A very good debut.

What I liked most was his lateral movement. I think this is where someone like Bate has struggled. Bate's okay in a straight line but if he needs to veer off his line to win the footy or try to evade someone then it slows him right down.

Howe last night showed some great mobility and was able to show some good speed when running in straight lines and when changing direction. I think this is an important attribute for a medium-sized forward.

It will get harder when the opposition become aware of him and what he can do, but the signs couldn't have been much better for a debutant.

He's not?

Although I read 'jumper punching' as 'jumper grabbing'...

Davey?

Lynden Dunn I'm pretty sure.

He's not?

Although I read 'jumper punching' as 'jumper grabbing'...

Davey?

Lynden Dunn I'm pretty sure.

Yeah, Dunn.

I have issues with news outlets calling him our 'tough man' as he isn't.

To me he looks a bit like a Petterd, but 7cm taller, a more reliable kick and much better tackling/1%ers/agression.

Really really like the look of him.

I still maintain we've got plenty of talent in the forward line: Jurrah, Howe, Watts, Petterd, Green with Cook to come through... we just desperately need a big bulky tall and a quality small forward to complete the mix

Select Jamar, Martin and Gawn. Play the russian up forward but have him take centre bounces, otherwise big Max on the ball, have Martin at CHB, and do the ruck work down back. MJ then becomes our big target up forward which we desperately need, but gives us qa ruck combination second to none in the AFL.

Exciting times.

Lynden Dunn I'm pretty sure.

Pretty Shore!

Yeah, Dunn.

I have issues with news outlets calling him our 'tough man' as he isn't.

Oh, right. Would not have thought of him. But agree wholeheartedly, he's pathetic, weak, afraid of contact, and hopeless when he tries to get 'aggressive' (which for him means throwing punches, bumping players in heads, and generally looking like a goose).

I do not want to see him back in the side unless absolutely necessary (defined as either when he's played consistent football at Casey for a sustained period of time (4 week minimum) and there's a spot available for him, or we run out of other players)

Good first game, shoes potential

What about his shoes??

what i liked the most was that he would throw himself at the ball, and 9/10 get two hand on it and make a great contest.

Seems to have great judgement in the air , as U said , got his hands on everything he flew for.

Loved his blocking work aswell .

[quote

Loved his blocking work aswell .

The best thing I saw from him ( and I saw it a few times) is he looked to put a good hard shepherd on after he had handballed or when running near. Most run for the recieve, he goes for the shepherd. So good to see that.

I noticed this too.....and there has been a precious lack of it at MFC. He runs, he tackles, he marks, kick well, and makes good decisions with good timing. This kid is the real deal.

doesn't mind crashing the packs aswell! reminded me alot of a young david neitz :D once he puts on a couple of beef stick him right in the goal square!

*BUMP*

I missed discussing Howe in this thread earlier in the week/on weekend. I watched the replay for the first time last night and I'm pleased I did because you can pick up on a few things with close ups on TV, than being at the footy. (And vice versa really). But he impressed me at the game, but even more so on the box. I agree with most of the following thoughts in the quotes below and I'll add I noticed him kick on both feet and was more than competent in both areas. Agree with his 2nd, 3rd efforts as well as the 1% efforts in helping teammates.

Wow, does this guy have a bit of X-factor or what.

The best thing I saw from him ( and I saw it a few times) is he looked to put a good hard shepherd on after he had handballed or when running near. Most run for the recieve, he goes for the shepherd. So good to see that.

Howe isn't just a marking forward, his 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc efforts are extremely good, I've been hanging out to see this kid play and he was worth the wait. Petterd, Dunn and Bate will be feeling a bit nervous after seeing his game I reckon...

The thing that really impressed me was his awareness of our players, and his field kicking. Some of his passes, one in praticular to Green when he played on in the goal square/nearly stuffed it up, that pass of Howe's was perfect.

His 2nd and 3rd efforts were great too.

I just want to ask him how he felt when we walked off. Was he totally stuffed? Almost? Regardless of how he felt, he has to do those 2nd and 3rd effort things every week. Missing targets will happen through pressure, etc. Not laying a sheppard or not tackling hard/hitting a contest hard should never happen. If he can assure he does these things each week, he will not find himself out of the side very often at all.

I'm pretty keen to see what Howe can do. With pressure from guys like Bate, Dunn and Petterd he'll probably need to keep playing well to stay in the team. If he can hold his spot for a while it'll be a good effort.

The thing that really impressed me was his awareness of our players, and his field kicking. Some of his passes, one in praticular to Green when he played on in the goal square/nearly stuffed it up, that pass of Howe's was perfect.

His 2nd and 3rd efforts were great too.

I just want to ask him how he felt when we walked off. Was he totally stuffed? Almost? Regardless of how he felt, he has to do those 2nd and 3rd effort things every week. Missing targets will happen through pressure, etc. Not laying a sheppard or not tackling hard/hitting a contest hard should never happen. If he can assure he does these things each week, he will not find himself out of the side very often at all.

That pass was the one I was referring to, on his left. Well weighted.

He was on the bench with Gawn and I think Evans when the siren went. He looked ok and very happy walking/running back on immediately after the game. So did Gawn & Evans.

