So. What's our best forward set up look like?

[bulldogtragic]

Obviously the below average forward entries are killing us. Our defence is responsible for our great percentage with 'points against', however our 'points for' is the lowest of the top 12 on the ladder. So I pose the question, what's our best forward set up look like this year?

[boydogs]

Boyd, Dickson, Stringer, resting ruck & midfielders

No coincidence our forward line inefficiency against Brisbane and Hawthorn has coincided with Boyd's injury

[merantau]

I would stick with Boyd at full forward as much as possible. And why not try Redpath at CHF? We need to kick more goals and he is a good kick. Stringer and Daniel to play either side of him. Dickson in the pocket beside Boyd and Jong on the other side.

[LostDoggy]

The numerous mid rotations through the forward line makes this difficult. Also Crameri in next season.
Here is what I would like to see this season when we are in need of goals:

HF: Bont, String, Dahl
FF: Dicko, Boyd, Toby

[Twodogs]

To turn the question slightly how much has losing Crameri affected us this year?

[1eyedog]

To turn the question slightly how much has losing Crameri affected us this year?

Massive. IMO aside from the morale drop of losing Bob he is our most important loss. He's a beast and he makes Stringer a beast as well.

[bornadog]

Other than Tom Boyd, I would love another tall in the forward line but we just don't seem to have anyone putting up their hand.

[Mantis]

Other than Tom Boyd, I would love another tall in the forward line but we just don't seem to have anyone putting up their hand.

We don't have any other options other than Redpath.. We really need to trial Roberts or Hamling up forward.

RE: forward set-up - Daniel & McLean are locks.

[bornadog]

We don't have any other options other than Redpath.. We really need to trial Roberts or Hamling up forward.

RE: forward set-up - Daniel & McLean are locks.

Do you think we should give them a go or wait till they show something more in the VFL?

Perhaps Roughy resting back and Roberts forward?

[jeemak]

The numerous mid rotations through the forward line makes this difficult. Also Crameri in next season.
Here is what I would like to see this season when we are in need of goals:

HF: Bont, String, Dahl
FF: Dicko, Boyd, Toby

Is that with both Campbell and Roughead playing?

[Happy Days]

To turn the question slightly how much has losing Crameri affected us this year?

Enormously. I watched the North game back from last year and the amount of work he puts in really can't be overstated. His absence has cost us a lot more than 30-odd goals, it's left Stringer in purgatory and we haven't really endeavoured to replace him.

[1eyedog]

Hamling was named forward in the VFL but I couldn't get there. Did he play forward at all and if so how did he go? We really need one of Roberts, Hamling or Boyd at FF and if this is not possible TC to play serious minutes there. I'd almost ruck Roughie for large periods of the game and play TC as a key forward. He'll clunk a few and also bring the ball to ground.

[Happy Days]

Hamling was named forward in the VFL but I couldn't get there. Did he play forward at all and if so how did he go? We really need one of Roberts, Hamling or Boyd at FF and if this is not possible TC to play serious minutes there. I'd almost ruck Roughie for large periods of the game and play TC as a key forward. He'll clunk a few and also bring the ball to ground.

He played down back and he SUCKED.

[Templeton31]

Been thinking about this since Friday. To me there are 3 "general" ways we score goals in 2015-2016 football -

1. Quick break through the centre (usually from turnover) and forwards run towards goal onto the ball. On Friday this was way down due to absence of key players (high half backs) who break through the middle (Murph Suckers JJ) and their replacements not being that fast break sort of player (Wood, Adams, Hunter). Also missing Crameri for these who is good at gut running back into forward line.

2. Long kicks into forward line, mark it and goal or lock it in and score a goal from stoppage. This was poor against North as noone doing the mark it/contest the mark and bring it down to the ground role very well - Boyd injured, Redpath not picked, not Jake's strength. Also North defenders good at defending this style of attack. This style does not work when Bailey Dale vs two North defenders is on the end of the long kick!

3. "Traditional' lead up forward hit on the chest. Didn't work on Friday night as our ball movement was poor (similar reasons to goal coring style 1 above), it was a highly contested style game, there were less centre bounces (due to less goals than average for both sides) and North were good at getting back in defence.

