Someone mentioned before the season started to play him out of the square with Garlett sniffing around his feed, Watts on a flank and Hogan at CHF. Couldn't hurt to try. I don't think his kicking is the issue its getting his hands on the ball, if he's not marking it he's getting beaten at ground level, not through lack of effort though.

Its not a bad idea... he can lead out !!!

I think one of his big problems is that he doesn't lead up to the player with the ball enough. Maybe playing him out of the square would force him to push up at the player with the ball and as you say 'Al' he could at least bring it down to the crumbers.

I would rather see Hogan at CHF anyway, I think he offers a lot moving up the ground. Think Brown, Carey...

IMO Dawes doesn't have an 'upside' or 'improvement' in him. Consider:

- At the Pies he wasn't a regular top 22 player.

- He played 3rd forward behind Close and Brown

- His best goal kicking was 30 goals in 2010 (20 for us in 2014)

- He has no other strings to his bow.

- There has been no noticeable improvement in any aspect of his game over the last 3 years

- Yes we can blame our rubbish midfield but that wasn't the case for pies from 2008 to 2011

- We recruited him and still playing him in a role he isn't suited for (1st/2nd forward).

I for one, don't know what role he is suited for. At best he is an (expensive) 'insurance' policy while Hogan is developing.

IMO Dawes reached his peak at the pies.

This is as good as it gets!

YES Sir A very good sumation of an overpaid ordinary footballer

Keep saying it and continue to get howled down for it.. This bloke is a massive spud and should be dropped for Hogan next week. If i was Pedo i would be filthy this club was getting a game ahead of him.

Slow and a useless mark of the ball. He adds absolutely zilch to this side and don't give me the tripe that he adds leadership because he doesn't!

Putrid yet again today.

Stop flapping your gums Chris, get out there and learn to mark a football.

Its amazing what can happen after that.

Hes a terrible, terrible footballer

How he conned the club into a big contract just blows my mind

The Pies couldn't have cared less when he left them

I'd feel more confident if Max Gawn or Fitzpatrick played that position , and that's sayin something.

At least they might kick a goal or two.

I would usually try and defend Dawes, but unfortunately he didn't show anything today. His comments from during the week make it even worse. The difference between his best and worse (like our club and most our other players) is way too far apart. Pederson has played three games this year and has already leapfrogged Dawes. Heck, Hogan has gone beyond him. I want him to succeed but he's not making it easy on himself.

Edited May 16, 201510 yr by Demon Jack

Couple of his chases today were good, but he needs to do a hell of a lot more than he's doing. Wouldn't be surprised if he has a week off for 'calf soreness'.

He can't contribute. The most embarrassing thing is that he spoke for us during the week and pumped up our chances, then barely got near the ball. I have no idea why he's a leader when he doesn't show the way on the field. With Pedo proving himself inside 50 I see no reason why we should keep Dawes in as a passenger.

I would prefer Roos drops Dawes for next week because the dogs will belt us anyway. The guy needs to be sent a big message, and Roos needs to start getting tough on these non performers.

He can't contribute. The most embarrassing thing is that he spoke for us during the week and pumped up our chances, then barely got near the ball. I have no idea why he's a leader when he doesn't show the way on the field. With Pedo proving himself inside 50 I see no reason why we should keep Dawes in as a passenger.

He does show the way on the field to a degree. His chasing and effort can never be questioned. His ability can be though.

Cam Pedersen kicked 3 goals today.

Chris Dawes has kicked 3 goals for the year.

what a waste playing Frawley on Dawes, could have played Frawley on Pedo & halved our score.

Dawes must feel pretty silly, shooting off his mouth the way he did before the game and then serving up that swill.

He should be dropped to Casey seconds for an ego realignment

I've said since round two's changes, dropping players from a winning team to accommodate Dawes when he wasn't even match-conditioned was a thoroughly ill-advised decision.

We had a perfect balance against the Gold Coast in our forward line, and we haven't once played the same team since. Staggeringly disrespectful to the playing group, and basically contradicts what Roos has been saying about "banging down the door".

Dawes played a handful of good games last year without being outstanding. I want to see a higher output from this guy on game day, however I am not filled with confidence he is going to produce.

He has been around long enough and at an age where he should be at the top of his game. Perhaps he looked good in a premiership team with better mids around!!!!

Jury still out on this monster who needs to lift and be consistent.

handy player, & smart when around a marking monster, like Cloke used to, be when Dawes was his brains & support. Cloke has lost out since Dawes left. Dawes has really become another 3rd tall imo.

