bornadog
12-12-2013, 10:59 PM
Link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/bulldogs-recruit-sees-forward-line-improvement-as-the-key-20131211-2z6hp.html)
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/1462920_10152060230192487_851904477_n_zps84699675.jpg (http://s202.photobucket.com/user/mmsalih/media/1462920_10152060230192487_851904477_n_zps84699675.jpg.html)
New recruit Stewart Crameri insists there were signs late last season that the Western Bulldogs were solving the forward line problems.
These woes have proved the biggest block to Brendan McCartney's rebuild, and Crameri is confident he can add a key piece in the puzzle.
The Bulldogs had one of the most dysfunctional forward lines in the league during McCartney's first season in 2012. In that year they managed to score more than 100 points just twice.
But as the club's young players continued to develop and support the likes of Will Minson and Ryan Griffen, and their contested, ball-winning strengths began to flourish, the Bulldogs found a way to turn forward 50 entries into goals, scoring more than 90 points in their last six games and notch wins in four of them. Pushed by McCartney, the Dogs then went to the draft table during the off-season to further look at the situation, luring Crameri from Essendon, where he had been the leading goalkicker this year.
Crameri, who has booted 30 goals or more in his past three seasons, believes the Dogs now have a forward mix capable of turning the tables on opposition defences that, at times seemed to shut down the Dogs comprehensively. Crameri, 25, is expected to be a key focal point of a young forward line alongside Liam Jones,22, who plateaued last season, the midsize goalkicker Tory Dickson, 26, and the small forward Luke Dahlhaus, as well as veteran Daniel Giansiracusa, who is likely to spend even more time as a ''super sub'' next season.
Jarrad Grant, 24, is another unknown quantity the Dogs hope can reproduce the impact he made in the final eight games of last season, where he showed glimpses of the talent that made him a first-round draft pick.
''They had a pretty good second half of the year last year, so if we can keep rolling on from that, and get some wins early, we'll have a good season,'' said Crameri, who on Wednesday was presented with the No.8 jumper for his first season at Whitten Oval.
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/1462920_10152060230192487_851904477_n_zps84699675.jpg (http://s202.photobucket.com/user/mmsalih/media/1462920_10152060230192487_851904477_n_zps84699675.jpg.html)
New recruit Stewart Crameri insists there were signs late last season that the Western Bulldogs were solving the forward line problems.
These woes have proved the biggest block to Brendan McCartney's rebuild, and Crameri is confident he can add a key piece in the puzzle.
The Bulldogs had one of the most dysfunctional forward lines in the league during McCartney's first season in 2012. In that year they managed to score more than 100 points just twice.
But as the club's young players continued to develop and support the likes of Will Minson and Ryan Griffen, and their contested, ball-winning strengths began to flourish, the Bulldogs found a way to turn forward 50 entries into goals, scoring more than 90 points in their last six games and notch wins in four of them. Pushed by McCartney, the Dogs then went to the draft table during the off-season to further look at the situation, luring Crameri from Essendon, where he had been the leading goalkicker this year.
Crameri, who has booted 30 goals or more in his past three seasons, believes the Dogs now have a forward mix capable of turning the tables on opposition defences that, at times seemed to shut down the Dogs comprehensively. Crameri, 25, is expected to be a key focal point of a young forward line alongside Liam Jones,22, who plateaued last season, the midsize goalkicker Tory Dickson, 26, and the small forward Luke Dahlhaus, as well as veteran Daniel Giansiracusa, who is likely to spend even more time as a ''super sub'' next season.
Jarrad Grant, 24, is another unknown quantity the Dogs hope can reproduce the impact he made in the final eight games of last season, where he showed glimpses of the talent that made him a first-round draft pick.
''They had a pretty good second half of the year last year, so if we can keep rolling on from that, and get some wins early, we'll have a good season,'' said Crameri, who on Wednesday was presented with the No.8 jumper for his first season at Whitten Oval.