Welcome to the Kennel - Charlie Clarke

[GVGjr]

I wasn't a huge fan of this selection but its very much needs based.
Welcome to the Kennel Charlie Clarke

[bulldogtragic]

Clarke and Weightman, with Naughty, Marra and Darcy for a decade!

[hujsh]

Sell me on him guys. A small forward who isn't super quick. What's he gonna do for us? Because I've seen Andrew Hooper before and I'm not interested in a sequel

[Testekill]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZZxgnu995s&ab_channel=AFL


He and Cody will be getting a lot of frees next year from their opponents getting sucked in.

[GVGjr]

Sell me on him guys. A small forward who isn't super quick. What's he gonna do for us? Because I've seen Andrew Hooper before and I'm not interested in a sequel

He's got a lot more tricks than Hooper and far better skills but will take a lot of time.

[jazzadogs]

What's the point of difference between Clarke and Weightman?

Regardless, he will be an upgrade on some of the other small forwards we have run through in recent years and I'm excited to see what he can do.

[Testekill]

What's the point of difference between Clarke and Weightman?

Regardless, he will be an upgrade on some of the other small forwards we have run through in recent years and I'm excited to see what he can do.

Clarke is a genuine crumber. He plays as a genuine small forward whereas Weightman plays like a marking forward.

[GVGjr]

What's the point of difference between Clarke and Weightman?

Regardless, he will be an upgrade on some of the other small forwards we have run through in recent years and I'm excited to see what he can do.

Clarke won't be flying for marks like Cody. He's also a good kick from 40 to 50 mtrs out.
He will work well with the other forwards.

[Testekill]

Clarke won't be flying for marks like Cody. He's also a good kick from 40 to 50 mtrs out.
He will work well with the other forwards.

He'd also push out Vandermeer as a small forward which is a pretty significant upgrade.

[Twodogs]

Clarke won't be flying for marks like Cody. He's also a good kick from 40 to 50 mtrs out.
He will work well with the other forwards.

Sounds a bit like Lally Bamblett. Not overtfast but runs to the right spots, sweeps on the crumbs of the crumbs and makes the most of his chances.

I'm excited about him. We haven't had a true small forward like that in years.

[Happy Days]

Is he actually not quick? Not sure I’m putting a ton of faith in the Fox question marks given the one currently on the screen is “Young?”

[hujsh]

A key aspect of Clarke’s game is his athleticism, namely his speed, looking dangerous when at full flight with very few opponents able to catch him. His speed allows him to get easy separation on leads around the ground, but also lets him hold off on making his run until the last moment to burn opponents with his first two or three steps. He best utilised this speed in transition, able to be released into space and carry the ball 40-50 meters with one run before sending his side inside 50, taking advantage when teammates were nearby to get one-twos to relieve himself of some pressure.



https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/charlie-clarke/

[Happy Days]

Ablett, who I assume knows what he’s talking about, specifically mentioned his speed when the pick dropped.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Well if he’s not fast his ability to hold his high end speed looks good

[azabob]

Ablett, who I assume knows what he’s talking about, specifically mentioned his speed when the pick dropped.

Which was amusing considering fox had the graphic on screen saying his speed was questionable at the very same time.

[F'scary]

He looks plenty fast enough in that footage. Appears to anticipate the fall of the ball pretty well, that's what's needed in the FP. Great kicking skills: taking the quick snap, from the boundary, longer shots and some nice passes in the highlights package.

[Grantysghost]

Which was amusing considering fox had the graphic on screen saying his speed was questionable at the very same time.

Those commentators don't say anything negative as you'd expect it's a night of hope and happiness.

When I watched him in games I felt he maybe got a bit lost of times and wasn't super fast for a small.

I've got half a raised eyebrow.

It's basically an admission Weightman isn't the small forward we expected. Not in a bad way.

[The Doctor]

Look forward to lots of goal celebrations. Bring it on Charlie.

[Mofra]

We targeted him a fair way out so I'm pretty happy he landed here (I'll admit I did like the idea of George too).

Seems the type that fans will love and opposition fans with loathe. Good.

[soupman]

Doesn't look proper quick, none of his highlights in my extensive 2 minute clip of research have him burning anyone off, but he looks to always be in motion.

Is he a bit like Giansiracusa in that he is a combo of good positioning and movement which makes his clean hands and good finishing dangerous?

