Dawson Simpson

[Mark25Jackson]

Not sure how many of you have REALLY watched the big man, but I reckon he is the next Mumford. he looks to me to have real desire for second efforts, can take a mark, and his disposal is actually very good. If as I suspect Otto is done, i would really like to see Dawson start the year as number one ruckman, with Otto relieving from a forward pocket. Otto can start to play forward and extend his career that way with occasional spells on the ball. We know Blake isnt up to it. He has had 99 games to show us that. Lets see if Dawson has it and give him 10 games to start the year. I reckon he will smash it given the chance.

 

[i_need_a_pencil]

I completely agree...

From the very little he showed on Saturday, he seems the more natural of all our the borderline rucks, not only in the ruck contest but as you say OP, with his second efforts and disposal.

Also appears to be pretty coordinated for a big man IMO.

He would be my pick, over West, to give game time to.

 

[SJ]

He is a monster and looks like he is happy to put his body on the line.

I think he and Vardy will make a very good modern ruck combination, however they certainly won't be ready to do anything special this year.

 

[dazbroncos]

I would like to see the namesake of the desert get a go this year......

although after the VERY limited stuff I have seen of him last year his time is not yet here....Very possibly a Sandilands type if it goes well ( not saying he will be but its possible)

I think his skills and desire are there but like SJ said... not this year....

I hope he gets a few more chances this year to lead into a full time gig when Otto pulls the pin, or has it pulled for him....

 

[SJ]

No I think Simpson should play this year, in fact I think he offers just about as much as Ottens now.

But he won't be anything sensational this year.

 

[CatTricks]

Ive said it before and I'll say it again...

Simpson will be a gun.

 

[meto]

Mark25,

Just about to start a thread on the big guy but you beat me to the punch!!

Forgoodnesake, just get him into it and stop procrastinating, he's got heaps of heart, size, can take a mark, can run, can get down low, quick hands, at 206cms, what are we waiting for, before Sydney make him an offer.
We need to size up, that is painfully obvious, Simpson and West are in as far as I'm concerned.
Ottens could play relieving ruck forward to create some size options up forward.
After last Saturday you can see Tommy needs some chopout, abit of size help.

 

[rocker_oz33]

l like the look of the big feller he needs to play at least 6 games this year l hope a few more than that l dont want the club to lose him to western nsw or what ever they are called.they can have blake and west,monster stays!

 

[you pick one]

He is a monster and looks like he is happy to put his body on the line.

I think he and Vardy will make a very good modern ruck combination, however they certainly won't be ready to do anything special this year.

I'm finding it difficult to make any judgment on big Dawson poor bugger had two games last year and came up against Cox in one and Sandilands in the other, then on Saturday night against Saints project ruckman in McEnvoy who I thought had the better of our three.
Must get some games in to him this year to see what he's got, but must make every post a winner from here on.IMO there's only one spot for the big fella number one ruck.
Hope he makes it.

 

[Turbocat]

I see him getting games later in the year. In the mean time if he can grab a couple and kick a goal or two it will not hurt his chances.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

If Blake plays any games this year in front of Simpson or West ill be furious. Id play West in rd 1 now Mooney is probably out as i think he offers more as a forward at this point in time. But big Dawson has some serious potential and may become quite a decent player in due time.

 

[catswhiskers]

Dawson is coming along nicely for a 7 footer. Can play and has the really competitive attitude. A good young one to have on the list.

I think for Geelong 2011 we need to play Ottens/West through the first 5/6 weeks of a horror draw. If Ottens stands up and is playing well we celebrate. If West proves he has "it" we celebrate. Dawson shows how to dominate in the twos and learns to play forward while Blake is on the ball.

If all these stars align we offer Dawson a new longer term contract and keep playing the others until the end of 2011 or one falls over.

Then Ottens retires and Dawson (with another year of upper body work behind him) takes over.

Oh yeah and GWS realise a really big bodied durable ruckman is needed after Fraser breaks down for gold coast. Blake trade for a talented kid or pick.

Thats the way it should be.

 

[sarah.13]

Dawson is coming along nicely for a 7 footer. Can play and has the really competitive attitude. A good young one to have on the list.

I think for Geelong 2011 we need to play Ottens/West through the first 5/6 weeks of a horror draw. If Ottens stands up and is playing well we celebrate. If West proves he has "it" we celebrate. Dawson shows how to dominate in the twos and learns to play forward while Blake is on the ball.

If all these stars align we offer Dawson a new longer term contract and keep playing the others until the end of 2011 or one falls over.

Then Ottens retires and Dawson (with another year of upper body work behind him) takes over.

Oh yeah and GWS realise a really big bodied durable ruckman is needed after Fraser breaks down for gold coast. Blake trade for a talented kid or pick.

Thats the way it should be.

read my mind..

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I'm finding it difficult to make any judgment on big Dawson poor bugger had two games last year and came up against Cox in one and Sandilands in the other, then on Saturday night against Saints project ruckman in McEnvoy who I thought had the better of our three.
Must get some games in to him this year to see what he's got, but must make every post a winner from here on.IMO there's only one spot for the big fella number one ruck.
Hope he makes it.

Think he will make it but needs to be given game time , say 6 in a row, so he can pick up the tempo and show us what he has got.
Saw some good tapwork from him and seems mobile enough for a 6' 9" guy, great if he can present around the ground and go forward for a goal. With Otto waning and Blake not quite there the no1 spot is his if he wants it enough.

