Changes vs Port Adelaide

[JTCWBFC]

What I liked about grants game was Bev threw him deep in the last quarter and if he kicked straight could have had 3 goals. In a close game that could be a bit of a weapon.


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[Zgope1]

I know he's gotta do more but for talent Grant is best 22.

A couple years ago you'd go to games and watch him and see he was worse than you'd see on TV. He'd lope around off the ball and walk 20m off play. At home you'd see his goals and marks and smooth handballs.

Now it's the opposite. The work is there and it's obvious. Just needs to put some cream on it. A better set shot would help

 

[SeaWind]

His chase down and pressure on a Shiel kick, which lead to a Wood intercept mark was fantastic and in the third quarter, and as GWS were mounting a bit of a comeback.

Grant's best is best 22 all day, he had been working hard in the 2's playing great footy. As mentioned it is a contract year for him, so the coaching staff need to see what he's about in the firsts to work out what direction they go with him.

Chasing alone doesn't cut the mustard. There's a long list of state league players who would be among the best chasers in the AFL.

He's got to start kicking goals on a consistent basis, or start getting a lot more of the ball up the ground and doing damage with his disposals. His best is fantastic, but he's never been able to play at a high level consistently.

If he can't be consistent, he shouldn't be in the team. I don't mind giving him opportunities now, but I can't say my hopes are high.

 

[SWest75]

I'm a bit of a Grant fan and I've lived in hope that he'd have one of those amazing breakout games. After watching the replay he had quite a number of important link up handballs and his workrate has definitely lifted. His ability to cover ground when he gets on his bike is very important to the press/zone. He stays for mine. He's not alone in the crap goal kicking department.

 

[Tommycash]

Does anybody know what's happened to Honeychurch, not listed on website as injured but not in any discussions re availability? Lack of information provided by club on him!

Good point. Rested against Melbourne for "General Soreness" didn't get the call up against GWS. One would assume he is to come in this week as well, you can't be that sore can you? He'd be putting pressure on Hrovat if he is to come in. Perhpas they'll bring him back though the magoos, but he's been in pretty good form?

 

[Pottzy]

Bevo has shown a liking for bringing guys in after being rested the previous week (typically as the first emergency)... Any chance Redpath was strategically rested last week to give Toyd a 2 week break (Port and the bye)?

 

[Dogsman16]

Bevo has shown a liking for bringing guys in after being rested the previous week (typically as the first emergency)... Any chance Redpath was strategically rested last week to give Toyd a 2 week break (Port and the bye)?

This week is as good as any to give Boyd a rest and Redpath another crack. Don't really see the point of taking someone who we were 50/50 on resting against GWS, interstate. Give him a two week break and he then can launch into our 4 weeks were we have some very winnable games (Brisbane, Gold Coast, St Kilda, Carlton).

 

[doggies ftw]

I think unless someone's genuinely injured you play them this week. With the bye it's still a two week break from the port game to the next game. 2 weeks of light work and recovery is more than enough to heal from any soreness (obviously genuine injury concerns are a different story) and any longer than that can actually be a hinderance IMO. So Boyd and Bonts play if not injured for mine.

 

[fronkalicious]

I know he's gotta do more but for talent Grant is best 22.

A couple years ago you'd go to games and watch him and see he was worse than you'd see on TV. He'd lope around off the ball and walk 20m off play. At home you'd see his goals and marks and smooth handballs.

Now it's the opposite. The work is there and it's obvious. Just needs to put some cream on it. A better set shot would help

I have it the other way round Zgope. I have him best 22 for effort now, but not for talent. He consistently misses goals, misses targets and struggles to find the ball. They're talent issues IMO. I've come around 180 degrees on him. He's going 100%now, which I love, and which is why I'm happy to have him in the team. But his core skills and footy ability just isn't as good as we all thought IMO.

 

[Zgope1]

I have it the other way round Zgope. I have him best 22 for effort now, but not for talent. He consistently misses goals, misses targets and struggles to find the ball. They're talent issues IMO. I've come around 180 degrees on him. He's going 100%now, which I love, and which is why I'm happy to have him in the team. But his core skills and footy ability just isn't as good as we all thought IMO.

so you think it's not that he's not executing, it's that he's not that good?

