Mature Age Players training with the Bulldogs

[craigsahibee]

The Hun reports that Nick Lower and Matthew Bate are training with the Dogs, along with Ben Duscher of Bendigo Football Club.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/nick-lower-could-join-the-western-bulldogs/story-e6frf9jf-1226525754207.

Both Lower and Bate will add depth and may be handy acquisitions should one or both be added via the PSD and as a Rookie.

[Throughandthrough]

I'd look at Lower for sure

[Remi Moses]

No to Bate . Lower's a dime a dozen to be honest.
Don't know much about Dutscher, I'd look to a few of the Frankston boys.

[LostDoggy]

Also Brett Goodes.

[Bulldog4life]

The Hun reports that Nick Lower and Matthew Bate are training with the Dogs, along with Ben Duscher of Bendigo Football Club.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/nick-lower-could-join-the-western-bulldogs/story-e6frf9jf-1226525754207.

Both Lower and Bate will add depth and may be handy acquisitions should one or both be added via the PSD and as a Rookie.

You'll find all this info in the PSD thread.

[Ghost Dog]

I'd look at Lower for sure

What do you reckon about him T and T?
http://images.watoday.com.au/2011/07/18/2500288/article_nicklower-420x0.jpg

[bulldogtragic]

Lower seems the best of the bunch. The fact he has walked away from a guaranteed contract at freo has me thinking he is odds on the head our way.

Edit. Just read on afl.com.au Lower has moved out of his Perth house he shared with his former teammate. Must be a lock to join us reading that.

[Rocco Jones]

Lower seems the best of the bunch. The fact he has walked away from a guaranteed contract at freo has me thinking he is odds on the head our way.

I'm the same.

Wonder how much Goodes is about having a good role model around as opposted to actual intentions to draft him. He is on the payroll as a welfare manager, having him train with us pre-season is not a bad way to get some extra hours out of him!

[bulldogtragic]

I'm the same.

Wonder how much Goodes is about having a good role model around as opposted to actual intentions to draft him. He is on the payroll as a welfare manager, having him train with us pre-season is not a bad way to get some extra hours out of him!
Goodes feels like when the dons recruited Skipworth because they liked his character rather than being the best available. I prefer not to go down that path.

[Ghost Dog]

Haha - Nice one Rocco.
Article says he was delisted but may not have been if McPhee had announced his retirement earlier.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Goodes feels like when the dons recruited Skipworth because they liked his character rather than being the best available. I prefer not to go down that path.

I think Goodes should have been drafted years a go. In lots of respect he is like Pods, in that hes been at the level for years, and teams have gone ....he doesn't do this ....we dont think he will be able to do it at AFL level....

Whether his time has past is questionable but we probably should have listed him 5 years a go

[LostDoggy]

I think its possible the Lower and Bate are being considered for HB positions , with Gilbee and Hargrave retired we have positions available for tall experienced players , Lower has played in the backline before and Bate has increased his time in the midfield for the Scorpions and as a tall solid player with a solid overhead mark could fill some of the void with Lake gone

I don't believe we are looking at Bate as a forward as Tommy is going to play HF , under General Mac we rotate players through the forward line and Bate would take some pace away from that rotation

If Lower is at BP and with Morris making progress towards his comeback and Addison has done well at BP, Tutt can play the role but is still a bit raw and if Lower is cover for them it makes sense

Bate would give us height and a bigger body , Roughhead has been shoehorned into the backline and is still learning , Markovic needs to be sharper and cleaner off the ground , Williams has been switched to HF , Tom Young is still learning , Lake is gone and Austin is not on the Senior List , again it makes sense if Bate is cover at HB

.

[Ghost Dog]

Duscher Captains Bendigo Gold and a mate of mine rates him above Lower and Bate. Provides a bit versatility that the others don't have. Anyone here able to provide more details?

