Western Bulldogs 2016 report card: Drama-filled season ends with fairytale premiership
THE drought is broken. The Western Bulldogs have ended their 62-year wait for a premiership in a fairytale finish to a drama-filled season.
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THE never-say-die Western Bulldogs refused to let up in what turned out to be a drought-breaking premiership season.
They were written off time and time again, yet coach Luke Beveridge kept finding ways to plug holes left by injuries to key personnel and motivate his players.
Despite starting as underdogs in all four finals, the Bulldogs went on to upset minor premier Sydney in the Grand Final. Liam Picken chewed up and spat out finals pressure, while million-dollar man Tom Boyd arrived on the biggest stage of all.
Jason Johannisen book-ended the year in blistering fashion. The running defender started the year strongly, was sidelined with a serious hamstring injury, and then worked his way back to full fitness and Norm Smith Medal-winning form.
The Dogs refused to be thrown by gut-wrenching, season-ending injuries to skipper Bob Murphy and Mitch Wallis.
Marcus Bontempelli was so good, it’s almost hard to believe he’s 20, while the form of Lachie Hunter, Jack Macrae and NAB Rising Star runner-up Caleb Daniel suggests the premiers have upside.
The old Dogs have lots of bark too with Matthew Boyd named All-Australian at 34 and Dale Morris, 33, putting in one of the great Grand Final performances.
2016 SNAPSHOT
WINS: 19
LOSSES: 7
DRAWS: 0
LADDER POSITION: 1st (Won Grand Final)
PERCENTAGE: 115.4%
LAST YEAR: 8th (up 7 places)
WHAT WENT RIGHT
Let’s start at the finish shall we. What a fairytale end to the season as the Western Bulldogs ended a 62-year premiership drought on Saturday. The entire finals series was like a dream come true for the Bulldogs’ faithful as they beat West Coast in Perth, triple-reigning premiers Hawthorn, GWS in Sydney and finally minor premier Sydney on the biggest stage of all.
Aside from the Grand Final, the Dogs continued to pump games into talented youngsters with all four national draft picks making their debuts while second-year players Toby McLean, Caleb Daniel and Zaine Cordy became key players in the premiership run. Luke Beveridge was forced to use 39 players in 2016, the fifth most in the AFL, which bodes well for the club’s depth, as does VFL club Footscray’s premiership.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Injuries almost cruelled the Bulldogs’ season. First it was captain Bob Murphy. Jack Redpath, Josh Prudden were victims of knee reconstructions while Mitch Wallis suffered a horror broken leg that will sideline him for 12 months. Jason Johannisen, Luke Dahlhaus, Easton Wood, Matthew Suckling, Lin Jong, Marcus Adams, Tom Boyd, Tom Liberatore and Jack Macrae all missed time throughout the season. And let’s not forget WADA-banned Stewart Crameri.
The Dogs beat every team this year, except one, Geelong. That’s something that went wrong, right? It’s pretty hard to complain when you’re premiers.
THE COACH
There might be a statue of Luke Beveridge outside Whitten Oval by the time he skates off into the sunset. Bevo was the glue that kept the Dogs together in 2016. Not only did he get the best out them, he inspired them to believe in themselves. Back to back is never easy but, if anyone can find the way, it’s Beveridge.
YOU SAID IT
“You can’t describe it. As a picture, it’s our Woodstock.”
- Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy at the family dayTHE FAMILY DAY
RECRUITING DEPT REVIEW
Draft picks: Josh Dunkley (25), Kieran Collins (26), Marcus Adams (35), Bailey Williams (48), Bradley Lynch (rookie), Luke Goetz (rookie), Jed Adcock (rookie),
Trade/free agency acquisitions: Matthew Suckling (Hawthorn)
After giving up their first-round pick (No.11) in a deal with Carlton, the Dogs hit the proverbial nail on the head, picking up Josh Dunkley and Kieran Collins before pouncing on mature defender Marcus Adams. Free agent pick-up Matthew Suckling provided experience and that brilliant left boot for much of the year before missing the Grand Final through injury.
HIGHLIGHT AND LOWLIGHT
It’s pretty hard to go past the AFL Grand Final and Luke Beveridge presenting Bob Murphy with his premiership medal as the biggest highlights of the season. But the Bulldogs’ family day went pretty close. A staggering 30,000 people (estimated) crammed into Whitten Oval to see their heroes the day after the night before. It was a sea of red, white and blue. It was truly a sight to behold. The wins over Sydney in Sydney and Port Adelaide in Adelaide were pretty special.
The lowlight was undoubtedly the three-point loss to Hawthorn in Round 3, which was compounded by Bob Murphy’s season-ending knee injury. To push the reigning premiers so close and lose their spiritual leader on the same night would have been a tough pill to swallow. The loss to St Kilda isn’t far behind due to the horror injury toll as Mitch Wallis and Jack Redpath were lost for the year and much of 2017.
BEST-AND-FAIREST
Marcus Bontempelli comfortably won the award ahead of Dale Morris and Lachie Hunter in a season in which he earned All-Australian selection. The 20-year-old joined Ted Whitten as the only Bulldogs player to win the best-and-fairest in a premiership year and is the youngest champion since 1968.
SUPERCOACH STUD
Marcus Bontempelli would be the obvious choice after he averaged 107 in 2016 but we’re going with Lachie Hunter. The young Dog took his average from 77 in 2015 to 94 in 2016, a 17-point improvement. Hunter compiled 12 scores of 90-plus but did have his quiet patches, going the final eight games without a hundred.
SUPERCOACH DUD
After an All-Australian guernsey in 2015, Jake Stringer came back to earth with a thud in 2016. The Dogs forward was a popular pick in the pre-season as the club looked to push him up the ground and use his explosive pace around the midfield. However, it wasn’t to be. Stringer only scored three tons, averaged 75 for the year and lost $81,000.
THE LIST
ELITE: Marcus Bontempelli, Matthew Boyd, Easton Wood
BIG IMPROVERS: Lachie Hunter, Jason Johannisen, Caleb Daniel, Clay Smith, Zaine Cordy
GONE: Jed Adcock (retired), Luke Goetz (delisted)
GOING, GOING: Will Minson
TRADE BAIT: Lin Jong, Mitch Honeychurch, Nathan Hrovat
ON THE BLOCK
Unrestricted free agent Will Minson could seek greater opportunities elsewhere after playing just two games this season. Lin Jong has been linked to Gold Coast, while Nathan Hrovat and Koby Stevens could also find new homes in the trade period. Matthew Boyd remains unsigned and may go out on a high. Josh Prudden might struggle to keep his spot.
WHAT THEY NEED
Fewer injuries would be a good start but from a playing list perspective, the Bulldogs have excellent depth. The one area where they perhaps lack is talls at either end but what club doesn’t. If Will Minson leaves Whitten Oval the Dogs will only have Jordan Roughead and Tom Campbell as out-and-out ruckmen.
PREMIERSHIP CLOCK: 12pm
Given they’ve just won the premiership, you’d think the window is wide open. However, coach Luke Beveridge was quick to point out the Dogs finished seventh and don’t believe they are the best team in it. That said, the Dogs will only get better next year as they regain several key players. Stewart Crameri returns from his drug suspension and Bob Murphy, Marcus Adams and Mitch Wallis return from injury and let’s not forget Matthew Suckling and Koby Stevens who played key roles during the season but missed the Grand Final. The sky is the limit.
STATS
Originally published as Western Bulldogs 2016 report card: Drama-filled season ends with fairytale premiership
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