How well will the Bulldogs do in 2012 ?

[DoggiesBro]

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.

Great post and to be honest i can't disagree with a single word.

 

[DoggiesBro]

The problem is out of all those players you listed SK he's at the bottom of the list. The only players at his level is Hilder & Luck. But you're right, every club needs one. The problem is the Dogs have two.

If your saying the dogs have two i guess alex glenn and corey parker are two.

This is the type of stupid post your making, if you knew football at all you would know they aren't the same player. Just like Halatau and Stagg are very different.

 

[DoggiesBro]

Good forward pack, shit backs.

They have one weapon, Barba, but asides from that i can't see where their points will come from.

Can see similarities between their side this year and Parra's last year. Probably have the same problems, coming close but losing games by 6 or less. Ennis could pull them up into 7-8 if he has an injury free year. Without him they're 12th.

The difference is we were 9th last year and with Des and a new starting prop i don't see us droping 3 spots.

 

[DoggiesBro]

They were going well until they had a string of games against the Dragons, Melbourne, Brisbane and Manly and they were found out as pretenders. Dogs' fans will claim it was because Ennis was missing, reality shows that it was because they simply could not compete with genuine contenders.

So you think the final game with manly at the back end of the year might of went the other way had Hodkinson not been injured at halftime when we were leading in a cracking game? Or even if Ennis was available? Manly went on to win the gf, i think thats as good as bench mark as any. With the addition of Hasler, with Ennis back and the addition of Graham i sure think we will improve on that game against the premiers.

I think we proved that game with the right coach, and a healthy team we will be right up there.

 

[Ausguy]

i do like your posts andjado but i think you need to add in the 'likely' starting side...

ive got no idea who is in their team to be honest...

for what its worth 10th

 

[Habitual Linestepper]

The difference is we were 9th last year and with Des and a new starting prop i don't see us droping 3 spots.

The difference is teams below you have signed good players/coaches.

The Raiders had a ridiculous injury list last year can expect you to be lower than them this year.

Rabbitohs have a new coach that might be enough to push them to their favorite spot in 9th.

Eels signed a good halfback and a rep centre.

Sharks and Titans signed a lot players.

Most other teams tried to sort their problems out. Your problem were your weak backs and uncreative halves, and you haven't done anything to change that.

 

[DoggiesBro]

The difference is teams below you have signed good players/coaches.

The Raiders had a ridiculous injury list last year can expect you to be lower than them this year.

Rabbitohs have a new coach that might be enough to push them to their favorite spot in 9th.

Eels signed a good halfback and a rep centre.

Sharks and Titans signed a lot players.

Most other teams tried to sort their problems out. Your problem were your weak backs and uncreative halves, and you haven't done anything to change that.

What are you on about, the raiders & titans will improve.

You list teams improving yet leave out rabbitohs lost sandow, though hes not much of a lost and will struggle as usual. Eels added sandow and roberts, will be sure to flog a team hear and there then lose 6 odd games straight. Sharks who knows all depends on carney and also lost snowden and douglas who are replaced by gibbs and fafita lol give it a break.

In saying that teams like roosters and panthers are going to fight the spoon after losing myles, carney, petro and adding nothing.

Then teams like dragons are sure to tumble. Broncos lost lockyer, how will that go. Knights should be up there along with cowboys. Storm lost blair, manly lost des.

There is alot of questions but the fact is the dogs added one of the best props in the game, added one of the best coaches in the game and will have their captain and nsw hooker back healthy. If des can get tony williams firing i'm sure he can make pritchard a headache for anyone. Our pack is right up there especially with des and if he can get hodkinson playing like he did for dymock and with the leading try scorer in barba and a nsw and aus rep in morris and a rookie who played about 8-9 games and got 2 man of the matches in Lafai our backline isn't exactly made of forwards like yours was and while is not going to be the best backline in the comp it certainly wont be horrible with hacks and backrowers like the eels last year.

 

[RWB]

Not sure where the points are going to come from, they lack creativity in their spine. A lot of it rests on Barba's shoulders and if he gets an injury they're in massive trouble.

