Dangerfield - Footy Brain

[ManInTheArena]

Don't crucify me.. just a thought.

Whilst I was watching the game last night and watching Dangerfield make some really poor decisions I started to wonder if he has a "footy brain".

He has very good contested in close skills, speed and even kicking skills. However he seems to struggle when it comes to making a good decision (e.g. kicking it in a silly spot whilst running full pelt), getting into space, reading the play and racking up possessions. He has not came along in this area as quickly as expected. Dare I say it, he would make an awesome Rugby player.

I know he's our favourite and hopefully he develops that side of his game but I did begin to throw these questions around in my head last night, I hope i'm wrong.

 

[RoosterLad]

His kicking is extremely ordinary at times.

Sometimes he tried to do too much and should just do the simple thing but he can improve on this area of his game I'm sure.

 

[ringo200]

There was always going to be a time when Danger hit a bad patch and these sorts of questions started popping up. This is that time, he will come good.

He has some obvious flaws, but he has some pretty incredible strenghts as well.

 

[BACCS]

He is basically in his 2nd year, we expect way too much of him on this board. Sure, his kicking hasn't been great over the last month, but he has plenty of time to rectify it.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Little bit of finesse needed with his game. Does things at a million miles an hour and makes some skill errors as a result. Needs to slow down a touch when he is about to deliver the ball, add a bit of composure. Should come with time providing that our coaches identify this and help him improve.

 

[SebastianVettel]

He looks exhausted, quite honestly. Shoulders, elbows and hands taped up. I think maybe we need to start being a little bit more careful with him, rather than using him as a battering ram in contested situations so early in his career, just because other options are lacking in that area.

Needs a long holiday I think. His performances have really been on the decline in the last month or so, and he looks more and more spent each week.

 

[aneale]

He's a blunt instrument. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[Harris Pilton]

Enough already said about his disposal under pressure. I think that is a matter of maturity.

I have concerns about the way he is deployed within the game.

Earlier in the year he was the wildebeest bursting from the scrum, shaking the jackals from his pelt and driving forward. Lately the jackals are dragging him down. Is he tired, or are they on to him.?

I love the guy, his commitment, his guts and his undoubted talent, but maybe a tactical rethink is in order.

 

[beartoo]

His first instinct is always to take on the tackler or tacklers. Might have worked okay at a lower level. Needs to make faster decisions and have faster hands in close to get the ball out.
When he arrived at the club we had heard a lot about his blistering pace. We have seen little sign on it in matches so far.
Love his endeavour, but not his skills at present.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

he just needs a little composure and everything else will fall into place

 

[-WWJD-]

I remember Roo saying at the start of the season that sometimes Danger almost does too much work at the bottom of a pack. It'll be a dead situation and he is wriggling around like a beached fish to try and get the ball out. There was a point last night in the last quarter where we had it in our forward fifty and Danger was at the bottom of a pack surrounded by Magpies. He didn't drag it in and didn't have prior...not that that seems to matter much these days and he was still trying to get it out. He ended up knocking it out straight a Collingwood player who sent it back down the other end of the field when it would have been more to our advantage to just hold the ball in and create a stoppage. Not a big deal but just something I've noticed in his game.

 

[Butts_JZZ30]

Everything Roo says about Danger is spot on I reckon. I don't know how invovle he is with him, but I think mentoring him in some way would be a great idea. Bash and crash is great, but you can go to hard sometimes.

 

[Permanence]

Everything Roo says about Danger is spot on I reckon. I don't know how invovle he is with him, but I think mentoring him in some way would be a great idea. Bash and crash is great, but you can go to hard sometimes.

agreed, if we all remember Roo was a little lost in finding his position in the crows in the early years, it wasnt until blight sorted him out he truly realised how the team could benefit most from his skills!

Danger is only in his second year, his still developing at this level. his looking like his pretty banged up and Danger even personally told Rowey that his hand injury was effecting his kick! (as revealed by Rowey last week!)

Also, I wouldnt compare him with other 2007 draftee's as he didnt join the club till 2009 pre-season so compare him with the 2008 crop. Looking at that list I don't see anyone that has made more of an impact in AFL then Danger yet!

 

[Macca19]

Someone just needs to teach him how to drop the ball. He drops the ball too high which causes the ball to spin forward between the drop and connection, which means too often he kicks the ball on the point which leads to the finger breaking wobblers and drop punts that spin forwards instead of backwards.

Also, I wouldnt compare him with other 2007 draftee's as he didnt join the club till 2009 pre-season so compare him with the 2008 crop.

Thats just plain wrong.

 

[SebastianVettel]

Someone just needs to teach him how to drop the ball. He drops the ball too high which causes the ball to spin forward between the drop and connection, which means too often he kicks the ball on the point which leads to the finger breaking wobblers and drop punts that spin forwards instead of backwards.

Yeah, that's the biggest problem IMO. His ball drop is particularly poor from set shots as well, mainly due to that stupid ball spinning motion he does before he drops the ball.

Thats just plain wrong.

See, I'm not so sure. It's certainly right to an extent. Sure he had the benefit of a pre-season, some training during school holidays, a couple of SANFL games, and eventually 2 AFL games - but there's no way his first year was as advantageous as the others in his draft class - many of whom played a significant number of games at AFL level, while Patty was still at the Falcons in the U18s.

 

[NTRabbit]

He's never been a great kick, and he's looked worse since coming back from the broken hand because it's apparently - and I say apparently, because I can't think of any other reason - negatively effecting his strength, especially in the fend offs and breaking tackles. When he wasn't breaking those in the last two games, he was suddenly the guy who couldn't kick, couldn't mark, was always getting caught, and unable to remove himself or the ball from tackles.

Thats just plain wrong.

