Will Bigger Muscles Make a Defference To The Doggies in 08
The Doggies started positively in 2007 winning 7 from 12 games, but the wheels fell off in the second half of the year and they ended up 13th on the Ladder. A very disappointing year for all involved. They finished the year loosing the last 7 games! They have lost 4 very experienced players in 2008 in Chris Grant, Luke Darcy, Brett Montgomery and Matthew Robbins can the Dogs pick themselves up off the canvas for the upcoming year? Let’s take a look.
As we have done with every other team let’s see who has come and gone.
ADDITIONS:
Exchange period – received: Tim Callan (Geelong), Ben Hudson (Adelaide)
Rookie elevation: Jarrod Harbrow
NAB AFL Draft: Jarrad Boumann (Dandenong Stingrays), Jarrad Grant (Dandenong Stingrays), Guy O’Keefe (Geelong Falcons), Sam Reid (Zillmere), Callan Ward (Western Jets), Easton Wood (Camperdown)
Pre Season Draft: Scott Welsh (Adelaide)
DELETIONS:
Retired: Luke Darcy, Chris Grant (veteran – outside list), Brett Montgomery, Matthew Robbins
Exchange period – traded: Jordan McMahon (Richmond), Sam Power (Kangaroos)
Delisted: Travis Baird, Cameron Faulkner, Damian McCormack, Tim Walsh, Marty Pask (rookie), Michael West (rookie)
Muscle Men?
There has been a lot of talk from out a the Whitten Oval on how much the Doggies have bulked up and put on some much needed kilos. Coach Rodney Eade practically labelled the playing list as “BIG HEADS” and believed they were being caught up in the hype surrounding them after their great start to the season. I am sure they have that squeezed out of them by know. The Doggies biggest task of all in 2008 will be to play 22 rounds of consistent football at a level that will propel them into Finals contention.
Brad Johnson had another outstanding year despite his team’s bad form and will certainly be the main man this year. With the inclusion of Scott Welsh will be a huge bonus for the Western Bulldogs as they can know start developing a good forward structure that is not reliant on Brad Johnson being the only one to kick the goals. Robert Murphy you would expect will be raring to go after a re frustrating year coming back from his knee reconstruction and with those 3 leading the charge in the forward line then they have an attack capable of kicking wining scores. And let’s not forget the enigmatic Jason Akermanis who will be better for the run last year is is capable of turing the game off his own boot.
The Veteren Scott West
Scott West just keeps on keeping on and in form in 2007 was again amazing he was the 4th best average disposal getter in the competition last year at the age of 33. He just that knack of getting tons of the ball and with the likes of Cross, Boyd and Cooney they have a very impressive hard working midfield brigade. Certainly not as talented as say a Geelong or West Coast but by far an away one that can influence a game of football. Cooney is a bit of a key here, some including myself seemed to think he struggled a bit with the close attention he received last year and he needs to learn from that and rise above the pressure that he will get again this year from the taggers like Steven Baker. If he can do that then he will enjoy a better year and the Doggies will win more games.
Young Gun with Dreadlocks
Andreas Everitt burst onto the scene last year and looks set to take the Western Oval by storm. He needs to back up his good year last year with another one in 2008 and become a key member of the Doggies team, whether it is streaming off the half back flank or showing his class on a wing he is a player that the Doggies need firing in 2008.
And area that Coach Rodney Eade has flagged as an issue is in the Ruck department and with the retirement of Luke Darcy it will again be an area
they will need to work on. The Doggies were 13th on the rankings for average hit outs per game last year and this needs to improve with out a doubt. That is why they went after and got Ben Hudson from Adelaide and he is the man that needs to turn that area around for them. He’s an aggressive person who can follow up with second and third efforts, he loves a challenge and it will be interesting to see whether he is up to the task, because it will go along way to improve the chances the Doggies have of playing finals football.
Great Skills and Style of Play
They are an extremely skilfull side the Doggies and play a great brand of football that lends it self to the Telstra Dome’s perfect dry conditions well. But when they are so attacking and then turn the ball over they are sometimes found wanting on transition. Best and Fairest Winner Brian Harris is the key for them down back and he will need to back up his career best form in 2007 with another hard working defensive year in 2008.
Eade has called for grater commitment from his side in 2008 and this is an analogy he used:
“When you sit down to bacon and eggs for breakfast, and there are two animals involved; a pig and a chicken,”
“The pig is committed. The chicken is involved. The question is to our players, are you committed, or are you involved? He said.
Similar to a Fremantle, the Western Bulldogs have the potential to play a big part in the finals in 2008 it is just a matter off whether they can maintain a consistent brand of football for 22 rounds.
Ladder Prediction: 8
That is the last of the Club by Club Previews for the 2008 Season. You can view them all on the Articles Page or you can download them as a PDF Document Report and email it around to other AFL Fans.
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2 Responses to “Will Bigger Muscles Make a Defference To The Doggies in 08”
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They wont play finals and will struggle again like last year. Bulldogs will never challenge top four until they get a forward line. Big giants up forward win grand finals not midgets…
I think, it’s true what you say