Turning players into utilities

[Harrisonrules 273]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 389]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

Based on a couple of player reviews posted by the club on the MFC website it would seem he is being dropped for not doing enough defensively. I agree though I really want to see him out there and would be concerned if hes was becoming disillusioned as plenty of other clubs would be more than happy to make him an offer...

[rpfc 28,430]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

Players get dropped.

He, and you, can get over it.

He has not developed his physicality this season and if he has 'disappeared' it is due to injury and his failure to impose himself on contests.

He is a fine young player and an important cog, but match committee should not kow-tow to the whinging of a 20 year old.

And, you close to Cale? A family member? A friend?

We get it.

We don't care.

[Real Demon 232]

Who were the slow inside players today?????

I thought we ran Richmond off their feet in the end, and the commentators were constantly commenting how quick we were!

I'd like to see Morton do exactly what Lynden Dunn has had to do...........go back, work on the areas of his game he is weak, and then deserve his spot in the team based on work rate and effort.

IMO, Morton floats through games, and quite simply isn't strong enough physically.......Goodes highlighted that!

He got plenty of early games for the team when we were terrible, and probably before he should have. Now we are building depth, he is going to have to fight for his place, not just get a game for being a pick 4 in the draft!

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 389]

Who were the slow inside players today?????

I thought we ran Richmond off their feet in the end, and the commentators were constantly commenting how quick we were!

I'd like to see Morton do exactly what Lynden Dunn has had to do...........go back, work on the areas of his game he is weak, and then deserve his spot in the team based on work rate and effort.

IMO, Morton floats through games, and quite simply isn't strong enough physically.......Goodes highlighted that!

He got plenty of early games for the team when we were terrible, and probably before he should have. Now we are building depth, he is going to have to fight for his place, not just get a game for being a pick 4 in the draft!

Yeah, all good points. We've seen that the players are expected to do a lot more to get selected this season and given he's already had significant exposure at this level, he doens't fall into the category of 'getting games into the kids' anymore so he along with others such as Warnock, Jetta, Cheney. Maric will need to work hard to reclaim their spots. In Morton's case he's got such natural abilities that is shouldn't take too much time you would think to build up the elements of his game the coaches want him to work on.

[Juicebox 628]

Cale Morton is about as raw as the steak i had for dinner. Which was bloody as hell by the way...

He can run and kick a footy, which goes a long way when aiming to be an elite AFL player.

Howvever at the moment a player such as Joel MacDonald is in better form. Better player? That's to be decided.

Cale has time on his side to become a regular in the side. Though considering being picked up at no. 4, it's hard to not expect more.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Players get dropped.

He, and you, can get over it.

He has not developed his physicality this season and if he has 'disappeared' it is due to injury and his failure to impose himself on contests.

He is a fine young player and an important cog, but match committee should not kow-tow to the whinging of a 20 year old.

And, you close to Cale? A family member? A friend?

We get it.

We don't care.

+ 1

[Demon Tragic 0]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

Cale could be a superstar!! At his best he could be an elite winger, but if he doesn't learn that hard work is the key ingredient, then he will be another Brent Grgic. He is the best of the Morton brothers, but is that really saying much???

[RalphiusMaximus 6,053]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

I am very much in agreement with the stance on utilities. There is no shame in being really good at one position, and no need for players to be good at all of them. It very nearly destroyed Dunn's career when they decided to play him as a tagger instead of a forward, and while it is paying off now with his defensive pressure in the forward 50, this is more due to luck than planning.

As for Stef Martin, I can see a real future for him as a forward. He has such great agility for a big guy, if he learns to take marks and kick goals he will be a nightmare.

The Cale issue is a little more complicated. He is one of the rare players who could come to master any position on the ground. He has the potential to be another Pavlich or Goodes, in that they are able to play anywhere on the ground and dominate with their size, athleticism and ball skills. I think there is an argument to be made for having him learn it all, but it would be much better for his development right now to be able to settle in one place and gain confidence in his abilities and his role in the team. He still has plenty of maturing to do, both mentally and physically, before we need to ask him to take on the role filled by the legitimate superstars of other sides.

[e25 5]

Nearly destroyed Dunn's career..?

Or made it?

Martin has had injuries all year and has never been a natural ruckman.

Morton is undersized, doesn't go in hard enough and isn't defensive enough.