Now to me picking Boyd or Redpath is a must to improve that No 2 way of scoring goals. It was our main way in the first half of the year last year until the Jake/Tory/Cramerrs combo found its groove.Alternately our resting ruck man (Campell and Roughy) need to improve out of sight as forwards and I can't see that happening. Between them they missed 3 sitters on Friday so they can do it but not as good or have as much potential as Boyd/Redpath.

To improve kicking goals technique No 1 needs better and quicker movement through the middle/from half back and we can't just wait for JJ/Suckers to return. The high half backs need to get on their bikes like Bob does. Could Lin Jong be the man for the role? Disposal not great but his first instinct is to go forward. MBOyd could do it and did it a bit on Friday although we'll get burnt by his turnovers at times. Webb? Probably not ready for such a crucial role and seems a bit out of favour. Return of Caleb Daniel will help this way of attacking.But whoever it is getting back to more run and gun out of defence will help with this avenue to goal.

[craigsahibee]

To turn the question slightly how much has losing Crameri affected us this year?

Huge loss. Not just his possessions, but the change to the structure and match-ups.

Last year we had Stringer, Crameri and Boyd/Redpath. Boyd/Redders got the monster defender while Stringer and Crameri got the more mobile types. This left the 3rd/4th string defender to go to Dicko which went a long way towards Dickson kicking 50+.

We need Boyd at FF. Call's for Redpath are fair enough, however Jack is not thumping the door down to claim a spot at the moment, And I think Bevo is the sort of coach that makes players earn their spot in the side. If Boyd is fit this week he must come straight back in.

So, in answer to the question, of the players available on our list for 2016 my version of our best forward set up is T Boyd, Stringer, Dickson, Dahlhaus as the more permanent types with the likes of Bonti, Wallis, McLean, Hunter, Daniel, Picken, Campbell, Roughead all spending time there as part of the midfield rotations.

[Cyberdoggie]

To turn the question slightly how much has losing Crameri affected us this year?

It's hurt because he plays as an in between tall and mid, and we have been replacing him with smaller players, leaving Stringer often as our only tall, or Stringer and Boyd, or even just Bonts.

I think Redpath needs to play in his place, not as the only tall but with Boyd and Stringer as our starting three key options in a game.
That way when Boyd needs to go in the ruck we have more than just Stringer as a forward option.

[bulldogtragic]

I'm not sold Redpath is our man long term to be the second big forward, or even now. But he would straighten us up a bit in Boyd's absence. I'd like to see Fletch or Hamling given a few weeks to see what it looks like with them in it. But when Boyd rucks we are left without our monster sized forward, so the ruck issue raises up in this conversation now, for me at least. So to change the question for next year, if we have the cash and will to go after a big trade again do we look at a silky smooth gun midfielder or a CHF? Crameri is back too.

I think Hurley as a free agent, at the risk of getting punched at in the face, could be a dangerous forward if Boyd & Stringer get the best two defenders. Hurley & Crameri get 3rd and 4th defenders, Dickson 5th and rotating smalls around. I guess money is the issue for a list management aspect. Conversely, would Bevo play two massive forwards and two rucks. I can't see that unless it's a case where Roughead rests back, Campbell rests forward and the second Hurley type swings around with the rotations. This is the part of our structures I struggle to get my head around, we need lots of run but when the entries are average or we revert to bombing it we need at least another big body with competency down there. Hawthorn, WCE and Adelaide play similar zone defence with run and carry but have multiple big targets and resting rucks.

[Flamethrower]

When Boyd comes back...

F Stringer Boyd Daniel/McLean
HF Dickson Adams Dahlhaus

Before then...

F Redpath Stringer Daniel/McLean
HF Dickson Adams Dahlhaus

I would experiment with Adams at CHF. We need someone to take a contested overhead mark in the forward line, and we could try Collins in the backline at the same time.

We really need to draft or recruit a "Jack Darling" type, or get a ruckman who can go forward, take a mark and kick a goal. Tom Campbell can do the 1st 2 parts, but his goal kicking has been woeful.

[Mantis]

We really need to draft or recruit a "Jack Darling" type, or get a ruckman who can go forward, take a mark and kick a goal. Tom Campbell can do the 1st 2 parts, but his goal kicking has been woeful.

Is Crameri a Darling type?

But I agree we need to develop some young forwards, both medium sized & tall.

