AFL Cairns: Butson joins new-look CTB Bulldogs leadership group
CTB Bulldogs have announced two new additions to their leadership group for the fast approaching 2024 AFL Cairns campaign.
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CTB Bulldogs have announced two new additions to their leadership group for the fast approaching 2024 AFL Cairns campaign.
Senior coach Mark Horne unveiled the four-member team with high quality defender Ben Finnerty returning as captain and Jackson Williams returning as vice-captain.
Jaiden Butson and Matt Blake are the new additions to group, with the duo named as vice-captains.
Butson flew down to Victoria early last season to play for Doncaster in Eastern Football Netball League, appearing in nine games before returning to the Bulldogs for the second half of the season.
Horne said Butson rocked up to pre-season super fit.
“Jaiden Butson will be in charge of the midfield,” Horne said.
“(Butson) hasn’t missed a session, he’s started to become a lot more vocal and more involved in training and around the club.
“Matt Blake has been at the club for three season’s now and has really come into his own this pre-season.
“Williams will return as vice-captain and he acts like an assistant coach out on the ground, he puts players in structures and organises the team.”
It will be senior coach Horne’s first season in charge of the Bulldogs, after the departure of Luke Morgan in 2023.
The club have moved away from their fly-in, fly-out strategy which recruited former Gold Coast Suns players Zac Smith, Seb Tape and Aaron Hall last season.
The former Crathern Medalist will implement a new offensive game style, endorsing opportunities for young, developing players at the club after the departure of eight of the clubs top ten best and fairest players last season.
“The way I’m trying to get them playing is all about the forward half structure and our ball movement,” he said.
“(Focus has been on) positioning from stoppages and I rely heavily on our forwards and wings knowing their (roles).
“It’s a long learning process for them because they’ve never had any sort of structures in place and they’re just trying to learn the processes and it may take the season.”
The rugged on-baller sighted former Brisbane Lions forward Aaron Cornelius as a key influence on his coaching style, after the pair formed a strong relationship during his time in Tasmania at the Glenorchy Magpies.
“I picked up little stuff that I liked from a lot of coaches along the way and I’ve tried to pile it all into one,” Horne said.
“Cornelius had an attacking style of play and that’s what I’m all about.
“We’ve kept a lot of players from our backline but lost a lot of midfielders and forwards.
“Our defence was second last season for points against, but our attacking was the second worst. I’ve put a huge emphasis on attacking and the midfielders have licence to push forward and punish the opposition.”
CTB Bulldogs will kickstart their campaign against Manunda Hawks on April 13 at Crathern Park.
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Originally published as AFL Cairns: Butson joins new-look CTB Bulldogs leadership group
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