Western Bulldogs Best 23 Predictions - 2024

Best 23 Prediction - Nick Galea

When Luke Beveridge delivered his pre-season address to the playing list on November 29th, 2023, he declared "that the team that represents the Football Club against Melbourne in Round One at the MCG will be our fittest, strongest and most ready team that has ever taken the field in the nine years that I've been here".

After three games against Hawthorn; two practice games and one preseason game, we have seen a host of players press their case for a round-one berth, while others are racing to be ripe and ready for that opportunity to play against a team that has given us plenty of trouble in recent times.

We know that Lochlan Bramble, Nick Coffield, and James Harmes will each respectively make their club debuts on the weekend and we suspect that our prized first-round draft pick Ryley Sanders will too join them. But what of premiership pair Jackson Macrae, Caleb Daniel, and 2021 All-Australian Bailey Dale?

The team I have selected isn't simply a Best 23 of the most talented players we possess within the football club (although many of them are talented!), but a selection of players who best represent a mixture of the past, present, and future, with a focus on team balance, cohesion, structure, and personnel.

Although there may be some differences between the team that is selected to run out against Melbourne compared to what I believe is the ideal team (pending fitness) the club should be striving to assemble throughout the season as we aim to return the Club to The Promised Land once again.

The Western Bulldogs have arguably had more impressive sides assembled in the past but have had shortcomings with such teams built on a sense of individual brilliance and included a range of structural flaws, be it positional, or zonal across the ground.

But things appear to be different now.

We now have a defensive six that possesses the perfect balance between flair and dour traits that any imposing backline must have. They are capable in one-on-one scenarios across a range of opponents, they can provide breakneck speed be it through legspeed or penetrating kicks to dangerous but eye-opening positions on the field.

It is much the same with the forward mixture which has amazing marking prowess and tenacity at ground level, combined with strength and speed.

Although the midfield setup has lost a bit of its glamour in recent years, with the appropriate wing pair, its toughness in congestion, and its ability to extract the ball to the outside, we might just see how deadly this mixture can be with the ball in hand as they approach the forward 50.

*Bailey Smith was not considered due to his ACL injury which has ruled him out for the majority of 2024.

Matthew Donald - Round 1 Prediction

Every year we reach that stage as fans where we begin to scramble down our Best 23 predictions, regularly writing down every name of the list, filling in the gaps on field and constantly double-checking to make sure you haven't missed out on that super obvious name (looking at you, Jon Ralph!)

I understand why most people do a Best 23, because it means you don't have to factor in all those annoying variables, including opposition matchups, conditions, structure, and everything else that gets in the way of all our fun.

I operate slightly differently, however. I tend to wait right until the eve of the season and compile a prediction of what I expect to see in Round 1, rather than put together a Best 23 that serves as more of a collective for what we will see during the season. As a consequence, the likes of Bailey Smith and Jackson Macrae won't feature in this side, given their unavailability ahead of Round 1.

Defence:

Over the last few weeks I’ve made a lot of the new-look defensive setup that backline coach Daniel Pratt has introduced when discussing the matter on The Salty Bulldog Podcast. Despite a couple of new faces being introduced into the backline over the summer, the Bulldogs’ defence in 2024 will undergo more of a change of system rather than a change of personell.

The new system that has been introduced is something that I’ve described as a 2-2-2 formation, with each group of two being given specific responsibilities.

The first group of two are the two key defenders, and their primary responsibility is to defend, and ensure their direct opponents see as little of the ball as possible. Liam Jones is an obvious selection at full-back, while James O’Donnell has impressed during the summer. Unfortunately, a minor ankle injury has meant that we haven’t seen much of him on-field thus far, but he should be fit to line up this weekend.

The second bank of two act as a direct counterpart to the first group. They are set up purely to win the ball back and held launch swift counter attacks. While the first group of two will focus on their direct opponent as a priority, this group will be prepared to intercept the ball if the opportunity presents, rather than focus on keeping tabs on a particular opposition forward. Intercepting the ball has long been an issue for the Bulldogs, but Nick Coffield has bolstered the club’s stocks in this department following his arrival over the summer, while Buku Khamis’ move back into defence is already paying early dividends. The pre-season games have demonstrated that the club can play both down back in the same team, and I expect that to continue into Round 1.

