People tend to forget that the dogs were well inside the top 8 at the half way mark last year. Then Michael Ennis got injured and it all fell away.
Ennis is so important to the dogs, and I think that shows in results. Like Wests tigers, the bulldogs attack is not so much centred around the half back but rather the direction comes from dummy half.
On paper, the dogs pack is about as good as it gets this year. Graham and Tolman are high class quality props with massive work rates. The back row of Pritchard, Eastwood is as damaging as any on their day, although their consistency is seriously in question.
David Stagg, when fit, is the perfect foil for Ennis. Covers the ruck as good as any lock, and allows Ennis to preserve his energy for attacking raids. He's also capable of an offload, and doesn't shirk his work in attack. A world beater he is not, but he is certainly what that team needs.
The question surrounding the dogs, ultimately comes down to their outside backs. Ben Barba is a very very talented fullback who (with the direction of Ennis) should have a decent season in the middle of the park.
Morris is a competent attacking centre and young gun Tim Lafai is equally good with ball in hand....Defensively however, Morris is suspect, and Lafai is very much unknown.
The dogs wingers are not overly tall (particularly Turner) and as such clubs with tall wingers will this year will have a distinct advantage now that Jamal Idris is not there.
The dogs halves are not state of origin quality, but with the help of Ennis, they are more than capable of providing the kicking game and putting their outside men into holes.
Depth is not a concern for the Dogs, with young guns like Tapau and Josh Reynolds around, and some decent fringe first graders like Halatau and Joel Romelo on the books.
There are two questions over the dogs next year.
1) Can Dessie get the best out of Frank Pritchard and Greg Eastwood on a consistent basis. If he can, they're top four bound.
2) Will Dessie be able to implement his style straight away.
I think the dogs are a year away next year. Hasler will have unlimited resources in which to mould his team, but it'll take a bit of time to adjust. Looking at their roster, it's a side that Hasler can mould and work with, unlike when he took over Manly, which took about 3 years.
I think their second half of the top 8.
