Preview Round 2, 2023: Western Bulldogs v St.Kilda - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 25th March, 7:25PM AEDT

[Cairnsman]

im rather confident

i think the team will be as well, they know what they can do now

only thing i worry about is can the pace be kept up for 4 qtrs each week


other than that i think we are genuine chance against most teams on our day with no injuries


us by 4 goal and the crowd to be even bigger and louder

windy in for bytel which is tough but too bad, its only going to get tougher as injuries come back into the side over the next six weeks

your post arouses me

 

[stavro#4]

Noticed at the game he was looking sore and getting some attention, but he managed to get back out there.
Not ideal if that's the case. Hope Windy is ready.

In the rooms. One of the boys said he had a corkie.

But then you never know until they get back to work the next day

 

[Cairnsman]

Where did you see that?

oh man if that keeps him out this week that sucks, that is the last thing he needs, he needs stay out there if he is any chance of having a career beyond this year, harsh but it just feels that way.

Let's hope he gets up.

 

[ScrappyDo]

- If Webster is fit and Windhager is fit, then Butler out for Windhager for mine. Paton was valuable as the sub, and you don't go making many changes after a win like that.

- If Webster isn't fit, but Windhager is, then Paton to the 22, Windhager in, and Butler to the sub.

- If Webster is fit, and we're cautious with Windhager, then no change.

- If Webster isn't fit, and we're cautious with Windhager, then Paton into the 22, and someone into the sub spot.

Likely XXIII

IN: Windhager
OUT: Butler

B: Webster - Howard - Wilkie
HB: Wang.-Mil. - Battle - Sinclair
C: Hill - Clark - Wood
HF: Gresham - Caminiti - Windhager
F: Owens - Cordy - Higgins
Foll: Marshall - Steele - Crouch

Int: Phillipou Bytel Byrnes Stocker
Sub: Paton
​

Worth noting Lobb and Weightman are going to miss through injury, and Jones is banged up.

We're an outside chance here, gang.

But, but, but Bytel plays mid and so does Windhager.

 

[Dunkirk]

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Windhager should be back for this one. Hoping to see the effort continue

Seb thinks he should be back too. that would be huge for a game like this.

 

[lewdogs]

Where did you see that?

They mentioned it on the Saintstv podcast that he may have had a minor op but I might have heard it wrong, hopefully.

Apparently Seb said he should be back at their pre-match interview with him.

 

[DarkSaint]

I hope Bytel stays in - Ross in his press conference said that after half time he was put on Brayshaw to clamp him down and imo i didnt notice him at all having an impact who has been best on 3 out of 4 times Ross said.

What Bytel is good at that our other genuine mids lack is that every time he plays he kicks a goal which as it stands now we are lacking due to King/Membrey out with injuries.

Out Butler in Windhager.

Emergency between Paton or Butler

It was a good move playing Wood Half Forward in that second half and I'd like to see him there this week. Wings can be covered between Byrnes - Hill plus any of the other boys that have rotated through there last game like Bytel and even NVM if need be for a short stint.

Higgens/Gresh our small forwards is enough - Butler just doesn't get on the scoresheet enough. We have Owens, Caminiti who are mobiles and along with the other half forwards can put pressure on so the ball doesn't zip out.

 

[SaintSteele9]

No Lobb would be a great help - injured?

 

[PoppedCorn]

your post arouses me

 

[aussierulesrules]

Since the start of last season, we’ve won 12 games.

Since the start of last season, Western Bulldogs have won…

12 games.

So let’s not pretend they’re some sort of super-team. They’re right around our level on results in the past 12 months, and on last weeks evidence, they’re still right around our level.

Freo were a better team than them last year (including beating them in a final) and they were almost full-strength last week, yet we beat them by 15 points, so this looks every bit a 50-50 type game to me.

From their final defeat WB have lost:

Dunkley (who won their B&F)
Weightman (their “livewire small forward”)
Hunter (25 touches in said final)
Cordy (AKA Plugger)

and of note have gained Lobb (not available) and Jones (in doubt).

So we might have a lot of “outs”, but they’ve lost some real quality from last year as well, and looked very very average last week. Against a Melbourne team missing May, Fritsch, Viney and Salem. All of whom would be in their best 10.

One thing that could be in our favour is the fact we’re fit af and able to run up and back all game, while you keep hearing how WB don’t prioritise running as much as other teams, and seem to fade late in games on a regular basis.

If we “take them to deep water” like we did Freo in the weekend, they probably won’t be able to go with us there either.

What won’t help though is the fact they have a 7 day break while we only have 6. 2nd game back is always said to be the toughest, so you’d much rather have that extra day to recover than one less. So that could counteract some of our fitness advantage.

Unless last week was just a “new coach bounce” and we’re much worse this week, or they play vastly better than they did last week (or both), this is a game we look to be in up to our ears. Especially if Windy and Seb are back and we don’t lose anyone of note.

 

[The Punter]

My main worry about this week is the short break first game with a draining game style. The Doggies strike me a susceptible to our game plan if we can execute it.

 

[bird_man]

I hope Bytel stays in - Ross in his press conference said that after half time he was put on Brayshaw to clamp him down and imo i didnt notice him at all having an impact who has been best on 3 out of 4 times Ross said.

