My tip for 2011? Western Bulldogs to be premiers

[BulldogBelle]

THR ROAR
By Michael DiFabrizio

Already this pre-season I’ve stated Collingwood are “hard to bet against” and Hawthorn “will be a major threat”. It’s time to stop sitting on the fence. It’s time to man up and say who I really think will lift the premiership cup this October – the Western Bulldogs.

That’s right. The team that has been to three-straight preliminary finals – and never made the grand final all three years – will go all the way this year.

The internal expectation, as Dogs president David Smorgon told the Footy Show last week, is that they “have to play in a grand final”. They are not only capable of achieving that goal, they are capable of going one better.


http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/03/22/my-tip-for-2011-western-bulldogs-to-be-premiers/

[Mantis]

Who is Michael DiFabrizio?

[LostDoggy]

Ha!Ha! Mantis, you beat me to it, I was wondering the same thing! ;)

[LostDoggy]

Who is Michael DiFabrizio?

A very astute journalist

[egan-kennedy-ford]

I'd never heard of him either, but that is a more thorough and insightful review of our position coming into the year than I've read from anyone in any of the mainstream press.

[LostDoggy]

To Quote Meatloaf "You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth". Never heard of him but Like him already :D

[LostDoggy]

The Roar is an Australian sports opinion website which blends expert analysis with fan written articles. The Roar has more than a dozen professional columnists, and thousands of amateur writers making it arguably Australia’s largest citizen journalist website.

In addition, The Roar has an iPhone application, a daily email newsletter, and a powerful, customised content platform. The Roar powers the fanzones of Rugby.com.au and AllBlacks.com and is expanding this fanzone model.

The site features the writing of some of Australia’s best up and coming sports columnists, alongside that of more established names such as Spiro Zavos, Adrian Musolino and others, with ‘Roar of the Crowd’ articles written by our well-informed and opinionated reader base.

We focus on opinion and enabling the passion of Australian sports fans. How passionate? Each month we publish about 200 reader-submitted articles and over 16,000 comments. Daily the equivalent of War and Peace is written on the site by our ‘Roarers’.

1st time I've heard of the Roar but I'll "bookmark" it. Might have some more favourable journo's than Caro & Sheehan

[LostDoggy]

I'd never heard of him either, but that is a more thorough and insightful review of our position coming into the year than I've read from anyone in any of the mainstream press.

Exactly my thoughts too.

[LostDoggy]

The Roar is an Australian sports opinion website which blends expert analysis with fan written articles. The Roar has more than a dozen professional columnists, and thousands of amateur writers making it arguably Australia’s largest citizen journalist website.

In addition, The Roar has an iPhone application, a daily email newsletter, and a powerful, customised content platform. The Roar powers the fanzones of Rugby.com.au and AllBlacks.com and is expanding this fanzone model.

The site features the writing of some of Australia’s best up and coming sports columnists, alongside that of more established names such as Spiro Zavos, Adrian Musolino and others, with ‘Roar of the Crowd’ articles written by our well-informed and opinionated reader base.

We focus on opinion and enabling the passion of Australian sports fans. How passionate? Each month we publish about 200 reader-submitted articles and over 16,000 comments. Daily the equivalent of War and Peace is written on the site by our ‘Roarers’.

1st time I've heard of the Roar but I'll "bookmark" it. Might have some more favourable journo's than Caro & Sheehan

Funny, watching Sheehan last night it seems he really rates the Dogs' chances this year. Hopefully that's not a bad omen.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Whilst it's nice to read we're rated a good chance, it matters little. We've been highly rated for the past 3-4 years now - and as we know - it hasn't worked out the way we've wanted it to.

[Curly5]

The Roar is an Australian sports opinion website which blends expert analysis with fan written articles. The Roar has more than a dozen professional columnists, and thousands of amateur writers making it arguably Australia’s largest citizen journalist website.

In addition, The Roar has an iPhone application, a daily email newsletter, and a powerful, customised content platform. The Roar powers the fanzones of Rugby.com.au and AllBlacks.com and is expanding this fanzone model.

The site features the writing of some of Australia’s best up and coming sports columnists, alongside that of more established names such as Spiro Zavos, Adrian Musolino and others, with ‘Roar of the Crowd’ articles written by our well-informed and opinionated reader base.

We focus on opinion and enabling the passion of Australian sports fans. How passionate? Each month we publish about 200 reader-submitted articles and over 16,000 comments. Daily the equivalent of War and Peace is written on the site by our ‘Roarers’.

1st time I've heard of the Roar but I'll "bookmark" it. Might have some more favourable journo's than Caro & Sheehan

There's also a good article called Sex, drugs, and rocky role models, following on from the recent off-season "scandals".

[Before I Die]

In a similar vein, it was interesting to note that in the Sunday Age's FOOTY 2011 liftout last Sunday, we were the most popular choice for Premier from the 15 contributing AGE journalists.

7 picked the Western Bulldogs
6 picked Collingwood
1 picked Hawthorn
1 picked St Kilda

[Go_Dogs]

Exactly my thoughts too.

