Chris Dawes....

[ijbfossil 77]

Undeniable he was awful today when badly needed (I know he wasn't Robinson Crusoe but that is another issue).

[Demon Disciple 11,733]

He was amazing for the first part of the year.

I reckon he may be feeling a little frustrated given the service he is trying to receive. Imagine being in a forward line looking at what has transpired for the greater part of the second half of the year.

Not only would he be struggling to stay awake, it would be rather depressing looking at from the forward line.

[Pitchy 196]

Fill a glass of water to the brim and then slowly tip it out until there's nothing left. That's how my belief in Chris Dawes' ability has waned over the past 10 weeks.

Finally!!

We can't become a competitive team with a turnover potato as the major target. Put any other player over 6ft at CHF for better results.

We just scored 3 goals against GWS.

[Moneider96 1,045]

I feel sorry for Dawes. You can see him trying his hardest...but he just doesn't have the skill...I hope he turns things around. He's a good bloke

[Pitchy 196]

Definitely seems like a great bloke! But Dawes has to go to the VFL for the team to improve. Is not good enough at the top level.

I've always felt that Neeld brought him across as part of the patronizing 'Collingwood are so good, even a premiership reject will help this terrible club' philosophy. Neeld showed no interest in our players with potential like Big Stef, Petterd, Jurrah, Jetta etc. He under coached them, while overpaying and praising limited athletes like Dawes. Even now, I cannot bare having to hear McGuire still pumping Dawes up, despite repeated horrible performances. Every time he mentions Dawes it is with the tone of; "a Pies premiership player is down in the gutter helping the insipid MFC". It's part of us being the patronized AFL basket-case that we are.

Roosy's was right to identify Dawes leadership skills and positive cultural influence and play him early this year. Now Paul Roos has to be strong, show some vision, look past the $$ contract, look beyond the premiership medallion and see him for what he is: a C-grade tall who can't mark to the required standard.

It's time to let Chris Dawes settle into the role he was carving for himself at Collingwood and the one he should have at the Dees. Hard working VFL back up tall.

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

I got howled down a couple of months back for my comments re Dawes. Yes he is an ok leader but plain and simple hes a very ordinary footballer, a terrible pick up when you consider what we are paying him, but we didn't have many other options at the time. I've never rated his skills and even Collingwood supporters will tell you how bad he was even with getting delivery from Beams, Thomas, Pendles, Swan etc. Continually running to the kicker then the ball bouncing off his hands and also leading wide to the boundary, although I think he has improved this area. Doesn't get much support and we are missing Clark badly but hes still an ordinary footballer.

[stuie 7,374]

I got howled down a couple of months back for my comments re Dawes.

Maybe because he was playing good footy then.

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

Hardly what I'd call good footy, maybe good for Melb standards but he was still mediocre.

[stuie 7,374]

Hardly what I'd call good footy, maybe good for Melb standards but he was still mediocre.

Worst inside 50 team in the comp. Tell me which of our forwards has had a better than mediocre season not by MFC standards...

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

I'm not going to argue with you stuie, I just think he's poor, I've always thought that for a very long time. Nobody has had a better year than him, whats he got 17-18 goals?? The worst in the comp since 95 years ago? What does Buddy do when the ball isn't come into him, he gets up the ground gets involved. We struggle getting it past the wings, Dawes does try but the poor bloke isn't skilled enough to make an impact consistently.

You are making excuses for him, but I'm not, hes just not a very good footballer.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Tyson_Viney_Toumpas

[stuie 7,374]

I'm not going to argue with you stuie, I just think he's poor, I've always thought that for a very long time. What does Buddy do when the ball isn't come into him, he gets up the ground gets involved. We struggle getting it past the wings, Dawes does try but the poor bloke isn't skilled enough to make an impact consistently.

You are making excuses for him, but I'm not, hes just not a very good footballer.

I'm not saying he's a great footballer, but if you honestly think he's a big enough problem to talk about at the moment then I suggest you watch the games closer.

We are the worst clearance and inside 50 team in the comp. We clearly have the worst skills in the comp. Our ruckman gives us nothing around the ground (watch how much impact Mummy had yesterday and then realize he's as big and old as Jamar). Our defenders consistently turn it over due to poor skill and lack of midfield spread, and we totally ignore the middle of the ground and go along the boundary. Doesn't make it easy when you're a leading forward.

So again I ask, tell me which of our forwards is having a good year?

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

I'd say Kent is having more impact up forward than Dawes. But Kent isn't the massive premiership recruit on $500k plus to kick goals. We need more from Dawes, a lot more.

Do you know Gawn had more hitouts than Mummy yesterday and was close to our best, Jamar was only one hit behind mummy also - but yes Jamar has never done anything around the ground bar his 5 goal effort a while back.

