Player Watch #5: Caleb Daniel

[My Left Foote]

He'll play, nothing surer. We've just got to find the spot that matches his talents. I like the idea where he is the last kick into the forward line (half forward/mid), but no doubt he'll be half back flank, which is annoying. Exposes his weaknesses.

The problem is he’s exposed no matter where he plays, the game is so quick now he’s a liability in every position, the sooner we rip the Band-Aid off the better.

 

[Makeshift Park]

At the moment I don’t think we have a better choice available.

But it’ll be interesting to see what happens when Hardeman, Goater, McKercher, Blamires, and McDonald are all available too.

And if RHJ keeps up the current trajectory, he could be a legit rival for that distribution role within a month.

 

[shinboner magic]

At the moment I don’t think we have a better choice available.

But it’ll be interesting to see what happens when Hardeman, Goater, McKercher, Blamires, and McDonald are all available too.

And if RHJ keeps up the current trajectory, he could be a legit rival for that distribution role within a month.

I’d rather play ccj in his position

 

[HugeJohnson1]

The problem is he’s exposed no matter where he plays, the game is so quick now he’s a liability in every position, the sooner we rip the Band-Aid off the better.

This

We would benefit more playing an under-developed 18 year old who is going to make the same mistakes as CD.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

At the moment I don’t think we have a better choice available.

But it’ll be interesting to see what happens when Hardeman, Goater, McKercher, Blamires, and McDonald are all available too.

And if RHJ keeps up the current trajectory, he could be a legit rival for that distribution role within a month.

He has no elite physical traits.

Is a sizeable negative influence in every defensive aspect.

Has a maximum kicking range of 40m.

Played at primary distributor.

The insanity of this can not be understated.

 

[Makeshift Park]

He has no elite physical traits.

Neither does Zorko and Brisbane goes alright.
Agility doesn’t count?

Is a sizeable negative influence in every defensive aspect.

Not as bad as Harvey would be, and that’s the point.

Has a maximum kicking range of 40m

Still beats Fisher for accuracy, which is the point.

Played at primary distributor.

The insanity of this can not be understated.

Insanity is when you actually have better options, and you don’t use them.

This is why I’m interested to see what happens when those players I mentioned are actually all available.

There’s nothing insane about not selecting Harvey and Fisher, which is the current alternative.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Neither does Zorko and Brisbane goes alright.
Agility doesn’t count?

Not as bad as Harvey would be, and that’s the point.

Still beats Fisher for accuracy, which is the point.

Insanity is when you actually have better options, and you don’t use them.

This is why I’m interested to see what happens when those players I mentioned are actually all available.

There’s nothing insane about not selecting Harvey and Fisher, which is the current alternative.

Zorko has above average speed. And he isn’t a midget. And he can kick 60m. LDU has elite agility. FOS has elite agility. Daniel couldn’t escape a trained seal on ketamine.

Harvey is a forward pocket. What he’s doing down there I haven’t the faintest idea and neither would the coaches it seems. Comparing one bloke who can’t defend with another who can’t defend is strange.

Fisher is a forward also. Why he was ever played back is beyond the worlds greatest minds. He’s weak.

McKercher is a better option, and he’s got defensive deficiencies. Hardeman is a clear better option. McDonald is a better option. Goater is a better option (yes, I know he can’t get on the park)

Any of those three could easily take his place.

One of the biggest trade failures since we traded picks for Jonathan Hay is Caleb.

Pick 25. Laughable shit.

 

[koshari]

The problem is he’s exposed no matter where he plays, the game is so quick now he’s a liability in every position, the sooner we rip the Band-Aid off the better.

Aint happening,

Sunk cost fallacy doesnt work like that.

 

[shinboner magic]

After about 4 more games of shitness from Daniel - he will be gone from the side.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

After about 4 more games of shitness from Daniel - he will be gone from the side.

That’s 4 too many IMHO - he must have compromising photos of Viney or Clarko to continue being picked.

Red Cards all round for the selection committee this week if they dare pick him.

 

[speedy]

1. You'd have to add Colby to that list given how it's built. Hardeman too.
2. Nobody on that list is being traded for a second rounder

Caleb was recruited supposedly so Colby could play further up the field. I could have named 2 for every team and Caleb would still be bottom 3.

They filled a very important need and a big weakness in the team with one of the worst candidates possible. It’s like they gave up because it was too hard.

