Recommitted Lin Jong [re-signed until 2018]

[nobbyiscool]

Part of me thinks the AFL industry needs to grow up and show players a little more respect in assuming that they can play footy and worry about their future going forward. I'm sure we've all gone and done job interviews while still in a current job!

The other part of me though thinks this is a really bad look.

If the dogs knew about this tour of Collingwood's facilities, no problem. But if - as it sounds like - he's done it behind their back under the cover of darkness, not only would I not play him again this season, but I wouldn't even let him train with the AFL group. You've gotta have trust in team mates, and how could the dogs have that trust?

It's not like he's one of the first picked anyway. Makes bad decisions, and can only kick on one side - and he's not even that good on that side. Easily replaced from the Dogs perspective, and a strange target from Collingwood's perspective.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

In all seriousness he is a really, really hard player to rate and an even harder player to value. At his best he bursts out of packs in the midfield, provides a marking option up forward, and offers some speed on the outside. At his worst he ruins every chain he's involved in by either handballing to somebody in danger, turning the ball over, not applying enough pressure or simply missing an easy target. He unfortunately hasn't been able to bridge the gap between the best and worst consistently enough to cement his spot in the side. He has some brilliant athletic attributes but I'm not sure he's up to it on the footballing side of things, but that can sometimes change quickly. Worth a punt for a mid-range pick but the asking price certainly wouldn't be high.

 

[daffo]

Considering how Beverage treated Talia at the end of last season I would expect Jong to be playing VFL for the rest of the season.

 

[The Nostradamus]

rate him highly, just needs more opportunity

 

[Testekill]

Considering how Beverage treated Talia at the end of last season I would expect Jong to be playing VFL for the rest of the season.

And unlike Talia, Jong is an absolute gun at VFL level and regularly top three on ground.

 

[LordLucifer]

Touring facilities in midyear is pretty interesting.

My point exactly.

Since when can a player, still under contract with his current club, do a mid-season tour of an opposition club's facilities ??

I would of thought that the Pies have completely broken some rules here.

 

[Arsene Wenger]

This is a bloody tough issue I think.

Firstly, you need to consider it from a players perspective. Lin Jong is on the fringe of a very strong Doggies side and obviously he wants to be playing AFL at the top level for as long as possible and earn a good living for as long as possible. He might well believe that this could only happen if he considers a move where he will have a greater opportunity. I am sure Bulldogs fans would not begrudge him such an opportunity. So in weighing up his options he is toured the Collingwood facilities to see if that is somewhere he would want to go.

Secondly, you consider the Bulldogs. Now, surely whilst they wouldn't have a problem with a fringe player seeking opportunities elsewhere, but i certainly believe they would have a problem with him doing so mid year. You can make comparisons to other sports like soccer, where players sign with different clubs 6-12 months out and finish seasons at their present club, but we simply haven't seen this at AFL much at all. Only similar circumstance I can recall is Lachy Henderson last year at Carlton and look how that turned out. I do think it is a little different in the Bulldogs scenario, because Dogs could well be involved at the pointy end of the season and Jong would be well capable of coming in and doing a job if his form was good.

I highly doubt bevvo gave him permission to do this, so he could be in a spot of bother.

Free agency brings with it these problems. I would like to hope that both club and player could recognize the current environment and as a result, iwould hope that Jong not be penalised by dogs (i.e. non selection or permanent demotion) because I just dont think thats right...

However, as some have said above, rules are rules and I dont think Bulldogs would be too pleased with Collingwood luring a player the way they have here...

 

[Ozil]

The AFL world has a lot of growing up to do if this is an issue.

It's not ideal if he was doing it behind the club's back, but I'd be disappointed if he was punished for it. He's entitled to explore his options if he feels he's not going to be afforded the opportunities he wants at the Bulldogs.

He played well after the fact against the Swans, so I'm not concerned by any potential lack of commitment either. Play on.

 

[juss]

Given hes touring other clubs mid season, I dont the Dogs can play him again. Martin did tour GWS but it was during the off season in the last year of a contract.

I think the Dogs have lost a lot of bargaining power here. Third rounder is where Id be thinking a fair trade is given that. He might be dominating the VFL, but that still means hes not getting a game at AFL. What other 23 year old mids not in the firsts have been traded for high picks?

 

[Flags_In_The_Bag]

I think he would be value. I'd play over Sinclair, Blair, Langdon.

Can we please put aside 'playing in a top 4 side' likes its a reference to a massive gulf between the sides. Yes you are going better but there wasn't much between us last time we played.

It's the same when I say Witts would be your starting ruck. Dogs supporters carry on saying he's playing 2's but ignore why he's playing 2's. sometimes people want to argue for the sake of it.

i understand you're point, but its somewhat valid saying his playing in a top side because he is a player that can crack into a top side holds more weight to being regular in a Richmond side or say the Lions.

 

[Damon_3388]

Collingwood are kidding themselves if they think he wouldnt be best 22 for them.

It's not that he doesn't have talent, it's just that with everyone fit, I don't see where he'd necessarily be guaranteed a gig amongst Pendlebury, Treloar, Sidebottom, Adams, Greenwood, Crisp, Varcoe, De Goey, etc.

Even up forward, he wouldn't be playing ahead of Fasolo or Elliott when healthy. Maybe Blair is the one he'd displace, but he'd need to show he can consistently do the defensive work in the forward 50 as well to play that role.

