Do we underestimate the importance of Dunn? Compare our defence prior to round 3 (including nab challenge) to now. 

I still dont know why he was out of the team..  he was injured right?  I dont recall him playing any Casey games

I'm not convinced. Old-style full back, stuck in a rapidly evolving game. Game gone past him?

  On 26/04/2016 at 05:56, Moneider96 said:

Do we underestimate the importance of Dunn? Compare our defence prior to round 3 (including nab challenge) to now. 

Absolutely..

Still a very important member of the team. With out new fast quick game plan his kicking becomes very important now.

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:35, bing181 said:

I'm not convinced. Old-style full back, stuck in a rapidly evolving game. Game gone past him?

Beautiful long kick to break open zones, can run and carry the ball as well, can intercept mark. 

He's not exactly Zac Dawson old fashioned. 

I can see why they left him out at the start of the year. I'm not convinced he's at top fitness and he's certainly not in peak form. Top form Lynden Dunn doesn't get turned by Troy Chaplin. But I've got no issue with his game style adapting to the change in the game. 

He might not be used to the zone positioning and needs to improve that, but I think he can. He's certainly the best full back on our list and 2nd best tall defender. 

love him, couldn't understand why he wasn't in the side from the first game.

Important to our structure at the moment, but like many on our backline over the last couple of years, prone to brain fades and panic. Plays the percentages well most of the time, then turns over with a poor kick under no pressure or even known to do the double fisted punch 'spoil' whilst uncontested.

How old is he and who's next in line to join TMac as a KPD long term? Hurley?

I rate him. In any case not one poster here can deny his need come the all in brawl.

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:46, DeeSpencer said:

Top form Lynden Dunn doesn't get turned by Troy Chaplin.

He's not getting any younger, maybe this IS top form?

We shall see. Agree, when he's playing well, he's an important contributor. But like Garland, perhaps we're starting down the other side of the slope. They're not getting any younger.

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:46, DeeSpencer said:

Top form Lynden Dunn doesn't get turned by Troy Chaplin. But I've got no issue with his game style adapting to the change in the game. 

I like Dunn because I think he makes McDonald better, but that was a bad passage of play.

He was never going to be a star, let's face it, but I like him. He's evolved into a good club player over the years and he's a character. Until somebody can earn that spot of him rightly..

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:47, Moonshadow said:

Important to our structure at the moment, but like many on our backline over the last couple of years, prone to brain fades and panic. Plays the percentages well most of the time, then turns over with a poor kick under no pressure or even known to do the double fisted punch 'spoil' whilst uncontested.

How old is he and who's next in line to join TMac as a KPD long term? Hurley?

Once he gets back to Casey I expect Oscar will push for more games. In weeks we have to play 3 talls they might give him chances. 

It will be interesting to see what they do with Weideman, Hulett and Frost. Any of them could be reassigned as defenders if they aren't great ruck options and Hogan/Watts hold down the key forward spots. 

I know he just kicked 4 on the weekend but for list balance when Dawes comes in to the Casey side I'd be tempted to play Hulett at CHB to see how he goes there. Isn't finding a heap of the footy forward and is a very nice kick. He could be a key defensive option. 

His physical presence and maturity in our backline is what allows MacDonald to fly formarks, Jetta to dodge around people, and players like Wagner and Hunt to develop. I love him as a player and reckon he would be a fairly decent human being as well. Daniher almost single-handedly stuffed his career up, and to see where Dunny is today is a huge tick for hard work, perseverance and resilience. I wish the Dees had some more like him. 

Is he Matthew Scarlett as a full back? No, but then Matthew Scarlett was the only Matthew Scarlett. 

We are so much bett3r with Dunn in our 22.

Been very good since being back in the team.

You always know what your going to get with  Dunny plus he has that weapon of a huge kick which has got us out of trouble on many occasions.

Normally quite vocal out there, but has been uncharacteristically quiet lately

Whether it has anything to do with being left out of the leadership group is anyone's guess, but he has been solid.

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:47, DemonAndrew said:

love him, couldn't understand why he wasn't in the side from the first game.

Me too DA.

It is no coincidence  that since he has come back that we have run  the ladder leader to 4 points and won the next two with relative ease.

He is tall, tough, is the best long kick in the team and is rarely beaten by his opponent.

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:51, bing181 said:

He's not getting any younger, maybe this IS top form?

We shall see. Agree, when he's playing well, he's an important contributor. But like Garland, perhaps we're starting down the other side of the slope. They're not getting any younger.

Maybe. But he's 28. Should be plenty of time left if his body is right. Which is key for both him and Garland. I don't think Garland's body has been right for a long time and I also don't think he suits modern footy. He's a man on man 3rd tall who's lost his rebound. 

I can imagine this new zone system takes a fair bit to get confident in for senior players used to different methods. Frawley and Lake both took a long time at Hawthorn. 

Dunn's a little shorter and not as good overall but I think he can do the Lake role pretty well, just needs time in the system and to build match fitness.

His kicking is an asset. But there's not much else going for him. The most frustrating thing is the stupid free kicks he gives away.

Also very poor overhead and has the turning circle of the QE2.

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:49, leave it to deever said:

I rate him. In any case not one poster here can deny his need come the all in brawl.

I'm so over this flimsy 'rating' + critiquing of players like they are tradeable swapcards.  Either you support the guys on the ground or you don't. The defenders aren't sitting in a bar in front of a flat-screen; they make instant decisions for better or worse to break the lines or improve the team position. they don't have the luxury of being internet scribes assessing options from a distance. Lynden Dunn has been a warrior and a true demon for many years now. I get sick of this whittling-down that is so prevalent here. As if the players could ever come to the standards of the footballer/typists who lord over them. 

  On 26/04/2016 at 06:35, bing181 said:

I'm not convinced. Old-style full back, stuck in a rapidly evolving game. Game gone past him?

But the defence has looked a lot more stable with him back. 

Do you think it is coincidental?

Even though he's not in career best form, Dunn is a required player in our backline. He always puts in effort, and at worst he'll throw his body into someone and make them earn it the hard way. His kicking is always a feature, especially his longer kicks. He's one of the best in the team with that. His presence also gives Tom McDonald more confidence to go for his intercept marks, and Dunny helps organise teammates down back.

He wasn't in the team at the start of the year as he was coming back from a niggle. Without him we struggled and were disorganised. Oscar McDonald might be good long term, but right now he battles. Opposition were going through his man at every possible chance and Oscar just looked lost. I think he will be fine long-term, but right now Dunn is far and away a better option.

I wouldn't underestimate how important Dunn's kicking has been to our ability to get through a forward press this year, his ability to kick an 80 meter barrel is something i know for a fact opposition teams have to think about.

  On 26/04/2016 at 08:48, Peter Griffen said:

Settle down mate, people are allowed to have an opinion, when or where they have played the game is irrelevant. 

Agreed that is my OPINION on some of the posters on this board

Dunny has been through the bloody hard times with this Club and deserves to be there if the Footy Dept thinks he is good enough to hold down a spot

Plays an important role and we're better when he plays.  Will always be capable of a brain fade however 

90+% disposal efficiency average of only 3 turnovers great club man. What more would you want? We need him in the side. 

I cant believe anyone is even questioning Dunny's position in the side. If your worried about turnovers, look up the field a bit further at T-Mac. He's the number 1 culprit, sometimes in the worst positions imaginable!! And here we are calling him the No.1 defender!! Dunny one of the first picked in my side, No one else on our list can hold their ground against the "Real" big men. O-Mac on Hawkins for example? Spare me.