Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, Denver Grainger-Barras

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[MrPremiership]

With 6 games to go in the season is it worth throwing Denver forward for a couple of the games to see how he goes?

The last 6 games should be used to trial things in games and with the emergence of Blanck to partner up with Sicily and potentially Frost to take the opposition’s key forwards could Denver be a potential partner up forward to Lewis?

Absolutely not

 

[Billyc]

He needs continuity. Now they've brought him back in, he needs to be given the rest of the season playing in the one role down back. Having Blanck pop up and perform well should be good for him in taking some pressure off. DGB can take the opposition's third or fourth tall forward for the remainder of the year while he continues to adjust to AFL footy.

 

[Adrian Dodoro]

Wraps on DGB: See Josh Ward.

He has the unteachable qualities that might not turn him into a stat machine but he will impact games. He is insanely agressive and confident, he has totally bought into Sam's game plan and always tries to bite off the agressive kick and he has great instincts when it comes to when and where he needs to leave his man to support a team mate.

 

[MrPremiership]

I think the ideal back 6 looks like:

Hardwick - Blanck - Sicily
Scrimshaw - DGB - Jiath

Blanck is a lockdown, takes the gorrila. DGB takes the 2nd forward, frees up Sicily to take the third and intercept. Hardwick takes the best small and you let Scrimshaw and Jiath go to work offensively.

You obviously field a 7th there for rotations, and that can be a number of Day, Bramble, Morris, Morrison, Frost.....or they play on a wing or elsewhere.

 

[Brant]

With 6 games to go in the season is it worth throwing Denver forward for a couple of the games to see how he goes?

The last 6 games should be used to trial things in games and with the emergence of Blanck to partner up with Sicily and potentially Frost to take the opposition’s key forwards could Denver be a potential partner up forward to Lewis?

The emergence of Logue as a 'defensive key forward' playing on the oppositions best interceptors has been very interesting to watch. I think there are merits to the role.

Think Denver has the athleticism, the natural competitiveness and skillset to play that role.

Would rather see Denver play with a license to intercept as either third man or true CHB. We've played him as a stopper mainly but he played his best footy as a junior as the big dog down back.

Not DGB - he's not even been in the role 2yrs yet & has had an interrupted run at it. Leave him in position until it's no longer tenable, IMO.

Frost is the one to move forward or onto a wing, or even into that Defensive KPF role.

 

[SSSSSS]

Not DGB - he's not even been in the role 2yrs yet & has had an interrupted run at it. Leave him in position until it's no longer tenable, IMO.

Frost is the one to move forward or onto a wing, or even into that Defensive KPF role.

Absolutely. Learn the lessons from Schoey.

 

[Mr Chuckles]

I feel the need to praise DGB. His aggressive attitude is so encouraging, and it’s easy to forget he’s still only 20.

In a couple of years time I’m certain that this kid will be an absolute monster!

 

[KermitJagger]

I feel the need to praise DGB. His aggressive attitude is so encouraging, and it’s easy to forget he’s still only 20.

In a couple of years time I’m certain that this kid will be an absolute monster!

People need to remember that talls can be projects, Alex Rance played in the development league his first year. He wasn't even ready for senior VFL football. Matthew Scarlett had 11 goals kicked on him in his first 2.

We're an impatient lot!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Love the way he flies the flag for his teammates. Reckon he’s going to be a general back there in years to come.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

The biggest issue is he’s not yet big enough.
You compare him to blanck, and blanck is quite imposing whereas DGB isn’t…yet.
We keep asking him to take big job when he’s not yet there physically.
Good learning and the strength will come

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Listen to Sams conference from yesterdays game. He says they like new players to learn one role well first, before teaching them a second role.

 

[TylerDurden]

Love the way he flies the flag for his teammates. Reckon he’s going to be a general back there in years to come.

He's got massive white line fever!! I love it!

 

[burner1]

Cracks in hard but not doing much. 3 touches, 1 tackle, 4 pressure acts isn’t much of a game. Club is clearly backing him in. Probably lucky frost is injured giving him opportunity.

 

[SSSSSS]

Kept Goldstein and CCJ as the resting ruck duo goalless.

Couldn't give a stuff how many possies he has it if he can keep big blokes off the scoresheet that's a win.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Kept Goldstein and CCJ as the resting ruck duo goalless.

Couldn't give a stuff how many possies he has it if he can keep big blokes off the scoresheet that's a win.

As if it's the role of a defender to hold his opponent goalless though, we all know it's about disposals.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

Cracks in hard but not doing much. 3 touches, 1 tackle, 4 pressure acts isn’t much of a game. Club is clearly backing him in. Probably lucky frost is injured giving him opportunity.