Missing targets will happen through pressure, etc. Not laying a sheppard or not tackling hard/hitting a contest hard should never happen.

I agree. I'd be telling the young guys to focus on controlling what they can control, and assuring them that if they look after those things they'll have a good chance of staying in the side.

Everyone has dirty days, but - as you suggest - there's no excuse for not chasing, tackling, etc.

Oh, right. Would not have thought of him. But agree wholeheartedly, he's pathetic, weak, afraid of contact, and hopeless when he tries to get 'aggressive' (which for him means throwing punches, bumping players in heads, and generally looking like a goose).

I do not want to see him back in the side unless absolutely necessary (defined as either when he's played consistent football at Casey for a sustained period of time (4 week minimum) and there's a spot available for him, or we run out of other players)

I don't know,,, he may be able to get passed this stuff. Maybe we should get onto a program to toughen him from the inside out???

CH-7! Dancing with the Stars! I reckon he could be a Goer !

did anyone see the interview with him and Max Gawn earlier last week when it was announced they were debuting? Max gave off confidence that a few people have mentioned, but I was impressed with the honest toughness that Howe had. He wasn't there to mess around, and you could tell he was gonna be giving it a good go on Friday night.

A very good debut.

What I liked most was his lateral movement. I think this is where someone like Bate has struggled. Bate's okay in a straight line but if he needs to veer off his line to win the footy or try to evade someone then it slows him right down.

Howe last night showed some great mobility and was able to show some good speed when running in straight lines and when changing direction. I think this is an important attribute for a medium-sized forward.

It will get harder when the opposition become aware of him and what he can do, but the signs couldn't have been much better for a debutant.

Nice post Scoop

Dermie mentioned the lateral movement aspect when he was asked about his thoughts on Tom Hawkins recently and his inability to take the next step in his development. Basically said he was restricted to being a lead up (straight line) forward who struggled with lateral movement. In Dermie's opinion, one of the significant differences between a good forward and a great forward.

Probably a significant attribute for any forward really, not only medium sized. Even the largest of the large forwards, Plugger, was able to use lateral movement to his (and the team's) advantage on many occasions from what i remember of him. Ok maybe straight lines but at least in a lateral sense lol.

I liked what i saw on Fri eve....but i'm gonna keep a lid on it a little until i've seen a good chunk of him under fire.

Also recall getting highly excited about a debutant in the early 90's who had an amazing 4th & 5th game, and his 6th wasn't bad either. A total of 19 goals in 3 matches. Speckys allover the place! Pretty much downhill thereafter. Not saying they have anything in common. A long time ago too. Just saying....EZY now!

Footy's a damn mystery... You have guys like Dunn, Bate and Newton in the system for 6+ years, have all the bulk and skill and bits and pieces, and yet they can't seem to handball to advantage... do the simple things that Howie did in his first day on the job, albeit as a sort of slightly mature-age recruit.

I can't want to see how he fits into the structure with a taller forward line though. He kind of does a lot of what Jurrah does, only not nearly as well obviously.

Footy's a damn mystery... You have guys like Dunn, Bate and Newton in the system for 6+ years, have all the bulk and skill and bits and pieces, and yet they can't seem to handball to advantage... do the simple things that Howie did in his first day on the job, albeit as a sort of slightly mature-age recruit.

I can't want to see how he fits into the structure with a taller forward line though. He kind of does a lot of what Jurrah does, only not nearly as well obviously.

Except of course that his physicality and willingness to use it is FAR better than Jurrah's. His tackling and shepherding were outstanding on Friday.

To be fair to LJ, his willingness to use his body is getting better, and he's not just getting flicked off the ball like fluff in any contest.

It's very exciting to imagine what these two might be like together as time goes on.

Footy's a damn mystery... You have guys like Dunn, Bate and Newton in the system for 6+ years, have all the bulk and skill and bits and pieces, and yet they can't seem to handball to advantage... do the simple things that Howie did in his first day on the job, albeit as a sort of slightly mature-age recruit.

I can't want to see how he fits into the structure with a taller forward line though. He kind of does a lot of what Jurrah does, only not nearly as well obviously.

I realise that this is one game in but I liken Howe more (on how we moves) to a lead-up CHF/HFF.

See him more as a smarter version of Miller with better skills.

I think the Dunn, Bate and Newton experiment may be drawing to a close. Bate is paying the price for his lack of pace and fluctuating confidence, Dunn is paying the price for doing nothing for approx. 5 years of his stay here, and Newton is paying the price for being Newton.

Moving back to Howe, if he can do that role, as he did very well last week, Watts is freed up to do whatever it is that Bailey wants him to do - hopefully not loose man in defence...

Gotta say, our recruiting later in the draft and with "smokies" has been quite impressive since Barry Prendergast has been in control.

I can't want to see how he fits into the structure with a taller forward line though. He kind of does a lot of what Jurrah does, only not nearly as well obviously.

has a better tank than jurrah, and got involved much more up the field than jurrah does.

jurrah is more of a i50 forward, whereas howe was playing more up the ground than jurrah.

but similar.. in their leaping and marking attempts.

Maybe he can kick 8