3 Bulldogs in AA Contention

[The Coon Dog]

Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave & Matthew Boyd are the 3 Bulldogs players.


THE AFL has named the squad of 40 from which the 2009 All-Australian team will be selected.

The All Australian selectors were asked to nominate the leading players in each section of the field - forwards, defenders and midfielders / ruckmen - with the final team of 22 to be named on Monday, September 14

Article in full... (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,26012872-19742,00.html)

[bornadog]

No Harbrow, or captain of the year Johnno:D

[Sedat]

Shaggy's numbers stack up very well compared to Enright, Mackie, Goddard, Gilbert and Maxwell. Bet he still misses out.

[GVGjr]

All 3 have an excellent chance.

[mighty_west]

No Harbrow is a suprise.

Shaggy doesn't have the status to make the team, he is one of those under the radar players that will get over looked.

Lake will make it & Boydy might sneak a gig on the pine.

[LostDoggy]

Anyone compare Boyd's stats to Ablett:)

[BulldogBelle]

All 3 really deserve it! Shaggy really needs some solid outside recognition for once

[Go_Dogs]

No Harbrow is a suprise.

Hardly a surprise imo. He's played some terrific games, but his form has still been patchy. If his whole year had consisted of what we have seen the previous month, he'd certainly be in contention.


For mine, Morris is a little unlucky. Once again has rarely been beaten and rarely put a foot wrong. I get the feeling they will only pick one 'lock down' defender though, and Presti is perhaps a better bet for such a role.

[LostDoggy]

Really hope Boydy makes it. Miles ahead of someone like Pendlebury.

Based on stats alone Lake is ahead of Scarlett & Presti. Be frustrated if he didn't get the spot, he's earnt it.

Dane Swan forward? No Bock & Drummond? Dont like those decisions..

[comrade]

Dustin Fletcher is the squad?

[LostDoggy]

Dustin Fletcher is the squad?

Exactly...and ahead of Bock, Fisher, Drummond..:rolleyes:

[lemmon]

All three are serious contenders, Lake would probably be frontrunner for FB and Boyd could squeeze onto the bench. Hargrave is probably in direct competition with Gilbert, Goddard etc.
Definitley the three most deserving for the dogs

[mighty_west]

My team from that squad.

B - Enright - Scarlett - Bolton
HB - Goddard - Lake - Hargrave
C - Montagna - Selwood - Hayes
HF - Goodes - Riewoldt - Porplyzia
F - Davis - Fevola - Le Cras

R - Clark - Ablett - Judd

INT - Sandilands - Boyd - Swan - J Brown

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I cant see how Swan gets a spot on the forward line ahead of Jonno?

As a bloke who has played in the forward 50 all year his stats are impressive.

Jonno would be ahead of Buddy also IMO.

[mighty_west]

I cant see how Swan gets a spot on the forward line ahead of Jonno?

As a bloke who has played in the forward 50 all year his stats are impressive.

Jonno would be ahead of Buddy also IMO.

Swan has to get a gig in the team, but as a midfielder, sounds like a cop out from the selectors to me.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

My team from that squad.

B - Enright - Scarlett - Bolton
HB - Goddard - Lake - Hargrave
C - Montagna - Selwood - Hayes
HF - Goodes - Riewoldt - Porplyzia
F - Davis - Fevola - Le Cras

R - Clark - Ablett - Judd

INT - Sandilands - Boyd - Swan - J Brown

I would have Jonno in before Goodes, otherwise it would be fantastic to see these guys on the one side going flat out!

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Swan has to get a gig in the team, but as a midfielder, sounds like a cop out from the selectors to me.

Yes fully agree and I would have him in front of Judd, Yes hard to believe but I think he has been a stand out.

[mighty_west]

I would have Jonno in before Goodes, otherwise it would be fantastic to see these guys on the one side going flat out!

It's a tough one, has Johnno has as good a season as his AA years in the past? It's a hard one to judge, but Goodes is also a no brainer for the side imo, could give the Brownlow a real shake.

[LostDoggy]

Everytime i see AA i think of Alcoholics Anonomous, and i freak out!! Haha

[Mantis]

How is Swan grouped with the forwards?