Pretty simple equations.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I am very much in agreement with the stance on utilities. There is no shame in being really good at one position, and no need for players to be good at all of them. It very nearly destroyed Dunn's career when they decided to play him as a tagger instead of a forward, and while it is paying off now with his defensive pressure in the forward 50, this is more due to luck than planning.

Dunn's career has turned around because of the way he plays his football. Not due to where he plays. Dunn was played as a tagger to teach him to be accountable and to make the contest. It actually made him as a footballer and taught him a couple of basics he was too timid to comply with in his early years. But his tagging which nearly destroyed his career has set him up as a defensive forward?? The only person who was destroying Dunn's career was Lyndon Dunn. He played his best game yesterday and his commitment to the contest and his decision making was full of the resolve that had been missing before.

As for Stef Martin, I can see a real future for him as a forward. He has such great agility for a big guy, if he learns to take marks and kick goals he will be a nightmare.

Great, he only needs to learn to take make marks and kicks goals to be a nightmare forward!!! Wow.

The Cale issue is a little more complicated. He is one of the rare players who could come to master any position on the ground. He has the potential to be another Pavlich or Goodes, in that they are able to play anywhere on the ground and dominate with their size, athleticism and ball skills. I think there is an argument to be made for having him learn it all, but it would be much better for his development right now to be able to settle in one place and gain confidence in his abilities and his role in the team. He still has plenty of maturing to do, both mentally and physically, before we need to ask him to take on the role filled by the legitimate superstars of other sides.

Any chance a player should play a role to the team's benefit rather than camp in a role for the player? And which role is that for Morton??? This year Morton has been poor defensively. And like Dunn of early years needs to learn what is required at AFL level. Its not a negotiable matter. He's close to selection and his time will come. But he aint a superstar and needs to sho some of the basic to match the hyperbole.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Cale could be a superstar!! At his best he could be an elite winger, but if he doesn't learn that hard work is the key ingredient, then he will be another Brent Grgic. He is the best of the Morton brothers, but is that really saying much???

Richmond played Mitch Morton off the wing yesterday and I thought he was very good for them.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

At this particular moment in time Morton is a conundrum. Not agile or strong enough to be a midfielder, doesn't hit targets enough to be an outside player and definitely not strong enough for a key position. He has a lot of things going for him too such as his height, his tank and his ability to fin dthe ball in space.

I believe that the moving of players like Cale around is symptomatic. The footy dept are trying to find his best position.

He is still a young player and has plenty time to work on his deficiencies.

Edited August 9, 2010 by dandeeman

[Red Sox 2]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

In no way did Richmond run us off our feet.

You may know Morton better than the average supporter. He has been dropped all of what? Once? Was he actually dropped this week because he didnt play at Casey?

To say he has disappeared from the scene is way over the top. He was injured early in the season and when fit, returned straight away. He got dropped because his defensive work is so lacking.

Going to be a damn fine player IMO, but needs to work more.

As for Martin. Not sure anyone can say much at all yet, there is potential but to say he is being turned into a utility? That's a bit off the mark at this stage as he really isn't anything yet. I thought he looked most comfortable up back a couple of years ago. There is a lot of upside with Steph and look forward to seeing him getting fit next year as this year has been a write off for him.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Demon Jack 16

[mauriesy 7,296]

Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him back in now.

I have some doubt you even know what Cale's situation really is.

"He is not being guided on why he is being dropped"? Really? Do you really think a player would get dropped and just be told "sorry, son, you're out this week"? That's not the way clubs work, and I'm sure it's not the way Melbourne and Bailey work. They would be guiding Cale in every facet of his career.

These days, with strategies such rolling zones, floods, defensive collapse, forward presses and defensive forwards, it's not as though you find a player their "position" then plonk them there for the rest of their careers. Players have to adapt their games to the team's requirements and learn how to play football as it's played in 2010, not 1980. They have to be defensive as well as attacking, and accountable for their man.

Dunn is becoming a more effective player because the defensive side of the game that he has had to learn, through tagging and run-with roles, is now combining with the forward potential he started off with. It's made him a much better player in the long run, and he has not suffered. The only way he would have suffered is if he sooked in the seconds about not being picked, rather than accepting the challenge to become better.

The challenge to become better is all Cale's to accept, and only Cale's. There is no divine right to be selected just because you have skills, some experience and were a #4 draft pick.

