Not Worth A Thread - Random Bulldog Discussion

[Northernsoul74]

Hindsight but why didn't we draft Darcy Macpherson again. Looks like he is becoming a really good player and is shining even in a bad team. Would look nice on a HFF for us...

Looks like a mistake in hindsight.

 

[cherrypie]

Hindsight but why didn't we draft Darcy Macpherson again. Looks like he is becoming a really good player and is shining even in a bad team. Would look nice on a HFF for us...

We'd recently drafted McLean, Daniel, Honeychurch, Hrovat, Hunter etc so he wasn't in a position of need. Also was taken in the rookie draft so every club passed him multiple times

 

[LittleG]

Hindsight but why didn't we draft Darcy Macpherson again. Looks like he is becoming a really good player and is shining even in a bad team. Would look nice on a HFF for us...

Darcy got the opportunity that wouldn’t have been there at our club. He would have been stuck in the VFL for years with us and probably not as good as he is now. Good on him for taking the chances he got.

 

[AuTo00Z]

Darcy got the opportunity that wouldn’t have been there at our club. He would have been stuck in the VFL for years with us and probably not as good as he is now. Good on him for taking the chances he got.

Except Darcy didn't get his opportunity straight away. In his first 3 seasons he was either injured or mostly playing neafl, and had to fight his way onto the senior list. He was never a clear best 22 player until last year, where he played every game. He would've battled for opportunity no matter where he went cause he's a small player who isn't necessarily the most talented. Personally, I think given his professionalism and how hard he works, he would've eventually got opportunities no matter where he went. In fact, if it wasn't for the suns non-afl standard facilities, fitness and medical staff during his first couple of years, he would've likely come on sooner a lot sooner, and probably be better than he is now.

However in saying all this, he probably just wasn't talented enough for his size, so no club could justify having on their senior list at that time, and doggies had already committed to re-drafting Lynch, and went for needs with the other two picks (Adcock for experience, and Goetz for the sake of having a young developing ruckman on the list). Only way they could've possibly fit him in is if they signed a category-b rookie instead of Goetz, so that there would be a category-a rookie spot open for Darcy, but I guess the club had their hearts set on Goetz (who was already training with the club before he was drafted)

A mistake in hindsight, but I don't think the doggies recruiting staff at the time would be too surprised with how Darcy turned out (I mean, they were likely tracking him for years given he's a F/S prospect). They likely knew they were letting go of someone with potential to be a good player, but they just couldn't fit him in at the time. They probably would've drafted him any other year, if the need for a experience and young ruck wasn't so high at the time.

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

Hindsight but why didn't we draft Darcy Macpherson again. Looks like he is becoming a really good player and is shining even in a bad team. Would look nice on a HFF for us...

If he’s the best player we ever overlook in a draft then I think our recruiters deserve a medal.

 

[Spiritof82]

Except Darcy didn't get his opportunity straight away. In his first 3 seasons he was either injured or mostly playing neafl, and had to fight his way onto the senior list. He was never a clear best 22 player until last year, where he played every game. He would've battled for opportunity no matter where he went cause he's a small player who isn't necessarily the most talented. Personally, I think given his professionalism and how hard he works, he would've eventually got opportunities no matter where he went. In fact, if it wasn't for the suns non-afl standard facilities, fitness and medical staff during his first couple of years, he would've likely come on sooner a lot sooner, and probably be better than he is now.

However in saying all this, he probably just wasn't talented enough for his size, so no club could justify having on their senior list at that time, and doggies had already committed to re-drafting Lynch, and went for needs with the other two picks (Adcock for experience, and Goetz for the sake of having a young developing ruckman on the list). Only way they could've possibly fit him in is if they signed a category-b rookie instead of Goetz, so that there would be a category-a rookie spot open for Darcy, but I guess the club had their hearts set on Goetz (who was already training with the club before he was drafted)

A mistake in hindsight, but I don't think the doggies recruiting staff at the time would be too surprised with how Darcy turned out (I mean, they were likely tracking him for years given he's a F/S prospect). They likely knew they were letting go of someone with potential to be a good player, but they just couldn't fit him in at the time. They probably would've drafted him any other year, if the need for a experience and young ruck wasn't so high at the time.