I think he's got a few more goals in him than he's kicked.

 

[fronkalicious]

so you think it's not that he's not executing, it's that he's not that good?

I think he's got a few more goals in him than he's kicked.

I think if someone has a history of not finding the footy, not finding targets and missing goals, then that's who they are, and that's a lack of talent. Not executing consistently, over a long period of time = not that good IMO.

I like him though and his intensity has been awesome so far this year.

 

[fargy]

I think Grants focus has changed from being offensively focused to defensively. And he is doing the defensive stuff well, it's just he has to find a balance between the two. I also think he is feeling the pressure, he would be in no doubt as to where he sits at the moment. And I think that is having an impact on his kicking for goal (no evidence on this but from memory he has been a decent set shot despite the action). Hopefully he can find a mix of that late 2013 form with the effort and defensive work he is doing now.

 

[Zgope1]

I think if someone has a history of not finding the footy, not finding targets and missing goals, then that's who they are, and that's a lack of talent. Not executing consistently, over a long period of time = not that good IMO.

I like him though and his intensity has been awesome so far this year.

Fair call Fronk.

Here's hoping that changes.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

I think if someone has a history of not finding the footy, not finding targets and missing goals, then that's who they are, and that's a lack of talent. Not executing consistently, over a long period of time = not that good IMO.

I like him though and his intensity has been awesome so far this year.

Does he though? This is the first year he's missed more shots on goal than he's converted in his entire career (aside from his first year - where he played one game and kicked a point). His average disposals this year are his third-lowest in his career (second-lowest if you don't count his first year), and averaged almost 17 per game in 2013. He's only had one year in his career with a DE% under 70% - and that was 69.9%. Grant's had issues throughout his career but I genuinely don't believe that the issues he's had so far this year have been present to the same degree historically (aside from perhaps the history of not finding the footy - but he's certainly demonstrated that he can win the ball more often than he is at the moment in previous years).

I think Grant is playing a predominantly defensive, structural role when he comes into the team and he's playing it reasonably well, with some execution issues.

 

[stefoid]

We tend to look at players in isolation - grant is best 22 or he isnt, on his own merits. But who is he pushing out of the team? Stringer Crameri, Boyd, Dickson are our pure forwards, and I reckon Bev wants a resting ruck and resting mid spot in there as well.

I reckon Hunter will be given every opportunity because he is capable of playing mid/forward. In fact I think Bev sees almost 100% of our mids capable of being rested forward, including Picken and Wallis, but maybe not Libba.

So that leaves Grant competing for a pure forward spot and its very hard to see him grabbing one of those spots on a permanent basis.

 

[DognBones]

Good point. Rested against Melbourne for "General Soreness" didn't get the call up against GWS. One would assume he is to come in this week as well, you can't be that sore can you? He'd be putting pressure on Hrovat if he is to come in. Perhpas they'll bring him back though the magoos, but he's been in pretty good form?

The club has had a bit of a history with players 'going missing' with injuries in the past. It's much better now, of course, with the weekly updates on the WB website, but still the odd one still remains a mystery - don't understand why.

 

[Butane]

I'm a bit of a Grant fan and I've lived in hope that he'd have one of those amazing breakout games.

He's had about 5 break out games in his career. I've never been his biggest fan, every year for the past 3-4 I've suggested trading him and the club tried but couldn't get anything for him and then got held at ransom 2 years ago in trade week when they signed him up again deep into it for another 2.

Having said all of that, I actually think he's improved. Which shouldn't come as a surprise. He's the 9th oldest player on our list and the 11th most experienced. I think he's in our best 22-24 and would be giving him games over guys like Honeychurch, Dale, Smith etc but they didn't really do every week did they? His VFL over the last couple of years has been mostly shithouse although I recognise he might be a rare beast that plays better in the AFL(haven't seen him this year in the VFL but from reports he's better)

I just waffled on for a bit and didn't really have a point. I'd be picking him as often as possible before the end of the year though to boost his trade value.