[GVGjr]

Doesn't look proper quick, none of his highlights in my extensive 2 minute clip of research have him burning anyone off, but he looks to always be in motion.

Is he a bit like Giansiracusa in that he is a combo of good positioning and movement which makes his clean hands and good finishing dangerous?

Good summary.

[bulldogtragic]

Looks like a natural forward with great instincts and tricks. Certainly got more going as a forward than several others on the list this year ‘playing as forwards’.

Got to be a big plus in the column.

[Happy Days]

Well I guess now that we can’t talk about how tall Zaine is anymore we need something else to argue about ad infinitum.

[F'scary]

Looks like Toby Greene. Moves like Toby Greene. Just got to hope he's not a *!*!*!*! of a guy.

[bulldogtragic]

Looks like Toby Greene. Moves like Toby Greene. Just got to hope he's not a *!*!*!*! of a guy.

I hope every other supporter hates him. Those players of ours are just about my favourite.

[Dancin' Douggy]

My only question is this. Is he better than Alwyn Davey?

[F'scary]

My only question is this. Is he better than Alwyn Davey?

I'm interpreting the Davey slide to mean no one rated him. But time will tell.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Davey didn't look overly impressive to me. Not surprised he went late.

[Testekill]

Clarke looks like, while not super fast, he's always moving and getting into the right positions. That's every bit as dangerous for a small forward as pace.

[Mantis]

His reaction to getting drafted is elite…. Check out the WB socials.

[bulldogtragic]

His reaction to getting drafted is elite…. Check out the WB socials.

Gold!

[Grantysghost]

His reaction to getting drafted is elite…. Check out the WB socials.

https://twitter.com/westernbulldogs/status/1597527843457507331?t=QDAh-cf8npDU5yVM2te8mQ&s=19

Awesome.

[bornadog]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FiuZ7M1VUAEuE3Y?format=jpg&name=medium

[F'scary]

where does that photo come from BAD?

[lemmon]

Love his story too. Grew up in community housing, works on a building site - feels like a blue-collar kid who hasn't had it given to him.

Sounds like a proper Bulldogs forward pocket to me.

[Dry Rot]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZZxgnu995s&ab_channel=AFL


He and Cody will be getting a lot of frees next year from their opponents getting sucked in.

While he kicked some nifty goals, I was impressed with some selfless passing to team mates in a better position.

[Dry Rot]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FiuZ7M1VUAEuE3Y?format=jpg&name=medium

Looks a lot more developed than a school boy. Bring on 2023!

[macca]

From the highlights he has good balance and keeps his footing. Welcome to the club and hopes he blossoms and grows into the small forward we need

[hujsh]

Love his story too. Grew up in community housing, works on a building site - feels like a blue-collar kid who hasn't had it given to him.

Sounds like a proper Bulldogs forward pocket to me.

Alright you sold me

[GVGjr]

From the highlights he has good balance and keeps his footing. Welcome to the club and hopes he blossoms and grows into the small forward we need

He will take his shots too. He won't be a pass it off player because of nerves if he is within range. He's a decent decision maker.

[bulldogtragic]

From the highlights he has good balance and keeps his footing. Welcome to the club and hopes he blossoms and grows into the small forward we need

From the clip he looks very hard to tackle too. Has a shimmy, very strong through the hips, good evasiveness and body positioning. Good string to his bow.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Think he'll become a fan favourite pretty quickly.

[bornadog]

where does that photo come from BAD?

Clubs Twitter page

[Vred]

Don't knock this kids speed, he has it, any questions on it are unwarranted imo.

Great pick up, his gonna be our Toby Greene, a real prick that the oppo players and supporters are gonna hate. Between him and Weightman we have two very annoying and great kicks in the 50.

Welcome to the club mate.

[bulldogtragic]

GOOD MORNING!


AFL Draft 2022: Charlie Clarke on his Toby Greene-like energy, dropping out of school and living in housing commission

THEAUSTRALIAN.COM.AU
By DAN BATTEN
DIGITAL SPORTS REPORTER

10:16AM NOVEMBER 7, 2022


Charlie Clarke knows he is a serial pest on the field, but he doesn’t care.

The livewire draft prospect, who channels the energy and in-your-face attitude of Toby Greene and Tom Papley, openly admits to employing tactics to get under his opponent’s skin.

