Pretty difficult being a forward to our style of play over the last few years, last year high possession low inside 50's is not easy for a forward, Dawes' tackling and pressure has been great, but we haven't had the midfield a for him to get a couple of easy marks and goals, they will come in time

Yep we are. Just like Darren Bennett!

Dawes was never a great goal scorer. His most in one year I think is 30 - his premiership year.

But he is vital to our set up. Competes hard, great fwd pressure, takes a monster defender and has leadership qualities despite the occasional lapse (not sure what happened with Jetta though.....)

Interesting Junior in another thread I postulated that Dawes had similar skill deficiencies as Bennett but similar physical size and ability to run fast on the lead in a straight line and take a chest mark or take out pack. Bennett managed to kick 87 goals in the year he dominated the goal square. He did that with the ability to lead, take chest marks and could kick goals from 60 meters. Once Jackovitch took over the coomand of the goal square, leading full forward and Bennett had to play CHF or forward pocket he struggled because he did not have great hands. Does that tell us just play Dawes as full forward out of the goal square in the hope he takes a few marks, kicks a few, smashes a few packs open but bings a lot of balls to ground for Garlett and co.

Edited March 1, 201510 yr by Earl Hood

think you meant goal square not centre square, earl

think you meant goal square not centre square, earl

Yes now corrected.

Interesting Junior in another thread I postulated that Dawes had similar skill deficiencies as Bennett but similar physical size and ability to run fast on the lead in a straight line and take a chest mark or take out pack. Bennett managed to kick 87 goals in the year he dominated the goal square. He did that with the ability to lead, take chest marks and could kick goals from 60 meters. Once Jackovitch took over the coomand of the goal square, leading full forward and Bennett had to play CHF or forward pocket he struggled because he did not have great hands. Does that tell us just play Dawes as full forward out of the goal square in the hope he takes a few marks, kicks a few, smashes a few packs open but bings a lot of balls to ground for Garlett and co.

Dawes is much better at fwd pressure than Bennett though and the game has changed since the stay at home fwd....

Bennett today would not be as effective as he was you would think..

He only won one premiership, but I agree he adds value to the team. He would add a lot more value if he could hold his marks however.

I think any of the players who've been through the MFC in the last 50 years would have been happy with "only one premiership".

Some people have no idea about the value of CD to our side.

Goals and marks alone are not the reason Chris Dawes was selected in both Grand finals with Collingwood.

...and shuffled out the door by a club really lacking forward power.

Dawes needs a big season, he is not being paid as a defensive forward which by the way he is not great at anyway. He gets far too much credit for one big tackle in 2014.

...and shuffled out the door by a club really lacking forward power.

Dawes needs a big season, he is not being paid as a defensive forward which by the way he is not great at anyway. He gets far too much credit for one big tackle in 2014.

This.

...and shuffled out the door by a club really lacking forward power.

Dawes needs a big season, he is not being paid as a defensive forward .

agreed

which by the way he is not great at anyway. He gets far too much credit for one big tackle in 2014.

disagreed

Dawes:

I thought he played FF at the Pies & they &/or he said he was poor at CHF?

Yes he's a good enforcer.

..has good work rate, tackling/defensive side, but others are getting good at that now.

Posters say he gets to many contests. But everyone kicks to him all the time! I remember being at the Etihad Brisbane loss watching Watts being ignored when free and clear calling for the ball, yet every time they'd bomb it to a manned Dawes who'd usually loose it. Frustrating!

HATE to say it, but delivery to Dawes has been just as good as it ever was to that [censored] Mitch Clark, but Clark marked and goaled.

I still think we could have got him for $100k less per year. He's useful but overpaid for someone who can't mark or kick goals well.

I suspect he's not judging the balls flight perfectly, hence iron hands. Perhaps his eyes don't change focal length quickly enough. Optometrists usually don't test for this, so don't pick this problem up when doing a normal eye exam. I had & have the same problem, now I can't change focus at all, so have 4 different glasses prescriptions for different distances. There are eye exercises that improve the eyes ability to quickly change focal length. You focus on something that's being moved towards, then away from you. Cheers

Edited March 1, 201510 yr by Rob Mac......

Dawes:

I thought he played FF at the Pies & they &/or he said he was poor at CHF?

Yes he's a good enforcer.

..has good work rate, tackling/defensive side, but others are getting good at that now.

Posters say he gets to many contests. But everyone kicks to him all the time! I remember being at the Etihad Brisbane loss watching Watts being ignored when free and clear calling for the ball, yet every time they'd bomb it to a manned Dawes who'd usually loose it. Frustrating!

HATE to say it, but delivery to Dawes has been just as good as it ever was to that [censored] Mitch Clark, but Clark marked and goaled.

I still think we could have got him for $100k less per year. He's useful but overpaid for someone who can't mark or kick goals well.

