The final club in the Bendigo Advertiser's look at each BFNL team's 2023 season stats is the premiers Golden Square.
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Team and player statistics from the home and away season, according to Premier Data, will be analysed to see what worked and what failed at Wade Street in 2023.
WHAT WORKED:
It's easy to forget that the Bulldogs were 2-2 at one stage this season, but from that point, they were perfect, winning 16 games on the trot, culminating in a thrilling grand final win over Sandhurst.
Throughout the home and away campaign, the Bulldogs possessed the league's most potent arsenal, averaging 124.4 points per game.
They smashed the 2000 points scored mark, amassing 2240, which was 258 better than next best, Strathfieldsaye.
Joel Brett (84 goals), Braydon Vaz (33), Jack Stewart (28), Ryan Hartley (23) and Tom Toma (21) gave the Bulldogs plenty of avenues to find the big sticks.
When they got it forward, they locked it in, ranking second for average forward 50 tackles per game with 11.6, first for inside 50s (59.7) and intercept marks (20.2).
It wasn't just when intercepting the Bulldogs dominated the aerial engagements.
They ranked first for average contested marks (16.8) and second for marks inside 50 (20.7).
WHAT FAILED:
There were minimal failures for the Bulldogs across all lines in 2023, and for a side that just won a premiership, whatever did surely wouldn't be worrying them too much currently.
They ranked sixth for hit-outs to advantage per game, averaging ten, and monster Dragons ruckman Hamish Hosking, at times, looked like he was ready to tear the game apart in every clash between the powerhouses.
Club legend Matthew Compston has retired following the premiership win and leaves a gaping hole in the ruck that could be filled by six-foot-four Kai Daniels, who was recently announced to be re-joining the club.
For a side whose midfield oozed class, the fact the Bulldogs ranked fifth for average clearances per game (42.6) is a bit surprising.
PLAYERS:
No better place to start than the Bulldog's stat king, Jake Thrum.
The half-backman was ever-present amongst the BFNL's stats leaderboards in 2023 amassing the most uncontested marks (145), marks (157), second most handball receives (31), fifth most inside 50s (89), sixth most possessions (541) and seventh most rebound 50s (96).
Defensive teammate Jon Coe was the Bulldogs general in the air behind the footy.
Coe amassed the second most intercept marks with 57 and seventh most uncontested marks with 111.
Jayden Burke was moved to play alongside Coe mid-season, and the decision by coach Christian Carter paid dividends, with Burke taking the seventh most contested marks with 30.
Up the ground, Joel Brett was the chief destroyer.
Brett came second in the Ron Best Medal behind Lachlan Sharp but led the BFNL for score involvements with 199 and amassed the second most forward 50 tackles (28) and third most marks inside 50 (68).
Best and fairest winner Tom Toma ranked sixth for inside 50s (87) and score involvements (148) while Ricky Monti led the league for assists with 27 and came fourth in score involvements with 168.
STATS LEADERBOARDS
RANKING POINTS:
Tom Toma 2290
Jake Thrum 2276
Ricky Monti 2092
Jackson Geary 2079
Ryan Hartley 1967
Joel Brett 1862
Jack Hickman 1683
Tom Strauch 1493
Jon Coe 1478
Liam Barrett 1436
DISPOSALS:
Jake Thrum 541
Jackson Geary 484
Ricky Monti 478
Tom Toma 462
Ryan Hartley 413
Jack Hickman 395
Liam Barrett 333
Brodie James 328
Joel Brett 288
Jon Coe 272
CONTESTED POSSESSIONS:
Ricky Monti 221
Tom Toma 218
Ryan Hartley 190
Jackson Geary 138
Jack Hickman 134
Tom Strauch 130
Zavier Murley 128
Joel Brett 119
Brodie James 112
Jake Thrum 111
SCORE INVOLVEMENTS:
Joel Brett 199
Ricky Monti 168
Tom Toma 148
Ryan Hartley 146
Braydon Vaz 140
Jack Hickman 129
Jake Thrum 125
Jackson Geary 109
Liam Barrett 109
Zavier Murley 94
MARKS:
Jake Thrum 157
Jon Coe 130
Jackson Geary 122
Braydon Vaz 122
Jayden Burke 121
Tom Toma 111
Liam Barrett 110
Zach Shelton 101
Joel Brett 98
Tom Strauch 92
CONTESTED MARKS:
Jayden Burke 30
Tom Strauch 24
Jon Coe 19
Joel Brett 18
Braydon Vaz 18
Hamish Morcom 17
Ryan Hartley 17
Jackson Geary 15
Tom Toma 15
Zavier Murley 14
INTERCEPT MARKS:
Jon Coe 57
Zack Shelton 43
Jackson Geary 35
Jayden Burke 35
Jake Thrum 33
Jack Threlfall 24
Tom Strauch 21
Brodie James 12
Braydon Vaz 12
Liam Duguid 10
CLEARANCES:
Ryan Hartley 101
Tom Toma 100
Ricky Monti 96
Matthew Compston 61
Terence Reeves 51
Jack Hickman 49
Zavier Murley 46
Jackson Geary 38
Brodie James 30
Tom Strauch 29
INSIDE-50s:
Jake Thrum 89
Tom Toma 87
Ricky Monti 81
Ryan Hartley 79
Liam Barrett 77
Jack Hickman 71
Joel Brett 56
Jackson Geary 53
Braydon Vaz 52
Zavier Murley 46
TACKLES:
Jack Hickman 95
Ricky Monti 82
Tom Toma 78
Tom Strauch 69
Ryan Hartley 66
Liam Barrett 48
Jackson Geary 47
Terence Reeves 46
Zavier Murley 45
Joel Brett 42
SPOILS:
Jayden Burke 35
Liam Duguid 30
Zach Shelton 25
Tom Strauch 22
Jack Threlfall 20
Jon Coe 17
Harry Burke 17
Jake Thrum 14
Jackson Geary 13
Hugh Freckleton 10
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