In football, actions so often speak louder than words, and judging by bullish midfielder Koby Stevens’ pre-season performances, he’s saying “I want to play round one.”
In an emerging Bulldogs midfield unit of increasing depth, Koby Stevens has been one of the standouts across the NAB Challenge and practice match series.
Read the match report from Friday's practice match win over Carlton.
While Tom Liberatore has continued his prolific ball winning ways, and 2012 draftee Jack Macrae has started to deliver on the potential that saw him taken at pick six overall, Stevens in his second season at the Kennel has shown his hunger to be part of the Bulldogs best 22 to play West Coast in their season opener on March 23.
Averaging a touch over 22 disposals, five marks and seven tackles per game this pre-season, Stevens has also goaled every time he’s taken to the field.
It’s early days, but his numbers show an improvement on the 18 disposals, three tackles and three marks he averaged in 19 senior appearances in 2013.
View Koby Stevens' updated 2014 player profile.
In Friday’s 17-point practice match victory over Carlton at VISY Park, Stevens was again a driving force in the Bulldogs midfield, this time playing a role closer to the coalface while Tom Liberatore was rested during the first half of play.
“I played a bit more inside today, obviously we didn’t have as many midfielders – Libba only played half a game,” 22 year-old Stevens said.
“[The defensive side of my game] is something I’ve obviously been working on over the summer.”
The Bulldogs’ pressure on the ball carrier was the catalyst for their six goal to one opening term, and Stevens’ six tackles in the first stanza of play helped set the tone.
Stevens’ tackle count accounted for nearly a third of the Dogs’ 20 for the quarter.
View the complete match statistics from Friday's practice match victory against Carlton.
“The intensity was good all day, and I suppose it gives us a good leg-up come round one in two weeks – it’s going to be a tough game when we fly across to West Coast,” Stevens said
“I think it was just a great hit-out to get our structures right, have a good kick, and for blokes that maybe haven’t played as much this pre-season to get a run – like Matty Fuller - and for those kind of blokes to come in and have a kick with the senior team is really good.”
The Western Bulldogs open their season on Sunday, 23 March 2014 at Patersons Stadium against the West Coast Eagles.
