The Bulldogs are the highest-scoring team in the competition with 12 players into double-figure goal tallies and a 'give to best-option forward' policy. It would be a big change and a big risk if a Hall-type power forward was plonked at the full-forward position.
One of the downsides of the big targets is that they demand and draw the footy so often that a big spread of goalkickers becomes less likely. Scoring heavily through a variable forward set-up is currently one of the Bulldogs' great strengths which would be compromised by the presence of a big, dominant power forward.
There is no such conjecture about the need for a big defender to take on any power forward in the opposition team.
Brian Lake is in great form and is challenging Geelong's Matthew Scarlett for the mantle as the competition's best defender. Like Scarlett, Lake has the great aerial judgment to know when to spoil and when to mark.
Many defenders fail to realise that if they can clearly get two hands on the footy then their opponent is no chance of marking.
However, to play the ball on its merits and not be totally spoil-conscious takes great body positioning and the confidence to back yourself to take the mark. One or two failures to make the correct decision – being marked against when a spoil is not attempted – will be one or two too many.
While Lake won the Bulldogs' club championship in 2007 he has crept up slowly into the top-line defender category. Not yet an All-Australian, but this honour must be on the radar if he continues in his present form.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
