News Zac Dawson

[valkorum]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...-it-comes-to-coachs-plans-20130614-2o9ss.html

Is Zac Dawson the first playing assistant coach in the AFL? Yes, the same Zac Dawson who was delisted by Hawthorn, much maligned at St Kilda, despite playing in three grand finals, and now forms an integral part of a Fremantle defence that has conceded the fewest points in the competition, by a long way.

 

[Seppo]

TLDR

Last line in article a massive let down:

Zac Dawson is not on the coaching team. Not officially, anyway.

 

[Arcassius]

I had an argument with an old codger on the train on the way back to freo defending Dawson...

He thought Dawson was a spud - I argued that his role on the team as the anchor in defense, his 1%ers, and his ability to come off his man, spread and swing up forward more than make him worth the occasional brain fade. People will always give shit to the last man in defense ... old codger suggested I actually watch the games to understand what I was talking about, and then suggested that I'm a fairweather supporter because I was at the game in a leather jacket *sighs*

Incidentally, his preferred player was Silvagni, who I suggested was hard at the contest but too short, and ran in straight lines too much to be a replacement for Dawson.

 

[Ferntree Freo]

Great article.Very interesting that we are going well since dawson has been in the team. I think he missed a couple of games last year and a few posters who were not to fond of him admitted they may have been a little harsh on him. As arcassius mentioned I think its his 1%ers that often go un- noticed.He is not a Luke McPharlin but still a very important part of the team. Just the way RTB likes it, he does not want standouts just complete team efforts. Probably why he would not like flashy players like Buddy in our team.

 

[clivenator26]

99% sure he wasn't delisted either. IF he was then Scott Watters is dumber than I thought, the stk team needs a key back more than anything else.

I've said numerous times how good Zac is, he is team first every time. He is. An easy target for something that happened 6-7 years ago (Rocca kicking a bag) but when you look at it he is actually a decent player who has an outstanding record in finals.

 

[kp junior]

I think his offensive ability has improved a bit in the last year as well. No gun, but not a liability with the ball in hand anymore

 

[Arcassius]

See the difference between Zac up forward than McPharlin? I get nervous when pharlap floats forward... never when Dawson does. Also watched his spoiling against Brisbane, got into good positions and was only beaten once when Lisle I think faked him

 

[magnus34]

do yourself a favour and read this article

 

[JunglistPosse]

do yourself a favour and read this article

Ok Gaz

 

[Thistle]

Given I used to laugh at how shit I thought he was whenever I watched a Saints game and how he came across a total pleb I was furious when I heard this joke was going to be part of our club. I was a doubter to begin with but I am happy to say he has proven me wrong and I now understand his importance to the team. Whole defence has a good chemistry now and you can tell his team mates have a lot of confidence in him.

 

[se17enteen]

If Lyon rates you then you're doing something right.

 

[Righteo]

Like it's going to change preconceptions of him, spent another day fuming at the whinging pommy bastard ripping into him the whole day on Saturday, we have so many ignorant supporters

See the difference between Zac up forward than McPharlin? I get nervous when pharlap floats forward... never when Dawson does. Also watched his spoiling against Brisbane, got into good positions and was only beaten once when Lisle I think faked him

It's amazing that when people judge a defenders performance they ignore stuff like this, a few times Zac took a good mark after outbodying his opponent or got in in a timely spoil and as expected the plebs behind me went completely silent.

 

[Outshined]

I had an argument with an old codger on the train on the way back to freo defending Dawson...

He thought Dawson was a spud - I argued that his role on the team as the anchor in defense, his 1%ers, and his ability to come off his man, spread and swing up forward more than make him worth the occasional brain fade. People will always give shit to the last man in defense ... old codger suggested I actually watch the games to understand what I was talking about, and then suggested that I'm a fairweather supporter because I was at the game in a leather jacket *sighs*

Incidentally, his preferred player was Silvagni, who I suggested was hard at the contest but too short, and ran in straight lines too much to be a replacement for Dawson.

Can't stand the pseudo-knowledgeable supporter, i.e. he and his mates don't know the first thing about footy beyond stats, brownlow votes and popularity. Up there with the "just kick it!" and "you're useless number x!" brigade.

Anyway, Zac is awesome. A key cog in our defence no matter what anyone says.

 

[StingBitten]

See the difference between Zac up forward than McPharlin? I get nervous when pharlap floats forward... never when Dawson does. Also watched his spoiling against Brisbane, got into good positions and was only beaten once when Lisle I think faked him

You get nervous when Pharlap goes up? Not me... give him a full game and you'll see more contested marks in the forward 50 then you'd seen all year.

 

[mattis117]

I've always liked Zac, even when everyone else was having a go at him last year I saw how important he was.

He didn't get delisted, he walked out on the Saints because he either didn't like the new contract or didn't want to play for them anymore. Freo also gave him a guarantee they would pick him up.

 

[Arcassius]

You get nervous when Pharlap goes up? Not me... give him a full game and you'll see more contested marks in the forward 50 then you'd seen all year.

1) We're doing something wrong if we're giving our AA defender a full game up forward...
2) The fact you suggested he needed a full game to get into the swing conversely also suggests that he isn't ready to do it right *now*

Yes I know he's kicked 114 goals in his career - a chunk of them as a forward - doesn't mean I think it's a good idea Here and now I get nervous with him up forward while I'm more comfortable with Dawson there.

