Are they a good fit for the club?
Will they stay fit?
In Tatura’s case, most of the new blood ticked the first two boxes — but the third is where things have differed.
Jake Warren, Aidyn Johson, Tyle Williams et al made immediate impressions, but have since been forced to the sidelines with lengthy injuries, but one recruit who has stood the test of time is undoubtedly Jacob Simpson.
Week upon week, the hulking ruckman has thrown his body around for the Bulldogs and Saturday’s shift in Tatura’s 107-point defeat to Rochester showcased just how much of a grafter the ex-Lake Boga man is.
The first stat that pops off the page is hit-outs and Simpson was involved in 80 of them.
It’s a ridiculous feat considering the next best on the sheet was Rochester’s Lachlan Watson with 33 and that wasn’t the only line that Simpson led in.
The bulldozing Bulldog posted a game-high 16 contested possessions from his 19 disposals and also racked up six clearances to supplement his unmatched 145 ranking points.
But this is nothing new.
Jacob Simpson versus Rochester
Hit-outs: 80
Contested possessions: 16
Tackles: 5
Clearances: 6
Marks: 4
Ranking points: 145
Simpson ranks elite in a swathe of per-game averages, including clearances (5.7), contested possessions (13.3), one percenters (3.2) and, of course, hit-outs (49.3).
He is second in the competition in the latter category, with only Shepparton tap specialist Ash Holland clear of Simpson.
Tatura has landed a genuine gun in the form of Simpson as he consistently digs in for the badge, never stopping when the wins aren’t falling the Bulldogs’ way.
Remarkably, Simpson has only fallen under the 100 ranking point threshold once this season.
He is part of an elite company featuring Holland — and not many others — to have hit the 200 mark twice in 2024, following on from his absurdly good day out against Mooroopna in round 13.
With three rounds left in the GVL, it may not be his last massive total either.
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