“Most people I played against don’t like me and I don’t blame them. I’m quite frustrating,” Clarke told the Herald Sun.

“I like to blow in their ear and touch them and be real annoying, but that’s just what I do and it gets in their head and it works for me.”

In the national championships finale in September, Clarke was given close attention by tackling machine Hugh Bond. He kept him to five disposals, but Clarke kicked two goals and “milked” a free kick which set up another.

“He was pushing me over and I tried to milk a free kick and I ended up getting one. I think I got the better of that and then we got the win, so I definitely got the better of him that day,” he said.

While it is these aspects that could see him polarise opposition fans at the next level – think Toby Greene and Jack Ginnivan – his lively goal celebrations, on-field energy and miraculous goal sense will ensure he is loved by his own supporters.

The 182cm forward had an exciting highlight reel in his 29-goal NAB League season — with plenty of big celebrations — for the premiership-winning Sandringham Dragons, including a strong finish to the season where he slotted 10 majors across the finals series.

“I usually just wing it (with celebrations) and whatever I’m feeling, turn to the crowd and give them a little something,” Clarke said with a smile.

“I like putting a smile on peoples’ faces and getting up and about. The energy – it’s me, it’s who I am. I think that’s what excites people about me, the way I play and the character I bring.”

Clarke grew up in Port Melbourne public housing in his early adolescence with his mother Emma-Lee and sister Matilda.

He cherishes the memories of sporting battles out the front with his friends in the tight-knit community.

“I think (growing up in community housing) has played a huge part in my life. Especially with all the sport and the activities out in front,” Clarke said.

“It’s created the character in me, the person I am today and the love of sport I have. It’s brought that out in me, so it’s been a positive.”

“It was just my living circumstances at the time. I had an unreal childhood, I made so many friends and as I said we were either playing cricket or mini-soccer out the front, it was unreal. Couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Those temporary living circumstances in his early adolescence were brought about by his parents’ break-up.

Clarke’s mother and father, Jason are now back together and have been for the best part of a decade.

He said they had been a great support along his football journey.

“My mum and dad run a transport company, they have tandem trucks and they just run them and they’re very influential in my footy. My dad was a gun local footballer and he has a good knowledge of football and a very good footy brain,” he said.

DROPPING OUT

Clarke also grew up in and around the Port Melbourne Colts changerooms with his father, Jason, a club legend as a player and a coach.

He has fond memories of watching his dad kick bags of goals in the local leagues, the highlights being a 95-goal season later in his career and his six-straight grand finals and two premierships with Port as coach.

Jason, who joked Clarke’s on-field flamboyancy was “hereditary”, has helped Clarke take the next step in his football journey with his loving – yet firm – advice.

“He’s got a great footy mind and he was a gun goalkicker. I watched him kick 16 one day against Glen Ordan when I was only eight or nine, and we were just loving it going off our heads,” Clarke said with a smile.

But the thing that proved most decisive in Clarke’s footballing career was his call to drop out of school at the end of Year 9 and move to Harvester Technical College in Sunshine the following year.

At 15, Clarke had been cut from the St Kilda Academy – for prospects in their zone – and he had been given some home truths: he was one of the most talented kids there, but his attitude wasn’t great.

While Clarke had to catch a train and a bus to school each day to attend trade school, the change improved his wellbeing and it translated to his performances on-field.

When Covid restrictions limited his ability to attend the trade school, Clarke was offered a carpentry apprenticeship with a friend of his uncle – until the beginning of the year when footy took hold.

The career move had an unexpected bonus: the son of his boss is 5000m Olympian Sam McEntee, who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

McEntee, who boasts the fourth fastest time at Melbourne’s The Tan track, helped Clarke shave more than a minute off his 2km time trial time from last year’s pre-season through his training with the youngster.

Jason is confident that his son’s early experience on the job will give him the motivation and grit to thrive at AFL level.

“I’ve got no doubt, especially being on the tools in the worksite and seeing how hard it can be. Working on 35, 38 degree days and digging holes and stuff like that, I think that is going to hold him in good stead too,” Jason said.

“I’d rather be out here doing an AFL pre-season playing in front of crowds’ – I think if you can do that for the next 10-15 years, that’s motivation in itself.”

[Eastdog]

Welcome to the Dogs Charlie!