Agreed. Some of the previews I've read this pre-season have prompted me to think that the journalist either a) hasn't followed the pre-season at all and knows little about the Dogs or b) have no grasp on the modern game, or a combination of both.

This was a well written and thought out preview.


Must say I'm not sure why, but it appears as though after writing us off late last year, a lot of media punters are jumping on us in a big way seeing as how we traded and (finally) their realisation or acknowledgment of the injuries we had last finals and the detrimental effect that had.

[Ghost Dog]

Not many have mentioned this in the press

Finally, mention has to be made of the Dogs’ dream draw. They start the season facing Essendon, Brisbane and Gold Coast, while they only have to face Collingwood, St Kilda and Geelong once each. This will assist them greatly in the home and away season.

Very important

[LostDoggy]

While it is nice to see the belief around the team I can't help but feel that there are still several areas where we lack the right mix of players to compete with Collingwood and StKilda.

It seems to me we still have not yet found players to fill the following roles.

6th defender - With Shaggy down and Gilbee out of form we lack another running defender who is solid one on one. We are also placing a lot of expectation on Wood to hold down the rebounding defender role. There are lots of 'ifs' around this part of the ground.

Second Ruck/Uitlity - No-one has really claimed this spot yet although several have been trialled, Minson seems to have the job at the moment but we know that based on past performance his marking and mobilty around the ground limit his effectiveness. Roughead could develop into this role but still has a ways to go.

CHF - We are placing a lot of pressure on Jones to grow into this position and while he shows some great signs he is not there yet. Roughead would seem to be the other option for this role. We need another big mobile forward target to beat the zone defense that StKilda and Collingwood apply, we need enough targets to make Maxwell and Fisher accountable one on one.

Forward Crumber - We have small forwards but few of them play like a small forward, we need pace for forward pressure but also crumbing ability and goal sense, preferably in one player. Not yet sure who that is.

It will be interesting to see over the season if we can develop players in these roles or, as we have done in the past, we try to create tactics that better serve the list we have. Many of the elements are there but I would really like players in the above roles to give us the right balance heading into Finals. On the upside we have 24 rounds to figure it out.

[mjp]

CHF - We are placing a lot of pressure on Jones to grow into this position and while he shows some great signs he is not there yet. Roughead would seem to be the other option for this role. We need another big mobile forward target to beat the zone defense that StKilda and Collingwood apply, we need enough targets to make Maxwell and Fisher accountable one on one.


I don't really disagree with anything you have said (though I think plans are pretty clear in most areas) but if St Kilda can't make Maxwell play on a man and they have Riewoldt, then no-one is going too. Collingwood will stick to their system regardless of opposition personnel and a 'gun' CHF wont change this.

The method of moving the ball through the zone is what is going to matter...I would guess the club are hoping that a full year of Griffen playing as he did in the finals, a fit Cooney, fit Higgins and running Sherman will enable us to break the lines and at least make Maxwell play 25m from goal rather than 75m from goal, so that when he gets it he is thinking 'defend' and not 'rebound'...this will help the mids in transition and hopefully stop us getting burned by the opposition traveling the other way...

[Ghost Dog]

I don't really disagree with anything you have said (though I think plans are pretty clear in most areas) but if St Kilda can't make Maxwell play on a man and they have Riewoldt, then no-one is going too. Collingwood will stick to their system regardless of opposition personnel and a 'gun' CHF wont change this.

The method of moving the ball through the zone is what is going to matter...I would guess the club are hoping that a full year of Griffen playing as he did in the finals, a fit Cooney, fit Higgins and running Sherman will enable us to break the lines and at least make Maxwell play 25m from goal rather than 75m from goal, so that when he gets it he is thinking 'defend' and not 'rebound'...this will help the mids in transition and hopefully stop us getting burned by the opposition traveling the other way...

Not Maxwell that really troubles us, but O'brien.
he torches us everytime he plays.

[Mantis]

Not Maxwell that really troubles us, but O'brien.
he torches us everytime he plays.

O'Brien was well held in the QF.

[Ghost Dog]

Point taken. You'd have to conceed that he did very well against us in other games.
Last year he outpaced our foward line, but he'll find it a bit harder this season, with fresh legs.
Barry V Harry is always an interesting match up.

[Mantis]

You rate O'Brien as less of a threat than Maxwell?

I didn't say that.... I just refuted your claim that O'Brien torches us 'every' time he plays us.

[LostDoggy]

Was interesting to see some of the CH10 members picks for the top 8 and premiership tonight after the Carl v Rich game.
With most having either Coll or Dogs finishing 1 & 2 and Walls and Quartermain picking Dogs as premiers.
Yet Tim lane didn't even have the Bulldogs in his top 8??????

[Mitcha]

Tim Lane has absolutely no idea about on field mattters, he tends to concentrate on the political side of football. Boring boring man.

[LostDoggy]

Right or wrong, How is the contrast?