The dogs are keeping a close eye on his younger brother Ewin and if its like the previous McPherson generation, the younger brother is the better of the two

 

[TBOW]

Looks like a mistake in hindsight.

I don't think we can say it was a mistake in hindsight.
When you look at our young list now it is easy to forget that in 2016 we had a full list with lots of young talent and mature depth putting pressure on for spots.
Without this motivating factor our players may not have had the drive that pushed us to the ultimate success in September.

At the end of the year Hrovat and Koby Stevens saw the writing on the wall with kids like Dunkley and McLean taking their places and left for more opportunity which combined with losing Matty Boyd and Clay for the year plus a few guys checking out left us just lacking that little bit of internal competitiveness in 2017.

I would love to have Macpherson at the club but I'm pretty happy with that premiership!

 

[Bont2Bruce]

Wouldn't have hurt to take Darcy as a rookie in 2015, we selected Brad Lynch, Luke Goetz and Jed Adcock in the rookie draft that year.
But hindsight is always 20/20.

Over Dalrymple's time with us, his rookie selections seriously declined in value. Sometimes that's because we often re-rookied players, but when he did pick a new player it was not exactly the next Johannisen/Dahlhaus:

2010: Dahlhaus, Johannisen, Barlow, Hahn
2011: Jong, Campbell, Greenwood, Redpath, Austin
2012: Goodes
2013: Nil
2014: R.Smith, Kelly, Pearce, Goodes
2015: Lynch, Goetz, Adcock
2016: Mullenger-McHugh, Prudden
2017: Gowers (actually Bevo's call), R.Smith

 

[DognBones]

I searched Bennett Oval, Whyalla on Google Maps and the photo I saw left me aghast. Fortunately, it appears the ground, including what looked like a ramshackle country grandstand, has had an upgrade. Hopefully the field itself has been improved as well because older photos revealed a dry, hard surface. Don't want any injuries caused by substandard playing conditions.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Wouldn't have hurt to take Darcy as a rookie in 2015, we selected Brad Lynch, Luke Goetz and Jed Adcock in the rookie draft that year.
But hindsight is always 20/20.

Over Dalrymple's time with us, his rookie selections seriously declined in value. Sometimes that's because we often re-rookied players, but when he did pick a new player it was not exactly the next Johannisen/Dahlhaus:

2010: Dahlhaus, Johannisen, Barlow, Hahn
2011: Jong, Campbell, Greenwood, Redpath, Austin
2012: Goodes
2013: Nil
2014: R.Smith, Kelly, Pearce, Goodes
2015: Lynch, Goetz, Adcock
2016: Mullenger-McHugh, Prudden
2017: Gowers (actually Bevo's call), R.Smith

That's a pretty good point. Grabbing Dahl and JJ in one go is all time.

Follows it up with Jong (ok for a rookie), Campbell (was ok for a little while) and Redpath (great pick, pity his knees didn't survive)

Then grabs a couple of battlers in Roarke and Lynch over the next few years.

His main drafts were fantastic, especially some of the guys he picked in the second and third rounds (Caleb Daniel, Bailey Dale, Toby McLean, Bailey Williams, Josh Dunkley, plus some hope for Young and Greene). Pity the rookies dropped off so hard

 

[bobs head soup]

The dogs are keeping a close eye on his younger brother Ewin and if its like the previous McPherson generation, the younger brother is the better of the two

Steve's older brother Rod ended up playing at Carrara for the Brisbane Bears after a few years on the fringes at the Dogs whilst Steve had a stellar career. Would be an odd coincidence if Darcy similarly has a Gold Coast career and younger brother Ewan becomes a long time Dog.

