We would possibly be winless without Dawes

Kicked two goals despite shithouse delivery, and provided amazing forward pressure for a big man. Also give us really good leadership. Criticise this guy last, because he is just about the best player in our team on a number of very important levels.

Kicked two goals despite shithouse delivery, and provided amazing forward pressure for a big man. Also give us really good leadership. Criticise this guy last, because he is just about the best player in our team on a number of very important levels.

Never did I criticise his workrate, pressure, tackling or leadership all those aspects of his game are enormous for a key a forward! I'm just saying the last few weeks I have noticed he is trying to get the out the back to often and is more often then not playing from behind. Earlier in the year when he was in form he was presenting across half forward and leading up.

Would love CD to remain a Dee and see out his career as one of us

can we have about 6 more of him ?

Love the way he tackles. Means business. Goes about his work like we would expect an AFL player should.

I gotta say, I'm glad many are contextualising and defending Dawes! He has played a lone hand in a make shift forward line. The only other natural forward he has had to work with is a 2013 draftee. JKH.

As others have said;

Poor delivery

Competes on very level

Kicks goals

Tackles

And is leading the way as a forward.

Let's wait til He is able to team up with Hogan, JKH matures and he has quality midfielders resting next to him.

I'll add, Watts has improved a lot having Dawes In The forward line. Watts can now take the third tall or a shorter HBF and exploit who ever is playing on him. That's with Frawley playing the second KPF.

I gotta say, I'm glad many are contextualising and defending Dawes! He has played a lone hand in a make shift forward line. The only other natural forward he has had to work with is a 2013 draftee. JKH.

As others have said;

Poor delivery

Competes on very level

Kicks goals

Tackles

And is leading the way as a forward.

Let's wait til He is able to team up with Hogan, JKH matures and he has quality midfielders resting next to him.

I'll add, Watts has improved a lot having Dawes In The forward line. Watts can now take the third tall or a shorter HBF and exploit who ever is playing on him. That's with Frawley playing the second KPF.

doesnt need to be Chip...but get the gist

Not the most clever of power forwards when jostling at marking contests. Needs to improve in this area.

Otherwise he's contributing albeit a little inconsistently.

Shaved, lost his mojo /thread

Chris has done a fantastic job so far this season despite dismal delivery from the midfield and a proper second tall forward to assist him (Frawley is a defender and Pedders is more a utility rather than a legitimate forward). His leadership and forward pressure is exceptional. Worth every penny and his best days are yet to come.

Love his passion. You could see he was furious with himself when coming off for a break for not having a bigger impact in the early part of the game. Didn't play that well but still kicked 2 and was a combative presence. The lack of a good small forward hasn't helped him. Terlich up forward wasn't one of Roosys best ideas.

Butter hands.

Very frustrating when you're paying someone big bucks to be a big key forward, and he can't hold a mark unless it lands on his chest.

I know he brings a lot to the table in terms of contest and leadership, and that can't be underestimated. But in many of our close losses this year, him plucking a few marks up forward and kicking clutch goals would have made all the difference. It's not like we are asking an 18 year old to do it, Dawes is super experienced and has a mature body. His output currently is less than what I think everyone would have expected, especially Dawes himself.

Again, he is invaluable off the field, and his on field leadership is also wonderful, but as a KPF he hasn't been delivering in my opinion.

Butter hands.

Very frustrating when you're paying someone big bucks to be a big key forward, and he can't hold a mark unless it lands on his chest.

I know he brings a lot to the table in terms of contest and leadership, and that can't be underestimated. But in many of our close losses this year, him plucking a few marks up forward and kicking clutch goals would have made all the difference. It's not like we are asking an 18 year old to do it, Dawes is super experienced and has a mature body. His output currently is less than what I think everyone would have expected, especially Dawes himself.

Again, he is invaluable off the field, and his on field leadership is also wonderful, but as a KPF he hasn't been delivering in my opinion.

Jaded while I agree with you somewhat, I think he had been playing his role "ok" without dominating. From 10 games this year he is averaging 12 disposals, 4 marks and 1.5 goals.

Which is similar to his career averages of 12 disposals 4.9 marks and 1.2 goals.

So really we are getting good output considering our midfield and therefore his delivery is significantly worse than the Collingwood premiership midfield he previously played with.

