Preview Collingwood v Bulldogs - Round 1, 2021 - Fri @7:50

[Philthy1]

My take on Dale's half-back odyssey is that it's nothing more than player development. Dale is an elite half forward but his defensive attributes are so poor that he disqualifies himself from the side. He has pace, is a good leading mark and is our most reliable shot at goal. Why wouldn't he be in the team? Because he is pathetical defensively, his forward pressure is non-existent and his not comfortable with body contact. This was all very noticeable when he played in half back. But he was made accountable and forced to make physical contact.

I suspect he is one of those players we are likely to trade and regret it because there is very little lacking in his game - it's fixable - so we are trying to fix it.

Not sure how you came up with Bailey Dale as elite.

Champion data (for what it’s worth) has our elite players as: Bont, Daniel, Hunter, Williams, Dunkley

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

Dale at half back

3rd most intercepts on the ground (2nd for dogs)
4th most defensive half pressure acts (1st for dogs)
10th highest disposal efficiency (3rd for dogs)
7th most rebounds (2nd for dogs)
7th most meter gained (4th for dogs)
8th most ground ball gets (7th for dogs) - but the most of any defender

I don't think he was perfect but I really like him in this position rather than forward. He's a very proactive player, which means as a forward he can get a few handy goals but when the play is against him he doesn't adjust. But as a defender he's just as proactive. He didn't stand next to his man and go for the spoil but pushed for spots where he thought the ball would go, and left defence to get involved in the middle and forward half. I'm not sure we've got the balance right between 'defending' defenders and 'attacking' defenders in our 22 but if I'm just talking about Dale's best position I'd be willing to say it might be defence, especially because as a forward he wouldn't be our main target and would struggle. I'd need to see him play the same way for a few rounds to say for sure.

Also, I like him there because if we are getting smashed in the middle I'd like Bevo to just switch Dale and Naughton mid game and give us a circuit breaker to help switch momentum. Not that I'm sure he'd do it, just talking ideally.

 

[Bulldogs85]

There's a chance that one of Khamis, Scott and McNeil could see a debut in Round 1 considering all were picked for the preseason game (I'm assuming Bedendo is nowhere near a debut). I'd have thought we'd be doing the same in that case?

I think Scott and McNeil will make their debuts this Friday i am keen for Khamis to make this debut also

 

[bobs head soup]

GWS have announced Tanner Bruhn and Matthew Flynn will be debuting Round 1. They don't play until Sunday. Do clubs usually make these kinds of announcements this early for Round 1 debutants? I'm not expecting to hear anything until Thursday tbh

From memory we've generally announced debutantes a day earlier than team announcements in recent years, accompanied with a little video. Whether we do it R1 I'm not sure.

Plastics have probably gone super early because they're desperate for a little positive promotion.

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

There's a chance that one of Khamis, Scott and McNeil could see a debut in Round 1 considering all were picked for the preseason game (I'm assuming Bedendo is nowhere near a debut). I'd have thought we'd be doing the same in that case?

We probably haven't finalised those positions but GWS has. They haven't really got the greatest competition for spots right now.

 

[Virgin Dog]

I think Scott and McNeil will make their debuts this Friday i am keen for Khamis to make this debut also

I'm picking the same. Not overly keen on seeing Scott and Dale in the same side as I feel they compete for the same spot, whether that be forward or back, but I do think Bevo will go with an early debut as we've seen before with Gowers and Gardner. Really liked what I saw from McNeil in the practice and preseason games - still not convinced he's a better immediate option than Cavarra, but again I think Bevo prefers McNeil at this stage so that's who we'll get.

I'd really like to see a Khamis debut as he looked far more comfortable at senior level than I thought he would, but I'm also wary of seeing so many inexperienced players in the one side. We need to stop fielding such inexperienced, inconsistent sides all the time.

 

[dogwatch]

Dale's strength is that he's a finisher. In a side that struggles for clean entries and crisp goalscoring that's not to be sneezed at (even better were Bont's 2 long range goals last week for the same reason).

