Three things I've learned round 21 v Collingwood

[Twodogs]

3,2,1.

Thunderbirds are go!

[GVGjr]

Count them down, 1, 2 and 3.

[westdog54]

1. Joel Hamling is reminding us why we gave him a chance.
2. If Josh Dunkley can straighten out his goal kicking he will be an out and out star.
3. Marcus Bontempelli can drag us kicking and screaming to a win.

[EasternWest]

1. The old fashion tag is still alive. Picken did a great job on Sidebottom. I have to admit I didn't pay it as much credit as I should, but fox footy were just talking about what a shut-down it was.

2. Hamling looks born again. It's only two games, but two encouraging games.

1. I might have underestimated Bontempelli. Can you believe that?

[westbulldog]

1. We need Adams and Campbell back.
2. Bont got another 3 Brownlow votes.
3. We will not be able to afford inaccuracy in a final.

[bulldogtragic]

1. Bonts should be co-captain next year. He's as great a leader as he is a superstar..
2. Steak knife guys like Biggs & Hamling were very good.
3. We have a gun KPF player. It'd be nice to see him play there and have a genuine target.

[merantau]

We are a very tough team inside.
We have very fast hands.
And we have a HUGE upside that will carry us across the River Jordan and into the Promised Land. As surely as night follows day we have our eyes fixed firmly on the prize and we are going to get it. It is written so you'd better believe it Bulldog fans.

[Ghost Dog]

1.As EasternWest states, Sidebottom, 17 touches in the first half, mauled in the second. Well done Liam.
2."Jong gives Pies a tour of his skills" - love the headline and effort, not the clanger turnovers.
3. Kicking efficiency in the 60's teams do not win finals.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

1. Zaine has tricks, could be a swingman in the future. Very promising signs.

2. Dunkley simply must improve his goal kicking if he's to be a good player.

3. I never, ever, ever want to see a Roughead/Boyd ruck combination again. Please, FFS, play Minson if TC is injured.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

1. Tom Boyd drops too many marks for my liking.
2. With so many of our regulars missing Bonti's influence is most profound.
3. Fletcher Roberts struggled tonight highlighting the need to get a quality defender in Hurley.

[Happy Days]

1. If Jong kicked in the field as he does in front of goal then he'd be a much hotter commodity

2. Bont is a far greater match winner than Stringer

3. Hamling is back to being a better prospect than Roberts

[Remi Moses]

3. The Bont can carry us over the line in a big game
2. No names like Biggs and Hamling are seriously underrated
1. Great to be on centre stage. More of it please

[Mantis]

1/ Having 6-8 (or more) players out allows your depth players to get an opportunity to play senior footy.. Shame most of them had stinkers.

2/ When we needed a lift we got one from the usual provider, he has us eating eating of his hands.

3/ We found a way and stood up at the big moments... It was 3 parts ugly and 1 part heart, but we take the win and move on.

[LostDoggy]

1. This win sums up the season thus far, a lot of rough edges more than covered by a massive heart.
2. Great leaders through the team. Bont is something else, Picken and Dahl find extra when it matters and Dunkley shows special signs.
3. We are developing a team of winners who just find a way to get the job done. An invaluable intangible.

[1eyedog]

1. That's twice in two weeks we've been behind and come back and then found a way to win. I'm starting to believe that even when we are down a few kicks we are highly likely to come back hard.

2. Picken has become one of our most durable and important players. He has gone from a good to a great player over the past 2 years. Will be a key player for us during the finals.

3. We were killed in the middle last night. We need some strength and drive out of the midfield and I think Koby needs to come back at the expense of Webb, who wasn't bad, just unlucky.

[Eastdog]

1. Bonti is a very special player
2. We need to still get better with our inside forward 50 efficiency
3. The finals will be a challenge with a lot of quality players out but I reckon we are mentally tougher now and that will hold us in good stead.

[chef]

1. We are the Jean-Claude Van Damme of the AFL. No retreat No surrender.

2. Even with the cheating of the Umps we will not be beaten.

3. We can tackle our way to victory. Hardest, tougest and almost youngest team in the comp. Makes no sense but I love it.

[SlimPickens]

1. Nathan Buckley cannot coach. With the talent Collingwood have on the park they should be a much better side.
2. The importance of Dale Morris to our defensive structure is massive.
3. We need Tom Campbell back in our team. Could be our most important player to be included in our finals side.

