Jed Adcock pulled on the Bulldogs hoops for the first time during Saturday’s intra club match before 4000 fans at Victoria University Whitten Oval.
The rookie-listed former Brisbane Lions captain said that in many ways it felt like the beginning of the end of the preseason, something he said that the whole group is looking forward to.
“It was nice to, technically, get rid of the formalities of the preseason and start heading into game mode and prep for the NAB Challenge in a couple of weeks," he told westernbulldogs.com.au.
“It was nice to pull the jumper on and have a run around.”
Adcock, who had some moments during yesterday's scrimmage, said that while he liked his own game in parts, he was really impressed with his new teammates.
“I'm still trying to find my way through the system and the differences in philosophy and game style compared to what I’ve been used to.
“But the boys are moving the ball really well out there, the defence was really good as well, so all signs point toward a pretty promising start to the year.”
At 30 years of age, Adcock has seen his share of intra club matches and he concedes that he doesn’t approach them with the same vigour he did when he first came into the AFL system in 2004.
“As you get older you probably come down a level... you understand that it’s a long season and you’re more out there just trying to find your way through and get some miles in your legs at game pace, and game style.
“The younger kids probably come in a little bit raring to go and try and put their stamp on the game a bit more, but you don’t really look forward to intra clubs as much, you more look forward to the start of the season and the NAB Challenge.”
Like almost everybody at the ground on Saturday, Adcock was happy to see Tom Liberatore’s return to the footy field go as well as it didl after 11 months out of the game, the 23 year old even more impressive up close.
“It’s amazing seeing how good he is in tight. I witnessed it a couple of years ago when he won the B&F here and I think we tried to tag him when I was at Brissy.
“His work inside was so clean and elite, you’ve probably seen little glimpses of that coming back in today.
“He’ll probably start trying to work on his outside game a little bit more too, and being able to maybe rest forward with the interchange caps. Maybe half-back as well.
“It’s nice to see him out there again, he’s been doing everything right and he’s ready to go as well for round one.”
