Opinion Changes v giants

[Dog 36]

Effectively round 5 with the shortened season, we lose this week, finals will be very tough

For now I’m not thinking finals and care about finals.
My primary concern is that we start playing with cohesion, intensity and with the right attitude.

 

[footscray1973]

The Eagles would turn him into a deadset gun. There is no better club in the AFL at developing rucks. Lycett was outstanding in their flag year, moved to Port, and ended up being dropped by them. Hickey was bog average for the Saints, yet goes to West Coast and has been very good so far. Nathan Vardy was terrible for Geelong, yet was a perfectly capable ruck-forward in their flag side. Even Dean Cox was picked up as a rookie and became what I would consider the greatest ruckman of all time. At the very least, he has to be in everyone's top 3.

If English moved to the Eagles, I think we'd see a very different player to what we see now

But as I questioned earlier, is English actually ever going to be a genuine ruck, no matter where he plays, when he spent most of his junior career as a mid, until he had a massive growth spurt? What if, in his mind, he may feel he is a mid being asked to ruck?

 

[Guido]

The Eagles would turn him into a deadset gun. There is no better club in the AFL at developing rucks. Lycett was outstanding in their flag year, moved to Port, and ended up being dropped by them. Hickey was bog average for the Saints, yet goes to West Coast and has been very good so far. Nathan Vardy was terrible for Geelong, yet was a perfectly capable ruck-forward in their flag side. Even Dean Cox was picked up as a rookie and became what I would consider the greatest ruckman of all time. At the very least, he has to be in everyone's top 3.

If English moved to the Eagles, I think we'd see a very different player to what we see now

the flip you giving people ideas for. Blocked and reported. ;(

Personally I think he really struggled after what looked like a forearm/elbow into the throat when crunched in the first quarter and no-one's accounting for what something like that can take out of you (I copped it once in a soccer match and couldn't get out of first gear for the rest of the game).

Round 1 he was smashed by the best in the game, and he'll be beaten again, but he has so many tools to be an outstanding ruckman in 18 months- 2 years - but he needs ongoing help.

Many elite young ruckman have had their careers shortened by being thrown to the wolves early. Josh Fraser was the next big thing, but especially for ruckmen, consistently going up against 25-30 years olds as an under-developed 18-22 year old takes its toll.

 

[Guido]

Bulldogs (Round 2, The Autopsy):

Patrick Lipinski: 17 x Effective, 77.3% DE, 69% TOG. (Dropped)

Sam Lloyd: 2 x Effective, 28.6% DE, 78% TOG.

Compare the pair.

My biggest issue with picking up 26, 27, 28, 29 year old guys like this from other clubs who still haven't established themselves in their own top 22 is the perseverance factor to give them opportunity to prove the pick up right.

There's usually half a dozen games extra leeway they get when it's clear they should be dropped much earlier.

And those opportunities almost always come at the expense of quality young players who need the experience. The example here, 22 touches in reduced quarters and 70% game time (so 22 in 44 minutes of game time), and one of our half dozen most efficient users in a team struggling with disposal. And dropped. SMH.

But I'm sure Lloyd will kick 2-3 tonight to prove why he should be untouchable for the next 4 weeks.

 

[Proffessor]

So Proff, where is the Marcus Bontempelli has to cut down his clangers thread ?

You could always start one, Yojimbo.

Perhaps not on this forum, but Bont's less than stellar performances in the first 2 rounds have been well noted in the general media.
I would even suggest that his performance this season has been scrutinised more than any other Bulldog's player, which essentially illustrates my point.

 

[Yesterday Dog]

What does vandameer offer that lipinski doesn't? I'm just bemused and confused at the moment.

 

[Virgin Dog]

What does vandameer offer that lipinski doesn't? I'm just bemused and confused at the moment.

Speed.

The highest speed hit by any player in the Saints game was Nick Hind with 32.9km/h. Vandermeer came in 2nd with 32.6km/h.

In saying that, Lipinski had the 5th highest average speed for the game, going at 9.3km/h, although that's more a measure of effort than actual speed.

He's one of those types where we need to give him a run of games as we could see fairly rapid improvement once he gets with the flow of senior level games. The kick has serious jets and a penetrating kick.

 

[Yojimbo]

You could always start one, Yojimbo.

I have to look after my popularity mojo Proff, so that's a big no. I was more trying to get the point across that I am sure everyone
of the players picked gives 100%, but in the end it is not up to them to select themselves in the team. We all have our bias when
it comes to player ratings, but dropping the player with the most score involvements in last weeks game is not logical.

 

[dergert]

Dale only survives as we dont have anyone else.

What do we do when Lloyd retires?