 

[StingBitten]

1) We're doing something wrong if we're giving our AA defender a full game up forward...
2) The fact you suggested he needed a full game to get into the swing conversely also suggests that he isn't ready to do it right *now*

Yes I know he's kicked 114 goals in his career - a chunk of them as a forward - doesn't mean I think it's a good idea Here and now I get nervous with him up forward while I'm more comfortable with Dawson there.

Are you saying you get nervous because he's strayed away from the back-line leaving our defence highly vulnerable? That I can understand, you'd feel our backline could still do the job with Dawson up front.
The thing is Dawson may open up some opportunities in the forward line but has he kicked many (if any?) goals this year, either from contested marks or free play? Mind you if he didn't double grab the ball over the line on Saturday that would have been a fantastic goal.

 

[Arcassius]

Are you saying you get nervous because he's strayed away from the back-line leaving our defence highly vulnerable? That I can understand, you'd feel our backline could still do the job with Dawson up front.
The thing is Dawson may open up some opportunities in the forward line but has he kicked many (if any?) goals this year, either from contested marks or free play? Mind you if he didn't double grab the ball over the line on Saturday that would have been a fantastic goal.

It's a combination of things - leaving our defense vulnerable (peter to pay paul) but also I don't think he's as genuine a swingman as Dawson or MJ. As much because he hasn't needed to be - so he's out of practise - needs to rewire his thinking from defense to attack and be comfortable reversing the roles. Mind you I'd feel the same way seeing Pav playing as a keyback - same reasons. Yes he's done it - but I'd still feel nervous seeing it. I dunno - just how I feel.

 

[freo84]

I had an argument with an old codger on the train on the way back to freo defending Dawson...

He thought Dawson was a spud - I argued that his role on the team as the anchor in defense, his 1%ers, and his ability to come off his man, spread and swing up forward more than make him worth the occasional brain fade. People will always give shit to the last man in defense ... old codger suggested I actually watch the games to understand what I was talking about, and then suggested that I'm a fairweather supporter because I was at the game in a leather jacket *sighs*

Incidentally, his preferred player was Silvagni, who I suggested was hard at the contest but too short, and ran in straight lines too much to be a replacement for Dawson.

I had a very similar experience with the grandfather on the missus' side. He told me that Dawson was "a "piece of s@#t defender and that he didn't deserve his spot in the team." I replied pretty exactly how you did and was met with "So you think he is a good player then?". I walked away shaking my head.

 

[dockerfemme]

In the final against Geelong last year, in Luke's absence, he held Hawkins goalless. After that I decided that I would never treat him as a punching bag, even in my mind. Now I feel a degree of affection for him, kind of like with Kep. I would like to think he has finally found a home where the fans appreciate his effort.

 

[Arcassius]

In the final against Geelong last year, in Luke's absence, he held Hawkins goalless. After that I decided that I would never treat him as a punching bag, even in my mind. Now I feel a degree of affection for him, kind of like with Kep. I would like to think he has finally found a home where the fans appreciate his effort.

Yeah i like to look at him as our fridge out back.. Ballas as our mini-Fridge

I had a very similar experience with the grandfather on the missus' side. He told me that Dawson was "a "piece of s@#t defender and that he didn't deserve his spot in the team." I replied pretty exactly how you did and was met with "So you think he is a good player then?". I walked away shaking my head.

I wonder what game they are watching to focus so hard on everything a player does wrong instead of what they do right. Apply that same argument to players like Fyfe (disposal efficiency and a couple of handballs to the opposition), De Boer (scrubber kick, handball to nobody), Crowley (worked under the ball twice by Dangerfield), Barlow (kick directly to Watts) and you'd think we were a team of scrubs aye

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

always been a fan since he has been in the purple.often felt the need to defend him, last years player of the year votes will regularly show me voting him in.

There is a muppet at work who is a dockers supporter, the guy is an idiot, he constantly bags dawson, and still goes on about how mcphee leaving this year is the best thing that ever happened to the club.... anywho, he annoyed me again today with his dawson bashing.. there were a few others there joining in... when muppet1 said to me in a jokingly way..."oh but you rate dawson dont you?"..... i casually answered back "Do I rate the full back in the stingiest defence in the entire afl, which only gave up 48 points last week, the same player who since he and since Lyon have joined us, we have become the hardest team to score against?.... nah, i reckon lyon and dawson are both spuds, lyon cant coach, and dawson cant play......."

couldnt help but smile as i walked away to a stunned silence...... moral of the story, the facts are the facts, nobody can argue that dawson is useless when every stat and inkling towards common sense shows otherwise.

 

[sportsmaniac89]

I admit I was a Dawson basher however I've started to come around a bit. He is part of the stingiest defence in the AFL and that's no mean feat. He is certainly very good when it comes to 1%ers however I still cringe on a regular basis when he has the ball.

Guess I still have a way to go in regards to 110% appreciating him

 

[whiteoak]

I'm wondering out loud if it is the younger posters here who are/were bashing ZD?

Because he is the epitome of the old style fullback. Spoil, scrag, dish out a heavy hit but can't kick for shyte.

I love the boy.

 

[freomatty]

The biggest upside Dawson has is his ability to leave his man to help out another defender. He very rarely gets it wrong. Its something that a lot of defenders are scared to do because it can go so very wrong. Lukey takes the best Forward, Dawson takes the second and takes up the slack. I've been away for 5 weeks until the Brisbane game and I thought that his disposal had improved, however that could have been because of the lack of defensive pressure applied by the lions.
The nuffy's around me at the game have no idea of his value. it's the old 'defenders only get noticed when something goes wrong' situation. If his direct opponent gets no goals, then he's done nothing.
Happy for him to continue doing nothing.