I suspect he's not judging the balls flight perfectly, hence iron hands. Perhaps his eyes don't change focal length quickly enough. Optometrists usually don't test for this, so don't pick this problem up when doing a normal eye exam. I had & have the same problem, now I can't change focus at all, so have 4 different glasses prescriptions for different distances. There are eye exercises that improve the eyes ability to quickly change focal length. You focus on something that's being moved towards, then away from you. Cheers

The answer is to get Dawes a white stick and a dog.

Dawes may not be the best mark we've ever seen, but I suspect he'd take more if the ball was delivered better to him. How often have we seen it delivered to his feet or too far over his head? As the midfield improves and he gets more support from other capable marking forwards, I expect him to take more marks. I don't expect him to have the hands of Jeremy Howe or the goal scoring ability of Peter Hudson, but I do expect him to be able to contribute more as those around him also improve.

How is it that people think Gawn is a better pick than Dawes? When given opportunities he cannot stay in the team.

Interesting when we talk of skills - watched a bit of the NAB cup this weekend - common theme was all the teams consistently coughed up the ball. You have to think - what the hell have they spent the preseason doing but I guess we can expect rustiness when it comes to contests and skills this early in the year.

The answer is to get Dawes a white stick and a dog.

A friend of mine, who's legally blind, competes in pistol shooting (and no, the dog doesn't help her). You'd be amazed at what people who can't see can see ... and at what people who can see can't. Maybe Dawes is in the latter category.

A friend of mine, who's legally blind, competes in pistol shooting (and no, the dog doesn't help her). You'd be amazed at what people who can't see can see ... and at what people who can see can't. Maybe Dawes is in the latter category.

I need to ask (and I'm being serious). How does blind pistol shooting work? Does the shooter aim at a sound?

Interesting when we talk of skills - watched a bit of the NAB cup this weekend - common theme was all the teams consistently coughed up the ball. You have to think - what the hell have they spent the preseason doing but I guess we can expect rustiness when it comes to contests and skills this early in the year.

everything changes when real opposition pressure comes in. What worries me is that from what I've seen, we haven't exactly been flying with our skills in the preseason WITHOUT opposition pressure

Interesting when we talk of skills - watched a bit of the NAB cup this weekend - common theme was all the teams consistently coughed up the ball. You have to think - what the hell have they spent the preseason doing but I guess we can expect rustiness when it comes to contests and skills this early in the year.

Perhaps NB, but I thought that the Suns looked good already, and once they get up and running, they are going to be scary good...I only hope we catch them on a bad day in round 1.

Interesting when we talk of skills - watched a bit of the NAB cup this weekend - common theme was all the teams consistently coughed up the ball. You have to think - what the hell have they spent the preseason doing but I guess we can expect rustiness when it comes to contests and skills this early in the year.

nut, nab means nothing, zip, zero, nada, nil, nought

it's just slow dancing with your cousins

it's just slow dancing with your cousins

eww

nut, nab means nothing, zip, zero, nada, nil, nought

it's just slow dancing with your cousins

it's Dennis Pagan's line and he said 'with your sister'

yep every year the wise heads around here tell me it's meaningless. We get spanked and funnily enough go on to get spanked in the season proper.

any time a player fluffs his disposal and turns the ball it means something. It's the most important and meaningful thing there is. Training track, NAB or real thing.

it's Dennis Pagan's line and he said 'with your sister'

yep every year the wise heads around here tell me it's meaningless. We get spanked and funnily enough go on to get spanked in the season proper.

any time a player fluffs his disposal and turns the ball it means something. It's the most important and meaningful thing there is. Training track, NAB or real thing.

I'll meet you half way.

How often do you see Kelly of Geelong constantly turn the ball over under little pressure ? Geelong's skills will improve.

When our skills start poorly - you are correct - they don't recover.

I think the major difference is - Geelong do have a lot of highly skilled players that may need a few runs to get their skills up to scratch.

We unfortunately are not blessed with an abundance of skilled footballers - so we need some improvement in skills from the perennial offenders but we need a huge lift in output from the likes of Watts, Jetta, Salem and Toumpas ( to name a few) who can dispose of the ball well.

it's Dennis Pagan's line and he said 'with your sister'

yep every year the wise heads around here tell me it's meaningless. We get spanked and funnily enough go on to get spanked in the season proper.

any time a player fluffs his disposal and turns the ball it means something. It's the most important and meaningful thing there is. Training track, NAB or real thing.

duh! dancing with your sisters is intra-club matches

admittedly in some locales like romsey the distinction between sister and cousin can be some what blurry

Edited March 2, 201510 yr by daisycutter

nut, nab means nothing, zip, zero, nada, nil, nought

it's just slow dancing with your cousins

I agree. If we lose on Thursday. I disagree if we win

I agree. If we lose on Thursday. I disagree if we win

It is how you lose.