New Faces 2009: Brisbane Lions

National Draft

#07 – Daniel Rich
#25 – Jack Redden
#41 – Todd Banfield
#57 – Aaron Cornelius
#69 – Bart McCulloch
#81 – Kieran King

Pre-Season Draft

#05 – Tom Rockliff

Rookie Draft

#07 – Daniel Murray
#66 – Adam Spackman
#77 – Daniel Dzufer
#82 – Joel Tippett

With a new coach often comes a new look and in the case of Brisbane, Michael Voss would have been pleased that the first national draft he entered as head coach just happened to be a very promising one — with Brisbane well placed to amass some exciting new talent.

One of the big stories to come out of the 2008 draft was the slide of Daniel Rich, who was considered a definite top three selection for most of the year before Fremantle opted for Stephen Hill and Rich found his way to Brisbane at #7.  Brisbane would be very pleased with Rich, as improving their midfield depth was the number one priority.

In Rich, Brisbane have found a plug-and-play midfielder who can step into the side and contribute instantly.  As far as midfielders go, Daniel Rich is the complete package.  The only thing he lacks – which was credited for his slide – is athletic prowess and upside (which is a matter of perception in my opinion).  Brisbane have done very well in the first round, picking up a genuine footballer who requires little to no assembly.

The second round was interesting for Brisbane and Collingwood alike, as it was the worst kept secret that Collingwood was very keen on Queensland local Dayne Beams.  Although some late reports suggested that Melbourne were also interested in Beams, Brisbane shaped as Collingwood’s most likely hurdle to securing the inked up prospect.  As it turned out, Brisbane opted for South Australian Jack Redden, a medium sized inside midfielder with a knack for winning clearances.

With Redden, Brisbane continued to bolster their midfield stocks.  Genuine clearance winners are invaluable in today’s game and the Lions would be stoked to have picked up a player who possesses clean touch and natural instincts in that role.  Redden is also no slouch on the outside, having the ability to take a good mark and from all reports being quite clean and composed by foot.

Brisbane continued to target midfield prospects in the third round, selecting another Western Australian in Todd Banfield.  Early draft reports on Banfield describe him as a predominantly outside midfielder who uses his impressive pace to advantage.  Whilst not being considered an elite kick, from all reports Banfield uses the ball fairly well and generally puts it to advantage; particularly when delivering inside fifty.  Banfield improved as his season in the WAFL Colts wore on and his work ethic and application is highly regarded; considered a player who works hard both ways.

At #57, Brisbane managed to snare another player who was considered a slider in Tasmania’s Aaron Cornelius.  Many were surprised and in turn envious of Brisbane picking up Cornelius so cheaply, as he was touted as a likely second round prospect by many.  The tall marking forward was impressive in the U18 Championships where he was Tasmania’s leading goal kicker.  Cornelius also managed 12 senior VFL games for the Tasmanian Devils in 2008, where he finished up with 19 goals; proving he can match it with stronger bodied opponents.

Outside of the midfield, the most glaring deficiency for Brisbane in 2008 was their predictability when heading forward.  With Brisbane’s smaller forwards and midfield failing to fire on the scoreboard, Brisbane were in desperate need of a third forward option.  Henderson and Clarke are still developing and Clarke may yet be used down back, so the acquisition of Aaron Cornelius – who shapes as a third tall and has been likened to Sydney’s Ryan O’Keefe by some – is a wise move and an excellent get in the fourth round.

Continuing on from Cornelius, Brisbane returned to the Tasmanian well in the fifth round by selecting the mobile ruckman Bart McCulloch.  Brisbane has an excellent track record with depth in the ruck department and it must be said that Brisbane’s ability to identify and develop ruckmen would have to be one of the best in the league.  Standing at 198cm McCulloch could perhaps be considered slightly undersized for a ruck in today’s game, but his mobility and ground-level touch will allow him to be more than just a tap ruckman.