[Twodogs]

Everyone's goalkicking has been woeful.

[LostDoggy]

Dickson needs to play 100% forward. I know he's been up the ground getting a few kicks, but he's a liability when up the ground.

We need him forward putting pressure on, leading to the ball and using his body and smarts to create opportunities for us.

[bornadog]

Dickson needs to play 100% forward. I know he's been up the ground getting a few kicks, but he's a liability when up the ground.

We need him forward putting pressure on, leading to the ball and using his body and smarts to create opportunities for us.

Yeah I don't know what the hell he was doing up the ground and why the MC put him there.

[Mofra]

...or get a ruckman who can go forward, take a mark and kick a goal. Tom Campbell can do the 1st 2 parts, but his goal kicking has been woeful.
Tom Boyd?

He rarely gets out-marked forward and is a more than competent ruck. I think his loss has hurt us more than expected.

[Bulldog4life]

We need 2 key forwards. Stringer is not a key forward. We need Boyd and Redders to play as the key forwards. When Boyd is rucking it means we still have a tall presence in the forward line. Jack has only got this year on his contract. Let's give him a good run and see how he goes. If it doesn't work out then we delist him at years end.

[Templeton31]

We need 2 key forwards. Stringer is not a key forward. We need Boyd and Redders to play as the key forwards. When Boyd is rucking it means we still have a tall presence in the forward line. Jack has only got this year on his contract. Let's give him a good run and see how he goes. If it doesn't work out then we delist him at years end.

But I can't see how you can then play Campbell and Roughie too. Too many talls then.

[Bulldog4life]

But I can't see how you can then play Campbell and Roughie too. Too many talls then.

I would only play one of Campbell or Roughy with Boyd and Redders.

[lemmon]

What's Roberts like as a forward? He's kicked some clutch goals at other levels and reads the ball well in the air but Ive got no idea what else he'd bring to the setup- certainly not ahead of Redpath

[bulldogtragic]

What's Roberts like as a forward? He's kicked some clutch goals at other levels and reads the ball well in the air but Ive got no idea what else he'd bring to the setup- certainly not ahead of Redpath

I'd say it's time to find out with an instruction 'you have three weeks to show us you have it as a forward'. He's going to down the queue when Collins, Adams & Cordy all come on with Wood (Hamling too possibly) and flankers.

[Go_Dogs]

I'd really like to see the following six players up forward:

Boyd
Daniel
Dickson
Honeychurch
McLean
Stringer

Honeychurch and Boyd can work well in tandem, with Honey perhaps our most likely to be successful in the tenacious small forward role.

Dickson and Stringer can kick multiple goals.

McLean and Daniel offer points of difference and combine good game sense and skill.

[lemmon]

I'd really like to see the following six players up forward:

Boyd
Daniel
Dickson
Honeychurch
McLean
Stringer

Honeychurch and Boyd can work well in tandem, with Honey perhaps our most likely to be successful in the tenacious small forward role.

Dickson and Stringer can kick multiple goals.

McLean and Daniel offer points of difference and combine good game sense and skill.

I like it. One ruckman or two with this set up?

[Go_Dogs]

I like it. One ruckman or two with this set up?

I'm not sure on the answer to this.

Ideally we can keep Boyd forward for the majority of the game, but I'm not adverse to operating a smaller forward line once we have our better runners/users in the 22 (my thinking being we won't be kicking long to a hot spot as regularly), meaning Boyd can take a turn in the ruck when required.

On the other side, I'd like to see us try Roughead, Campbell and Boyd in the same team for a few weeks once we leave Etihad.

[1eyedog]

I like it too. If we want Boyd at FF for long minutes we need to play Roughie and Campbell. But what to do with the other while one rucks...

[Go_Dogs]

I like it too. If we want Boyd at FF for long minutes we need to play Roughie and Campbell. But what to do with the other while one rucks...

Against certain sides where we can perhaps send Roughead back and/or Campbell forward it should work, but that kind of set up may be reliant upon an opposition side with a number of tall forwards or a side who plays a resting ruck forward for large patches.

It wouldn't work against the Crows this weekend, because despite Jenkins being suitable on paper, he's far too quick and mobile a match up for Roughead. If Geelong are still playing Zac Smith forward for long periods, they could be a team it works against. Sydney too, albeit their structure may change with Sinclair being injured.