 

[ScragCity]

I love how we have to have a 20-page discussion about McPherson every time he gets a few touches in a practice game. I bet Sydney pine over Dunkley less.

 

[King Harold]

I love how we have to have a 20-page discussion about McPherson every time he gets a few touches in a practice game. I bet Sydney pine over Dunkley less.

don’t think anyone’s pining or devastated Scrag. I’m not !
in fact everyone to a man is happy with our list right now.
But at the time we could have off loaded Honeychurch for McPherson , how anyone would argue in hindsight that would have been a good idea is beyond me !

 

[ivan rassmussen]

If people want to beat themselves up about 'if only' scenarios, go back to the father-sons we missed out on:

Allan Moncrieff played 67 games between 1943-1951, and was a handy player. His son, Michael, 224 games and 629 goals for Hawks, 2 flags, topped their goal kicking 5 times, including the 76 and 78 flag years, played for Vic, 29th all-time highest VFL/AFL goalkicker. Father-son qualification was only 50 games when we missed out on him in early 70s.

Dick Wearmouth played 100 games exactly between 1944-1952. A very good player, finished 12th in the 51 Brownlow, and was an accomplished winger. His son Ron(nie) played 186 games (127 goals) for the Pies, including 4 grand finals, as a quality rover.

Frank Aked Snr played 108 games between 1925 and 1932 as a ruckman. Was later a trainer, reserves coach and many other roles at the club for decades. His daughter married Arthur Edwards, who played 129 games between 1951-1960, including the 54 flag side, and was a stalwart of those sides, and also an enforcer. Arthur's son, Allan (Butch) was a teenage prodigy, playing 66 games (84 goals) for Tigers, a further 35 games at the Pies, both in strong sides, before managing 12 games on minimal knee cartilage at our club in 84, where his talent was obvious, but his mobility was shot. (Frank's son, Frank Jnr, also played 4 games for us in 51-52, and Shane O'Bree is also part of this family tree.)

And this is all well before missing out on the Reid brothers, Ryan O'Keeffe and others where father's didn't play enough games. Michael Moncrieff, Ron Wearmouth and Allan Edwards all qualified as father-sons when they were recruited - by other clubs.

Edit: in fact all their careers overlapped significantly, so all 3 could have played together at WO for large parts of their careers.

 

[scooter600x]

If people want to beat themselves up about 'if only' scenarios, go back to the father-sons we missed out on:

Allan Moncrieff played 67 games between 1943-1951, and was a handy player. His son, Michael, 224 games and 629 goals for Hawks, 2 flags, topped their goal kicking 5 times, including the 76 and 78 flag years, played for Vic, 29th all-time highest VFL/AFL goalkicker. Father-son qualification was only 50 games when we missed out on him in early 70s.

Dick Wearmouth played 100 games exactly between 1944-1952. A very good player, finished 12th in the 51 Brownlow, and was an accomplished winger. His son Ron(nie) played 186 games (127 goals) for the Pies, including 4 grand finals, as a quality rover.

Frank Aked Snr played 108 games between 1925 and 1932 as a ruckman. Was later a trainer, reserves coach and many other roles at the club for decades. His daughter married Arthur Edwards, who played 129 games between 1951-1960, including the 54 flag side, and was a stalwart of those sides, and also an enforcer. Arthur's son, Allan (Butch) was a teenage prodigy, playing 66 games (84 goals) for Tigers, a further 35 games at the Pies, both in strong sides, before managing 12 games on minimal knee cartilage at our club in 84, where his talent was obvious, but his mobility was shot. (Frank's son, Frank Jnr, also played 4 games for us in 51-52, and Shane O'Bree is also part of this family tree.)

And this is all well before missing out on the Reid brothers, Ryan O'Keeffe and others where father's didn't play enough games. Michael Moncrieff, Ron Wearmouth and Allan Edwards all qualified as father-sons when they were recruited - by other clubs.