I also don't buy into the Dessie factor, they'll have their honeymoon period at the start of the season but Hasler took quite a while to build Manly up to the consistent force they were. He built the club from within and made some really smart purchases, something that the Bulldogs haven't been doing. He also really hasn't had any say into what type of team he has been given which always spells trouble, it'll take a couple of seasons for him to get his preferred team and put his style into place.

9-12th

 

[DoggiesBro]

Not sure where the points are going to come from, they lack creativity in their spine. A lot of it rests on Barba's shoulders and if he gets an injury they're in massive trouble.

I also don't buy into the Dessie factor, they'll have their honeymoon period at the start of the season but Hasler took quite a while to build Manly up to the consistent force they were. He built the club from within and made some really smart purchases, something that the Bulldogs haven't been doing. He also really hasn't had any say into what type of team he has been given which always spells trouble, it'll take a couple of seasons for him to get his preferred team and put his style into place.

9-12th

Don't know where the points will come from : Leading try scorer Ben Barba. If injured, thurston, benji, hayne, smith etc the cowboys, tigers, eels, storm are ruined.
Hasler didn't have anywhere near the quality players to work with at Manly when he took that show over.
Recruited really horrible : James Graham one of the best props in the game to replace Ryan Tandy, over the past years Pritchard & Eastwood when they clearly lacked any damaging backrower. Ennis, Kimmorley, Morris. Yeh what dud's they recruited.

Almost as useful as the roosters buying spree. :lol::lol::lol:

 

[ouwet]

The difference is teams below you have signed good players/coaches.

The Raiders had a ridiculous injury list last year can expect you to be lower than them this year.

So did we (Bulldogs)... No excuse!

Rabbitohs have a new coach that might be enough to push them to their favorite spot in 9th.

HAHAHA:lol: Bulldogs didn't get a new coach? And we finished above them

Eels signed a good halfback and a rep centre.

Good halfback? About 4 times a year! Him and Roberts will gift teams 1-2 tries a game with some stupid stupid football!!

Sharks and Titans signed a lot players.

:lol::lol::lol: Won't help them... With the Titans it'll in fact hinder them. Idris will let in minimum one try a game on average.

Most other teams tried to sort their problems out. Your problem were your weak backs and uncreative halves, and you haven't done anything to change that.

I don't understand this obsession with the Bulldogs... I'm glad to read most supporters don't rate us! Bring on 2012.

 

[DoggiesBro]

Other teams recruited new coaches, we recuited the coach that won the title.:lol::lol::lol:

 

[RWB]

Don't know where the points will come from : Leading try scorer Ben Barba. If injured, thurston, benji, hayne, smith etc the cowboys, tigers, eels, storm are ruined.
Hasler didn't have anywhere near the quality players to work with at Manly when he took that show over.
Recruited really horrible : James Graham one of the best props in the game to replace Ryan Tandy, over the past years Pritchard & Eastwood when they clearly lacked any damaging backrower. Ennis, Kimmorley, Morris. Yeh what dud's they recruited.

Almost as useful as the roosters buying spree. :lol::lol::lol:

Alright lets take this slow for you.

Barba is your only creative outlet and to be honest I wouldn't really call him creative he's just a great attacking weapon, even then I'm not convinced he's enough to make up for the lackluster options in the halves. My estimate of 9-12th is with him playing every single game. All I said is if he does get injured, you guys are screwed.

Number 2 where or when did I say the Bulldogs have recruited 'horribly'? Do you just make up crap to make yourself feel more right?

'Recruiting smart' is referring to picking up players like Gulavou & Rodney for well under their value.

Now lets see if you can put together an objective argument without getting too mad.

 

[grouch]

Now lets see if you can put together an objective argument without getting too mad.

Prepare for a lethal emoticon assault. I predict 5 x :lol:

 

[Big Pete]

If your saying the dogs have two i guess alex glenn and corey parker are two.

This is the type of stupid post your making, if you knew football at all you would know they aren't the same player. Just like Halatau and Stagg are very different.

Corey Parker is a different player to Stagg so that's a terrible comparison.

Just keep digging yourself into that hole.

 

[Canard]

For mine Idris, once he signed with the Titans, was the equivalent of Saillor when he signed with Union. Went missing big time.