To finish off the National Draft the Lions took Kieran King at pick #81.  King’s most notable attribute is his pace, as he was an outstanding athlete and competed nationally as a 400m runner.  Michael Voss got to spend some time with King at the AIS/AFL Academy and was impressed by what he saw.  Despite being a gifted athlete, King also sports some talent in the football department.  During the U16 championships, King averaged 19 disposals across half-forward and averaged five I50’s and 2 goals per game.  Whilst King may work his way into the midfield rotation, he could also be of use from a forward flank or as a small forward.

With the National Draft done and dusted, Brisbane entered the Pre-Season Draft with one selection up its sleeve.  There was a lot of talk about whether Brisbane would select Sydney discard Nick Davis, who spent some time training with the Lions during the off-season.  As previously mentioned, Brisbane were looking to add some new forward targets to the mix and the mercurial yet much maligned Davis shaped as a possibility.  There were no secrets about Nick Davis’ lack of application when it came to playing football at the professional level and in the end Brisbane decided wisely not to throw him a lifeline; instead selecting Murray’s Tom Rockliff.

I was extremely glad that Brisbane decided to take Rockliff, who I felt deserved an opportunity to forge an AFL career after being overlooked in the national draft.  Rockliff isn’t the most athletically gifted player, but what he lacks in pace and agility he makes up for in football nous.  He reads the play well, has the capacity to be creative and has a great understanding of the fundamentals.  For a player his size, he knows how to position himself in contested situations and has the ability to bring those around him into the play; something that Steele Sidebottom benefited from in the TAC Cup Grand Final.

At the rookie draft, Brisbane improved its ruck depth once more by selecting Daniel Murray, a 200cm Western Australian.  Similar to McCulloch, Murray shapes as a mobile ruck option and did enough to impress the Brisbane recruiting department despite having limited opportunities; due largely to playing second fiddle to Naitanui in the U18 championships.

The remainder of Brisbane’s rookie selections consisted of Queensland priority pick Adam Spackman and the retainment of Daniel Dzufer and Joel Tippett.  Dzufer is a hard running half-back who caused some waves for the Lions after a drink driving incident, but has been given a little more time to redeem himself.  Whilst Tippett, who was a project tall to begin with, has also been given extra time to develop his athletic credentials into football weapons.  Adam Spackman is a strongly built midfielder/half-back who has worked hard – both on the field and in the Brisbane Lions’ merchandise shop – to get himself onto an AFL list.  Spackman’s rookie selection is a credit to him and speaks volumes of his perseverance and determination after being overlooked in both the 2006 and 2007 drafts.

Brisbane have done well during the 2008 drafting period; addressing their midfield needs whilst also managing to address their forward deficiencies and replenish their ruck stocks later in the draft.  Brisbane got excellent value with the likes of Rich, Cornelius and Rockliff; all of which could have arguably been drafted higher.  In the case of Rich and Rockliff in particular, I have an inkling that a few clubs will be left to rue undervaluing genuine football ability.

Brisbane have only just missed out on the top eight in the past two seasons and with a new coach and their recent additions in what was a very strong draft, they may have just found the missing ingredients to take them back into September; a month that they once dominated.

Related Articles: Brisbane Strike It Rich

New Faces 2009: Adelaide Crows

National Draft

#10 – Phil Davis
#28 – Shaun McKernan
#44 – Rory Sloane
#60 – Thomas Lee
#72 – William Young

Rookie Draft

#10 – Ricky Henderson
#26 – Christopher Schmidt

As the 2008 draft approached, it looked likely that Adelaide would be targeting a key position prospect with its first pick.  Many – particularly Adelaide supporters who voice their opinions on forums – believed that Jackson Trengove was the name that would be read out at #10, however when draft day was upon us the Phil Davis bandwagon gained some momentum and it was the local lad who eventually got the nod.

