Any chance this bloke can get in front. Week after week he is caught behind, it drives me insane. The best games his played is when he is working hard and been hit up on the lead . He isn't a very good contested mark and time after time his caught behind his opponent or trying to wrestle them. When we have the ball around the centre line he just stands there and points to the air to sit it on his head... Chris your not that good in the air or one on one, get on your bike and lead to the kicker and provide an option to players coming forward

Edited June 30, 201411 yr by JV7

I think he is pretty good one v one, sure he doesnt mark it much (maybe 10% of the time), but (especially when he first came in) he never lost the contest and usually brings it to ground for our small crumbing forwards to run onto (oh wait we don't really have any that are playing well or in the team).

Agree, that when he gets some space on the lead (e.g. push off and lead hard) he is very good, but it might also be our slow play and our poorer kicks putting it on-top of his head/not to advantage.

I think he is pretty good one v one, sure he doesnt mark it much (maybe 10% of the time), but (especially when he first came in) he never lost the contest and usually brings it to ground for our small crumbing forwards to run onto (oh wait we don't really have any that are playing well or in the team).

Agree, that when he gets some space on the lead (e.g. push off and lead hard) he is very good, but it might also be our slow play and our poorer kicks putting it on-top of his head/not to advantage.

I should have said he very rarely marks it one on one.. He definitely always makes a contest but most of the time he brings it to ground rarely.. And as you said we aren't blessed with crumbers atm. I also agree with you that our slower ball movement wouldn't help but too many times when we bring it forward his caught behind

Edited June 30, 201411 yr by JV7

can't take a mark in his hands, only ever does chest marks.
Was the same when he was at the pies.
Still, brings much to our team and is vital for us.

Started like a house on fire but has since cooled a fair bit. We need him to try and get back near where he was earlier in the year, because he is such a presence and focal point.

Agree that he is a good chest mark, but there's a little to be desired when marking overhead (though most CHF's are the same, in leading up and taking a chest mark).

I can't remember Dawes being outmarked yesterday, but too often he missed the mark and the ball fell to the Dogs' advantage.

Mind you, he gets dreadful service from the ball carriers, and he often had to beat more than one opponent.

Hopefully, if we carry the ball better and organise a smoother transition, Dawes will 1) have help, 2) be one of two or three options, and 3) get better service.

I can't remember Dawes being outmarked yesterday, but too often he missed the mark and the ball fell to the Dogs' advantage.

Mind you, he gets dreadful service from the ball carriers, and he often had to beat more than one opponent.

Hopefully, if we carry the ball better and organise a smoother transition, Dawes will 1) have help, 2) be one of two or three options, and 3) get better service.

Hallelujah.

What kind of service do we think our forwards are getting?

He needs to clunk more when he manages to body out and get his hands up but don't sit there and tell me that Dawes is the reason he is getting kicked on his head. He is a good forward with good instincts. He is also a role player that needs better service. We have to get better with our forward entries, it's as simple as that.

Poor service, never gets a free but is dropping ones he should swallow.

In regards to not leading I think some of that is game plan.

If he's the deepest tall forward I think some of the ball movement instructions is to get the play up to midfield through the smalls and use some switches, run and carry or kicks back through the corridor. Because otherwise Dawes leads out to 80m from goal and there's no one left to kick to. On smaller grounds like Etihad I'd prefer to see him coming up at the ball and worry about the next kick later.

At times I'd like to see him just lead for the ball and worry about what's behind him later.

I'm so impatient for Hogan so he and Dawes can form a partnership with either Pedo or Gawn as the second ruck depending on form/match ups etc.

Would love to combine pedos hands with the rest of Dawes.

Dawes looks very uncoordinated when he tries to mark above his head and doesn't get much of a leap on, but despite this he impacts every contest and works hard once the ball has gone to ground. He is very important to our forward line.

Sidenote: Jamar and Gawn both showed great hands yesterday, something they haven't done so far this season.

I think Dawes is trying to accomplish too much out of a view that he needs to step up and drag others along. In doing so hes not getting it quite right often ( but sometimes....woohoo )

Get Jess on the park and Dawes gets a different minder. Things might pick up some

I think Dawes is trying to accomplish too much out of a view that he needs to step up and drag others along. In doing so hes not getting it quite right often ( but sometimes....woohoo )

Get Jess on the park and Dawes gets a different minder. Things might pick up some

Second tall - think Cloke and Dawes together in their premiership year. nice

Second tall - think Cloke and Dawes together in their premiership year. nice

it was my thinking

Jesse likes to roam and engage the game. if Dawes was left idling and cruises the HFL with a lesser light on his tail. Other teams might find this awkward.

I wouldn't be surprised if he is carrying a niggling injury. He works well whilst roaming up the ground and taking chest marks. He's played deep recently which doesn't work when he cant take a mark. Dawes high and Pedersen deep is a better option IMO

it was my thinking

Jesse likes to roam and engage the game. if Dawes was left idling and cruises the HFL with a lesser light on his tail. Other teams might find this awkward.

Still think it is moot until the midfield can move it quickly AND well.

Still think it is moot until the midfield can move it quickly AND well.

well there is that...granted.

I do wonder , seriously though, how much of the hesitancy and accompanied anywhere but fwd play is as a direct result of inadequate paths to goal. Not to say Dawes is that but hes only one. Get Hogan there and theres suddenly a couple of handy avenues. This might play on the psyche of the players. who knows, its conjecture without doubt but I think it carries some reality.

I should have said he very rarely marks it one on one.. He definitely always makes a contest but most of the time he brings it to ground rarely.. And as you said we aren't blessed with crumbers atm. I also agree with you that our slower ball movement wouldn't help but too many times when we bring it forward his caught behind

Yea i remember one where we had a clearance forward of centre (think it was a quick snap into the forward line) and dawes completely miss-read it thinking it was going to go 40-50 m when it went about 30, so he started to go backwards and his opponent went forwards and he only just made the spoil in time.

Would love to combine pedos hands with the rest of Dawes.

Pedos hands.

Now there is something you'll rarely hear in polite company.

Pedos hands.

Now there is something you'll rarely hear in polite company.

ROLF. I mean, ROFL.

I wish he would clunk more grabs - but how many contests does he halve ? How often is he comprehensibly beaten ? We need Hogan as the other power forward and a decent crumber at their feet and we would look a lot better.

RPFC - you are right though - bombing the ball on the forwards head ? Not ideal at all. There is a difference between getting it in quickly to a one on one and kicking it to the advantage side of the forward as opposed to a slow build up and dropping it on their heads.

An aspect to Hogans play Im just salivating to watch is his pushing forward to get into the game and he doesnt mind wheeling around immediately and moving the ball quickly. This ought to be an interesting experience for Melbourne

Dawes in space is hard to beat. Going to be fascinating watching the synergy develop between these two ( hopefully )

Silly thread.

What about the [censored] delivery he gets?

Monster forward - star and leader.

ROLF. I mean, ROFL.

in light of current court room dramas in the UK I am glad you corrected yourself

Works his backside off but continuosly drops marks. Ideally we'll look to recruit a young key forward to work with Jessie and have Dawsey as 2nd/3rd option

shut this down