Whoever replaces him will be a better option in 2012 than he was for most of 2011.

 

[Ausguy]

:lol: Won't help them... With the Titans it'll in fact hinder them. Idris will let in minimum one try a game on average.

Yeah Todd Carney wont help the sharks at all :sarcasm:

Other teams recruited new coaches, we recuited the coach that won the title.:lol:

I think Des had some help winning the grandfinal... remember the players?

 

[sputneek]

Dogs Likely Starting Side
1. Ben Barba
2. Steve Turner
3. Josh Morris
4. Tim Lafai
5. Luke Macdougall/Bryson Goodwin/Michael Lett/Other
6. Kris Keating
7. Trent Hodgkinson
8. James Graham
9. Michael Ennis
10. Aiden Tolman
11. Frank Pritchard
12. Greg Eastwood/Dene Halatau
13. David Stagg

 

[2012....Sharks Year]

Other teams recruited new coaches, we recuited the coach that won the title.:lol::lol::lol:

And in the process shit on one of their own in Jim Dymock. Dont expect miracles from Des in his first year or two. Dogs will go ok and sneak into the 8 barring a poor run with injuries imo.

 

[Timmah]

While I appreciate the detailed analysis and think you've raised a few good points, you've missed the boat entirely on some others.

They might sneak into the 8 but I don't think they'll be competitors unless they're absolutely blessed with injuries and a couple of purple patches. So essentially a repeat of 2009.

Pretty much indicative of every club, every season. Every club has the potential to do amazing things if it doesn't get hit with injuries.

Hasler is a good coach, but he's not the type of coach who's going to make any Cinderella transformations in his first season. There's a couple of really good prospects at Canterbury but they've been completely buried by the deadwood. The likes of Turner, Wright, Keating, Goodwin, Halatau, Payne etc. etc. are stone cold ordinary and prevent the Dogs from really being considered one of the top tier sides.

Agree: Keating, Goodwin, and maybe Halatau. Turner is a solid winger, great finisher and has a few (admittedly rescinded) premierships to his name. Wright is barely in first grade yet, a bit harsh to judge, and Payne is one of the best ballplaying reserve forwards in the game. His offload ability is incredible.

The rest are just good club players (Morris, Ennis, Tolman) or enigmatic (Barba, Pritchard). The jury is still out on both Hodkinson & Graham. Hodkinson looked comfortable for Manly in 2010 but then lost his way at Canterbury while you never know how the Poms will go in Australia. I'm confident Graham will be just fine here but I'm not sure if his and Tolman's hard work can be rewarded.

Agree about the good club players (although Tolman is a future NSW prop IMO), agree Pritchard enigmatic. He fades in and out. Barba enigmatic? He has a bit of trouble under the high ball which improved toward the end of 2011 but he's a bit better than enigmatic. He was consistent and brilliant in a year where many of our players got just a bit lazy.

Hodkinson suffered a bit of second year syndrome but his year was a bit disjointed. He was playing good football once he got a solid 5/8th inside him and mid-year that suspension rattled him a bit I think.

As for Graham, you don't get to be captain of a nation (even if it is England) without being a good player. Silly statement IMO.

If they're to be any hope the young brigade will have to step up. The likes of Finucane, Lafai, Kasiano, Tapau and Reynolds have to make the most of the opportunity for the Dogs to be any chance. Personally, I think it's too soon and this year will be more or less a transitional year before they set themselves up for a neat little period.

Lafai, Kasiano and Taupau all have a big year in store IMO - Reynolds should be a lock at #6 in my book and Finucane should be rookie of the year if he's lucky, just hope Dessie gives him a go.


TBH, I selected 1st-4th in the poll but I'd be more comfortable with a 3rd-6th option - they'll challenge for top four this year but could fall short if injuries etc don't pan out.


What I am interested in seeing is, if England play any mid-season tests, whether Graham will be required to miss NRL matches to fly home...

 

[DoggiesBro]

Yeah Todd Carney wont help the sharks at all :sarcasm:



I think Des had some help winning the grandfinal... remember the players?

Yes i'm aware of the players, do you think that when someone says other clubs have signed new coaches below you and you have signed the coach that has won 2 titles in a few years is not something you would hold higher?