That's my long-winded way of saying it won't be a sensible approach every week.

[bulldogtragic]

If Collins, Adams, Cordy, Hamling, Wood and our flankers are our best backline. And Roughead is proving to be a poor forward, missing from 10m out is unacceptable. Then Roughead has to be the number one ruckman and Campbell the resting ruck forward. If Roughead isn't in our best defence, and not best forward line. If he isn't the best ruck, then he's trade bait or a depth player.

[1eyedog]

Against certain sides where we can perhaps send Roughead back and/or Campbell forward it should work, but that kind of set up may be reliant upon an opposition side with a number of tall forwards or a side who plays a resting ruck forward for large patches.

It wouldn't work against the Crows this weekend, because despite Jenkins being suitable on paper, he's far too quick and mobile a match up for Roughead. If Geelong are still playing Zac Smith forward for long periods, they could be a team it works against. Sydney too, albeit their structure may change with Sinclair being injured.

That's my long-winded way of saying it won't be a sensible approach every week.

So either way Boyd will still need to ruck as the need arises. Does Jenkins ever ruck or does Jacobs ruck entire matches with Tex and Jenkins as their two full-time forwards?

One thing I liked about Will is he could ruck the entire game.

[soupman]

If Collins, Adams, Cordy, Hamling, Wood and our flankers are our best backline. And Roughead is proving to be a poor forward, missing from 10m out is unacceptable. Then Roughead has to be the number one ruckman and Campbell the resting ruck forward. If Roughead isn't in our best defence, and not best forward line. If he isn't the best ruck, then he's trade bait or a depth player.
Not like Campbell is the greatest set shot in the side either. His first quarter was atrocious.

Yeah I don't know what the hell he was doing up the ground and why the MC put him there.
He would have been out up the ground to help cover the loss of JJ, Murphy, Suckling and Daniel. All those guys are quick and run with the ball, so with a lack of other player types like that we would have put him up there to generate a bit of run with his pace. It's the same reason Stringer spent more time up the ground early.

[azabob]

Can Campbell ruck 90% gametime similar to Goldstein?

[Mantis]

Can Campbell ruck 90% gametime similar to Goldstein?

I don't think so.. Just doesn't have the miles in the legs.. He couldn't keep up with Goldy last week who could have been pretty damaging if he was spotted up.

[Twodogs]

I don't think so.. Just doesn't have the miles in the legs.. He couldn't keep up with Goldy last week who could have been pretty damaging if he was spotted up.


Yep. Maybe in a few years but not at the moment.

[Mofra]

Not like Campbell is the greatest set shot in the side either. His first quarter was atrocious.
I was about to say he's a better set shot than Roughy.... but almost every listed player in the competition is a better set shot than Roughy.

[Templeton31]

Goldy is the best ruckman going round (AA etc) and I thought we did quite a good job with him last week. He wasn't much of an influence - credit to Roughy and Campbell.

[bulldogtragic]

I made reference in another thread about Redders goal kicking accuracy, and in a different thread Boyds goal kicking accuracy.

Dickson: 75%+ (110.35)
Redders: 70%+ (29.11)
Boyd: 70%+ (29.13)
McLean: 65%+ (13.6)
Stringer: 65%+ (115.65)
Crameri: 60%+ (165.103)

If this is our forwardline next year then I think we can play Redders & Boyd from a scoring perspective. While the stats are limited by the raw numbers, if these guys continue on at these goal kicking accuracy percentages then playing them is to our advantage. If/when we improve our forward entries this forwardline can start to amass many more goals and it's already among the most accurate in the entire competition. We could very well see a big rise in our 'points for' as this year we've seen a huge drop in our 'points against'.

Statistically these 6 as a forwardline team average 66% or two thirds accurate collectively (Tony Locketts personal average 69.74%). If the mids can supply them with 18 shots a game (average of only 3 each per game) then that's 12.6 (78 points) being returned on average per game. Add in 10 points a quarter on average from mids and others and that's 118 points for and we are giving up 68 points a game this year to date. That's a great starting point to slaughter shite teams, but also a good starting point that good teams need to stop 4+ goals a game and get an extra 4+ goals a game out of our defence. That takes some doing against our manic pressure.