The final group of two are a combination of the first two groups. They are generally small-to-mid-sized defenders who will combine to generate a more balanced defensive setup. One of the defenders will be more attacking, looking to create off the half-back line and try to set up attacks, while the other will be more watchful, and will venture forward far less. Jason Johannisen has long been a very attacking and creative player out of defence, so that freedom will suit him well, while Ed Richards can generate that attacking movement, if necessary, but is also a very competent defender who can intercept as well, making him a well-rounded defensive option.

Midfield:

I’m not going to lie to you when it comes to the midfield: most of these selections you could probably pick in your sleep. I don’t think there’s anything among my predicted midfield group that would miss out of too many predicted Round 1 sides for the Bulldogs. Captain Marcus Bontempelli and vice-captain Tom Liberatore are walk-up starts, as is All-Australian ruckman Tim English. Adam Treloar has quickly established himself as a regular at centre bounces for the Bulldogs in recent seasons, and I expected that will continue.

The real intrigue will likely come in the form of the wings, where I’ve gone with Bailey Dale and Bailey Williams. Williams has played that wing role on a regular basis over the past 24 months, so his selection isn’t a huge prediction, but Bailey Dale hasn’t featured on the wing much at all since his move to half-back at the start of 2021, where he eventually landed All-Australian honours. I think with the way that the Bulldogs defence is set up now, it can afford Dale the freedom to roam further up the ground, and use his elite kicking skills to hit up targets going inside 50, rather than exiting defensive 50. Dale has always been a player whose natural game suits playing that wing/half-forward role, so a move closer to that area of the ground could be of great benefit to the Bulldogs in 2024.

Forward:

Again, there won’t be too many surprises here. Aaron Naughton is effectively the centrepiece of the Bulldogs’ forward line following his eight-year contract extension last year, while Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is one of the hottest properties on the market right now. Both are certain starters.

At this stage, I’ve gone with Rory Lobb over Sam Darcy, however, I think there will come a point in the year where this is no longer the case. Luke Beveridge spoke recently about the need to allow Darcy to build up match fitness to the point where he can compete for 120 minutes every week. This is where Lobb receives the nod over Darcy for now, although with a clear run of injuries, I suspect we will see the selectors instead opting for Darcy over Lobb at some point in the season.

As for the small forward options, Cody Weightman is another obvious selection. With 70 goals in the past two seasons, there is great scope for him to improve considerably on those numbers as he continues to develop, still only just 22 years of age. James Harmes so far looks to have been a solid acquisition, impressing in the club’s two pre-season matches, and the club have already confirmed that he will be playing in Round 1. Rhylee West looks to have rediscovered his touch as a pressure forward, and his three-goals against Hawthorn in Tasmania should at least see him starting in the opening few games of the season.

Interchange/Sub:

I’ve tried to make this section as balanced as possible. With English and Lobb sharing the responsibilities in the ruck, I’ve gone with one defender, two midfielders, and one forward for the bench. One name we can already lock away with certainty, after the club confirmed that former Hawk Lachie Bramble will make his club debut on Sunday. Bramble impressed against Hawthorn in Tasmania, and that form has been rewarded with an opportunity to make a mark at his second club.

All the talk this summer has been about Ryley Sanders, and with good reason. The young midfielder picked up 30 disposals in the practice match in Tasmania, and not only will be play most weeks this year, he will also start the season as one of the favourites for the Rising Star Award. It is possible that Sanders won’t be the only player making his league debut on Sunday, however, with injuries opening the door for a possible opportunity for Harvey Gallagher. There are several midfield options that are slightly more experienced than Gallagher, but the club have always rated him very highly, and only a prolonged run of several serious injuries prevented him for gaining any momentum last year. He has played in both pre-season matches, including in the dress rehearsal in Tasmania, with what was a very strong side on paper.

As for the final forward spot, it’s hard to look past Lachie McNeil. He has had his critics in recent seasons, but a four-goal haul in the first practice game, followed by a strong showing in Tasmania should be enough to get him over the line for a Round 1 berth.

Based off of rumours and team selection in Tasmania, Caleb Daniel’s spot as a regular starter does appear to be in doubt. He was the sub in Tasmania, and although he did come off the bench to have an impact, I suspect it may not be enough for him to avoid being the sub come Round 1. He is a player who can make a major impact in a short amount of time, so it’s not the worst option to have come off the bench late in games, but it equally serves as a wakeup call that Luke Beveridge will not be allowing anyone to take their foot off the gas this season, which can only help to drive strong competition for spots.