Why is Dasher being written off?

[witsend]

For goodness sake...he is playing as well as ever over the past 2 years. He has hardly used his body as a battering ram over the years (except for SOS).
It seems interesting to me that we are prepared to write off Geelong players 'cos they push 30, yet many players continue a good 2-3 seasons past that.
I say he should play on if the desire is there. You're a long time retired...
He's a wily old fox and we'd miss him...
Harley's heart, I suspect, is in Sydney with Flick, which is fair enough when your body is failing as consistently as his has of late.
He is the only one who should even consider retiring, for mine.

 

[BIGANT]

I am quite surprised at the level of dis-content towards Dasher; his season again this year has been nothing short of good from what we expect from him.

 

[Barabbas]

Because people are morons. He's still playing well, isn't particularly injury prone, doesn't play a high shock role - I'd be surprised if he didn't go around again.

I think Harley was always going to retire at seasons end, and he'll be better with a couple more games.

 

[Vegas.]

I didn't realise anybody was? Unless you are talking about non-Geelong supporters in which case they obviously don't realise how valueable he has been, and still is.

The reality is that he may retire after this year, especially if we win the flag, and I wouldn't begrudge him that at all, but I'd love to see him go around again.

 

[re cat]

got the 250th coming up too

 

[Big Fozza]

i don't think anyone is writing him off. a few have mentioned (myself included) he should rest a couple of weeks so not to risk his ankle and get him good for the run up to finals

 

[gabstar]

got the 250th coming up too

That is very exciting, hopefully i am at the game

 

[Glassjaw]

Evidently Dasher is too old and slow and other teams will expose him ala Higgins in the prelim last year. In other words Bomber made a woeful coaching decision as per usual, and Dasher has been exposed once in the past year so it's doomed to repeat itself in every game in September.

A lot of our bad patches in games are more attributable to bad coaching than bad efforts by the players.

 

[witsend]

I didn't realise anybody was? Unless you are talking about non-Geelong supporters in which case they obviously don't realise how valueable he has been, and still is.

The reality is that he may retire after this year, especially if we win the flag, and I wouldn't begrudge him that at all, but I'd love to see him go around again.

He keeps getting mentioned in here and the media as a likely retiree, along with Harley and to a lesser degree Scarlett. I just don't think it reflects his form or attributes. He's never been that quick so lack of pace isn't an issue.
I see no reason any should retire, including Harls, as long as the desire is there. I do believe we'll lose Harls though. Especially if we jag a flag this year.
I could see Wojo going as he is all about pace and that will fade at 29+.

 

[darrenmorgan]

i really wanna see dasher moved into the forward line for a spell, and maybe even to see out his career. a few times this year he has looked really slow down back, he is still a damn fine player but has lost that yard. his smarts and toughness would see him snag a couple goals each week up forward.

 

[archilino]

i really wanna see dasher moved into the forward line for a spell, and maybe even to see out his career. a few times this year he has looked really slow down back, he is still a damn fine player but has lost that yard. his smarts and toughness would see him snag a couple goals each week up forward.

Agreed i think he could be a real x-factor in september if he was used in the forward line more often, he might be able to teach the youngins a thing or two about taking a shot on goal 25-30 direcly in front. Can see him and rooke causing some major damage if they are let loose, onl problem is lack of speed i guess.

 

[hamG]

I think it comes down to our perception of man marking. A reasonably quick leading forward who isolates him in space is going to break him on the lead. Plus I guess he is old and we would like to put games into another utility (for arguments sake, Laidler) who would be an experienced part of the team in 2 or 3 years while our midfield core is still firing.

His composure and skills are generally fantastic, he is 100% team and doesn't give a shit about cheap touches. Probably one of the most underrated players this decade simply because him and his game doesn't look good on camera.

 

[Hood007]

Evidently Dasher is too old and slow and other teams will expose him ala Higgins in the prelim last year. In other words Bomber made a woeful coaching decision as per usual, and Dasher has been exposed once in the past year so it's doomed to repeat itself in every game in September.