[1eyedog]

Annoying small forwards are the new black and we have two. Oh how we'll be hated.

[hujsh]

Annoying small forwards are the new black and we have two. Oh how we'll be hated.

https://media.tenor.com/-wDM1YhjLmsAAAAM/the-gruesome.gif

[bulldogtragic]

Annoying small forwards are the new black and we have two. Oh how we'll be hated.

Naughton & Lobb must be thinking how many scuffles are they having to break up now!

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Sounds a bit like Lally Bamblett. Not overtfast but runs to the right spots, sweeps on the crumbs of the crumbs and makes the most of his chances.

I'm excited about him. We haven't had a true small forward like that in years.

O yeah.
Lolly run past or through pack and came out with the ball looking like greased lightening.....except waddling... into goal.

[bornadog]

Annoying small forwards are the new black and we have two. Oh how we'll be hated.

We just need Clarke to grow his hair and give him the number 13 to confuse the opposition :D

[Twodogs]

O yeah.
Lolly run past or through pack and came out with the ball looking like greased lightening.....except waddling... into goal.
Yeah, Lal wasn't overly quick but made good players look foolish with his footy smarts. Best small forward I've seen. Apart from Brad Johnson.

[Twodogs]

Love this quote.


Most people I played against don’t like me and I don’t blame them. I’m quite frustrating

And the fact he lived in Port Melbourne. I lived in Port for a couple of years. Those kids are seriously tough. And the fact he's Jason's son gives him props too. Jason was a very good player

[azabob]

Love this quote.



And the fact he lived in Port Melbourne. I lived in Port for a couple of years. Those kids are seriously tough. And the fact he's Jason's son gives him props too. Jason was a very good player

Mate, I need you to post more.

Your take is definitely left of centre and the stories are obscure. Any tales you can share about Port Melbourne

[Bullies]

Love this quote.



And the fact he lived in Port Melbourne. I lived in Port for a couple of years. Those kids are seriously tough. And the fact he's Jason's son gives him props too. Jason was a very good player Agree the old man was as tough as nails and could play. I think we have got a bargain here as would have bee interesting to see where he would have gone had he gone through the Private School system rather than leave school after Year 9.

[F'scary]

Agree the old man was as tough as nails and could play. I think we have got a bargain here as would have bee interesting to see where he would have gone had he gone through the Private School system rather than leave school after Year 9.

I regret that I can only give this one like.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

The more the CCs the better.

[bulldogtragic]

Clarke’s story reminds me of a bygone era. Not comparing him with the legend of EJ, but in a time of finishing year 12 at elite schools usually after scholarships, APS, academies and the modern ways of getting to a club. I like the story:

Player: Charlie - Teddy

Local Status: Port Melbourne - Footscray

Battler Status: Battler - Battler

School: Sunshine Tech - Yarraville (St Augustine’s)

Age Left School: Age 15 - Age 14

Passed by St Kilda NGA - Passed by Collingwood (Zone)

Job Before Recruited: Apprentice - Factory Hand



There’s just an ‘old school’ feel to the CC’s recruitment story. Larrikins and at nearly the same height, CC is a small forward and a Teddy a KPP. Not saying the kid is Teddy, just pointing out the old school pathway that CC has come to join us.


Story (pretty cool) I found on Teddy to get some background:

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/from-the-archives-a-man-for-all-seasons-20190307-p512hb.html


From the above article, how ‘WOOF’ is this:

First voice: "The Jones kid is a drunk, a lout, a thief, a bully and a complete no-hoper."

Second voice: "Yeah, true, but he's the best full-forward we've had for years."

First voice: "You're right, and a nice kid too."

:D

[F'scary]

I am invested in this bloke.

[GVGjr]

I am invested in this bloke.

What about him resonates with you F'scary?

[F'scary]

What about him resonates with you F'scary?

I like the point made about his draft position possibly reflecting that he did not have the profile of someone who went through more elite channels.

