Injury 2019 Injuries

Aug 14, 2001
10,336
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Melbourne
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I know its early to be talking about but this would be a massive blunder by the club imo. We need a replacement and were/are entitled to one.
Only if there’s someone who immediately fits a need. I’d rather give Young or Smith a go than play a list clogger.

To be honest, someone joining this late is going to be pushing it to learn the game plan and contribute.
 
Only if there’s someone who immediately fits a need. I’d rather give Young or Smith a go than play a list clogger.

To be honest, someone joining this late is going to be pushing it to learn the game plan and contribute.
It's not so much whether the replacement would make an immediate impact (unlikely). It's more the opportunity to increase the turnover of players coming through our list. The more we can sift through - discarding many along the way - the more likely we are to find some gems. It's like panning for gold. You discard a lot of gravel to get the few specks of pay dirt.

We all know some are going to be flops but for every Mulligan, Greenwood, Davidson or Mullenger-McHugh there have been players like Picken, Dahlhaus, Jong, Lynch, Morris, Redpath and JJ. These are players who have made a range of contributions and/or look like having an impact. Morris, Picken and JJ will go down as club greats and let's not belittle the contribution of Luke Dahlhaus who won a premiership medallion and played over 150 games for us.

Who knows whether it was feasible for the club to jump in with a late selection this afternoon. We might have only had confirmation of the ACL very late in the piece. Was there time to do due diligence on a preferred candidate?

And anyway, isn't there a chance to pick somebody up in a revived mid-season draft this year?
 

Jeff 1975

Club Legend
Mar 29, 2018
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Unfortunately the bad run of injuries continues

I understand that this is not intended to happen

But I have 2 questions

Could it be our training methods?

Can we send a spy down to Richmond?
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but suddenly a quarter of our list is injured or in rehab:

Likely best 22 if fit:
  • Tom Boyd
  • Dale Morris
  • Jason Johannisen
  • Liam Picken
  • Lin Jong
Fringe candidates:
  • Lukas Webb (or is he in full training now?)
  • Ben Cavarra
  • Bailey Dale
  • Bradley Lynch (or is he now fully recovered?)
Development players:
  • Laitham Vandermeer
  • Buku Khamis
and we are yet to play even one round of the 2019 footy season.

It appears that at least half of those are still long term - at least 6 weeks before they are a chance to play.

Several of the list were carry-overs from last year (Boyd, Picken, Webb, Dale, maybe Lynch?) but most of them have occurred in the last 3-4 weeks.

It's pretty deflating when March is meant to be the one month of bright hope for every AFL supporter no matter what club you support.
 
Aug 14, 2001
10,336
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Melbourne
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It might be that our injury management needs to be scrutinised, it seems worse than for other clubs over an extended period.

That said, not much you can do about an ACL.

Won’t accept a poor me attitude - we have most of our 22 available and will have more of them back in a few weeks. We should be able to be competitive each week.
 

perro_loco

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Apr 10, 2016
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Dale Morris injury and the events in NZ make this the worst Friday I can remember. The positive is that we need to step up and somebody will come along. Hope it is Roberts or Young. Let's hope Moz recovers, but doubt it. Really a bad, bad Friday in all accounts. My thougths to the people of NZ to and to poor old Moz. We all love you.
 

Brian Perrin

Team Captain
Jul 6, 2011
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I love tie loyalty shown but had the club been too naivshowing endless faith in the recovery powers of Webby and Picko - forever a BullGod - should we have been dealing with this proactively ahead of the inevitable injuries that afflict the “a chance of playing list”

Given the injuries we knew we had and the usual spate during the season we have effectively decided to play with a hand tied behind our backs which isn’t ideal

That’s the pragmatic side but reading that Dale has good down like this jiay makes me watch endless loops of THAT tackle and subset of goal from Tom Boyd


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

gangsta deluxe

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Nov 14, 2005
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He’s had a wonderful career and whatever he decides will be fine by me! A pity about the injury but nothing to be gutted by IMO.

It’s like the passing of a relative that lives till over 100. It’s sad, sure, but one can’t be too upset over what they achieved.
 

Proffessor

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Jan 21, 2013
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The injury to Morris is emotionally devastating because he is such a great clubman, as well as champion player.

However, I don't think we need to bring anyone else on to the list, (unless we can grab another ruckman instead of a defender).