Fletcher - WTF??

Hargrave was great through the middle of the year, but feel his form has tapered away a little, but it would be great to see him recognsied for a couple of very consistent seasons. I suppose just making the squad is recognition in itself.

[LostDoggy]

I would thought only 3 for a preliminary squad seems a few short. How many all up named? How's many Saints and Cats?

[LostDoggy]

I read its 40 in the squad

[comrade]

I would thought only 3 for a preliminary squad seems a few short. How many all up named? How's many Saints and Cats?

8 for Cats, 7 for Saints.

6 for the Pies.

We're under-represented IMO, but goes to show that we rely on an even effort across 22 players.

[LostDoggy]

8 for Cats, 7 for Saints.

6 for the Pies.

We're under-represented IMO, but goes to show that we rely on an even effort across 22 players.

I hope they keep under estimating us.

[bornadog]

Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave & Matthew Boyd are the 3 Bulldogs players.

Isn't it great to see Shaggy being nominated. He has had a fantastic season, especially since he doesn't have to play on gorillas any more.

[LostDoggy]

Isn't it great to see Shaggy being nominated. He has had a fantastic season, especially since he doesn't have to play on gorillas any more.

Though I agree with Mantis, his form tapered off before this week.

[comrade]

Though I agree with Mantis, his form tapered off before this week.

He went back to bombing the ball under pressure, rather than slowing the tempo and hitting up a target.

He was back to his best on the weekend though - let's hope he carries that form over the next month.

[The Underdog]

8 for Cats, 7 for Saints.

6 for the Pies.

We're under-represented IMO, but goes to show that we rely on an even effort across 22 players.

I kind of agree but I can't really think of anyone else whose season has been consistently good enough to be AA.
Johnson's been great lately but had a down period, Higgins has been injured and probably still is a way off, Gia was great til he got injured.
Morris is probably the only one I can come up with who should possibly be in the squad.

[comrade]

I kind of agree but I can't really think of anyone else whose season has been consistently good enough to be AA.
Johnson's been great lately but had a down period, Higgins has been injured and probably still is a way off, Gia was great til he got injured.
Morris is probably the only one I can come up with who should possibly be in the squad.

Morris, Akermanis and Harbrow wouldn't have looked out of place in the preliminary squad of 40.

[The Underdog]

Morris, Akermanis and Harbrow wouldn't have looked out of place in the preliminary squad of 40.

Aker would possibly be the other one. Morris arguably has claims ahead of Hargrave. I think Harbrow has improved out of sight particularly over the last 5-6 weeks but part of his early season was a pretty steep learning curve and I think he'd need a full season like the last 6 weeks to make the squad.
As previously pointed out it's a pretty good indication of the evenness of our squad. You know what they say about a team of champions.

[Sedat]

Though I agree with Mantis, his form tapered off before this week.
So has Gilbert and Goddard, probably even more pronounced than Shaggy - every player in the squad would have had a flat patch at some stage during the season. There was a 5 week spell where Hargrave was arguably the form player of the entire competition. His numbers speak for themselves: Hargrave would be a thoroughly deserved inclusion in the side, but I suspect he needs a better PR manager to pump his tyres - maybe he can borrow Nick Maxwell's :rolleyes:

Worth noting that Hawthorn won the 1991 flag and did not have a single AA that season.

[bornadog]

Though I agree with Mantis, his form tapered off before this week.

Only a few games, yes, but, you have to look at the whole season.

[The Coon Dog]

I would thought only 3 for a preliminary squad seems a few short. How many all up named? How's many Saints and Cats?

Didn't Collingwood once make a Grand Final & not have an AA representative? Seem to remember Eddie banging on about it for 3 years!

[dog town]

Morris arguably has claims ahead of Hargrave. I disagree. Morris has been solid and done his job but probably not much more. Hargrave has stopped a dangerous opponent consistently and then been an incredibly damaging rebounder. He has had games where he has won an enormous amount of contested footy as well. In truth I think he probably had a better season than Morris last season as well and I know a few posters agree with me.