 

[bobbycatsfanme]

he stands 206cm and weighs in at 105kg he's ****ing monster of a kid and only 21, he'll put on little more muscle over the years but this kid is going to be impossible to move like Sandilands but he can actually jump and move around the ground, excellent talent just as long as keeps pushing himself everyday to get better we are again blessed to have picked up a young ruckman like this

 

[meto]

Look! If he continues with what he showed against the Saints against Port Adelaide, why not pencil him in for Round 1 as with Mitch Duncan???

One fault I find with Geelong as a club, to damn conservative!!!
If we want to change the guard to up the ante, we need some strategic changes, not to many but enough to make a difference, the difference we want!

Just wish we had a young key or two, but the Pods looking bigger across the shoulders and Hawkins showing a more physical side it's all ahead of us.
Still think we need a 3rd marking option against tall marking defences like the Saints.
Maybe Mackie.

But I do think it's Dawsons' time.

 

[catswhiskers]

Still think we need a 3rd marking option against tall marking defences like the Saints.
Maybe Mackie.

I'll say it again. Don't write off Mackie as a forward after the first couple of years in what was an unorganised and disfunctional forward line.

Stevie j and Mooney among others struggled also to put goals on the board.

I recognise that marking as a defender is easier (no blocking of run or arm chopping etc ) but Mackie does have the ability read the play and float across packs. Plus Mackie can invent (which gets him in trouble down back [like Johnson playing in midfield]) and kick goals from any distance.

I would like to see him given a run up forward if injuries or lack of "push" from West, Motlop, Vardy or Brown is what we have in store.

 

[Rosso]

I think Smokey and West showed good signs (West the week before too). Loved the aggression that Dawson followed up with and as pointed out previously, very Mummy like. Used his size in a few contests too and if he was to come up against the second ruch types (Brown @ pies, Trentgrove @power ect) he could provide some good ol fashioned Damien Bourke punch the ball 30 meters from the ruck contest stuff.

Westy provides that mobile option and his ruckwork wasn't too bad either. His mobility is the key to more games, being able to get around the ground and fill a KPP spot when called on.

Problem that we may find is that Dawson, West and from reports Vardy are all showing the right signs and with Otto & Blake fit it means we have 5 rucks to maybe squeeze into 1 senior spot and 2 VFL spots. 2 designated ruckmen won't work with the new sub rule so can't see two of Otto, Blake & Dawson lining up with each other. West might get the call up early and when Moons and Pods are right I thing Hawkins might revert to pinch hitting again (sorry, just what I think will happen).

The other drama it causes is that you will limit VFL ruck time too as (for exmple) Blake, Simpson and Vardy would all expect time in the ruck yet none would be given the opportunity to really dominate a game in the ruck and therefore not really putting their hand up to demand a spot.

With GWS on the lookout, we can't afford to let another one slip.

 

[Vdubs]

I like the way he celebrated with the team on the ground post 09 GF. Looked really pleased to be part of Geelong Cats. (Didn't see Mummy btw).

I will be more than pleased if he is our #1 ruck this year and we actually keep him . We clearly have nobody in any way superior to him as we write.

Also, FWIW, he is well known to be a genuinely nice person, have it on good authority from contacts in Albury/ Barnawartha. It is good to have giants in the team who have great character.

 

[DanA]

By the end of the season we could have Simpson/Vardy as our ruck duo. Particularly if Otten gets his inevitable injury

 

[Partridge]

I'll say it again. Don't write off Mackie as a forward after the first couple of years in what was an unorganised and disfunctional forward line.

I will write him off right now as a forward. He's too soft. He showed it again the other night. That's not the fault of who else is in the forward line either.

 

[Mooney_d'King]

I will write him off right now as a forward. He's too soft. He showed it again the other night. That's not the fault of who else is in the forward line either.

He used to play forward too and it didn't work then.

 

[meto]

By the end of the season we could have Simpson/Vardy as our ruck duo. Particularly if Otten gets his inevitable injury

Dawson Simpson, YES, but have you even seen Vardy????

So far a no show, and hasn't even played a NAB game apart from a senior one, so what makes you so enthused he could displace Ottens, or Blake for that matter???
Maybe CHF, but what about Podsiadly 49 goal in first year, this kid is yet to play seniors!!!
So, who is he??

 

[David the Cat]

Dawson Simpson, YES, but have you even seen Vardy????

So far a no show, and hasn't even played a NAB game apart from a senior one, so what makes you so enthused he could displace Ottens, or Blake for that matter???
Maybe CHF, but what about Podsiadly 49 goal in first year, this kid is yet to play seniors!!!
So, who is he??

On the money meto...we haven't seen the boy this year..who knows if he's ready?

One poster mentioned the word " heart " and associating it with Simpson. I like that!! West hasn't really impressed me so far...but I am neutral about him....seems Simpson may be worth putting time into.

 

[Turbocat]

By the end of the season we could have Simpson/Vardy as our ruck duo. Particularly if Otten gets his inevitable injury

Sneak West into our side as a KPP , maybe even in D then thus would be an ideal result and would give a refreshed confidence to our youth for our future.I have no doubt we have assembled a group of kids good enough to build another 99/01 group , what we need is to find some quality talls to go with them.

Vardy looks to be the prototype demanded of #2 ruckman now , he can take a nice grab and can play forward. Simpson looks to be a super tall who can contribute around the ground while ensuring we don't get dominated in the ruck. Add another flexible tall in the backline and we have a setup that allows 4 mids and heaps of run.