Davis suffered a shoulder injury which hindered his football in 2008.  Despite being tipped to slide to the second round, Adelaide obviously liked what they had previously seen and look to have a gem on their hands.  With the retirement of Bassett and Adelaide’s struggles to find an adequate key forward; Davis shapes as a possible answer at either end of the ground.

In the second round Adelaide selected Shaun McKernan, the younger brother of former AFL premiership player Corey.  Shaun McKernan stands at 196cm in height and there have been some questions over what position he would play at AFL level.  Despite being undersized for a ruckman, McKernan possesses a lot of athleticism, namely the second best vertical leap at this year’s draft camp as well as finishing sixth in the agility test.

McKernan will be an interesting one to watch.  The questions regarding his long-term position are likely to continue for a time well beyond his debut; but regardless of where he ends up Adelaide have done well to secure a player with his skill set and pedigree in the second round.  On the other side of the coin, McKernan’s attributes may allow Adelaide some versatility, providing a swingable solution in various positions depending on how a match is unfolding.

At pick #44 Adelaide selected another Victorian in Rory Sloane, a 182cm midfielder who can also be swung back or forward.  From all reports, Sloane is a very personable kid who exudes leadership potential and has the mental application to succeed at the highest level.

After taking two key position players in the first two rounds, Adelaide’s bolstered its already impressive midfield prospects with Sloane; who will provide some added assurance heading forward.  Sloane will join the likes of Dangerfield, Mackay and the already established Knights as players who Adelaide fans will be hoping to form the basis for their future midfield.

Rounding out the national draft for Adelaide were Thomas Lee (Pick  #60) and William Young (Pick #72).  Both are key forwards who have shown varying degrees of promise in junior football.  Thomas Lee hails from the same hometown as Lance “Buddy” Franklin and the Crows would be hoping that he can emulate some of Franklin’s AFL form; since even a smidgen would be enough to qualify him as a player.  Will Young spent nearly two years out of the game before returning to play some solid football for North Ballarat whilst also representing Vic Country in three matches in the U18 Championships.

Between Davis, McKernan, Lee and Young – whilst also having talented NSW Scholarship acquisition Taylor Walker in the works – Adelaide would be hoping to find a quality key forward or two from this promising bunch.  Adelaide were dealt a cruel blow this year when they lost both Porplyzia and Burton, yet still managed to work their way into September.  It will be interesting and perhaps a little scary for opposition supporters – myself included – to see how Adelaide shapes up if some of these young prospects emerge as genuine forwards.

To finish up the silly season, Adelaide took two rookies in Chris Schmidt and Ricky Henderson.  Schmidt was delisted by the Brisbane Lions after spending two years on their senior list.  Originally drafted in the second round of the 2006 super draft, Schmidt is a tall midfielder/utility who may just prove to be a late bloomer.  Henderson is a 20 year old basketball player who hadn’t touched a football in four years, despite playing in his earlier days.  Whilst being something of a project, Henderson is a good size at 190cm and 82kgs and it’s always good to see some creative thinking with the rookie list.

Adelaide loaded up predominantly with key position prospects in this year’s drafting period, which given their needs and the strength of the draft was a wise strategy.  Traditionally, it’s best to build a spine of key position players in stronger drafts, as it’s easier to build around that sort of rare quality with midfielders and utilities who are generally the majority in any given draft.

Trade Week Wrap-Up…

This year, trade week proved to be something of a non-event.  Whilst all the talk surrounded O’Keefe, Warnock, Lovett, Green and Prismall; only two of the aforementioned found a new home during the trade period.  With the future draft concessions for the GC17 expansion, clubs were more reluctant to part with picks than any previous trade period.

The Warnock deal went right down to the wire, with Fremantle initially demanding more than Carlton’s original offer of pick #24.  The deal ended up getting made with Carlton handing over picks #24, #56 and #72 in exchange for Warnock and Fremantle’s pick #69.  It seems with the exodus of retiring and delisted players from Fremantle, they’ll be looking to top up via the draft this year.