In Fletcher Roberts the club has a proven Premiership defender that is fit and ready to go but was likely looking at another year in the wilderness before delisting/retirement. The reason for him falling out of favour with the match committee over the past couple of years has been a mystery to many supporters such as myself.

If there is a silver lining to this very dark cloud, the forcing of the club's hand to play Fletch again and the potential resurrection of his career, could be it.
 
Aug 14, 2001
10,336
17,958
Melbourne
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Western Bulldogs
The injury to Morris is emotionally devastating because he is such a great clubman, as well as champion player.

However, I don't think we need to bring anyone else on to the list, (unless we can grab another ruckman instead of a defender).

In Fletcher Roberts the club has a proven Premiership defender that is fit and ready to go but was likely looking at another year in the wilderness before delisting/retirement. The reason for him falling out of favour with the match committee over the past couple of years has been a mystery to many supporters such as myself.

If there is a silver lining to this very dark cloud, the forcing of the club's hand to play Fletch again and the potential resurrection of his career, could be it.
The Adelaide game in 2017 was a significant nail. An absolutely terrible, non competitive effort on the wing led to an easy goal and I think he’s had a few too many like that. He also isn’t effective zoning off and intercept marking, which Bev loves.

Hope he gets another go though. An awful shame to spend three years in the wildness to be unceremoniously shatter after having played in a flag.
 
Mar 15, 2012
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I know its unpopular these days, but if Morris is keen to keeping playing is he a chance to go the LARS route? Is there any risk to someone at his age doing it, and then opting for a traditional reco down the track once he's retired, given his career would only have a year or two left anyway?
 
Oct 13, 2001
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Brisbane
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Moz didnt deserve that if confirmed. Has flattened me, loved this bloke he typified us. Rarely beaten one on one always giving away inches and kgs. That tackle on Buddy......

There's always one player on every club list that I manage to admire and respect, irrespective of club loyalties.

Dale Morris was that guy for the Dogs.

Saddened to hear the news .:(

All the best to him and I trust the future turns out well for him.:thumbsu:
 

Doggies7

Premiership Player
Aug 31, 2007
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I know its unpopular these days, but if Morris is keen to keeping playing is he a chance to go the LARS route? Is there any risk to someone at his age doing it, and then opting for a traditional reco down the track once he's retired, given his career would only have a year or two left anyway?

The Bulldog's surgeon is heavily against LARS including long term issues from it and questionable benefits. I don't see anyone from the dogs getting LARS anytime soon.
 

Proffessor

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Jan 21, 2013
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The Adelaide game in 2017 was a significant nail. An absolutely terrible, non competitive effort on the wing led to an easy goal and I think he’s had a few too many like that. He also isn’t effective zoning off and intercept marking, which Bev loves.

Hope he gets another go though. An awful shame to spend three years in the wildness to be unceremoniously shatter after having played in a flag.

I think when such instances are seemingly held against people, it is largely an excuse used to justify decisions based on other issues, that are too weak to reveal.

If a single poor effort was used to justify never playing someone again then the bloke who just did his ACL would have been our sole remaining senior player.
 

spider1004

Debutant
Jul 31, 2009
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Deja vu - Dale Morris' injury mirrors that of last year almost to the day - major tear not a complete rupture - which holds the hope of a return later in the season. Let's hope so because Dale deserves to go out on his terms rather than as a result of an injury suffered at training.
 
Mar 15, 2012
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Deja vu - Dale Morris' injury mirrors that of last year almost to the day - major tear not a complete rupture - which holds the hope of a return later in the season. Let's hope so because Dale deserves to go out on his terms rather than as a result of an injury suffered at training.
Is this confirmed?
 
Apr 4, 2016
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Haven't yet processed that I have probably seen Moz play for the last time. :(

Was thinking about it this morning. So devastated but he owes the club absolutely nothing. Clubman in every sense of the word and a premiership hero.

Wish him all the best, especially if that's as our new defensive coach!
 
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Aug 14, 2001
10,336
17,958
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I think when such instances are seemingly held against people, it is largely an excuse used to justify decisions based on other issues, that are too weak to reveal.

If a single poor effort was used to justify never playing someone again then the bloke who just did his ACL would have been our sole remaining senior player.
I’m sure it wasn’t that one incident because anyone can have a bad day. That said, Bigfooty went into meltdown the moment it happened, he was dropped and didn’t play again in 2017 and then only played two games in 2018, both when we had so many injuries there was no choice.

Seems like it might have been a straw that broke the camel’s back moment after a few like efforts over time.
 
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