Opinion
Who are the Western Bulldogs players that should play to their optimum level in season 2021?
To be eligible for selection a player must have played at least five games in season 2020, so there can be a reference point as far as those players who apply their talent the best at AFL level.
The Bulldogs have a few injury concerns going into Round 1. Here are the ten players (plus an honourable mention) who will stand out from the pack in season 2021 in terms of performing to their optimum level.
Honourable mention: Tim English won’t have to work as hard due to the recruitment of Stefan Martin. English is capable of taking more contested marks than he did in season 2020. He averaged the second most contested marks of any Bulldogs player, with an average of 1.28 contested marks per game in the same season. Despite being the only ruckman of note for the Bulldogs in the same season he featured in all 18 games that the Bulldogs played. Expect him to not have to work hard in the ruck as he had just nine hitouts in the game against the Demons in the pre-season.
10. Stefan Martin will help take the pressure off Tim English. It was an astute move by the Bulldogs to recruit Martin to the club. He averaged 17.12 hitouts per game, but featured in just eight of the 19 games that the Brisbane Lions played. That’s more hitouts than Tim English averaged, as English averaged exactly 16 hitouts per game. The recruitment of Martin will allow English to spend time forward. If the pre-season game against the Demons was any indication, Martin should be the number one ruckman for the Bulldogs and despite coming towards the end of his career, he will work tirelessly.
9. Mitch Wallis is a player that will lift his work rate due to being named as the vice-captain for the Bulldogs for season 2021. In season 2020 he averaged the most goals of any Western Bulldogs player with an average of 1.39 goals per game in that season. He featured in all 18 games that the Bulldogs played in season 2020. He will be given the opportunity to be the Western Bulldogs’ leading goal kicker once again in season 2021 and is a player that never shirks a contest.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
8. Adam Treloar should be an important player for the Bulldogs, having been recruited to bolster what’s probably the best midfield in the AFL in season 2021. He may have only played ten out of 19 games that the Collingwood Magpies featured in, but he averaged the most disposals of any player in the competition. He averaged 26.9 disposals per game. It’s unlikely he will be tagged in what’s the best midfield in the competition, which will mean he will be given the freedom to roam around and win plenty of the ball in season 2021.
7. Josh Dunkley had a tumultuous off-season as there was talk of him leaving the Bulldogs, but in the end, he decided to stay, which could be an important decision, which may mean that the Bulldogs will be a contender in season 2021. He averaged the most tackles of any Bulldogs player comfortably in season 2020, with an average of 5.92 tackles per game. He featured in 12 out of the 18 games that the Bulldogs played in season 2020. He should have a great season if the game against the Demons is any indication as he finished the game with 32 disposals and an incredible 11 tackles in the pre-season. If that game is anything to go by, the manner in which he plays week in, week out in season 2021 should mean that his work rate is of a high level.
6. Lachie Hunter averaged the second most disposals per game of any Bulldogs player in season 2020 with an average of 25.3 disposals per game. He only featured in ten games in that season. He still averaged the most uncontested possessions per game of any Bulldogs player with an average of 18.7 uncontested possessions per game in the same season. He may not get as much midfield time with the recruitment of Adam Treloar in season 2021. Consequently, Hunter will probably play on a half forward flank, which won’t impact his work rate. If anything he will work harder.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
5. Bailey Smith played in every game that the Bulldogs played in season 2020 with the third highest average of disposals of any Bulldogs player with an average of 21.22 disposals per game. He finished seventh in the Bulldogs’ best and fairest. He had a reasonable game against the Demons in the pre-season with 25 disposals. He deserves more credit for the effort he puts in and the quality of player he is. Hopefully he gets the recognition that he deserves in season 2021.
4. Tom Liberatore finished third in the Western Bulldogs’ best and fairest, despite missing two games in season 2020. He averaged the fifth most disposals of any Bulldogs player per game with an average of 20.75 disposals per game and the fifth most tackles of any Bulldogs player with an average of 3.56 tackles per game. If the pre-season game against the Demons is the average effort that he puts in, he will be in the top five in the best and fairest once again in season 2021. He had seven tackles for the game.
3. Marcus Bontempelli is a phenomenal talent, which was why he was selected on the half forward flank in the AFL All Australian team in season 2020. He finished second in the best and fairest in the same season for the Bulldogs. He featured in every game and averaged the fourth most disposals of any Bulldogs player with an average of 20.89 disposals per game. He averaged the second most disposals of any Bulldogs player per game with an average of 4.83 disposals per game. He put in an exceptional display in the pre-season game against the Demons. He kicked three goals and the manner in which he played made it look effortless.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
2. Caleb Daniel won the Bulldogs’ best and fairest in season 2020. He was named on the interchange bench in the AFL All Australian team in the same season. He featured in all 18 games that the Bulldogs played. He averaged 20.16 disposals per game and his work rate never wavered. If his performance in the pre-season game against the Melbourne Demons is any indication, he accumulated 34 disposals. He will once again work tirelessly and selflessly in season 2021 as he did in season 2020.
1. Jack Macrae was named on the wing in the 2020 AFL All Australian team. He averaged the third most tackles of any Bulldogs player per game with an average of 3.89 tackles per game and he featured in every game in the same season. He finished fourth in the best and fairest of the Bulldogs and averaged the third most disposals in the competition with an average of 26.39 disposals per game. He had an incredible game in the pre-season game against the Demons with 39 disposals and eight tackles. If that’s a sign of things to come he will be in the All Australian team once again in season 2021. He polled the most votes of any Bulldogs player in season 2020 with a total of 15 votes, which was fifth place overall and he has the capability of winning the 2021 Brownlow Medal, if he plays to his optimum level.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.
Amid all the hysteria and gnashing of teeth that accompanies any team following a particular galling loss, it's worth remembering at all times that…
Geelong coach Chris Scott has hit out at the AFL Tribunal's decision to clear Charlie Cameron for his dangerous tackle on Jake Lever, saying…
Bevo loves playing VFL players in the AFL and in many ways, he is this era's Kevin Sheedy, except a poor man’s version of him.
Round 5 of the AFL provided plenty of action, from big scorelines to upset wins and pressure starting to build on some clubs and coaches already.
The Western Bulldogs have elected to place star midfielder Tom Liberatore into the AFL's concussion protocols after a concerning incident in the last quarter…