So with that in mind Tom Boyd should be spending as much time up front as possible. Redders if in form should play as I'd rather a slightly bigger immobile player kick 3.0 or 2.1 then bring in a smaller player whose accuracy is worse. Redders accuracy makes him more valuable. We just haven't seen too much of it played together at once but I'd like to see it for an extended period this year. And for all of this, our mids and flankers still have a lot of room to improve their forward entries. That's a scary prospect when this happens.

[bulldogtragic]

Dickson & Redders doing their thing in the first with accuracy. They might not be as flexible as other players but career accuracy counts for a lot. Their leading today also allows for Tom Boyd to play deep in the set up and Jake & Bonts wherever with other flankers.

[bulldogtragic]

Need to add in Tom Liberatore into our accurate goal kicking set up.

2016: 11.2 (80+%)
Career: 29.12 (70+%)

That's 4 blokes (20+ games) with career goal kicking accuracy over 70%.

[bulldogtragic]

So I think next year it's:

HF: Crameri Cloke Stringer
F: Dickson Boyd Smith

It's worth noting Stringer & Dickson kicked an impressive 42 & 40 goals this year respectively, often on the best two defenders while Boyd was out of the side. If Boyd can continue to clunk big marks, and Cloke can hit form, then Stringer and Dickson get the added benefit of having lesser defenders. So replicating 40+ goals next year is on the cards for Jake & Tory. Crameri is good for 30 goals when in form (done it 5 years straight). We'd be hoping for 30 or so each from Boyd (nearly a goal a game this year) & Cloke (averaged 1.5 goals this year). Plus a couple from Smith (averaged 1.5 goals this year) and all the others rotating through such as Picken, Bonts (a goal a game this year), Daniel, Dahl, Roughy etc.

I have a feeling we will be a considerably higher scoring team next year.

[Dancin' Douggy]

So I think next year it's:

HF: Crameri Cloke Stringer
F: Dickson Boyd Smith

It's worth noting Stringer & Dickson kicked an impressive 42 & 40 goals this year respectively, often on the best two defenders while Boyd was out of the side. If Boyd can continue to clunk big marks, and Cloke can hit form, then Stringer and Dickson get the added benefit of having lesser defenders. So replicating 40+ goals next year is on the cards for Jake & Tory. Crameri is good for 30 goals when in form (done it 5 years straight). We'd be hoping for 30 or so each from Boyd (nearly a goal a game this year) & Cloke (averaged 1.5 goals this year). Plus a couple from Smith (averaged 1.5 goals this year) and all the others rotating through such as Picken, Bonts (a goal a game this year), Daniel, Dahl, Roughy etc.

I have a feeling we will be a considerably higher scoring team next year.

That is one hell of a forward line. Even without the KPFs.
Stringer Crameri Dixon and C. Smith. Sheesh...........try stopping all of THEM.

[Twodogs]

So I think next year it's:

HF: Crameri Cloke Stringer
F: Dickson Boyd Smith

It's worth noting Stringer & Dickson kicked an impressive 42 & 40 goals this year respectively, often on the best two defenders while Boyd was out of the side. If Boyd can continue to clunk big marks, and Cloke can hit form, then Stringer and Dickson get the added benefit of having lesser defenders. So replicating 40+ goals next year is on the cards for Jake & Tory. Crameri is good for 30 goals when in form (done it 5 years straight). We'd be hoping for 30 or so each from Boyd (nearly a goal a game this year) & Cloke (averaged 1.5 goals this year). Plus a couple from Smith (averaged 1.5 goals this year) and all the others rotating through such as Picken, Bonts (a goal a game this year), Daniel, Dahl, Roughy etc.

I have a feeling we will be a considerably higher scoring team next year.


Watching the earlier finals again and I've noticed that Bontempelli is no slouch at CHF himself. A couple of times late in quarters when defenders were starting to get a bit leg weary the Bont would be running them around inside 50 and then running back into the space he'd created for himself and take marks on the lead.

Then again he could sit on the bench all day and be much better at just sitting there than everyone else.

[bornadog]

That is one hell of a forward line. Even without the KPFs.
Stringer Crameri Dixon and C. Smith. Sheesh...........try stopping all of THEM.

Dickson ;)

[Twodogs]

That is one hell of a forward line. Even without the KPFs.
Stringer Crameri Dixon and C. Smith. Sheesh...........try stopping all of THEM.


