Who will debut first?

[Mofra]

Tom Williams or Andrejs Everitt?

Interesting comparison really - one has had injury troubles for 2 years but has filled out, and is the perfect size to play football. Is still gaining match fitness.

The other is a highly rated draft pick, noted as a project player but has already gained 5 kgs, looks quick enough to play on smalls and will have match-fitness at least on Williams.

Who do people think will get a game first?

[BulldogBelle]

I would love to say Williams but I think Everitt will get the nod first.

[southerncross]

Williams. Probably by round 12

[alwaysadog]

Whoever earns it. Suspect they are dieing to give Williams a go, but won't till he and his form are right. No need to rush Everitt, but if his form says go, he will.

Don't write of Lynch beating both of them to a cameo role. In the Bees best last week.

[bornadog]

Williams. Probably by round 12

Agree but maybe earlier depending on his Bee's form

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Tom Williams.

I think Everitt probably won't debut until after Round 16, if he in fact DOES make an appearance this year, where as Williams is likely to get a game before Round 16 if he stays fit.

[Go_Dogs]

Williams, and I think he may play a bit sooner than Round 12 - again his form has to warrant it, but if he is doing a reasonable job and VFL level, he'll get moved up pretty quickly I feel.

[firstdogonthemoon]

Williams. Probably by round 12

I hope so.

[bornadog]

Heard a bit of Eade's press conference today and he said Tom Williams should debut before the break and was even talked about in today's match committee meeting, some want him in now.

[bulldogtragic]

Young bull/old bull.

Take our time, just for now.

[southerncross]

Heard a bit of Eade's press conference today and he said Tom Williams should debut before the break and was even talked about in today's match committee meeting, some want him in now.

This might be what you are talking about

Dogs clear the air (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21542689%255E20322,00.html)

FRANK discussion among players and coaching staff on Tuesday cleared the air for the Western Bulldogs to focus on tackling St Kilda at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

Coach Rodney Eade said yesterday he noted a resolve among the players to rectify mistakes from Sunday's mauling by Adelaide at the MCG. "The guys spoke very openly about themselves and their teammates. It was a very positive meeting. I certainly get a good, strong feeling they want to atone for what happened," he said.
Eade said the group understood the context behind him naming senior players down on form at the MCG, a post-game observation wrongly interpreted as criticism by some media.
"What I said was that it's very difficult to win when your better players don't play well," he said.
"It was very measured, it wasn't any criticism of them. Everyone is going to play poorly at some stage. I just named six of our top 10 players who didn't play well which was a fact.
"They came to me the next day. Three of them (Brad Johnson, Robert Murphy, Daniel Giansiracusa) are in the leadership group and they said it was fine. They didn't take any offence at all.
"I didn't mention them to try to get a reaction from them which coaches do and I do at times to, maybe, provoke them. But it wasn't even in that context. It was just more about stating the fact that it's pretty difficult to win if your good players don't play well."
Full-back Brian Harris' return after suspension is timely with Nick Riewoldt back in St Kilda's attack.
"Obviously, they've got some good quality talls and we were hurt last week in that area which obviously at some stage is going to catch us out," Eade said.
"Brian straight back in will hopefully stiffen that defence."
While a hamstring injury will keep Jason Akermanis out for at least two games, Mitch Hahn resumes in the VFL and 2004 top-10 draft pick Tom Williams continues to develop.
Hahn, who suffered a serious knee injury in Round 12 last season, makes a cautious comeback in the Werribee reserves this weekend.
"He'll play a half to three-quarters and, hopefully, it's only a couple of weeks before he's in the Werribee ones," Eade said.
The 196cm Williams, out last season after foot surgery, is on track for an AFL debut sooner than expected.
"He played very well at the weekend with Werribee. His name was mentioned today at match committee, but we think to be fair to Tom, he needs to get at least three to four weeks of football," Eade said.

[alwaysadog]

Williams is now looking about 4-6 weeks away, depending on his fitness and form, and how the team is faring. Wouldn't write Everitt off either. He was named first (?) in the Bees best. Another 2 or 3 like that might force the selectors hands.

Did anyone who watched the Bees last weekend have an eye on Tom and can confirm that he deserves this wrap and is not being used along with Hahn as distraction from the poor performance?

Speaking of Hahn can't wait!

[Dry Rot]

I read somewhere that Williams played well except that his kicking is crap. Is this correct?

[LostDoggy]

Williams is now looking about 4-6 weeks away, depending on his fitness and form, and how the team is faring. Wouldn't write Everitt off either. He was named first (?) in the Bees best. Another 2 or 3 like that might force the selectors hands.

Did anyone who watched the Bees last weekend have an eye on Tom and can confirm that he deserves this wrap and is not being used along with Hahn as distraction from the poor performance?

The ball was down in the Werribee backline often which is why Everitt and Williams were in the bests. Henderson the werribee full back also played well but was moved forward in the second half.
Everitt was courageous, took a number of marks and ran trying to create.
Williams started well with a mark by just reading it better, made a few spoils, and went on a few runs. He then started on the bench in the 2nd quarter then came back late in the 2nd and played the rest of the match. Williams did everything you could have asked from a backman. He did line up on some undersized(compared to him) forwards and was too tall for them. Was on Bruce Reid's son (skinny tall) late in the game.
He made a mistake or 2, including throwing out the back (rugby style) when tackled.
He has good atheleticism.
He deserves the wraps but needs to plays 3 or 4 more games at that level before promotion.

[LostDoggy]

I read somewhere that Williams played well except that his kicking is crap. Is this correct?

I didn't notice it that much.
On one or two runs he might have missed the target or chosen the wrong option.
He is not worse than Minson.

[alwaysadog]

I read somewhere that Williams played well except that his kicking is crap. Is this correct?