Edited August 9, 2010 by maurie

[The Big Ticket 94]

Dunn's career has turned around because of the way he plays his football. Not due to where he plays. Dunn was played as a tagger to teach him to be accountable and to make the contest. It actually made him as a footballer and taught him a couple of basics he was too timid to comply with in his early years. But his tagging which nearly destroyed his career has set him up as a defensive forward?? The only person who was destroying Dunn's career was Lyndon Dunn. He played his best game yesterday and his commitment to the contest and his decision making was full of the resolve that had been missing before.

.

Bingo. How could anyone not see how much it helped his game. I will be keenly watching his progress.

[sylvinator 96]

Morton is a key player going forward.

Yes, he's been dropped. It's great that underperforming players are getting dropped these days, unlike the last 2 years.

He'll be back. He's still going to have to find a position that suits him best. He will find it once he's got a fully developed body. Dunn, Bartram and Pettard have shown that it sometimes takes years before players find the position that suits them and the team best.

Cale's a beauty. Has all the right attributes- elite running ability, good overhead marking, 194cm, ability to find space, great kicking, good thinker.

There is absolutely no reason to believe he won't make it

[Green Machine 63]

Needs to show some urgency when attacking the ball, he is in his 3rd year, and still does not attack the ball anywhere near hard enough.

[Nasher 33,616]

If I were Cale Morton and the OP was a guy I knew, I'd be very embarrassed about being portrayed like a petulent child on these forums.

Cale's a smart bloke. I'm just going to run with the assumption that the OP is just flexing a tenuous link to a player to its absolute limit and assume that it's all bollocks, and that Cale knows and understands why he's not in the team.

[Keyser Söze 0]

If I were Cale Morton and the OP was a guy I knew, I'd be very embarrassed about being portrayed like a petulent child on these forums.

Cale's a smart bloke. I'm just going to run with the assumption that the OP is just flexing a tenuous link to a player to its absolute limit and assume that it's all bollocks, and that Cale knows and understands why he's not in the team.

Fantastic post.

Couldn't agree more.

[jnrmac 20,065]

Three players have suffered over the past few years after showing great potential. Dunne, Martin and Morton. Each showed potential in their general area then the club decided to throw them around. Fortunately Dunne has returned to form having been put back up forward. Acknowledging injury has not helped Martin his experimentation has robbed him of much. Morton is my big question. He is an elitely skilled player. Plugged holes all over the ground. And he has disappeared from the scene. He is too valuable to be out of the team. His style is necessary for team variety. He is essential to our future. We are top heavy with slow inside players. Today Richmond ran us off our feet. Such players don't improve by going back to the VFL. I happen to know he is becoming dissillusioned because he is not being guided on why he is being dropped. He is disgruntled. I want him backk in now.

You are Morton right? Or a brother? Or related? Here's what you said on another post:

Harrisonrules, on 08 August 2010 - 10:53 PM, said:

We were slow against the tigers today. Harsh as some see it but James MCD does little for the team now. Jones is better than McKenzie at this time as he has some outside to his game. McKenzie has little in this area. Jurrah and Watts need to grow in confidence therefore will continue. With Green and Dunne doing so well up forward, its wasting space playing Miller. (Bate, Morton Warnock Maric must come in before Miller) It's been a long year PJ has to stay. One ruck asks too much of the one remaining ruck. If by chance we did get to the finals, Jamar would be pooped. We need two rucks. The club is ruining Morton. They have got to find a spot for him as he is too good to mess around. Unhappy players go else where and Bailey has shown he doen't cope well with unhappy players. (EG C Johnson, S Buckley) He prefers to get rid of them. Morton is not the only young player unhappy with their treatment by the coaching staff. ( inside information)

Here's my response again for you:

Wow. Where do I start with this post.

Every TV commentator was salivating at how fast Melbourne runs, spreads and moves the ball. I agree. And we were still running at the end. Not sure what game you watched.

McKenzie has been a revelation this year - its hard to have much outside when you are the one inside getting the pill!! But the few times I have seen him receiving and giving he has proved to be pretty good.