Dickson ;)

Deadeye Dickson. Premiership player..

[always right]

Crameri Cloke McLean
Stringer Boyd Dickson

Roughy and Boyd to share ruck duties.

My only concern is this makes our forwardline slower. Cloke is the one who goes out if this is the case and I expect Stringer to be far more effective in 2017 with Crameri back.

[ReLoad]

Crameri alone makes our forward structure lethal. holy shoot next year is going to be epic!

[choconmientay]

Just read an article about our forward line stood up in the GF and delivered the premiership for us.
It's scary to think we'll be even better with Crameri and Clokecoing in(back) into the team.

Enjoy.

TheRoar - Western Bulldogs’ forward line delivers in grand final victory (http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/10/02/western-bulldogs-forward-line-delivers-grand-final-victory/)

It was one of the pressing storylines heading into the grand final.

How could Western Bulldogs’ forward line deliver against the best defensive unit we have seen in years? Could the Dogs’ manic forward pressure overcome the astonishing Sydney Swans’ defence?

The answer was a resounding yes, but not in the way we expected.

No doubt, the Bulldogs’ pressure and ferocity at the footy was, as always, terrific. The Dogs’ 15 tackles inside 50 and 172 contested possessions reflect this. Sydney couldn’t break out of defence and create scoring chains from their back half, thanks to the Bulldogs’ aggressiveness at the contest.

However, this intrusive nature from the Bulldogs was a given coming into the game. Everyone knew it was going to happen, it was just going to be a matter of how the Swans would handle it.

What wasn’t in the cards, though, was a proficient scoring attack from the Bulldogs’ forwards.

All 13 of the Dogs’ goals came from forwards. No midfield goals or majors from eager defenders, even though Norm Smith Medalist Jason Johannisen came agonisingly close to kicking a monstrous goal from outside 50.

The group of Tory Dickson, Liam Picken, Tom Boyd, Jake Stringer, Zaine Cordy, Clay Smith and Toby McLean kicked the 13 goals that turned Dog dreamers into believers.

Picken, the 2016 finals cult hero, was a pest up forward. The Swans couldn’t get an inch of free space, because Picken was always lurking and pounced when the opportunity presented itself.

Once again, though, you knew Picken was going to bring this mindset to the contest. It was the three goals, including the clincher 26 minutes into the final term, which really made Picken one of the most influential players on the ground.

If you said one of the two million dollar men would boot three goals, take six contested marks and collect 14 touches, Lance Franklin would pose as a shoo-in.

http://cdn0.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Tom-Boyd.jpg


It was the much-maligned Boyd, though, who imposed himself on the contest and lived up to his paycheck. His work around the ground was tremendous, as Boyd’s aerial excellence was awe-inspiring. Boyd’s trio of goals proved he still commands attention up forward, his natural position, and it may flip a switch in the former Giant’s career.

Tom Hawkins had a breaking out party in the 2011 grand final and the similarities between that effort and Boyd’s are striking. Hawkins’ three-goal effort led Geelong to an upset victory on that day, a carbon copy of Boyd’s performance.

Boyd’s paycheck demands him stand up in the big moments. Well, he stood up in the biggest of them all.

Dickson shook off an inaccurate September to return to his old reliable self in front of the big sticks, kicking three goals straight. The game was won at ground level, as a combined 100 inside 50s yielded just 17 marks inside the arcs. This scenario suits someone like Dickson perfectly, as his roving expertise was on full display.

One goal stands out above the rest. Dickson’s magnificent snap followed an even better piece of play from Lachie Hunter, whose flicking effort kept the footy in play, a testimony to the Dogs’ desperation.

Stringer had a quiet day by his standards, but as he usually does, one singular moment of brilliance will define his grand final. Amidst a sea of players, Stringer somehow willed himself through the pack to put the Bulldogs back up by seven points, in a moment when the Swans were building momentum.

It’s moments like that, which make guys like Stringer so electric. Missing for most of the day, which is backed up by his 12-disposal outing, Stringer’s goal will go down in Bulldog folk lure. Game defining moments like that is something only the special ones can create.

