Round One; Underdone?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Despite being a few weeks off Round One, I think we may encounter a bit of a problem. We've got a fair proportion of our list coming back from injuries, inturrupted pre-seasons etc. etc.

So what's our Round 1 side looking like ATM?

As far as I'm concerned, it'd be very risky to play Darcy, Murphy, Street and probably a few others in the same side against Geelong. Seems to me we might have a few too many underdone players.

Griffen's missed a couple weeks now along with Morris etc. coming back recently and still not looking exactly sharp. Ditto Cooney, although he played OK on Saturday.

There's a few others I feel that look underdone too.

Perhaps I am worrying for no reason, but I'm not so sure we can afford to carry all these underdone players and Darcy & Murphy. I read on BF that somebody suggests we may take a few weeks to get into gear, so to speak, and he could be right. A few still haven't found their touch and with only next week to get that right it appears to me a little tricky/risky.

Maybe players like Skipper & Faulkner will have to be included to compensate/battle the underdone players.

Thoughts?

[bornadog]

I think you could be right Bulldog Bite. I don't think we will get a flying start like last year when we beat the Tigers by 100 plus points. It may take us a few weeks to really get going.

But then again there is still three weeks to go before the season starts.

[Dry Rot]

Well thought out thread, TBB.

I would have thought a game or two with the Bees for Street, Murphy, Cooney and especially Darcy would be useful.

[GVGjr]

Excellent thread by the way.
While I agree with you that we will be slightly underdone I think the clubs medical team has done an excellent job managing our long term injured players especially when you consider how every one of them have come back in and contributed at a high level straight away.

Hargrave was our best player against the Lions the previous week.
Cooney back from a long battle with OP performed better than expected.
Darcy and Murphy were hardly nursed through Saturdays game and did more and played better than I expected.
I will add Grant to this list as well because he has had a very modified training programme and yet appears to be on the pace.
Morris missed a few weeks with his arm injury and did well on Saturday and Griffen is now available with Street another week away.

My guess is that a few of these players will play for the Bees in the week before the start of the season as a way of just adding another run under their belts.

I'd prefer to see most of these guys back a couple of weeks earlier so we might struggle in the opening week. Add the fact that Harris will not be available and yes it is very likely that the team will look a bit light on and underdone but they also might close the gap quickly in the next two weeks.

[alwaysadog]

Only time will tell but I think there is evidence that coming back from injury now means something different to what it used to. At training I've watched the assistant coaches firing handballs at the rehab players sometimes 2 on 1 and doing all sorts of drills to keep their hands sharp. If you watched the boxing clip on the club site you would have seen the quite strenous workouts that Hahn, Williams, Shaggie etc were getting to maintain or build strength and endurance.

All that said I don't want the team up too early. The premiers make their move from round 5 on. That's when I want us to be cherry ripe.

[Go_Dogs]

I think we are looking perfect for the start of the year to be honest. We will be starting to up our intensity this week according to Eade - and I think everything has been timed very well thus far. The thing to remember for some of the kids aged between 19-25 it's a very long season, and I don't like to see everyone running around at this time of year going full tilt and peaking too early. The program would be molded around a need to play well in the finals - so expect some heavier weeks on the track were we look a bit flat, and then some easier weeks were we look like we're bursting out of our skin.

I'm not at all worried - our form looked about this last year and we had a HUGE win in round 1....we'll be ready, and better than last year I feel.

[LostDoggy]

I think we are looking perfect for the start of the year to be honest. We will be starting to up our intensity this week according to Eade - and I think everything has been timed very well thus far. The thing to remember for some of the kids aged between 19-25 it's a very long season, and I don't like to see everyone running around at this time of year going full tilt and peaking too early. The program would be molded around a need to play well in the finals - so expect some heavier weeks on the track were we look a bit flat, and then some easier weeks were we look like we're bursting out of our skin.

I'm not at all worried - our form looked about this last year and we had a HUGE win in round 1....we'll be ready, and better than last year I feel.

I am of the same opinion. Everything seems to be falling into place for us and we have some quality players coming back and some encouraging sings from some others. We should be able to hit the ground running and it wouldn't surprise me if we get a great start to the season. Darcy and Cooney are very much the keys in my opinion.

[southerncross]

Does anyone else believe that we are largely back on track?

By the way I don't think we will be seeing Peter Street anytime soon. He is unlikely to be fit for round 1.

[firstdogonthemoon]

I have a feeling - not based on anything in particular - that we will have a slow start. Lots of niggly injuries and a general sense of lurking potential rather than a belief that we will start the season with a bang.

I like the notion that premiership contenders get off to a slow start. We are a side that needs to "gel" whatever that means and that may take some time this year.

I would hate for us to win the first six and then fall over.

Of course I would hate for us to lose the first six as well.

[kennel master]

This is always a nervous time of the year. You don't want to start quickly and the run out of puff, but you can't afford to start slowly and let other teams get away from you.
Always some players are recovering from something or other.
I reckon we as supporters over-react at times to pre-season form and we have seen all teams have their ups and downs over the past 3 weeks.
I am pretty happy with our build up. Lots of players back from a variety of injuries and not too many getting injured (maybe Street is the biggest worry).

I am going to Subi tomorrow night so I guess I will see for myself.
I am excited about Darcy, Murphy, Acker, Doogs, Higgins, Everitt all playing. That is over a quarter of a team. I am excited to see Griffin, Cooney, Ray, Gilbee, Morris, McMahon, Boyd, Cross, Power, (who have I missed) and see how much they have improved. And I am excited about seeing Grant, West, Jonno, Smith...oops not Smith, Gian, and the others.

I think we will be ready by Round 1 and we will give Geelong a touch-up!!

[southerncross]

Kennel master, I hope we get a first hand match report from you

[alwaysadog]

This is always a nervous time of the year. You don't want to start quickly and the run out of puff, but you can't afford to start slowly and let other teams get away from you.
Always some players are recovering from something or other.
I reckon we as supporters over-react at times to pre-season form and we have seen all teams have their ups and downs over the past 3 weeks.
I am pretty happy with our build up. Lots of players back from a variety of injuries and not too many getting injured (maybe Street is the biggest worry).

I am going to Subi tomorrow night so I guess I will see for myself.
I am excited about Darcy, Murphy, Acker, Doogs, Higgins, Everitt all playing. That is over a quarter of a team. I am excited to see Griffin, Cooney, Ray, Gilbee, Morris, McMahon, Boyd, Cross, Power, (who have I missed) and see how much they have improved. And I am excited about seeing Grant, West, Jonno, Smith...oops not Smith, Gian, and the others.

I think we will be ready by Round 1 and we will give Geelong a touch-up!!

I was of the opinion that we might start slower this year. The vastly improved condition of the injured players when they return and the general player confidence and committment evident this week at a coterie meeting has convinced me that the players have high expectations of themselves from round one. They feel we are a much improved side from last year.

I see no reason to doubt their committment nor that the coaching staff don't know what they are doing, conversely all the evidence available to me points to increased and improved player resources. This week will be a minor test, but is not a final judgement. I think we will be in very good shape from round one.
Go Dogs!!!!