Training Preseason 2022/23 Talk & Media/Social Media etc.

Which of these players do you think will be selected in the Crows' Round 1 team?


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  • Poll closed .

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How realistic is a 2024 debut be for him? Some on here have been very pleased with his trajectory.
He looked a bit raw in the SANFL at the start of the season and also had some injury concerns. His second half of the season was very good and he looked best when played as an inside midfielder.

I expect Dowling to debut in the first half of next season due to Schoenbergā€™s absence but it will depend on how our new draftees perform in the pre-season. I see his ceiling to be similar to Poort Pearā€™s Drew, who imho is a handy 3rd or 4th inside mid.
 
Keep forgetting about Dowling. Will be interesting to see his trajectory as a midfielder.
Dowling is a player that I have almost zero expectations for right now.

That's not a criticism on him, it's more the fact that I simply haven't seen him play anywhere near enough to have any type of valid opinion.

It kinda reminds me of when Charlie Cameron first came into the side. I had heard a bit about Charlie, but hadn't watched him play at SANFL or junior level. Needless to say I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw it with my own eyes.

Fingers crossed its something similar with Billy
 

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Don't think Billy Dowling's inside game is even close to Willem Drew's inside game at the same stage of their career i.e. 1 year in. Personally I think he's best suited as an inside/outide mid just needs to tidy up his kicking and be a little more penetrating because he does tend to take the safer options. His outside game with his running ability is superior to Drew as is his potential to hit the scoreboard. Way more versatility than Drew as well capable of playing the wing role working forward/back between the arcs.
My comparison to Drew was more that I donā€™t expect Billy to become an A grade midfielder but he might develop into a handy player in the midfield rotations. I have always like Drew and I was surprised that he didnā€™t play more AFL in his early years. I thought he would be more influential this year, his 7th season in the AFL system but perhaps he has suffered from reduced opportunities now that Poort have three A grade mids.

I am not convinced that Dowling will have a big AFL career but I hope he has more to offer than some of our players in the 16-23 range.
 
Dowling is a player that I have almost zero expectations for right now.

That's not a criticism on him, it's more the fact that I simply haven't seen him play anywhere near enough to have any type of valid opinion.

It kinda reminds me of when Charlie Cameron first came into the side. I had heard a bit about Charlie, but hadn't watched him play at SANFL or junior level. Needless to say I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw it with my own eyes.

Fingers crossed its something similar with Billy
In the games I saw, Dowling has something. Seems to have the ability to make the right instinctual, creative decision. I think at AFL level with the extra pressure and closeness, it will stand out even more. I see him as an outside mid who also plays forward.
I think he will make it.
 
In the games I saw, Dowling has something. Seems to have the ability to make the right instinctual, creative decision. I think at AFL level with the extra pressure and closeness, it will stand out even more. I see him as an outside mid who also plays forward.
I think he will make it.
He has disappointed me. I agree completely that his best attribute seems to be a good football brain and decision making. Early in the season, all his disposals hit the target. The problem is that he is not the accumulator that was advertised before the draft, and he is somewhat slow. When he is pressured, his main attribute disappears.

He may be able to make it, but he needs more determination and production.
 
Geez you're a hard marker, I thought he showed plenty and considering he spent a fair bit of time forward in a lot of games moreso than midfield I thought his numbers were quite good with Hately, Berry, Crouch, Brown and Schoenberg getting the lion's share of the on ball minutes in most games.

One game against Norwood late in the season where we were minus both Crouch and Schoenberg he got more on ball minutes he was very impressive.

He's hopefully going to play a lot of midfield time next season. Will get to see what he has to offer then.
 
He has disappointed me. I agree completely that his best attribute seems to be a good football brain and decision making. Early in the season, all his disposals hit the target. The problem is that he is not the accumulator that was advertised before the draft, and he is somewhat slow. When he is pressured, his main attribute disappears.