What Bytel is good at that our other genuine mids lack is that every time he plays he kicks a goal which as it stands now we are lacking due to King/Membrey out with injuries.

Out Butler in Windhager.

Emergency between Paton or Butler

It was a good move playing Wood Half Forward in that second half and I'd like to see him there this week. Wings can be covered between Byrnes - Hill plus any of the other boys that have rotated through there last game like Bytel and even NVM if need be for a short stint.

Higgens/Gresh our small forwards is enough - Butler just doesn't get on the scoresheet enough. We have Owens, Caminiti who are mobiles and along with the other half forwards can put pressure on so the ball doesn't zip out.

Bytel has kicked a goal in 2 of his career games

 

[Klaatu]

In the rooms. One of the boys said he had a corkie.

But then you never know until they get back to work the next day

Webster had a corkie, all part of R1 all teams would of been sore & tired it's all about recovery in the early weeks.

 

[Klaatu]

Cordy down back might happen this week, as he would of trained 1 on 1 with all those guy's so he would know most players strengths and weakness

 

[The Punter]

Bytel has kicked a goal in 2 of his career games

But it's the last two.

 

[aussierulesrules]

My main worry about this week is the short break first game with a draining game style.

This.

The Doggies strike me a susceptible to our game plan if we can execute it.

And this. Have seen a couple of comments here on BF in the last 24 hours that they have an appalling record against Lyon-coached teams.

 

[bird_man]

But it's the last two.

So every game since his last 2

 

[Barrels]

But, but, but Bytel plays mid and so does Windhager.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

Int: Paton Bytel Windhager Stocker
Sub: Philipou

idk how to post memes but someone better deal with this

 

[AirWinmar]

Since the start of last season, we’ve won 12 games.

Since the start of last season, Western Bulldogs have won…

12 games.

So let’s not pretend they’re some sort of super-team. They’re right around our level on results in the past 12 months, and on last weeks evidence, they’re still right around our level.

Freo were a better team than them last year (including beating them in a final) and they were almost full-strength last week, yet we beat them by 15 points, so this looks every bit a 50-50 type game to me.

From their final defeat WB have lost:

Dunkley (who won their B&F)
Weightman (their “livewire small forward”)
Hunter (25 touches in said final)
Cordy (AKA Plugger)

and of note have gained Lobb (not available) and Jones (in doubt).

So we might have a lot of “outs”, but they’ve lost some real quality from last year as well, and looked very very average last week. Against a Melbourne team missing May, Fritsch, Viney and Salem. All of whom would be in their best 10.

One thing that could be in our favour is the fact we’re fit af and able to run up and back all game, while you keep hearing how WB don’t prioritise running as much as other teams, and seem to fade late in games on a regular basis.

If we “take them to deep water” like we did Freo in the weekend, they probably won’t be able to go with us there either.

What won’t help though is the fact they have a 7 day break while we only have 6. 2nd game back is always said to be the toughest, so you’d much rather have that extra day to recover than one less. So that could counteract some of our fitness advantage.

Unless last week was just a “new coach bounce” and we’re much worse this week, or they play vastly better than they did last week (or both), this is a game we look to be in up to our ears. Especially if Windy and Seb are back and we don’t lose anyone of note.

I do think the Bulldogs are underperforming with the list they have tho. Look very good on paper

 

[gringo2011]

This.

And this. Have seen a couple of comments here on BF in the last 24 hours that they have an appalling record against Lyon-coached teams.

They are polar opposites Lyon and Bevo. Bevo is player empowerment Lyon is systems beat talent. Bevo teams go easy on running and focus on training skills. Lyon is all about swarm mentality and peak fitness.

 

[jh38]

I do think the Bulldogs are underperforming with the list they have tho. Look very good on paper

They're a team of superstars, but they lack cohesion. I think our list has a higher floor than theirs, they seem to have a fair few passengers every week. That type of footy/ list build thats dependent on the best players carrying doesn't hold up, they need more from their bottom 6 players. The only question is whether we can go again, I think the smalls need to show a bit more, especially against the Dogs' slow defence.

 

[The_Steadier]

Remove Butler from the 23. Windy & Paton into the 22. Bytel sub.

Personally I want campbell as sub every week until we get hayes back.

We are rolling the dice bigtime with marshall atm- 1 head knock etc to him could legit cost us a game at some point if we then need to resort to owens, battle etc in the ruck for a big part of a game.

 

[aussierulesrules]

I do think the Bulldogs are underperforming with the list they have tho. Look very good on paper

Agree. Games aren’t played on a piece of paper though, so all that matters is how they go on a football field and they’re nothing to write home about there.

Also, it’s more the top-end where they stand out on paper. They’re calling for numerous changes this week on their board, as they had so many “passengers” last week.

There’s a huge drop-off between their best half-dozen and their bottom 5 or 6.

7 of their team had 7 or less disposals on the weekend.

If we bring what we brought last week again I reckon they’ll really struggle to handle it.

Whether we’re able to bring that maximum effort for a full 4 quarters two weeks in a row off a short break will be the big question.

On the weeks where we bring that, we’re going to be damn hard to play.

 

[stavro#4]

Can’t take a trick