The Dickson effect

There’s been some good news on the injury front down at the Kennel this week with Tory Dickson, included for this weekend’s clash with the Saints.  It’ll be his first appearance since round 11 this season.

If the you need a reminder of what Tory Dickson has brought to the team this year when fit – which you probably don’t but it’s a long season – there’s this and, especially this.  Watch that last one again.    

The Dogs are just better when Tory Dickson is in the team.

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Ladders, black cats and smashed windows

Speaking of injuries, would anyone be surprised if you saw this headline?

Dogs star sidelined after lightning strike

Such has been the Club’s luck with injuries this year, which brings us to Roarke Smith and Lin Jong.

Thankfully Roarke and Kieran Collins are ok after their car accident last week, with both boys suiting up this week for the AFL and VFL sides respectively, and Jongy is back in after another unlucky injury.

What a run it’s been for the 25-year-old – who gets two falcons in one season?

But he will add a big body and a bit of grunt to the mix this week, so long as he wears 46 and not 24.

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Fight Clubs

While neither side will play finals this year, you can expect both will be looking finish off their seasons on a good note; winning culture is good culture.

So, while we probably won’t see a high scoring affair – the last time either of them cracked the century in against each other was back in 2014 when the Dogs had a 122-99 win, you will certainly see a scrap.

For the Dogs to win, it might be as simple as that old footy cliché’, the four quarter performance. The Dogs have won 10 second quarters this year, equal with GWS and Geelong, and only three behind Richmond.

That means we can play.  We just need to say on the horse for longer.

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What we like about football

The Nathan Freeman news out of St.Kilda this week was one of the better stories of the year.

Any time a player plays their first game it’s a good news story (how good was Brad Lynch’s post debut interview?) and the Dogs have debuted five this year, the equal fourth most in the competition.

20-year-old Fergus Greene being mobbed by teammates after kicking his first goal last week in Ballarat was just one of the best things you’ll see all year.

It’s been a good couple of weeks for Fergus who also won the Club meat raffle on Thursday.