UNSW/ES
Final position
Sixth- 7 wins, 11 losses
Snapshot
Two narrow wins in the opening fortnight were a strong start for the Bulldogs before seven successive losses (the biggest of these 31 points). Four wins in six weeks meant they were in the box seat on Sunday afternoon of the final round with only a win required to book a finals berth but they fell short against East Coast Eagles at Bruce Purser Reserve.
What worked
It looked like dire straits at the halfway point of the season but under Daniel Lynch, the Bulldogs stuck to their guns with their game plan paying off in the back-end of the season. Half of their wins came against top-five sides and they rarely got blown out in games with a percentage of 93 superb for a side with a 7-11 record for the season. It was a pretty settled side for most of the season given they were without their main midfielders and leaders in Peter Kefalas and Max Collett for the vast majority of the season.
What failed
They ultimately lacked the winning instinct judging purely on the amount of games they lost by a narrow margin. Like some sides previously mentioned, their second and third grade sides definitely struggled this year so questions must be asked as to where their improvement will come from heading into next season. The loss of key forward Henry Mason in the off season left a big gap as they struggled to winning scores (only scored 100+ points on four occasions)
MVP: Jeremy Daniher
You would absolutely love to have this guy in your side. The diminutive midfielder was superb again in his first season with the Bulldogs after the move up from Illawarra. He played sixteen games and was Mr Consistent in a midfield that had to work for every possession. For the cherry on top, he was rewarded with representative honours and finished an impressive fourth in the Phelan Medal count. Daniher grabs this mantle just in front of the super versatile Jeremy Kiel who was again a shining light for the Bulldogs.
Surprise packet: James Pascoe
Pascoe is definitely talented but surprisingly was mainly used forward by Lynch in 2014 with good effect. He led all goal kickers with 23 goals with his contested marking ability a highlight. Only last year he represented the AFL Sydney Development side as a key defender. He will a useful swingman for the Bulldogs in coming years.
Low point
Look no further than their last round capitulation to East Coast Eagles. A win (as expected) would have meant finals and favouritism against a faltering Western Suburbs in the Elimination Final but with an almost full-strength side they saved their worst half for the second-half as the Eagles ran rampant to avoid the wooden spoon with a 23-point win.
What do they need to improve?
The backline is pretty strong led by Tom Heath, Alex Henderson and Ryan Plant but the loss of Heath for 2015 will leave a big hole. They have missed a reliable ruckman since Sam Tagliabue went to the VFL and a dominant ball-winning midfielder since Dane Rampe got recruited by the Sydney Swans. Spencer Krochmal looks like he could be their next ruckman. Especially at Village Green, someone of Rampe or Collett’s ilk with a penetrating long kick is worth its weight in gold. A small forward will also provide a good foil to Pascoe and Tim Cummins who became more comfortable in a key post as the season went on.
Grade: C-
They finished five wins short of their 2013 campaign with some players not up to Premier Division standard this year. Too reliant on good ball-users such as Hayden Nichols and Plant (who both missed plenty of football), they need to avoid becoming a work-man-like, middle-of-the-road side which has been the case since their 2012 Premiership success.
Last Modified on 10/10/2014 11:52
