All things Chris Dawes - 2014 edition

[Topkent]

If there's a more appropriate thread this can be moved

Just wanted to give a huge tick to Chris Dawes

I was originally worried that the way we appeared to be playing in the first half of the season then Dawes would struggle massively

However after seeing his work rate an the way he presented As a lead up forward with working over an opponent around 30-70m mark and big Mitch working closer to goal teams will struggle to contain us, dawesy gave away a few frees but that was from hitting the packs hard and making a contest...
He won't take 15 marks and kick 8 but if we use him properly he will be a ok

More importantly the way he interrupted Neeld during his presser to re iterate that the players should be taking the blame and show his obvious disappointment showed me his made of exactly the right stuff .

Sure it was one game , but if a bloke that size can throw himself into tackles like that and demand that from his team mates we will be ok

 

[butters88]

Just watched the press interview, should keep this bloke around to take over from neeld... He didn't hold back in saying that effort is lacking

 

[Topkent]

Just watched the press interview, should keep this bloke around to take over from neeld... He didn't hold back in saying that effort is lacking

It seemed like Neeld was taking the media line just feeding cliches an bla bla, because he cant straight out blame the players and dawesy basically took over an said probably what Neeld was thinking but as a coach can't say . Loved the brutal honesty

 

[Bluelegs]

He's played two games for us and impressed me a lot in one. I'm always happy with the way he conducts himself off-field. Need more of what we saw on field against the Tigers though.

 

[jhong]

He comes across as a man with a point to prove , that can only be a good thing for us. Watching the first half ,the thing that struck me was the standard he set down there , and the way the kids got around him and looked for him. With Dawes and Clark down there (hopefully soon) ,Jack Watts finally has a couple of key forwards to learn from too .

 

[Viney]

His work rate is excellent, no super star, but I like his presence on the field

We won't know Chris' true value until he and Mitch are playing in tandem

Dawes will be a better 2nd forward than focal point

I thought he did some good things against the Tiges

 

[Theseventhhamster]

He'd be a gun if he wasn't useless overhead. Still he should be pretty useful like Brad Miller with more smarts and kicking skills.

 

[Grovel]

I thought it when we got him in the draft, and everything since has affirmed it - Dawes was a good pick up. He was never going to solve all our problems but him, Clark & Hogan sharing a forward line is the stuff of the future. With Watts & Gawn also able to pinch hit, I think our forward structure is looking really good.

If they all stand about 15 metres away from each other, our mids may even hit one of them (intentional or otherwise).

 

[SuburbanMe]

f@&king lovin' Dawesy! I lol'd when he cut Neeldy off, basically saying "listen up guys, I've already had a crack at you lot for being dick in the papers etc... You know what's happening around here, don't make me slap you!"

 

[syl]

His workrate in both matches was great, but only had an impact v Richmond.

I rate him. Hogan, Dawes, Clark, Watts, Jetta (defensive forward and crumber), Tappy (lockin player and enforcer) in the forward line leaving Howe to play up a wing and swing down back if required is a very good prospect.

 

[SuburbanMe]

Dawes did some nice things vs GC. The problem was he was working hard to present, but was being killed by delivery. contrary to what people think, Dawesy is decent overhead, but some of the delivery he was copping vs GC was almost dangerous. Once he got the good service, he then did something with it - eg: spear pass to CHF which resulted in a goal. He was always presenting though. When we have Mitch and Hoges to come through, Dawes is going to be one happy forward - As long as the mids can remember to put it out in front.

 

[Tulip]

I liked how he led the boys out after half time, monitored the stretching, got everybody sharp. He looks like a leader too.

 

[CTHORANGE]

Liked what he brought to the table yesterday, high work rate, good leadership, didnt drop his head, kept chasing etc. He set a good example, no wonder he was put straight into the leadership group.

 

[The Professor]

should've taken a few over the head with stronger hands but looked the part as a key forward.

Tom Harley wasn't the best player but a great leader by all reports.

We need a voice like that and hopefully Dawes can be that.

If he can hold his form, pick 20 was well worth it.

 

[LeverPuller]

He had the foulest look on his face in the presser - he's clearly not happy at being at a losing club and wants to turn it around, even if it is single-handedly.

We may have paid overs for him, but we paid overs for that attitude as well - that's damn important for us.

 

[Bluelegs]

f@&king lovin' Dawesy! I lol'd when he cut Neeldy off, basically saying "listen up guys, I've already had a crack at you lot for being dick in the papers etc... You know what's happening around here, don't make me slap you!"

I think Neeld and Dawes are pretty friendly with eachother. As much as we get shitty with Neeld we should remember that he was very highly rated by people at Collingwood and was one of the main reasons Dawes wanted to come to Melbourne.

 

[RandB]

The beauty of Dawes' words are that he has to back them up himself. He is setting a precedent here. So far he's been good but now he has to do it week in week out. As long as he does keep putting in then he can say what he wants because our guys need it.

 

[Cannon82]

Have been pleasantly surprised by how he's going. Definitely looks lighter and more mobile than he was at Collingwood. It's a promising start.

Re: Dawes improving with better delivery, can say the same about every big forward in the comp. All we need now is a midfield.

 

[raven echo]

I Dawesy.

Love his attitude. Need more like him that aren't just going to sit there and take what has been dished up by this playing group for too long. No wonder he is in the leadership group after one pre-season at the club.

I still think Collingwood will regret getting rid of him for a guy like Lynch who only has a couple years at best left and is 30.

Buckley never should have tried to make Dawes into a ruckman. Dawes is a forward through and through.

 

[butters88]

Two weeks ago i would have been happy to offer up dawes for trade... Now i'm infatuated with the bloke, he is what they need on that field, to come out after a tough quarter and say "listen up guys, this is what we do, this is how we win, get out there and f***ing do it" to go up after one of the young guys makes a blunder and say "stress less mate we've all been there go back and show em it was a one off".
Even if his value doesn't directly reflect the scoreboard he sure as hell isn't gonna hurt it

 

[PureFooty]

People forget how good he was in 2010, give the guy a pre-season, playing where he's meant to play and he'll be one of our most valuable players. The blokes certainly switched on, he's going into law afer footy,as opposed to our other players coming from good clubs, Dawesy is young, he's not playing out his career, he's wanting success. From what i've seen so far, would not surprise me in slightest if he was the next captain of Melbourne.

 

[lutts]

You will find most Collingwood people loved his endeavour and competitiveness. He started dropping overhead marks after he injured his knuckles (and has had an eye operation to correct a vision problem), but if he starts clunking those marks again then you will have a fantastic player.
We knew he was played out of position as backup ruckman, and that he only did this as the team needed him to, but he still gave it his all against the odds. I'd like to see what reaction other key forwards would have given their coaches if asked to ruck! Riewoldt (either one), Brown, Pav, Hurley, Buddy, Schulz etc
We still love him even though he left. There will be no boos from the Collingwood crowd for Dawesy!

 

[tasmanlvr]

Dawes is such a fantastic prospect if we keep using him right.

I know that Dawes is frequently bagged for not taking marks but when we recruited Mitch Clark we expected him to make a contest. Dawes provides that, and he clunked a few yesterday.

Now imagine Clark, Hogan, Dawes and Watts in the forward line. Allows Howe to push up to the midfield and he might even play Sylvia's role full time if, as we suspect, he leaves. Suddenly if we keep backing up performances like on the weekend, the future does look pretty bright, don't it?

 

[CowboyFromHell]

"I love him, I wanna boof him, get him up 'ere!"

 

[butters88]

We might scare the bloke off at this rate