 

[lindsay_bulldogs]

In Cram and String out Bont and Dale

 

[fronkalicious]

In Cram and String out Bont and Dale

Your guess or got some good mail??

 

[threenewpadlocks]

He's had about 5 break out games in his career. I've never been his biggest fan, every year for the past 3-4 I've suggested trading him and the club tried but couldn't get anything for him and then got held at ransom 2 years ago in trade week when they signed him up again deep into it for another 2.

Having said all of that, I actually think he's improved. Which shouldn't come as a surprise. He's the 9th oldest player on our list and the 11th most experienced. I think he's in our best 22-24 and would be giving him games over guys like Honeychurch, Dale, Smith etc but they didn't really do every week did they? His VFL over the last couple of years has been mostly shithouse although I recognise he might be a rare beast that plays better in the AFL(haven't seen him this year in the VFL but from reports he's better)

I just waffled on for a bit and didn't really have a point. I'd be picking him as often as possible before the end of the year though to boost his trade value.

Grant has zero value whatsoever as at the trade table. The only value he has is clubs maybe offering him a nominal 1 year contract like Brisbane did at the end of 2013. He wanted out at the end of last year (like Talia, Griffen, Jones, Tutt...) but the difference is that no other club wanted to have to give something up, even their last pick, to trade for a contracted player.

The difference was that under McCartney he hated it so much, he either wanted out even if it meant playing on one year contracts, or he wanted the security of a two year deal (that we eventually relented and offered him at the end of 2013). However as others have stated, he's now two years older than last time he was out of contract, his stats are down (although his overall performance and defensive work isn't) means that I very much doubt that any club will again offer him anything more than a nominal contract for one year, let alone actively trade for him, even if he kicks a goal and a half a game with an 18 touch average for the rest of the season. However the difference is with a new coach who actually gives him a go and better application in both the AFL and VFL (he actually dominated the VFL for the weeks he was there for a player who historically been a poor VFL performer) means that even in any case he's more likely to stay with the Dogs even if we offer him a one year deal at the end of the year, which is what we should do.

This is the Changes thread after all, suggesting we drop him is ridiculous. His performance against GWS aside, you want to drop a bloke after one week after actually showing some application in the VFL, something that he's notorious for not doing?

 

[Mr. Walker]

What I liked about grants game was Bev threw him deep in the last quarter and if he kicked straight could have had 3 goals. In a close game that could be a bit of a weapon.

This is my concern with Grant. It is always coulda, woulda, shoulda. Every week we talk about how he nearly kicked a lot of goals or nearly played a whole game. When he actually does something more than a brief cameo then i will think about him for best 22. Higgins teased us for years, Jones for a few years less and now Grant is doing the same. I swear this guy can have a whole career based only on "potential" without ever actually delivering anything. I want him to succeed but he has been around long enough to deliver in more than a lot less than a whole game.

 

[Dogsman16]

Jarrad Grant should never ever get another single minute in the seniors. Only his alter ego "MICROPHONE HEAD" deserves such opportunity.

 

[King Harold]

Fair call Fronk.

Here's hoping that changes.

Fronk is absolutely spot on , but I am now resigned to the fact he is always going to be a hit and miss kick.
Shocking teqnique that hasn't improved one jot in all the time he's been on the list.
Happy with what he offers with everything else , but I would hate him having ball in hand to get us over the line in a final , how scary would that be ?

 

[Zgope1]

Fronk is absolutely spot on , but I am now resigned to the fact he is always going to be a hit and miss kick.
Shocking teqnique that hasn't improved one jot in all the time he's been on the list.
Happy with what he offers with everything else , but I would hate him having ball in hand to get us over the line in a final , how scary would that be ?

i'd be fine if he had it in the pocket or on the snap. set shot, no thanks. running into and open goal, no thanks.

 

[Dogsman16]

Crameri, Stringer, Mclean (in)

Biggs, Bont, Picken (out)

Dogs video is up!!!