Smith, another one of the Dogs’ September heroes, continued his sensational finals run. Cordy’s effort is extra impressive, when you consider his mid-season suspension for getting into a punching incident with Boyd. McLean was adequate in the middle of the contest and subsequently rewarded with a goal.

The Bulldogs’ lacking scoring power had many worried, including yours truly.

In a finals campaign that can only be described as magical, though, the Dogs made history and it was their forwards that led the way.

[Twodogs]

Crameri Cloke McLean
Stringer Boyd Dickson

Roughy and Boyd to share ruck duties.

My only concern is this makes our forwardline slower. Cloke is the one who goes out if this is the case and I expect Stringer to be far more effective in 2017 with Crameri back.


Crameri and Dickson push right up into defence a lot of the game most games and Cloke covers a lot of ground. Boyd will be on Ruck duties a bit (hopefully a little bit). It looks great but I'd bet that combination won't spend a lot of game time together.

But I've not often seen us with a multi pronged attack with various tall marking options for our mids to choose from. And never one this potent. Given the amount of time our mids were able generate in the forward 50 this year we have reason to be genuinely excited and to look forward to some pretty big scores.

[bornadog]

Will be interesting to see the forward set up Bevo comes up with in 2017:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9n-BjcBQSU&feature=youtu.be

[bulldogtragic]

I think Cloke in particular could be a real wildcard. Now more than ever, the intercept marking defender is one of the most crucial roles in opposition teams. And we obviously rate it because my boy Cordy was playing the shutdown roles on these players through the finals series despite not being a natural forward. If Clokey is still covering 16+ KMs a game, is good for one or two goals and most importantly use his height, weight, experience and fierce attack on the intercepting defender to nullify them and get the ball to ground than he becomes an integral part of our forward system. He doesn't need to personally kick 3 each week in my eyes, if he gets the one or two, but is able to assist in plays that generate more scoring shots then he's comfortably in our best 22 (as Bevo says above). I can only hope some of our impatient or ignorant fans understand he's going to be a role player and not be Nathan Buckley's and demand his dropping if he's not kicking huge bags.

[hujsh]

I think Cloke in particular could be a real wildcard. Now more than ever, the intercept marking defender is one of the most crucial roles in opposition teams. And we obviously rate it because my boy Cordy was playing the shutdown roles on these players through the finals series despite not being a natural forward. If Clokey is still covering 16+ KMs a game, is good for one or two goals and most importantly use his height, weight, experience and fierce attack on the intercepting defender to nullify them and get the ball to ground than he becomes an integral part of our forward system. He doesn't need to personally kick 3 each week in my eyes, if he gets the one or two, but is able to assist in plays that generate more scoring shots then he's comfortably in our best 22 (as Bevo says above). I can only hope some of our impatient or ignorant fans understand he's going to be a role player and not be Nathan Buckley's and demand his dropping if he's not kicking huge bags.

It's something I think Boyd is good at that we miss when he's in the ruck.

[bulldogtragic]

It's something I think Boyd is good at that we miss when he's in the ruck.

And that's why I'd like us to trial two rucks plus Boyd in the pre season games. Bevo said he'd play a fair bit of Camhead and Boyd & Redders all together before Redders did his ACL. I'd like to see what it looks like in the preseason games, also whether Cloke can pinch hit in the ruck also. There's a lot of options open to trialling in these glorified practice matches, so I'd like to have a good look at them and if they work great and if they don't we can settle down on a set up that does work with big guys around the place. Going ahead we are going to be playing more tall players in our set up (we recruited in 7 of them) so it's incumbent on the match committee now to see how we do it now and with a view to how we will do it when Redders comes back and kids step up.

[Bulldog4life]

And that's why I'd like us to trial two rucks plus Boyd in the pre season games. Bevo said he'd play a fair bit of Camhead and Boyd & Redders all together before Redders did his ACL. I'd like to see what it looks like in the preseason games, also whether Cloke can pinch hit in the ruck also. There's a lot of options open to trialling in these glorified practice matches, so I'd like to have a good look at them and if they work great and if they don't we can settle down on a set up that does work with big guys around the place. Going ahead we are going to be playing more tall players in our set up (we recruited in 7 of them) so it's incumbent on the match committee now to see how we do it now and with a view to how we will do it when Redders comes back and kids step up.

I think Boyd will always be the forward/ruck player. Even he said recently that is where he plays his best footy.