When fit are the two important words.

looking like he are paying very big money for very few games.

"When fit are the two important words." Crucial for every one of our players OD. With our new players we look half presentable - if we can regularly get our best side on the paddock we may do some damage.

Ufortunately we do not have the depth of the top sides.

Grundy will play more games this year.

It's a very good thing the Fitz found some form this year. Hopefully he can build on it.

Was that the pick for Grundy?

No, Broomhead.

My issue is how often 6-8 weeks ends up being 10-12 or worse at MFC.

My issue is how often 6-8 weeks ends up being 10-12 or worse at MFC.

I won't disagree that is a problem but it is associated with soft tissue injuries that have to be allowed to heal not arthroscopes of the knee which is surgery recover. Short of an infection diagnosis and recovery from this sort of thing is quite predictable.

I think it is possible it is all related, either knee injury caused by compensating for injured calf/ankle or vice versa.

If you cannot get on the park you are useless.

And people were worrying about how we would fit Hogan, Fitzy, Clark and Dawes into the forward line.

I am glad we did not trade Fitzy as some wanted.

There is a little thing called off-field leadership.

Dawes is a born leader - I would rather have him on the list and him never play a game than a fully fit Nicho.

Dawes, Clark, Viney, Jones - those are the kind of guys that are going to turn this club around - it all starts off-field.

Fickle bunch we are. Dawes plays a good game "Make Dawes captain" "Worth every cent" "Collingwood should never have let him go"

Dawes has a delayed start to pre-season "Dawes can't get on the park" "What a waste of a trade" "Did Collingwood get Grundy with our pick OMG"

The article says he'll resume training before Christmas. Months and months before Round 1 is even in the picture. Take a chill pill.

He may have only played 12 games this year but (to me at least) it's hardly wrist-slitting time.

Better Chris than a young kid. He has a number of preseasons under his belt so has a much better fitness base than younger players.

If (yes I know it's a big if) we manage the injury properly, there is no reason he won't be ready to go, fully fit, come round 1

Better Chris than a young kid. He has a number of preseasons under his belt so has a much better fitness base than younger players.

If (yes I know it's a big if) we manage the injury properly, there is no reason he won't be ready to go, fully fit, come round 1

Agreed - it's just annoying but part of football and could have been someone worse.

Why doesn't Nicho or Pedo ever get injured

Thanks Mark Neeld for spending all that war chest money we raised on a dud forward.

pick 20

and half a mil every year

There is a little thing called off-field leadership.

Dawes is a born leader - I would rather have him on the list and him never play a game than a fully fit Nicho.

Dawes, Clark, Viney, Jones - those are the kind of guys that are going to turn this club around - it all starts off-field.

Sorry YD I don't agree while it is helpful to do good work off the field he is paid to play and hopefully 90% of the games.

We have a bevy of coaches to do the off field work.

He is paid big money to be on the field.

If you cannot do that what is the point?

When fit are the two important words.

looking like he are paying very big money for very few games.

didn't Chris Dawes wear that knee bandage from the start, when he first came over to us? if he already had minor knee issues, its possible it just needed a cleanup?

lets hope its in good nick? and we can expect many games for him in 2014?

didn't Chris Dawes wear that knee bandage from the start, when he first came over to us? if he already had minor knee issues, its possible it just needed a cleanup?

lets hope its in good nick? and we can expect many games for him in 2014?

Do we have a choice dee-luded?

Sorry YD I don't agree while it is helpful to do good work off the field he is paid to play and hopefully 90% of the games.

We have a bevy of coaches to do the off field work.

He is paid big money to be on the field.

If you cannot do that what is the point?

Yer - but what do you do, do you delist Clark and Dawes because they have had a rough period?

Surprisingly Dawes did play 12 games last year (in patches though). What I mean is there is no way we should get rid of Dawes just because he has had an unlucky run with injuries.

He will prove his worth in time - both on and off-field.

Few people need to have a lie down and a rest here!!

It says he'll be back training before Christmas. Given 5th year pros and later don't go back until Nov 18th he'll be missing at most 3 weeks of pre-season.. 3 weeks which is spent primarily of fitness. Watching Chris as a pro it appears that is one area he prides himself on and I'd be seriously surprised being in Arizona if his basic level of fitness wasn't already fairly decent. He'll be training full throttle post Christmas when the whips are cracking and we're working on our ball skills and structures for 2014. That to me is all that matters.

Yer - but what do you do, do you delist Clark and Dawes because they have had a rough period?

Surprisingly Dawes did play 12 games last year (in patches though). What I mean is there is no way we should get rid of Dawes just because he has had an unlucky run with injuries.

He will prove his worth in time - both on and off-field.

Of course you cannot delist them.

I hope you are right because he is off to a very slow start .

2015 better be very Good.

We have a bevy of coaches to do the off field work.

One of our problems, and often cited in getting rid of Bruce, Junior etc., is the absence of off-field leadership from experienced players. No matter how many coaches we have, they don't/can't bring that. Dawes does - in spades.

Doesn't justify in itself a huge salary, so yes, it's essential that he plays. Hopefully this will sort out his niggles, and get him ready for a solid year next year. An important player for us, makes the whole forward setup look different, and he's a great example to players like Hogan, Fitzpatrick, Howe etc. as to what they need to be doing on the field.

Of course you cannot delist them.

I hope you are right because he is off to a very slow start .

2015 better be very Good.

Well in the mean time you can get to know Dawesy! (great bloke)

Do you think he could change his dogs names to Hogan and Clark?

One of our problems, and often cited in getting rid of Bruce, Junior etc., is the absence of off-field leadership from experienced players. No matter how many coaches we have, they don't/can't bring that. Dawes does - in spades.

Doesn't justify in itself a huge salary, so yes, it's essential that he plays. Hopefully this will sort out his niggles, and get him ready for a solid year next year. An important player for us, makes the whole forward setup look different, and he's a great example to players like Hogan, Fitzpatrick, Howe etc. as to what they need to be doing on the field.

I agree bing181 but to get good value he has to be on the field.

So far he has been poor in that area.

I hope 2014 is better and 2015 is good.

Well in the mean time you can get to know Dawesy! (great bloke)

YD he can be just to the left of JC I don't care.

Just play 20 good games in 2014.

That is all I want.

Winning is all that matters and we need him playing to win.

Disappointing but not overly surprising.

Still hanging for the day when Clark and Dawes are out on the same paddock.

Bargain

I reckon Chris is more disappointed than all of us put together.

No doubt he'll be trying his best to play round 1 next year. Fingers crossed he makes it.

This is exactly right, all the people on here grilling him for being "the most expensive bench warmer" and the like, really need to pull their heads in. The type of competitor he is he played injured throughout the season because he wanted the best for his teammates. Probably what caused the injuries here, but because he is that type of player, the type that would do anything to better himself for the club. Pretty frustrating reading the same posters bag out own players week in week out.

Chris Dawes would be more disappointed than anyone.