News Western Bulldogs Offseason 2013-2014

[Dogs_r_barking]

Undercover at the pound Tuesday.
88th birthday for well known bulldog Nola.
The Beast , his bride and young son Will provide the sponge cake.
The new captain and Macca, sit for a quick chat with plenty of photos taken.

The coach is asked at reception to collect a Christmas present left for him.
He picks it up walks past me and says:do you think it's ticking ?
I come up with unbelievably witty line: no but the supporters are.

As a side note our former star FF , brings his 2 dogs in and ties them to the table . Soon he gets that tap on the shoulder.
Apparently no DOGS allowed in the POUND !

That is all -over.

KH you sound like a gossip columnist Anyway who is 'the Beast' and which FF - Bazza or Chris Grant?

 

[boydsno1]

No dogs allowed at the Kennel. terrible.

 

[King Harold]

KH you sound like a gossip columnist Anyway who is 'the Beast' and which FF - Bazza or Chris Grant?

Thank's Dogs_r , wondered if anybody was interested.
Not sure about a gossip columnist -- know nothing about their sex lives

The "Beast" and the "former star FF" are one and the same. -- The great No 18 ,Beaser.
His son a real chip off the block and a big boy.
( must admit the 2 dogs looked more like the type of dogs Elton John would own rather than a Bulldog footballer )

 

[VitalDread]

No dogs allowed at the Kennel. terrible.

oh & s stuff

 

[boydsno1]

oh & s stuff

I know. It was more a joke.

 

[VitalDread]

Loving the new Inside the pack
Prudden first person talking

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

When did Shaun Higgins become the assistant High Perfomance guy?

 

[boydsno1]

Still no update on Clay Smith. Thought we were ment to get updates from his recovery. 5 eps and nothing since the first one.

 

[Igloo]

A bit more on Jack Macrae

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-14/young-dog-grows-up-fast

A SURPRISE growth spurt is propelling young Bulldog Jackson Macrae towards his goal of becoming an inside midfielder.

The 19-year old has grown an impressive three centimetres since his arrival at Whitten Oval just 12 months ago.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-14/young-dog-grows-up-fast

 

[Oor Wally]

It,s just looking better and better every day Our younins are looookin goood

 

[Wizard17]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-14/preseason-update

Western Bulldogs

Fitness guru: Justin Cordy has returned to the Western Bulldogs after six years at Carlton and two at Cricket Australia.
Who's flying: Lachie Hunter is tearing up the track, while Stewart Crameri, Tom Liberatore and Koby Stevens are also front-runners. Defender Tom Young is the big improver this year.
Injured warriors: The rehab group is shrinking, but Clay Smith (knee), Christian Howard (hip) and Shaun Higgins (foot) remain on light duties. They will be monitored closely this pre-season.
Summary: Twelve key position players travelled overseas for a high-altitude training camp in Colorado, and have returned fit and firing. The rest of the group trained at Whitten Oval during that time. The entire team is now training together, ready for a big summer. - Jacqui Reed

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

Had a feeling Hunter would be tearing it up. I admittedly wasn't sold on him when he was drafted, just didn't look right, but he showed a lot at the back end of 2013. Hearing he's doing well is fantastic. Not surprised Crameri's a frontrunner, he's good aerobically and will add more than we think, his value seems to have been scrambled by Essendon's nonsensical trade tactics and our steadfastness on the matter. Libba and Koby doing well doesn't surprise.
As far as I'm concerned, Smith, Howard and Higgins can take as long as they need. With the depth of youth we have there's no point rushing anyone back. Hopefully Howard's game isn't affected by any thoughts of being on borrowed time and he can fire, I think he can make it.

 

[Clay]

Macrae is as tall as Stringer now?!

 

[Doggies7]

Would be nice if Stringer could put on another 3 cms and end up a 194-195cm brute who can play key forward or mid

 

[Dale4captain]

Would be nice if Stringer could put on another 3 cms and end up a 194-195cm brute who can play key forward or mid

I'd rather him stay at the 192-3cm, keep a bit of mobility in his game so he can stay agile enough to destroy people in the middle. We've got quite a fleet of 191cm+ mids now. Wonder if this was a plan they wanted to put in place when Macca got here?

 

[TempleKelvington]

I'd rather him stay at the 192-3cm, keep a bit of mobility in his game so he can stay agile enough to destroy people in the middle. We've got quite a fleet of 191cm+ mids now. Wonder if this was a plan they wanted to put in place when Macca got here?

