Any training today?

Any training today?

Tomorrow morning mate.

...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.

Shuffled out the door by a club lacking forward power? Cloke was winning Colemans in those years and he was arguably the best forward in the competition. Dawes' place in the side was always safe under Malthouse. It was Buckley and a bad year that saw him move clubs for reasons still fairly up in the air and ultimately, the Lynch replacement was a bust. Who knows how Bucks looks back at that decision now.

Regardless, that is all secondary in my opinion. We were not nearly as solid as a club back then when Dawes was identified as someone we could realistically bring to our club. We were a club completely bereft of professional AFL quality leaders and standard setters. We had a list of senior players who were not up to the level in so many facets of the game as well as a brigade of young talent that had been subject to the worst development and leadership within the AFL. Dawes was never recruited for his goal kicking ability not his ability to take contested marks. How people continually overlook the context as to why he was brought to our club and why he continues to be a very important player for the MFC at this point in time is amazing.

All coaches at the club would be acutely aware of this and the importance of having him in our side regardless of how many 'double-grabs' he has etc. He will be straight back into our side in Round 2.

Of course we'd all like to see him improve in the areas he struggles in such as one-on-one marking. But he will not be playing ressies if he doesn't. Attitude, pressure, effort, leadership, direction, contesting and support alone will gift him games as a KPF for the MFC at this point in time and until our club has a strong enough fabric and core group of leaders to make an upgrade.

Edited March 2, 201510 yr by stevethemanjordan

All coaches at the club would be acutely aware of this and the importance of having him in our side regardless of how many 'double-grabs' he has etc. He will be straight back into our side in Round 2.

So if Cam Pedersen replaces him in the side, and does exactly what is asked of him, including kicking a goal or two, you will still bring Dawes back in, this will send a great message to the rest of the players abut earning your spot

All coaches at the club would be acutely aware of this and the importance of having him in our side regardless of how many 'double-grabs' he has etc. He will be straight back into our side in Round 2.

So if Cam Pedersen replaces him in the side, and does exactly what is asked of him, including kicking a goal or two, you will still bring Dawes back in, this will send a great message to the rest of the players abut earning your spot

Agreed and i think Dawes would be very aware of that, he has stuffed up and in doing so opened the door to the fringe players fighting for his spot, if the player that comes in plays well he will have to earn selection again through Casey.

All coaches at the club would be acutely aware of this and the importance of having him in our side regardless of how many 'double-grabs' he has etc. He will be straight back into our side in Round 2.

So if Cam Pedersen replaces him in the side, and does exactly what is asked of him, including kicking a goal or two, you will still bring Dawes back in, this will send a great message to the rest of the players abut earning your spot

wtf why is Pederson vs Dawes some binary operation

you would drop some other underperformer or inevitable injury, keep Pedo in and name Dawes also

pretty simple

wtf why is [Pedersen] vs Dawes some binary operation

you would drop some other underperformer or inevitable injury, keep Pedo in and name Dawes also

pretty simple

You really think with the competition for spots we won't have all 22 playing out of their skins in Rd 1, yes we may get an injury, but you wouldn't bring Dawes in if say Jetta had a poor game or got injured edit for poor English, got too much would

Edited March 2, 201510 yr by The Devil Inside

All coaches at the club would be acutely aware of this and the importance of having him in our side regardless of how many 'double-grabs' he has etc. He will be straight back into our side in Round 2.

So if Cam Pedersen replaces him in the side, and does exactly what is asked of him, including kicking a goal or two, you will still bring Dawes back in, this will send a great message to the rest of the players abut earning your spot

Kinda like George Bailey being dropped for Michael Clark... I should probably head over to the cricket thread

Kinda like George Bailey being dropped for Michael Clark... I should probably head over to the cricket thread

The difference is in that instance we don't necessarily have a " Shane Watson" who has done sweet FA and somehow holds his spot over the bloke who had scored 40, 40, 50 in his last three innings

Does Jack Grimes and Jordie McKenzie (for instance) play for their spots?

I think Dawes will come in no matter what.

