What They're Saying - The Bulldogs Media Thread - Part 3

[Dogs Rule]

A lot of it is spot on and an absolute indictment on our club tgattwo years after a flag with a young group we are in this spot

So what would you have done differently oh wise one?

Put Stringer's member under lock and key, stopped all international flights so Libba couldn't go to Vietnam on that trip, somehow prevented Boyd's mental health difficulties? Put a stop to the celebrations post 2016?

How good is hindsight? Allows us all to appear intelligent.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Can someone cut and paste the full herald sun article on Easton Wood.
Paywall is blocking it.

https://outline.com/R9ZUDS

Easton Wood on his failed forward move, returning from injury and the Bulldogs’ big changes
February 17, 2019
It’s 3am at The Ice Hotel in Sweden’s far north.

It’s quiet and freezing cold, but Easton Wood is awake. The Western Bulldogs captain is gazing at the Northern Lights in the sky above.

For a man who admits he can be an “over thinker” this is a rare moment of reflection.

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“The aurora is like a massive curtain that just shimmers across the sky. It grows and shrinks like it’s alive,” Wood said.

“That hotel was an unbelievable experience, but it was worst night’s sleep I’ve ever had. It was -5C in the room.”

Safe to say, Wood isn’t your Bali, Potato Head Beach Club, variety of footballer.

The defender, 29, last weekend celebrated his wedding to girlfriend Tiffany on the Mornington Peninsula. The pair are what some friends term “professional travellers”.

They’ve done Madagascar, Jordan, Turkey, Cuba, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, the USA and Canada. This off-season they rode horses on Iceland’s black beaches, wore mud masks in a geothermal lagoon and travelled to the far north of Scandinavia.

“Every time we’re travelling, every trip we’re on, we plan the next trip,” Wood says.

Wood did some travelling on the field last year, too.

A man not afraid to take himself out of his comfort zone in the off-season, he found himself doing the same in-season when he packed his bags and moved to the forward line.

Easton Wood marks over Mason Cox.
Despite all the planning and preparation, the attacking 50m wasn’t exactly an exotic destination.

“It obviously didn’t go well,” Wood said with a rueful chuckle.

“I was actually really looking forward to the opportunity. Ten years into my career having only played as a defender, I was like, ‘I feel like I’ve learned a couple of little things from the best forwards I’ve played on’.

“I thought I was going to have a good impact down there and be able to make something of it but that didn’t transpire and it was hard.

“I obviously returned to playing back very quickly and I certainly got an appreciation for how difficult it can be down there.”

Another thing he got an appreciation for - not that Wood really needed it - was being out there, more hamstring problems cost the intercept specialist 10 games in a season where the Dogs struggled to get their heads above water on the injury front.

But while it would have been easy for the skipper to write the season off after going down in Round 13, he was fiercely determined to get back for the last two games of the Dogs’ season.

“That was super important, mainly for my mental state coming into this pre-season,” Wood said.

Easton Wood clutches his hamstring in Round 13.
“If I had not played those two games I wouldn’t have known or proved to myself that I was fit and it would have been another two and a half months before I could really test it out so it was good to get it out of the way.”

In his absence there were well-documented struggles. The Dogs slumped to 5-13 before a late-season revival that saw them win three in a row before a final-round three-point loss to Richmond.

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Premiership players Lachie Hunter, Jack Macrae and Toby McLean got better, while defender Aaron Naughton was a first-year revelation and fellow teenager Ed Richards showed flashes of brilliance.

Wood said his club had gone through “such a huge amount of change” that comparisons to, or discussion around, the 2016 premiership were impossible.

“We’ve got this surfboard up on the wall in the meeting room from the first time we went to Mooloolaba for pre-season camp and it’s got the team photo printed on there,” he said.

“But looking at it, there’s only 17 people still here from that photo. That was a shock.

“You look at our age demographic now and what I’m so excited about is that because we’re so young … most of the boys are an open book and they’re ready to learn.

