Dermott Brereton has likened the Western Bulldogs of today to the Hawthorn side of 2013 that won a flag five years after an initial triumph.
The Bulldogs currently sit on top of the ladder with a 6-0 record and are one of the premiership fancies given their hot early-season form.
Hawthorn great Brereton sees a similarity between the Hawks team that regrouped half a decade after their 2008 premiership and this Dogs outfit that has kept a strong foundation of players who helped win the drought-breaking 2016 flag.
“The most watchable team by far right now is the Western Bulldogs,” he said on SEN’s Bob & Andy.
“They move the ball beautifully. They’ve got key forwards, one of them is a leaper in Aaron Naughton, they’ve got a good lock-up backline because they get good support out of the midfield. They’re hard and gritty around the ball and they’ve got players who tuck the ball under the arm, take sidesteps, take ground, run, bounce, carry.
“I think they’re the real deal.
“I’ve been saying for a couple of years now I’m just waiting for the re-emergence of the Doggies.
“Knowing my own team, the nucleus of the Hawthorn team in 2008 and then it drifted, but the nucleus of the team that came back five years later to win a premiership was the same.
“This is still the same nucleus with the Doggies. Now they’ve added some serious components to it that are very capable.”
Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter, Tom Liberatore, Caleb Daniel, Easton Wood, Jason Johannisen, Zaine Cordy, and injured duo Josh Dunkley and Toby McLean are the 2016 premiership players who are still on the list under Luke Beveridge. All bar McLean (knee) have been key contributors in 2021.
The Hawks, of course, kickstarted a dynasty in 2013 by winning the first of three straight premierships.
Regarding the “serious components” they’ve added over thew past few years, young tall forward Naughton continues to grow into his role but there have been some suggestions that the Dogs could push him to defence once no.1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan makes his debut.
But former star centre half-forward Brereton is not for a positional change, using blackjack terminology to describe the situation.
“If the dealer has got a seven or eight, and you get two 10s, you don’t split. You’ve already got the winning hand,” he added.
“You’ve already got the winning hand with Naughton. Don’t split it, don’t put it somewhere else.”
The Dogs, who beat the Giants by 39 points last weekend, face arguably their biggest test to date this season when they meet reigning premiers Richmond at the MCG on Friday night on the back of the Tigers’ disappointing defeat to Melbourne last weekend.