On the weekend he had almost exclusively loose ball gets, uncontested marks and handball receives. In contrast to this he has had weeks where he has had 30 touches with 10 or more of them being contested touches where they have kicked to his opponent one on one and he has just out pointed them. I think he is just very comfortable with all parts of the game now. Really deserves AA status.

[boydogs]

Morris, Akermanis and Harbrow wouldn't have looked out of place in the preliminary squad of 40.

Agree
Morris > Maxwell
Aker > Milne
Johnno > S Johnson
Harbrow > Fletcher

[GVGjr]

I disagree. Morris has been solid and done his job but probably not much more. Hargrave has stopped a dangerous opponent consistently and then been an incredibly damaging rebounder. He has had games where he has won an enormous amount of contested footy as well. In truth I think he probably had a better season than Morris last season as well and I know a few posters agree with me.



I tend to agree that Hargrave has performed better than Morris however, Morris has been playing well and I think the quality of his kicking has improved on previous years.

I think Morris would still have been very close for selection.

[dog town]

I tend to agree that Hargrave has performed better than Morris however, Morris has been playing well and I think the quality of his kicking has improved on previous years.

I think Morris would still have been very close for selection. I certainly still think Morris has been very good. He has definitely improved his use of the footy. I have no figures to back it up but I think he has leaked a few more goals this season. That is just a hunch as I dont have access to any stats regarding goals conceded. A few lesser lights have kicked a couple on him this season and a couple of high profile players have kicked larger amounts on him.

To be fair to Dale though he is pretty unselfish with his defending and often his opponent gets goals when he has backed back to help out another defender. My favourite thing about watching Dale is the way he manages to win or draw a contest from a seemingly hopeless position. He will be completely out positioned and find a way to back into his opponent, put him off balance or get a hand in. He is just relentless in that respect. Some big jobs await him in the coming weeks. Could potentially play on any of Chapman, Mooney, Fevola, Bradshaw, Reiwoldt etc in the coming 3 weeks which shows you how much we rely on him.

Always a good sign when probably 4 of your defenders are roughly in the mix for AA selection. More than ever the game is about team defense now. Goes to show you we are on the right track in that area of the ground.

[LostDoggy]

I am happy for all three guys but wrapt for Shaggy a guy that goes about his business quietly and get the job done. I am wrapt for the bloke for getting recognised for the effort he has put in this year.

[GVGjr]

I am happy for all three guys but wrapt for Shaggy a guy that goes about his business quietly and get the job done. I am wrapt for the bloke for getting recognised for the effort he has put in this year.

I think he has been very good for about 3 seasons now and yes it's a nice reward for the quiet way he goes about his business.

[Mofra]

As a side note on Shaggy - has anyone ever made the AA squad without ever registering a brownlow vote? I'm sure Morris has one somewhere.

[Happy Days]

Knocked out this today, thoughts?

B: Gilbert, Scarlett, Lake
HB: Goddard, Bolton, Hargrave
C: Montagna, Judd, Dal Santo
HF: Goodes, Brown, Swan
F: Le Cras, Fevola, Riewoldt
Foll: Sandilands, Ablett, Hayes

I/C: Boyd, McIntosh, Selwood, Porplyzia

Would have Black in for the Porpus, but he isn't in the squad.

[lemmon]

Knocked out this today, thoughts?

B: Gilbert, Scarlett, Lake
HB: Goddard, Bolton, Hargrave
C: Montagna, Judd, Dal Santo
HF: Goodes, Brown, Swan
F: Le Cras, Fevola, Riewoldt
Foll: Sandilands, Ablett, Hayes

I/C: Boyd, McIntosh, Selwood, Porplyzia

Would have Black in for the Porpus, but he isn't in the squad.

Great attempt, who would captain Judd or Riewoldt?

[Happy Days]

Great attempt, who would captain Judd or Riewoldt?

Judd, a better captain in my opinion. He's really changed Carlton and almost single handedly made them a good side.

[Ozza]

B: Prestigiacomo; Lake; Gilbert
HB: Goddard; Scarlett; Enright
C: Montagna; Hayes; Selwood
HF: Swan; Riewoldt(C); Goodes
F: Brown; Fevola; Le Cras
R: Sandilands; Judd(VC); Ablett
Int: Didak; Boyd; Clark; S.Johnson

Riewoldt captain due to his side winning 20 games.

