Maldonboy38

He is our main spoiler/negater - a role he fills will efficiency and team awareness. Considering he was a fill-in for Tomlinson, he has had a superb year. His 2nd efforts after the spoil deserve special mention. If Tomlinson comes back in, I would like to see Petty tried forward, which is where he trained prior to Tomlinson going down. He is seriously good in the air and could provide serious aerial issues for opposition.

I was a fan of Paul Wheatley and thought he could have been anything with a good club/system around him. Jack Grimes will unfortunately be remembered for his horrendous kicking, but apart from that he was a gun. Templeton was a seriously top shelf forward. His style of play would hold up well now, and he scored consistently in a fairly average Dees era. So it is between Templeton and Fritsch for mine. Considering Fritsch kicked 6 in a GF, he just gets the nod.

I didn't rate him at all until late in the year, but he genuinely delighted me in the finals. Not that he got heaps of the ball, but his body strength, booming kick, positioning - a lot to like. The pass to Ben Brown early in the last quarter - the way he read the play before all the Bulldogs boys and ran forward of the play was a thing of beauty (as was ANB's through ball!) I am happy to go out on a limb and say this bloke will explode in 2022. He has a touch of the raging bull about him, has a strong physique, and just a little bot of arrogance. I am as excited about this kid as I am about Rivers.

To be honest, it is possible that in the long term, she might be the first woman to coach an AFL team. You have to be slightly insane to take it on, and I don't know if she has the madness, but she has every other attribute.

Confession time. He drove me nuts. Naturally talented, great mark, great on the lead, cat like reflexes on the ground. I loved watching him play. But when he kicked for goal via a set shot it was basically "spread out boys, no-one knows where this is going!" It appears Chocco was able to reverse this in a single year and now he looks as clean and sharp with a set shot as some of the greats. I just love watching this bloke play and find my eyes following him more than any other forward. And his leading is a thing of beauty. He often appears as a forward of a bygone era. What a wonderful 2021. I reckon opposition coaches and mature backmen are going to make 2022 difficult for him by playing him close and being physical. I don't reckon it will work - he has bucket loads of footy smarts.

In watching replays of the finals, I noticed this too, Dee-tox. Appears he is the "line manager", and after each goal or opposition goal brings all the forwards together and resets them. Love it. I would never have thought of him in this light but the other forwards almost gravitate toward him.

I love the fact he is nuts - he is so different and makes his way through life absolutely at peace with his individuality. No cookie-cutter approach to people management or skill development. Everywhere he goes, things change, everyone around him grows or develops in some way. A rare human being and I hope he stays long enough to apprentice someone under him and mentor him/her as a development coach.

I was never the biggest fan, nor his biggest critic. He seemed to be a Brad Sewell, Brandon Ellis type who played a role maybe 4-5 others could play. But he elevated himself way above a role player. His two-way running, really good kicking (can't believe I am typing this next to his name!!) and his team link up play through the middle of the ground were outstanding. I also get the feeling he is a clubman like Gus and Gawn. And he performed in each of the finals.

I thought he was done, and Weideman would swoop in over the top. He pushed and pushed in the preseason, got himself into his best ever condition, and had a super, super year, especially early on. I am so glad one of the older crew - along with Max - got to see finals success. Well earned. While he wasn't in the best form during the finals, he continued to work very hard off the ball. In re-watching the finals games, the amount of times he was running goalward, 5 metres off his man and not used, was astonishing. His running capacity allows him to get to contest after contest, and if the opposition don't account for him, he will end up with 2-4 goals. Rapt for him.

"4 more years, 4 more years..." I'm not sure why, but something worries me about this chant. But 4 extra years takes him to the probable end for Max and May, in pole position for a reset with a newish group. Sign him up.

I will NOT miss this. I will yell myself hoarse like a teenage girl at a Beatles concert. Can't wait.

I still think there is a chance he might end up forward, he is a really good contested mark when he makes that his focus. But regardless, he has been sublime this year. His timing to leave his player and commit to being an additional spoiler, has all the ear marks of a young Lever. And that touch of arrogance is great to see.

Another one for whom it is difficult to understand how he is playing so well so early in his career. No flash in the pan either - he has been playing at his same level for 2 seasons. I thought the 1st quarter of the final against Brisbane, he was fumbly and nervous. But he was as solid as a rock after quarter time and hardly put a foot wrong for the rest of the campaign. A bit of run and carry, a bit of bravado, a wonderful kick, and as tough as old nails. How could you not love this bloke! I may even be tempted to move one of my all time favourite Dees - Brett Lovett - out of half back in my best ever Dees 22.

I find it really hard to fully understand this young fella's part in our flag. I didn't follow Casey as much as I have in other seasons so I knew very little about his qualities or form. He was a total revelation. Composure under pressure and high-efficiency, high-effectiveness kicking at 18 years old!! Unfair to be honest. I can't see his position under threat at all because he plays a role lots of players begin in - half back flank - but his kicking skills give him an edge over all other contenders. To think how rubbish we were by foot for so long, and now we have Salem, May and this bloke. Definitely see him in the midfield rotations at some point, but Sparrow and Jordon are a long way ahead of him. Probable 200 game player. One of my favourite GF moment - in the 4th quarter I think - Bowey gets chased down from behind, he gets a quick handball forward - sprints forward to retrieve his own ball leaving the lazy Bulldogs player in his wake - and delivers inside 50. Brilliant.

