He could also be at the back of supporters’ minds after a large enhance to the membership’s key place shares, however Josh Bruce desires to turn into a mainstay within the Western Bulldogs’ defence this season.
The 30-year-old, who struggled final season in his return from an ACL damage, stated he wished to “get ahead of the curve” and raised discussions of a change to defence with coaches when he heard rumours Fremantle large man Rory Lobb was on his method to Whitten Oval.
Bruce managed just one objective in his 5 home-and-away video games after returning in spherical 18, with the Bulldogs dropping him for his or her elimination remaining and as an alternative opting to deploy Sam Darcy in assault.
“It was probably my idea towards the end of last year … coming back from my knee injury, I certainly wasn’t playing the way that I was capable of and didn’t have the confidence in my body when I was coming back and playing forward,” Bruce stated.
“I had a chat in my exit meeting to the coaches about potentially doing some of pre-season down back and learning my craft down there.
“It’s been a good summer down there, I’m really enjoying the change up – it’s been really refreshing.”
Bruce plied his commerce as a defender for GWS in 2012 and 2013 earlier than he was recruited to St Kilda and thrown ahead. He stated he was bemused to search out himself partnering Liam Jones within the Bulldogs’ backline over the pre-season.
“Liam Jones has come in and we’ve had some incredible battles throughout the years … I initially played back on him when he was forward, and then he played back on me when I was forward,” he stated.
“And now we’re back playing for the same team and in the same backline which is great, we’ve got a great partnership coming through.”
Bruce is prone to compete with Ryan Gardner and Alex Keath for one key defensive spot alongside Jones and 19-year-old Darcy, who he stated was not solely impressing on the monitor however within the ocean throughout the Bulldogs’ pre-season coaching camp on the Mornington Peninsula.
“Sam Darcy is built for the water, he’s a machine in there,” Bruce stated after the workforce went swimming on Tuesday.
“There’s not much he can’t do the young fella. He’s got some serious talent, and I just can’t believe how tall they are getting these days … the key position players are 210(cm) and not 194 anymore or 197 like me.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
