Lil_red_fire_engine

If he was still with us we would not be premiers. The trading of both Hogan and Watts has been key to both cultural change and incoming player outcomes.

5. Hanks 4. L Pearce 3. Mithen 2. Harris 1.Paxman

Oliver aside (who seems leaner and faster than 2021) Jimmy J in everything.

The errant bounce I feel was the implied pressure that he was about to get Kozzie’d.

The chest out jump for the ball, clean clunk and the little strut as he got back up reminded me of a young Hogan.

5 L Pearce 4 T Hanks 3 T Harris 2 Fitzsimon 1 Colvin

Great post and comments all round. Whilst Rosman is and Howes will be developed as wingers I still think outside run needs more depth. This is probably validated by us retaining Baker for a further season. With TMac, Weid and JVR we have options of varying experience for the roaming tall forward role but not really for the long ball other than Brown and Majak as plan B. LJ may fit either but who knows where he will land as he develops. Another long ball tall forward should be on the radar as they take time to develop and can be hit and miss. I can see Gawn playing the role more as he ages and still would not be surprised to see Petty play time there at some stage in his career. Mid sized leading forwards is our biggest gap for mine. If Fritsch goes down we are really lacking in this area other than the veteran Melksham (M Brown at a stretch). Howes may develop here and Trac can play that role when forward but we are lacking.

5. Hore 4. McNamara 3. Paxman 2. Hanks 1. Harris

3. Zanker 2. Hanks 1. L Pearce

I suggest Tomlinson will not be a round 1 option and they will take their time. Assuming this Hunt, Rivers, Joel Smith and Hibberd are competing for the same 2 spots which are built around defend first and rebound second. They all have enough height to play on the mid sized forwards but also be accountable on the true smalls subject to forward set ups. For mine Rivers is already set and will likely only get better, fitter, stronger. Really it is a toss up between Hunt, J Smith and Hibbo in my view for D7. Bowey and Salo are there as accountable distributors but are more likely to mind the true smalls as part of their roles. Rivers can also fit this role based on set up or rotation. Once ready, if Tomlinson gets back to the form he showed early I can see he and Petty play the two key defensive posts allowing May to roll into the Hunt, Rivers, Hibberd mix. Lever will just always be Lever. This assumes all are available at all times (unlikely) and also that we dont see a bolter ie: Turner, Smith, Howes develop from outside this group. What great problems to have :)

Go you Lil Red Fire Engine.

Mackie played 280 games, was All Australian and played in 3 premierships. You are certainly aiming high with our pick 39.

Every way you read the phantom drafts and x player rising in calculations means someone needs to be sliding the other way. Whichever way you cut it there appears to be an abundance of smooth moving mids/flanks which appears to be our best need unless we strongly rate a young tall. With what’s available we know JTs track record over nailing it is second to none.

A strong preseason for all will make it hard for other teams to close the gap with our outside 22 depth and scope for improvement in the youngsters on our list. Dogs will be there about again obviously and ignore the GF they had our measure at other points in season. I see a fit Richmond with some youth injected, injury free Giants and potential growth from Essendon as the most likely to contend,

Great to see Dunstan on Channel 9 news tonight doing weights and fitness sessions with Gawn and Gus. Will give himself every chance to break in in 2022 and prove the saints wrong.

Super proud of the little red fire engine. Cant wait to see how far his potential can take him with multiple preseasons of strength and endurance. His composure on the big stage and the significant improvement in his defensive aspects so quickly astounds me.

Good to see that we are decisive and swift in our actions in the trade period still post Josh Mahoney. We target what we want to do and execute efficiently without haggling over a couple of draft spots. I dont care for the trading out of next years draft. Keep doing it and next year never comes :)

Olivers goal for the surely not another factor and the perfect handball from LJ so he didnt need to break stride. Add his look after kicking it and then the look of the Dogs on all brigade post pretty much broke them there.

I think this year is as good a year as any to have no first and only 3 mid range picks. We have no pressing need in any part of the ground. We have young elite talent as shown in Rising star nominations and the % of premiership team under 21. 2 years of fractured visibility of this years draftees and we have the best recruiter in the business to spot raw talent and now the development team and time to nurture it. Need to be mindful we may want use up to 2 of those on Woey Jnr and Moniz-Wakefield but suggest we will create a touch more room somehow. Being they are both flank/wing can see us going tall if the right prospect is there with any other picks.

Should be free to a good home. Did not suit our 2021 style as we amped the pressure game and he aged as well. However he offered us fantastic service, easy to forget in 2018 if I recall he led the league in goal assists and in my view was one of the best pound for pound one on one players going about. If he can find a opportunity elsewhere we should support as also frees some cash and a spot on our list (and spots are tight).

Western Bulldogs finishing 9th?

After thinking we were a goal away from defeat last night the way at which we dismantled a serious quality side through sheer will and aggression in 19 minutes had me speechless until this morning. The back half of the third quarter was the most beautifully chaotic football anyone could hope to witness in any game, let alone in the premiership quarter for the actual premiership. Could not be prouder of the way we have built to this moment this season. Not just in the way we have played but the way the whole club has carried themselves on and off the field. No more words. Just so proud.

Team effort like it has been all year. And what a team they are,.

What a win. What a season. So much sweeter that they challenged us and we smacked them off the park. So sweet.

Port wilted under expectation and pressure, its just a week earlier than most anticipated. Dogs pressure and attack were immense. The two worthy teams will fight it out for the cup. Our best trumps theirs but we will need to be on. They have taken a long road I suggest a fierce start and jump them and they fall away. The longer they lead or are in it the more they will believe. I cant see either team not being at top intensity, the game will come down to who takes their chances and who wins the tactical battle.