dawes vs the rus

[Swooop]

I think we need to give both ample opportunity to show their wares.

Dawes because he needs to show improved confidence and marking ability to go the next step and Rusling because, while he has the talent to be a force up front, he has limited opportunity.
From all accounts Dawes has put in some "big" work to improve and Rusling's single minded determination to overcome continuous major injury over a sustained period, despite how confidence sapping it must have been deserves our recognition in a chance to play to his potential.

That said if the results are not good then we have to think seriously about other options down the track.

Agree with this wholeheartedly.
They both could do with more chances. Both potentially have huge upside. Dawes appears just to need belief. He has the attributes to be a great contributor in a multifacted way.
Rusling has an even greater potential upside I think, barring injury. I remember a few fantastic games from him, but i did wonder if he was more single faceted, ie if he didn't mark the ball on a fast lead, he looked a fish out of water.
Do people think he has the forward pressure component you'd want to see, second efforts etc. Can he do the team things gather possessions etc? If so, exciting prospect.

 

[Rusty Beam]

Do people think he has the forward pressure component you'd want to see, second efforts etc. Can he do the team things gather possessions etc? If so, exciting prospect.

Same question needs to be asked of Dawes as well to be honest. Almost everytime I saw him try to exert some forward pressure or chase last year, it always seemed to be a token effort. Head down, slow 20m run and then stop. Not good enough.

Think we need to see what Rus has to offer as part of our current structure. I would hope that we haven't persisted with his injuries to not play him if he is fit. Bucks has mentioned him a number of times as impressing so hopefully that points to a decent run in the Nab cup.

 

[PieBeast]

At this stage ( been the case for the last few years ) as i understand Rusling is nowhere near playing a full AFL game .

 

[loki04]

Pick them on form.

Let's just wait and see how they go in the NAB cup. They will both get a good run if not injured.

Leigh Brown might keep them both out if the intra club match is anything to go by.

Dawes was the leading Goal kicker on the day.



If Ruz is fit he needs to be given the opportunity to show what he can do, Dawes next in line Leroy depth.

 

[doppleganger]

cant see either getting a gig

I like the idea of Fraser as the back-up ruck who spends plenty of time up forward, plus Medhurst will hopefully be back to his 2008 form, or somewhere close to it.

Throw in JA and Cloke and you have four players who can take a mark, plus Thomas has shown he can also play as a leading forward if needed.

Then any of Sidey, Didak, L.Davis, Lockyer, Macaffer, Dick for the flanks

Dont see a spot unless either of them dominate at VFL and force a bit of a restructure.....hope it happens, but think we look good without them.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Same question needs to be asked of Dawes as well to be honest. Almost everytime I saw him try to exert some forward pressure or chase last year, it always seemed to be a token effort. Head down, slow 20m run and then stop. Not good enough.

Think we need to see what Rus has to offer as part of our current structure. I would hope that we haven't persisted with his injuries to not play him if he is fit. Bucks has mentioned him a number of times as impressing so hopefully that points to a decent run in the Nab cup.

There was an article which spoke of Dawes giving 2nd 3rd 4th etc efforts in last week's inta club practice match. He also kicked 3 goals. He sounded like he was showing a lot.

 

[doppleganger]

There was an article which spoke of Dawes giving 2nd 3rd 4th etc efforts in last week's inta club practice match. He also kicked 3 goals. He sounded like he was showing a lot.

He did the same last year too!

Dawes is a brilliant athlete, can he get some footy smarts??

 

[Zahki]

Dawes needs to get some games this year for sure. Hopefully he gets a good run in the NAB Cup to show his stuff, I reckon he'll be a good player for us up forward eventually, he just needs to be given the chance.

Rusling, eh. Will he stay fit? I'll have to see it before I believe it.

 

[danielnajdek]

Chris plays well when he gets the chance. But for some reason he gets dropped straight away the next week. I think if he gets a few games in a row he'll grow in confidence and self belief and complement our forward line nicely. He just needs the faith from the coaching and selection panels.

