Game Day Dogs V Roos Ikon Park 4/3 1.10pm Road To Glory Begins

[Sentinel]

Kind of ironic that this off season we traded out a guy who when he had the ball would so regularly (and frustratingly) lob it into our forwardline, and then brought a Lobb into our forwardline.

 

[DognBones]

There were a lot of positives to come out of Saturday's game but there were a few areas of concern, or perhaps, areas placed on watch, that emerged also.
English was fine around the ground but his centre bounce work was average, particularly considering his opponents were an in-decline Goldstein and a less than top ruck in Xerri. Noticed him rucking from behind a lot at boundary throw-ins as well which doesn't give him prime position. I think whatever we've got from English as a main ruck at present is what to expect in the future.
Daniel's role this season looks very unclear. He lacks the size and pace to be an effective midfielder and opposition teams may play through him if he's parked around the centre. Will be interesting to see where and how he's used.
There were signs that the centre corridor can still be exploited by opponents as it has been on numerous times in the past. North is trying to develop this strategy under Clarkson and they were able to run through the centre and have plenty of forward entries. Fortunate for us, their disposal was not good and Jones was able to chop off many of these entries. Against Melbourne we can't allow the same space through the centre or we will find ourselves under pressure.
Our wing options were quite good against North but are very much wait and see at present and there's still a feel of experimentation going on there. Scott, McLean, Baker and Williams all looked effective against North but Melbourne has some of the best wingers in the comp and we can't let them dominate their positions on the open spaces of the MCG.
A lot written about Lobb in the thread. He did have several opportunities to mark but couldn't complete them. Fortunately, we didn't need him to do so when our other keys were dominating. He will probably get Petty or May as an opponent or even Gawn dropping back filling a hole. There is no reason why he can't use his extreme height to clunk a few marks against these guys. After all, he is first and foremost, a forward.
Let the game begin.

 

[stefoid]

Dont know anything about rucking, but maybe rucking from behind is a defensive strategy to guard the fat side of the contest? Also allows English himself more space to be used if we gain possession.

 

[AFDogs]

Finally got around to watching the Dogs vs North game.

We looked great. Great signs all over the park.

Positives:

• Midfield. Libba/Bont/Macrae/Smith/Treloar all found a heap of the footy, worked together, used it well and hit the scoreboard. Dunkley shouldn't be a massive loss.
• Tall forwardline. We have some genuine monsters down there who all have different playstyles and it was a treat to see them all working together.
• Oskar Baker. Consider me a fan off the back of that game.
• Dale off HB as good as ever
• Liam Jones is the recruit of the year. I'm calling it now. Genuine freak of a defender.

Not sure:

• Toby McLean. ACL's are an absolute bitch so I'll back him in but was quiet.
• Lobb quiet but first game for a new club for a KPF are always difficult. I'll give him a chance.

Boy oh boy am I excited for 2023.

 

[Nat Fyfe]

Finally got around to watching the Dogs vs North game.

We looked great. Great signs all over the park.

Positives:

• Midfield. Libba/Bont/Macrae/Smith/Treloar all found a heap of the footy, worked together, used it well and hit the scoreboard. Dunkley shouldn't be a massive loss.
• Tall forwardline. We have some genuine monsters down there who all have different playstyles and it was a treat to see them all working together.
• Oskar Baker. Consider me a fan off the back of that game.
• Dale off HB as good as ever
• Liam Jones is the recruit of the year. I'm calling it now. Genuine freak of a defender.

Not sure:

• Toby McLean. ACL's are an absolute bitch so I'll back him in but was quiet.
• Lobb quiet but first game for a new club for a KPF are always difficult. I'll give him a chance.

Boy oh boy am I excited for 2023.

Also a little disappointed with how quiet McLean was given how good he looked (at least in patches) when he returned last year.

As for Lobb, I didn't mind his game. That's what I'm hoping to see from his "quiet" games this year - kicked a goal, got a couple goal assists, and was mildly competitive in the ruck. Ideally he's not much worse than that, but overall I think his addition is still a net positive from games like that when comparing to what we got from Young, Schache, Cordy in the last couple of years

 

[Golden_6]

Finally got around to watching the Dogs vs North game.

We looked great. Great signs all over the park.

Positives:

• Midfield. Libba/Bont/Macrae/Smith/Treloar all found a heap of the footy, worked together, used it well and hit the scoreboard. Dunkley shouldn't be a massive loss.
• Tall forwardline. We have some genuine monsters down there who all have different playstyles and it was a treat to see them all working together.
• Oskar Baker. Consider me a fan off the back of that game.
• Dale off HB as good as ever
• Liam Jones is the recruit of the year. I'm calling it now. Genuine freak of a defender.

Not sure:

• Toby McLean. ACL's are an absolute bitch so I'll back him in but was quiet.
• Lobb quiet but first game for a new club for a KPF are always difficult. I'll give him a chance.

Boy oh boy am I excited for 2023.

If Toby is stationed on the wing for large portions of the game, I think he'll struggle. He was never super quick but boy he was looking extra slow. He needs to be positioned as the HFF pushing up to the contest as the link man between the mids and the forwards. Otherwise he'll get found out in wind open spaces too often.

 

[immortalmike]

Low intensity game against VFL level opponents. Struggle to take much out of it to be honest. Players look fit at least.
Hopefully we show up against in round one this year.

 

[GetDimmaBack]

Low intensity game against VFL level opponents. Struggle to take much out of it to be honest. Players look fit at least.
Hopefully we show up against Melbourne this year.

...like we did last year in Round 19?

 

[CarnTheScray]

Hopefully we show up against Melbourne like we did in Round 19 last year.

