All your club wants for Christmas is ...

[Hotdog60]

Twin towers

The Bulldogs have manufactured the rare scenario where their two chief forward targets are No.1 and No.2 draft picks: Tom Boyd and Josh Schache, respectively. Now to get both young men to click together and perform to their enormous potential. If man-mountain Boyd can recapture something approaching his heroic 2016 Grand Final form and Schache can continue his development, the Dogs will have their bark back.

LINK (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-12-23/all-your-club-wants-for-christmas-is)

[Hotdog60]

It's been a long time since the Dogs have enjoyed the luxury of a genuine key forward and in my life time I can't recall two key forwards.

One can only think the head aches that these two could cause if they can get in sync with each other.

Could we see Boyd at CHF and Schache at FF and rotate during the game.

If we could give them 90% game time with only short stints on the bench can we play two rucks as well or are going too top heavy.

Next season will be very interesting and I'm already hanging out for Dogs footy.

[Eastdog]

Big potential to have a great season. Don’t want to say too much as it’s very early but I have a good feeling going into the upcoming season particularly if injuries are at a minimum.

[Twodogs]

It's been a long time since the Dogs have enjoyed the luxury of a genuine key forward and in my life time I can't recall two key forwards.

One can only think the head aches that these two could cause if they can get in sync with each other.

Could we see Boyd at CHF and Schache at FF and rotate during the game.

If we could give them 90% game time with only short stints on the bench can we play two rucks as well or are going too top heavy.

Next season will be very interesting and I'm already hanging out for Dogs footy.

The only time I can remember us even being close to having two key forwards was when we got Simon Beasley in 1982 to play with Templeton but Templeton had done his knee the year before (we had already signed Beazer in 1981) and really only limped through a few more games but the prospect of two Coleman medalist century goalkickers in the same forward line was a mouth watering prospect. Actually I wonder if any other club has ever had two century goalkickers in the same team before? KT and Beasley played a few games together.

Although when I think about it Peter Foster played a fair bit at CHF with Beasley at Full Forward.

[dukedog]

Massive upside to those two boys pushing each other. Those two have the potential to draw 2 players each per contest at their best. All hypotheticals , like everything. But if they gel. Man look out.

[Vred]

Big potential to have a great season. Don’t want to say too much as it’s very early but I have a good feeling going into the upcoming season particularly if injuries are at a minimum.

The fact we’ve gotten through this much of preseason training without losing someone is a mirical. Fingers crossed we head into 2019 with a full uninjured squad.

[Prince Imperial]

Glenn Coleman and a very young Chris Grant during 1990-1992 was a surprisingly good set of key forwards at the time.

[Twodogs]

Glenn Coleman and a very young Chris Grant during 1990-1992 was a surprisingly good set of key forwards at the time.

I'd forgotten about that set up. Chris Grant and Danny Del-Re as well from around that time.

[Mofra]

I'm quite confident on Schache beign a long term player at a very high level for us. He just seems to have the tank and workrate. He's not a pack crasher and despite his talk I'm not sure he will be, nor will that be his forte.

Boyd I'm less confident of. He just doesn't seem to have that cocky swagger KPFs do, although he should still be a 'useful' ruck/forward.

Missing here is Tim English - the improvement in his forward craft is very good so he can be dangerous resting there when he's not rucking.

[dog town]

The big issue with this is that our game plan is set up to lock the ball in our half. We rely on source pressure to give our press and interceptors a better chance of winning the ball back. If we play both Boyd and Schache forward and they don’t impact we will get cut to ribbons on the way out.

Given Boyd and Schache battle to apply pressure they would need to be offering an enormous amount offensively to justify keeping them there together. Would be a huge test of our clubs willingness to play the long game from a development sense.

[bornadog]

All I want is for an injury free list.

[Eastdog]

All I want is for an injury free list.

That would be great. We have the everyone available to choose from each week.

[GVGjr]

My Xmas wish for the 2019 season is a simple one, never lose two games in a row.

[bulldogtragic]

My Xmas wish for the 2019 season is a simple one, never lose two games in a row.

So you wish is for some, all be it non consecutive losses? :D

I wish for no losses if there's no wish constraints.

[GVGjr]

So you wish is for some, all be it non consecutive losses? :D

I wish for no losses if there's no wish constraints.

I think your in for a good season if your losing streak stops at one.
At this stage I'll take that. in 12 months I'll be aiming a lot higher :)

[GVGjr]

I'm quite confident on Schache beign a long term player at a very high level for us. He just seems to have the tank and workrate. He's not a pack crasher and despite his talk I'm not sure he will be, nor will that be his forte.

Boyd I'm less confident of. He just doesn't seem to have that cocky swagger KPFs do, although he should still be a 'useful' ruck/forward.

Missing here is Tim English - the improvement in his forward craft is very good so he can be dangerous resting there when he's not rucking.

To me, if Boyd is healthy enough he will get that swagger he had at the GF day. Just needs an uninterrupted build up to the season and then to stay healthy.

Agree that Schache needs to get some mongrel about him and know that he is big enough to make an impact.
Perhaps some sessions with Jordon Sweet might be in order as he already seems to have enough confidence in his size and strength

[Twodogs]

My Xmas wish for the 2019 season is a simple one, never lose two games in a row.



Can you remember a season that we didn't lose more than 1 game in a row? I can't. I can remember beating every other team (there were only 12 teams back then) in 1985 but we lost more than one in a row.

