Universal Love Dan Houston

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Thought he started the game quite poorly (particularly tackling/defending) but to his credit, had a much better second half with a few real clutch moments including sticking a couple of important tackles. Good signs that he has some grit.
 
raptalia said:
In five games this year Houston has had 5+ rebounds and 16+ disposals. Some of his games have been quieter than last year but he has not had too many "shockers" as you describe them. You are talking about a guy who is straight off our Rookie List with 25 games under his belt. Cut him a bit of slack and go after some of the 100 game players if you need to.
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I’ll go after Pittard if that’s ok ?
 
Houston’s kicking has never been the issue when he’s hitting targets and moving the ball on quickly to generate run. It’s that he’s not a really good defender so if the midfield isn’t working he’s always going to get exposed. It’s the same with Bonner. If they aren’t hitting their targets they become liabilities. And when they are fumbling the ball in defence it’s even worse.

I don’t mind if he’s making mistakes how we want to play. If he’s playing safe chip s**t around the defensive 50, leave that to guys who can’t kick.
 

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Dan's been down from last year but I felt that started when Ken decided to dick around and put Howard into the ruck. This effected our whole team's balance, Dan included.
 
G3TWOTYAD3S3RV said:
I’ll go after Pittard if that’s ok ?
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You can do as you please, just check your facts before you resort to terms like 'shockers'. I accept that Houston has dropped off from last year's high standards but he has not turned in any real 'shockers'. In any case I cannot see why you feel a need to 'go after' anyone?
 
raptalia said:
You can do as you please, just check your facts before you resort to terms like 'shockers'. I accept that Houston has dropped off from last year's high standards but he has not turned in any real 'shockers'. In any case I cannot see why you feel a need to 'go after' anyone?
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They’ve been having shockers man what planet are you on ? Bonner has played like s**t since he won the rising star. I’ll go after who I bloody like & before I finish Pittard had a stinker too & I don’t care if he came back from injury. Once you cross the white line it’s bloody on.
 
I still think Dan is being looked at with rose coloured glasses by this board.

His defending is okay to poor imo. If you look at the contest that set up Walkers long bomb goal it was Lynch V Houston where Dan had position but felt for body contact and totally lost his man and let Lynch take the mark fairly comfortably who then delivered a pinpoint pass to Walker. His disposal has also been far less impactful this year and his high disposal efficiency is artificially partially inflated due to our new short kicking/possession game style which sees our half backs taking a lot of lateral kicks to spare players that have no real impact.

Regardless if he can improve his one on one defending a bit and get his kicking form back I think he is a valuable member of our side.
 
Janus said:
I don’t mind if he’s making mistakes how we want to play. If he’s playing safe chip s**t around the defensive 50, leave that to guys who can’t kick.
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Therein lies the problem as 'safe chip s**t around the defensive 50' seems to be the way we want to play. Bonner and Hartlett are both in the same position as Houston, good long kicks who are caught up in a 'short chip around' and handball game plan. I fear we are never going to see these players use their natural talent while we play a 'safe chip it short' game.

The 'chip it short in defence' game plan has Nathan Bassett written all over it as it is the 'ugly but winners' style that Norwood played while Bassett coached them. Prior to 2016 when Walsh and Richardson influenced Ken we were more direct but since Bassett has taken over as Defensive Coach our defenders have resorted to the safe chip it around style that you refer to. Perhaps Bassett sat Dan down in the off season and had a good talk to him and told him to do the 'team thing' and chip it short? If I was asked, what is the difference between Port Adelaide 2014 and 2018 I would answer Nathan Bassett's influence.
 
raptalia said:
Therein lies the problem as 'safe chip s**t around the defensive 50' seems to be the way we want to play. Bonner and Hartlett are both in the same position as Houston, good long kicks who are caught up in a 'short chip around' and handball game plan. I fear we are never going to see these players use their natural talent while we play a 'safe chip it short' game.