Out of interest at 3.6 tackles he is tackling better than ever in his career.

If you take out the 11 goals Riewoldt kicked against GWS, Dawes' stats are pretty similar to Jack Riewoldt season to date.

I'd love him to take more marks too. I hope they are working on his hands out in front because he gets to a lot of contests and could be a gun. But he is a servicable CHF/FF in a poor team. Hopefully he can hold his current form when Hogan comes in.

CD would be taken their first defender currently. Change this and output will also

Butter hands.

Very frustrating when you're paying someone big bucks to be a big key forward, and he can't hold a mark unless it lands on his chest.

I know he brings a lot to the table in terms of contest and leadership, and that can't be underestimated. But in many of our close losses this year, him plucking a few marks up forward and kicking clutch goals would have made all the difference. It's not like we are asking an 18 year old to do it, Dawes is super experienced and has a mature body. His output currently is less than what I think everyone would have expected, especially Dawes himself.

Again, he is invaluable off the field, and his on field leadership is also wonderful, but as a KPF he hasn't been delivering in my opinion.

I am sure that Chris will not be resting on his laurels, and will know that he can do better especially in the contested marking area.

He is a very smart, aggressive player playing essentially a lone role as a KPP tall in a forward line structure in which he would probably been #3.

He won't be happy and will work on it.

Dean, not sure you can compare the delivery to Dawes in his days at Collingwood. At Collingwood, he played second fiddle to cloak and a lot of small forwards, at Melbourne he is pretty much the whole shooting match. So he gets the best defenders and as we allow the opposition a spare in defence he may also be out numbered, it at least seems that way from man of the games I have seen this year anyway. So in some ways he is actually playing better than he did at Collingwood, given the obstacles he now faces at the MFC.

Dean, not sure you can compare the delivery to Dawes in his days at Collingwood. At Collingwood, he played second fiddle to cloak and a lot of small forwards, at Melbourne he is pretty much the whole shooting match. So he gets the best defenders and as we allow the opposition a spare in defence he may also be out numbered, it at least seems that way from man of the games I have seen this year anyway. So in some ways he is actually playing better than he did at Collingwood, given the obstacles he now faces at the MFC.

yep.

More on his shoulders (literally ) at Melbourne.

Cant wait to have Hogan there and see the dynamics change

Dean, not sure you can compare the delivery to Dawes in his days at Collingwood. At Collingwood, he played second fiddle to cloak and a lot of small forwards, at Melbourne he is pretty much the whole shooting match. So he gets the best defenders and as we allow the opposition a spare in defence he may also be out numbered, it at least seems that way from man of the games I have seen this year anyway. So in some ways he is actually playing better than he did at Collingwood, given the obstacles he now faces at the MFC.

I don't disagree with that. I did state that his outputs were marginally better than career averages even with worse delivery. My argument was that we were getting similar, or better, output from him than expected.

no complaint with Dawes

but would like to see Howe deep in the pocket. It fits with a lot of the scenarios above.

Looking leaner than previous pre seasons, will this allow Dawesy to be a little bit more agile and more successful in marking contests. I don't doubt his competitiveness but he needs to get his hands on the footy more consistently next season and slot a few more goals to allow Hogan time to settle in.

Chris Dawes has been a fantastic acquisition.

Hogan will flourish with Dawes close to him...

Chris Dawes has been a fantastic acquisition.

Hogan will flourish with Dawes close to him...

I agree Jumbo ..... his teaching and leadership values to the team should not be underestimated. Hopefully 2015 will see him play most games and eliminate the occasional silly (team-costing) indiscretions.

Looking leaner than previous pre seasons, will this allow Dawesy to be a little bit more agile and more successful in marking contests. I don't doubt his competitiveness but he needs to get his hands on the footy more consistently next season and slot a few more goals to allow Hogan time to settle in.

Dont know how being leaner will all of a sudden make him a better mark of the footy?

Dont know how being leaner will all of a sudden make him a better mark of the footy?

I thought I made it clear that it should help with his agility.

Does that make sense?

Looking leaner than previous pre seasons, will this allow Dawesy to be a little bit more agile and more successful in marking contests. I don't doubt his competitiveness but he needs to get his hands on the footy more consistently next season and slot a few more goals to allow Hogan time to settle in.

He needs to hold the ball when he does get his hands on it, I would say that is a bigger problem for him.