Caleb Daniel's (absolutely enormous) Bandwagon led by the Giant Clydesdales of Glory

[Dogs_R_Us]

Riiiight...

 

[Optimistic Dog]

I'd argue that Caleb Daniel's inability to defend has cost us more goals than his dinky little kicks have created.

Mitch Wallis was stiff.

Cannot understand how there is not 100% love for Caleb. Makes AA, wins B&F and there still negative posters. I know one thing if one of the last plays on Saturday reversed and it was Duryea handballing to Caleb rather than Caleb handballing to Duryea he would not a have missed the target in Crozier and he would have been having a shot at goal to win the game. Cannot under rate ball use.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

In horse terms B&F

1. Shetland Pony
2. Thoroughbred
3. Italian Stallion

 

[maddog37]

Can’t wait to see him as a starting mid soon.

 

[Libba39]

Can’t wait to see him as a starting mid soon.

It really does make sense for him to go in there full time as long as he's up to taking the punishment that comes with it.

 

[maddog37]

It really does make sense for him to go in there full time as long as he's up to taking the punishment that comes with it.

He could transform our dour midfield.

 

[Flags_In_The_Bag]

It really does make sense for him to go in there full time as long as he's up to taking the punishment that comes with it.

He dominated in the under 18's as one and I think he is as solid as a rock now with his body,
not only is he so skilled, he is a tough bugger now.

 

[ScragCity]

Does anyone else think that Caleb Daniel has been invisible this year? The only times I've noticed him has been when he's done something bad. Last year I would literally make the sound "phwoar" in reaction to his amazing kicking at least once or twice a week.

Have the new rules made his short precision kicking on half back obsolete? Bailey Dale seems to have surpassed him now as our best distributor. Is it time for another role change for Caleb? Half forward delivering the ball inside 50? Or is this just a form dip and we'll see peak Caleb dominating on half back soon?

 

[dogwatch]

Does anyone else think that Caleb Daniel has been invisible this year? The only times I've noticed him has been when he's done something bad. Last year I would literally make the sound "phwoar" in reaction to his amazing kicking at least once or twice a week.

Have the new rules made his short precision kicking on half back obsolete? Bailey Dale seems to have surpassed him now as our best distributor. Is it time for another role change for Caleb? Half forward delivering the ball inside 50? Or is this just a form dip and we'll see peak Caleb dominating on half back soon?

Phwoar. Good question.

I don't think the man-on-the-mark rule has made THAT much difference, especially as - in typical AFL fashion - it has progressively been watered down. It has been reinterpreted differently from Rd 1 to Rd 6 (players now regularly move sideways on the mark and don't get pinged - anyone got the stats on how many times a 50m penalty has been awarded for this in each of the 6 rounds this year?) I suspect the kicking in after a behind changes have had more impact. Do we want Caleb to be that man when players like Hurn can launch a ball almost to the centre circle?

Bevo mentioned that Daniel has been "sat on" (tagged) in at least one game. He missed another due to suspension. The fact that we now concede close to the least number of entries into our d50 out of all sides has also dried up some of his possession opportunities. Other opportunities may have been usurped by Bailey Dale, but that's no loss to the side overall, just to Caleb's stats.

I think he'll be back as a playmaker but he and the coaches might need to tweak his game slightly, for instance by playing him a little higher.

It's good to know there are some clear areas where we are underachieving and can expect improvement as the year progresses.

 

[stefoid]

Bailey Dale is definitely taking up some of the rebound load. Not a bad thing - he has the potential to become a more complete player.

Its funny, they are both the same age, altho caleb looks like a little old man compared to baby face dale

 

[Dazb86]

Combination of opposition giving him more attention and him being in a form slump

 

[maddog37]

Less spillage for Caleb to mop up and a combination of poor form/being tagged.

He is a genius footballer and will find a way surely.

 

[Mofra]

How many small rebounding defenders even deserve a tag?
It's a credit to Caleb and helps guys like Williams and Dale.

 

[AFDogs]

Don't hit the panic button on Caleb yet. Will thrive on the big ground on Friday night. 25+ incoming.

 

[VitalDread]

Daniel is hitting the macrae element of his game

No one really notices Macrae until he does that elite kick he does but then you look at his stats and he has 32 disposals by 3q time

 

[bresker]

Yeah Bailey Dale has stolen his favoured position from him & is doing a sterling job. He needs to find a way to break the tag and find the tight space exits he thrives on around the ground.

If he is getting more attention it’s not exactly hurting us. 6 - 0 with one of our toppermost players in a form slump.

 

[Mofra]

Daniel is hitting the macrae element of his game

No one really notices Macrae until he does that elite kick he does but then you look at his stats and he has 32 disposals by 3q time

Macrae had over 800m gained last weekend.
That's elite for any position, let alone a midfielder that wins his own ball. Staggering you can be an AA midfielder but still underrated.

