Caleb Daniel - massively overrated?

[Brian_45]

First and foremost let me just a say what an incredible achievement it is in this day and age for somebody his size to be playing AFL football, it's no small feat but to me that's really where the plaudits should end.

He offers literally nothing in the air because of his size (teams exploit this regularly) and is not overly quick. The argument that his kicking skills are so exquisite (as one fawning commentator put it) that it makes up for his inability to defend doesn't take into consideration a lot of factors.

He can barely kick it over 35m and when he does he is just bombing it long, it's not a pin-point pass like the elite half-backs off the competition. Most of the elite kicks in the league (Salem, Rich, Lukosious, Duncan) are all capable of nailing passes 40+ metres and doing it regularly, Caleb Daniel

35

Caleb Daniel

Age

28

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

simply can't do that yet some commentators label him the best kick in the league?

Yes, he does take quite risky kicks and pulls them off frequently but more often than not they are a dinky little ones that travels about 10-25m and leave it up to the next player in possession to break the lines.

So in summing up - you have a player that can't defend in the air, is average on the ground, can barely kick it over 35m but can nail a point point pass between 10-25m.. to me that doesn't sound like the hallmarks of an elite half-back.

Personally it seems to me that the media and a lot of supporters have become carried away with the novelty of someone his size playing the game and overstate his ability massively.

I'd much rather the ball in Bailey Dale

31

Bailey Dale

Age

28

Ht

188cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

1.6

4star

MG

117.4

2star

D

9.0

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

1.7

3star

MG

117.4

2star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

2.0

4star

's hands any day of the week if I was a dogs supporter

 

[ApplecrossWC]

The novelty factor of him being the size of a jockey definitely plays a part

 

[Toump Ass]

I don't watch too much Doggy Dogs but IMO Baily Dale lacks equanimity, composure. Shit his pants when the pressure is on. Seen him literally hand the ball to the opposition in a big game several times because he was scaredy cat scaredy cat.

Don't mind Caleb to be honest, good player in an average team. Was surprised to see him without his helmet on though, didn't look how I imagined him.

 

[master bate]

The high half back is a midfielder who only gets called a defender because that's what we are conditioned to.

Yes, there's a cost of a small back there but that's true of a small anyway. Small mids and small forward get out marked too.

But watch the grand final last year and tell me Daniel is no good. Incredible first half. You'll also see Bowey playing great footy. Oh, and Salem struggles to kick more than 45 with penetration too.

Daniel's excellent one on one on the deck, strong tackler, and half back is mostly about making tight small kicks and handballs not long kicks anyway.

If we looked at footy like soccer (and we probably should) he'd be rightly praised as a gun holding and distributing midfielder who sits in front of the actual defenders.

 

[Osho]

He's an annoying little pr!ck. And a very good player who, usually, is in right places and disposes very well. He's like a mister fix it, cleaning up messes, getting the ball into safe places. His IQ is inverse to his height. It's a good question about his 1on1 match ups. I usually notice him unattended.

Errors have crept in to his game recently. That could be more pressure arriving quickly as the game speeds up to insane levels currently. Watching Rioli burn off chasers as he drives forward off half back gets my hairs standing up. Kicking long goals adds to the value. Daniel is NOT that type of player, not meant to be.

 

[zhoung]

The novelty factor of him being the size of a jockey definitely plays a part

He could be a good fit at the saints… tho I’m not sure he would like being set on fire every mad Monday

 

[MF]

Having a pretty poor season by his own standards

 

[Pistol Night]

Having a pretty poor season by his own standards

Disappointed you didn't say lofty standards

 

[Osho]

He could be a good fit at the saints… tho I’m not sure he would like being set on fire every mad Monday

ROAR!
But being dominated by tall buxom models in bikinis could compensate.

 

[Macca180]

He has been awesome for the Bulldogs... his use of the football is outstanding.

Not playing as well as previous years.

