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I'm not convinced he does have it. He definitely does over 5-10metres but beyond that I'm not convinced his speed is top end. Certainly has the initial burst, though, which is a valuable asset in of itself and would be especially in our midfield.

As for chase down pressure though I don't think he actually does have the ability once the ball leaves the contest.
He’s certainly quicker than Cripps Hewett Kennedy Ed and even Cerra who’s the quickest of that bunch, for me there’s a difference in him with and without the ball…
Well that’s the way I’ve been seeing it Coops…
 
Ive heard he has to climb the gates at the legends stand end just to get in and out of the ground on matchday and training as his pass has been revoked by Voss.
I heard TDK hasn’t got concussion - he was trapped in a cave in after the tunnel he’s digging with Dow & Kemp collapsed (not enough bracing) 😂 jumping the fence was jarring their knees 😉
 
He’s certainly quicker than Cripps Hewett Kennedy Ed and even Cerra who’s the quickest of that bunch, for me there’s a difference in him with and without the ball…
Well that’s the way I’ve been seeing it Coops…
He has a few fast steps then he's done. Go find the preseason open training videos where after a game/skills activity they'd do a ~5min run around the oval. O'Brien would be comfortably half a lap ahead of Dow at the end. Fisher, who a bit like Dow has some quick feet & can change direction but is hardly a fast or distance runner, was putting a significant gap between himself and Dow. Dow's reduction in running speed after a few minutes was really notable. He just burns out.
 
He has a few fast steps then he's done. Go find the preseason open training videos where after a game/skills activity they'd do a ~5min run around the oval. O'Brien would be comfortably half a lap ahead of Dow at the end. Fisher, who a bit like Dow has some quick feet & can change direction but is hardly a fast or distance runner, was putting a significant gap between himself and Dow. Dow's reduction in running speed after a few minutes was really notable. He just burns out.
Still has the burst at every contest & has the strength/power to get the ball out while being tackled or break clear.
I’d like to see footage of any of our midfielders laying a run down tackle.
Ball moves quicker in the air than the player, Dows hands are exceptional & he gets it to an outside/attacking option. I give zero ****s about him running down a player, I want to see the ball move attacking/forward quick & clean 1st time - it’s out biggest deficiency as a mid field unit as highlighted again last weekend by the vision Montagna presented.
Once again Hewitt 29 for 30m is why we rack up the possession stats but get pantsed thru the middle week after week.
 

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He has a few fast steps then he's done. Go find the preseason open training videos where after a game/skills activity they'd do a ~5min run around the oval. O'Brien would be comfortably half a lap ahead of Dow at the end. Fisher, who a bit like Dow has some quick feet & can change direction but is hardly a fast or distance runner, was putting a significant gap between himself and Dow. Dow's reduction in running speed after a few minutes was really notable. He just burns out.
The athletic endurance base required of midfielders is very high - a lot of kids coming into the system as very good TAC / junior players can never achieve the required standards - irrespective of how many pre-seasons. It is hard to play to your best if you are constantly 'gassed'. The smaller the player - the higher the expectations of genuine leg speed and skill - because they cant impact on contests physically. With bigger bodies if they can deliver physicality and decent skills a team can afford to run them at 70% TOG because they do impact in key contests.

The problem with Dow/Fisher and SPS as onballers was always their lack of open field impact for various reasons ( I think mostly to do with size) and lack of genuine running endurance. All of them have been given half forward /small forward try outs - and none of them are fast enough to provide sustainable forward pressure or skilled enough to be regular scorers.

The fact that Kennedy/Cripps and Hewett are relatively slow compared to elite each-way running midfielders is besides the point in comparing those above - each of these blokes stick tackles, wins contested ball, take contested marks, and halves contests and has generally better impact around the ground.

This is why Docherty who has some of the attributes of the three above and has similar leg speed to Cerra and Walsh has been given midfield time.

Unfortunately teh cupboard is pretty bare for onball choice that is pushing for genuine onball mid time and this compounds the effect of injury - losing all of Hewett/Walsh and Kennedy last year cost finals - simple as that. Lack of depth also takes away from any chance of continuity and development....so not only do you lose H&A points you also lose development time.

Dow, Philp, Fisher, Cuningham, Carroll have all been picked as midfielders - none of these blokes as a genuine better option than those currently playing - the fact that Docherty has been pushed into rotations underlines just how lack of genuine depth for whatever reasons- impacts on team structure and cohesion.

Voss's options have been limited to keeping Ed Curnow on in the absence of Cottrell and Owies 9 neither of who is of earth shattering consequence but that is who we have.

If Carlton can keep its best 22 on the ground it can compete - but it is competing on teh back foot and only an injury or two away from being incapable of contesting for 4 quarters against the better teams.

Austin has to find a ruck a genuine half forward and a couple of mids before we can say that teh Club has enough depth to sustain a full season and carry just a few injuries.
 
