Dan Butler - The one that got away

[revo333]

that's the Farren Ray that tagged Dane Swan out of the game in second half of the drawn grand final?

I get that we tend to equate team results to individuals performances and celebrate attackers over defenders but the guy was huge on the last day in September.

(Swan averaged 123 DT points in 2010, Ray held him to 29 in the 2nd half of the GF)

Anyone can tag..

 

[Kwality]

Anyone can tag..

Swanny, you needed to be good to tag him.

 

[Ok Boomer]

I think a fresh start was required. Was playing too Hollywood and there are players at Richmond who are better at being Hollywood, that is not to say that he isn't a skillful player, he is, but in 2017 his fundamentals were pressure, pace with decent finishing ability as a bonus.

 

[Grrr]

Was a gun in 2017.

Playing unbelievably well in 2020.

Was never a gun at all. Both he and Castagna would go weeks without doing much but had run of form leading up the the finals when those three small forwards (and the rest) realised how much trouble they could cause just be hassling. Always had neat skills and was very quick.
Didn't last long because he just wouldn't put his head over the ball until finals in the VFL last year when he realised it was now or never. Did some really good work in those finals.
But it is amazing what a new club and new confidence can do. Always a big frustration with me because he had talent. Having said that, he never took an overhead contested mark in his life and he took 2 on the weekend. Good luck to him, reckon he'd be a good bloke and deserved a second chance.

 

[telsor]

Hard to know how Biggie will turn out. He is very raw and the Saints did have to opportunity to match and chose not to.

Just looking at past drafts though, It's very unlikely a club ends up with a quality player with a pick in the mid 50's.

Hard to say the trade is not currently in the Saints favour, but that's usually just the way it falls when players leave for more opportunity.

Butler was originally pick 67.

 

[Rich01]

Was a gun in 2017.

Playing unbelievably well in 2020.

Its great to see our 2017 premiership players acknowledged. For a while there they were seen as role players at best held up by four stars.

Butler was probably in the bottom 4-6 of our best 22 in 2017 so that’s testament to quality of the playing group we had.

 

[bird_man]

Butler was originally pick 67.

Yes, and I'm sure there are plenty of examples of good players getting picked up late in the draft.

But the fact remains, you are a lot more unlikely to pick up a quality player with a pick in the 50's.

 

[bird_man]

Its great to see our 2017 premiership players acknowledged. For a while there they were seen as role players at best held up by four stars.

Butler was probably in the bottom 4-6 of our best 22 in 2017 so that’s testament to quality of the playing group we had.

Very true.

He was also only 21 years of age too.

 

[Kwality]

Its great to see our 2017 premiership players acknowledged. For a while there they were seen as role players at best held up by four stars.

Butler was probably in the bottom 4-6 of our best 22 in 2017 so that’s testament to quality of the playing group we had.

Spot on, Tiger fans should continue to follow his career.
How many of the 2017 squad are playing elsewhere?

 

[Falchoon]

Anyone can tag..

yet not everyone could tag & beat Swan.

move on, your point was already disproven

 

[Handsuper47]

I don't understand. We had a number of small forwards. He was down in the queue. He wanted to play regular games. We couldn't give him regular games because he didn't work hard enough. Now after 4 games he's "the one that got away"? It's almost like you guys are unable to have a regular conversation, and would prefer to be reactionary..

 

[HTT]

Spot on, Tiger fans should continue to follow his career.
How many of the 2017 squad are playing elsewhere?

Butler, Townsend, Ellis are the only ones I think. Wish them all nothing but the best + other former tigers Miles, Corey Ellis, Stengle, Lloyd, Conca who've left in a similar manner.

Was off the couch Saturday night when Towner's shot looked like it was going through to win it. Love the guy. Kills a small part of me that he's not in a tigers jumper but he is a perfect fit for Essendon and, like Butler, couldn't get a game for us.

 

[Rasha]

I don't understand. We had a number of small forwards. He was down in the queue. He wanted to play regular games. We couldn't give him regular games because he didn't work hard enough. Now after 4 games he's "the one that got away"? It's almost like you guys are unable to have a regular conversation, and would prefer to be reactionary..

If there's anyone who would fit 'the one that got away' criteria it'd be Sam Lloyd.
I still wish to this day that he'd remained a Tiger.

 

[WillHayward]

Its great to see our 2017 premiership players acknowledged. For a while there they were seen as role players at best held up by four stars.

Butler was probably in the bottom 4-6 of our best 22 in 2017 so that’s testament to quality of the playing group we had.

But he was pretty young then.
Now at the peak of his powers.

 

[Grrr]

If there's anyone who would fit 'the one that got away' criteria it'd be Sam Lloyd.
I still wish to this day that he'd remained a Tiger.

Had plenty of chances and was a good player but as a half forward we had so many coming through who had what he didn't pace. We wanted that for our forward pressure, which in the long run worked but not for Lloyd. He may have had more football ability than all three, but he wasn't a right fit at the time.

 

[tiger_tough]

Premiership star is a stretch. He was a role player for us. You'd struggle to find a tigers supporter that didn't think he'd be a good pickup for the saints.

Never played a game for us as good as he did last weekend though, he was very good. Looks a much more well rounded player now. I can't recall ever seeing him take a strong overhead mark in his time at Richmond and he took a couple on Saturday. Having said that he's one of those players that very much reflects the form of the team, as most small forwards do. Saints fast paced, quick movement is suiting him nicely.

We didn't want him to leave but the club has shown they'll get a deal done for anyone being starved of opportunity. Good trade saints.

 

[bird_man]

Having said that he's one of those players that very much reflects the form of the team, as most small forwards do.

He was also our best player last week in a fair old beating from the Pies whem we didnt have a lot of winmers, so hopefully that's something he's improved on with his maturity.

 

[Deadly Assassin]

Who would Richmond be kicking themselves over letting go more? Butler or Higgins?

 

[Golden_6]

Who would Richmond be kicking themselves over letting go more? Butler or Higgins?

Butler has been pretty ordinary since the beginning of 2021 IMO. 23 goals in 29 games isn’t a great return following his 2021 season.

In his last 3 games he’s had a combined 20 touches and 0 goals.

 

[Thrawn]

Wasn't Jeeves enough.

 

[PrinceCharles]

Butler is a poor man's Matt Owies.

 

[Muddiemoose]

Who would Richmond be kicking themselves over letting go more? Butler or Higgins?

Higgins imo
But I think his move had a fair bit to do with his old man behind the scenes (a real dance mum type apparently)
Wanted him to be playing midfield mins and also a saints coterie member

 

[Deadly Assassin]

Higgins imo
But I think his move had a fair bit to do with his old man behind the scenes (a real dance mum type apparently)
Wanted him to be playing midfield mins and also a saints coterie member

Higgins would be Richmond's best small forward.

 

[Muddiemoose]

Higgins would be Richmond's best small forward.

No doubt, could argue the best small forward in the comp right now

 

[tropicaltiger]

No doubt, could argue the best small forward in the comp right now

17 touches between butts and higgo up in cairns when the ball was on the deck 90% all night both very poor in the second half, i was there and both disappointing on a tough night. small forward robbie gray however was the difference.