The jury is out as to who won in this trade, but I would say it’s pretty reasonable all in all.  Despite Fremantle playing hardball with Carlton in the early stages, most wouldn’t have considered Warnock – despite showing promise – to have been worth more than a second round pick at this stage.  Ruckmen’s stock has increased over recent years, but whilst Warnock looks to have the potential to become a quality player he still only managed 9 games in 2008.

Warnock’s value is still very speculative and his stature has perhaps been inflated by the manner in which he looked to depart Fremantle combined with the interest from Carlton.  Fremantle have been the brunt of much ridicule due to their past trading and drafting history, but I think they did as well as they could have in this instance.  They attempted to stand firm and despite blinking in the end, they really had no other viable option.  Warnock was determined to leave and there wasn’t an offer better than #24 on the table.  Fremantle also managed to secure an extra draft pick at a time when they will need to rebuild their list.

Geelong’s Prismall was always looking to be on the market in search of more future opportunities elsewhere.  Essendon have managed to secure the services of Brent Prismall in exchange for pick #39.  Geelong could perhaps feel a little unlucky, as Prismall – who went down with an ACL injury and requires a knee reconstruction – looked likely to be worth a second round pick prior to the injury.

The injury to Prismall – which occurred during the Qualifying Final – gave opposition teams a little more leveridge when entering negotiations with the Cattery; considering it is unlikely that Prismall will play any part in the first half of 2009 and there are always queries over how a player will return from such an injury.

By obtaining Prismall, Essendon have definitely improved their midfield; it is just the extent that is yet to be seen.  By giving up their third round pick, Essendon have opted to take a less risky route as opposed to heading to the draft and targeting a player who is yet to establish themselves or show capability at AFL level.  I would say that in the end, Essendon did well with this trade whilst Geelong have a right to perhaps feel a little shortchanged.

The first trade was made on Thursday, with Adam Thomson from Port Adelaide finding a new home at Richmond in exchange for Pick #42.  This is a good get for Richmond, who are amassing some class throughout the middle of the ground and now have a potential clearance expert on their hands.  The operative word is potential and whether Thomson’s SANFL form will translate to AFL success at another club is still yet to be seen; however Thomson has shown good signs at senior level when selected.

Collingwood, who kept a low profile for most of the week, opened up Friday with a flurry.  Rhyce Shaw was on the trade table last year and once again expressed interest to pursue his career elsewhere as this year’s trade period approached.  Collingwood traded Rhyce Shaw to Sydney along with pick #61 in exchange for Sydney’s third round pick #46.  Rhyce Shaw, despite being a much maligned player during his career at Collingwood, will add some much needed line-breaking dash from half-back for the Swans.

It’s hard to say who won out of this trade, as opinion on Rhyce Shaw is polarized not only amongst Collingwood fans but also amongst neutral supporters.  Sydney have done well to acquire a ready made player who will be more than serviceable, with a pick that could be argued is paying below value.

Collingwood and Shaw were both looking to part ways and during this year’s trade period where a third rounder effectively carried the value of a second rounder, they did about as well as they could out of the trade.  By acquiring pick #46 to compliment their other picks, Collingwood has given themselves four dips within the top 50 of the draft.  Both clubs would be viewing this trade as a win/win situation, although that is largely dependant on how Shaw performs at his new club and how Collingwood’s draft choice pans out.

The Western Bulldogs managed to find a new home for Farren Ray by trading him to St. Kilda in exchange for their second round pick, #31 overall.  Farren Ray came under a lot of scrutiny from Bulldogs fans after putting in a fairly lacklustre performance during the finals.  St. Kilda were looking to add a bit more dash throughout their midfield and with the addition of Ray they may have found the answer.

