Former Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy has admitted his concern over the club’s underwhelming start to 2018.
Consecutive beltings by Greater Western Sydney and West Coast have left the Bulldogs searching for answers, ahead of Sunday’s clash against Essendon and former star Jake Stringer.
“It’s really troubling. On the small sample size of Rounds 1 and 2, it’s been a disastrous start,” Murphy said on SEN Breakfast.
“They just don’t look like the side that we’ve come to know the last three years. Last year wasn’t our best, but it was still a type of footy that we got used to, but I haven’t seen any of that.
“All I can talk to is the character of the people and the players there - it’s the real deal. They’re good people, they’ve got plenty of heart. I’m sure they’ll come bouncing back.”
In 2016, the Bulldogs became the first team under the new finals system to win the premiership from outside the top four, and Murphy admits it was always going to be challenge to remain at the pointy end of the ladder, due to a lack of star talent.
“I don’t think it was ever going to be a list that was going to sit top of the ladder, because there’s not a litany of superstars," he said.
“Marcus Bontempelli is a superstar, but the reason we were such a good side in 2015 and 2016 was because of the even spread, and the depth was incredible and was really tested with the injuries we had in '16.
“That evenness at the moment is not there. We don’t bat as deep as we did, and the effort hasn’t gone as deep, so that’s how you get belted.”
He expects coach Luke Beveridge to this week tap into what made the Bulldogs a hard working side in 2016, in the belief that the players need to get back to working for each other.
“One thing I have noticed over the first couple of weeks is how easily sides have marked the ball in one-on-one situations,” Murphy said.
“We weren’t a one-on-one sort of team, there was an abandon really, especially from the defenders, that’s what I think has dropped off alarmingly.
“Trust and the courage to go ‘I’m just going to fly for my mate, to avoid one-on-one marking contests’.
“I would imagine, and this is just an absolute guess, but almost a refresher on what is the 101 for the Bulldogs. What was the thing that gave us self-esteem and our own dignity, was we were different to other sides, because we did that.
"Let’s get back to it.”
To listen to Bob Murphy on SEN Breakfast click on the player below: