choconmientay
24-01-2017, 02:00 PM
LINK (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/western-bulldogs-more-than-prepared-to-be-the-hunted-this-season-20170120-gtvoyn.html)
Western Bulldogs more than prepared to be the hunted this season
Patrick Bartley, JANUARY 20 2017
Western Bulldogs veteran Matthew Boyd says that he and his team-mates are aware that to achieve back-to-back flags his side will have to become accustomed to the unusual position of being the most hunted of teams this season.
At 34, Boyd knows that the Bulldogs have enjoyed the luxury of being able to hunt opposition sides and achieve significant scalps, but that all changed minutes after they achieved one of the most memorable and remarkable grand final victories in decades against the Swans.
The All-Australian said that the Western Bulldogs list knew that there would be a different way of other clubs looking at last year's premiers but maintained that everyone on the list were excited about what lay ahead for the team.
Boyd stressed "that very few people outside of the walls at the Western Oval gave us any chance of doing what we did last year but we managed to achieve it," told SEN.
http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/2/6/g/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtvoyn.png/1484894568824.jpg
Matthew Boyd on the dais after last year's grand final. Photo: Michael Dodge/AFL Media/Getty Images
He said after the last round when the Dogs were flogged in Western Australia by Fremantle, most outside of the club doubted that the Western Bulldogs could rally enough to win a final let alone a flag.
However, the reinvented former captain has now mastered a role in defence and privately knew that his team mates had all the self belief needed after the trip west to go all the way.
"And when we went back a week later to Perth and we scored a great win it gave us momentum and we rode that momentum all the way to the grand final.
"We can't remain stagnant. We have to go on and keep improving and getting better. Sure we have parts of our game to improve in and even passages of the grand final that we are going over because we can learn from those problems," he said.
He added that "the club are at the moment looking at areas we can improve on and get better. We know everyone will be watching us, we are very much aware that more study will be going into our game plan," he said.
Boyd knows the club's forward stocks will be dramatically improved with the return of Stewart Crameri and the acquisition of Collingwood's Travis Cloke.
Boyd said that these two inclusions were important and would give their attack a greater potency next season.
And, captain Robert Murphy who missed the premiership season through injury, returns to football this year with the title of the oldest man playing the game after the retirement of Boomer Harvey from North Melbourne.
With 282 games to his credit and a possible 300-game milestone next season, Boyd makes for an unusual quinella as he is two months younger than Murphy and will be the second oldest player in the competition next season.
"I know the club will have the two oldest players going around but that doesn't worry me at all as long as we can make a contribution," he said.
Boyd, admitted that unlike the army of supporters around Australia, he had yet to see the entire replay of the grand final.
"That's because I have three young kids at home and it's pretty hard to get time alone to sit down and watch it. But I was at Port Douglas on a break and I was watching the game alone and must admit that the parts I saw I was riding every bump as if I was out there," he said.
Western Bulldogs more than prepared to be the hunted this season
Patrick Bartley, JANUARY 20 2017
Western Bulldogs veteran Matthew Boyd says that he and his team-mates are aware that to achieve back-to-back flags his side will have to become accustomed to the unusual position of being the most hunted of teams this season.
At 34, Boyd knows that the Bulldogs have enjoyed the luxury of being able to hunt opposition sides and achieve significant scalps, but that all changed minutes after they achieved one of the most memorable and remarkable grand final victories in decades against the Swans.
The All-Australian said that the Western Bulldogs list knew that there would be a different way of other clubs looking at last year's premiers but maintained that everyone on the list were excited about what lay ahead for the team.
Boyd stressed "that very few people outside of the walls at the Western Oval gave us any chance of doing what we did last year but we managed to achieve it," told SEN.
http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/2/6/g/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtvoyn.png/1484894568824.jpg
Matthew Boyd on the dais after last year's grand final. Photo: Michael Dodge/AFL Media/Getty Images
He said after the last round when the Dogs were flogged in Western Australia by Fremantle, most outside of the club doubted that the Western Bulldogs could rally enough to win a final let alone a flag.
However, the reinvented former captain has now mastered a role in defence and privately knew that his team mates had all the self belief needed after the trip west to go all the way.
"And when we went back a week later to Perth and we scored a great win it gave us momentum and we rode that momentum all the way to the grand final.
"We can't remain stagnant. We have to go on and keep improving and getting better. Sure we have parts of our game to improve in and even passages of the grand final that we are going over because we can learn from those problems," he said.
He added that "the club are at the moment looking at areas we can improve on and get better. We know everyone will be watching us, we are very much aware that more study will be going into our game plan," he said.
Boyd knows the club's forward stocks will be dramatically improved with the return of Stewart Crameri and the acquisition of Collingwood's Travis Cloke.
Boyd said that these two inclusions were important and would give their attack a greater potency next season.
And, captain Robert Murphy who missed the premiership season through injury, returns to football this year with the title of the oldest man playing the game after the retirement of Boomer Harvey from North Melbourne.
With 282 games to his credit and a possible 300-game milestone next season, Boyd makes for an unusual quinella as he is two months younger than Murphy and will be the second oldest player in the competition next season.
"I know the club will have the two oldest players going around but that doesn't worry me at all as long as we can make a contribution," he said.
Boyd, admitted that unlike the army of supporters around Australia, he had yet to see the entire replay of the grand final.
"That's because I have three young kids at home and it's pretty hard to get time alone to sit down and watch it. But I was at Port Douglas on a break and I was watching the game alone and must admit that the parts I saw I was riding every bump as if I was out there," he said.