To be fair to DGB, he didn't have to do anything yesterday. I think he's done his job in most games he's played, and he's allowed his aggressive to shine. Yesterday he held two ruckmen in CCJ and Goldstein goalless. His physicality is the only reason he's not playing how you might expect of him. He's just trying to find his role, which is tough when you have Sis playing just about every role. Even if he and Blanck don't become great players, we just need them to be serviceable as we already have a backline full of stars.

 

[SizzleMagic]

I’d like to see him stop worrying about all the niggling of opponents and trying to be the tough guy.

Doesn’t really have the build yet to try and play like a hero, should just concentrate on playing footy.



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[badboybobba]

I’d like to see him stop worrying about all the niggling of opponents and trying to be the tough guy.

Doesn’t really have the build yet to try and play like a hero, should just concentrate on playing footy.



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People were saying this about Sicily after a similar amount of games, it’s whats helped him become the player he is.
As long as Denver’s not giving away stupid free kicks I think we let him play with his natural instincts which usually brings the best out of players.

 

[Billyc]

To be fair to DGB, he didn't have to do anything yesterday. I think he's done his job in most games he's played, and he's allowed his aggressive to shine. Yesterday he held two ruckmen in CCJ and Goldstein goalless. His physicality is the only reason he's not playing how you might expect of him. He's just trying to find his role, which is tough when you have Sis playing just about every role. Even if he and Blanck don't become great players, we just need them to be serviceable as we already have a backline full of stars.

Agree and if you ignore his high draft position and just look at him as a skinny second year tall defender he’s going fine. The recruitment and performance of Blanck good for him in taking pressure off.

 

[Slainte]

He is coming along nicely IMO. In his early games, he had plenty of enthusiasm and endeavour but bled goals with rookie errors. In his recent games he is showing a much better understanding of the back half structures and his role. Once this is really consolidated, he can play with a bit more freedom and flair.

 

[Realist]

Has still shown nothing to show he worthy of being pick 6 in the draft, unless you rate trying to act like a tough guy as a skill. That stuff may have worked in the juniors but not in the big time.
Lowest ranked player on the ground yesterday, again.
If he wasn’t drafted at 6 there is no way he would be getting a game. Jekka has shown more in two games in the backline at Box Hill than DGB showed during his stint there earlier this year.
I know it’s early days, but he has a long way to go and there is no guarantee that he will be able to put on the weight needed to be a key defender in the AFL.
I know it won’t happen but the club should seriously look at trading him to West Coast or Fremantle while he still has some currency.



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[KermitJagger]

Has still shown nothing to show he worthy of being pick 6 in the draft, unless you rate trying to act like a tough guy as a skill. That stuff may have worked in the juniors but not in the big time.
Lowest ranked player on the ground yesterday, again.
If he wasn’t drafted at 6 there is no way he would be getting a game. Jekka has shown more in two games in the backline at Box Hill than DGB showed during his stint there earlier this year.
I know it’s early days, but he has a long way to go and there is no guarantee that he will be able to put on the weight needed to be a key defender in the AFL.
I know it won’t happen but the club should seriously look at trading him to West Coast or Fremantle while he still has some currency.



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Do you log in exclusively to be intolerably negative?

 

[On Topic]

Maybe I am easy to please but keeping his opponent goalless and not giving away a free was a welcome improvement. I get he is a high draft pick and people are expecting him to be a world beater sooner rather than later but he is (currently) punching above his weight class. Keep in mind that he isn't going to show all his attributes in a single game, consistently. That takes time to produce. As a whole, he has shown the following at AFL level:

1. Tidy disposal
2. Intercept marking/spoiling
3. Smart decision maker
4. Desperation/defensive acts

Keep in mind, these were his strengths he showed during his draft year. All of which has translated into AFL games. Big signs that he will make it. However, playing at AFL level has introduced the following:

1. Inconsistency
2. Nervousness which leads to free kicks being paid against him

He has things he needs to work on and needs to learn how to use his body better. He is the modern day key defender though. We all know KPP take a lot of time to put it together. Once his natural strengths are consistently being produced and he has eliminated the silly free kicks from his game, he'll be a gun.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Thought he was good yesterday.

 

[westhawk]

Kept Goldstein and CCJ as the resting ruck duo goalless.

Couldn't give a stuff how many possies he has it if he can keep big blokes off the scoresheet that's a win.

Exactly mate, what is it with some peoples fascination with stats, he is our future full back and the only stat important, is goals against.