 

[VitalDread]

Macrae had over 800m gained last weekend.
That's elite for any position, let alone a midfielder that wins his own ball. Staggering you can be an AA midfielder but still underrated.

Macrae could break our games record and people will say

hmm didn't realized he played that many games

 

[doggies ftw]

CD is the most intriguing player in our side for the rest of the year. Where do we get the best out of him while hiding his weaknesses? I think he plays his best football behind the ball still but not sure that’s the most beneficial to our team. Dales probably gone past him as our go to ball user in the back half as he cuts teams up with his elite long kicks, plus Dale is also quicker and better in the air so he’s an intercepting threat. The other locks in the backline are Williams, Doc & Crozier who all have to play back and are all really dependable types with great disposal. These 4 are so important for us because we’re weaker in the key posts so Daniel doesn’t provide the chop out that they all can. You’ve then got Keath and one to two of Gardner, Wood & Cordy to round out the backline.

I loved his move to more midfield minutes last few weeks, he’s super clean in there and his hands were unbelievable at times and released us but again due to his size I don’t think it’s the best use of his ability because most of the mids he’ll come up against are just so much bigger than him that they can bully him out of it a little bit. Plus when Dunks and Treloar come back there’s just no room in that starting midfield.

Can’t really play wing as you need to be able to compete in the air as a winger, either that or speed to find separation. Maybe half forward but we’ve made it pretty obvious were not playing a small forward of the ball unless they have pace which I agree with.

I think we just use him as an extra around stoppages. He doesn’t need to attend centre bounces but if it’s a stoppage at full back, wing, chf wherever I feel more comfortable with him there. Maybe that defensive sweeper role at stoppages we were using Scott for earlier in the year? He reads the play so well that he can mop up the ones that trickle out. Knows when to defend and when to attack so when he knows it’s time to go he can push up and be that next option coming from behind the stoppage and he can then use his elite quick decision making and skills to get the ball into space. He’s got a huge tank so just roam, try to always be the option running past for the hand off from players Who have just taken a mark etc.

He’s a bit of a luxury to our side right now and there’s no doubt he adds a huge point of difference, it’s just interesting to me how we try to maximise his strengths while hiding his weaknesses as much as possible.

 

[dogwatch]

AA HBF. Ergo better than all the other HBFs.

Leave him there.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

CD is the most intriguing player in our side for the rest of the year. Where do we get the best out of him while hiding his weaknesses? I think he plays his best football behind the ball still but not sure that’s the most beneficial to our team. Dales probably gone past him as our go to ball user in the back half as he cuts teams up with his elite long kicks, plus Dale is also quicker and better in the air so he’s an intercepting threat. The other locks in the backline are Williams, Doc & Crozier who all have to play back and are all really dependable types with great disposal. These 4 are so important for us because we’re weaker in the key posts so Daniel doesn’t provide the chop out that they all can. You’ve then got Keath and one to two of Gardner, Wood & Cordy to round out the backline.

I loved his move to more midfield minutes last few weeks, he’s super clean in there and his hands were unbelievable at times and released us but again due to his size I don’t think it’s the best use of his ability because most of the mids he’ll come up against are just so much bigger than him that they can bully him out of it a little bit. Plus when Dunks and Treloar come back there’s just no room in that starting midfield.

Can’t really play wing as you need to be able to compete in the air as a winger, either that or speed to find separation. Maybe half forward but we’ve made it pretty obvious were not playing a small forward of the ball unless they have pace which I agree with.

I think we just use him as an extra around stoppages. He doesn’t need to attend centre bounces but if it’s a stoppage at full back, wing, chf wherever I feel more comfortable with him there. Maybe that defensive sweeper role at stoppages we were using Scott for earlier in the year? He reads the play so well that he can mop up the ones that trickle out. Knows when to defend and when to attack so when he knows it’s time to go he can push up and be that next option coming from behind the stoppage and he can then use his elite quick decision making and skills to get the ball into space. He’s got a huge tank so just roam, try to always be the option running past for the hand off from players Who have just taken a mark etc.

He’s a bit of a luxury to our side right now and there’s no doubt he adds a huge point of difference, it’s just interesting to me how we try to maximise his strengths while hiding his weaknesses as much as possible.

What is his weakness? For a small he is a competitive in air especially bringing it to the ground.

 

[Werewolf]

CD did some really good work in the centre square the other night

 

[Triple Baileys]

He's pretty good at BP. I wonder if we could move BW up the ground to a wing/midfield rotation?

 

[lachy]

CD did some really good work in the centre square the other night

Yep other than a missed tackle in the back line and one or two missed targets thought he added some value with Dunks and Trealor unavailable

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Somewhere in the back half six.

Nominated positions are so passé that it doesn't really matter if he's named at Fullback.