HFF Possibly the hardest position on the ground, they dont call it starvation corner for nothing, Once the domain of skillfull opputunist sharp shooters, Craig Mcrae from Brisbane redefined the role, in brisbanes great era just passed. Hard chaseing tackling fwds with great speed who cause goals by turnovers and chipping in with a goal or 2 is the go. Thats great when team is going well, but when struggling everybody says we need 4 or 5 goals from davey. Opposition teams know Aaron is rarely that productive goal wise if heavely tagged, not many are, but when key fwds are getting beaten the flank is no place to be. Andrew Mcleod went through the same scenario at Adelaide, and was moved to the back flank, look at how productive he has become with many clubs now trying to stop him from that position, Davey is not as good in the air as Mcleod but his run would cut sides to ribbons and the release from tagging pressure would give him new life.

HFF Possibly the hardest position on the ground, they dont call it starvation corner for nothing, Once the domain of skillfull opputunist sharp shooters, Craig Mcrae from Brisbane redefined the role, in brisbanes great era just passed. Hard chaseing tackling fwds with great speed who cause goals by turnovers and chipping in with a goal or 2 is the go. Thats great when team is going well, but when struggling everybody says we need 4 or 5 goals from davey. Opposition teams know Aaron is rarely that productive goal wise if heavely tagged, not many are, but when key fwds are getting beaten the flank is no place to be. Andrew Mcleod went through the same scenario at Adelaide, and was moved to the back flank, look at how productive he has become with many clubs now trying to stop him from that position, Davey is not as good in the air as Mcleod but his run would cut sides to ribbons and the release from tagging pressure would give him new life.

I'm a bit worried about suggestions that Aaron can fill the shoes of Robbo or Neita this weekend. Unfortunately I don't think we have any choice but to retain Aaron close to goals with these blokes out but I can only remember one game wher he has kicked 4 or more goals? I prefer the suggestion of playing him down back though far more than in the middle as some are suggesting. Think he would be far more effective down back than Yze.

I think ND will have to try him at FF, without Robbo & Neita, against Geelong. If the ball is delivered up there quickly to our tall timber of PJ &/or Jamar, Davey will be there to collect crumbs. If this doesn't work, then a move to the other end could be on the cards.

I think ND will have to try him at FF, without Robbo & Neita, against Geelong. If the ball is delivered up there quickly to our tall timber of PJ &/or Jamar, Davey will be there to collect crumbs. If this doesn't work, then a move to the other end could be on the cards.

Sometimes the speed and consistancy of ball comeing to fwd line is all that matters, If its Quick and predictable (to us) most modern day players can present themselves, its when its slow and predictable(to them) its a problem. No superstars in west coast fwd line, or Adelaides, Sydney has Hall. speed is king!

I think Aaron will play where he is needed. He will start in his normal possie and be moved according to how the game is played. Starting him at FF is a negative move IMO. Let him find his touch closer to the middle.

Throw White or bizz down at FF for the centre bounce. Let the russian take the first bounce, he needs to learn eventually.

I like this idea of shifting Aaron back to the back flank.. in polace of someone like Doggy. I suspect Davey likes a bit of space... gives him better chance to gauge the ball and the players in teh vicinity..and then he's like a falcon ..he's there..and nabbed them.. turned it over etc.. ..with his pace he can be at the wing or forward even more ramming it down someones throat ...he has the capacity to follow up and take the 1-2 and finish off as well.

he will drown on the forward line I fear...he has the makings of an abolsute gun of a rebounding half back

I fear alwin may be better than aaron. time will tell tho

I fear alwin may be better than aaron. time will tell tho

Alwyn doesn't have even nearly the genuine skill level of Aaron. He may have great pace, but he lets rip some shockers in the kicking department occasionally.

Alwyn doesn't have even nearly the genuine skill level of Aaron. He may have great pace, but he lets rip some shockers in the kicking department occasionally.

Like Jetta, I would have to question his accountability and ability to work both ways. Can't tackle as well as his brother and both boys were embarassingly brushed aside like a teenager pushing off kindergarten kids.

Jetta is an interesting one. He'll make Bombers supporters salivate when the game is open and free running, but in tight encounters with pressure applied, I think he might crumble.

He has the skills, but I'm just not sure about his commitment in close.

I fear alwin may be better than aaron. time will tell tho

I was under the impression that Aaron is playing with an injury?

I do agree with the sentiment that you can't expect small forwards to consistently kick bags.

I'm a bit worried about suggestions that Aaron can fill the shoes of Robbo or Neita this weekend. Unfortunately I don't think we have any choice but to retain Aaron close to goals with these blokes out but I can only remember one game wher he has kicked 4 or more goals? I prefer the suggestion of playing him down back though far more than in the middle as some are suggesting. Think he would be far more effective down back than Yze.

