Richard Douglas Progress..........

[CrowMagnum]

Just lacks a bit of polish ATM, give him time.

He still hasn't stepped up to the pace of the game. He'll either have to do that soon or at least learn a few tricks to get him through. Too early to call just yet but we'll know more in a year or so.

 

[crows4always]

I Have every confidence Dougie will be a very fine player for us,looks to have put on a fair bit of size seeing him standing alongside of Macca in Dubia.

 

[crowsarethebest]

He is improving. Last year he was very panicy and whenever he had the ball he was looknig to get rid of it as soon as possible. He just didn't look composed at AFL level. However, in the game in Dubai he looked must more composed and reasured and didn't look rushed at all. He is a very classy player and has brilliant skills with good clearance work. He is a totally different player to Aker though... I'd compare him to our own Tyson Edwards. Not overly fast but is agile and is a "slippery" player. Not fast but hard to catch.

 

[CrowHop]

Again maybe everyones expectation of draftees continues to be a little unrealistic ..........into his third year and of his type of build and player IMO his progress is fine.

Acker was very thin in his early years and in/out of the side with no-one really predicting too much for him.

Edwards followed a similar path.

Very few draftees make an impact this early unless they have some freakish skills............as the media and us hype up the draft each year so our expectations are also hyped up.

IMO a player at 22 or 23 should be on the cusp ........Reilly at 24 probably reflects the average age when you start to get "consistent" returns in games.

Douglas is travelling OK ......just needs to get more comfortable on the field and realise he can be a good AFL footballer

Agreed. Physical development over time, more matches and game time will ensure his game improves.

As for Acker, perhaps not the greatest comparison, as Drummond points out his stats were ok (albeit in a piss weak Brisbane side) but in todays game, where footballers are faster, stronger and hit harder, the development of draftees often takes longer than those of yesteryear.

He is improving each week and I'm reasonably happy as to where he is at as a footballer currently.

 

[BunjiMac]

I think douglas just needs to find his feet and relax a bit at senior level. I'm pretty sure with an extended run of games he will do that this year.

I think his game in Dubai was ok, I think it was on par with VB's game to be honest, some good things and some not so good.

Its only the first game of the year, lets wait till at least 5 games into the season before making any sort of judgements.

 

[CarnCrows]

I think douglas just needs to find his feet and relax a bit at senior level. I'm pretty sure with an extended run of games he will do that this year.

I think his game in Dubai was ok, I think it was on par with VB's game to be honest, some good things and some not so good.

Its only the first game of the year, lets wait till at least 5 games into the season before making any sort of judgements.

Agree with above.

Did he play a bit in the forward line last year?? Not his position if he did, put him in the guts for an extended period.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

When push comes to shove at selection this season he is going to have those two crosses against his name - not strong enough, not quick enough. I don't think the selectors have faith in him yet to give him an opportunity in the midfield. Even when he has played it has been to cover an injury as a small defender or a small forward. He played a good preseason game against West Coast last season but my perception is that the Crows' selectors/coaches believe that he'd be smashed in the middle in a 'proper' game.

The first step for him is that he has got to win over the selectors. He must convince them that the benefits of his football 'smarts' and ball-getting ability will outweigh any negatives of his lack of size/speed.

For what it's worth, I believe that if we just plonked him in the midfield from Round 1 he'd do fine, improve quickly and win plenty of the footy. I hope the club doesn't spend a whole season bemoaning what he hasn't got and rather focus on what he can give us.

 

[BunjiMac]

Interesting you say that about speed, Carl. To my eyes, and I havent seen him live, he appears the quickest of the midfielders?? McLeod not included.

But is that a known fact that he is slow??? I must get my eyes checked...

 

[vlbl]

A). He was listed at 74kg last season, he said he's put on about 3kg, which means he's roughly 77kg. B) I'd like to see him up around 82kg.

The thing you need to understand mate is that not every afl midfielder needs to be around 85kg or so to be able to compete at that level. From what the 'stats' show is that daniel kerr, for mine the best midfielder in the afl is 178cm and was weighed at 78kg. Now this is a prime midfielder who is also as tough as they come. Now according to you he is slightly underweight to be in the midfield for afl as douglas who at 180cm weighs 77kg certainly is.

I'm not saying Douglas is prime for the midfield but neither is he 'underweight' as you and many feel. What you need to understand is that someones weight doesn't determine how 'strong' they are. What is important is their height to weight. If douglas gains another 3kgs and hits 80kg then i think he will be 'strong' enough to take on anyone in the midfield, as many have highlighted he has enormous courage and work ethic not to mention his silky skills will see him go far in the heart of our engine room.

Also what is somewhat frustrating is how so many people begin to criticise a player after one pre-season game when he didnt have as much in the middle as the other guys, and along with that he is constantly being played as a crummer/small forward, which he clearly is not.

For me douglas is the undisputed heir to edwards position, and with more time in the middle this year i think everyone else will see why.

