"I have arrived" season?

[GVGjr]

Which player(s) do you think might have one of those "I have arrived" seasons for the dogs next year?

A bit of context behind the thought would be appreciated.

[bulldogtragic]

Rory Lobb.

Kicked career best this year 36.24 as the main target with the best defender, career best 12 Goal Assists and career best 49 Marks I50 (15th in competition). Top 3 bests for him for disposals (contested - 19th in competition- and uncontested), 1%’s and marks. 4th best for him for tackles and hit outs. With insane TOG.

Now Naughton takes the best KPD week in and week out being ranked in 2022, 5th in competition for Contested Marks and 12th for Marks I50 with 51 Goals.

If the delivery to him is equal to what Freo gave him. With a gun KPF in Naughton next to him taking the best KPD each week, which he had on him this (break out) season, then he could finally ‘arrive’ as the out and out gun he was on the verge of becoming at GWS. The move to Freo, outside this year, hasn’t worked for him delivering his full potential from the GWS. He’s ready to deliver, and finally has the conditions around him to excel, if our midfield can give him solid service.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Which player(s) do you think might have one of those "I have arrived" seasons for the dogs next year?

A bit of context behind the thought would be appreciated.

Rhylee West.

At times in 2022 he looked like he was ready to make that statement.

I think he showed in 2022 he can more than hold his end up at this level and that alone should be enough to spur him on in 2023.
Coupled with his off-season training hook-up with Bont, and with Dunkley's midfield spot opening up, there are some real opportunities up for grabs that should enable Rhylee the room to stake a real claim to a substantial role in the team.

With five preseasons under his belt (once this one is done) Rhylee will be never be more physically ready to establish his own identity as a serious AFL player.
This time last year i had started to have some doubts as to whether he had enough AFL attributes to make it. However by season end I'd seen enough from West to make me think he could really be one who steps up in 2023.

[EasternWest]

Riley Garcia.

No context for you.

[weltschmerz]

Dom Bedendo. He came into our side as an incredibly skinny project with some great attributes, now after a couple of years he’s bulked up and has looked at home at the level.

[GVGjr]

Dom Bedendo. He came into our side as an incredibly skinny project with some great attributes, now after a couple of years he’s bulked up and has looked at home at the level.

He is a good prospect but I struggle just a little bit to work out what position he might fill for us next season.
Yesterday he got off to a fast start with some big marks and he looked impressive but when he wasn't marking it he didn't catch the eye. He will have competition for a spot on a wing and our forward line is choc full of taller and smaller players who fit the forward line better.

If he can maintain progress during the off season it will be interesting to see what role he can fill for us.

[merantau]

I like all.of the above and would add Buku Khamis to the list.

[bornadog]

Tim English

We have been waiting awhile for Tim to come of age but next season is now his time. At age 25 he is starting to reach his peak as a tall mature ruckman. The competition has seen what he is capable of and it is time to step up and start to dominate in the ruck. I can't help but think his confidence was dented the last two seasons with concussions, so hopefully he stays injury free.

[hujsh]

If we're talking players cementing best 22 positions probably R.Smith. A bit boring an answer.

On the other hand if we're asking who steps up and becomes AA/star quality...I'd say Bailey Smith. He's shown he can do it for patches of a season (while still being very good/consistent otherwise) but I think this is the year he can explode. If we let him and don't try to make him our wingman.

Second choice... Jamarra. He's got two key forwards to work with and take the attention. Could see him having a 30 goal year which would be a good stepping stone but wouldn't be totally shocked if we have a good year and he gets 40-50. Big numbers for sure for the non-focus but I think that's part of what will make him so dangerous

[GVGjr]

If we're talking players cementing best 22 positions probably R.Smith. A bit boring an answer.



I guess it could be the player who comes from a fair way back that becomes a regular or a player that kicks 6 goals in a game.
It might even be someone like Bont who breaks through for a Brownlow or Naughton for a Coleman.

[bornadog]

I guess it could be the player who comes from a fair way back that becomes a regular or a player that kicks 6 goals in a game.
It might even be someone like Bont who breaks through for a Brownlow or Naughton for a Coleman.