[Dancin' Douggy]

The only time I can remember us even being close to having two key forwards was when we got Simon Beasley in 1982 to play with Templeton but Templeton had done his knee the year before (we had already signed Beazer in 1981) and really only limped through a few more games but the prospect of two Coleman medalist century goalkickers in the same forward line was a mouth watering prospect. Actually I wonder if any other club has ever had two century goalkickers in the same team before? KT and Beasley played a few games together.

Although when I think about it Peter Foster played a fair bit at CHF with Beasley at Full Forward.

I can't think of any team that ever had 2 century goal kickers in the same team.
I reckon you've unearthed a new obscure stat.

IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!

[Twodogs]

I can't think of any team that ever had 2 century goal kickers in the same team.
I reckon you've unearthed a new obscure stat.

IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!

The only team I can think of that had two competition leading goalkickers would have been Collingwood with Dick Lee and Gordon Coventry back in the 1920s although out of the two of them only Coventry ever kicked 100 goals, Lee led the competition goalkicking 6 or 7 times but never kicked more than 66 goals in one year.

[Before I Die]

The only team I can think of that had two competition leading goalkickers would have been Collingwood with Dick Lee and Gordon Coventry back in the 1920s although out of the two of them only Coventry ever kicked 100 goals, Lee led the competition goalkicking 6 or 7 times but never kicked more than 66 goals in one year.

I can think of Taylor and Roach at Richmond in the early 80s, also Moncrieff and Hudson at Hawthorn, though I think Moncrieff’s best was 97 goals.

[Prince Imperial]

Wade and Blight at North, though Blight wasn't a forward then.

You could add in Quinlan and Templeton too. Not sure, there was ever a situation that a team had two forwards who had already kicked 100 though.

[dukedog]

The only team I can think of that had two competition leading goalkickers would have been Collingwood with Dick Lee and Gordon Coventry back in the 1920s although out of the two of them only Coventry ever kicked 100 goals, Lee led the competition goalkicking 6 or 7 times but never kicked more than 66 goals in one year.

Wait. What. You can think of? Are you over 90 years of age? ����

[Twodogs]

Wait. What. You can think of? Are you over 90 years of age? ����


No, but I can read and this stuff is written about.:)

[Before I Die]

Wade and Blight at North, though Blight wasn't a forward then.

You could add in Quinlan and Templeton too. Not sure, there was ever a situation that a team had two forwards who had already kicked 100 though.

Moncrieff got sent to the backline after kicking 97 when Hudson came out of retirement. That may be the closest it got.

[Mantis]

All I want is for an injury free list.

Close to 40,000 posts and finally one I'm in agreeance with. :D

A good run with injuries is a must... if only for the fact so I don't have to listen to Ding Dong spruik the same shit every week.

[GVGjr]

A good run with injuries is a must... if only for the fact so I don't have to listen to Ding Dong spruik the same shit every week.

Hopefully the club has a better plan than the last 2 seasons. We can't accept the same level of injuries as we have been experiencing.

[mjp]

Hall and Lockett at Sydney?

[bornadog]

Close to 40,000 posts and finally one I'm in agreeance with. :D

A good run with injuries is a must... if only for the fact so I don't have to listen to Ding Dong spruik the same shit every week.

I won't take offence because you don't agree with anyone. :D:D

[mjp]

A good run with injuries is a must...

...what about "...no bleating about injuries 'cos everyone gets them...".

[GVGjr]

...what about "...no bleating about injuries 'cos everyone gets them...".

I must admit the constant complaining about injuries and an inexperienced list after just about every loss got tiresome. I dont want to see that trend again this year. We've got a good list and if we cop some injuries we just need to get on with it.

[bornadog]

I must admit the constant complaining about injuries and an inexperienced list after just about every loss got tiresome. I dont want to see that trend again this year. We've got a good list and if we cop some injuries we just need to get on with it.

I don't think anyone was complaining about the injuries, it was a discussion point. When a quarter of your list is out and mostly senior players it is inevitable you will have young players picked before their time.

If it is a concern and we don't want to discuss injuries, then I won't be bothered with the injury thread in 2019.

[GVGjr]

I don't think anyone was complaining about the injuries, it was a discussion point. When a quarter of your list is out and mostly senior players it is inevitable you will have young players picked before their time.

If it is a concern and we don't want to discuss injuries, then I won't be bothered with the injury thread in 2019.

Discussing injuries is a good topic, we should be fleshing out why we are copping a high level of injuries when other clubs are managing it better.
I do however, struggle when after a loss the first explanation being offered up is "the other mob are older and have played more games".
To me its all about the endeavour displayed and at times I think that was significantly more of an issue than how many games each 22 have played.

On the positive side we've cleared out some of the distracted players over the last two years so I'm hoping we can focus more about how we play than injuries and experience of the 22 selected.

[merantau]

No serious injuries please. Liam Picken 2016 Finals Version, ditto Tory Dickson/Tom Boyd, Libber to play every game and get under the opposition's skin. I want more Rhyce Shaw moments. Josh Schase to become a gun sharp shooting mobile headache for the opposition. Richards, Naughton, Gowers, Crozier, Lipinski, English to build, Lewis Young to fulfill his potential, Mitch Wallis to play every game and be the bloke who can kick goals, be a tagger or a Matty Boyd type defender, Bailey Williams and Bailey Dale to have big years. Especially Dale. I rate him as a very clever player. Caleb Daniel to play that 'distributor' role so well again when he plays down back, Toby McLean to kick MORE goals, Lachie Hunter to win the Brownlow, Susan Alberti to be our next Governor General - I could keep going but I think you've got the picture.

[AshMac]

Bonti to win his first of 8 consecutive brownlows in the red white and blue