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The Western Bulldogs tasted ultimate success for the first time in 62 years last season. Despite their excellent performances, opinion has not been so divided on a defending premier’s chances for years.
Are the Dogs capable of going back-to-back? Or are they in danger of missing finals altogether?
Let’s have a look at the list changes made in the off-season.
Additions: Travis Cloke (Collingwood), Tim English, Patrick Lipinski, Lewis Young, Fergus Greene, Nathan Mullenger-McHugh, Tristan Tweedle (draft)
Subtractions: Joel Hamling (Fremantle), Nathan Hrovat (North Melbourne), Koby Stevens (St Kilda), Jed Adcock (retired), Will Minson, Luke Goetz (delisted)
What happened last year?
The Bulldogs enjoyed a solid home-and-away season in 2016. Their record of 15-7 placed them seventh, but in reality they were just two wins off a tie for the minor premiership.
Three of the club’s losses came by under 20 points, and they only lost one game all year by more than five goals.
The finals however saw the Dogs come out breathing pure fire. If any club in the AFL drew the Eagles in Perth, Hawthorn at the MCG, the Giants at Spotless and Sydney at the MCG in consecutive weeks they’d complain to the fixturing department.
But that was the hand Luke Beveridge was dealt, and his club responded by winning all four matches in one of the most stunning finals campaigns we’ve seen.
What’s changed?
The Bulldogs did lose a handful of fringe players seeking opportunity elsewhere last trade period.
Koby Stevens managed only 12 games for the club last season, while Nathan Hrovat managed just four, so suggestions that their midfield depth is weakened appear farfetched.
Joel Hamling managed only 12 games as well last season, although his shutdowns in the finals on some of the biggest key forwards in the game was astounding. He is a loss to a club very thin on tall defenders.
Travis Cloke is a big addition in name, although the Dogs do appear to be well stocked in the forward department – especially with Stewart Crameri returning from suspension.
What needs to happen in 2017?
Having won the premiership last season, there’s obviously not much the Bulldogs ‘need’ to work in in 2017.
The club doesn’t have anything to worry about when it comes to giving the youngsters game time, with Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore, Jason Johannisen, Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Boyd and Jackson Macrae all coming in at under 25 years of age.
This truly astounding level of class in that age bracket gives the Bulldogs the relative luxury of being able to play veterans Robert Murphy, Matthew Boyd and Dale Morris without fear they’re stunting anybody’s development.
Reports that the Bulldogs have a tougher schedule to navigate in 2017 don’t appear to be true either. This year they play 11 games against finalists from a season ago, while last year they played nine games against eventual finalists – only a slight increase.
When last season began however, their schedule contained ten games against finalists from the season before.
Provided Luke Beveridge doesn’t let his charges get ahead of themselves, the only things standing in their way appear to be the intangibles like a ‘premiership hangover’ or supposed luck running out.
The verdict
The Bulldogs were one of the best teams during the home-and-away season last year. Their run to the flag was a fairytale – but it was no miracle.
With a healthy crop of players in the prime of their careers and an even scarier list of players who still have the ability to improve, Luke Beveridge’s charges have more than a fair chance of lifting the cup again this year.
Prediction: first