Good signs but, still plenty to work on. 

Backline Coach Daniel Pratt spoke positively about the impact that several young players were able to have in Thursday afternoon's match simulation against Sydney, highlighting the benefit playing against an experienced opposition will have on their development. 

Speaking following the game, Pratt also gave updates on Bailey Dale and several other key Dogs as the attention now shifts to next week's practice match against the Hawks. 

Here's what he had to say: 

On Bailey Dale's knee injury: 

“It’s ok. There’s a ‘no risk’ policy with him.

“He’s a pretty important player to us, so we took him out, and Bramble was on some minutes which could get us through the day.

“He’s coming back as well, so it was good to get Bramble into the game.

“He just had a knee knock, so we’ll just see what happens next. We don’t think there’s much in it.”

On Jordan Croft and some of the Dogs' younger players: 

“Croft was up against a pretty experienced backline up there.

“Crofty was pretty lively early and was a target for us. We probably didn’t enter that well in the first half.

“Louis Emmett we thought competed pretty well against (Brodie) Grundy in the ruck.

“Jaques as well.

“It’s good to get those guys some exposure against some experienced players.”

On SSP-prospect Will Lewis:

“That’s his first hit out at an AFL‑style game.

“It was good to see him. Obviously, this game isn’t going to make or break anything, but it was good that he hit the scoreboard.

“He connects well with our guys. He’s been with our VFL group for a while. He’s a Premiership player down there, so it’s good have him running around.”

On the Bulldogs’ backline:

“There was some stuff that we liked, and there is clearly some stuff that we need to work on.

“In all phases, really.

“Our offense, we probably missed some opportunities at both ends, and then our defense gets tested.

“Our contest work, they’re a pretty mature team around the contest, so it was good to see where we’re at there.”

On Arty Jones' impact and the team's scoreboard pressure:

“He hit the scoreboard, similar to a lot of our other players – it was a good audit today.

“Some of the fundamentals, if we had have got those right, the scoreboard could have looked different with an inexperienced team.

“We’ve got to go back and keep working on our game.”

On Ryley Sanders pre‑season:

“He didn’t come back into full training until about three or four weeks ago.

“We were pretty happy with how he went about it.

“He’s a third‑year, our first pick three years ago, and he’s starting to really come along.

“Like all of our players, there’s a bit to work on, but it was good to see him get his hands on the footy.

“I thought he was one of our competitors around the ball.”

On the upcoming game against the Hawks:

“We’ll bring in the guys who played in the Origin game if they are available, which I assume most of them will be.

“It might be a different‑looking line‑up next week.

“There are a few guys who we were happy with this week who might fight for spots as well.”

On Adam Treloar:

“He will probably be on managed minutes (next week).

“We were looking to play him today, but the minutes just didn’t suit.

“It probably worked out well with Bramble coming out of the other game.

“We’ll be nice and careful with him.”

On Laith Vandermeer:

“He trained today. He trained pretty well.

“He’ll also probably be on minutes next week.

“Today was a full hit out of the new rules with the five on the bench, that’s why we only brought Bramble in to fill that spot.

“We didn’t play 26/27.

“If Vandermeer is available for the minutes, he’ll be in the mix.

“He might play at VFL as well.”

On Sam Davidson:

“He’s on managed minutes as well, so he’ll play in the VFL game (Thursday).

“He had a little hiccup during the week.

“We’re not too bad with health, so we’ll try to manage that through to Round 0.”