 

[DoubleO7]

As it always has been, if Rusling is fit, he will get first dibs at the full-forward position. That's how I would like to see it, in my opinion. John Anthony could always play any position Dawes was intended for, anyway.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

As it always has been, if Rusling is fit, he will get first dibs at the full-forward position. That's how I would like to see it, in my opinion. John Anthony could always play any position Dawes was intended for, anyway.[/quote]

Anthony would need to learn to find the ball a bit more often if he were to challenge Dawes. Anthony is really only suited to a pocket, not a central position.

 

[dayna36]

The rus , no contest. If he remains fit and starts to string games together watch how things will open for Jack and Travis...Rusling has got serious pace...he will burn up that forward line but he needs a fair crack at it injury free....we shall see...Dawes has ripper pre seasons and then he has 1 ripper vfl game in every 4, again w.i.p wait and see..

 

[DoubleO7]

Anthony would need to learn to find the ball a bit more often if he were to challenge Dawes. Anthony is really only suited to a pocket, not a central position.

Spending majority of the time deep in the forward 50 won't help his disposal count. Statistically speaking, wouldn't you expect Anthony's disposal numbers to increase with a change in position, or more specifically, a centralised one? One should also take into account that Anthony kicks more than he handballs, unlike Dawes, who handballs more than he kicks.

 

[Zahki]

As it always has been, if Rusling is fit, he will get first dibs at the full-forward position. That's how I would like to see it, in my opinion. John Anthony could always play any position Dawes was intended for, anyway.

Why in gods name would you play Rusling at FF ahead of Anthony? That's just dumb.

 

[King Woodie]

Anthony would need to learn to find the ball a bit more often if he were to challenge Dawes. Anthony is really only suited to a pocket, not a central position.

This is not true. Anthony only gets low possessions because he plays full forward. He is actually quite useful up the ground, and has excellent footpassing skills.

But the club decides to utilise his pinpoint disposal closer to goal, and therefore his possession rate drops.

 

[Quicky]

Anthony would need to learn to find the ball a bit more often if he were to challenge Dawes. Anthony is really only suited to a pocket, not a central position.

What

Anthony plays centrally now and is easily our most consistent forward and also our most dangerous KP forward. And as for challenging Dawes up the ground - I'd say the challenge goes out to Dawes to get a game and show something. He hasn't exactly been proficient up the ground either. Anthony hasn't really been given the chance, but i'm sure he'd go fine if he was. His footskills in particular could be very dangerous in a role up the ground.

I don't think squeezing our most dangerous KP forward into a pocket to accomodate an unproven Dawes is the way to go. I'm encouraged by Dawes strong preseason but he had a good one last year too and didn't have a great season. It's definitely a case of Dawes proving he is worthy of a position in the team through strong consistent form.

 

[loki04]

This is not true. Anthony only gets low possessions because he plays full forward. He is actually quite useful up the ground, and has excellent footpassing skills.

But the club decides to utilise his pinpoint disposal closer to goal, and therefore his possession rate drops.

Anthony does need to get a bit more of it, we need to have him kicking 70 a year not 50. I suspect he will and can improve his game, but i think he would kick more as the 3rd tall or 2nd deep option.


A Dawes, JA and Cloke foward line can work and so can a Rusling, JA and Cloke setup.

How many times did we see Cloke get it on the wing only to look up and have no option to kick too last year? Quite often and this is where a Dawes could provide a good target around the 50m arc with JA deeper leading out of the square.

 

[Muse]

Anthony does need to get a bit more of it, we need to have him kicking 70 a year not 50. I suspect he will and can improve his game, but i think he would kick more as the 3rd tall or 2nd deep option.

Wasn't last year his first full year as a forward? I'd say give him a decent crack this year as our number one tall. Dawes > Rus only due to durability, but at the moment I still cannot find room in the side for Dawes unless he seriously improves his game, I'd even consider keeping Leigh Brown as a forward option, but I could be alone there.