Yep, just missed them. My mum was a massive Dees fans and used to talk of them endlessly.

I love when friends and family say "are you watching the 3rd quarter AGAIN?" I love the gushing bulldust here on Demonland - and the smug feelings I get reading it. Loving it. I love speaking to the Blues, Pies and Bombers fans from my past, and telling them they are all [censored], and we are the champions. I have been waiting a LOOONNGG time for this. I probably shouldn't be enjoying it so much, but I really, really am. I love the time spent on the internet looking for that perfect piece of memorabilia. I love the way long-suffering past players have been welcomed back into club life with genuine warmth.

As of 2020, he is the best midfielder I have ever seen a the Dees. A huge call I know, but I am very comfortable with it now. Now his kicking is a weapon (thanks Choco) he basically has no flaw in his game. Incredible hands, runs all day, is good in the air, is at full pace around stoppages and his breaking speed is ridiculous. I remember a list of A graders being compiled a few years ago, and the Dees had none. This bloke is off the charts A+. And that moment he kicked the final goal of the 3rd quarter in the GF: "Bang... bang, bang, bang" lives as my favourite in-game Dees moment. I have watched it a gazillion times already and there a few gazillion more to go. (P.S. The lifting of the cup by Goody and Gawn is my greatest Dees moment but it was not in-game)

I thought his selection as Captain was a pop vote from the players, and was concerned at the time that everyone was confusing likability with leadership. Very happy to be very wrong. His status as a Dees legend and one of the best AFL ruckmen ever is set in concrete. Love him. He is a quirky, magnetic, leader with natural humour but a whole pile of substance beneath the larrikin exterior. He has worked so hard and now has genuine skill - in the air, on the ground, in tackling, aerobic running, and goal kicking. Once in a generation player.

From his first game he became my favourite player. Just love his approach to the game. Plays on both sides of his body, runs all day, is a true club man, and is as courageous and tough as any we have ever had. And I agree with Chook above, his role in the GF win was pivotal. Amazing that in pulling this Premiership together, the role of wingman has become celebrated again. Alves, Flower, Stretch, Tingay - and now Brayshaw and Langdon!

For decades we have been the turnover kings. His kicking to leading forwards is a joy to watch - old fashioned kick-to-a-space and make the forward run to it. And his in play positioning is so, so good. He is such a solid, reliable player who makes so few mistakes. In 2022, the pressure will be on for him to hold his spot - with Kozzie, ANB already in the 22 and Laurie breathing fire to get a game. At this stage he is a lock, but things can change quickly.

His reading of the play a split second before anyone else has him in very rare company, and I'm talking Carey, Lyon, Scarlet, Leppitsch etc...Somehow, he just KNOWs when. I agree about his kicking, a definite flaw in his game, but with his understanding of his role, he is happy to give a chip or pass to Salem or May to release it, or Langdon and Rivers to run with it. Probably one of the best non-captain leaders we have ever had at the Dees. Love him. Pay whatever he wants to stay (turn of phrase, not literal) and sign him up long term.

Our entire midfield looks stronger and plays better when Jack is at his best. At the half way point of this season I really thought he was done. But his finals campaign was immense. And on GF day, the moment he mobbed McCrae at the first bounce, I decided to pay close attention to him - his switch was turned to "attack and demolish" and he did a power of work. So glad for him and his family. He is going to be a very focused and determined man next year, probably playing "too close to the line" like Jordan Lewis, and we will hear packs split from 100 metres away.

I hardly know what to type about this bloke. There is no category for him. The closest was Dean Cox, but Cox lumbered along compared to Jackson. In 2020 he ran under the ball or had concrete hands. By the 2021 GF, he is clunking pack marks, tackling, playing as a 4th mid-fielder, winning centre and in-play ruck contests, and kicking goals from 50 metres. He could tear the competition apart in the next 5 years.

I remember his first pre-season, and how unfit he was. His potential was on display but he had so much work to do to become an AFL player. Then he did his knee and had to go to the USA for rehab. I've been watching for a long time and clearly remember the days of Alves, Ditterich and Biffin. Trac is as good as our very best, and is the best contested ball, running forward from stoppage player I have seen. Mostly, I love that he is a humble club man. When he got emotional after that first final saying he wanted to restore pride in the jumper for all the supporters who were embarrassed to show the logo - wow, just wow. And then he didn't display the Norm Smith medal so he didn't stand out. Wow, just wow again. And when he spins out of trouble!! I too used to practice it (in the paddocks around the house), tripping over trying to baulk like Robbie. Trac does it with grace, power and ease and then hits players on the chest. If he ever fixes his inconsistent on-the-run goal kicking, he moves into very rare air.

After 164 years, almost every number would have some significance. 31, 2 and 11 stand out and should be given out with due recognition, but would hate them to become a "thing" bigger than the club or the team. Just give it to one of the young players or recruits who is yet to play a game or has played just a few - I would give to it to Laurie, Chandler or someone like that and see what becomes of it.