The Team Round 1, 2009

[LostDoggy]

Seeing as the trades are finished and the draft is finished and the dogs can only draft rookies, thought I'd put in my Best 22 for 2009, Round 1

B: Gilbee Lake Addison
Morris Williams Hargrave
M: Hill Cooney Griffen
Johnson Murphy Hahn
F: Akermanis Minson Welsh

C: Hudson Cross Boyd

I/C: Harbrow, Everitt, Guido, Higgins

Can't find room for Eagleton, he better lift or he'll be kicking the footy to Boumann and Cordy in Williamstown.

Tim Callan very unlucky. Welsh will have enormous pressure on him to perform as he can easily be replaced in the side.

[LostDoggy]

I rate Ward higher than Everitt at this stage.

[LostDoggy]

I thought about that, but for team balance a player who can play forward, back or in the midfield would be very useful on the interchange.

[LostDoggy]

Yeah true that. Hopefully we don't get any preseason injuries because that team looks very strong. Aker has already said (i think) that the club intends to play him 12 or so games (enough to get his 300) so during the year I'd like to see the club blood a few youngsters(ward, okeefe, reid, grant etc.) and play the veterans sparingly

[GVGjr]

Seeing as the trades are finished and the draft is finished and the dogs can only draft rookies, thought I'd put in my Best 22 for 2009, Round 1

B: Gilbee Lake Addison
Morris Williams Hargrave
M: Hill Cooney Griffen
Johnson Murphy Hahn
F: Akermanis Minson Welsh

C: Hudson Cross Boyd

I/C: Harbrow, Everitt, Guido, Higgins

Can't find room for Eagleton, he better lift or he'll be kicking the footy to Boumann and Cordy in Williamstown.

Tim Callan very unlucky. Welsh will have enormous pressure on him to perform as he can easily be replaced in the side.

Still looks to be the same problem with the forward line being a touch small. We really would need Minson to have a better season forward. Hopefully Williams can make a contribution from round 1 and string a number of games together.

[LostDoggy]

Still looks to be the same problem with the forward line being a touch small. We really would need Minson to have a better season forward. Hopefully Williams can make a contribution from round 1 and string a number of games together.

Ideally Grant kicks a huge bag in the VFL and kicks one or 2 a match for the dogs in 09 (it'd be even better if he kicked 4 or 5 but that's not realistic) If he reaches his potential how many goals do you think he would kick a match? Is he a high goal kicker?

[mighty_west]

Still looks to be the same problem with the forward line being a touch small. We really would need Minson to have a better season forward. Hopefully Williams can make a contribution from round 1 and string a number of games together.

We are going to have the same problem until the likes of Grant, Boumann, Cordy etc develop, we seemed to go about developing a side the wrong way around with getting our midfield in order, the backline looks set, but still needing experienced tall forwards considering the taller kids take longer to develop.

[azabob]

Seeing as the trades are finished and the draft is finished and the dogs can only draft rookies, thought I'd put in my Best 22 for 2009, Round 1

B: Gilbee Lake Addison
Morris Williams Hargrave
M: Hill Cooney Griffen
Johnson Murphy Hahn
F: Akermanis Minson Welsh

C: Hudson Cross Boyd

I/C: Harbrow, Everitt, Guido, Higgins

Can't find room for Eagleton, he better lift or he'll be kicking the footy to Boumann and Cordy in Williamstown.

Tim Callan very unlucky. Welsh will have enormous pressure on him to perform as he can easily be replaced in the side.


I'd have either Tim Callan or Ward ahead of Harbrow. Im not as convinced on him as others seem to be.
Also Tiller ahead of Welsh.

[Scorlibo]

My team would be:

F - Akermanis - Grant - Johnson
HF - Murphy - Hahn - Hill
C - Higgins - Cross - Boyd
HB - Gilbee - Williams - Hargrave
B - Callan - Lake - Morris
Foll - Minson - Cooney - Griffen
I - Hudson - Harbrow - Giansiracusa - Everitt
E - Addison - Ward - Stack

[Bumper Bulldogs]

We are going to have the same problem until the likes of Grant, Boumann, Cordy etc develop, we seemed to go about developing a side the wrong way around with getting our midfield in order, the backline looks set, but still needing experienced tall forwards considering the taller kids take longer to develop.

I hope skip can have a big pre season and put pressure on for the full forward spot.

IMO Hudson could do with the rest midway to blood a few young guys and be cherry ripe for our finals campaign.

It's good to be thinking like this now but we need the boys (williams, murph) to get a good preseason into them.

[ledge]

The NAB cup will be interesting, will give Rodney a chance to play our 2nd or 3rd year players who havent played a game, Grant, Stack etc. Thats where I believe we will find out how Grant goes, and if ready for first game, I really like this kid.

[mjp]

Grant has to play doesn't he?