 

[Zahki]

Anthony does need to get a bit more of it, we need to have him kicking 70 a year not 50.

70 goals would've put him squarely between Nick Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown this year

I don't think Jack is that good. 50-60 is fine, he just needs Cloke and Medhurst to actually chip in, which they didn't this year and that was the problem.

Anthony is definitely the best option out of him, Rus and Dawes though, certainly give Dawes and Rusling chances but use them as support for Anthony, not replacements for him I reckon.

 

[loki04]

70 goals would've put him squarely between Nick Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown this year

I don't think Jack is that good. 50-60 is fine, he just needs Cloke and Medhurst to actually chip in, which they didn't this year and that was the problem.

Anthony is definitely the best option out of him, Rus and Dawes though, certainly give Dawes and Rusling chances but use them as support for Anthony, not replacements for him I reckon.

With his accuracy all he needs is more shots on goal and it's not out of the realms of possibility.

Also nearly all premiership sides have a 60 -70+ goal a year forward, even Q.Lynch kicked 70 in the E-girls flag year.


I still believe IF Rusling can get injury free he is the most potent weapon we have at FF, would like to see him and JA working in tandem.

It is hard to fit all of JA, Ruz, Dawes and Cloke up forward so someone is going to be left in the outer.


Collingwood needs to un earth some stars and rid ourselves of this champion team bs, stars win games and flags. Time to step up lads!

 

[DoubleO7]

Why in gods name would you play Rusling at FF ahead of Anthony? That's just dumb.

Well, popular opinion amongst the BigFooty masses (including myself) suggests Anthony is seen as a third tall, one that is suited to a pocket position. With this change, a full-forward position will be left open. I see Rusling as the man to fill this void.

 

[King Woodie]

I share the view of Anthony as more of a third tall. However, I also think Rusling is more of a third tall... Of the two, I think Jack is a better option at this stage (until I can assess Rusling more thoroughly on the field).

I would have loved to have snared Fex, and played him from the goalsquare, Cloke up the ground, and Anthony roaming.

 

[loki04]

It all depends on Ruslings body imo.

He has the tools to be the most difficult match up and with more 1st use and cleaner clearance ability from the new midfield it makes a Rusling type even harder to stop.

Jolly
Ball
Pendles
Swan
Didak
Davis
Beams
Sidebottom
Wellingham

That's a lot better rotating 8 in terms of disposal then we have had in a long time, you put a fast leading Rusling from the square and you wont find a FB in the league to match his pace.

 

[Quicky]

I share the view of Anthony as more of a third tall. However, I also think Rusling is more of a third tall... Of the two, I think Jack is a better option at this stage (until I can assess Rusling more thoroughly on the field).

I would have loved to have snared Fex, and played him from the goalsquare, Cloke up the ground, and Anthony roaming.

Disagree that Anthony is more of a third tall. I definitely think he is best suited to FF or CHF. I think he is a player that benefits from being the prime target and getting alot of delivery at FF - more opportunities (at CHF too if he ever gets played there). As a third tall I think he'd get alot less opportunities and suffer for it.

If he got played in a pocket it poses some troublesome structure issues too. I see Medhurst as our third tall forward. I think if you played them both - one in either pocket - we would really lack a crumbing forward. Medhurst is more of a present and mark forward, a bit opportunistic but not a true crumber. It means our forward line would be very tall too, which I think would seriously affect our forward line defensive pressure.

I think Anthony could go ok as a third tall but I don't think it suits his game the best and I don't think it fits well with our other players and their strengths. Not to mention the structure issues.

 

[HFF]

It doesn't matter nowadays where you line up- be it FF, CHF or pocket.

At the end of the day, the entire forward line needs to function as a whole constantly moving around and creating space for one another.

I think a three pronged tall attack consisting of Jack, Cloke and Rus is our best weapon IMO with smalls in Medders, Dick, Didak, Thomas and Davis rotating through the medium/small options.

I'd like to see Dawes play well and blossom, however, he just doesn't command the ball in the way the other 3 do.