Dunn started his career in the foward line and showed his potential, then last year became a tagger.

This year they are sending him foward again, which i think is a good move.

Hes tall, has a good motor, very mobile and does kick goals and looks dangerous, so lets hope they keep playing him as a permanent forward.

Good forward trio - Dunn, Robertson, Sylvia

Terrible forward trio - Miller, Newton, Bate

My thoughts on what Bailey did with Dunn last was that he wanted Dunn to learn to be accountable, this year he will be played as a forward but can also play a role on one of the run and carry defenders that hurt us on the rebound. He's got the ability to be a handy forward IMO, but he's also hard working enough to shut down key opposition players.

Dunn, Robertson, Wona, Watts, Miller, Sylvia

Terrible forward trio - Miller, Newton, Bate

Were you not just defending him on another thread?

Bate, Dunn and Newton are not made for a KP role.

At best, Bate/Dunn can be the third tall, however I hope that Jurrah gives them both a run for their money as of next year.

Dunn should definitly be kept forward. I have been saying this for a while. He started his career as a forward, but the only thing that was stopping him was his inconsistency in the forward line, which I think he has worked on.

I'm not sold on Dunn as yet.

Watching him today, I'm convinced he does not go hard enough at the ball or provide enough contact on the man, when the ball is in the air, as well as at ground level. He can be handy, and as many have already said, he's got the height, speed, endurance etc. to be a handful of a match-up as a 3rd target down there, or to play as a defensive forward on opposition flankers who are racking it up, but unless he can 'harden up', so to speak, i have grave concerns about his future at AFL level.

He wasn't completely alone in that aspect today, but it is something i've noticed about his game that has bothered me for some time.

I'm not sold on Dunn as yet.

Watching him today, I'm convinced he does not go hard enough at the ball or provide enough contact on the man, when the ball is in the air, as well as at ground level. He can be handy, and as many have already said, he's got the height, speed, endurance etc. to be a handful of a match-up as a 3rd target down there, or to play as a defensive forward on opposition flankers who are racking it up, but unless he can 'harden up', so to speak, i have grave concerns about his future at AFL level.

He wasn't completely alone in that aspect today, but it is something i've noticed about his game that has bothered me for some time.

I completely disagree. He's shown with his work on the ball that he's willing to put his body on the line in a hard contest. He showed it last week, I remember him winning a hard ball on the half forward flank last week which resulted in an important goal for us.

He's not going to be a key position forward, take big contested grabs. But he's a good leadup forward, with good skills and agility when the ball hits the deck. Not to mention with his Michael Holding runup, he's a good set shot for goal too. Something we lack quite a bit in the forward line.

He's not going to ragdoll blokes, and if he's one on one with a big key defender on him, he's probably not going to win a marking contest. But the other aspects of his game make him a dangerous forward.

I completely disagree. He's shown with his work on the ball that he's willing to put his body on the line in a hard contest. He showed it last week, I remember him winning a hard ball on the half forward flank last week which resulted in an important goal for us.

He's not going to be a key position forward, take big contested grabs. But he's a good leadup forward, with good skills and agility when the ball hits the deck. Not to mention with his Michael Holding runup, he's a good set shot for goal too. Something we lack quite a bit in the forward line.

He's not going to ragdoll blokes, and if he's one on one with a big key defender on him, he's probably not going to win a marking contest. But the other aspects of his game make him a dangerous forward.

AGREED LIKE DUNN AS A FORWARD

HE HAS GOOD GOAL SENSE

BATE PLAYED WELL IN THE LAST QUARTER OVER IN PORT ADELAIDE. GOD I WISH WE COULD SEE THAT LEVEL ALL THE TIME FROM HIM

MILLER NEEDS TO GET HIS HEAD OFF THE FOOTY SHOW AND GET HIS HANDS ON THE BALL.

AND OUT NEWTON, JETTA

IN ROBERTSON, MARIC

so annoying reading this thread. how many times do i need to say things before people realise that i'm right. I've mentioned this since day 1. and it was only last week i made a post saying Dunn should always have been a permanent forward. I'm like weeks, months or even years ahead of you i.e Bell,(awareness) Miller (skills), Dunn(in forward line), Bate(kicking), Morton(kicking). Geez, the list goes on

Good forward trio - Dunn, Robertson, Sylvia

Terrible forward trio - Miller, Newton, Bate

well said hahaha

I completely disagree. He's shown with his work on the ball that he's willing to put his body on the line in a hard contest. He showed it last week, I remember him winning a hard ball on the half forward flank last week which resulted in an important goal for us.

He's not going to be a key position forward, take big contested grabs. But he's a good leadup forward, with good skills and agility when the ball hits the deck. Not to mention with his Michael Holding runup, he's a good set shot for goal too. Something we lack quite a bit in the forward line.

He's not going to ragdoll blokes, and if he's one on one with a big key defender on him, he's probably not going to win a marking contest. But the other aspects of his game make him a dangerous forward.

We'll just have to agree to disagree then.

You make some good points regarding his leadup play, good skills and agility, etc.

However, i guess the point i'm trying to make is i'd like to see him attack the ball when it's in the air with more vigour. IMO, he just doesn't seem like he naturally 'wants' to put himself into those undesirable positions in a pack to force a contest or, best case, take the mark. I think his work at ground level is far better than his work aerially, but if he can't improve the physical-side of his marking, he's just another NQR forward/midfielder. He can be dangerous at times, but will he consistely influence a match? Tonight i noticed 3 occassions where he 'squibbed' it in the marking contest. This is something i have noticed for many seasons now with no apparent improvement.

By the physical side of his marking i don't neccessarily mean rag-dolling opponents one out or busting packs wides open, a la Neitz/Brown/Roughead, but more so just imposing himself on the contest and being a bit more courageous in the air. Providing some body contact to help bring the footy to ground. He's got the body to do it, it's just he's lacking what players like Jared Rivers have in abundance- courage in the air. A reckless disregard for ones own safety in pack situations. Riv has it, Robbo has it, Ricky Petterd's got it. Not neccessarily KPP's or pack busters, but they thrive on the contact they create/receive in these contested situations. They won't die wondering. Unfortunately this is sorely lacking from Dunn's game IMO.

Until Dunn can address this, i'm not sure where his future role in AFL lies. If he is to play that 3rd tall/leadup role, he gonna need more tricks than just being a good leadup target or he'll be found out very quickly.

From what I saw yesterday, Dunn hasn't really improved that much. I think we all think better of him because he kicked 2 goals out of 4, but when we don't have the ball his defensive work is shocking. He consistently stands around doing nothing when he should be manning up or moving to a better zoning position. Useless without the ball, but if we're going to play him, he should be played forward.

I'm like weeks, months or even years ahead of you i.e Bell,(awareness) Miller (skills), Dunn(in forward line), Bate(kicking), Morton(kicking). Geez, the list goes on

i think you may be right on some of these but bates kicking doesnt seem to be his biggest problem; IMO its his skills off the deck, gathering below the knees thats letting him down. hope its just a hamstring hangover. millers skills arent that bad; i think the forward line chatter between players is either absent or inaccurate. Hopefully robbo makes them a unit again with the obvious common goal, the two big ones.

Dunn may very well have found his place in the team. HFF. He is not big enough to hold down a key position in the forward line, but given his run with role last year, he has the pace an accountability mind set to make our forward line apply greater pressure.

Bate needs to be sent back to the KC reserves, hopefully there he will show something