Considering the value that Collingwood and Geelong received in exchange for Shaw and Prismall – who were arguably better performed than Ray throughout 2008 – the Bulldogs could consider themselves winners when taking market value into account.  If given license to operate as an outside player, Ray could be quite valuable to the Saints.  However, if things don’t go to plan and Ray is required to win his own ball and play a part in the contested stakes, Ray may find himself under the same spotlight as he did this September.

To cap off trade week, Collingwood became the only club to take part in multiple trades by acquiring the services of Brisbane’s Anthony Corrie in exchange for pick #93.  This trade was an interesting one, as not many expected it and considering Corrie managed 20 games for the Lions in 2008, it was a little strange to see Brisbane part with him for what is effectively free.

Breaking it down though, the trade was quite obviously one of good will between the two clubs.  Brisbane were obviously looking to move Corrie on and worked to do the right thing by the player in finding him a new home.  Collingwood had expressed interest in Corrie a couple of years back, but were unable to obtain his services and would be pleased to find him at the club by paying less than what they would have in the past.

Collingwood are obviously looking to replace the loss of Rhyce Shaw’s pace, whilst aiming to improve the overall disposal issues they have suffered throughout recent years.  Corrie possesses good skills and generally uses the ball very well; the queries over his game come from his ability to find the ball and his endurance.  If Collingwood can improve these deficiencies, they could have a very good addition on their hands; one which required no investment aside from a list spot.

As trade week ended, the general consensus amongst most AFL followers was that the event was a rather frustrating and not all too productive one.  It’s important to remember the climate in which clubs are operating within though, with the GC17 concessions on the horizon and most teams considering themselves to be a couple of years shy of their premiership window.  As the draft has become more of a science and less guesswork, the value of picks has increased exponentially and with GC17 looming this value has sky rocketed even more.

It always shaped as a conservative trade period and it has panned out much as expected.  The teams who took part made the moves they needed to make whilst getting the compensation that was either fair or just most likely.  We now turn our eyes to November’s draft to see whether the perception of draft pick value will be justified.

A Fluorescent Frustration…

They were once known infamously as white maggots, the umpires of this great game.  That term has become redundant with the more festive ensemble that they now wear, but a change of wardrobe hasn’t done anything to instil any more faith in their judgement.  They’re a required part of the sport and for that I suppose we should be thankful; but they are also paid handsomely for their services and are therefore open to scrutiny.  So what is it about the standard of AFL umpiring that continually arouses the ire of supporters?

As the first week of finals came to a close, with the Kangaroos and Crows seasons coming to an end, the standard of umpiring – particularly in the two elimination finals – baffled me.  For one, there were a total of three highly dubious goal umpiring decisions within the space of 24 hours.  One involved a Paul Medhurst shot at goal that appeared to clear the post, but was given a point.  Another involved a Brent Harvey goal that was paid, when his foot clearly made contact with the ball well over the goal line.  The final instance was a Matt Campbell shot on goal that similarly to Medhurst’s effort, seemed to clear the post.

The Campbell and Medhurst examples I’m prepared to concede that the umpire was in a better position than anyone, despite having my reservations; but the Brent Harvey decision was ludicrous.

As for the field umpires, Adelaide and Collingwood fans alike were quite simply bemused at some of the decisions paid (and not paid) during their Saturday afternoon stoush.  The umpiring seemed to favour one team each quarter, lending credence to the speculation that umpires have a tendency to “even up” the free kick count, whether at the behest of disgruntled fans or as a result of discussions with aggrieved captains at the conclusion of quarters.

The reasonable supporter has an expectation of error when it comes to AFL umpires, they are human afterall.  However, it is without a doubt the continued lack of consistency from round to round and even quarter to quarter that infuriates fans and players alike.  At times it seems the definition of certain calls varies throughout a match and in other cases, these definitions can appear to vary from player to player.

Certain players who are deemed to be “ball players” by the powers that be tend to get looked after a little more than others, AFL umpires have admitted as much.  Whilst I agree with the merit behind this, the problem lies in the fact that it seems the “ball players” that umpires are alluding to are generally amongst the elite in the competition.  Where as ball players from all sides who have less recognition or stature within the game are likely to be overlooked and given less favourable treatment.

