Veteran Dog Boyd loving life down back

[bornadog]

Link (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-04-13/veteran-dog-boyd-loving-life-down-back)

http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/Media/Images/365303-tlsnewsportrait.jpg

WESTERN Bulldogs veteran Matthew Boyd says he’s relishing his new role as a defender under coach Luke Beveridge.


Despite playing the majority of his career as a midfielder, Boyd has moved into the backline this season, and is reaping the rewards of the move, picking up 33 and 25 disposals in the first two matches of the season respectively.

Boyd told Crocmedia’s Sportsday program he was enjoying the different responsibilities of playing in the back half.

“The new role, it’s been really good, I’ve really enjoyed it,” Boyd said.

“I guess teaching an old dog new tricks, I guess you could call it. It’s nice to have the faith of the coaches that they believe I could play a different role, a new role.

“I really went to school over the pre-season trying to learn from the coaches and from Bob Murphy and guys who have played down in the backline a fair bit of their career.

“So the new role and the new challenge has been really exciting.”

Boyd said the club was benefiting from having several experienced players in its defensive line-up this season.

“I guess having some older heads down in the backline steadies the ship a little bit,” Boyd said.

“I guess the hardest part to learn is just probably backing myself and being able to play on instinct as a backman.

“It’s probably a little bit harder because while you might see something happening or try to read the play a little bit earlier, if you make a mistake down there it usually results in a goal to the opposition.”

Former Western Bulldogs coach Terry Wallace applauded the decision to move Boyd down back.

“I certainly think the move of Matthew Boyd into defence has really worked well for the Bulldogs,” Wallace said.

“When you think now that they’ve got three experienced players down in that area now with Murphy, Morris and also Boyd, that really strengthens it up.

“It just makes the backline mature, he’s handling it as well because he’s such a strong player.

“And you flip that with Easton Wood down there who is now an experienced player down there as well, so that area of the ground is very, very experienced and fairly tough as well.

“I think that’s what Boyd has added to it is that physicality.”

[bornadog]

Really has been a revelation down back and effective disposal efficiency at 79.3%

[Remi Moses]

Been a very smart move, as it's a part of the ground that we were most vulnerable in .

[LostDoggy]

I think that the vulnerability, as Remi pointed out, enhances the benefit from Boyd's move. We were (rightly) worried pre-season that we'd be massively exposed down back, I'm proud of Boyd taking a team first attitude and embracing a new role that will help the team as well as possibly prolong his own career. Other players have baulked at the idea and are now playing elsewhere.

[F'scary]

Could it be that we have all been horribly wrong about Boyd's disposal skills? Could it be that we were just playing so badly in terms of spread, overlap and leading over the past 3 years that the real problem was that a high possession winner like Boyd just had no-one in the right spot at the right time to deliver the ball to?

[Ghost Dog]

Could it be that we have all been horribly wrong about Boyd's disposal skills? Could it be that we were just playing so badly in terms of spread, overlap and leading over the past 3 years that the real problem was that a high possession winner like Boyd just had no-one in the right spot at the right time to deliver the ball to?

In part, I agree. Either way, I'm a huge fan of Matt's as proven by my avatar, but in 2011-2013 his disposal decisions were often a source of debate on the forum. After the captaincy, I feel he improved a bit and now, as quoted in the article, he knows he is under the microscope. Any errors are going to equal opposition scores - he has to be as reliable as Murph down there now, if not as silky.

But essentially, we have two captains in our backline - awesome. Two very experienced players who have been at it a long time together, organizing our defence. As a small club we have to milk our list dollar for every penny.

Here is a guy who came through the school of hard knocks, has had his heart torn out numerous times on the big stage - you know what you get, 110% effort and commitment, resilience and ability to play through injury, plus a midfield hat when needed. Imagine he will be a supercoach bargain.

[bornadog]

Two very experienced players who have been at it a long time together, organizing our defence.

You mean three.

[Ghost Dog]

You mean three.

That's true.
And we really are yet to see the best of Easton Wood.

[SlimPickens]

Really has been a revelation down back and effective disposal efficiency at 79.3%

It's really noticeable that he is using the ball better. My thinking is the more time he has to dispose of it has really helped and wonder if he isn't been covering as many km's so fatigue may also be a little less.

[boydogs]

in 2011-2013 his disposal decisions were often a source of debate on the forum

Nailed it. Always tried to do too much with the ball and kick worm burner passes to our forwards. He seems to be more careful with it down back

[jeemak]

Boyd, as others have said has benefited from a more limited role, but one specific enough to be able to satisfy his creative and leadership skills.

I do fear that the positive press is jumping the gun a bit, however.

For mine there's significant doubts on whether against good opposition (WCE are front runners of the highest order, whilst Richmond were very poor last weekend - that's not to say we shouldn't be happy about our wins to date) Boyd can be the same damaging player he has been these past two weeks, while doing the defencive things he's done well during that time.