He has a few fast steps then he's done. Go find the preseason open training videos where after a game/skills activity they'd do a ~5min run around the oval. O'Brien would be comfortably half a lap ahead of Dow at the end. Fisher, who a bit like Dow has some quick feet & can change direction but is hardly a fast or distance runner, was putting a significant gap between himself and Dow. Dow's reduction in running speed after a few minutes was really notable. He just burns out.
Okay i haven’t seen the preseason footage, just been watching the reserves matches…
one thing that has been noticeable since he has worked on his endurance more recently along with putting on some more upper body mass that it has impacted somewhat on that top end speed he displayed from the early years…
 
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Still has the burst at every contest & has the strength/power to get the ball out while being tackled or break clear.
I’d like to see footage of any of our midfielders laying a run down tackle.
Ball moves quicker in the air than the player, Dows hands are exceptional & he gets it to an outside/attacking option. I give zero *s about him running down a player, I want to see the ball move attacking/forward quick & clean 1st time - it’s out biggest deficiency as a mid field unit as highlighted again last weekend by the vision Montagna presented.
Once again Hewitt 29 for 30m is why we rack up the possession stats but get pantsed thru the middle week after week.
Does he though? Always feels to me when watching that he spends all his (short term) fuel tickets in those few seconds around the stoppage then is either jogging forward towards the ball if we won the clearance, jogging backwards if we lost it, or caught ball watching in no man's land if the ball is gets outside and there's some speed on the transition (which is one of the things that also really kills us). It's not so much about being able to run down a player, it's about actually having an impact, or even being noticed, 'post-clearance'.

I think the ball movement probably more the game style and setup than personnel. We're often running someone through the stoppage towards our goal, then try and handball out, then continue to slowly move the ball (or dump kick) into the forward 50. Dow being there probably doesn't change much while that's our stoppage setup, even if he gets his hands on it half a second faster than someone like Hewett. It's still going backwards or sideways before trying to move around to the wing then forward. I'm not sure Dow changes our entire setup and game plan by having quick hands and a bit of a step. If he brought more defensive pressure and/or was a great kick then there's a bit more of an argument.
 
It's not so much about being able to run down a player, it's about actually having an impact, or even being noticed, 'post-clearance'.
Good post, agree with most of it don’t know how to bald/highlight particular areas, but i thought this was a perfect way to sum it up, nail on the head…
 
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Does he though? Always feels to me when watching that he spends all his (short term) fuel tickets in those few seconds around the stoppage then is either jogging forward towards the ball if we won the clearance, jogging backwards if we lost it, or caught ball watching in no man's land if the ball is gets outside and there's some speed on the transition (which is one of the things that also really kills us). It's not so much about being able to run down a player, it's about actually having an impact, or even being noticed, 'post-clearance'.

I think the ball movement probably more the game style and setup than personnel. We're often running someone through the stoppage towards our goal, then try and handball out, then continue to slowly move the ball (or dump kick) into the forward 50. Dow being there probably doesn't change much while that's our stoppage setup, even if he gets his hands on it half a second faster than someone like Hewett. It's still going backwards or sideways before trying to move around to the wing then forward. I'm not sure Dow changes our entire setup and game plan by having quick hands and a bit of a step. If he brought more defensive pressure and/or was a great kick then there's a bit more of an argument.
I'm not sure if Dow is the answer to our problems. My view is that there are a few things in the gameplan that aren't working, and that Voss' system is just not as good as a lot of other teams.

Having said that, surely we wouldn't just replace Hewett with Dow and change nothing else. Placing Dow in there means they need to worry about someone else other than Cripps. Maybe Dow gets a few clear bursts from centre because of his superior tap reads. Maybe Cripps gets less attention and just goes to another level. It's just a shame it hasn't been tried.

We've lined up at times this year with 2 or 3 of Cripps, Hewett and Ed in the centre square. It's just crazy.
 

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TBH...
Not concerned if TDK stays or goes...

Austin has shown that he likes to deal fairly and move on...
Highly doubt he will be holding out for some ridiculous offer, some on here are going to be bitterly disappointed...
You mean he doesn't try to get the best possible deal for the club? What a great guy! What was I doing thinking TDK was actually worth a little bit more to another club than his intrinsic value because it's a seller's market. It turns out he's not very good after all but we should have a sly preference for keeping him because we have bugger all in the way of good ruck back up. Sorry about deviating from the annual programme a little.
 
You mean he doesn't try to get the best possible deal for the club? What a great guy! What was I doing thinking TDK was actually worth a little bit more to another club than his intrinsic value because it's a seller's market. It turns out he's not very good after all but we should have a sly preference for keeping him because we have bugger all in the way of good ruck back up. Sorry about deviating from the annual programme a little.

Trying to screw every last percentage works when it’s a one off deal. When you deal annually with the same clubs a reasonable approach is common sense.
 

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You mean he doesn't try to get the best possible deal for the club? What a great guy! What was I doing thinking TDK was actually worth a little bit more to another club than his intrinsic value because it's a seller's market. It turns out he's not very good after all but we should have a sly preference for keeping him because we have bugger all in the way of good ruck back up. Sorry about deviating from the annual programme a little.

I’ve said all along I think he will stay as the interest in him and possible pay mentioned seems way too ridiculous and far fetched.
 
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