You may think this is Chris Dawes. But it isn't.

First prize to the poster who knows the look-a-like ...

Victor Valdes Fc BArcelona

VV

Victor Valdes!

DA FTW.

Victor Valdes!

DA FTW.

He's often saved me from breaking my TV playing FIFA 12 online.

Indeed!

Former Collingwood forward Chris Dawes says he has experience to provide leadership at Melbourne

Look, I hate to break it to you, but effective key forwards have been in vogue for 100 years and will be in another 100 years. They're not always easy to come by but the teams that have them are invariably at the pointy end of the ladder.

Correct we had Lyon, Schwarta and Pyke playing that role for us at one stage and it wasn't a bad forward line with a little crumber known as Farmer to mop up.

I don't think that Collingwood invented the wheel they just used it.

Yes, while they are somewhat similar Dawes plays a far more physical game than Miller did. Miller worked really hard, but he wasn't comfortable crashing packs for some reason. It used to drive me nuts that he didn't play the big body role we needed.

Miller used to crash packs but they changed the rules and he got done a couple of times and changed his style, it was really the end for him.

Miller used to crash packs but they changed the rules and he got done a couple of times and changed his style, it was really the end for him.

Your memory is deserting you. Miller was really aggressive when bumping an individual - often to the head - and had to curb his ways, but he never crashed "packs" in the forward-line like a Hurley.

Taking out one other player is very different to crashing packs.

A bit late, but I finally got around to watching his presser and I thought he was very impressive. He seems a measured and intelligent bloke and seems to carry confidence without arrogance. Also seemed genuinely enthusiastic with the prospect of working with Neeld and Brown off-field and Clark on it.

I got a chuckle when Neeld mentioned that it wasn't every day when top-class forwards were on the move, so when they are you need to pounce (or words to that effect). Funny, I remember him saying exactly the same thing last year. There's obviously a lot of water to pass under the bridge yet, but on the face of it we appear to have struck gold two years in a row. Fingers crossed.

Dawes should be competitive but he's not yet a key forward - at least he's not one that kicks a lot of goals.

Dawes should be competitive but he's not yet a key forward - at least he's not one that kicks a lot of goals.

In the same way that Jarryd Roughead isn't a key forward, I guess.

Your memory is deserting you. Miller was really aggressive when bumping an individual - often to the head - and had to curb his ways, but he never crashed "packs" in the forward-line like a Hurley.

Taking out one other player is very different to crashing packs.

You are undoubtably the expert on the subject BH .

You can crash into a pack of perfectly happy posters and make them feel all dizzy with your superior knowledge of all things footy .

You are undoubtably the expert on the subject BH .

You can crash into a pack of perfectly happy posters and make them feel all dizzy with your superior knowledge of all things footy .

I aim to please.

It will be fascinating to see how we structure with 2 key forwards when not long ago we had none.

Head says rapid improvement is possible heart says she will only hurt you again.

Still in the US I'd say.

Maybe he has managed to con his way into the Magpie Arizona camp, hopefully at their expense :-))

This will be the first time that Dawes will fulfill the true full forward's role, as indicated by Neeld recently, and subsequently I expect him to kick more goals, i.e. 40-50.

Dawes should be competitive but he's not yet a key forward - at least he's not one that kicks a lot of goals.

In the same way that Jarryd Roughead isn't a key forward, I guess.

I was thinking along those lines too, though Roughy didn't have a great 2012 as I recall - still reached a GF and came close to winning it.

It will be fascinating to see how we structure with 2 key forwards when not long ago we had none.

Head says rapid improvement is possible heart says she will only hurt you again.

I certainly look forward to seeing it too, though if we are being (appropriately) cautious with one of our best assets (#11) we may have to wait a while.

In the same way that Jarryd Roughead isn't a key forward, I guess.

Not a great comparison I would say.

In 2012

Dawes 89 ho, 292 disposals, 16 goals

Roughy 222 ho, 392 disposals 41 goals

Over career:

Dawes Avg 1.7 ho, 12.5 disposals, 1.2 goals

Roughy Avg 2.9 ho, 13 disposals, 1.8 goals

My point is Dawes has never kicked more than 30 goals. If ppl are expecting him to be a 50 goal a year player there is no evidence to suggest he can be.

Not a great comparison I would say.