[Bulldog4life]

Clarke’s story reminds me of a bygone era. Not comparing him with the legend of EJ, but in a time of finishing year 12 at elite schools usually after scholarships, APS, academies and the modern ways of getting to a club. I like the story:

Player: Charlie - Teddy

Local Status: Port Melbourne - Footscray

Battler Status: Battler - Battler

School: Sunshine Tech - Yarraville (St Augustine’s)

Age Left School: Age 15 - Age 14

Passed by St Kilda NGA - Passed by Collingwood (Zone)

Job Before Recruited: Apprentice - Factory Hand



There’s just an ‘old school’ feel to the CC’s recruitment story. Larrikins and at nearly the same height, CC is a small forward and a Teddy a KPP. Not saying the kid is Teddy, just pointing out the old school pathway that CC has come to join us.


Story (pretty cool) I found on Teddy to get some background:

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/from-the-archives-a-man-for-all-seasons-20190307-p512hb.html


From the above article, how ‘WOOF’ is this:

First voice: "The Jones kid is a drunk, a lout, a thief, a bully and a complete no-hoper."

Second voice: "Yeah, true, but he's the best full-forward we've had for years."

First voice: "You're right, and a nice kid too."

:D

Thanks BT. Enjoyed the article on EJ too.

[weltschmerz]

Man I must be getting old, he looks so young to me.

I rate his highlights a lot. Weightman likes to fly and plays more like a medium, but Clarke seems pure small crumbing forward who'll annoy the bejesus out of everyone. If he comes along he could be the final piece of our forward line.

[mjp]

BT - You know I love you but can we please not compare draftees to one of the best 5 players to ever pull on a pair of boots. I guess I know what you're saying and I do appreciate everything about a kid who hasn't been taking it easy on a 'non-sporting' scholarship at one of the private schools in a major city in Perth/Adelaide or Melbourne...but even so...

[bulldogtragic]

“Not comparing him with the legend of EJ”
….
“Not saying the kid is Teddy, just pointing out the old school pathway that CC has come to join us.”


I will try to be clearer next time! :D

[General Soreness]

Charlie and Buss were the two I had my fingers crossed for. We are crying for a crumbing small forward with a bit of cheeky mongrel about him. Now we have two annoying mosquitos in our forward line. Between Cody and his short but plays like a medium forward with a good leap and Charlie being a genuine crumber both getting in the faces of oppo defenders, good chance Sicily could be banned for life this season:)

[GVGjr]

Charlie and Buss were the two I had my fingers crossed for. We are crying for a crumbing small forward with a bit of cheeky mongrel about him. Now we have two annoying mosquitos in our forward line. Between Cody and his short but plays like a medium forward with a good leap and Charlie being a genuine crumber both getting in the faces of oppo defenders, good chance Sicily could be banned for life this season:)

Might be worth your time to have a look at our 2022 Draft Watch thread https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?21344-2022-Draft-Watch

There was a lot of excellent discussion that you might find interesting.

[jeemak]

BT - You know I love you but can we please not compare draftees to one of the best 5 players to ever pull on a pair of boots. I guess I know what you're saying and I do appreciate everything about a kid who hasn't been taking it easy on a 'non-sporting' scholarship at one of the private schools in a major city in Perth/Adelaide or Melbourne...but even so...


“Not comparing him with the legend of EJ”
….
“Not saying the kid is Teddy, just pointing out the old school pathway that CC has come to join us.”


I will try to be clearer next time! :D

Nets.

[bornadog]

Clarke comes in for AFL debut (https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1543297/clarke-comes-in-for-afl-debut)

Western Bulldogs forward Charlie Clarke will debut against Hawthorn this Sunday at Marvel Stadium.

It is a welcome reward for the 20-year-old, who has been plying his trade with Footscray VFL over the past 18 months to ready himself for an AFL opportunity.

He has kicked six goals in the four VFL wins this year, and booted three majors from nine disposals in Saturday?s exhibition match against the AFL U18 Academy.

Head of Development & Training, Jamie Maddocks, broke the news in front of the squad following this morning?s training session.

?I?m very excited ? I?ve been dreaming of this my whole life,? Clarke said.

?I love this club and love the people that are part of it. I?m just so excited to get my opportunity.

?Especially from where I?ve come from, 12 months ago I was probably a long way off. To be here now ? I?m just very grateful.?

Clarke was drafted with pick 24 from the Sandringham Dragons/Port Melbourne Colts in the 2022 National Draft.

A hard-working small forward with great goal sense and determination, he becomes the Dogs? third league debutant in 2024.

The Bulldogs will reveal their Round 8 squad tonight, before it is cut to a team of 23 on Friday at 5pm.