[Doc26]

1. Dahlhaus's toughness to slot straight back in after a bad knee has been understated
2. Clay needs a rest more than Jake does
3. As attractive as Hurley is I'm not sold that it is our greatest need. Our defensive unit at strength is elite , our key forward come 2nd ruck is a far bigger concern. A Rory Lobb, Peter Wright type would make a bigger difference to us.

[bornadog]

1. Dahlhaus's toughness to slot straight back in after a bad knee has been understated
2. Clay needs a rest more than Jake does
3. As attractive as Hurley is I'm not sold that it is our greatest need. Our defensive unit at strength is elite , our key forward come 2nd ruck is a far bigger concern. A Rory Lobb, Peter Wright type would make a bigger difference to us.

Hurley can play forward as well.

[Doc26]

Hurley can play forward as well.

Yes but hasn't he been open about not wanting to

[bulldogtragic]

Yes but hasn't he been open about not wanting to

I can't remember, was it he or Carlisle that said that?

[Remi Moses]

That was Carlisle .

[Doc26]

I can't remember, was it he or Carlisle that said that?

Carlisle certainly did, I just thought I recalled Hurley stating a preference to be in defence.

An extract from an article in 2014. At least he sounds more open to it than what Carlisle was.


Hurley, who's booted 99 goals in his 79 games playing primarily in attack, looks set to spend the 2014 season in the backline.

"He (Thompson) has mentioned a few times he wants players to be quite flexible in where they're playing,'' Hurley said.

"I've already moved from forward to back so that's one change and it wouldn't surprise me if we see a few different players in different spots.

"So far I've played every session as backman, so it's been great for me and I've really enjoyed it and I feel like I'm back at home in the backline.

"I'm getting to play on some really tough players like Paddy Ryder and Joey Daniher so I'm enjoying it.

"I played my whole junior career as a backman, I just feel really comfortable back there and I'm pretty lucky that the guys I'm playing alongside like Fletch (Dustin Fletcher), Cale Hooker, Jake Carlisle, Tayte Pears, they're all such good players which helps.

"It would be nice to settle down in the one position, I suppose.

"But for me I'm happy to play where I'm told to play, if that's up forward so be it, if it's down back, that's great.''

[bulldogtragic]

So he's a competent forward and defender. I like him even more. Bevo's 'flexibility' mantra rings out in that article.

[Happy Days]

If we get an All Australian FB and he doesn't play 22 (read - 25) games at full back I swear...

[bulldogtragic]

If we get an All Australian FB and he doesn't play 22 (read - 25) games at full back I swear...

A Boyd/Hurley ruck combo has me salivating.

[BulldogBelle]

1. Boyd's marking technique is flawed in that he goes up flat hands out and high above his head and the football often just bounces off. He needs training.
2. Roughhead may be a better option at full back if we can get Campbell in the side and rucking. Remember only a few years ago people were complaining that Roughead was useless at fullback.
3. Caleb is great but it makes me nervous when he is in defense as he can be out-marked quite easily.

[whythelongface]

Confirmation of things already learnt

1. Biggs is a really important player for us and has been a fantastic recruit
2. MBoyd (along with Moz) holds our backline together - playing some of his best football late in his career
3. Finding a way to win when you are down, and not playing your best footy, is a very good trait to have. Well done to Bevo to instill a belief in the team that allows us to grind out wins.

[ratsmac]

1. Joel Hammer Hamling is good enough to be playing here on in. I like his marks in defense.
2. Stringer can sense the moment. He was hardly involved for the whole match but had some very important touches in the final moments. He is so frustrating though.
3. We need to find a ruckman. Roughead isn't good enough at the ruck contest. He is good around the ground though. Grundy was tapping it where he liked at times (I wish he played for us). I hope Campbell comes good.

[Templeton31]

1. Jake is playing injured. Cant lift his injured arm (I forget which side it is) above his shoulder height.

2. BT (yes I know) said on the radio yesterday that when T Boyd feels he belongs as an AFL player he will take those marks he is currently dropping. I agree with this and am shocked I learnt something from BT. Big Tom getting to many more of the right spots though and when he feels he belongs and starts clunking them its gonna be great.

3. Joel Hamling can play CHB. Took some terrific marks. I haven't learnt why he hasn't been in the team more this year but he is now.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Hurley can play forward as well.

Hurley would have been chosen by Bevo to play at CHB and Cloke as a key forward. The fact that both Adams and Collins were drafted would suggest concerns about our key defence positions.
I still believe there might be a role for Fletcher Roberts as a key forward. Like Roughy he lacks a yard against quicker moving forwards but was originally drafted as a forward.