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Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has no problem including Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney among a select group of players whose improvement will be pivotal if the club is to progress this season.
After falling just short last season of what would have been their first grand final since 1961, Eade is adamant the `Dogs must lift just to hold their ground, let alone overtake premiers Hawthorn or runners-up Geelong.
He believes that improvement will come mainly from the group of players who are under 25 but have several years’ AFL experience.
That means the likes of 23-year-old star Cooney and dashing 22-year-old fellow midfielder Ryan Griffen, already two of the club’s brightest stars.
Promising defenders Tom Williams, Andrejs Everitt and Dylan Addison are others Eade is looking to, along with midfield prospects Shaun Higgins, Callan Ward and Josh Harbrow and ruckman Will Minson.
The coach said Cooney belonged in the rising star category, despite already having been acknowledged as the competition’s best.
“The more pre-seasons he gets into himself the fitter he’s going to become, he’s getting stronger,” Eade said.
“I think he can go forward more so he can play more gametime, he can certainly play at another level.”
Eade is confident the adulation and added scrutiny that comes with a Brownlow will not adversely affect the South Australian and does not believe a restricted pre-season will hold him back.
And he thinks the pressure will be eased on his star because of the growing quality and depth of the midfield around him.
“Obviously Griffen we want to become a better player, Higgins, we’ve got (Daniel) Cross, (Matthew) Boyd and (Daniel) Giansiracusa, Harbrow we want to put through the middle so there’s enough support there for him so that he doesn’t have to do it himself,” Eade said
Given the youth of that group, along with promising younger players such as Josh Hill, Sam Reid and Ward, a midfield that was already clearly the `Dogs’ greatest strength should only improve.
There is similar optimism about the defence.
Fullback Brian Lake, along with versatile trio Dale Morris, Lindsay Gilbee and Ryan Hargrave, have developed into an experienced and reliable unit.
Tall defensive prospect Stephen Tiller showed good signs late last year and there is excitement about the potential of athletic emerging youngsters Williams, 22 and 196cm, and Everitt, 19 and 193cm.
The big query is in attack.
On the plus side, the Bulldogs were the AFL’s second-highest scoring team last year.
But they kicked two of their lowest scores in their two losing finals.
And the club’s three top goal-scorers of 2008 – skipper Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis and Scott Welsh – are three of their four oldest players.
The perennial question also remains about when the club will uncover the imposing power forward they need to fill the one notable gap in their structure.
Bullocking Mitch Hahn and mobile Robert Murphy provide handy marking options, without quite filling that role.
Eade is confident the club has enough goal-kicking options this year, but acknowledges attacking prospects such as Jarrad Grant and Brennan Stack need to be blooded.
“Obviously going forward three players over 30, two over 32, obviously we need to introduce some more players,” he said.
But even Eade is unsure whether it adds up to a blend capable of adding to the Bulldogs’ sole premiership, achieved in 1954.
“I don’t know, we were close last year, how do you know? It might never happen, we might get three in a row,” he said.
“But really we’re not far away, we proved last year we can compete with the top two teams.
“The competition’s very even, so that doesn’t mean we’re much in front, if any, of the rest of the competition, so we certainly need to improve, we know that.
“But we think there’ll be improvement from within.”
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