Our forward line has seriously been neglected prior to last year.

 

[weltschmerz]

What do we do when Lloyd retires?

Hopefully Weightman will be ready to take his place.

 

[dergert]

Hopefully Weightman will be ready to take his place.

Would have loved to see him this week

 

[weltschmerz]

Would have loved to see him this week

Same.

I suspect if Rhylee West had been fully match fit, he could have been in for Dale this week. I know he's recovered from his injury but he'd have missed a fair bit of training.

 

[weltschmerz]

My hope is that Weightman and Cavarra both develop into best 22 small forwards.

 

[Bulldogs85]

Hopefully we get to see Cody Weightman next week

 

[VitalDread]

Reckon with the shorten season, we will get a lot of players being dropped for management

 

[Proffessor]

I have to look after my popularity mojo Proff, so that's a big no. I was more trying to get the point across that I am sure everyone
of the players picked gives 100%, but in the end it is not up to them to select themselves in the team. We all have our bias when
it comes to player ratings, but dropping the player with the most score involvements in last weeks game is not logical.

Considering some of the players who kept their spot, it's reasonable for suggest that Lipinski is a little unlucky.

However, I think he has been left out based on what he hasn't delivered rather than what he has.
He is currently almost purely a link man, in a team with too many link men which is trying to change that balance.

The MC have obviously decided to prioritise potential goal kickers, or contested ball winners over someone likely to be link in the scoring chain, for this week's team at least.

Lloyd, Vandermeer and Dale can all consider themselves lucky this week but if they don't perform tonight, then they may find themselves out of the side next week, and Lipinski will likely come back in.

Patrick will get more chances but I think he needs to become a more directly impactful player to really cement himself in the side.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Reckon with the shorten season, we will get a lot of players being dropped for management

It's very hard to take this season seriously. Whoever wins the flag should take a smaller trophy and have a row of **** next to their name.



(Unless it's us...)

 

[VitalDread]

Dogs having a praccy match at Etihad atm
Weightman kicks the first goal within 20 seconds

Lachie Hunter playing

 

[Mojorisin]

Dogs having a praccy match at Etihad atm
Weightman kicks the first goal within 20 seconds

Lachie Hunter playing

Hopefully weightman forces them to select him

 

[Jeff 1975]

If only Bevo would realise that coaching an AFL team is as simple as selecting an equal or greater number of tall players than your opponent.

Agree - it would be a great start

 

[weltschmerz]

Dogs having a praccy match at Etihad atm
Weightman kicks the first goal within 20 seconds

That's what I like to hear.

 

[Yojimbo]

That's what I like to hear.

Apparently he held up three fingers on one hand and made a zero with the other in some sort of bizarre birthday tribute.

 

[Del165892]

My hope is that Weightman and Cavarra both develop into best 22 small forwards.

Agree on Weightman. Cavarra would have shown more by now if he was every going to become anything. The guy is already in his mid twenties and I feel that he's as good as he's going to get. Small forwards don't take years to develop like KPPs.

 

[csharp]

You’re a bit confusing here. Are you saying he hasn’t reached physical peak yet but should have or he has and he’s just not a good ruckman regardless?

We’d be absolutely foolish not to persevere with Tim. As i mentioned before, has all the attributes and will become a better stoppage ruckman along the way.

Do you have trouble reading? Re-read the first sentence of my post; the bolded part could not have been made clearer.

He is turning 23 this year, and is still getting regularly smashed in the hitouts, even by players that are younger than him. At the very least he should not be our #1 ruckman this year if we're serious about competing for flags, which we are not.

 

[trophies]

We seem to be going round in circles again. You’ve firstly stated that English should be strong and aggressive enough to compete with and not get beaten by established ruckman (using Grundy is a terrible example) but then suggest in your last paragraph that he’s not yet reached his peak. Which one is it? You’re confusing me.

English isn’t there yet. He’s not strong enough and he hasn’t mastered the ruck craft so he’s getting beaten most weeks.
He has all the attributes to become a good ruckman, but at only 23 years of age, just needs time.
It’s not rocket science. Rucks peak a lot later than any other players. Writing English off at 23 when it’s obvious that he is a while off physically, is foolish IMO.

Do you want me to type slower for you?
Our ruckman - and we only have one in the team - is not physically competitive. It's highly unlikely he ever will be due to his body type; he has 4 years in the system and is still rag-dolled by the opposition.
Why is Grundy a terrible example? He's as good as any currently going around andt that just means he sets the standard that needs to achieved. Or are you saying that mediocrity is acceptable and nobody should care if it's another 62 years for a cup? Get real, this is the AFL. Piss or get off the pot.