"The club is ruining Morton" - ROTFL - yep Morton is unhappy. But until he plays more defensively like the coaches want (and have told him repeatedly) he won't get back into the team. Morton more than any other player has been given an armchair ride to get games under his belt. Some might say he has had it too easy. A bit like the spoiled kid that doesn't have to work hard to get what he wants. Cale will learn. And he won't want to miss out on the next few years at the Dees. Oh, and the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree so when you look at his two brothers they also have difficulties with their coaches because they are perhaps too pigheaded to play the way the coach wants. Mitch Morton has only just got back into the Toiges side because Hardwick is trying to teach him to play a more team orientated game.

As for DB not coping too well with players that are unhappy you have given me my first big belly laugh for the week. (thanks!) You could have added McLean to the list as well. Buckley was "uncoachable" according to one of the coaches I spoke to - wouldn't listen or do what was asked. He hasn't yet played a game at the Filth so maybe he hasn't learned a thing or maybe he is just not good enough. McLean was dropped for his lack of defensive effort. Didn't like it and left - great. Johnson was similar and hasn't set the world on fire either. No-one is lamenting the loss of any one of them.

On the other hand, Dunn, Warnock and Bate have had spells at Casey to learn their craft the way the coaches want them to play. I applaud the coaches for this stance and can see readily that if you don't want to play the way the coach wants you are out. Warnock is doing great guns, Dunn has improved dramatically and Bate will learn his lesson. Let's hope Morton does as well.

I nearly forgot your Junior comment. Ignorance at its best. Martin will finish top 2 or 3 in the Toiges B&F. Gun midfielder. Junior taught him a lesson. You couldn't have been watching could you?

Edited August 9, 2010 by jnrmac

[RalphiusMaximus 6,053]

Dunn's career has turned around because of the way he plays his football. Not due to where he plays. Dunn was played as a tagger to teach him to be accountable and to make the contest. It actually made him as a footballer and taught him a couple of basics he was too timid to comply with in his early years. But his tagging which nearly destroyed his career has set him up as a defensive forward?? The only person who was destroying Dunn's career was Lyndon Dunn. He played his best game yesterday and his commitment to the contest and his decision making was full of the resolve that had been missing before.

So you're attributing a move made out of desperation by Daniher to good planning and player management by Bailey? Dunn wasn't moved out of the forward line to learn anything, he was used as a tagger because Cornes was smashing us and everyone else they tried that day was hopeless. Unfortunately for him he succeeded in stopping the rampage and suddenly found himself the designated run-with player. And yes, this did almost end his career. Just look at the posts from earlier this year and last year. How many people on here were declaring him worthless, not even good enough to trade? He was drafted as a forward and that is where he should have been played.

Great, he only needs to learn to take make marks and kicks goals to be a nightmare forward!!! Wow.

I detect the presence of someone who is absolutely determined to be contrary and negative somewhere around here...

Yes, he needs to hold his marks and kick straight. If you have actually watched any of his games this year you would know exactly what I'm talking about. He presents well, he flies into packs, he can take the loose ball and turn his opponent inside out in a flash. However, too often when he flies he drops the mark and his kicking on the run is inaccurate. If he can get consistency in these two little things (yes little, they are only a matter of practice and confidence) he will be playing in the forward line on a regular basis.

Any chance a player should play a role to the team's benefit rather than camp in a role for the player? And which role is that for Morton??? This year Morton has been poor defensively. And like Dunn of early years needs to learn what is required at AFL level. Its not a negotiable matter. He's close to selection and his time will come. But he aint a superstar and needs to sho some of the basic to match the hyperbole.

I really don't think you read this paragraph at all. Skimming looking for someone to troll? Perhaps.

I really don't see how playing him all over the place at this stage is good for the team. The best thing for the team would be to let him settle and improve. Not only would he learn more playing in one position, but for an immature player (as mentioned earlier) it would help settle his mind and allow him to focus on what he is doing. Nor did I ever call him a superstar. I did compare him to a couple of players who are superstars and to whom he shows similarities in Goodes and Pavlich, and I maintain that this is a valid comparison. They are both players who are moved around to have the most impact for their team, and are able to dominate the game in any role they are asked to play. If Morton lives up to the potential we all see in him he will be in this category. It should be noted however that both Pavlich and Goodes were predominantly played in one position while they were developing. It was only after they were established as gun players that the chopping and changing began.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

So you're attributing a move made out of desperation by Daniher to good planning and player management by Bailey? Dunn wasn't moved out of the forward line to learn anything, he was used as a tagger because Cornes was smashing us and everyone else they tried that day was hopeless. Unfortunately for him he succeeded in stopping the rampage and suddenly found himself the designated run-with player. And yes, this did almost end his career. Just look at the posts from earlier this year and last year. How many people on here were declaring him worthless, not even good enough to trade? He was drafted as a forward and that is where he should have been played.