[3Dee 1,153]

he needs an actual PF to work alongside, intelligent space creator, believe.

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

^^ Is that Watts?

[stuie 7,374]

I'd say Kent is having more impact up forward than Dawes. But Kent isn't the massive premiership recruit on $500k plus to kick goals. We need more from Dawes, a lot more.

Do you know Gawn had more hitouts than Mummy yesterday and was close to our best, Jamar was only one hit behind mummy also - but yes Jamar has never done anything around the ground bar his 5 goal effort a while back.

Maybe because Kent runs from 70 out and bombs at goal rather than kicking to the deep forwards (or he puts it out of bounds).

What?! Not sure if you're being earnest or sarcastic, but you're hanging your hat on when Jamar kicked a few goals 5 YEARS AGO?! Mummy destroyed Jamar yesterday. Gawn had 1 more hitout than Mummy, and given Gawn was mainly rucking in the forward half it's an irrelevant stat. Yes, Gawn was one of our best, but not because he was great, he was just the best of a bad bunch.

And WHY do you think a 208cm forward had a good game and a leading forward didn't hey?

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

You're obviously a Dawes admirer & I am not. I'll leave it there. As I said earlier, I have never rated him, even at the magpies with elite disposers.

[stuie 7,374]

You're obviously a Dawes admirer & I am not. I'll leave it there. As I said earlier, I have never rated him, even at the magpies with elite disposers.

I'm not an admirer, I don't think he's a great player, but I understand his role and the type of player he is, you clearly don't.

Also, can you please work out how to use the quote button.

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

No, I cant use the quote button, for technological reasons, like other posters it just doesn't work at the moment.

I fully understand Dawes' role so cut the belittling for once in your posting career.

He was no good at Coll and he is worse here, for a combination of reasons which you have provided. It still doesn't change my mind that he is a poor footballer.

[poita 3,877]

He's not the only problem 'stuie' agreed but for a while now he just hasn't lead up to the ball carrier. He's been trying to get it over the back, badly out of position or just not moving at all. So yeah our disposal into the forward line isn't good but the catch 22 is he gives us nothing to kick to. He needs to get on his bike.

As I said somewhere else, he has an identity crisis at the moment. He thinks he is a small defensive forward running around trying to lay tackles. Ever since that big tackle in Adelaide it's all he seems to want to do, all the praise went to his head.

100% correct. We are paying big dollars to a bloke who wants to do everything other than the job he is paid to do. He won't stay inside 50 and provide a leading target. He won't take the responsibility of kicking goals (on the rare occasions) when he takes possession within range. He won't crash packs and provide crumbs for our small forwards. And he is getting smashed by his direct opponents on transition as well.

I would play Pedersen ahead of Dawes and, whilst being no fan of Jamar, I suspect he would give us more value playing out of the goalsquare than Dawes as well. For Dawes' sake, I hope he is playing injured.

[WhyAlwaysMe 237]

Roos repeatedly tells us there's a minimum standard required every week to play AFL footy, Dawes is just 1 of many not able to reach the minimum standard on a regular basis, we all know that.

Roos now needs to be true to his word.

[whoszachunt 29]

I've always seen Dawes as VFL material.

He isn't a footballer.

But he is the type of guy I'd want around a club.

Yeah, I agree...Around the Club, But not as a player..Over Rated Cannot pick up the ball, hold a mark or kick !!

[whoszachunt 29]

I feel sorry for Dawes. You can see him trying his hardest...but he just doesn't have the skill...I hope he turns things around. He's a good bloke

That's our problem...Culture.. "good bloke" doesn't win football games. He needs talent, skill and a ton of natural ability..!!

Edited August 18, 2014 by whoszachunt

[Bossdog 2,002]

For people having trouble with the quote button.......Right click on your mouse on the quote button......Then click on "open" in the pop up....You will then get the quote you want to reply to

[nutbean 8,838]

Worst inside 50 team in the comp. Tell me which of our forwards has had a better than mediocre season not by MFC standards...

And go one step further - not only do we have the worst inside 50's in the comp - have a look at how we deliver it when we do go inside 50.

He is out of form but geez being a forward in our team - what a thankless task that is .

[13thFlagIsComing 542]

I only have two words for Chris Dawes - Flat Hands

Have you noticed how many times Dawes bobbles the ball in the air after initial impact only to take it on the second grab?

It looks like his hands are behind the ball rather than to the side which to me says his main priority is to minimise turnovers by keeping the ball in front of him rather than maximising his chances of a mark if he had his hands to the side of the ball. His hands are too flat to take overhead marks but if that's the case the rest of the team has to learn to kick it to his chest rather than above his head.

Considering Gawn took some very nice overhead marks to me it just shows that Dawes doesn't have the natural ability to take overheads marks.

Flat Hands.