 

[crowman_23]

I'm actually a little bit surprised by this thread to be honest. Personally I have been very happy with thr way Douglas has been coming along and I think he has a very big, break out year ahead of him. Maybe he hasn't got to his 'ideal' weight, but what he has shown at a lower level in the SANFL, IMO is something to be pretty excited about. When he is out on the park in the AFL arena he still doens't seem to be 100% comfortable, or looks like he thinks he belongs. Once he consistently breaks into the side, and gets comfortable at that level I am very confident that he will be a very good player for years to come. I think this year will be his break out year.

 

[Drummond]

The thing you need to understand mate is that not every afl midfielder needs to be around 85kg or so to be able to compete at that level. From what the 'stats' show is that daniel kerr, for mine the best midfielder in the afl is 178cm and was weighed at 78kg. Now this is a prime midfielder who is also as tough as they come. Now according to you he is slightly underweight to be in the midfield for afl as douglas who at 180cm weighs 77kg certainly is.

I'm not saying Douglas is prime for the midfield but neither is he 'underweight' as you and many feel. What you need to understand is that someones weight doesn't determine how 'strong' they are. What is important is their height to weight. If douglas gains another 3kgs and hits 80kg then i think he will be 'strong' enough to take on anyone in the midfield, as many have highlighted he has enormous courage and work ethic not to mention his silky skills will see him go far in the heart of our engine room.

Also what is somewhat frustrating is how so many people begin to criticise a player after one pre-season game when he didnt have as much in the middle as the other guys, and along with that he is constantly being played as a crummer/small forward, which he clearly is not.

Absolutely spot on.

I wouldn’t, however, compare his situation to Daniel Kerr. Kerr is one heck of a tough midfielder who takes hits and delivers hits with the best of them. You look at Douglas and you see him pushed off the contest so easily. There was a replay of a Crows game from late last year and Douglas and his opponent were running for a ball. His opponent gave him the slightest of nudges and that was it, Douglas was out of the contest. That is why he needs to put on weight. There are a number of small midfielders who don’t weigh in excess of 80kg, that’s because not everyone needs to. Douglas I believe does need to, because at this stage he’s too easily pushed off a contest and to play in the midfield, quite obviously his preferred position, then it’s essential he puts on a few more kg’s.

 

[Mego Red]

I'm actually a little bit surprised by this thread to be honest. Personally I have been very happy with thr way Douglas has been coming along and I think he has a very big, break out year ahead of him. Maybe he hasn't got to his 'ideal' weight, but what he has shown at a lower level in the SANFL, IMO is something to be pretty excited about. When he is out on the park in the AFL arena he still doens't seem to be 100% comfortable, or looks like he thinks he belongs. Once he consistently breaks into the side, and gets comfortable at that level I am very confident that he will be a very good player for years to come. I think this year will be his break out year.

I agree. He is exactly where I thought/hoped he would be. Hard to imagine that you seriously could have expected to see more - he has been dominant in the SANFL and is finding his feet in the AFL. He is one the few players on our list with a true x-factor, and I think he will be a great asset for the future.

 

[conVINCEd]

There was a replay of a Crows game from late last year and Douglas and his opponent were running for a ball. His opponent gave him the slightest of nudges and that was it, Douglas was out of the contest.

Douglas I believe does need to, because at this stage he’s too easily pushed off a contest

1. Exactly - last year.

2. When was he easily pushed off a contest against the Pies, which is the only game we have played this year?

Give him a break Drummond.

 

[Farmy]

Drummond's only happy when Norwood duds are played in the side, he is unhappy at any other time.

 

[macca23]

There was a replay of a Crows game from late last year and Douglas and his opponent were running for a ball. His opponent gave him the slightest of nudges and that was it, Douglas was out of the contest. .

If only it could have been Pfeiffer in those circumstances, Drummond.

He could have felled his opponent with one beery burp!!

 

[Mismatched]

I think the comparisons with Edwards are spot on. Douglas may not be the quickest player, but he definitely isn't slow either, he has good agility which is one of Edwards great strengths and has solid skills. I think in Douglas we are all looking for a player to come on like Knights, VB, Porplyzia etc. have, he's only getting into his 3rd year anyway, it was 5 years before Edwards really cemented his spot in the side, Reilly's taken similar time too, so I don't think we need to worry too much about Douglas, he will get there, just give him a chance.

 

[Eastern Crow]

IMO, Douglas just needs a break through game, that game is not too far away

 

[Kahuna_202]

Interesting you say that about speed, Carl. To my eyes, and I havent seen him live, he appears the quickest of the midfielders?? McLeod not included.

But is that a known fact that he is slow??? I must get my eyes checked...

I thought Douglas was a very quick player aswell. Remember reading somewhere (think it was a Neil Craig article) that Douglas in pre-season training was really stepping up and was winning the short sprint contests the players were having.

 

[The Crows Truth]

I thought Douglas was a very quick player aswell. Remember reading somewhere (think it was a Neil Craig article) that Douglas in pre-season training was really stepping up and was winning the short sprint contests the players were having.

From memory his time trial successes were over longer distances - not the short spints

And for those on this board who have previously compared his pace to Ben Cousins......i dont think so