[Desipura]

Grant has to play doesn't he?
I would think Grant will be given every opportunity early on to prove he is worthy of a spot in the side by round 1.
Lets face it, we are not going to get better as a team if we go in with the same forward set up we had this season.

[Mofra]

Interesting to see how the club views Eagleton & Welsh. Both are best 22 players in an ideal world, but are they that much better than no 23 or 24?
One would expect that they are an injury away from struggling to get back into the side, especially if Grant starts performing.

[Scorlibo]

Interesting to see how the club views Eagleton & Welsh. Both are best 22 players in an ideal world, but are they that much better than no 23 or 24?
One would expect that they are an injury away from struggling to get back into the side, especially if Grant starts performing.

Yep Grant and Ward will be pushing Welsh and Eagleton respectively and hopefully taking over at least towards the end of the year.

[Mofra]

Yep Grant and Ward will be pushing Welsh and Eagleton respectively and hopefully taking over at least towards the end of the year.
To be fair on Ward, he seems more suited to playing in traffic than an outside high kms running role. Hill would be making a significant claim to take a wing which would pressure Eagleton as well. He will develop into an elite gut-runner which is exactly what we ask of Eagle year after year.

[GVGjr]

To be fair on Ward, he seems more suited to playing in traffic than an outside high kms running role. Hill would be making a significant claim to take a wing which would pressure Eagleton as well. He will develop into an elite gut-runner which is exactly what we ask of Eagle year after year.

I think Ward is one of those footballers who can switch between being regarded as an inside or outside midfielder and would be more than capable of playing on a wing although it might not be his best position.

Hill looks like a born winger but I could also see him eventually taking over from Johnson as a marking and fast leading forward.

Eagle will find 2009 a difficult season for him unless he is cracking form.

[bulldogsman]

How about push Gilbee to the wing and put Ward in the backline?

[ledge]

I think Hill should be a wingman who sneaks in up forward and takes the grab. Not so much a running wingman, The other winger the running hard type, a bit out of left field, Addison? Ward because his body isnt quite ready for big knocks.
Gilbee on a wing is an excellent choice, a bit of space and those spot on kicks very nice.
Griffin has played on a wing too but more as a running in at centre bounce winger.
Even Aker could be looked at on a wing with his kicking skills.
Maybe comes down to horses for courses who plays on a wing, diff teams diff wingers, just look at who is best against the opposition winger.
We have a lot of players who can play in a lot of positions depending on situation, just seems to be a good marking FF we havent been able to find.
I am extremely happy with the list we have now.

[ledge]

Hill at full forward anyone? but starting as a forwad flanker so he isnt covered by the full back. Floats in from behind? I do like that idea also.

[azabob]

I think Hill should be a wingman who sneaks in up forward and takes the grab. Not so much a running wingman, The other winger the running hard type, a bit out of left field, Addison? Ward because his body isnt quite ready for big knocks.
Gilbee on a wing is an excellent choice, a bit of space and those spot on kicks very nice.
Griffin has played on a wing too but more as a running in at centre bounce winger.
Even Aker could be looked at on a wing with his kicking skills.
Maybe comes down to horses for courses who plays on a wing, diff teams diff wingers, just look at who is best against the opposition winger.
We have a lot of players who can play in a lot of positions depending on situation, just seems to be a good marking FF we havent been able to find.
I am extremely happy with the list we have now.


This is a good discussion point but isn't this a mute point with all the rotations going on these days players are averageing 5-6 mins ground time? And when they are on the ground im not entirely sure they are playing set positions. They are either deep back, deep forward or somewhere in between.

[ledge]

This is a good discussion point but isn't this a mute point with all the rotations going on these days players are averageing 5-6 mins ground time? And when they are on the ground im not entirely sure they are playing set positions. They are either deep back, deep forward or somewhere in between.

Your probably right, positions as such are not as much a stuck to issue as in the 60s and 70s, Players tend to just watch there opposition player and go about running to wherever to get it once we have the ball.
Years ago a full back wouldnt kick a goal in his whole career nowadays you probably get a fullback kicking a goal once a week.

[LostDoggy]

Eagle will find 2009 a difficult season for him unless he is cracking form.

Which pisses me off even more that he wasn't sent off with a nice gold watch so that we could get Rhys O' Keefe on the list. Seems a strange bit of business passing up a pick in an incredibly strong draft to keep a non-performing veteran who may not even play a game next year.

Some have criticised the keeping on of Wight, but, contract considerations aside, Eagle is the far bigger list clogger.

[ledge]

Which pisses me off even more that he wasn't sent off with a nice gold watch so that we could get Rhys O' Keefe on the list. Seems a strange bit of business passing up a pick in an incredibly strong draft to keep a non-performing veteran who may not even play a game next year.

Some have criticised the keeping on of Wight, but, contract considerations aside, Eagle is the far bigger list clogger.