The 'chip it short in defence' game plan has Nathan Bassett written all over it as it is the 'ugly but winners' style that Norwood played while Bassett coached them. Prior to 2016 when Walsh and Richardson influenced Ken we were more direct but since Bassett has taken over as Defensive Coach our defenders have resorted to the safe chip it around style that you refer to. Perhaps Bassett sat Dan down in the off season and had a good talk to him and told him to do the 'team thing' and chip it short? If I was asked, what is the difference between Port Adelaide 2014 and 2018 I would answer Nathan Bassett's influence.
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It really isn't.

There was nothing in Bassett's presentation about how we wanted to move the ball from defensive 50 that said 'we want to move it with short kicks and slow ball movement'. He just said we want to retain possession with marks up the field. Now, short kicks are fine as long as they are done quickly. The main problem - the only problem - is how quickly we have been executing.

As soon as you gain territory with quick short kicks that move up the field or open it up by switching to the corridor, you put the opposition defence under pressure, because they have to adjust their shape to cover. Then what happens is that those players either a) sit deeper, which allows the defenders the time and space to run and break lines or b) try to pressure more by sitting higher, which brings the long kick over the top into play.

That's why Hawthorn won three flags in a row, against three completely different sides with different defensive strategies - Fremantle, Sydney and West Coast.

Do we have to have the same kicking capabilities as Hawthorn? Nope, because we've got something they never did, which is speed and the ability to break lines with run. All we need to do is play what is in front of us, and everything will be fine.
 
If you want to know how Bassett wants to move the ball, watch the Crows at their peak. Short kicks, 20-30m with quick decisions and clear leading patterns. It almost goes without saying but we are well behind them when it comes to this particular part of the game.
 
sog35 said:
If you want to know how Bassett wants to move the ball, watch the Crows at their peak. Short kicks, 20-30m with quick decisions and clear leading patterns. It almost goes without saying but we are well behind them when it comes to this particular part of the game.
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Correct.

We outplayed them in every aspect apart from this. It's stunning to see it so neat live.
 
sog35 said:
If you want to know how Bassett wants to move the ball, watch the Crows at their peak. Short kicks, 20-30m with quick decisions and clear leading patterns. It almost goes without saying but we are well behind them when it comes to this particular part of the game.
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Our leading patterns are putrid. Worst part of our game by a long way. You can't see this stuff on TV and it takes discipline at the game, because you need to watch ahead of the play rather than where the ball is, but our forwards lead to the same spots time after time, drawing extra defenders. Unfortunately, we also have mids that struggle to pinpoint their passes.
 

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S.Patrol.G said:
Our leading patterns are putrid. Worst part of our game by a long way. You can't see this stuff on TV and it takes discipline at the game, because you need to watch ahead of the play rather than where the ball is, but our forwards lead to the same spots time after time, drawing extra defenders. Unfortunately, we also have mids that struggle to pinpoint their passes.
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Surely some of that is due to not having the three talls there at present. With our talls outnumbered, the idea seems to be lead to the pockets, so if it hits the deck force a ground contest or throw in. If our talls aren't outnumbered, hopefully we lead towards the corridor, backing them to take their share of marks (with our smalls staying down, for if it does hit the deck and players near the square in the corridor to stop an easy rebound down the centre if it is turned over.
 

Dan Houston put on a kicking clinic in this week's OAK Plus Clash of the Codes - who are you backing?
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S.Patrol.G said:
Our leading patterns are putrid. Worst part of our game by a long way. You can't see this stuff on TV and it takes discipline at the game, because you need to watch ahead of the play rather than where the ball is, but our forwards lead to the same spots time after time, drawing extra defenders. Unfortunately, we also have mids that struggle to pinpoint their passes.
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I also don’t understand why, if there is no place to lead, why they don’t simply just move and create space or get into a better position to lead.
 
Like the way Dan seems to be working hard on getting power into his hips that have been a bit slow moving , it's helping his instinctive movements to be snappier so his pressure is becoming better . I had my doubts a month back but his last few have been great
 
He's a jet. Exactly the type of dependable role player that forms the substance of a premiership team once you've got your sprinkling of stars in place. We need more players with his composure and discipline.
 
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