[LostDoggy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Duscher


Ben Duscher (born 29 September 1987) is an Australian rules footballer currently co-captain for the Bendigo Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). At the commencement of the 2012 season he was rated number four amongst the players in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1] Ben won the Carter medal for best and fairest at the Bendigo Bombers in 2011[2] and was runner-up in 2012.[3]

Junior career
Ben played with Merbein in the Sunraysia Football League, Mildura and the Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC Cup in 2005. In 2005 he was selected in the Victoria Country squad alongside Joel Selwood, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas (footballer) and Shaun Higgins.[4] Ben played in the Balranald Premiership winning team in the Central Murray Football Leagure in 2006 [5] In 2008 Ben played in the Goulburn Valley Football League (GVFL) where he was in the Rochester premiership winning team.[6]

Bendigo Bombers and Bendigo Gold
Ben returned to Bendigo in 2010, was appointed co-captain in 2011 and again in 2012. Ben won the Carter medal for best and fairest at the Bendigo Bombers in 2011, despite missing five games through injury.[7] Ben was an invited player in the 2011 VCFL/VFL/AFL Young Guns Game at TEAC Oval, Port Melbourne, on Sunday the 18th of September, as a curtain raiser to the VFL Senior Preliminary Final.[8] Ben achieved an impressive 28/30 in the kicking efficiency test (players face away from 20m, 30m and 40m distant targets to left and right (two-meter wide circles), receive a ball, turn and, at a moment's notice, aim as directed[9]) in the NAB AFL Draft Combine,[10] but narrowly missed AFL drafting in 2011[11]

In the opening game of the 2012 season Duscher scored three goals and was amongst the best for Bendigo in its 20.17 (137) to 7.11 (53) defeat of the Frankston Dolphins. Bendigo coach Hayden Skipworth stated that Duscher “was fantastic, particularly early in the game, and he kicked three goals himself. There’s no question in my mind he has what it takes to be on an AFL list.”[12] After playing three rounds of football in the 2012 season Duscher led the tallies for kicks (54, 15 from next), handballs (24, one from next), disposals (78, 19 from next), contested possessions (38, 10 from next) and tackles (22, 2 from next).[13] Duscher was selected for the 32-man VFL State Squad for its game against the Tasmanian State side on Saturday 26 May 2012, but not in the final 22.[14] The following week he was among the best on ground (with 29 disposals and a goal) in Bendigo's (18.14.122) win over Williamstown (15.13.103)[15][16] Duscher being said to demonstrate how he can "play inside congestion, can split out into space as well as anyone in the VFL." [17] Duscher was named amongst the best afield in Bendigo's 76 point win over Coburg on 10 June 2012.[18][19] Duscher was also named amongst the best and kicked a goal in Bendigo's (14.16.100) win over Box Hill Hawks (9.14.68) on 16 June 2012, in a side with fifteen Essendon Football Club AFL senior and rookie-listed players.[20] After returning from injury Duscher was amongst the best two on ground in the last two games of the season.[21] Duscher (185 votes) was runner up to Lee (190 votes) in the Carter medal in 2012, Bendigo Gold general manager Graham Pratt stating: "Because of injury, Ben played in 12 VFL games, but he polled in 11 of them." [22]

Ben's nominated home team is Werrimull in the Millewa Football League, where his older brothers Brad and Mark play.[23] On 12 May 2012 the three brothers played together for the first time (when Bendigo FC had a VFL bye); Ben being dominant in the midfield with over 40 disposals and three goals in a 25.18 (168) to 10.14 (74) win over Nangiloc.[24] On 8 September 2012, Werrimull (20.23 (143)) beat Gol Gol (4.5 (29)) in the Grand Final of the Millewa Football League with Ben, Mark and Brad Duscher being listed amongst the best on ground.[25]

[Greystache]

I'm the same.

Wonder how much Goodes is about having a good role model around as opposted to actual intentions to draft him. He is on the payroll as a welfare manager, having him train with us pre-season is not a bad way to get some extra hours out of him!

I saw him at training last week and he seems to have lost quite a bit of weight, it was the fittest I've seen him. Perhaps he's decided to finally give it a proper crack.