I think so. I think the drafting of Bontempelli, Macrae and Stringer who in some peoples thinking were a bit more speculative at their draft selections than others lead us to that conclusion. There was something that our recruiters liked about them and I reckon their size was had something to do with it. We passed on some pretty good players, some of them were a bit smaller.

We have 8 players 185cm plus now who are considered part of our current and future midfield, 4 of those are 190cm plus. Bontempelli, Macrae and Stringer are still very much kids and won't be expected to be dominant for a couple years yet but we can see what shape our midfield will have in the very near future.

I for one, like the taller mids, especially those with an appetite for the contested footy. With rotations likely to become even lower in years to come, to have tall mids who can play roles up the ground will be vital.

I would say it was very much the plan. Time will tell if we made the right call.

 

[maddog37]

I'd rather him stay at the 192-3cm, keep a bit of mobility in his game so he can stay agile enough to destroy people in the middle. We've got quite a fleet of 191cm+ mids now. Wonder if this was a plan they wanted to put in place when Macca got here?

I think the fact they picked Bonts shows the way they are thinking.

 

[bulldogsman]

I'd rather him stay at the 192-3cm, keep a bit of mobility in his game so he can stay agile enough to destroy people in the middle. We've got quite a fleet of 191cm+ mids now. Wonder if this was a plan they wanted to put in place when Macca got here?

I think Stringer is more valuable to us as a forward now with brief stints in the midfield. We already have a lot of depth through the midfield now, hope he grows a few more cm's as Doggies7 said. I expect him to play a Mitch Hahn type role who can do it much better.

 

[Bont2Bruce]

Forward half issues, especially our lack of effective tall players, are definitely the biggest concern as we try to move back up the ladder.

Right now, I'd be more interested in jagging a young KPF prospect from GWS (or from anywhere to be honest) over the coming years than another midfielder.

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

I think so. I think the drafting of Bontempelli, Macrae and Stringer who in some peoples thinking were a bit more speculative at their draft selections than others lead us to that conclusion. There was something that our recruiters liked about them and I reckon their size was had something to do with it. We passed on some pretty good players, some of them were a bit smaller.

We have 8 players 185cm plus now who are considered part of our current and future midfield, 4 of those are 190cm plus. Bontempelli, Macrae and Stringer are still very much kids and won't be expected to be dominant for a couple years yet but we can see what shape our midfield will have in the very near future.

I for one, like the taller mids, especially those with an appetite for the contested footy. With rotations likely to become even lower in years to come, to have tall mids who can play roles up the ground will be vital.

I would say it was very much the plan. Time will tell if we made the right call.

Would've been much easier to have gone with players such as Wines, Vlastuin, Aish and so on. So far Stringer and Macrae as 'speculative' selections have put us in a very good place to build a taller, stronger midfield and also rotate through the forward line. I have complete faith in Bontempelli to do the same.
It's so much fun seeing careers from the very start - hard to believe Libba's already played 50 games and is being talked about as an elite inside midfielder.

 

[VitalDread]

In honor of last season
I have bought (waiting for the email from doggies)
Signed Howie and Aussie game day guernseys

adding to the collection of Dickson and two Cordy tops.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

In honor of last season
I have bought (waiting for the email from doggies)
Signed Howie and Aussie game day guernseys

adding to the collection of Dickson and two Cordy tops.

what are you going to do with the two Cordy ones when he's delisted in October?

 

[VitalDread]

what are you going to do with the two Cordy ones when he's delisted in October?

i'm gonna bookmark this for the end of the year

 

[cleveland]

is the club closed this week?

 

[murphy2bedabest]

Forward half issues, especially our lack of effective tall players, are definitely the biggest concern as we try to move back up the ladder.

Right now, I'd be more interested in jagging a young KPF prospect from GWS (or from anywhere to be honest) over the coming years than another midfielder.

I Don't think so, Campbell we seen, last season is a good foil, just he's size means you have to play a big guy on him. as does having Crameri there, all of a sudden the Likes of Jones Grant Williams Stringer even fletch and Cordy are getting the 3rd tall, not to mention Gia and Dickson who can play a leading role.

With Dalh Hrovat Honeychurch and Hunter buzzing around only makes us more unpredictable