I am so hoping our players dont read this site at times.
Tell us what you really think Lantern

[LostDoggy]

C'mon, I'm sure Eagle's a stronger personality than that, and I'll be surprised if a veteran professional sportsperson is going to lose any sleep over a straightforward and not impolite opinion expressed on a online forum.

And if he IS reading this forum, he should know that apart from this last year I've been a massive fan of his contribution to the Dogs (thus the gold watch -- there are very sound reasons for mandatory retirement in any industry, not least the which are upward mobility incentive for younger employees and freeing up of finances, both of which are relevant in this case), and there are five or so of his games over the last ten years that stick vividly in my memory, where Eagle was magnificent in some thumping floggings we've handed out.

[ledge]

Just having a giggle Lantern its all good.
I put the smiley face in the wrong spot, dont know how it got up there.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Which pisses me off even more that he wasn't sent off with a nice gold watch so that we could get Rhys O' Keefe on the list. Seems a strange bit of business passing up a pick in an incredibly strong draft to keep a non-performing veteran who may not even play a game next year.

Some have criticised the keeping on of Wight, but, contract considerations aside, Eagle is the far bigger list clogger.

Eagle can still contribute, Wight can't. That puts Wight miles behind in my book.

[ledge]

In Wights defence I think he has done some good things its just when he makes an error they are big brain fades.
Dont give him another year on the list though with what we have coming up, hopefully he has a good year and maybe we can get a trade for him off the Saints or Richmond!
Seriously they love our rejects, Birss, Mc Mahon.
Then again with the new team coming in he could be the footballer we claim is decent and give him to GC17

[Mantis]

In Wights defence I think he has done some good things its just when he makes an error they are big brain fades.
Dont give him another year on the list though with what we have coming up, hopefully he has a good year and maybe we can get a trade for him off the Saints or Richmond!
Seriously they love our rejects, Birss, Mc Mahon.
Then again with the new team coming in he could be the footballer we claim is decent and give him to GC17

You would think that their (GC17) new recruiting officer, the guy in charge of creating their list would have his finger on the pulse so to speak.

The fact that this same recruiting guy has worked at our club for the last 10 years would lend you to believe he knows where Cam is at with his career.

[ledge]

You would think that their (GC17) new recruiting officer, the guy in charge of creating their list would have his finger on the pulse so to speak.

The fact that this same recruiting guy has worked at our club for the last 10 years would lend you to believe he knows where Cam is at with his career.

Hey I can dream cant I? maybe we can say to Clayton hey you chose him, we did the ground work, he is up and ready to perform, he is going to be a champion now, dont miss out on a bargain that you told us he was.
Oh well i tried.

[LostDoggy]

(getting off topic) Does the recruiting manager have anything to do with the players once they've been drafted? During the list management stage would he go over the list and make recommendations to the coaches as to where they're at?

[Crizza]

(getting off topic) Does the recruiting manager have anything to do with the players once they've been drafted? During the list management stage would he go over the list and make recommendations to the coaches as to where they're at?

Would have thought to be an effective recruiter you need to have a very good understanding of the current list and their abilities and limitations; thus you can recruit what is most highly sought after.

I am salivating reading this team discussion- 09 looks promising; I really enjoy the fact that we now have some genuine threats / replacements to our 22 within our own club. Perform or play in Willi!

[LostDoggy]

And if he IS reading this forum, he should know that apart from this last year I've been a massive fan of his contribution to the Dogs (thus the gold watch -- there are very sound reasons for mandatory retirement in any industry, not least the which are upward mobility incentive for younger employees and freeing up of finances, both of which are relevant in this case), and there are five or so of his games over the last ten years that stick vividly in my memory, where Eagle was magnificent in some thumping floggings we've handed out.

Eagle has an existing contract for 2009. We can hadly afford to pay him out for no return and if we did his salary is still included for salary cap purposes. Had Wight and Eagle been out of contract, we would have sent them away - no doubt about that. But, a contract is s contract.

[ledge]

I think some of us are a bit too hard on Eagle at times, think Eade is pretty happy with him.
Wasnt he only signed up this year for next year?

Its a fine line in trading a player while he is still ok or keeping him and then he is too old for other teams to be interested, I would like to think Eagle probably has some value during a game not just in performing but showing the young ones taking over his position how he plays his position.
Eagle might not be as good as he was but i think a bit of experience can go a long way.
I think if anyone knows how to run around a wing and deliver or kick a raking goal its probably Eagle in our side.
Ward, Hill and the like would be getting some great advice off him i think.

[LostDoggy]

Wight will stand up in 2009.I hope...... :(

Im trying to think positively for the coming year and IF he does stand up - he will be a massive asset for us - a 200cm agile guy able to play forward or back. Lets just hope he gets his stuff together and takes the next step now. Everyone knows that it takes time for big guys to develop.
Again - i am just hoping that my positive thoughts will come to fruition.