 

[Upgrayedd]

I'ld argue that he's an excellent defensive player and super creative with the ball in his hands even with his limited ability. Strong tackler and despite his size he competes well.

Not every Half back's duty is to kick it 45m pinpoint passes into the guts, If it was so easy why isnt everyone doing it? why do most half backs have to settle kicking it down the line knowing the ball is going to just get smashed over the line and have a boundary throw in? The abillity to push the ball forward in a safe way even in tight presses is gold, not simply "Just pushing it to the next guy"

Would you rather a random player 30m from goal having to kick it down the line to English 50m out for a basic re-set, or the ability to push another 20-30M and get another player in a better position to make that kick? Its the latter. Every coach would pick that. Hence why he's rated and valuable at the dogs

Yeah he's not as good this season, But he also ****ed his knee early in the year and they actually had to pull him out for a couple of weeks to get surgery because he was playing in pain. So yeah it's a down year but completely understandable when you get to that point where your fighting for finals and you decide to miss weeks because it's too painful to keep going

 

[Some Idiot]

"He can barely kick it over 35m" - This is just factually Incorrect, he has nailed set shots from 45-50m out when he played forward. Regardless I do agree somewhat with the sentiment that he doesn't have a long penetrating kick like some of the other highly rated Backman.
Though his height gets exposed occasionally - he's honestly more competitive in the air than a lot of the soft 180cm tall half backs going around the league that avoid body contact like the plague so I don't think it's as big an issue as some people think.

 

[M Malice]

First and foremost let me just a say what an incredible achievement it is in this day and age for somebody his size to be playing AFL football, it's no small feat but to me that's really where the plaudits should end.

He offers literally nothing in the air because of his size (teams exploit this regularly) and is not overly quick. The argument that his kicking skills are so exquisite (as one fawning commentator put it) that it makes up for his inability to defend doesn't take into consideration a lot of factors.

He can barely kick it over 35m and when he does he is just bombing it long, it's not a pin-point pass like the elite half-backs off the competition. Most of the elite kicks in the league (Salem, Rich, Lukosious, Duncan) are all capable of nailing passes 40+ metres and doing it regularly, Caleb Daniel simply can't do that yet some commentators label him the best kick in the league?

Yes, he does take quite risky kicks and pulls them off frequently but more often than not they are a dinky little ones that travels about 10-25m and leave it up to the next player in possession to break the lines.

So in summing up - you have a player that can't defend in the air, is average on the ground, can barely kick it over 35m but can nail a point point pass between 10-25m.. to me that doesn't sound like the hallmarks of an elite half-back.

Personally it seems to me that the media and a lot of supporters have become carried away with the novelty of someone his size playing the game and overstate his ability massively.

I'd much rather the ball in Bailey Dale's hands any day of the week if I was a dogs supporter

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Yes but pretty much half the current Bulldogs team are as .

 

[iambrilliant]

To many attacking flankers at the dogs who don’t defend very well Daniel,Bailey dale

31

Bailey Dale

Age

28

Ht

188cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

1.6

4star

MG

117.4

2star

D

9.0

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

1.7

3star

MG

117.4

2star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

2.0

4star

and now bevo trying to add Mitch Hannan and treloar into the mix. Give your head a wobble bevo

 

[Upgrayedd]

"He can barely kick it over 35m" - This is just factually Incorrect, he has nailed set shots from 45-50m out when he played forward. Regardless I do agree somewhat with the sentiment that he doesn't have a long penetrating kick like some of the other highly rated Backman.
Though his height gets exposed occasionally - he's honestly more competitive in the air than a lot of the soft 180cm tall half backs going around the league that avoid body contact like the plague so I don't think it's as big an issue as some people think.

thats the thing, he;s short yeah but he competes and is good at using his body, He isn't going to be Dusty/Marcus/Fyfe in terms of just taking contested marks like a KPP but he competes and I dont see him as a net negative, a Lot more players get exposed in the air over Daniels

 

[iBeng]

Still managed a better career than Lewis "Rising Star" Taylor