A lot of our bad patches in games are more attributable to bad coaching than bad efforts by the players.

He was hardly exposed.Higgins kicked 2 goals in the first quarter and then did stuff all after that...
I thought it was part of Dasher's role to try to create off his man and be a 3rd man up. Our whole backline does that don't they? They're supposed to cover for each other...

 

[Glassjaw]

He was hardly exposed.Higgins kicked 2 goals in the first quarter and then did stuff all after that...
I thought it was part of Dasher's role to try to create off his man and be a 3rd man up. Our whole backline does that don't they? They're supposed to cover for each other...

I'm saying that's what other people say; the Dasher detractors. Then I went on to defend him.

 

[HulkHawkins]

Who's writing him off??

 

[Copernicus]

Who's writing him off??

I'd like to know that too. I haven't noticed his game get any worse this year, he's still the Dasher we know and love as far as I can tell.

 

[CF]

no one is writing him off. Silly thread

 

[witsend]

no one is writing him off. Silly thread

Tx for that

I'm simply making a case to suggest that although his name is often bought up, both here, in other forums and in the media in relation to ageing defence, unaccountable, slow etc I believe he is playing far too well to even consider retirement.

 

[Hood007]

I'm saying that's what other people say; the Dasher detractors. Then I went on to defend him.

And I'm agreeing with you...
I wonder if Dennis Cometti didn't crap on about how he was playing 'loose' on Higgins in his commentary would any one have mentioned it?

 

[fpm84]

I don't know if anybody has written off Dash, and they'd be crazy if they did.

My POV is this: he's still an extremely talented and important member of our best 22 and as others have mentioned can even be thrown forward in a big game to provide an X-factor (see: Saints game).

But we can't ignore the fact that he's getting older and it's probably harder for him to get up for each match. Last year he virtually played the entire season and was pretty buggered by the time we reached the finals. Nobody could claim that his three finals matches were among his best games of the year. He even started on the bench in the GF.

I'm all for us 'managing' him from here on in to make sure he's still got something left in the tank come finals. Whether 'managing' means a couple of weeks rest here and there or the like, I don't really care.

 

[OldStyle2007]

He zones off, gets goals kicked against him now and then.... So what??

Every defender does.

He saves a lot more goals zoning off than he gives away. A lot more

I'd like to see him go forward more, though. Could be a winning move

 

[CF]

Our backline is poorer when he is not there. I really hope he stays on another year. But given his age he may retire this year. Dasher might not be as quick as he once was, but he makes up for it with experience & smarts. I think he would make an excellent assistant coach for the backline. If Bucks lures Sanderson away to another club like has been speculated about in the media, Dasher might make a good replacement right up.

 

[ninjacat]

I thought one of the players was quoted as saying recently that Dasher's preseason is always consistent and that he could play on for 3-4 more years if he wanted?

I thought Dasher said he was going to throw it in if we had won the flag last year.

 

[Belisarius]

On current form and contribution over a decade Dasher is by far not Geelong's worst player. He is IMHO a good player and has been a stalwart down back. My guess is he would have to be one of the most consistent footballers Geelong has had in over a decade. I hope he plays on. Harley I am not so sure about - as a player. He might have come to an age where it is hard for him to get up week after week, season after season. Milburn has done this all and more and is still in good shape. He plays most of the games every season and he must just have one of those bodies that can handle the rigours of time in the AFL.

So I hope he goes on next season - especially if Harley goes. Hunt will be back but Geelong may still need some time to get another Milburn - a reliable, hard defender. I hope Gillies is our Milburn. And that is in the end a good way of testifying how good Milburn is as a footballer - that if the gun new back recruit could be as good for 250 games as Dasher.

 

[ninjacat]

Bel, I'm hoping Laidler is our Dasher clone and Gillies our Scarlett protege!!