“It’s not a case of the older guys saying, ‘Well, you’re trying to do this, but I’ve always done it this way so I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing’.”

That rapid list turnover in the two years since that glorious premiership included the October departures of Luke Dahlhaus, Marcus Adams and Jordan Roughead.

Asked how he felt when he learnt Dahlhaus wanted out, Wood said: “We’re obviously disappointed to lose someone like that, who has been here such a long time and been such a wonderful teammate.

(From left) Marcus Bontempelli, Luke Dahlhaus, Easton Wood and Matt Suckling sing the team song.
“The way he attacked the ball, it was evident how much effort he put in so it’s always disappointing … also because of the bond of playing in the flag together.”

And the contracted Adams?

“It was a surprise, but he had his reasons and some guys need fresh starts. You hope that it has the impact they’re after,” he said.

“It’s the nature of the game these days, player movement and freedom is a good thing, but the reality is you’re going to lose people at some point.

“Things move so quickly in these places that you just can’t dwell.”

Wood acknowledged AFL pre-seasons were full of positive cliches and superficial hype - “all that bulls**t” - but the fact is the Dogs have enjoyed a much-needed good run on the injury front.

Liam Picken (concussion), Lukas Webb (neck) and Tom Boyd (back) have been the only long-term absentees in a pre-season that’s seen record numbers hit the track.

“It’s the most we’ve ever had,” Wood said.

“There were only a couple who had operations at seasons end, which is less than normal

“It’s been a surprise during match play because often we’re playing 15 versus 15 given that’s all we had. But we’ve had guys on the bench this summer so it’s been great.

“That youth, a lack of experience presents challenges, but it also brings with it a wonderful opportunity.”

 

[footyfan000001]

Something happening with picken today? Apparently an announcement to be made. It is from ricky Nixon so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[_M_16_]

Something happening with picken today? Apparently an announcement to be made. It is from ricky Nixon so take this with a grain of salt.

Taking it with a grain of salt, but if there is any conference scheduled involving Picken, then you just about say it would be 100% a retirement announcement. Feel for him if true. He and Morris are the two hardest blokes I've seen on the team in my time following it. No doubt would have tried playing until he was 50 if he could.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

True, the costs of court time & coaching will mean it's not really an 'everybody' sport but that shouldn't mitigate against the entitled dickheads w seem to produce.

Pat Rafter is a mile away from the Tomics and Kyrios' of the world

Far be it from me to rain on the Rafter parade but did he not set himself up in a tax haven and also retire from an Aus open semi final with cramps? Tomic and Kyrios maybe tools but imagine the reaction if they retired form a Grand Slam with with cramps.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

great chat, last bit about Bailey Smith was very exciting to hear!!

Was it just me or did anyone else interpret the Toyd comments as being back and mental health?

 

[Northernsoul74]

Was it just me or did anyone else interpret the Toyd comments as being back and mental health?

They probably go hand in hand to some extent.

 

[_M_16_]

The youngster at the centre of “renewed” Bulldogs “optimism”

By SEN 4 hours ago

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/02/26/the-youngster-at-the-centre-of-renewed-bulldogs-optimism/

Former Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy has highlighted the player at the centre of renewed hope at the club this year.
The Dogs fell off the pace in 2017 and 2018, finishing 10th and 13th respectively, in the wake of their remarkable premiership win in 2016.

Ahead of the new 2019 season, Murphy senses some buoyancy down at The Kennel and pinpointed a certain youngster who has helped create such anticipation.