[azabob]

The socials of this is awesome. This means the world to Charlie.

Go well Charlie, go well.

[MrMahatma]

Go get em! Love that he brings “too much” energy.

Can’t wait for that first snag.

[Eastdog]

Go well Charlie!

Great to see some debutants this season. All have done some good things.

2 rising star nominations for us.

[SonofScray]

Love the reaction from him. Get in there young fella.

[ledge]

I thought you had to be 18 to play, he looks about 12.

[josie]

Good luck Charlie. Looks like a cheeky one that?s gonna annoy the hell out of oppo players. Hope you kick a bag.

[AshMac]

Charlie and Buss were the two I had my fingers crossed for. We are crying for a crumbing small forward with a bit of cheeky mongrel about him. Now we have two annoying mosquitos in our forward line. Between Cody and his short but plays like a medium forward with a good leap and Charlie being a genuine crumber both getting in the faces of oppo defenders, good chance Sicily could be banned for life this season:)

He has a Steven Milne or Ballantyne wire about him IMO. God I hated those two but would have loved them in our jersey.

[mjp]

He has a Steven Milne or Ballantyne wire about him IMO.

Yeah...but those guys are out and out crumbers and I'm not really sure he plays like that.

[Bigdog]

Does anyone have any recollection of Cody Weightman?s 2021 vfl form in the preseason?

I have a feeling he was at better afl level. Wonder how Clarkes game will translate to the level above.

Fitness my major concern. Feel we still have a number of players that can?t properly run out games. I?m a pessimist about the close one this year.

[GVGjr]

Does anyone have any recollection of Cody Weightman?s 2021 vfl form in the preseason?

I have a feeling he was at better afl level. Wonder how Clarkes game will translate to the level above.

Fitness my major concern. Feel we still have a number of players that can?t properly run out games. I?m a pessimist about the close one this year.

For Cody in 2021 he played 16 senior games and was subbed out twice. He only played 4 VFL games that year and two of them were good games, one of them I think he was injured and went off early and the other one was a bit quiet.
His preseason was apparently a bit up and down with continuity due to some niggling injuries.

Regarding Charlie, last year was a write off as he couldn't stay on the park.
This year his fitness has really improved (along with Buss and Gallagher) and he even finished about 6th in one of the 2km time trials. A jarring knee in a practice game impacted him for a few weeks but he's put in a good block over the last 10 weeks or so.

Hope that helps.

[Bigdog]

In 2021 I recall he came in vs port in SA in the middle of the year. He must missed games at the start to the year hence I can?t remember.

I recall Cody was a long way off in his first year outside his first game.

Hope Clarke goes well. He will be a fan favourite if he does.

[Hotdog60]

I feel a little sorry Chook was up for the banter and not for the game.
He's two kicks was the worst possible scenario that could happen.
He was a natural replacement for Cody even though he really hasn't earnt his spot going on VFL form.
I like to give him another go to see if it was just nerves and wanting to do well or if he can't handle the pace of senior football.
I have my doubts but he deserves another shot while Cody is out.
Jones isn't setting the world on fire and missed 4 easy set shots at goal in the VFL.
Scott could get a recall and I wouldn't touch McNeil because he couldn't hit the side of a barn if he was standing right in the middle of it.
Thank God West is back.

[Bullies]

I feel a little sorry Chook was up for the banter and not for the game.
He's two kicks was the worst possible scenario that could happen.
He was a natural replacement for Cody even though he really hasn't earnt his spot going on VFL form.
I like to give him another go to see if it was just nerves and wanting to do well or if he can't handle the pace of senior football.
I have my doubts but he deserves another shot while Cody is out.
Jones isn't setting the world on fire and missed 4 easy set shots at goal in the VFL.
Scott could get a recall and I wouldn't touch McNeil because he couldn't hit the side of a barn if he was standing right in the middle of it.
Thank God West is back. He needs to preserve his energy and concentrate on the ball. Gob off and be a pest when you've nailed a spot in the team. Sicily got in his head.

[mjp]

Thank God West is back.

I mean, where would we be without those 12 touches per game...

Clarke is NOT READY. I get why we picked him but man oh man...the moment was just a bit much for him wasn't it.

[Hotdog60]

I mean, where would we be without those 12 touches per game...