Hogan needs another tall to help divide the defence's via marking, with Dawes as 3rd tall, or Pedo as 3rd tall. get Henderson if we can. trade Dawes, & Watts for a fresh start + a pick if necessary to the Blues; for Henderson.

If we had Hogan, Henderson, Pedo & Frost able to swing by Attack, or Defence as we need, then we will be in a much stronger position going into next season.

...... the Blues need to clean out they're infected players, of they're old/sick culture hangover: they need leaders like a Dawes to help with they're resurrection, & a player like Watts who has the skills & athletic ability, but who's footy also needs resurrecting. he is a product of our old culture & needs a change of environment to get his footy going along.

IMO both Dawes & Watts would help the Blues & visa-versa. some other additions may be needed to balance things out? Dawes would help Jaksch & they're other kids come along. Watts's game could start off afresh in a new environment at the Blues, or at the Saints.

Debatable. We kicked 17 goals without Dawes in round 1. I haven't written him off yet but he needs to prove that he belongs in our forward line.

no not written off, Dawesy has his place, but some options are better for our future. both Dawesy & Hogan like to lead up into space & use they're mobility. this is why we have an issue atmo. we need a deep forward who can rotate back of forward. Frost is one, Henderson is another. both of these 2 can pinch in the ruck.

if we had a fwrdline of Henderson, Howe, Hogan, Garlett, Viney, & another runner, i think we would be in pretty good shape in that area.

We're really missing Frosty...

Did anyone else notice his lame attempt at the marking contest where Pedo got the bit of a ride (and subsequently missed with the short kick)?

Dawes came in from the side with no intent whatsoever of contesting for that mark. Arms were spread a mile apart and he had no idea.

I'd feel more confident if Max Gawn or Fitzpatrick played that position , and that's sayin something.

At least they might kick a goal or two.

Highly unlikely.

Gawn might take a few more contested marks around the ground than Dawes but that would be about the only highlight. Think he was our leading stat getter on that stat last year. Frawley, Dawes & Pedo lead our marks i50 last year albeit pretty low averages vs the rest of the comp.

All 3 are NQRs and we need to move on quickly and start building a solid list of decent talls who can actually play decent footy at AFL level and help us to impact on more matches. All part of the building blocks needed to start winning games.

Edited May 16, 201510 yr by Rusty Nails

no not written off, Dawesy has his place, but some options are better for our future. both Dawesy & Hogan like to lead up into space & use they're mobility. this is why we have an issue atmo. we need a deep forward who can rotate back of forward. Frost is one, Henderson is another. both of these 2 can pinch in the ruck.

if we had a fwrdline of Henderson, Howe, Hogan, Garlett, Viney, & another runner, i think we would be in pretty good shape in that area.

I think it's a long bow to say Dawes is a mobile forward dee. I think he is one of the slowest immobile forwards i've seen for someone of his height. He hardly ever loses or moves his opponent off the ball. Nor does he clunk enough contested marks to make up for what happens when the ball hits the deck. Which most of the time is SBA...other than being left chasing someone's wake as they run the ball quickly out of our 50.

what a waste playing Frawley on Dawes, could have played Frawley on Pedo & halved our score.

Frawley did play on Pedersen. At least for some of the game.

He does show the way on the field to a degree. His chasing and effort can never be questioned. His ability can be though.

I think he needs a couple of weeks off, doesn't matter if it's form based or injury based, give him at least one game in the VFL and assess where he's at

Pederson is a better mark

Pederson is a better second ruck

Pederson is a better target inside 50

Pederson is a better player than Chris Dawes

[Pedersen] is a better mark

[Pedersen] is a better second ruck

[Pedersen] is a better target inside 50

[Pedersen] is a better player than Chris Dawes

You want Pedersen in the team I take it?

You could add, Pedersen can protect Hogan just as well as Dawes (not that he needs it)

It was very telling this week when Dawes described Hogan as "the No 1 forward"!

By his own admission he sees his role as a 'back-up' or a decoy for a kid who had played 6 games!

Doesn't deserve to be in the leadership team if that is idea of leadership and setting an example!

Edit: Even Sam Mitchell thought it was dumb for Dawes to come out and say the Hawks were 'gettable': "If I was playing against us I probably would have said the same thing, maybe not publicly. I think it was a fair enough comment. I didn't use it to drive me."

I always thought Dawes was fairly smart, now I have serious doubts given his comments this week.

Edited May 16, 201510 yr by Lucifer's Hero