PLAYER CHANGES
INS: Mason Coote, Jacob Russell, Jordy Priestley (Echuca United), Jake Gascoyne (Kyabram) Riley Locke, Brayden Hall (Tatura), Brad Taylor
OUTS: Jordan Easton, Jarryd Pertzel
New Merrigum co-coaches Darcy Collins and Leigh Hall are planning to use a slingshot style of game to make up for the challenges of losing two of the Bulldogs best attacking players from last season, Jordan Easton and Jarryd Pertzel.
The pair are among a handful of Melbourne based players who will not be returning, but Hall and Collins are designing a game plan around a strong defence.
Collins, who will fill the key defensive post for the team, will have club captain and reigning best and fairest Zak Parkinson as company at the back end.
Parkinson will, of course, spent significant time in the mid-field in an attempt to give the Bulldogs impetus from its back end.
Easton was regulalry the Bulldogs best player last year and Pertzel kicked 32 goals in 13 games, second only to last year’s coach Jayden Stiles (35 goals).
Styles will also be missing from the line-up, as will his brother, after the club finished 10th last year with only wins against 12th ranked Violet Town (twice) and bottom team Girgarre.
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