Combination right for Bulldogs to strike | Thebigtip

After another preliminary loss many cynics forecasted that the Bulldogs window was well and truly closed and they had missed the boat. Craig Hutchison was one of them declaring on Footy Classified they were done for the next few years, but after delving a little deeper in the Bulldogs list and seeing their recent recruiting the Bulldogs best chance in many years to break the drought will be in 2011.

They have identified the deficiencies that prevented them from progressing in the 2010 season and injected a lot of pace, skill and match winners to give them the best chance to take the next step in 2011. After coming close in 2008 and 2009 they decided they needed a big key forward to kick goals in pressures situations, enter Barry Hall. Hall’s 2010 season was nothing short of outstanding and the Dogs finally had the key forward they were crying out for, only problem was the forward line lacked pace and variety. The medium forwards performed admirably but just didn’t have the leg speed and x factor to give the Dogs that extra edge. Now with their coups from the 2010 trade period they will give the Dogs exactly what they need to challenge the mighty Collingwood team. They’ve got the right combination of forwards that give them both options and unpredictabilityand that has been missing in the last 3 years. Let’s go through the three players they traded for and exactly what they bring to the club.

Justin Sherman might not be a star or even a great player as he described himself but he will be vitally important to the makeup of the Bulldogs side. He will be play as a finisher and speedster and add another cog up forward and in the midfield. Patrick Veszpremi is exactly what the Dogs have lacked in recent years which is a genuine small crumbing forward to clean up the big forwards marks and contests. People will say the Dogs forward line has always been small and what change will Veszpremi make, but the Bulldogs forward line in recent years was small but all of them marking players who goals come from on the lead and when rotated in midfield, Veszpremi will add excitement and x-factor in the front half.

Nathan Djerrukra is an interesting one and he is set to be used in a variety of roles. He is a player who has been misunderstood by many people simply thinking that because he is small and indigenous means he is a small crumbing forward. The word from Geelong is that he is a tough inside player who also possesses lighting pace and speed. I expect him to be used of half back playing as a small backman but also used as a wingman pushing forward as another option. He is by far the longest shot of the three but he will defiantly be given an opportunity. Add a fully fit Adam Cooney and Shaun Higgins to the side along with players such as Lake, Morris and Murphy who played injured late in the season the Bulldogs look a much better side than the team that lost a preliminary final to St Kilda.

Now while the Bulldogs look good for an assault on next year’s premiership there will be other challengers to the Magpies but they other don’t look as confronting as they have in recent years. St Kilda are a great football side and will come again next year. But St Kilda have failed to do what the Bulldogs have done and imrpove on what has got them close but not quite there. St Kilda will enter 2011 with virtually the same list that has agonising lost the past 3 grand finals. In fairness to the Saints they tried to inject speed in there midfield in 2010 but it just didn’t work out. Recruiting Lovett was a step in the right direction but unfortunately off field problems ended what could have been a masterstroke by Ross Lyon. Brett Peake was also recruited for his speed but as evident in the two grand finals he is just not good enough to have an impact on the big stage.

Geelong will stick around but do not have the intimidation and mental edge they once had. They will not fall quickly and will still be there about come business end of season. Fremantle will only get better and Hawthorn will always be dangerous with Buddy in their side. No doubt though Collingwood will once again be the team to beat and deserve to go in red hot favourites to join Essendon and Carlton on 16 premierships. They are already talking up dynasties down at the pies but dynasty is a dangerous word to use when talking about young teams, the last time it was used was in 2008 when Hawthorn triumphed and when all know how that ended.

2011 will be a very interesting season and the boys from the west loom as a very big challenger to Collingwood from going back to back and maybe just maybe Footscray will be top of Australia for a second time in their history.