It also raises the question about players who are not considered within this bracket.  The taggers, run with players and negators of the game.  The variety of roles within an AFL team is what makes the sport so diverse and exciting to watch.  Whilst taggers are renowned for taking the game to the brink of the rules at times, their assigned role should not exclude them from being governed by the same set of rules when it comes time for a free kick to be paid in their favour.

People seem reluctant to place blame on umpiring decisions as a determining factor on games, unless of course the error is extreme or at a point in the game that cannot be ignored.  Unless a game is decided upon a free kick paid virtually before the final siren, resulting in the lead changing, then umpires seem to be made exempt for their influence on a game.  Whilst I agree that it is poor form to blame umpires for losses and it is not a habit I practice, I do believe that the umpires – intentionally or not – have the ability to change the course of a game.

The very real – yet intangible – element of momentum is an important factor in the fast paced modern game.  Most games tend to ebb and flow, as teams run through their rotations to keep fresh legs on the field.  It is because of this that controlling the tempo of matches has become a standard practice for all AFL teams, knowing when to slow things down a little to regroup or to stem the flow of the opposition.  I have witnessed umpiring decisions have a direct influence on this momentum in many games throughout the season and in seasons past, either facilitating the momentum of a side or alternatively quelling it.

Whilst you couldn’t pencil this in as directly influencing the results, you can understand why supporters get angry and even disheartened.

Notably, with the lack of consistency in umpiring decisions throughout the course of a season, we have seen coaches attempt to alter the manner in which umpires will adjudicate matches prior to the opening bounce.  A good example occured last week, as Dean Laidley in the lead up to the Kangaroos elimination final attempted to outline an apparent illegal tactic that he accused Sydney Swans defenders of employing; that of tunneling.

Tunneling was the new fad of 2008 after St. Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt appeared to have his legs taken out from under him in several marking contests when the Saints faced off with the Swans earlier in the year.  Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley made comments in his press conference that he felt similar methods were used against his key position forwards when the Roos previously played the Swans.  There was no real substance in Laidley’s arguments, but his intentions were clear nonetheless: to make the field umpires scrutinise marking contests involving his forwards a little more closely than they may have otherwise.

It was generally considered poor form on Dean Laidley’s part, but the fact is in this day and age every coach does it and as well they might.  With the umpiring standard varying as much as it does from game to game and free kick definitions appearing fickle as a result, who could blame coaches for getting the impression that they can garner such advantages for their side?

Two things are guaranteed constants within the world of the Australian Football League.  One is the fact that supporters will always love this game, the second is that those same supporters will always loathe the umpires and have cause for being unsatisfied with their performances.  But even with that said, I feel we deserve a more consistent standard of umpiring at this, the highest of levels.

- The 10th Letter

Western Bulldogs: From A Bark To A Whimper…

The Western Bulldogs have been a team on the rise over the last few years and 2008 was shaping up to be a better year than even the long suffering Bulldogs fans could have imagined.  The Bulldogs had effectively sewn up a top four spot not long after the halfway point of the season.  The Bulldogs were playing an irresitable brand of football, consisting of teamwork, speed and sublime skills.  But then, as happened in 2007, the wheels began to fall off.

The Bulldogs entered the finals with the double chance, but on the back of a 2-7 record to finish up the home and away season.  Many attributed their loss of form to psychological reasons after Geelong handed them a 10 goal defeat after what was a close and promising match for three quarters, but this explanation seems a little far fetched considering the Bulldogs similar loss of form in the last half of the 2007 season.

Friday the 5th of September saw the Dogs take on the Hawks in the Qualifying Final.  Hawthorn ran out comfortable winners, with Lance Franklin putting on a show and the Hawthorn midfield making the Bulldogs look second rate.  Whilst Hawthorn were understandable favourites – despite being downed by the Dogs earlier in the year – it was the manner in which the Bulldogs were despatched that has Bulldog fans and the football world at large asking questions.

