I get the feeling notwithstanding the advantage they get in round zero we are a real chance if we hit the ground running. Hopefully the pressure on selection to keep your place in the team, the changes in assistant coaches and a refreshed Bevo will see us perform to the quality we expect.

Yes this is an especially inept and inequitable piece of scheduling from the masters of fixturing ineptitude and inequity (not to mention iniquity). I don't need to go into them but there are several reasons why it stinks.

There's one thing we have going for us - it was reported last year that the side had discussed the Melbourne problem at some length since the most recent loss (Rd 1 2023) and are determined not to be Melbourne's bitches any more. So I think we'll come out firing.

I'm still tipping Melbourne at this stage but I do think we're a chance.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Least the Dogs could do is give me a birthday win.

 

[Planet Dogs]

This split opening round is BS. The ALF's integrity is becoming a Joke.
Anyway, it is what it is. We'll win anyway.

 

[ossie_21]

This split opening round is BS. The ALF's integrity is becoming a Joke.
Anyway, it is what it is. We'll win anyway.

Surely it wasn’t that hard to either fixture the 8 sides of “opening round” against each other for round 1, or those 8 sides just don’t play the next week and it’s business as usual from round 2 onwards.

It’s actually comical and a poor start for Dillon’s start as CEO.

 

[ScragCity]

I would love to start the season off with a win against these campaigners for once.

 

[ScragCity]

Yes this is an especially inept and inequitable piece of scheduling from the masters of fixturing ineptitude and inequity (not to mention iniquity). I don't need to go into them but there are several reasons why it stinks.

There's one thing we have going for us - it was reported last year that the side had discussed the Melbourne problem at some length since the most recent loss (Rd 1 2023) and are determined not to be Melbourne's bitches any more. So I think we'll come out firing.

I'm still tipping Melbourne at this stage but I do think we're a chance.

There's a second thing we have going for us this time: Lachie Bramble

 

[dogwatch]

There's a second thing we have going for us this time: Lachie Bramble

Scramble the Bramble!

 

[Golden_6]

Oliver confirmed playing this week. Regardless of his aerobic fitness, it’s still a very big inclusion.

 

[TiAn_]

Rd 1 2023 lineup:

B​	T. Duryea, L. Jones, J. Bruce
HB​	B. Dale, A. Keath, E. Richards
C​	O. Baker, M. Bontempelli, J. Macrae
HF​	J. Johannisen, A. Naughton, J. Ugle-Hagan
F​	A. Scott, M. Hannan, R. Lobb
FOL​	T. English, T. Liberatore, A. Treloar
I/C​	B. Smith, S. Darcy, B. Williams, C. Daniel
EMG​	T. McLean

Possible outs:

Bruce, Keath, Baker, Scott, Hannan, B. Smith, Darcy, McLean, Duryea

Possible ins:

Weightman, Sanders, Harmes, Coffield, O’Donnell, West, Khamis, McNeil, Bramble

The loss of Bailey Smith

3

Bailey Smith

Age

24

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

aside, we should be going in with a much more fleet footed team than we did last year when we selected Naughton, Marra, Lobb and Darcy in attack and Jones, Keath and Bruce in defence.

 

[maddog37]

Scramble the Bramble!

This needs to be a cheer squad sign.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Rd 1 2023 lineup:

B​	T. Duryea, L. Jones, J. Bruce
HB​	B. Dale, A. Keath, E. Richards
C​	O. Baker, M. Bontempelli, J. Macrae
HF​	J. Johannisen, A. Naughton, J. Ugle-Hagan
F​	A. Scott, M. Hannan, R. Lobb
FOL​	T. English, T. Liberatore, A. Treloar
I/C​	B. Smith, S. Darcy, B. Williams, C. Daniel
EMG​	T. McLean

Possible outs:

Bruce, Keath, Baker, Scott, Hannan, B. Smith, Darcy, McLean, Duryea

Possible ins:

Weightman, Sanders, Harmes, Coffield, O’Donnell, West, Khamis, McNeil, Bramble

The loss of Bailey Smith aside, we should be going in with a much more fleet footed team than we did last year when we selected Naughton, Marra, Lobb and Darcy in attack and Jones, Keath and Bruce in defence.

I think Bruce, Smith, Hannan and Mclean are definite outs given 3 are not the list and one is a long term injury.

 

[doggies ftw]

Rd 1 2023 lineup:

B​	T. Duryea, L. Jones, J. Bruce
HB​	B. Dale, A. Keath, E. Richards
C​	O. Baker, M. Bontempelli, J. Macrae
HF​	J. Johannisen, A. Naughton, J. Ugle-Hagan
F​	A. Scott, M. Hannan, R. Lobb
FOL​	T. English, T. Liberatore, A. Treloar
I/C​	B. Smith, S. Darcy, B. Williams, C. Daniel
EMG​	T. McLean

Possible outs:

Bruce, Keath, Baker, Scott, Hannan, B. Smith, Darcy, McLean, Duryea

Possible ins:

Weightman, Sanders, Harmes, Coffield, O’Donnell, West, Khamis, McNeil, Bramble

The loss of Bailey Smith aside, we should be going in with a much more fleet footed team than we did last year when we selected Naughton, Marra, Lobb and Darcy in attack and Jones, Keath and Bruce in defence.

Going in with the 4 talls and to top it off Hannan too, what a wild time

 

[TiAn_]

I think Bruce, Smith, Hannan and Mclean are definite outs given 3 are not the list and one is a long term injury.

Yes

 

[TiAn_]

Going in with the 4 talls and to top it off Hannan too, what a wild time

Weightman, West and McNeil certainly a more rational fit to surround our KPFs than Hannan, Scott and Johannisen.

If Jones and Clarke create competition and fill in when needed for those small forward spots (along with Darcy ready to slot in for any of the talls), we should actually be able to pick players on form and roll out a sensibly structured forward line all year.

 

[Mojorisin]

Going in with the 4 talls and to top it off Hannan too, what a wild time

Also the three tall defenders with an age effected Duryea made for a very slow team all round.

 

[Deadly Darcy]

An emerging JUH (very different player), a battle hardened West, a battle hardening Weightman and a much better backline plus sanders…

Our team is vastly improved on paper where Melbourne has arguably gone backwards. They still have the best backline in the league in my opinion but we absolutely should be able to get them this year.

Dogs by 28.

 

[geoffjennings79]

This split opening round is BS. The ALF's integrity is becoming a Joke.
Anyway, it is what it is. We'll win anyway.

"becoming"...?! The AFL lost all their integrity years ago. Sometime in 1997, I'd suggest...

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Scramble the Bramble!

New dish at Barkers - the Lachie Scramble

 

[Ash1337]

That round 1 team last year was aa bad of selection as it gets. Went too tall on both ends and needed more pace.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Dogs by 21

JUH to kick a bag

 

[bobs head soup]

Current forecast is 29 for Sydney on Saturday. Overnight minimum is 20.

Hopefully the game is super taxing.

 

[Whoyagot]

Yes opening round is sus but if someone like Gawn or May go down injured it advantages is.

 

[BrisDog]

Surely it wasn’t that hard to either fixture the 8 sides of “opening round” against each other for round 1, or those 8 sides just don’t play the next week and it’s business as usual from round 2 onwards.

It’s actually comical and a poor start for Dillon’s start as CEO.

Marketing 101

 

[Optimistic Dog]

We need Lobb to play May defensively. If we can do this we are big chance to win.