There’s a renewed optimism down there,” Murphy said on SEN Breakfast.
“That’s what I’ve gathered from them (the players). It always is with the little asterisk that everyone is on top of the ladder now.
“The top 22 haven’t been picked so everyone’s happy, no one’s fallen out with anyone yet.
“They are saying that training is fast. Across the board, everything is fast.
“Tim English has been one of the stars of the summer, up forward.
“Disappointing news with Tommy Boyd (being injured) but maybe it fast tracks Tim English.”
Garry Lyon poised the questions: Can English become the next Max Gawn? Can the Bulldogs in two years’ time say they’ve got one of the best two ruckmen in the competition?
To which Murphy replied: “He’s over two metres tall.
“He would do things right from the start where the experienced players would kind of step back and all look at each other and say, ‘did you see that?’
“(He’s great) below his knees, but it’s the way he jumps at the ball as a forward. We know he is really light in the upper body, but his legs aren’t.
“He’s got these big strong legs, so when he jumps into a pack, he’s not the spindly, two-metre Jarrad Grant.
“I said off-air last year to Anthony Hudson that when he (English) jumps at the ball as a forward and when he goes for his marks, he looks like Simon Madden.
“So Huddo says, ‘Bob Murphy thinks he’s going to be Simon Madden’. No, that’s not what I said.
“But having now tiptoed around it, I’m pumping him (up), he’s mine.”
The Bulldogs take on the Gold Coast Suns in Mackay in their first JLT Community Series match on Sunday before they meet St Kilda in Ballarat on March 10.
Their 2019 season proper opens against Sydney at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, March 23.

 

[_M_16_]

The Bulldogs teenager who already has the best "rig" at the club

By Nic Negrepontis 35 minutes ago

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2019/02...ger-who-already-has-the-best-rig-at-the-club/

Top 10 selection from last year’s draft Bailey Smith has already built a reputation as a person who takes his personal fitness and nutrition extremely seriously.
Bulldogs defender Matthew Suckling revealed the 18-year-old already has the best body at the club.

“He’s got the best rig at the club already,” Suckling told SEN’s Time On.
“Guys like myself that don’t have the greatest rigs, we keep our shirts on around him that’s for sure.
“He’s very competitive and it’s good to have guys like that around the club who set the standard.
“He’s been coming back from an Achilles injury, he’s starting to integrate back into full training, but there’s no need to rush with him. He’ll be nice once he's available.
Another player who is essentially a new recruit is Tom Liberatore, who missed most of last year with a torn ACL.
Suckling said the 26-year-old is looking as good as he ever has.
“There’s been times in our match-simulation where his change of angles which is something people never talk about, but he is cutting us open at training doing that,” Suckling said.
“His stuff inside the contest is first rate and his hands and everything involved in that stuff is just unbelievable.
“It’s great to see him back firing and he’s really happy and he looks ready to go and is really highly motivated.”
The Bulldogs take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium in Round 1.

 

[_M_16_]

Libba 'flying' as he prepares for comeback: Crozier
Ben Guthrie

Feb 26, 2019 6:01PM



Related

• Premiership Dogs set for lengthy stints on the sidelines

TOM LIBERATORE is setting himself up to bounce back in 2019 as he takes more ownership over the Western Bulldogs' midfield brigade, teammate Hayden Crozier says.

Liberatore's absence was telling across the bulk of the 2018 season after the tough midfielder tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in round one against Greater Western Sydney, ruling him out for the rest of the year.

But after a thorough rehab from the injury, those at the Bulldogs are bullish about what he could produce alongside the likes of the much-improved Josh Dunkley, star Marcus Bontempelli and the ultra-consistent Jack Macrae.

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"Libba's flying at the moment. He's come back in really good nick. He's been leading from the front in all our running trials and just the way he goes about his footy (is impressive)," Crozier said on Tuesday.

"He's that tough inside midfielder that really drives the standard within there and there's a lot of guys looking up to the way he plays.

"We've seen Josh Dunkley last year really improve his game but I think he'll go to another level this year with guys like Libba around and really pushing him."

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Never one not to push the boundaries, Liberatore has also gained attention for the newly-inked tattoos he has added in the off-season.



His latest addition on both left and right bicep pays homage to a classic episode in The Simpsons involving protagonist Homer Simpson and a young fast food assistant as the famous dad tries to procure grease as part of a business venture.