Edit: in fact all their careers overlapped significantly, so all 3 could have played together at WO for large parts of their careers.

I think I remember that both wearmouth and Edwards refused to play for us with the suggestion that the money was a lot better elsewhere

 

[ivan rassmussen]

I think I remember that both wearmouth and Edwards refused to play for us with the suggestion that the money was a lot better elsewhere

Thanks scooter, I remember as a kid hearing rumours being discussed on the terraces at WO in the early 70s, and the money aspect doesn't surprise me, also that our club was an administrative (and largely on-field) shambles when all their careers started. I believe Arthur Edwards was disappointed Allan went to Richmond, but whether that was disappointment with his son's choice of club (Edwards family lived in Tigers recruiting zone at the time), his old team-mates at his old club who were involved in recruiting/admin at the time, or his old club for being a basket-case (or all 3), who knows?

 

[Spiritof82]

Steve's older brother Rod ended up playing at Carrara for the Brisbane Bears after a few years on the fringes at the Dogs whilst Steve had a stellar career. Would be an odd coincidence if Darcy similarly has a Gold Coast career and younger brother Ewan becomes a long time Dog.

I think we only recruited Rod because we were desperate to get Steve to the club and they came as a package. Rod was offloaded to the bears when they were set up as the VFL told every club that they had to supply a certain number of players to them.

 

[bobs head soup]

I think we only recruited Rod because we were desperate to get Steve to the club and they came as a package. Rod was offloaded to the bears when they were set up as the VFL told every club that they had to supply a certain number of players to them.

No doubt that's true, Steve was a gun junior and Rod was a battler. Did manage 5 years on our list though and did play 43 games wearing #43 ( great trivia question amongst Doggie diehards).

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Rod was more than a battler, watch early 83 games, plus the 85 game at WO where we beat Essendon, was tough too. Steve was a bit of a sniper, Rod had a few games where he tagged, but was handy as a resting rover too. Story above is true we got him to nab Steve, and at the end of 86, every club had to nominate 2 (or maybe 3) players to go to the Bears. We lost Rod Mac and Craig Somerville ( originally from Lucknow), another slight but handy rover, who unfortunately was 4th in line behind Royal, McGuiness and Petraglia. Both should have got more out of their careers, and probably would have at a club other than the Bears. We also lost Jimmy Sewell to Brisbane end of 86 -think he went up as football manager or similar admin role, but could have played another year or two easily - tall wiry build, had virtually no history of injury.

 

[Spiritof82]

Rod was more than a battler, watch early 83 games, plus the 85 game at WO where we beat Essendon, was tough too. Steve was a bit of a sniper, Rod had a few games where he tagged, but was handy as a resting rover too. Story above is true we got him to nab Steve, and at the end of 86, every club had to nominate 2 (or maybe 3) players to go to the Bears. We lost Rod Mac and Craig Somerville ( originally from Lucknow), another slight but handy rover, who unfortunately was 4th in line behind Royal, McGuiness and Petraglia. Both should have got more out of their careers, and probably would have at a club other than the Bears. We also lost Jimmy Sewell to Brisbane end of 86 -think he went up as football manager or similar admin role, but could have played another year or two easily - tall wiry build, had virtually no history of injury.

Jim Sewell was a very good forward for us, only drawback was that he could only kick on one side and had a turning circle of a Mac truck

 

[ossie_21]

Not sure where to put it, but I have 2 tickets available tomorrow night for the bushfire game if anyone wants to grab them? Apparently down to single seats & standing room at the moment. They are level 3 but centre wing

Mate & his wife that were coming got an early baby, they are & were $20 each so just looking to not be out of pocket or trying to flog them off to walk ups...

 

[Fossie 32]

JJ set up first two goals

 

[Fossie 32]

JJ set up first two goals

And saved one!

 

[Charlie Bucket]

JJ putting on a clinic!!

 

[Fossie 32]

JJ putting on a clinic!!

Just set up another shot on goal but butchered by Tex