FTFY

 

[immortalmike]

...like we did last year in Round 19?

FTFY

No. As opposed to the capitulation in round one last year.
It was a comment on our embarrassing start.

 

[CarnTheScray]

It was a comment on our embarrassing start.

I'm aware.

 

[immortalmike]

I'm aware.

Then you didn't fix anything for me.

 

[_Cerberus_]

I think McLean just needs some time. I agree wing may not exactly his ideal position at the moment. You either need a large tank, or break leg speed. I feel he faded at times in games last season, which shows the long time out has probably hit his fitness base a little.

He is still a smart and dangerous player around goals, though the extra changes of direction playing a forward role on the knees make me nervous. I want nothing more than to see this guy reach his 100 game milestone, and then go through an uninterrupted season. Was gutted for him when he got injured the second time around.

 

[True Dog]

I think McLean just needs some time. I agree wing may not exactly his ideal position at the moment. You either need a large tank, or break leg speed. I feel he faded at times in games last season, which shows the long time out has probably hit his fitness base a little.

He is still a smart and dangerous player around goals, though the extra changes of direction playing a forward role on the knees make me nervous. I want nothing more than to see this guy reach his 100 game milestone, and then go through an uninterrupted season. Was gutted for him when he got injured the second time around.

In my mind he plays 100%, the work he does for others at stoppages is relentless and his willingness to compete is Libba like. He may have lost a yard but still crafty and stronger than he's been before. When the pace comes off the game look for Tobby to impact.

 

[bresker]

Bigfooty preseason - Tim English’s Thighs are massive

Bigfooty real season - Tim English gives me massive sighs

 

[Some Idiot]

Low intensity game against VFL level opponents. Struggle to take much out of it to be honest. Players look fit at least.
Hopefully we show up against in round one this year.

I thought the forward line showed some improved synergy, Jamarra and Naughton not getting in each other's way as much for example.

 

[ScragCity]

Bigfooty preseason - Tim English’s Thighs are massive

Bigfooty real season - Tim English gives me massive sighs

Same. If only there was a positive correlation between thigh mass and hitout win %.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

I would say that Lobb is currently the best 2nd Ruck/KPF in the game. Jackson may become better in time, maybe even this year but currently it’s Lobb. Our Darcy may become better than both but that is years into the future.
Grundy and Gawn are not KPF style players. Gawn is better as the 7th defender who drops back to cover the defence. Grundy is good at providing linking play. Neither can play as well at KPF as Lobb.

It’s not often you get a mature KPF and mature KPD in the one offseason. We should count our blessings.

We did it in 2022 and in 2019... After so many years of struggling to attract key position types

 

[bresker]

I don’t want Darcy spending too much time in the ruck no matter how big and strong he gets.

When you can mark, read the ball and kick beautifully like he does, you don’t park your giant Ferrari in the spot reserved for a Ford Ranger

Bev has no interest in rucking anyway . .

 

[perro_loco]

Low intensity game against VFL level opponents. Struggle to take much out of it to be honest. Players look fit at least.
Hopefully we show up against in round one this year.

You are probably correct but we were also mid intensity to the contest and they also had a few good ones out. Practice games are just that, practice.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

I don’t want Darcy spending too much time in the ruck no matter how big and strong he gets.

When you can mark, read the ball and kick beautifully like he does, you don’t park your giant Ferrari in the spot reserved for a Ford Ranger

Bev has no interest in rucking anyway . .

I don't know, I can see Darcy playing a ruck-fwd role. Like an English but with swagger

 

[Golden_6]

Sounding like Weightman and now Arty will be missing round 1?

Struggling big time on small forwards. I think I’d play Garcia just to provide a bit of pace and pressure up front. West also looks a decent shot of lining up round 1.

 

[cecil]

Sounding like Weightman and now Arty will be missing round 1?

Struggling big time on small forwards. I think I’d play Garcia just to provide a bit of pace and pressure up front. West also looks a decent shot of lining up round 1.

Sounds like JJ is good to go though. Could see us going with him and one more small.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

I don’t want Darcy spending too much time in the ruck no matter how big and strong he gets.

When you can mark, read the ball and kick beautifully like he does, you don’t park your giant Ferrari in the spot reserved for a Ford Ranger

Bev has no interest in rucking anyway . .

That’s exactly where you want a player with Darcy’s attributes.

Playing a sole half fwd game limits his minutes exposed to the contest, as opposed to a split between Fwd and Ruck where he can impact across the whole ground.

He’s 10kg’s and some experience away from tearing teams apart. He’s got all the tools to be a better player than Gawn, Grundy, Cox but with a fwd half game similar to a genuine KPF.

It won’t happen any time soon, but he’ll become a multi positional player eventually, dominating the comp. Which he is more than capable of doing.

 

[dogwatch]

That’s exactly where you want a player with Darcy’s attributes.

Playing a sole half fwd game limits his minutes exposed to the contest, as opposed to a split between Fwd and Ruck where he can impact across the whole ground.

He’s 10kg’s and some experience away from tearing teams apart. He’s got all the tools to be a better player than Gawn, Grundy, Cox but with a fwd half game similar to a genuine KPF.

It won’t happen any time soon, but he’ll become a multi positional player eventually, dominating the comp. Which he is more than capable of doing.

From what I was able to see of him in the VFL TV coverage last year Darcy already had very good tap skills and positioning when rucking. I guess we shouldn't be surprised at that but it means he doesn't have to learn a whole lot of those skills late in his development like Timmy had to do.

I'd have no problems with us playing him in the ruck if that's where he was needed.