[The Coon Dog]

Brian Lake named as Back Pocket & Matthew Boyd on the benchin the AA team.

B) Corey Enright - Matthew Scarlett - Brian Lake
HB) Simon Goodwin - Craig Bolton - Nick Maxwell
C) Leigh Montagna - Lenny Hayes - Joel Selwood
HF) Paul Chapman - Nick Reiwoldt - Dane Swan
F) Leon Davis - Brendan Fevola - Jonathan Brown
R) Aaron Sandilands - Chris Judd - Gary Ablett
Int) Matthew Boyd - Nick Dal Santo - Brendan Goddard - Adam Goodes

For those who want to know; the All Australian selection panel is Andrew Demetriou, Adrian Anderson, Kevin Bartlett, Gerard Healy, James Hird, Glen Jakovich, Mark Ricciuto and Robert Walls.

[GVGjr]

Nick Maxwell is overrated. Surely Goddard has done more.

[The Coon Dog]

Craig Bolton All Australian CHB. Didn't make the top 10 in Sydney's B & F! :eek:

I would have had Mark Le Cras in before Leon Davis.

[LostDoggy]

Lake in a back pocket, goes to show how much of a joke this is.

[comrade]

For those who want to know; the All Australian selection panel is Andrew Demetriou, Adrian Anderson, Kevin Bartlett, Gerard Healy, James Hird, Glen Jakovich, Mark Ricciuto and Robert Walls.

Some intellectual heavyweights in that bunch...

[AndrewP6]

Brian Lake named in a back pocket...

[LostDoggy]

Nick Maxwell is overrated. Surely Goddard has done more.

They would be keen to appease Eddie after not having any 'Pies in last year's team.

[GVGjr]

They would be keen to appease Eddie after not having any 'Pies in last year's team.

I understand some of the logic and politics that go into the selection but I would have thought that Goddard has had a far better season and anyway they have Swan in the side. Put Maxwell on the bench. Bolton is lucky and Dane Swan is the midfielder being played out of position.

[LostDoggy]

Well done Lakey!

[bulldogsman]

Clark, Presti and LeCras very unlucky

Well done Boyd and Lake

[LostDoggy]

I understand some of the logic and politics that go into the selection but I would have thought that Goddard has had a far better season and anyway they have Swan in the side. Put Maxwell on the bench. Bolton is lucky and Dane Swan is the midfielder being played out of position.

If we were going on form, Sam Gilbert has had a better season than either of Bolton and Maxwell.

I think we all know that the AA is as much about reputation and media hype as it is about substance.

ps. Case in point: Lake has had Scarlett for breakfast every week this year, yet gets shunted to a back pocket.

[Happy Days]

Interesting to see no second ruck named.

Congrats to Bryza and Matty B.

[boydogs]

That HB line is a joke. Hargrave & Harbrow should rightly feel disappointed
No Saints in the backline despite winning 20/22 and conceding bugger all - if we missed out because of them fair enough, but as TCD points out picking someone not in their own club's top 10?

[Throughandthrough]

Interesting to see no second ruck named.




Well, it's not as though he will get injured during the match :D

[boydogs]

Interesting to see no second ruck named.

The side doesn't resemble one you would actually put on the park. There is no small defender, no second ruck, two FB's, two FF's and a midfielder on the half forward line

[LostDoggy]

Can't believe the Porpus missed out, to be honest.

[LostDoggy]

I didn't like Le Cras missing out, him over Davis Id say.

Goddard before Maxwell in the backline. And Dane Swan in the forward line is ridiculous, you would have him in centre surely.

Happy Boydy got in there, no surprises Scarlett was FB, thats like default these days.

[LostDoggy]

I didn't like Le Cras missing out, him over Davis Id say.

Goddard before Maxwell in the backline. And Dane Swan in the forward line is ridiculous, you would have him in centre surely.

Happy Boydy got in there, no surprises Scarlett was FB, thats like default these days.

Porplyzia should be in his spot at half forward.