Daniel Cross amassed an amazing 39 disposals in what was a superb individual effort.  Cross got down back to help out a besieged backline and was the only Bulldog player who looked to have any effect around the stoppages.  Ryan Griffen also impressed, being one of the rare Bulldog players who not only looked likely of breaking a tackle, but was prepared to try and make something happen with some run and carry.  As for the rest?  Well, that’s where the microscope is being directed.

Brad Johnson was virtually missing in action in a game where leaders needed to stand up.  With all due respect to Johnson, who has been an incredible player throughout his career, he had an ordinary outing on Friday night.  Rodney Eade obviously got some match-ups wrong; Akermanis on Rioli and the undersized Morris on Franklin being the two most noticeable.  Such errors in judgement are acceptable and forgivable, so long as they are corrected in a timely fashion.  Unfortunately, this is where Rocket Eade failed.

The damage had already been done, with the Hawks cruising out to a seven goal lead before Lake was moved onto Franklin and Akermanis was pushed forward.  It was too late to win the match though; and the moves and rotations from that point on proved to be nothing more than damage control.

It isn’t the loss to Hawthorn which has Bulldogs fans up in arms, it’s the deficiencies that haven’t been adequately addressed that become all so visible when such losses and such prolonged lapses in form occur.  It has been common knowledge that the Bulldogs have been lacking in genuine key position players for several years now.  Whilst these deficiencies have been hidden and compensated for somewhat with the Bulldogs run and gun style of play, it’s become obvious that it is almost impossible to maintain that level of intensity and skill throughout an entire season.  Most importantly, a team’s lack of key position players is often – if not always – exploited during the high pressure atmosphere of finals football.

Some can say that the Bulldogs have been unlucky in this regard, with key position prospects such as Tim Walsh proving to be a bust, as well as injury hampering the likes of the promising Tom Williams.  To correct this lack of key forwards, the Bulldogs obtained ex-Crow Scott Welsh during the off season in an attempt to add another target.  Whilst Welsh looked to be flying earlier in the year, he has been largely ineffectual once the going got tough for the Dogs.  This was exemplified on Friday night, where Welsh amassed only 10 disposals, none of which were in dangerous or scoring positions.

The Dogs have some fantastic talent in their team, with the likes of Cross, Griffen and Cooney in their midfield, but their spine is severely lacking.  When the chips are down, a forward line consisting of Welsh, Hahn and Minson is not going to win a match for you.  Genuine key position forwards can make their own fortunes and in turn steer the fortunes of their side, where as mid-sized or make shift forwards are shut down easier in today’s game and rely heavily on the work of others further up ground to have a substantial impact on the match.

List woes aside, that does not explain the lack of fortitude and heart that was on display Friday night.  I lost count of how many times Bulldogs players panicked and fumbled, not to mention the absurd decision making that took place, as players dished off to team mates who were flat footed and under pressure.  To the neutral observer, it just looked as if aside from Cross and Griffen, no other player wanted to take responsibility.  Farren Ray and Eagleton were beyond disappointing and quite frankly got shown up on the big stage; whilst Cooney – despite a 26 possession and 2 goal game – had little impact when it mattered.

The Bulldogs take on Sydney this coming Friday night, staring down the barrel of a straight sets exit.  The Bulldogs have tested the resolve of their supporters over the last two months, but they still have an opportunity to redeem themselves by bouncing back against the Swans.  Whilst some Bulldog fans may take solace in the improvement the Dogs have shown since last year, at the very least they should be expecting one finals victory out of this campaign; if only to restore some confidence amongst the side and to reward the faith of the supporters.

If the Dogs repeat last weeks effort against Sydney, then I dare say the spotlight will be shone on a few players, making for an interesting off-season in the western suburbs.

- The 10th Letter