"I think that's one of my favourite things about our forward line," said Stringer, smiling. "We all want to look after each other and share the love around. But there's a few of us who love kicking goals, too. I don't mind kicking one."

Stringer kicked four last Sunday, in a game that was not exactly indicative of what the Bulldogs' crew of mid-sized forwards will have to confront when September comes around. Stewart Crameri scored seven and Tory Dickson four in what became an increasingly easy win over Essendon.

The things the Bulldogs are doing from their half-back line through the middle are quick, clean and well read by the people they are whipping the ball towards. Easton Wood, Bob Murphy and Jason Johannisen are stopping and and then starting so much.

"If we do the right thing and get into the right spots," said Stringer after Sunday's game, "then those guys will find whoever's got a good match-up and whoever's hot. They make things a lot easier."

There is an irony all the same that the Bulldogs are anything but reliant right now on the key forward they have been told for so many years that they desperately need and who they tried to find in so many ways and places.

They have that (or those) players, with Jack Redpath finding his feet and Tom Boyd sure to be back soon. September can require big, bail-out options and Boyd should become that and a whole lot more as he continues to develop.

The 19-year-old has been the team's most popular target this year, but just 82 times in his 14 games. Of the other top eight sides, Josh Kennedy (194), Jack Riewoldt (156), Lance Franklin (156), Tom Hawkins (144), Matthew Pavlich (131), Jack Gunston (102) and Drew Petrie (92) have been looked for much more often.

The Bulldogs have the fourth best spread of goalkickers in the competition - behind Hawthorn, Collingwood and the Eagles - and the variety in their line-up is reflected in their group of main scorers.

Boyd sits 10th on their list for scoreboard impact (averaging 7.9 points a game) with Stringer leading the way on 20.2 points. Dickson (14.9), Crameri (12.2) and newbie Caleb Daniel (11) are next, with Mitch Wallis (10.5), Luke Dahlhaus (9.9), Marcus Bontempelli (8.5) and the recently returned Lachie Hunter (8.4) all taking their turn.

Stringer has been looked for most often after Boyd - 77 - with Dickson (41) and Crameri (33) next in line before the list starts evening out: Redpath (29), Wallis (20) and Jarrad Grant (16), Bontempelli (15) and the injured Koby Stevens (14).

Stringer expects Boyd back before too long, but feels as though his side is developing enough options to remain unpredictable, tough to match up on and keen to take their chances.

"There's probably six, seven or eight of us who can go through there and are a chance to kick two or three in the space of five or 10 minutes," he said.

"We're pretty versatile and we don't rely on one or two players which I reckon is a key to our game. We try to look after each other and it's something we need to keep doing no matter who's in the team."