Cook's place in the side

[sabre_ac]

Must be assured now.
Sure his skills are poor but he is hard at it and always gives an honest contested.
He doesnt go missing when the game is to be won, should never have been dropped or been out of our side for so long.

We look allot better with him in there, the fact that our so called superstars are allowed to "Find form" while this guy has too beg and scrape for every opportunity infuriates me.

 

[bushie]

Must be assured now.
Sure his skills are poor but he is hard at it and always gives an honest contested.
He doesnt go missing when the game is to be won, should never have been dropped or been out of our side for so long.

We look allot better with him in there, the fact that our so called superstars are allowed to "Find form" while this guy has too beg and scrape for every opportunity infuriates me.

Lets hope so Sabre...

Now if we could only find another 21 players with his commitment we might have a chance in this comp!!

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

Must be assured now.
Sure his skills are poor but he is hard at it and always gives an honest contested.
He doesnt go missing when the game is to be won, should never have been dropped or been out of our side for so long.

If you define as being in the game as 1 kick and 2 handballs in the second half, well then yes, he's a pearler. But my standards are a but higher.

At some point we're going to have to find players who can win the ball and deliver it with precision when the game is on the line. We don't have anyone with that kind of speed and poise and Cookie might have to make way for someone who does. Or you have a bunch of players who do and put Cookie in there for the physicality. But when you have Bell, Hasleby, MacManus, Matty Carr, Headland and Black as your midfield, Cookie is competing against players who go hard but aren't going to win you a lot of ball when things get tight.

 

[rgauci]

I'd delist him at the end of the year. Turnovers is what loses you games. Refer to the thread entitled 'interesting article'.

Cook is always going to look great because the opposition couldn't give a rats if he gets the ball. Hence they just let him run around, looking tough. Yes he dishes out the odd cruncher. But given his disposal we are playing a man down.

You can't fill a midfield with players who can't kick then wonder why our forwards are under achieving.

If you were a forward and Cook or Walker, Dodd, McManus (though he's been better this year), the Carrs, Schammer were running at you with the ball, how hard would you bother leading? If you tried your guts out and got 2m out in front of your opponent. There's a 90% chance they'll kick it over your head and the defender will come away with the ball.

Hence our forwards are stationary, and wait for the ball to be kicked before leading to where its going to drop.

 

[raffrox]

Cook getting a game shows where we are at. We passed on a pure miidfielder like Higgins for another inbetween player (Drum). Higgins would easily be getting a game over Cook. Drum could turn into James Hird and we'd still have the slowest and worst kicking midfield going round.

 

[Niall]

Being an Eagles supporter my whole life I can't say I am a fan of the Dockers (although I have had a soft spot for them of late) but I have a lot of respect for Cook. His skills somtimes let him down but I love his determination and hardness at the ball.

 

[malpaso]

If our players put in as much effort as Cookie and McManus, we'd have won a finals game by now. It's that simple.

I do agree there are certainly better kicks in the team, but geez you would think the younger ones would need to get the pill and go hard to push Cookie out. They dont do they?

So until then let Cookie show them how to play regardless of whether your skills let you down.

For what its worth, Cookie (McManus, J.Carr, J.Farmer) make me proud with their efforts and that's every game they play win or lose.

Not like some of our disappointing stars (Bell, Haselby, Black, Walker, Schammer, McPharlin)

 

[wehavethepassion]

If you define as being in the game as 1 kick and 2 handballs in the second half, well then yes, he's a pearler. But my standards are a but higher.

At some point we're going to have to find players who can win the ball and deliver it with precision when the game is on the line. We don't have anyone with that kind of speed and poise and Cookie might have to make way for someone who does. Or you have a bunch of players who do and put Cookie in there for the physicality. But when you have Bell, Hasleby, MacManus, Matty Carr, Headland and Black as your midfield, Cookie is competing against players who go hard but aren't going to win you a lot of ball when things get tight.

So Doc are you saying in pressure situations our midfield is F$$$$$!!

Gee I thought the game was won inh the midfield.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

So Doc are you saying in pressure situations our midfield is F$$$$$!!

Gee I thought the game was won inh the midfield.

I've been posting on Dockerland since 2001. Regular readers would know I've been saying the midfield combines poorly since about 2003. I think we have some good individual players but as combination it goes missing more often than not when the heat is on.

However, this season I reckon our forward line is the weakest link. It lacks potency and Luke McPharlin has been left there way too long hoping for a miracle.

 

[flanktwo]

However, this season I reckon our forward line is the weakest link. It lacks potency and Luke McPharlin has been left there way too long hoping for a miracle.

Yeah it is but the delivery's still poor most of the time as well which doesn't help

 

[raffrox]

Cooks kicking lead to more than a couple of turn overs tonight.

 

[theGav56]

I am interested to see a response to Mr Daggs stats on Cookies second half?

It is all very well to talk about his passion and hardness, which have been fantastic attributes to bring to a team lacking them, but those are very poor possesion tallies for the second half. Given that Josh Carr did not play in the second half, we needed players to step up and get the ball.