He may be able to make it, but he needs more determination and production.
TBF ....not many U18 players in one year, then dominate the SANFL league the next year ....one year playing kids, the next, men
 
He has disappointed me. I agree completely that his best attribute seems to be a good football brain and decision making. Early in the season, all his disposals hit the target. The problem is that he is not the accumulator that was advertised before the draft, and he is somewhat slow. When he is pressured, his main attribute disappears.

He may be able to make it, but he needs more determination and production.
I have said for a while I see him as the Matt Crouch for the next decade. Compared to Crouch he's taller, faster, bigger tank, longer more accurate kick but since the whole comp has improved in that regard he'll slot in where Crouch has for the past decade.

He only got one real game where he was given a chance to accumulate and he got a fair bit of it that game, rest of his roles have been ones where its hard to get much possession in our SANFL setup. In that game he showed he has the footy brain to be in the right spots to get the ball and also to distribute it fairly well. Did not disappoint at all for a first year player drafted relatively late and with not much fanfare about him. Huge potential IMO (hence why I compare to Crouch).
 
You're not seriously comparing his game style to Matty? Surely not?
Yes and no. Yes in that I see them both as accumulators with footy IQ. Yes as in I eventually see Dowling along with Matt being skilled and capable inside.

No as in Dowling's kick and athletic ability are miles away from Matt, but as I said, because the game will/has shifted, Dowling will sit, in the next decade, where Matt sat in the last decade relative to other players.
 
I have said for a while I see him as the Matt Crouch for the next decade. Compared to Crouch he's taller, faster, bigger tank, longer more accurate kick but since the whole comp has improved in that regard he'll slot in where Crouch has for the past decade.

He only got one real game where he was given a chance to accumulate and he got a fair bit of it that game, rest of his roles have been ones where its hard to get much possession in our SANFL setup. In that game he showed he has the footy brain to be in the right spots to get the ball and also to distribute it fairly well. Did not disappoint at all for a first year player drafted relatively late and with not much fanfare about him. Huge potential IMO (hence why I compare to Crouch).
Is comparing him to Matt Crouch supposed to be good or bad?
 

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Is comparing him to Matt Crouch supposed to be good or bad?
Confused Kevin James GIF by TV Land
 
Keep forgetting about Dowling. Will be interesting to see his trajectory as a midfielder.
Somewhere (Trade radio / 5AA - canā€™t remember) stated Crows coaches were extremely happy with his development and believe he plays games next year. We now certainly have enough young mids donā€™t we - itā€™s the quality issue

Rachele
Soli
Rankine - 50/50 would be perfect, Jars 97 GF style :)
Pedlar
Shoey
Berry
Dowling
Bond
Taylor

Nank, Jones, Milera, Cook?

Laird
Crouch
Dawson

Add Wilson and/or De Mattia and at least one elite mid next year through draft or trade and ASSUMING one of more of Rachele, Pedlar, Soli or Rankine (part time) become elite mids we are actually looking good. Wonā€™t be a top 4 midfield though without perhaps a second one of those players becoming elite (Peds and Rachele my best guess) or additional inbound

Now its quality over quantity. Sanders does look good and ready to immediately impact. If there at 7 or 8 perhaps we do offer a F1 and one of our top 2 picks whilst getting pick 7/8 from GWS / Cats and a F2
 
Mouth waters in anticipation as to what degree of elite one of our most recent 3rd round mids will reach. Takes me back to the halcyon days of pick 50 Dean 'geelong said they were going to play him in the 1s next year' Gore.
How many, and which, third rounders are you talking about?

Rachele
Soli
Rankine - 50/50 would be perfect, Jars 97 GF style :)
Pedlar
Shoey
Berry
Dowling
Bond
Taylor

Nank, Jones, Milera, Cook?
 
Richard Douglas to Gold Coast as an assistant ? Is that correct?


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20 straight posts prior to mine about Billy Dowling.
Ok so it was ā€œmidā€ (singular) then?

I would have thought most would be more excited by the midfield prospects of Pedlar, Rachele, Soli and Rankine (including picks 3,6 and 11) rather than Dowling. Arenā€™t you?
 
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