Kane Cornes has ranked Naughton as one of his top ten best in the comp for 2023 (along with Bont of course)

[The Underdog]

Predictable from me given my love for him, but Ed Richards.

Last season he managed to scrape his way back to a regular best 22 spot after some time shifting positions and struggling with injury to play the best footy of his career. I reckon this is the year he kicks on to become a critical part of our back 6. Strong in the air with excellent recovery skills and an underrated hardness at the contest, I think Ed has athletic qualities that we've lacked from our mid sized backs since Easton left with a more attacking bent to his game. Hopefully he uses his poor Elimination Final as a spur to become a true top liner.

[soupman]

He is a good prospect but I struggle just a little bit to work out what position he might fill for us next season.
Yesterday he got off to a fast start with some big marks and he looked impressive but when he wasn't marking it he didn't catch the eye. He will have competition for a spot on a wing and our forward line is choc full of taller and smaller players who fit the forward line better.

If he can maintain progress during the off season it will be interesting to see what role he can fill for us.

It's an awkward one because we seem to have 3 (Khamis, Bedendo and Raak), maybe even 4 (Hannan) players on the list fighting for the tallish low possession leading forward spot that I'm not even sure we want to use considering we have three proper talls up there already. They all seem decent prospects but it's a really odd role to stockpile talent in.

[lemmon]

Ryan Gardner is my pick. There's clearly a lot of love for him internally and Bevo talks him up a lot. I think his point of difference compared with our other key backs is his all-round athleticism - he seems to have decent enough closing speed, a good tank and good agility to play on the more athletic key forwards.

Last year it seemed like he was stuck to the number 1 forward a lot of the time - especially when he largely only had Cordy for company. Hopefully with Jones, a rejuvenated Keath and Bruce being shifted back, Gardner has more support back there.

[mjp]

It's an awkward one because we seem to have 3 (Khamis, Bedendo and Raak), maybe even 4 (Hannan) players on the list fighting for the tallish low possession leading forward spot that I'm not even sure we want to use considering we have three proper talls up there already. They all seem decent prospects but it's a really odd role to stockpile talent in.

If that's the role there is NO ROLE.

3-4x talls depending on your Josh Bruce thoughts.
1-2x smalls with Weightman playing every week and Garcia/Toby pushing...some would say Charlie C as well but that seems premature to me.
1 of Bont, Liber, Treloar, Smith etc playing high.

There is no role there...Unless it's the new sub wildcard thing and Bevo has a business plan!

[soupman]

If that's the role there is NO ROLE.

3-4x talls depending on your Josh Bruce thoughts.
1-2x smalls with Weightman playing every week and Garcia/Toby pushing...some would say Charlie C as well but that seems premature to me.
1 of Bont, Liber, Treloar, Smith etc playing high.

There is no role there...Unless it's the new sub wildcard thing and Bevo has a business plan!

I'm assuming they are kind of competing with JUH as the mobile not the main target tall, but like you I am baffled why we would try to make them into that position when we have enough issues fitting the 4 tall forwards we rate in ahead of them anyway.

I don't think we see them as the succession plan to Lobb/Bruce either (the former has Darcy to take over, the latter is probably not best 22 anyway).

I am encouraged that they look good there, and I have liked aspects of Khamis' performances there, but I am worried it will ultimately amount to nothing and doubles up as a continual bugbear of mine in that we love overinvesting in developing players in non essential positions (like midfielder playing small pressure forward working up the flank ie McNeil, Garcia, McLean, West, McComb) when we could be using their list spots on actual important positions we definitely actually need.

At times it feels like we are obsessed with trying to find ways to give guys the most marginal AFL career possible for as long as possible.

[jeemak]

I'm assuming they are kind of competing with JUH as the mobile not the main target tall, but like you I am baffled why we would try to make them into that position when we have enough issues fitting the 4 tall forwards we rate in ahead of them anyway.

I don't think we see them as the succession plan to Lobb/Bruce either (the former has Darcy to take over, the latter is probably not best 22 anyway).