 

[sabre_ac]

I am interested to see a response to Mr Daggs stats on Cookies second half?

It is all very well to talk about his passion and hardness, which have been fantastic attributes to bring to a team lacking them, but those are very poor possesion tallies for the second half. Given that Josh Carr did not play in the second half, we needed players to step up and get the ball.

Agreed.
Though Matty Carr's turnover where just as costly if not more, and this guy seems to get a gold pass.

 

[mcphee_is_a_gun]

Cook is just not upto AFL standard imo.

 

[Rob]

Cooks kicking lead to more than a couple of turn overs tonight.

Both Cook and the team have got to know his role. And it aint kicking, it's getting on the bottom of packs and feeding it out to our seagulls. If Cookie gets the ball in the clear, there should always be a player running past. It should be a bloody team rule.

 

[Lach72]

Both Cook and the team have got to know his role. And it aint kicking, it's getting on the bottom of packs and feeding it out to our seagulls. If Cookie gets the ball in the clear, there should always be a player running past. It should be a bloody team rule.

I agree.
He did some really good stuff, banging some bodies and clearing some space, but i was more than a little nervous when he had the ball!

 

[Corpuscles]

Cook is just not upto AFL standard imo.

Cookie would be permanent fixture in most sides ....especially Bummers!! eg Has towelled up Campo several times in his illustrious career (WAFL & Dockers B&F), ...but only in those teams who have a coach capable of a structure and game plan that can utilise his strengths and accomodate his weaknesses

Congrats on the WIN Freo Fans , even though only the big head/bums, any win against them tastes beautiful!

PS McPhee needs to pull his finger out, he's one of the ones you outa be worrying about

 

[raffrox]

Both Cook and the team have got to know his role. And it aint kicking, it's getting on the bottom of packs and feeding it out to our seagulls. If Cookie gets the ball in the clear, there should always be a player running past. It should be a bloody team rule.

But thats just it. Cookie winning lots of the ball is frustrating as hell to watch. It was the same in the Sydney game. Courageous act followed by turnover and the opposition getting a goal.

It was interesting how Cometti said last night that we don't have enough hard workers in our team and thats why Cook still gets a game because he is such a tireless worker. These days it isn't enough. As much as it pains me to use them as an example - Judd, Cousins, Kerr and Fletcher are all hard workers and skillful as hell as well.

 

[docker_johnno]

Ok,

Cook gets paid little respect from his opponent and receives a lot of ball, this is not bad because he is often a release for pressured defenders clearing the ball.

He then must kick long to a contest, he should not attempt to finesse as it does not work.

 

[peppy la pew]

Both Cook and the team have got to know his role. And it aint kicking, it's getting on the bottom of packs and feeding it out to our seagulls. If Cookie gets the ball in the clear, there should always be a player running past. It should be a bloody team rule.

Exactly, that was his role at the Swans and they used his ability to win the hard ball very well.

 

[dockers_bengals]

Am I right in saying that most fans want a player putting in less effort so long as he hits a target as against a player who tries one hundred percent but makes mistakes?For me I'd rather have someone who gives everything,at least you know he tried but wasn't good enough.the other players should look at bell cook schammer and macca and see the 4 qtr effort they put in every week.cook in before black m carr crowley and dodd.when were losing centre clearances why dont they try cook in there defensive side?maybe worth a try

 

[raffrox]

Am I right in saying that most fans want a player putting in less effort so long as he hits a target as against a player who tries one hundred percent but makes mistakes?

No you are not right. I'm saying that good AFL players have both. Some one who is unskilled but wins the ball is a momentum killer. Freo gives up lots and lots and lots of goals directly from turnovers.

Cooks disposal is not even close to AFL standard.

 

[Rob]

No you are not right. I'm saying that good AFL players have both.

Given the lack of players in our team with even half of Cook's toughness and courage, would you still drop him?

 

[dart]

cook & peake should both lose their kicking licence and spend their entire offseason practasing hitting moving targets.


edit: and definately keep cook in the team.

it seems the dockers will slump.
so they put players like cook / mcmanus in
the team around them is inspired and their hardness picks up over a few matches.
so they win a couple.
so then they drop cook/mcmanus.
dockers lose their inspiration to play hard at the ball.
slump again.
repeat.

 

[raffrox]

Given the lack of players in our team with even half of Cook's toughness and courage, would you still drop him?

Will we win a premiership (or indeed a final) with players such as Cook in the team?

Cook is a stop gap. A Chris Bond, an Adrian Fletcher. Not a player that is going to be part of any developement of a team that may win a premiership but someone who will keep things sorta competitive and play a role. I'd rather us be ruthless and build a team and not go half way and be the most mediocre team in the history of the AFL.

How about we draft a midfielder of some note, some time soon, give them game time and develop them. Cook has been an awesome servant to the team but he needed to step up (a-la McManus) or be shown the door.