Matthew Bate

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,478]

Not impressed with his performance today and his entire season has been ordinary.

I like it how he tries to set up goals, but his output each week has been below par.

Do we drop him, or do we play him in the midfield??

[Jaded No More 59,376]

Cruising along Struggle Street is Mr. Bate.

Personally I think he's been bad for 3 weeks now, and needs a spell

Problem is, that no amount of time at Sandy is going to make him any faster, or any better below his knees.

He gets a pass for marking and kicking, but he is an absolute liability going the other way.

No idea what to do with him, but unless he starts taking contested marks consistently, I cannot see him being a part of our future.

Dunn showed a lot more as a forward today than Bate has in a while, because Dunn is mobile and he can play both up in the air and off the ground.

[w00dy 146]

Not impressed with his performance today and his entire season has been ordinary.

I like it how he tries to set up goals, but his output each week has been below par.

Do we drop him, or do we play him in the midfield??

I wouldn't have used the word disgrace. It was an extremely difficult day for forwards. But it is true, he's not in great form. He may make way for Robbo next week.

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,478]

Dunn showed a lot more as a forward today than Bate has in a while, because Dunn is mobile and he can play both up in the air and off the ground.

Agree. Dunn knows where the goals are. Bate is just lost - and it's quite sad to be honest for a guy that was picked at #13 in 2004

[Geddy Lee 582]

We can't drop Newton AND Bate. Just won't happen.

But one of CAC's poorest decisions, Mr. Bate is.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,349]

Dunn showed a lot more as a forward today than Bate has in a while, because Dunn is mobile and he can play both up in the air and off the ground.

The issue with Dunn is he avoids body contact (read squibs) and cannot mark above his head. Bate at least will crash a pack and bring it to ground. The issue is there is no one there. I dont see either of them in our future although Bate may prove me wrong as a third target in a good forwardline.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

The issue with Dunn is he avoids body contact (read squibs) and cannot mark above his head. Bate at least will crash a pack and bring it to ground. The issue is there is no one there. I dont see either of them in our future although Bate may prove me wrong as a third target in a good forwardline.

Agree with that conundrum

[Jaded No More 59,376]

The issue with Dunn is he avoids body contact (read squibs) and cannot mark above his head. Bate at least will crash a pack and bring it to ground. The issue is there is no one there. I dont see either of them in our future although Bate may prove me wrong as a third target in a good forwardline.

I don't know whether this is such an issue with Dunn these days.

I haven't really seen him squib anything (may have missed it though), and he is really good below his knees and in close, and has a monster kick.

Bate is just a plodder. He is SO slow and the minute he loses the marking contest you just know we've lost it completely. I have no trust in him whatsoever when it comes to winning a loose ball off the deck, not because he won't try, but because he literally cannot bend, pick and run at the same time.

Love him as I may, he is not big or strong enough to compensate for his lack of pace.

[demonique 314]

Cruising along Struggle Street is Mr. Bate.

Personally I think he's been bad for 3 weeks now, and needs a spell

Problem is, that no amount of time at Sandy is going to make him any faster, or any better below his knees.

He gets a pass for marking and kicking, but he is an absolute liability going the other way.

No idea what to do with him, but unless he starts taking contested marks consistently, I cannot see him being a part of our future.

Dunn showed a lot more as a forward today than Bate has in a while, because Dunn is mobile and he can play both up in the air and off the ground.

I can guarantee Bate won't be playing at Sandy next week!!!

[Yze_Magic 3]

It easy to take pot shots art Bate, Bartram, Dunn, Newton etc...

Discuss the real problem here, and give the kids a break.

http://forums.demonland.com/index.php?showtopic=14482

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,349]

I haven't really seen him squib anything (may have missed it though), and he is really good below his knees and in close, and has a monster kick.

I counted two today both in the third qtr.

[Hannabal 4]

Dunn is a terrible footballer yet gets lauded by Melbourne supporters.

Amazing.

[Cards13 9,117]

Although I do agree he is glacial and rubbish bending over and he will not improve these at his age so think he is limited in what he can do with out good fast delivery.

Otherwise absolute rubbish. When all of our fwds are constantly having to deal with 4,5,6 defenders zoning back on you. When the fwds have leads completely ignored there is not much you can do.

[Cards13 9,117]

Dunn is a terrible footballer yet gets lauded by Melbourne supporters.

Amazing.

I thought he was very ave today but then again I think I miss/forget a lot when watching a game live. I will watch the replay this week to get a better guide but when he went onto Goodwin he got towelled up I thought. His lack of desire for contested footy for a bloke his size today really stood out I thought, maybe I'm wrong but I noticed on numerous occasions he half goes in half stays out of a contested situation, he should be going full tilt into them.