I am encouraged that they look good there, and I have liked aspects of Khamis' performances there, but I am worried it will ultimately amount to nothing and doubles up as a continual bugbear of mine in that we love overinvesting in developing players in non essential positions (like midfielder playing small pressure forward working up the flank ie McNeil, Garcia, McLean, West, McComb) when we could be using their list spots on actual important positions we definitely actually need.

At times it feels like we are obsessed with trying to find ways to give guys the most marginal AFL career possible for as long as possible.

But isn't having a rotation of guys who can play multiple positions at a decent standard the type of thing you need to generate depth and minimise the impact of injuries etc.?

The reality is that not many teams have straight-swap depth in the most important of positions, maybe outside of the odd ruck or key defender, which means you need guys who fight and scrap for a peripheral position under normal circumstances to step up and guys who can replace them if something goes wrong. If you turn over the list too quickly then these lesser lights/ replacements don't get sufficient exposure to senior football or time to develop.

However, I do share your concerns particularly with Khamis. If he was a bit taller and a bit stronger then his lack of running capability wouldn't be as much of an issue. But he isn't and I fear we'll end up cutting him loose after a lot of perseverance (at relatively low cost, I guess).

[SonofScray]

Garcia and West are going to cement themselves as a 1-2 punch out of the guts and across half forward, bit of grunt from West and razzle dazzle from Garcia.

[Mofra]

Maybe a bit more of a "I have come back" but I have to say Toby McLean.
We have perhaps forgotten that he can actually play, and given he has played as a legitimate forward and a midfielder he's probably the first choice we now have for that hybrid forward/mid role. Reports that his tank is right up there too so all that thankless running required in that HF spot is something he can cover.

[The Doctor]

Ryan Gardner

Hard to believe he has only played 43 games. In those games be has gone from being unfairly maligned and ridiculed to being arguably the linchpin of our defence. I like that, despite the doubters, he continually improves with every game. He works his backside off and does a lot of the 1 percenters (anyone notice his smothers standing the mark?). At 25 his best years are coming up.

I also liked the upward trajectory of Buku Khamis last year. Hope we see more.

Bailey Smith, if the footballer turns up in 2023 rather than the celebrity, he could be AA. Arguably our most explosive player.

[GVGjr]

Ryan Gardner

Hard to believe he has only played 43 games. In those games be has gone from being unfairly maligned and ridiculed to being arguably the linchpin of our defence. I like that, despite the doubters, he continually improves with every game. He works his backside off and does a lot of the 1 percenters (anyone notice his smothers standing the mark?). At 25 his best years are coming up.

I also liked the upward trajectory of Buku Khamis last year. Hope we see more.

Bailey Smith, if the footballer turns up in 2023 rather than the celebrity, he could be AA. Arguably our most explosive player.

I really like the suggestion on Gardner. With better support around him he could really thrive in the back line for us next season.
His ability to judge the ball in the air has really progressed.

[Mantis]

Bailey Smith, if the footballer turns up in 2023 rather than the celebrity, he could be AA. Arguably our most explosive player.

Is this really necessary?

Before the ‘video’ surfaced, and the head butt incident he had played in every game since he debuted in Rd1 of 2019, and had played some fantastic footy for us… the kid is as professional as they come and to say otherwise… well that’s on you.

[GVGjr]

Is this really necessary?

Before the ‘video’ surfaced, and the head butt incident he had played in every game since he debuted in Rd1 of 2019, and had played some fantastic footy for us… the kid is as professional as they come and to say otherwise… well that’s on you.

I get the point you are making.
With Dunkley's departure the importance of Smith's potential to our midfield increases and while there is no doubt that Smith's dedication and professionalism to his footy has been impressive I don't think we can we can say with a lot of confidence there are no reasons for concerns next year although I'm confident he will be a significant player for us next season.
I agree with Doc that he has the potential to reach AA considerations for next year.

[Bulldog4life]

I get the point you are making.
With Dunkley's departure the importance of Smith's potential to our midfield increases and while there is no doubt that Smith's dedication and professionalism to his footy has been impressive I don't think we can we can say with a lot of confidence there are no reasons for concerns next year although I'm confident he will be a significant player for us next season.
I agree with Doc that he has the potential to reach AA considerations for next year.

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