It follows a tattoo of a muesli bar he showed off early in the pre-season.

"They're interesting tattoos. I don't mind it actually. I wouldn't get those tattoos myself, I don't think my Mum and Dad would be too happy if I did that," Crozier said.

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"But that's Libba, that's why we all love him."

The Western Bulldogs will face Gold Coast in their first JLT Community Series in Mackay, Queensland on Sunday and had a light run at Whitten Oval on Tuesday afternoon in preparation.

First-round draftee Bailey Smith (No.7 overall) was not on the track with the squad, but Crozier said he had already made a big impact in his short time with the club.

Smith was in the rehab group for the first chunk of the pre-season as he recovered from an Achilles injury, but has been in full training for the past few weeks.

"Someone like Bailey coming in I probably haven't seen a more professional guy in my life really. He does everything to a T, he trains really hard and all the boys get along with him really well," Crozier said.

"He's another one who will be pushing for selection and that will be benefitting the team."

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-02-26/libba-flying-as-he-prepares-for-comeback-crozier

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Is the JLT game televised?

 

[footyfan000001]

Is the JLT game televised?

Fox footy I believe?

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

Wallis on SEN, few interesting points (correct me if I misheard something)

- Sees himself as a midfielder this year (while still spending time forward)
- Big focus of the club's over the off season was goal kicking accuracy, both set shots and crumbing
- English added a lot of aggression to his game, especially how he's flying for the ball
- Hayes looking good on the wing
- West needs to clean up his disposal but if he can put it all together he'll feature early. Think he said something about being able to play out four quarters well

There may have been more but I'm not sure

 

[bobs head soup]

Wallis on SEN, few interesting points (correct me if I misheard something)

- Sees himself as a midfielder this year (while still spending time forward)
- Big focus of the club's over the off season was goal kicking accuracy, both set shots and crumbing
- English added a lot of aggression to his game, especially how he's flying for the ball
- Hayes looking good on the wing
- West needs to clean up his disposal but if he can put it all together he'll feature early. Think he said something about being able to play out four quarters well

There may have been more but I'm not sure

Having both Bob Murphy and Wallis talking up Tim English's attack on the footy forward is pretty exciting. If he clunks a few on Sunday I'm tipping this board will lose it's collective sh*t and I'll be well and truly amongst the sh*t losers.

 

[Tommycash]

Very glad to hear that X player is tearing up the training track this pre-season.

 

[Sharkey66]

Whens the team out?

 

[Bont2Bruce]

Whens the team out?

It already is

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Hope Mackay has dried out

 

[perro_loco]

Having both Bob Murphy and Wallis talking up Tim English's attack on the footy forward is pretty exciting. If he clunks a few on Sunday I'm tipping this board will lose it's collective sh*t and I'll be well and truly amongst the sh*t losers.

i said it the first time english played, that he would be a gun. just for the record.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Strong team, proper dress rehearsal.

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

Anyone able to copy the Jon Ralph article on Dahl and Liber??

 

[Whoyagot]

Anyone able to copy the Jon Ralph article on Dahl and Liber??

https://outline.com/2Xt5x3

 

[Sharkey66]

Actually fairly impressed with the response from Dahl in that interview. I can relate to his feelings after a loss as i was very much feeling the same way last year.

 

[dogwatch]

https://outline.com/2Xt5x3

Thanks.

My take on the article: Probably sincere. Shit happens. Move on.
Interesting that he blames himself for how he went in 2017. Not the club or any number of other excuses he might have dreamed up.

Thanks for your contributions, Luke. Not one of my favourites but I respected him and thought he genuinely loved the club.
Always a premiership player no matter how it ends up.

 

[lachy]

I don't think as a supporter you can hold much against Dahl. Honest he went away from himself, takes accountability for his actions wants to move on to re connect with himself.

Good decision for him and the club. Hope he does well at the cats and we finish above them every year.