Yes, it’s very hard to fill that need by trading a second rounder. That’s why free agency or drafting kids are far superior options.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

That’s 4 too many IMHO - he must have compromising photos of Viney or Clarko to continue being picked.

Red Cards all round for the selection committee this week if they dare pick him.

We all know he plays whether it’s warranted or not.

He has the gold card.

‘I was traded in for overs and the coach needs to justify it’

 

[koshari]

 

[koshari]

After about 4 more games of shitness from Daniel - he will be gone from the side.

It doesnt work like that..

 

[Dinkers]

After about 4 more games of shitness from Daniel - he will be gone from the side.

It doesnt work like that..

Kind of does, 4 more games of shitness from Dinkers would probably equal Sleepy out the door.

New coach wouldn't be concerning himself with other people's **** ups.

 

[koshari]

Kind of does, 4 more games of shitness from Dinkers would probably equal Sleepy out the door.

New coach wouldn't be concerning himself with other people's **** ups.

There will be the odd game where he racks up a few champion data ranking points to nourish his recruiters. And the cycle starts again...

 

[My Left Foote]

After about 4 more games of shitness from Daniel - he will be gone from the side.

As much as I want this to be true, I’m not so sure, I think Clarko and the supporter base are diametrically opposed on Caleb Daniel.

 

[shinboner magic]

As much as I want this to be true, I’m not so sure, I think Clarko and the supporter base are diametrically opposed on Caleb Daniel.

It’ll come down to results I guess

 

[Chip Scab1]

After about 4 more games of shitness from Daniel - he will be gone from the side.

That’s 4 too many IMHO - he must have compromising photos of Viney or Clarko to continue being picked.

Red Cards all round for the selection committee this week if they dare pick him.

Haha

Like the sentiment, but surely if we have to play him, forward of centre has to be the go. We simply cannot go into Season 2026 proper with an open boom gate into our defence, I'm sorry.

One-legged Goater offers more defensively.

 

[koshari]

As much as I want this to be true, I’m not so sure, I think Clarko and the supporter base are diametrically opposed on Caleb Daniel.

the New Daniel Howe.

 

[Samsquanch]

the New Daniels Howe.

FIFY

 

[koshari]

FIFY

kinda think iam beginning to understand the motive for clarko having a bona fide shitman in defence, its sort of like altitude training, make the backline have to work harder 1 man down then in time he will rip the band-aid off and the unit will be stronger for it,

a bit like when the altitude trainer comes back down to sea level.

 

[Makeshift Park]

surely if we have to play him, forward of centre has to be the go.

One hundred percent.

Daniel and RHJ should be taking turns playing the Gryan Miers role.

Should've been happening last year.

 

[perplexed]

One hundred percent.

Daniel and RHJ should be taking turns playing the Gryan Miers role.

Should've been happening last year.

They would be our two best players at kicking inside 50. It would make the best use of Caleb strength by using those dinky kicks where they can hurt the opposition. The problem is that kicking is only a small part of that role now. You have to do a heap of repeat sprints to help the team when it doesn't have the ball, he doesn't have that in him.

 

[Makeshift Park]

You have to do a heap of repeat sprints to help the team when it doesn't have the ball, he doesn't have that in him.

Based on what? You don't know that.

Repeat sprint leaderboards are usually dominated by wingers and pressure forwards because its intrinsic to their roles.

I've just spent five and a bit minutes looking into this and what we do know is that:

1) his endurance was genuinely elite by afl standards as a junior and he ran sub 3 second 20m. Yes this was a little over a decade ago, but it provides context for...

2) at least as recently as five years ago, he was the bulldogs third fastest sprinter on gameday

3) last year he was often showing up in the gameday podium for North's "most distance ran" (eg r5, r13, r15, r16, r17) and "fastest average speed in attack" (eg r8, r10, r17, r18, r19, r21). Yes these are different metrics to repeat sprints, but they show his endurance hasn't fallen mysteriously fallen off the cliff.

I agree the public data and eye test suggests RHJ is the superior sprinter right now, and I don't reckon there is much to suggest CD has one of the highest sprint speeds on the current playing list right now, but its certainly a stretch to claim that Daniel can't perform repeat sprints.

But - here's the thing - Miers doesn't show up on Geelong's repeat sprint leaderboard either. He's often mentioned in those two same categories I mentioned before though. He's an elite endurance runner but he's not clocking 25km/h on repeat very often.

So based on that comparison, I'd suggest Caleb'd be fine rotating through HHF.