If you were a forward playing on Davey you'd constantly try and drag him out of the play and sit in the square, wouldn't you? I don't really see Davey as a backman. I see him as a crumbing forward for now, and I'm not sure he'll ever be strong enough for a permanent midfield role.

Surely with Yze playing he's more likely to be able to fill a FF-style role, albeit small (a la Craig Sholl etc). He's done it before.

I fear alwin may be better than aaron. time will tell tho

What are those fears based on?

I was under the impression that Aaron is playing with an injury?

Ok fair enough. No need to frown

What are those fears based on?

pace mainly. hes a lot quicker than aaron

Let's play the Rev's paddock, push all forwards to the HFF and us Davey's pace, kick the ball beyond our forwards and make it a foot race. Our just bomb it long and pray that we get it.

I do agree with the sentiment that you can't expect small forwards to consistently kick bags.

If you were a forward playing on Davey you'd constantly try and drag him out of the play and sit in the square, wouldn't you? I don't really see Davey as a backman. I see him as a crumbing forward for now, and I'm not sure he'll ever be strong enough for a permanent midfield role.

Surely with Yze playing he's more likely to be able to fill a FF-style role, albeit small (a la Craig Sholl etc). He's done it before.

I like the idea of Aaron roaming around the H/Backline, but I don't see him starting from that position. I think the opposition would play a strong marking player who has speed & has a power advantage over him. I like the idea of him starting either from the wing or H/F-F then pushing right back to the back flank to press the opposition & to recieve, run & carry, ending with his good delivery forward. He should roam across the back edge of the square.

PS: However today I think we need him deep forward, playing with an isolated F/forwrd line consisting of 2 or 3 Mfc forwards around the goal line, with no one else inside the forward 50m arc other than our forwards opposition. We could congest the midfield.

HFF Possibly the hardest position on the ground, they dont call it starvation corner for nothing, Once the domain of skillfull opputunist sharp shooters, Craig Mcrae from Brisbane redefined the role, in brisbanes great era just passed. Hard chaseing tackling fwds with great speed who cause goals by turnovers and chipping in with a goal or 2 is the go. Thats great when team is going well, but when struggling everybody says we need 4 or 5 goals from davey. Opposition teams know Aaron is rarely that productive goal wise if heavely tagged, not many are, but when key fwds are getting beaten the flank is no place to be. Andrew Mcleod went through the same scenario at Adelaide, and was moved to the back flank, look at how productive he has become with many clubs now trying to stop him from that position, Davey is not as good in the air as Mcleod but his run would cut sides to ribbons and the release from tagging pressure would give him new life.

Great post.

The form of Aaron is worrying. Its hard to see how a player who has dominated the game reasonably consistently over the past 3 years can churn out 3 stinkers in a row. Ive watched everyone of his career games and often i find myself just focusing on what he does rather than the game itself so ive got a pretty good idea on how his going. The few people have hinted that he is either not interested, injured or even staging some sort of rebelion against the club because they didnt rookie his brother at the end of 05', when alwyn had done absolutely squat in the SANFL. The first and last are rediculous conclusions.

I thought that he worked extremely hard today, a man who isnt interested doesnt run as hard defensively to tackle, harrass and pressure as he did today, its the hardest thing in the game is to run when ur no chance of getting the ball. If the rest of our players pushed hard the other way instead of getting forward of the play we wouldnt have been smashed in general play and on the rebound.

In relation to him carrying an injury, there is little substance to it. Im of the belief he had a few problems with ankle sprains in the pre-season and there was some evidence of this in round 1 when he had it re-strapped a couple of times but none since, he doesnt seem at all hampered through his movement nor his pace. If he was carrying something the club would surely make this public and rest him given how early in the year it is and the reluctance of the club to risk other players (mainly pickett, sylvia and rivers).

I think his problems lie in what danners is just saying, he is simply out of sorts, the ball just isnt falling for him where it normally would. This happened many times today, for example in the first quater where a bate handball would have released him into goals although it was blocked or many times when he was open but the ball was turned over or smothered. There is also no doubt that Davey plays better when we are winning the ball, pumping the ball inside 50 regularly and our good players are playing well, this isnt happening at the moment. The attacking part of his game isnt conducive to unstructured, scrappy, stop-start losing footy.

Davey has been played a little further up the ground this year also, this doesnt release the heavy tag he gets though. Even when on the HB line he still is heavily tagged, rival clubs are so aware of how dangerous he is they place great emphasis on stopping him everywhere. Any player would struggle with this and a player who is as lightly built as he is, he often gets pushed of the ball or blocked. Its not an outragous comment to say he gets as much attention from his opponent as judd does.