He may also be concerned about his position as welfare manager, we've had indigenous players walking out (or retiring) in droves. Stack, DJ, Hill, Skinner, all in their early 20's and all gone in the past 2 years. I'm surprised he isn't under the same type of scrutiny some here put on Fantasia and Smorgon.

[boydogs]

He may also be concerned about his position as welfare manager, we've had indigenous players walking out (or retiring) in droves. Stack, DJ, Hill, Skinner, all in their early 20's and all gone in the past 2 years. I'm surprised he isn't under the same type of scrutiny some here put on Fantasia and Smorgon.

Good point.

Hell yes to Lower by the way.

[comrade]

Duscher has obviously been busy working on his Wiki page :D

[comrade]

He may also be concerned about his position as welfare manager, we've had indigenous players walking out (or retiring) in droves. Stack, DJ, Hill, Skinner, all in their early 20's and all gone in the past 2 years. I'm surprised he isn't under the same type of scrutiny some here put on Fantasia and Smorgon.

He's a welfare officer, not a miracle worker. Those players mentioned (perhaps with the exception of Hill) just weren't very good.

[Ghost Dog]

He's a welfare officer, not a miracle worker. Those players mentioned (perhaps with the exception of Hill) just weren't very good.

Thought DJ was actually starting to show a bit.

[LostDoggy]

I saw him at training last week and he seems to have lost quite a bit of weight, it was the fittest I've seen him. Perhaps he's decided to finally give it a proper crack.

He may also be concerned about his position as welfare manager, we've had indigenous players walking out (or retiring) in droves. Stack, DJ, Hill, Skinner, all in their early 20's and all gone in the past 2 years. I'm surprised he isn't under the same type of scrutiny some here put on Fantasia and Smorgon.

Think that's a bit of a stretch Greystache (respectfully). Stack wasn't up to it, DJ was a little older and by all reports a well adjusted intelligent guy, Hill didn't work out and wanted to go and play back home in WA and I think Goodes should be given credit for contributing to Skinner staying as long as he did.

I'd be more concerned about the job he's doing if players were off the rails or running off home and dissapearing ala Ashley Sampi

[LostDoggy]

I think its possible the Lower and Bate are being considered for HB positions , with Gilbee and Hargrave retired we have positions available for tall experienced players , Lower has played in the backline before and Bate has increased his time in the midfield for the Scorpions and as a tall solid player with a solid overhead mark could fill some of the void with Lake gone

I don't believe we are looking at Bate as a forward as Tommy is going to play HF , under General Mac we rotate players through the forward line and Bate would take some pace away from that rotation

If Lower is at BP and with Morris making progress towards his comeback and Addison has done well at BP, Tutt can play the role but is still a bit raw and if Lower is cover for them it makes sense

Bate would give us height and a bigger body , Roughhead has been shoehorned into the backline and is still learning , Markovic needs to be sharper and cleaner off the ground , Williams has been switched to HF , Tom Young is still learning , Lake is gone and Austin is not on the Senior List , again it makes sense if Bate is cover at HB

.

You have a different view of Bate to me. Whilst he is 190, he does not play tall and would never hold down a spot as a KPP. He has pace and can play anywhere along the flanks

[Greystache]

He's a welfare officer, not a miracle worker. Those players mentioned (perhaps with the exception of Hill) just weren't very good.

Yet Stack and Skinner were both offered contracts and declined them, so clearly the club felt they had something to offer, DJ may have also but I'm not certain. Would we be any worse off if we directed the wages being paid to Goodes into another area they may prove more fruitful?

What benefit has his role brought to the club?

[azabob]

Yet Stack and Skinner were both offered contracts and declined them, so clearly the club felt they had something to offer, DJ may have also but I'm not certain. Would we be any worse off if we directed the wages being paid to Goodes into another area they may prove more fruitful?

What benefit has his role brought to the club?

Is his welfare role solely the indingenous boys, or all players?