[Ozza]

Pretty disappointing selections.
Porplyzia should be in instead of Chappy - 52.16 in the H&A season for the porpis - as a smallish fwd - and Chappy has been in and out with injury.
58 goals from Le Cras in an ordinary side - plus he was up on a wing a fair bit - surely has been more value than davis - who started well but finished poorly.
Craig Bolton??

And Simon Goodwin is a gun - but within his own team Vince, Thompson & Porplyzia have all been better and didn't get a look in. Sam Gilbert should have made the side also and Goddard should be first 18.

Its still pretty ridiculous that Simon Black wasn't nominated. They will look very silly when he wins the brownlow.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Pretty disappointing selections.
Porplyzia should be in instead of Chappy - 52.16 in the H&A season for the porpis - as a smallish fwd - and Chappy has been in and out with injury.
58 goals from Le Cras in an ordinary side - plus he was up on a wing a fair bit - surely has been more value than davis - who started well but finished poorly.
Craig Bolton??

And Simon Goodwin is a gun - but within his own team Vince, Thompson & Porplyzia have all been better and didn't get a look in. Sam Gilbert should have made the side also and Goddard should be first 18.

Its still pretty ridiculous that Simon Black wasn't nominated. They will look very silly when he wins the brownlow.

I'm inclined to agree with a lot of that:

Porpis and Lecras ridiculous non-selections; Davis and Champman lucky

Bolton - shocked he is in the team
Goodwin - are we assessing 2009 or his career?

I would have though Goddard & Fisher would have been better selections in the backline

[aker39]

There are 3 suspect selections that are cleary based on biased selectors

Bolton - Gerard Healy
Goodwin - Mark Riccuito
Sandlilands - Gerard Healy

[Sedat]

Any way you want to slice it and dice it, Maxwell had an inferior season to all of Goddard, Mackie, Hargrave and Gilbert. Laughable inclusion. Doesn't surprise me though - Maxwell was one of the biggest liabilities for Collingwood on Saturday night but the scribes were gushing in their praise for him post-match. You name it, his game on Saturday night had it - costly free kicks conceded deep in defence, panicky delivery, an appalling attempt to spoil on the goal line that cost his team a critical goal. But gee he looks so intent out there and he can really punch the ball 3rd man in a marking contest :rolleyes:

FFS Bolton didn't even make top 10 in the Swans B&F. Should have made one of the half backs CHB - probably Goddard - then bring in all of Hargrave, Mackie and Gilbert into the 22 to replace Goodwin, Bolton and Maxwell. Davis should not have made the team - take your pick out of Le Cras and Porps. And Clark was clearly the best ruckman in the competition this season.

[aker39]

Any way you want to slice it and dice it, Maxwell had an inferior season to all of Goddard, Mackie, Hargrave and Gilbert. Laughable inclusion. Doesn't surprise me though - Maxwell was one of the biggest liabilities for Collingwood on Saturday night but the scribes were gushing in their praise for him post-match. You name it, his game on Saturday night had it - costly free kicks conceded deep in defence, panicky delivery, an appalling attempt to spoil on the goal line that cost his team a critical goal. But gee he looks so intent out there and he can really punch the ball 3rd man in a marking contest :rolleyes:



Summed up perfectly Sedat. I thought he was very ordinary on Saturday night




FFS Bolton didn't even make top 10 in the Swans B&F.


Heath Grundy & Keiran Jack finished higher than Bolton in the Swans B&F

[LostDoggy]

How did Simon Goodwin make the squad let alone the 18. I think Gilbert Bock Fisher Hargrave Goddard Makie and even Tayte Pears all had better seasons then him in my opinion.

[bulldogtragic]

Someone with too much time has succinctly said what we all think right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X4R_IDP4aA

[strebla]

Someone with too much time has succinctly said what we all think right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X4R_IDP4aA

You made me cry thats a cracker:D

[dog town]

Someone with too much time has succinctly said what we all think right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X4R_IDP4aA I was about to post that. Glorified Jason Cloke hahaha.

[boydogs]

Someone with too much time has succinctly said what we all think right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X4R_IDP4aA

Funny stuff :D Thanks BT