Yes, it is wrong. People not to end their fascination with this get out of gaol free card they keep using for him. It was his decision not to come over, but despite that he was still working with fitness plans provided to him by the club, and flying over for occasional West Adelaide games, and played a pair of AFL games. "He's not really a third year player because he went to school a year" is not a legitimate excuse.

 

[WALL-e]

Since the captaincy has been up for grabs he's been trying to do too much, break every tackle, kick every running goal, drill balls too hard, basically putting everything he can on his shoulders.

This is an example of why he isn't ready for the job.....yet.

 

[Macca19]

See, I'm not so sure. It's certainly right to an extent. Sure he had the benefit of a pre-season, some training during school holidays, a couple of SANFL games, and eventually 2 AFL games - but there's no way his first year was as advantageous as the others in his draft class - many of whom played a significant number of games at AFL level, while Patty was still at the Falcons in the U18s.

Didnt he do a full pre season before heading back to Vic? That means he was at the club from the start, plus all the extras you mention.

With the last point, that was the Crows choice for him to play another year in the U18s. They could have just as easily organised for him to play for a VFL club so he could play against men earlier.

 

[Permanence]

Thats just plain wrong.

He wasn't training with the AFC for the full duration of the 2008 season.

Lived in geelong to finish studies, continued to train with the geelong falcons and played two back to back melbourne games!

please prove me wrong then!

It was his decision not to come over, but despite that he was still working with fitness plans provided to him by the club, and flying over for occasional West Adelaide games, and played a pair of AFL games. "He's not really a third year player because he went to school a year" is not a legitimate excuse.

this is a totally legitimate excuse!! there's alot of different between a kid thats done 2 pre-seasons then one that's done 3 and i thin k its worthwhile considering when comparing where he is in his career compared to other draftee's! ok lets compare him to 2007 then! id say only Kruzer, Grimes, Rioli & Harry Taylor have had more of an impact!

too much has been expected from him too early as far as im concerned!

 

[Macca19]

He wasn't training with the AFC for the full duration of the 2008 season.

Lived in geelong to finish studies, continued to train with the geelong falcons and played two back to back melbourne games!

please prove me wrong then!

He did a full pre season with the club before heading back. This is when he joined the club. He had the same pre season grounding as every other 2007 draftee.

there's alot of different between a kid thats done 2 pre-seasons then one that's done 3

Which means nothing as Dangerfield has done 3.

 

[SebastianVettel]

Didnt he do a full pre season before heading back to Vic? That means he was at the club from the start, plus all the extras you mention.

Yes he did, but he spent most of the year outside of the system. (I think there may have been some wires crossed here though - mostly my fault)

I believe that when we're talking about his development, he was always going to be starting from a way behind the others in his 2007 draft class. So I think at this point in time, he sort of sits somewhere between the 2007 class and the 2008 class in terms of his development path.

 

[Permanence]

He did a full pre season with the club before heading back. This is when he joined the club. He had the same pre season grounding as every other 2007 draftee.



Which means nothing as Dangerfield has done 3.

oh well id still rather him then most of them draftee's at this stage anyway!

 

[macca23]

Someone just needs to teach him how to drop the ball. He drops the ball too high which causes the ball to spin forward between the drop and connection, which means too often he kicks the ball on the point which leads to the finger breaking wobblers and drop punts that spin forwards instead of backwards.

Absolutely correct.

When he gets his ball drop correct, there's nothing wrong with his kicking at all in general.

As for his overall decision making, it's pretty much that of a lad his age, and wil improve as he matures.

Nothing uncommon about that.

 

[Mismatched]

Didnt he do a full pre season before heading back to Vic? That means he was at the club from the start, plus all the extras you mention.

With the last point, that was the Crows choice for him to play another year in the U18s. They could have just as easily organised for him to play for a VFL club so he could play against men earlier.

No he didn't really. School holidays generally occur between mid December and the beginning of Feb. A full preseason spans from the beginning of November until round 1 which is late march, early april. He might of received a full month to month and a half of a preseason, of what would have been closer to 4 months for other draftees.

I'd say he's sort of in between those drafted in 07 and 08, but probably closer to those drafted in 08.

I'm really not a fan of such comparisons anyway though, as every player develops at different rates. I think more has been expected of Patty because of his early physical development and whilst he appears to have a very mature outlook to his footy, in terms of actual football maturity, he's still getting there.

For mine, he looks like a player who's end of the season can't come soon enough. His kicking at times is very good, he just needs to learn to settle at times, or at the very least really focus on practising to kick the ball whilst at full pelt and a little tired.

Fitness I still think is a little issue, especially with the way he plays the game. Everything he does is generally at 100%, he doesn't conserve energy very well, as such he tires very quickly despite perhaps having reasonable aerobic endurance ability. There's nothing wrong with this as such, he just needs to do a lot of repeat 50-200 metre style sprints over the summer, forget about those longer runs, all his endurance work must be done at a very high intensity, working on his ability to recover quickly for high intensity efforts.

I'm sure the club would know all this and by the sounds they've already admitted that they've focused too much training on aerobic endurance, when in reality, with all the interchange rotations, its not necessary. When in fact they've been done by clubs who's players have the ability to go hard and fast for say 4-5 minutes, as opposed to maintaining a lesser intensity effort, but for say 10 minutes at a time. We were still living in the days of minimal rotations, times as recent as 06-07. We saw how VB came into his own when given an entire quarter last quarter on the ground against Brisbane. What will be interesting is what happens here if the AFL bring in interchange caps.

 

[thebirdman 24]

Hes a good kick when hes not running full tilt towards goals. I think that maybe his decision making is shot running towards goal, i think he needs to be tried on half-back get some massive games under his belt and confidence. Outside midfielders/ decent half backs are in shortage at crowland.