[dees_rule_4eva 22]

He is a very very ordinary footballer, Matthew Bate. His attack on the ball today was nothing short of disgraceful. Twice there was a 50-50 ball with an Adelaide player and Bate going at the ball in opposite directions, and twice Bate took short steps and got to the contest second. Not good enough.

His pace and agility is a serious problem. I have seen 150 year old women with faster turning circles than him. As someone said before, once he is beaten in the air, then we've lost the ball. His second efforts are lacking as well.

As much as I want to drop him, I think we need him to create that contest in the air. But ideally I would like him out of the side altogether.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Bate looked promising early on when he played further up the ground. He could always find the ball, but never seemed to know what to do with it. Perhaps pushing him up to play between wing and half forward would work better. He has a decent long kick, so you'd probably get the same scoring output out of him.

On the other hand, given how badly he's been marking these days, it could just lead to turnovers in a more dangerous position.

[Jaded No More 59,376]

I counted two today both in the third qtr.

Fair enough.

I would watch the reply, but seeing that horrible game once was once too many

Don't think either Bate or Dunn are going to be part of our long term future. CAC had an absolute stinker the year he drafted those two and Newton. That draft is going to cost us dearly.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Don't think either Bate or Dunn are going to be part of our long term future. CAC had an absolute stinker the year he drafted those two and Newton. That draft is going to cost us dearly.

Very true.

Sadly.

[Cards13 9,117]

Bate looked promising early on when he played further up the ground. He could always find the ball, but never seemed to know what to do with it. Perhaps pushing him up to play between wing and half forward would work better. He has a decent long kick, so you'd probably get the same scoring output out of him.

On the other hand, given how badly he's been marking these days, it could just lead to turnovers in a more dangerous position.

Good point, his best game this season was against the Pies and he was taking grabs well up the ground on the wing and through the middle. Playing the Crows that is hard to do unless you move the ball quickly from defence to attack which we only did in the last qtr because of there zoning.

As was raised above though his 2nd efforts at ground level becuase of his lack of quickness and propensity to loose his feet are horrible to see time and again. Again he is only 22 but how much can you improve your pace and ability at ground level at this level??

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,349]

CAC had an absolute stinker the year he drafted those two and Newton. That draft is going to cost us dearly.

CAC did not have a stinker it was a rubbish year. I think that was widely known hence why we punted on three bottom age talls. Looking at those chosen after Bate only Knights and Van Berlo are better performed players. Most of them have been traded or delisted.

[Pipefitter 2,059]

Fair enough.

I would watch the reply, but seeing that horrible game once was once too many

Don't think either Bate or Dunn are going to be part of our long term future. CAC had an absolute stinker the year he drafted those two and Newton. That draft is going to cost us dearly.

Hmm they arent ideal but it was either bate or monfries.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Don't think either Bate or Dunn are going to be part of our long term future.

Of the two I think Dunn has a better future. He is a better runner, more versatile and can gather the ball at ground level.

[Jerry Lundergard 393]

How would Monfries go without Lloyd and Lucas down there? Bate has't been great, but i will reserve judgment until he hopefully gets to play with Robbo and Wona down in the forward line as well.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

He gets a pass for marking and kicking, but he is an absolute liability going the other way.

Missing that set shot goal today obliterates any pass for kicking. He just doesn't seem to have the heart to chase and tackle. Other shockers today were Newton (disgraceful, I guarantee his pass to Dunne 30 metres directly in front was actually a shot at goal that skewed straight into Dunne's hands!), Johnson (dreadful disposal), Jones (is he inept at disposals, he always chooses a wrong option, or simply down on confidence?) and Bartram (seemed lackadaisical, dropped some easy marks) altho I think he had his reasons, from something I half heard on the radio afterwards.

Great skills by Davey, worth being there just to watch his decision-making and ability at pin-point disposal. Pity he can't teach the others his innate skills. Wonderful game by Aaron. Brock also held his head up (but how did he drop that sitting mark right in front in the dying moments??)

Umpires - pathetic. They added to the dreadful evening by the inconsistencies and mistakes.

Highlight - after Dunne and McLean goaled within minutes, the wit in the members who shouted "avalanche!"

Some promising signs, we had them on toast except for chronic bad disposal, and missing easy marks and set-shots. And we could tackle harder and more effectively.

I hate the negative style the Crows play, and despite all the mistakes we still could have won. We're on the way!

[Pates 9,540]

Hasn't been a great start to the year for Bate, Bailey sounded him out early as someone who'll be given more responsibility and he hasn't responded well to it. I'm not going to outright bag him yet, i've seen enough in the past to tell me he's got it in him to be a very handy player for us, but at the moment he is way out of form.

As for Dunn, i'm not sure why he's copping it here, i thought he was one of our better players this week and i certainly see a future for him with us.