I'm excited to see how we can take it up to the Hawks and others in the coming weeks, though I'm reserving judgement on the proposition of Boyd being a season long feature of our back six at this stage, and others around him performing at the level they have to date with any consistency. It's a 22 week season, after all.

[Happy Days]

Could it be that we have all been horribly wrong about Boyd's disposal skills? Could it be that we were just playing so badly in terms of spread, overlap and leading over the past 3 years that the real problem was that a high possession winner like Boyd just had no-one in the right spot at the right time to deliver the ball to?

I found myself thinking exactly this on the weekend. It might just be that extra space he finds himself in now, giving himself a bit of breathing room to sum up situations rather than instinctively taking the first option. And he's much better at reading the ball coming on than any of us would have anticipated. Some of his work overhead has been Lake-ian. I also expected (given his defensive intensity (?) over the past few seasons) that he would have had 25 goals kicked on him by now; hasn't happened either!

It's often said that midfielders who can't get a kick are sent to the back flank to find some touch; it's amazing no one has thought to send a midfielder who can get a kick back there. After all, as noted on here, Boyd was pretty good in the middle last year. At any rate, I fully support his transformation into Luke Hodge and hope he continues trending upward.

[1eyedog]

Could it be that we have all been horribly wrong about Boyd's disposal skills? Could it be that we were just playing so badly in terms of spread, overlap and leading over the past 3 years that the real problem was that a high possession winner like Boyd just had no-one in the right spot at the right time to deliver the ball to?

Unlikely I would think. I feel it was more a product of the extra pressure and heat playing in the midfield brings. He has more space and time now and that it reflected in his disposal efficiency this year. Boyd was pretty much elite as a midfielder a few years ago and the only thing that really stood him apart from the upper echelon of players was his ability to deliver under pressure. He simply doesn't have the heat he had playing as our primary inside mid. Moving him back is a master stroke and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the AA team on a half bank flank this year.

[Maddog37]

Boyd, as others have said has benefited from a more limited role, but one specific enough to be able to satisfy his creative and leadership skills.

I do fear that the positive press is jumping the gun a bit, however.

For mine there's significant doubts on whether against good opposition (WCE are front runners of the highest order, whilst Richmond were very poor last weekend - that's not to say we shouldn't be happy about our wins to date) Boyd can be the same damaging player he has been these past two weeks, while doing the defencive things he's done well during that time.

I'm excited to see how we can take it up to the Hawks and others in the coming weeks, though I'm reserving judgement on the proposition of Boyd being a season long feature of our back six at this stage, and others around him performing at the level they have to date with any consistency. It's a 22 week season, after all.

His work rate is the big plus down back and that is one thing that Boydy has in spades. I would think he will get better and better at the role and will need tagging at some point.

[Sedat]

Win-win move for club and player. Boydy was becoming a liability in the midfield and had developed some bad non-defensive habits in his game - we know his disposal was always prone to gifting opposition possession far too easily and in critical parts of the ground, and we also know that his direct opponent more often than not was far more damaging with their possessions than Boyd was (ie: just about every final Boyd played). This move gives us valuable experience behind the ball, it gives Boyd a more limited and more accountable role within the overall team structure, and will surely re-energise his career by changing the confines of his role within the team. It's a credit to him that he didn't take his bat and ball and went home last year, and instead took up the challenge to adapt his game to better fit the new team requirements

[Mantis]

His work rate is the big plus down back and that is one thing that Boydy has in spades. I would think he will get better and better at the role and will need tagging at some point.

I'm more interetsed in seeing if he can actually defend.. The next month will tell us more.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I'm more interetsed in seeing if he can actually defend.. The next month will tell us more.

It'll tell us more not only about Boyd as a learning defender, but indeed our entire squad and where we currently sit.

I've been a critic of Boyd for a number of years but he has had as good of a two weeks as he's ever had. Moreover, he does need to be commended for the way he's applied himself. We've had quite a few players crack the sads (Griffen, Higgins and co) and take their ball elsewhere, many of whom were once "lauded" for their mental strength. Boyd may not be as talented but he's got more mental strength in his cup of coffee than the others do.

[Mofra]

I've been a critic of Boyd for a number of years but he has had as good of a two weeks as he's ever had. Moreover, he does need to be commended for the way he's applied himself. We've had quite a few players crack the sads (Griffen, Higgins and co) and take their ball elsewhere, many of whom were once "lauded" for their mental strength. Boyd may not be as talented but he's got more mental strength in his cup of coffee than the others do.
It's always been a bit strange how lauded Crossy was for his mental strength yet Boyd who has shown similar application over the journey probably hasn't attracted the same level of respect outside of the inner sanctum.