Clarke is NOT READY. I get why we picked him but man oh man...the moment was just a bit much for him wasn't it.

West may not get a ton of it but things seem to happen when he's around and at least he has a go.
It is slim pickin's in the pockets.

[kruder]

I mean, where would we be without those 12 touches per game...

Clarke is NOT READY. I get why we picked him but man oh man...the moment was just a bit much for him wasn't it.

Clarke may never be ready, he hasn't stood out at VFL level not too sure what's his one wood?

Do you think JOD is ready? I'm still shocked that we rushed him back because we were coming top against a tall forward line in a few weeks. He hasn't even proven himself at VFL level.

[mjp]

Clarke may never be ready, he hasn't stood out at VFL level not too sure what's his one wood?

Do you think JOD is ready? I'm still shocked that we rushed him back because we were coming top against a tall forward line in a few weeks. He hasn't even proven himself at VFL level.

Someone around here started a "What's the big deal about JOD" thread...

Oh yeah. It was me.

No chance he's ready.

[Grantysghost]

Someone around here started a "What's the big deal about JOD" thread...

Oh yeah. It was me.

No chance he's ready.

Keath must be wondering.

It can't be good for morale to have a slew of influential senior players disgruntled. (Keath, Caleb, Macrae, Lobb).

[bornadog]

Someone around here started a "What's the big deal about JOD" thread...

Oh yeah. It was me.

No chance he's ready.

He really is being fast tracked

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Someone around here started a "What's the big deal about JOD" thread...

Oh yeah. It was me.

No chance he's ready.

Begs the question why we are playing him week after week.

The interesting thing is we've shown we'll be patient with some players and play them when they aren't ready (English and JOD as recent examples) but not others (Marra, Busslinger, Sanders).

Every case is different, but still..

[angelopetraglia]

I heard this from Popa (Melbourne Victory Coach).

"Players can't get an A-League appearance based on being young. It is not enough. You have to have quality. You have to have charachter. You have to have determination. Willingess to put in the hard work. Just being young is not enough to play."

"You have to work, nothing is just given to you."

"We can't just hand out appearances, here you are young have an appeareance. You have to earn it."

Worth a watch of the whole one minute clip. https://x.com/DeanRosario/status/1787093937079067097

[bornadog]

I heard this from Popa (Melbourne Victory Coach).

"Players can't get an A-League appearance based on being young. It is not enough. You have to have quality. You have to have charachter. You have to have determination. Willingess to put in the hard work. Just being young is not enough to play."

"You have to work, nothing is just given to you."

"We can't just hand out appearances, here you are young have an appeareance. You have to earn it."

Worth a watch of the whole one minute clip. https://x.com/DeanRosario/status/1787093937079067097

I don't think we are gifting players games, although someone like JOD is being fast tracked. The club has said if you show form in the VFL you will get a go if there is an opening for that role. Clarke showed some form, and two of our small forwards were out. For example - Arty didn't get a gig, because he hasn't done enough

[jDogs]

Keath must be wondering.

It can't be good for morale to have a slew of influential senior players disgruntled. (Keath, Caleb, Macrae, Lobb).

Keath must be wondering how to collect a ground ball without it going between his legs. He is cooked.

[lemmon]

Keath must be wondering.

It can't be good for morale to have a slew of influential senior players disgruntled. (Keath, Caleb, Macrae, Lobb).

Keath (and all of those guys you've mentioned) only have themselves to blame. He played 18 largely mediocre games in a 2023 side that missed finals. I don't mind starting with alternatives when those senior guys had a very good crack at it first.

His performances at VFL level have been pretty on-par with Busslinger. Again, I'd give youth next crack considering we know what we get from Keath at AFL level.

[Grantysghost]

Keath (and all of those guys you've mentioned) only have themselves to blame. He played 18 largely mediocre games in a 2023 side that missed finals. I don't mind starting with alternatives when those senior guys had a very good crack at it first.

His performances at VFL level have been pretty on-par with Busslinger. Again, I'd give youth next crack considering we know what we get from Keath at AFL level.
I don't mind giving them a crack, JOD and Buku are part of the future.
I just think when they're struggling and you have a dependable senior player going ok in the twos it seems odd to have stamped their papers.

I think Keath is passed his best, however when i saw him live i thought he still had something to offer especially with his leadership.
I thought Duryea was cooked and he's been ok.