Haven't seen him kicking since his op, but in the practice match 2 years ago he was kicking the ball 50-60 metres with ease and let go one 70 metre torp. If his kicking is not now up to scratch I'd put it down to not having enough time to get balance. He may have slower reactions at the moment due to the long lay off.

[Raw Toast]

Was reading the initial reports of Williams just after we selected him. Eade said he can kick 60m but at the moment is a little inaccurate. Not sure if he's had much chance to improve his accuracy but hope he can still give it a woof.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Heard a bit of Eade's press conference today and he said Tom Williams should debut before the break and was even talked about in today's match committee meeting, some want him in now.

fingers crossed that tommy keeps on this positive path

everitt might have a difficult job playing this year at his height and build, with Wight, Hargraves, Harris, Grant (when fit) etc ahead of him, plus Williams

I am not sure how many of our kids will play this year in the 1's

[GVGjr]

Was reading the initial reports of Williams just after we selected him. Eade said he can kick 60m but at the moment is a little inaccurate. Not sure if he's had much chance to improve his accuracy but hope he can still give it a woof.

Most of us would remember that long torp on the run against Carlton in a pre-season cup game. The consistency and accuracy will be the issue for him.

[Go_Dogs]

I don't mind so much about that - Morris and a few others struggle to hit targets on a consistent basis, as do some others occasionally. Williams seems like the type that will work hard to at improving his game, so no reason why he can't reach a satisfactory level. I'm sure he'll be doing a lot of work on his skills over the next few weeks.

It's getting exciting thinking about Tom playing.

[alwaysadog]

I don't mind so much about that - Morris and a few others struggle to hit targets on a consistent basis, as do some others occasionally. Williams seems like the type that will work hard to at improving his game, so no reason why he can't reach a satisfactory level. I'm sure he'll be doing a lot of work on his skills over the next few weeks.

It's getting exciting thinking about Tom playing.

Steady Tonto, steady.

[Go_Dogs]

Steady Tonto, steady.

Haha, I know I know...it's pretty easy to get carried away with the wraps this kid has been getting. After 2 years of talk though, I'm excited to see what he can offer.

[alwaysadog]

Haha, I know I know...it's pretty easy to get carried away with the wraps this kid has been getting. After 2 years of talk though, I'm excited to see what he can offer.

You and me both. But it's a huge ask to expect him to go from 2 years off to playing well in the ones when he's never been there. I hope he's only 1/4 as good as the hype because if he is he'll be a star.

[Cyberdoggie]

hmm, this is a very good question,

the tommy gun or zach de la rocha look a like andrejs everitt?


ok t.g. will be maybe 6 weeks plus.

if everitt keeps playing like he did last week, i'd suggest he'd be the first option to come into defence if there are any injuries to hargrave/harris/wight/morris in the near future.
Sure it would be a baptism by fire but he might be our only option

Everitt was the best bulldog player at werribee by a mile last week but it was just 1 game. He might get his pants pulled down this week against a tough sandy premiership side.

We'll see.

[Dry Rot]

Why are so many people banging on about Williams now? I think only a couple here have ever seen him play (forget pre-season games).

Grasping at straws methinks. Hardly a saviour right now.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Why are so many people banging on about Williams now? I think only a couple here have ever seen him play (forget pre-season games).

Grasping at straws methinks. Hardly a saviour right now.

I tend to agree.

We'd be better off bringing Williams into the side when we are actually playing good Football, rather then bringing him in when the side is completely out of sorts and on the back of two heavy thrashings. Bit too much expectation/pressure.

Better off "easing" him in when the team is playing good Football, it'll do his confidence a lot better.

[GVGjr]

I tend to agree.

We'd be better off bringing Williams into the side when we are actually playing good Football, rather then bringing him in when the side is completely out of sorts and on the back of two heavy thrashings. Bit too much expectation/pressure.

Better off "easing" him in when the team is playing good Football, it'll do his confidence a lot better.

Yes there is much hype of Tom but I suppose given the problems he has had, the lack of any real footy for an extended period plus the fact that he is probably the most inexperienced footballer on an AFL list if you include the number of junior footy he played, I'd like to see the fans hold back on the expectations. Last year there was almost a Davidson frenzy on BF but the club and coach held their nerve and waited until he could prove himself...in the end he didn't.
With Williams Eade will not be quite as cautious be he should wait until he thinks he is ready to make an impact. That might be in a couple of weeks but it also might be more like another 4. I really want to see Williams succeed not fail so I'm happy to wait a few more weeks.

[alwaysadog]

Why are so many people banging on about Williams now? I think only a couple here have ever seen him play (forget pre-season games).

Grasping at straws methinks. Hardly a saviour right now.

As with most things DR, it's a combination of factors. To show how varied they are I suggest the following.

1. High Draft pick
2. Size
3. Size
4. Size
5. Coach constantly building expectations
6. Coach further building expectations
7. Desperate need for a young tall KPP with vigour
8. Even more desperate need for a young tall KPP with vigour
9. Brief glimpses, now fading... so the view is almost as though through a key hole, of undeveloped but latent talent.
10. Need for something to suggest we have addressed a key weakness in our team structure.

Now you can't call all that despearate clutching at straws, can you?

[Dry Rot]

Agreed, and I'd add his height to that list.

Perhaps also the perceived need for another Queenslander in the side, while Hahn is out.

[alwaysadog]

Agreed, and I'd add his height to that list.

Perhaps also the perceived need for another Queenslander in the side, while Hahn is out.

Well that makes up a round dozen of great reasons. I expect his selection for the Tiges game based on that alone.

[alwaysadog]

Well that makes up a round dozen of great reasons. I expect his selection for the Tiges game based on that alone.

And so it has turned out to be.............