Onto our final team to preview and the team that has been the talk of the off-season. The Western Bulldogs come into 2015 with internal expectation and external doubt.
Last season
An upset win over Richmond in Round 3 gave some hope to the Bulldogs faithful. They had a couple of other nice wins against Collingwood and Gold Coast, showing positive signs but a loss in Round 23 to GWS dropped heads.
The season of Tom Liberatore was again outstanding and the emergence of Marcus Bontempelli and Jack Macrae provided excitement.
Next season
What an off season! The coach got the boot and the captain came out asking to be traded. Ryan Griffen got his wish, being shipped to GWS in return for power forward Tom Boyd.
It was a risky trade by the Bulldogs but it may prove to be a masterstroke in years to come.
The issue looks to be the next three to four years, where the Dogs lack the class and firepower to be a threat. I’m predicting the Dogs to take a step backwards and finish in the 16th to 18th range next year.
Who to look out for
Bontempelli looks to be an absolute superstar. He can find the ball, he can hit targets, he can take a grab, he can lay a tackle and he hits the scoreboard.
At 194-centimetres tall with the ability to run, he looks to be the blueprint of the modern midfielder.
He showed signs of brilliance last season and will enter year two of his AFL career full of confidence in his ability to mix it with the best.
I expect him to take the Nat Fyfe and Dyson Heppell route to AFL and quickly put himself into the elite bracket by the end of the year.
Needs a big year
Tom Boyd may only be 19-years-old and with nine games to his name, but a weight of expectation will be on him this season.
The Bulldogs lost their best player to secure an elusive big forward and the pressure of being a former number one draft pick will be illuminated now he is in Victoria.
Boyd won’t be expected to be in Coleman contention but he will be expected to put in a handful of dominant games where he produces bags of goals.
This will be enough to provide some positive talk around his game and the Bulldogs recruiting department.
Best 22
FB: Picken, Roughead, Morris
HB: Murphy, Talia, Johannisen
C: Macrae, M. Boyd, Stevens
HF: Dahlhaus, Crameri, Bontempelli
FF: Stringer, T. Boyd, Hunter
R: Minson, Wallis, Liberatore
I: A. Cordy, Hrovat, Smith, Wood
Josh
Expert
My tip for the spoon this year. They shoved most of their experienced players out the door last year and I think they will struggle without that depth. However, they have enough talent on the list that you'd think in four-five years time they'll be back up there again.
Mr.X
Guest
It all depends on Tom Boyd really. If he has a blinder of a year and score 30 odd goals the dogs could finish fairly high in the bottom 8. But if he does a jack watts and screws up his career well then trading Ryan Griffen and there top draft would have been for nothing.
Mr.X
Guest
Beveridge was hawthorns defensive coach last year. If he can make do without the likes of lake, Gibson and schoenmakers I'm sure he can make do with this defence
Ray Bullock
Roar Rookie
First mistake,WB appointting Beveridge. Why on earth have they gone down the road of another inexperienced 'el cheapo' coach. Big deal ,he served an apprencticeship. Hardly a coach that players look up to. Buying some players is WB only hope.
berrlins
Roar Pro
The biggest issue with Macca's reign was that the wins they had came off the boot of alot of the older players, there was not as much pressure on the younger lads to perform when it counted, that lifted a little this year and they didn't respond unfortunately, the thing I do like about Beverage is he is aggressive, He comes from an aggressive mentor and works with a team known for aggression (as well as precision skill ) I hope he transfers that over to his coaching style and demands more of this team.
Radelaide
Guest
Yeah my theory is that the Saints overlooked Petracca because of the 2004 draft when Richmond picked up Deledio with priority pick 1 and Hawthorn picked up Jarryd Roughead with 2 then with pick 4 Richmond then got Richard Tambling and pick 5 Hawthorn got Buddy. Since then if a KPF is in the top 3 they seem to go number 1.
Me Too
Guest
Good luck to the Doggies. They needed a dominant forward and none were on the horizon so they took a big risk. I think it has already had repercussions elsewhere - the saints decided to draft Paddy knowing the price of tall forwards just shot up significantly, Whether it will work is another thing, if Boyd doesn't come on it will have set them back possibly irrecoverably in this upcoming window. They also badly need to draft/develop a defence - maybe a year or two more down the bottom will help. I agree they will go backwards before going forward, but hopefully for them, the forward steps will be big enough to warrant it.
Radelaide
Guest
Gutsy move with Boyd but the problem I have with them is even with those young players it's still only half a team, it's still going to take a while. When they played Port this year they kept up with us but then Griffin had a back problem and as soon as he was subbed out the team fell apart so I think there will be some growing pains (for at least 2 years I think).
joe
Guest
We are still a couple of seasons away from hopefully success. Just need the kids to keep improving.
berrlins
Roar Pro
The biggest issue for the dogs has been the defense which will continue next year and the loss of Cooney and Griffen means the midfield loses its outside run, Hrovat moving into the midfield possibly with Stringer could solve that problem but it will take time.
TomC
Roar Guru
Looking forward to seeing a lot more of Stringer next season. Very exciting player. But a tough year coming up for the Doggies.
Pumping Dougie
Guest
Our forward line has gone from a weakness to a strength, but our problem will be getting the ball in there quickly. We don't have enough speed in our midfield to run and spread. I expect to see the class of Macrae, Bontempelli and Libber as our prime movers onball, assisted by the speed of Hrovat and Dahlhaus. Our backline is also weak - Talia and Johanisson spent most of 2014 in the reserves and Picken is almost at his use-by date (although full credit to him for forging the career he has). Morris and Murphy probably only have two seasons left at best, so we need to develop this area super quick. Fletcher Roberts has shown potential to develop into a key position player and Easton Wood is a decent running back. Hopefully Shane Biggs can show something (his highlights reel at the Swans looks impressive!). I agree with author that we're a couple of seasons away from consistently troubling top sides. But we'll still beat the likes of Collingwood (LOL)!
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Some terrific youngsters there: Boyd, Bontempelli, McCrae, Stringer, Libba, Wallis and Hrovat. But a few at the other end of the spectrum. The team probably needs another year of consolidation and getting more games into the youngsters. I'm not sure Ayce has shown enough to get into the best 22 and I'm not sure Crameri is big enough to hold down CHF.