The final thing which is pretty obvious, is whenever he is out of the play he is really blowing hard and has come to the bench alot more often this year, it was mentioned on the website in the report written on each player that he has had an interrupted pre-season. The game these days is so much about running hard to good spots that a player who is down on the fitness they need to perform will inevitably struggle. The high intensity repeated efforts game he plays means he is unable to recover sufficiently between efforts to perform maximally every time, if his fitness isnt there.

I dont think that dropping him to the VFL is the way too go, he must be very frustrated although his body language and temprement on the ground (besides a few times in round 1) has been very good. He is still talking and celebrating with teammates after goals. Every time he gets the ball he still does somthing with it, so i think that a gradual improvement from week-to-week will get him back where he needs to be. To those of you on his back, dont get of board yet, every player goes through tough patches and remember it was only a short time ago he was rookied from port melbourne, his progress has been amazing since, cut him some slack to have a rough patch.

Worrying is an understatement

A guy with so much speed, flair and skill cant get near the ball

ZERO GOALS IN 3 ROUNDS!!!

There is also no doubt that Davey plays better when we are winning the ball, pumping the ball inside 50 regularly and our good players are playing well, this isnt happening at the moment. The attacking part of his game isnt conducive to unstructured, scrappy, stop-start losing footy.

Indeed. I wouldn't be inclined to drop him at the moment. It's not like we have a plethora of crumbing forwards (I recall Brown playing there vs Adelaide(?) last year) and I think things could just as easily turn for him at senior level. As you say, he seems to be working reasonably hard.

I think the biggest thing is that he's a small forward who's primarily going to jag some opportunistic goals - that's hard to do when your team is getting smacked and the ball isn't coming down much. It'd also help if he had a few more mates who were worthy of defender attention.

pace mainly. hes a lot quicker than aaron

Absolute unequivocal garbage there me old matey (no offence)...

First of all it's heresay that Alwyn raced him and beat him.

Secondly that was YEARS ago, making it highly irrelevant given the growth of both players and their playing histories and upbringings.

Thirdly, they are comparably quick, they both approach the loose ball and chase-donw opportunities identically, and are equally as dangerous in both situations.

Fourthly, from what I've seen Aaron's pickups, running into gaps, finding space, kicking to contests and for goal, and his hardball gets are each FAR more developed than Alwyns (though it is early days, Alwyn could catch him there) even in his first yaer when he was much younger, but equally as green.

Fifthly, even if you found fault with much of what I said above, there's no way you could say Aaron is "a lot" quicker than Alwyn. That's blatantly untrue. If one is quicker than the other, it couldn't be by much. In the end, if you find fans debating which Davey was better at the end of their careers, the LAST thing they'll raise as evidence is one's pace over the other. It will come down to their other skills and football nous, as well as success in finals etc etc.

Jetta is an interesting one. He'll make Bombers supporters salivate when the game is open and free running, but in tight encounters with pressure applied, I think he might crumble.

As he did on Saturday. I went to the 'G' to watch Bomvers V Blues. on the weekend.

Jetta and davey no impact when Cralton started to apply pressure, and it was left to Hird and LLoyd to keeep them in th a game.

Arron has a lot more strings to his bow than these two so far.

We've just gone Round 3 . You can't say Alwyn is better than Aaron. DAvey should be put on the ball if Daniher had any sense, get him into the game. If Daniher also had more sense, he wouldn't play our playmaker cameron bruce behind the ball getting his 30 possessions there, play him in the middle! Bizzell should come into the side and play up forward as he did at Geelong. Holland should be dropped. I'm not convinced by ferguson's game. Paul Johnson did well he can stay.

Too early to even think about comparing the Davey boys.

One has played 3 games of AFL football, the other has been in the system since late 2003 and coming up for his fourth season.

As an Essendon supporter, I'm more than happy with Alwyns efforts so far. And from the two games I've seen live, I can't recall a player with more leg speed than him, ever. But just because in my opinion he is slightly quicker than Aaron, and it's only slightly, that doesn't make him a "better" player. Aaron has the runs on the board, and Alwyn has a long way to go before he joins him.

As for Jetta, I'm also pretty happy with his performances so far. You have to remember, these blokes are just youngsters, playing their first few games of AFL footy. I wouldn't expect a kid like Jetta to 'turn the tide' on Saturday against Carlton. Lets be honest, the best you'll get out of blokes like Jetta & Davey at this early stage of their careers is they'll add some pace, kick a couple of goals and lay some tackles. They're not going to get 30+ touches a game, or kick bags of goals.

As for Aaron, not sure what to do with him. Obviously is desperately out of form, but with the lack of fire power up forward at the moment, I don't think Melbourne can afford to drop him.