After a pre-season devoted to fine-tuning a new forward set-up, veteran utility Daniel Giansiracusa is convinced the Western Bulldogs will have no problem covering for Barry Hall in 2012.
Just where the Dogs' goals would come from was the big question following Hall's retirement at the end of last season after a highly-successful two-year stint in red, white and blue which produced 135 goals from 39 matches.
Giansiracusa believes the club needs only to look back to 2009 and to the system in place before Hall joined for the answer.
"You don't want to look into the past, but when we did play our best footy we had six or seven options, guys kicking 30 or 40 goals (per season), said Giansiracusa.
"I think you need a spread if you're going to be successful, and hopefully we can have that this year."
Two of those options, Liam Jones and Jordan Roughead, impressed Giansiracusa during an intense 45-minute scratch match at Whitten Oval on Wednesday morning.
They're the front-runners, it would seem, for the key forward posts, but not the only contenders.
"(Rookie, Jack) Redpath's there and (Matthew) Panos has been elevated to the list and Will (Minson) can go down there as well," Giansiracusa said.
"It's an exciting group to work with, they're really keen to learn and I'm looking forward to playing with them this year."
"Redpath hasn't looked out of place."
"He's a strong boy - I think he weighed-in at around 102 kilos today, so I think he might bowl a few over."
Giansiracusa said the players have responded well to Brendan McCartney's 'new voice' and game plan which places a greater emphasis on defence and winning the contested ball.
"We had 'Rocket' for seven years and had some success with him," Giansiracusa said.
"Obviously Macca's come from that Geelong system who's been successful and obviously we're going to tinker the game plan a bit."
"You'll see that in the NAB Cup and through the early rounds."
"The game's going down that path of being very defensive and I think we'll be better in that area."
Asked about the club's expectations for 2012, Giansiracusa said: "We have not even talked about that side of things, making the eight or top four."
"It's boring and it's cliche but it's about the process and it has to be with us because we've got a new game plan."
"Until we actually get out there, that's when we'll know whether we're heading in the right direction, but I'm confident we are."