Ugh. In his first years with the Demons, he was hesistant to commit to a contest and repeatedly dropped his head first in line when marking. He was put into a tagging role to firstly make him accountable and secondly by tagging a good player he would learn to commit to contest. He has learnt that and only in the past four weeks has he played like a forward should. The only one that was ending Dunn's career was him. And if he had not lifted in the past 5 weeks he would have been a dime a dozen tagger. His ability to actually hurt the opposition when he has the ball with good decision making and execution has been great. It wasn't there even 3 months ago. But of course that was someelse fault other than the player.

Yes, he needs to hold his marks and kick straight.

Well he is close. He's only missing two of the most critical core skills for a forward. And presenting well and having no fear

I really don't see how playing him all over the place at this stage is good for the team. The best thing for the team would be to let him settle and improve. Not only would he learn more playing in one position, but for an immature player (as mentioned earlier) it would help settle his mind and allow him to focus on what he is doing. Nor did I ever call him a superstar. I did compare him to a couple of players who are superstars and to whom he shows similarities in Goodes and Pavlich, and I maintain that this is a valid comparison. They are both players who are moved around to have the most impact for their team, and are able to dominate the game in any role they are asked to play. If Morton lives up to the potential we all see in him he will be in this category. It should be noted however that both Pavlich and Goodes were predominantly played in one position while they were developing. It was only after they were established as gun players that the chopping and changing began.

Bollocks. Unless you are a KPB then you are likely to play all over the ground, with substantial running and interchange. Given where football has been heading for 5 years or so, the old let him settle in one position is naive and antiquated. It does not happen. And for the record, both Goodes and Pavlich played in a number of roles in their early years as well. Didnt hurt them at all.Unless Morton learns a proper defensive side to his game he will struggle like Dunn did. He is being taught that so he can achieve the potential you have bestowed on him. If he doesn't he will struggle to achieve those heights.

[Nasher 33,616]

It should be noted however that ... Goodes [was] predominantly played in one position while [he was] developing.

Sure, if "ruck-rover-midfield-forward" can be considered one position...

I'd give Brad Green as an example of a player who has benefitted hugely from being pushed about all over the place over the years. How many years after his first few as a promising forward and he pushed in to the middle were supporters screaming "move him forward, he's a forward!". What's Green now? A forward - a very good forward, who is capable of short, damaging bursts in the midfield. He's been moved in to the middle a few times this year in order to get him in to the game when the forwards (or just himself) are starved, and he's had an impact. I don't see why Dunn should not be capable of the same thing, especially considering he's had a first hand education on how hard to work and where to run.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,053]

Sure, if "ruck-rover-midfield-forward" can be considered one position...

I'd give Brad Green as an example of a player who has benefitted hugely from being pushed about all over the place over the years. How many years after his first few as a promising forward and he pushed in to the middle were supporters screaming "move him forward, he's a forward!". What's Green now? A forward - a very good forward, who is capable of short, damaging bursts in the midfield. He's been moved in to the middle a few times this year in order to get him in to the game when the forwards (or just himself) are starved, and he's had an impact. I don't see why Dunn should not be capable of the same thing, especially considering he's had a first hand education on how hard to work and where to run.

That'd be Brad Green who played his first few seasons as a forward right? The guy who got to learn the ropes at AFL level in one position before moving up the ground and playing through the midfield and half back line, showing his versatility and playmaking ability once he'd matured as a player? Thanks for illustrating my point so nicely.

As for Goodes, I can admit that he was played in many postions early on, however, it wasn't until he was able to focus on one position that he blossomed. To quote the oh-so-reputable wikipedia:

During 2000 and 2001, Goodes played in a variety of positions, developing his game but lacking consistency at times. He played every game during this period. In early 2002, however, his form had slumped and it had been suggested that he may be dropped. However, coach Rodney Eade resigned mid-season, and under interim (now permanent) coach Paul Roos, Goodes found himself playing more in the ruck. In the second half of that season, his form improved dramatically, resulting in some of the best football of his career.