Dawes was never recruited for his goal kicking ability not his ability to take contested marks. How people continually overlook the context as to why he was brought to our club and why he continues to be a very important player for the MFC at this point in time is amazing.

Dawes was brought in as a key forward and on good (some would say way overs) money. One of the primary objectives of the key forward is to kick goals. I'm hoping we see him kick around 40 this year and that would be a good return for him but as 'TDI' says he will still have to earn a place in the team.

The difference is in that instance we don't necessarily have a " Shane Watson" who has done sweet FA and somehow holds his spot over the bloke who had scored 40, 40, 50 in his last three innings

Jack Watts

Does Jack Grimes and Jordie McKenzie (for instance) play for their spots?

I think Dawes will come in no matter what.

They will this year, with Lumumba, Toumpas and Salem all looking good off half back, Jack Grimes knows he has a battle on his hands, and that's not counting Viv Michie looking really good there in the match sim last week as well

Jordie is one of about 10 midfielders fighting for a spot

That is why for a change the NAB Cup will be good for us this year, not having to cobble a team together to play, we should have about 34-36 training again tomorrow

Edited March 2, 201510 yr by The Devil Inside

Pedersen is a serviceable 2nd ruck so Dawes won't be competing with him for a spot, in my opinion.

I think Gawn will play alot more this year along with jamar, so i think we wil play two key targets, ( Dawes, Pedo, Hogan or Fitzy ) a resting ruckman and Watts as the talls in the forward line.

I have always believed that Dawes is a perfect 2nd or 3rd tall - his strength is leading up and creating space behind him not taking pack marks.

Expecting him to lead our forward line after we had no Clark and Hogan last year was always going to be a big ask.

I know a player like Dawes need to be judged on goals and marks but you need to factor in his leadership ( which he admittedly let himself down by getting suspended) and the 1% er's. We have been sorely lacking a footballer that scraps and fights at every contest and busts his guts to keep the ball in the forward line - that is what he brings to the table.

I know a player like Dawes need to be judged on goals and marks but you need to factor in his leadership ( which he admittedly let himself down by getting suspended) and the 1% er's. We have been sorely lacking a footballer that scraps and fights at every contest and busts his guts to keep the ball in the forward line - that is what he brings to the table.

Kinda like Schwarz after all his knee recos. Was like a raging bull, clearing a path for the other forwards...

Double grabbing is a confidence issue, he has displayed in his good career so far that he can be a strong presence and a strong mark and he seems angry in match sims and I will postulate that it relates to his frustration with his own confidence in his approach at the footy.

If he gets over the mental hurdle - look out, he is a very good player at his best and astronomically important to us winning more than a handful of games.

You really think with the competition for spots we won't have all 22 playing out of their skins in Rd 1, yes we may get an injury, but you wouldn't bring Dawes in if say Jetta had a poor game or got injured edit for poor English, got too much would

First time i have agreed with you.

If the likes of Hogan Pedersen and Gawn kick a couple of goals between and play their roles Dawes must earn his sport. Its his own stupid fault for not playing anyway.

You really think with the competition for spots we won't have all 22 playing out of their skins in Rd 1, yes we may get an injury, but you wouldn't bring Dawes in if say Jetta had a poor game or got injured edit for poor English, got too much would

When have we had that in the past 12 yrs?

Dawes is our no1 forward he will be playing around 2, all u think hr won't are dreaming that we are a top 4 side

All coaches at the club would be acutely aware of this and the importance of having him in our side regardless of how many 'double-grabs' he has etc. He will be straight back into our side in Round 2.

So if Cam Pedersen replaces him in the side, and does exactly what is asked of him, including kicking a goal or two, you will still bring Dawes back in, this will send a great message to the rest of the players abut earning your spot

Pederson won't be replacing Dawes.

I had a great night last night watching the Adelaide game from last year. I'd forgotten a lot of it.

[Pedersen] won't be replacing Dawes.

I have noticed the server automatically puts [ ] around Pederson. Strange

I have noticed the server automatically puts [ ] around [Pedersen]. Strange

It's like a swear filter, it automatically corrects when people spell his name wrong.