Dawes has been a flop. He has less goals this year than Ben Newton and one more than Alex Neal-Bullen.

to slow to get the half metre break required & not able to take contested marks, he is now a liability, teammates are now starting to avoid going thru him like the fat kid in school footy

Im not a big fan but I thought his game yesterday was good.

He's rucking well enough to cover his other stuff ups at the moment. Neither Jamar, Spencer or likely King could do any time at CHF that helps take the pressure off Hogan (and get him deep). Whilst Dawes does stuff all forward it's probably still more than those other 3.

This week he'll have to give Gawn a give chop out which is fine when it's against Brown or Petrie, but the short moments he goes up against Goldstein might be ugly.

Dawes is also smart enough to not take his man near Hogan.

He does a lot of work that benefits the team.

I don't dislike him like most, I think he brings a lot to the team, Pedo was in better form early before he got injured but he ain't the answer either.

Spud, flop, not up to it.

Vitriolic really, and false.

The beauty of grey. Not everything has to be boiled down one way or the other.

With the arguments we have had on here and with our friends in the last few days, I thought more would appreciate that.

Edited August 2, 201510 yr by rpfc

Dawes still has a lot of potential football in front of him, he seems to be better up the ground rather than hanging in the forward line. maybe that's what he needs to do more of. also I think he is trying too hard to do it all at this stage being one of the senior players, he seemed to do a lot better later in the game when the pressure was reduced a bit, so maybe it is a confidence/stress thing as well.

I think it would be a waste to get rid of him until we have someone able to step in, even then we need to keep a backup. I don't think the trade value for him is worth the risk.

Thing is, Pedo can do everything Dawes can do, but can also takes marks and costs less.

Thing is, Pedo can do everything Dawes can do, but can also takes marks and costs less.

Doesn't chase and harass and get to the same spots, and from what I have heard, is harder for Hogan to work with in that forwardline.

That forward line, for the next decade, is all about one bloke and what works to get the most out of him.

Doesn't chase and harass and get to the same spots, and from what I have heard, is harder for Hogan to work with in that forwardline.

That forward line, for the next decade, is all about one bloke and what works to get the most out of him.

I'm intrigued by your first paragraph.

Doesn't chase and harass and get to the same spots, and from what I have heard, is harder for Hogan to work with in that forwardline.

That forward line, for the next decade, is all about one bloke and what works to get the most out of him.

This is spot on. Our forward line will revolve around Hogan and we need to do everything in our power to provide the set up that gets the best out of him.

Doesn't chase and harass and get to the same spots, and from what I have heard, is harder for Hogan to work with in that forwardline.

That forward line, for the next decade, is all about one bloke and what works to get the most out of him.

Disagree. Pedo and Hogan had some great work together before injury. Thats an incorrect statement you've made there.

Interesting that Dawes only gets praise after wins. Plays at an acceptable level once we're in front, rest of the time he looks like he shouldn't be out there.

gee what a coincidence

its almost like him playing at an 'acceptable level' has something to do with us being in front

freaky

Doesn't chase and harass and get to the same spots, and from what I have heard, is harder for Hogan to work with in that forwardline.

That forward line, for the next decade, is all about one bloke and what works to get the most out of him.

From what I've seen, what you've heard is wrong.

They played well together.

Don't think I've ever seen Dawes and Hogan combine like Hogan's Globetrotters handball to Pedo v Gold Coast.

The simple fact is he gets his hands into position to clean mark so many balls, and he 2 grabs and fails to mark most of them. We don't get it forward enough to have luxury of dropping all our hard work.

I've been a fan of his until this year. I like his work rate and pressure etc... But he's not dropping balls 15m out with a crumber at his feet like the old days. They're further out and costly.

The other simple fact is there's no one better to replace him at the moment. So what can you do?

This is basically where I stand with Dawes. I liked him prior to this year and his intensity and work rate cannot be questioned, but his marking is a real liability at times. Fortunately, yesterday he played a really good role. Ideally, we'd want someone like Dixon, but that's easier said than done. I'd be playing Pedersen ahead of him though, because Pedersen can hit the scoreboard.

As none of what you have just written was true today, it is just garbage.

Actually, not true at all. There was a contest on the left forward flank (in perhaps the second quarter?), where Dawes failed to mark it, then his opponent dropped it and then he got in the way of Garlett, who would have been away with it. Instead, Collingwood whisked it away.

Where does Frost play next year?

Forward or back?

Depends on what happens with Garland and Howe.

He and Tommy Mac will rotate between FB and CHB.

Pedo takes more marks and lays more tackles per game. Has kicked the same no of goals as Dawes.

He is clearly much much better value than the bloke who can't mark it. (Yes I know he took a decent grab on Satdee.)

Pedersen has got a great grab and is smart where he runs, he also thinks he is a much better than he is and that causes issues with structure when you have another player that is as good as Pedersen thinks he is himself.

If Pedersen can live within what he thinks of himself, then he will play AFL footy.

I am comfortable that this is the case.

gee what a coincidence

its almost like him playing at an 'acceptable level' has something to do with us being in front

freaky

Yep. Two good marks during a final quarter onslaught. Took another good mark or 2 in the Geelong win. Constantly makes a fool of himself when the game's up for grabs, and goes missing when we fall far behind.

Doesn't chase and harass and get to the same spots, and from what I have heard, is harder for Hogan to work with in that forwardline.

That forward line, for the next decade, is all about one bloke and what works to get the most out of him.

Agree, Pedders doesn't work anywhere near hard enough in this area.

You know I'm not a Dawes fan but he was ok against the Pies and played a role but he has had a very disappointing season.

The team has been more balanced with big Max playing ruck and Dawes now taking responsibility for relief ruck duties though.

The reality is Pedersen and Dawes are players we have today. They are in many ways a thermometer of how we are as a list overall.

Neither will be chalking up games in the 1sts when we are finally up and about, may not even be on the list; either of them.

They are servants at the moment...thats all.

The reality is Pedersen and Dawes are players we have today. They are in many ways a thermometer of how we are as a list overall.

Neither will be chalking up games in the 1sts when we are finally up and about, may not even be on the list; either of them.

They are servants at the moment...thats all.

With all respect to the player that will come and go through that forward line over the next decade - they are just role players floating around a central entity. They may be some of those that played in there today - they may not.

I am loathe to be so dismissive of role players but Hogan's arrival means that all we need to do is provide foils, space, and to help him when the footy hits the deck.

They are role players indeed RPFC..point being we will still need more able ones if the tenet of the team is to lift appreciably.

Can't mark. Can't kick. Thats not what we are paying 500k for.

If Howe us to stay and Frost is back ..and plays back , then Howe is possibly a better fit for the forward foil role. He can ..mark... and kick.

Can't mark. Can't kick. Thats not what we are paying 500k for.

Sith. Absolutes.

We are paying that for the structure. Howe has a beautiful mark and is a solid kick - but he can't anchor as 2nd tall and back up ruck.