Dan Menzel

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May 5, 2016
43,478
48,513
AFL Club
Geelong
Love the bloke, thought he was elite for a virtual rookie in 2011 in an awesome side (played 3 games in 2010) and based on how his career as a goal kicker has tracked upwards since he returned, I think he would have been better than all the elite small to mid forwards in the comp. all speculation of course but as it is he’s among the best 4-5. It’s a shame his body doesn’t allow him the freedom of movement that would make him a better two way player, I think he could do more just to create contests coming out of the back half but hey, if he kicks 3-4 goals a game it’s worth it just for that.
 
May 5, 2016
43,478
48,513
AFL Club
Geelong
It's bizarre that Geelong were happy to keep him on the list for five years while he recovered from injury, but will only "risk" one year now that he's up and going.

I’d imagine it was a case of ensuring we got first crack at a fit Menzel if it ever happened again. Once he was fit and had played again we were in a position to assess his worth to us as an onfield asset against his potential cost as an injury liability.

It would look bad if we cut him after two operations, and two years later he turns up kicking 4 a week in Adelaide or something
 
Always looks like he just loves it. Tongue out. Credit to him and the Cats. Hope he goes for quite a few years to come. Good to watch.
I am pretty sure he calls out "Menzzzzzzzelll" when flying for his own marks.
 

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It's bizarre that Geelong were happy to keep him on the list for five years while he recovered from injury, but will only "risk" one year now that he's up and going.
What's bizarre about that? Geelong is not alone. Menzel would have been receiving insurance payments I'd imagine as a long term injured player
 

Brad Goodman

His name isn't important
Oct 7, 2002
15,832
16,222
AFL Club
Collingwood
Were Geelong considering not retaining him at the end of last year or am I imagining things? Crazy when you consider how talented he is and now seems to be putting it all together. I know Cats fans hate comparing Menzel with Steve Johnson but he has all the makings of replicating SJ's career.
 

Soups

Premium Platinum
Jul 16, 2006
17,645
29,036
AFL Club
Collingwood
Were Geelong considering not retaining him at the end of last year or am I imagining things? Crazy when you consider how talented he is and now seems to be putting it all together. I know Cats fans hate comparing Menzel with Steve Johnson but he has all the makings of replicating SJ's career.
Scott said last night on 360 they were never thinking about trading him. He was a FA so if he left it would have been on his wishes. Scott also said that he’s had many chats to Menzal regarding his contract, and they just can’t give him more than a year because of his injury history. Menzel understands their situation.
 
Mar 23, 2007
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I just don't think there is enough credit for how good this bloke is after 4 knee reconstructions.

If he had never been injured there is every chance he could have been an all time great matching the career of Stevie J.
The fact that he can still kick bags of goals and jump and mark like he does is an absolute credit to him.
He would still walk into every forward line in the competition and you would have to think he's at best 75% of the player he could have been.

What a star.

Was he ever touted as being a player of that calibre prior to his injuries... you know, given he was drafted as a rebounding defender?

Glad he has got over his injuries and playing good footy, but let's minimise the fake news...
 
May 5, 2006
62,726
70,017
AFL Club
West Coast
He's a jet, but he is a bit of a one way jet. You can teach most young players to run both ways, with Menzel and his injury history I'm not sure you can. So as well as any risk due to durability (has been pretty good since coming back from his recos) you need to accept that while he is potentially a 50 goal a year forward he's probably reached his defensive ceiling. 40 goals last year, 26 tackles. By comparison from my team Jack Darling was 43 and 67, LeCras who is historically known as a front runner was 32 and 45, Jamie Cripps was 26 and 79. In modern footy if you are only going to put up 26 tackles a year you need to hit the scoreboard hard.
 

Munich

Brownlow Medallist
May 5, 2013
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We don't need him to be a defensive fwd, we have others who can do that.

The guy has had 4 knee recos FFS. Let's refrain from comparing him to Darling et al, who are nowhere near him in terms of natural talent...
 
It's bizarre that Geelong were happy to keep him on the list for five years while he recovered from injury, but will only "risk" one year now that he's up and going.
No it isn’t. I absolutely agree with the club not being willing to give him more security than a 1 year deal. He’s too risky to be tying the club to a multi year deal.
 
Aug 14, 2001
10,336
17,958
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Fair effort to maintain consistency for years following his return. We had a similar issue with Clay Smith after three knees. Got himself in good nick in time for the 2016 finals series but has really struggled since with form and ongoing knee trouble. Will probably see his career finish this year barring a change in luck.
 

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He is, most definitely, the most potent small-mid sized forward in the AFL at the moment. Geelong don't necessarily need him to put on intense pressure if they can get others to do it.

The only issue is having both Menzel and an underperforming Hawkins in the one outfit.
He's arguably a mid-tall sized.
 
Oct 4, 2005
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Scott said last night on 360 they were never thinking about trading him. He was a FA so if he left it would have been on his wishes. Scott also said that he’s had many chats to Menzal regarding his contract, and they just can’t give him more than a year because of his injury history. Menzel understands their situation.

Suppose Geelong can pay him closer to what his output is worth if he's on a one year contract, so he could do better out of it if he stays healthy.
 
May 5, 2016
43,478
48,513
AFL Club
Geelong
Was he ever touted as being a player of that calibre prior to his injuries... you know, given he was drafted as a rebounding defender?

Glad he has got over his injuries and playing good footy, but let's minimise the fake news...

I was a huge wrap on Duncan in 2011, to come into a side that was already at champion status and that was, man for man, as good as anything assembled in 20-30 years, and thrive as he did. Menzel was rated higher again.

Were Dangerfield or Martin touted as Brownlow winners in their debut seasons? Probably not, so it would also be no surprise if Menzel wasn’t explicitly rated as a future league-dominating player. But there is no fake news about the idea that he was regarded as a future star.

In his first 20 games he had 3+ five times - and every one of those games was against a finals side.
 
You do realise Hawkins play further up the field these days right?

I do realize, but I felt it better to ignore the fact that there's a team in the AFL who decided it was a great idea to play a 110kg, 198cm forward up the field.
 
Feb 12, 2017
16,020
42,116
AFL Club
Geelong
Didn't they low ball him with his salary as well though?
Not sure on the specifics, but when 17 other clubs offered him $0 for 0 years when he would have cost them nothing trade wise, the fact that Geelong gave him a contract at all would rule out the offer being a lowball one. Although he's probably providing the best value for $ of any player in the league so far.
 
Feb 12, 2017
16,020
42,116
AFL Club
Geelong
I do realize, but I felt it better to ignore the fact that there's a team in the AFL who decided it was a great idea to play a 110kg, 198cm forward up the field.
Menzel being afforded so many one-on-one opportunities in the forward 50 can be credited to the opposition's three defenders mauling Hawkins up the ground.
 
May 2, 2007
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Not sure on the specifics, but when 17 other clubs offered him $0 for 0 years when he would have cost them nothing trade wise, the fact that Geelong gave him a contract at all would rule out the offer being a lowball one. Although he's probably providing the best value for $ of any player in the league so far.
Other clubs would have taken him for 1 year like the Cats, just he probably wanted 3 or something to make the switch which they understandably would have baulked at.
 
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