Dale can find space - if the opposition defence is more focussed on Naughton, Bruce and Wallis he will sometimes find clear space for a mark i50. His hands are good. He has the potential to be a 30-35 goal a year forward which would win nearly our goalkicking award the last few years. We really need some good finishers but they can't be one-dimensional.

What he has always lacked is that hard defensive edge and an appetite for the physical stuff. He has also been known to go missing for long periods of a game. I haven't been a fan of his but if he can make a 10-20% improvement in those areas of weakness he will probably get a regular spot. I want to see him do that on a regular basis before I'll be convinced.

 

[Triple Baileys]

Positionally they're similar but I actually think their roles are quite different. Cordy is a versatile, deeper lockdown defender who acts to negate medium types (and can pinch hit on smalls and talls - although the latter has been the role he's had to play for us). He offers help defence by virtue of playing in our system but he's not actually a help defender - you don't see him peel off and cut off balls for Keath/Gardner that frequently because his job description is "guard this space and stop X from kicking goals." Khamis on the other hand has help defence and offence as his MO - he plays higher, like Wood/Crozier, and plays high risk footy to cut off play and generate a turnover.

The upshot of it is I'd play Cordy if Crozier was in and/or I had confidence in our KPDs in 1v1s...but he's not, and I don't, so I like the extra help defence that Khamis has provided this preseason.

Your second point is valid. I guess we'll see what happens. Bev has been quite revealing in his pressers, though, I feel, in suggesting that Scott/Khamis/McNeil have been really impressing but the more experienced guys in the VFL have some real competition. His post-Melbourne game presser made me pretty confident that they weren't really in the mix...but again, you're right - will have to see what happens.

ok, did not appreciate that about Khamis but checked a few things out since your post and found that 1/ Khamis is a much better kick than Cordy but 2/ Cordy is a bit taller and is probably a better scragger than Khamis - Khamis also looks like he moves upfield with more dash than the battling Cordy - so, yeah, appreciate your point but I think Cordy qua the taller lockdown proven reliable scragging tough guy is what is needed for round 1 and also Khamis is so inexperienced, I feel we need to see a few VFL best players entries for him before he gets to debut.

Obviously, Khamis is turning a few heads because he looks like a real prospect: skill set, athleticism, smarts. Could be a star in a year or two.

 

[Triple Baileys]

Our only “real” practice match is not the time to give developing players MORE chances and especially ones that have served up cr@p after cr@p for a few years now:

No matter how poorly JJ has played he is so far superior a footballer to Dale it’s not even close. We have a dearth of half back players so trying to change Dale into one also is just one boggling

I agree - it is impossible to disagree, JJ is one of the best HBF's or wingers in the AFL. Most other teams would kill to be able to recruit him. I'm sure the Match Committee just wanted to give Dale a run and had to find somewhere for him.

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

ok, did not appreciate that about Khamis but checked a few things out since your post and found that 1/ Khamis is a much better kick than Cordy but 2/ Cordy is a bit taller and is probably a better scragger than Khamis - Khamis also looks like he moves upfield with more dash than the battling Cordy - so, yeah, appreciate your point but I think Cordy qua the taller lockdown proven reliable scragging tough guy is what is needed for round 1 and also Khamis is so inexperienced, I feel we need to see a few VFL best players entries for him before he gets to debut.

Obviously, Khamis is turning a few heads because he looks like a real prospect: skill set, athleticism, smarts. Could be a star in a year or two.

Who would you have Cordy play on round 1?

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I agree - it is impossible to disagree, JJ is one of the best HBF's or wingers in the AFL. Most other teams would kill to be able to recruit him. I'm sure the Match Committee just wanted to give Dale a run and had to find somewhere for him.

JJ has had a few home truths delivered to him by Bevo and knows he has to lift this year.

 

[Northernsoul74]

JJ has had a few home truths delivered to him by Bevo and knows he has to lift this year.

