This could be Western Bulldogs’ season

Roar Rookie

By Stevie G, 5 Mar 2010 Stevie G is a Roar Rookie

Tagged:: AFL, Barry Hall, Jason Akermanis, Rodney Eade, Western Bulldogs

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Geelong's Harry Taylor (L) and Joel Selwood put pressure on Adam Cooney of the Western Bulldogs

Jason Akermanis recently raised the issue of ‘Premiership Windows’ and the need to try and ensure success during that window. This appears paramount to the Western Bulldogs campaign in 2010.

“This is the window, we spoke about it last year as well. There’s not too many years when we can get that group in their late twenties,” one gets the feeling his view about this matter means it is a massive issue at the Whitten Oval.

Where are the Dogs placed in this window?

Aging stars in the form of Akermanis, Nathan Eagleton, Ben Hudson, Brad Johnson and Sydney discard Barry Hall would suggest that success this season rather than next is imperative.

The Dogs are filled with class, and the important type, which performs on the big stage.

Hall, a premiership winning captain and big key forward, will be an important figure throughout 2010, but more so in finals.

Former Bulldog Doug Hawkins was all for getting Hall to the club. “You look at our last two years, the preliminary finals from last year; St Kilda had [Nick] Riewoldt and Geelong had [Cameron] Mooney and [Tom] Hawkins to kick the ball long to. We haven’t been able to do that when we’ve been under pressure because Johnno’s only my size. Now when we get the ball out of the midfield and we’re undecided of where to go, we can kick it long to Barry.”

Rodney Eade though seems to provide a slightly different take on Hall’s role within the team structure. “I don’t know how many times I have to say this there’s no expectations, no pressure on him to kick goals. We can kick goals anyway.”

An extremely valid point with the Bulldogs, last season’s highest scoring side.

Add Hall into that side and worst he could struggle his way to forty or fifty goals. That still adds a lot to an already powerful unit.

One feels that Hall’s recruitment is more targeted to what Hawkins touched on, having a quality tall target like other top four sides in the big situations.

Johnson is a proven star and has now experienced four losing preliminary finals and his personal window is closing rapidly. He has the passion combined with the respect of the playing group to be able to drag players along with him and get them to perform.

He is the heart and soul of the club, not only the captain, but also the spiritual leader.

Hudson is a quality tap ruckman and the only one the Bulldogs possess.

Big Will Minson can bash and crash but Hudson has great technique and skill to feed the midfield. Eagleton’s left foot is deadly and his use in the forward half to feed Hall could be a great combination, along with his goal kicking potential.

For me though ‘Aker’ is the key man – Mr. September.

A three time premiership star with Brisbane, his performances in September could be the difference between ending the Bulldogs’ premiership drought and it continuing on. The 2002 Grand Final against Collingwood is an example of this man’s talent, courage and heroics.

In that game, in heavy, wet conditions and under an injury cloud, Akermanis came to the show when it counted. Love him or hate him, he is a star.

If the Dogs get close, but don’t win this year, they may get another season out of Akermanis and Johnson. But I would suggest it could be their last, regardless, and if so could shut the window.

Hopefully their teammates sense this and provide the two with the dream exit from the game.

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The Crowd Says (7) | Page 1 of Comments

Redb said | March 5th 2010 @ 7:40am | Report comment

I think quite of few of us are on the Bulldogs bandwagon this year. It would be a great sporting fairytale for a team like the Bullies to get up and win after their one and only premiership in 1954.

Coming from the once struggling western suburbs of Melbourne this club can build a solid base in the burgeoning west for the future.

It’s great to watch direct attacking football, their handball chains throught the centre of the ground to beat defensive zoning already look to be paying off. Their skilled delivery into the forward 50 is likely to light up a forward line that now has a lighthouse in big bad bustling Barry Hall.

All power to them except when playing the Bombers.

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- Andrew Sutherland said | March 5th 2010 @ 8:19am | Report comment
  
  Redb, yes their attacking running game has been the best to watch for many years now. They play as if they’re enjoying themselves. You realise they aren’t of course when they lose yet another prem final.
  
  Although always lacking big forwards they’re smaller men are all good o/head marks.
  
  Also, they were the only team capable of exploiting the lack of pace in the great triple premiership Brisbane side.
  
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gazz said | March 5th 2010 @ 11:58am | Report comment

Good luck to ‘em.

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Moonface said | March 7th 2010 @ 9:23pm | Report comment

Don’t count on Hall to make a difference – look how disruptive he was to the team in his last season with the Swans.

Another year of the Bulldog also rans.

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wayno said | March 7th 2010 @ 11:33pm | Report comment

Remember also that most of these older guys, great as they are are only one tendon twang away from a forced retirement, look at how much trouble Brad Johnson has had getting over a simple corky on the calf. Going to need some good luck to keep that lot going until September i reckon.

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Mister Football said | March 8th 2010 @ 10:04am | Report comment

It’s certainly an exciting time for bulldog fans, with memberships likely to breach the 30,000 mark for the first time ever this season.

We’ve been in a similar position once before since the inception of the AFL and that was over the three year period 1997-99.

We lost two consecutive prelims in 97-98, and although we finished 4th in 99, we actually won more games than the previous two seasons, but then went out in straight sets.

The key differences between then and now are these:

1. that 99 team was virtually unchanged from the previous two years, and other teams had overtaken us well and truly by the time the 99 finals came along – this time we’ve had a big improvement to the best 22 with the addition of Hall; and

2. back in 97-98, we always had certain defensive weaknesses that often allowed teams back into the game far too easily, something that good finals teams never do. You only need to think back to the time Port came back from 8 goals behind, playing away from home in their first season, or the time Carlton scored 29 goals in a season when they weren’t travelling too well, or Adelaide’s come back in the 97 prelim. We have a far more solid defensive set up these days, with blokes like Lake, Morris and Gilbee.

Having said all that, Wayno is correct that with about 4 blokes around the 33 year mark – it wouldn’t take much for a couple of those blokes to miss a lot of the season, putting us back amongst the pack well and truly.

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Michael 1958 said | May 28th 2010 @ 11:10pm | Report comment

For once in my life I would like to say WEAK EFFORT GUYS Loss to Essondon not on. I am sick of disappointment. I am feeling really let down by our guys. Came to Aus in 1968 from England followed the DOGS all my life since then but when it comes to the crunch YOu LET ME DOWN every time. Get a grip on what is most important Win Win Win. Are you guys serious ????????????????????????????????.Played Aussie Rules as a 10 year old hate loosing Won best first year player, not bad for a soccer lover. For once in your life give something back to your supporters. They are the ones that are out there waiting for POSITIVE Signs something we can feel good about ????.Its all about you guys believing in yourself.

DOG FOREVER

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