Can he be turned into a backman? Do Collingwood need another inexperienced backman with good endeavour but questionable decision-making and disposal?

 

[bresker]

He'd be a terrible back because he's a headless chicken with the ball in hand.

He has potential as a mid if someone can improve his decision making but I reckon that's a hard skill to learn at his age.

 

[bird_man]

What a cheeky campaigner.

 

[Sando22]

Well within his rights.
Prob could have been a little more discreet about it but not getting a regular game at the Doggies so I think it's ok.
He's a reasonable footballer too, be interesting to see how he'd go knowing he had a spot locked down somewhat.

 

[Great8]

So far it's Collingwood and Essendon's facilities he has toured, wonder how many more he will have a look at. Don't mind what he is doing, probably because I follow a lot of sports where players come and go when they or the club feel like it

 

[doggies ftw]

So far it's Collingwood and Essendon's facilities he has toured, wonder how many more he will have a look at. Don't mind what he is doing, probably because I follow a lot of sports where players come and go when they or the club feel like it

Apparently GC and Melbourne are interested too. good for us if we can get a bit of a bidding war going.

 

[LynchysMob]

Apparently GC and Melbourne are interested too. good for us if we can get a bit of a bidding war going.

Are we still interested? Where'd you hear this? Stoked if so.

 

[Testekill]

Are we still interested? Where'd you hear this? Stoked if so.

Not sure if still interested but it has been reported on here that you approached us to trade him last year but he didn't want to leave.

 

[00Stinger]

Touring facilities in midyear is pretty interesting.

Well they offer him the ability to play under a coach who knows what he is doing, so i guess they have to show him he would be able to use state of the art facilities.



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[LynchysMob]

Not sure if still interested but it has been reported on here that you approached us to trade him last year but he didn't want to leave.

Hope we still are... Would be a good forward mid 50/50 rotation for us. We need a couple more taller mids.

 

[wizzard400]

This is how modern professional sports works and (as much as I hate to admit it) I agree with Buckley, it's a dog-eat-dog world. He's well within his rights to gage interest from other clubs if he thinks he won't get opportunities at the Dogs. The AFL and football supporters in general need to accept this and move on.

 

[Heaps of fun]

In all seriousness he is a really, really hard player to rate and an even harder player to value. At his best he bursts out of packs in the midfield, provides a marking option up forward, and offers some speed on the outside. At his worst he ruins every chain he's involved in by either handballing to somebody in danger, turning the ball over, not applying enough pressure or simply missing an easy target. He unfortunately hasn't been able to bridge the gap between the best and worst consistently enough to cement his spot in the side. He has some brilliant athletic attributes but I'm not sure he's up to it on the footballing side of things, but that can sometimes change quickly. Worth a punt for a mid-range pick but the asking price certainly wouldn't be high.

I'm not sure if it's that difficult. Defensive mid that is a poor decision maker but can jag the occasional sausage roll and is a very good mark. Inconsistent players with a few good qualities are worth a dime a dozen but has had some good development put into him and has the potential to turn a corner; pick 35-45 would be fair.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

I'm not sure if it's that difficult. Defensive mid that is a poor decision maker but can jag the occasional sausage roll and is a very good mark. Inconsistent players with a few good qualities are worth a dime a dozen but has had some good development put into him and has the potential to turn a corner; pick 35-45 would be fair.

I don't think he's a defensive mid at all; the lack of pressure he applies is a large part of the reason that he can't lock down a forward role at the club. Would happily play him in a forward pocket rotating into the midfield if his chases and pressure were any more than token. Further when in the midfield he is a much better offensive runner than defensive one and opts to press rather than fall back consistently.

I agree with most of the rest of your assessment though. Would probably lean towards 30-40 rather than 35-45, not that it's a big difference.

 

[Heaps of fun]

I don't think he's a defensive mid at all; the lack of pressure he applies is a large part of the reason that he can't lock down a forward role at the club. Would happily play him in a forward pocket rotating into the midfield if his chases and pressure were any more than token. Further when in the midfield he is a much better offensive runner than defensive one and opts to press rather than fall back consistently.

I agree with most of the rest of your assessment though. Would probably lean towards 30-40 rather than 35-45, not that it's a big difference.

Has a very good tackle average compared to disposal count over his career for someone that I wouldn't think attends a huge amount of stoppages with Bontempelli, Wallis, Liberatore, Dahlhaus, Macrae etc being in front of him though.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Has a very good tackle average compared to disposal count over his career for someone that I wouldn't think attends a huge amount of stoppages with Bontempelli, Wallis, Liberatore, Dahlhaus, Macrae etc being in front of him though.

His tackles fluctuate. His tackles per round this year have been 1, 6, 4, 1, 0, 6 and 3, which doesn't look as positive as the average. Last year his average was high but he actually did spend a fair bit of time around the ball, rotating between mid and wing (and actually playing some pretty good footy at times). This year he has spent more time forward of centre but has occasionally been relied on more inside the contest. Since our half back injuries we've been playing +1 at the contest as well which he has been filling every now and then. On these occasions his tackle count jumps up.

So I guess to summarise my view, he's a nice presence around the ball physically and could I suppose be described as a defensive mid in that sense but outside of stoppage situations he's not good or committed enough defensively. Only my opinion though, of course.