Over the next fortnight, westernbulldogs.com.au will look back on a season like no other – 2020 – reviewing every player who featured in more than three AFL games. 

Next is up is experienced forward Sam Lloyd and midfield star Jack Macrae. 

2020 Review: Liberatore, Lipinski
2020 Review: Johannisen, Keath
2020 Review: Gardner, Hunter 
2020 Review: Dunkley, English 
2020 Review: Dale, Daniel 
2020 Review: Cordy, Crozier 
2020 Review: Bontempelli, Bruce 
 
Sam Lloyd 

 
It was a tougher year for Sam Lloyd in 2020, after the highs of his first year as a Bulldog.

The Bulldogs’ 2019 leading goal-kicker battled alongside his fellow forwards early in the year, before a collarbone injury in round four saw him miss a chunk of football. 

Strong scratch match form saw him return in round nine. He kicked a pair of goals in losses to Brisbane and Port Adelaide, plus one in the nail-biting win against West Coast – but that proved to be his last senior outing for the year. 

By the numbers… 

Games: 9 
Goals: 7 
 
Disposals: 8.6 
Marks: 2.8 
Score involvements: 3.2 
Tackles: 2.2 

Best game: Lloyd’s best outing for 2020 was in round 10, as the Bulldogs fought bravely against Port Adelaide on their home turf before going down by 13 points. He had a season-high 15 disposals and six marks, had a hand in seven score involvements and slotted two majors of his own. 

Jack Macrae 

Jack Macrae further established himself as one of the competition’s premier midfielders in 2020.  

The ball magnet fittingly led the Bulldogs for disposals, but beyond the stats he had a significant impact – winning a second All Australian guernsey and recording a career-best, equal-fifth place finish in the Brownlow Medal count.  

Metronomic in his consistency, the 26-year-old played every game and had 20 or more disposals in all bar two games for the season – including a remarkable 40 touches in defeat against the Brisbane Lions.  

By the numbers… 

Games: 18 
Goals: 3 
 
Disposals: 26.2 (1st) 
Inside 50s: 4.2 
Clearances: 4 
Score involvements: 5.2 
Tackles: 4 

Best game: Macrae was arguably the Bulldogs’ best across a string of mid-year defeats to Richmond, Port Adelaide and Brisbane. But it’s his efforts in the win preceding these, against the Gold Coast Suns, that we’ll single out – a three Brownlow vote performance. Macrae had a game-high 28 disposals in the one-kick win against the Suns, plus six tackles, six inside-50s and seven clearances.