Wasn’t there a suggestion JJ was one of the ones Dunkley was annoyed with in terms of his attitude and professionalism?

 

[Dogsman16]

Is it just me or does our game vs Collingwood feel as though the stakes for both sides are much higher than other games this weekend?

1) Treloar Saga
2) Buckley Pressure
3) WB recruits
4) Bev pressure to improve our standing

Like we just have to get off to a good start this year. We can't be chasing tail come the last 6 rounds. Can't recall rd 1 ever being a "must win" game like it feels right now.

 

[dogwatch]

Any guesses how much the 10:1 fan advantage is going to be worth to the Pies? 3 goals? 4 maybe?
And what odds that Collingwood win the free kick count? (B-A-A-A-A-A-A-LLLLLLL!!!! x 40,000)

Bevo needs to deliver another Into the Fury exhortation.

 

[Mattdougie]

Is it just me or does our game vs Collingwood feel as though the stakes for both sides are much higher than other games this weekend?

1) Treloar Saga
2) Buckley Pressure
3) WB recruits
4) Bev pressure to improve our standing

Like we just have to get off to a good start this year. We can't be chasing tail come the last 6 rounds. Can't recall rd 1 ever being a "must win" game like it feels right now.

We win this we can go to Richmond undefeated imo but it will Be purely on team selection and I’m expecting Bev to tank it unfortunately by picking some blokes just to mix things up as he does.

 

[Dogsman16]

We win this we can go to Richmond undefeated imo but it will Be purely on team selection and I’m expecting Bev to tank it unfortunately by picking some blokes just to mix things up as he does.

If we do go in with several debutants and it backfires I'll be extremely annoyed.

We want to make top 4 we need to win games like this.

 

[bobs head soup]

Maybe we'll go all 1983 and go for 10 debuts in R1; 5 weeks later we're at 4-1.

Things went a bit pear shaped from there admittedly.

Ah the early 80s. Good times.

 

[hatescaptcha]

I think Gardner will have a good season.

Imagine training against and trying to contain Naughton all pre-season.

Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[dogwatch]

I think Gardner will have a good season.

Imagine training against and trying to contain Naughton all pre-season.

Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

You could be right.
Another interpretation is that Naughton’s not due for as great a season as the intra-club games might suggest.

 

[Boof09]

Maybe that is why there is talk of no one being able to get near Naughton, training against Gardner, the value of Naughton's pre session is then somewhat devalued.

 

[doggies ftw]

We have an A grade KPD in Keath...

 

[Northernsoul74]

We have an A grade KPD in Keath...

He’s good but A grade is pushing it. He could be with the right partner.

 

[Dazb86]

Is it just me or does our game vs Collingwood feel as though the stakes for both sides are much higher than other games this weekend?

1) Treloar Saga
2) Buckley Pressure
3) WB recruits
4) Bev pressure to improve our standing

Like we just have to get off to a good start this year. We can't be chasing tail come the last 6 rounds. Can't recall rd 1 ever being a "must win" game like it feels right now.

We got thrashed by them last year. Hopefully we've got a point to prove

 

[Bro_Pro]

No wonder why they said Naughts was on fire this preseason kicking bags

To who ever thinks Gardner has “flicked a switch” over the preseason is laughable. He’s still going to be a below average player this year. That position is the weakest link in our chain, even more so then a good small forward. If Keath gets a longtime injury we are in trouble.

 

[Dazb86]

No wonder why they said Naughts was on fire this preseason kicking bags

To who ever thinks Gardner has “flicked a switch” over the preseason is laughable. He’s still going to be a below average player this year. That position is the weakest link in our chain, even more so then a good small forward. If Keath gets a longtime injury we are in trouble.

Naughton will have to play back if Keath goes down. As far as Gardner's concerned I think he's been getting some unwarranted flack from our fans due to some very poor showings early on in his career and baffling matvh comittee decisions regarding his place in the side.

Credit where it's due Gardner has been solid this pre-season and deserves his spot in the side. With some luck he could become handy.