Checkers Nixon
7 Jul 2008, 01:10
Hi Guys, I have a question for the Freo faithful regarding Steven Dodd.
Do you think he is being best utilized as a "3rd line" tall defender at Freo?
The reason I ask is that I think that "Steven Dodd the Defender" will only ever be good enough to shut down a third line tall in an opposition side.
However, I have no doubt in my mind that he could shut down a 1st line midfielder as a tagger, or be a top line midfielder in his own right.
In short, I think Dodd is being wasted down back. I know that he started out as a midfielder for Freo. Yet, at some stage he was remoulded into a defender (I think by Chris Connoly). I am beginning to think that this transition was not in the interests of Dodd's career development. Maybe it suited the team at the time, but I think for Dodd to reach his full potential then FFC must give up on the idea of him being a pseudo defender when he could be a great midfielder.
After all, the guy is 190 cm tall. He is very quick on the lead. He is a good long distance runner (would you expect anything less from Brad Dodds cousin?). And he is good overhead.
I think he could be used as a tagger. Or alternatively, he would be a very tough midfielder for opposition teams to match up on. Compare that to his role as a defender, where I think most opposition clubs would identify his match up as a weak link in the Freo armour.
Hope you guys dont mind me asking. But I get really frustrated when I see a guy with Dodd's ability being misused as a third line tall defender.
I am not exaggerating when I say that it would be a bit Geelong deciding to develop a 20 yo Gary Ablett Junior as a small defender in a back pocket - Ablett would probably do a good job, but would never have reached the heights he has reached as a midfielder.
Do you think he is being best utilized as a "3rd line" tall defender at Freo?
The reason I ask is that I think that "Steven Dodd the Defender" will only ever be good enough to shut down a third line tall in an opposition side.
However, I have no doubt in my mind that he could shut down a 1st line midfielder as a tagger, or be a top line midfielder in his own right.
In short, I think Dodd is being wasted down back. I know that he started out as a midfielder for Freo. Yet, at some stage he was remoulded into a defender (I think by Chris Connoly). I am beginning to think that this transition was not in the interests of Dodd's career development. Maybe it suited the team at the time, but I think for Dodd to reach his full potential then FFC must give up on the idea of him being a pseudo defender when he could be a great midfielder.
After all, the guy is 190 cm tall. He is very quick on the lead. He is a good long distance runner (would you expect anything less from Brad Dodds cousin?). And he is good overhead.
I think he could be used as a tagger. Or alternatively, he would be a very tough midfielder for opposition teams to match up on. Compare that to his role as a defender, where I think most opposition clubs would identify his match up as a weak link in the Freo armour.
Hope you guys dont mind me asking. But I get really frustrated when I see a guy with Dodd's ability being misused as a third line tall defender.
I am not exaggerating when I say that it would be a bit Geelong deciding to develop a 20 yo Gary Ablett Junior as a small defender in a back pocket - Ablett would probably do a good job, but would never have reached the heights he has reached as a midfielder.