In 2012

Dawes 89 ho, 292 disposals, 16 goals

Roughy 222 ho, 392 disposals 41 goals

Over career:

Dawes Avg 1.7 ho, 12.5 disposals, 1.2 goals

Roughy Avg 2.9 ho, 13 disposals, 1.8 goals

My point is Dawes has never kicked more than 30 goals. If ppl are expecting him to be a 50 goal a year player there is no evidence to suggest he can be.

Actually its a fair comparison, .6 goals difference over their careers is not that large and considering they play the same role in two of the best teams from the last 5 years its pretty apt.

In terms of the comparison for 2012 Roughhead played 6 games as KPF whilst Franklin was out mid-season, Dawes didn't do this at all, Cloke played every game. Also Dawes played with a broken knuckle for the majority of the year, Roughhead was relatively injury free after coming back from his Achilles pre-season, finally Roughhead played in a team that kicks far more goals than Dawes' Collingwood (Collingwood 350, Hawthorn 435), its a chicken and the egg argument but Collingwood plays a far more defensive low scoring style than Hawthorn so Roughy has an easier time getting goals.

As for more than 30 goals most 2nd KPF kick below this, and with Mitch in the forward line thats what you would expect Dawes to be. Only the very best teams 2nd KPF kick more than 30 goals (Roughhead, Tippett and Podsiadly being the only 3 this year), and the premiers had only one goalkicker over 40 goals in Jetta, the KPFs for Sydney all kicked around 30 goals and less (Goodes (arguably 3rd KPF) 37, Reid 31, LRT 27), yet they did pretty well. All Dawes has to do for us is create a contest, kick enough goals to help us win games and support Mitch Clark. Saying he hasn't kicked over 30 goals is irrelevant to whether or not he will be successful, football isn't about KPF kicking all your goals anymore.

Edited November 18, 201212 yr by deejammin'

Didn't expect Clark to do what he did, so hoping Dawes lifts a gear at the mfc too

My point is Dawes has never kicked more than 30 goals. If ppl are expecting him to be a 50 goal a year player there is no evidence to suggest he can be.

Before anyone ever kicks more goals than they previously have there's no evidence they can. With me ?

What I do know is that in 2011 prior to getting injured he averaged 1.75 goals per game from his first 12 games. If one extrapolates that it becomes 39 over 22. In fact, bearing in mind that Collingwood played 25 games that year he was on target to reach 45 goals. Dawes is 24 and coming into his prime years as a key forward.

I don't see that it's much of a stretch to think he can bump that 1.75 average up to 2.2, which would see him hit the 50 goal mark.

Edited November 18, 201212 yr by Ben-Hur

Before anyone ever kicks more goals than they previously have there's no evidence they can. With me ?

What I do know is that in 2011 prior to getting injured he averaged 1.75 goals per game from his first 12 games. If one extrapolates that it becomes 39 over 22. In fact, bearing in mind that Collingwood played 25 games that year he was on target to reach 45 goals. Dawes is 24 and coming into his prime years as a key forward.

I don't see that it's much of a stretch to think he can bump that 1.75 average up to 2.2, which would see him hit the 50 goal mark.

All he needs to do is hold the marks and kick the ball through the middle.These are two things he has struggled with .

All he needs to do is hold the marks and kick the ball through the middle.These are two things he has struggled with .

I've always considered him a very good kick for goal, but in 2012 his accuracy deserted him, as he kicked 16 goals 20. Prior to that he'd kicked 67 goals and 37 behinds, which is a good career conversion rate of over 64%.

His marking needs improving. We all know that he's a confidence player, so perhaps that's the link. Either that, or he's just not a great mark and needs to get his opportunities out on the lead. Although I have seen him take strong marks.

The club's being crying out for quality big forwards since Neitz.. Having picked up Clark, Dawes and Hogan if you're not a little excited then you must barrack for Melbou...............oh well.

All he needs to do is hold the marks and kick the ball through the middle.These are two things he has struggled with .

I second what BH said. Before this season that has just gone, he was always considered a very reliable kick infront of goal. Every player has a period in his career where something goes awry and his accuracy and marking were his problem this year. I have no doubt he can return to his form under Malthouse, and given he is now 24 and entering his prime, i think we may see a similar scenario we have seen with clark (minus the injury). bring on 2013

The club's being crying out for quality big forwards since Neitz.. Having picked up Clark, Dawes and Hogan if you're not a little excited then you must barrack for Melbou...............oh well.

I'd add Cam Pedersen to that list. Imo they have the where-with-all to form the nucleus of a potent, multi-pronged attack.