Player Watch - Daniel Cross

[OldSchool]

Player: Daniel Cross
Height: 185cm
Weight: 83kg
Position: Midfield

Drafted as a mid term project, Cross has professionally gone about his duties since he arrived at the club. As a junior he was a gifted athlete however, he has now taken his overall fitness and endurance to almost the elite level such is his work ethic.
There is a lot to like about his game as he is a genuine ball getter at the VFL level and has done well when chances have presented for the Bulldogs.
What works against Cross is that he does not have a clearly defined position at the senior level although with Mitch Hahn likely to miss some pre-season games, he should be staking an early claim for a run in the midfield as the ruck rover.
Whilst Cross is a terrific runner he is not super quick off the mark and his kicking skills, mainly the depth of his kicking, needs some attention. Perhaps Leon Cameron could work with him on improving his kicking or the club might give an ex Bulldog like Paul Hudson a call.
Cross is a real terrier in a physical contest and is a strong tackler when required and in a team crying out for hard at it players it just might be enough to open the door to the senior team for him.
I believe Daniel Cross just needs some chances early in 2004 to establish himself as a genuine senior player.

 

[doggies40]

Good work oldschool. I hope he gets a chance early next year as well.

 

[Tank]

Execellent summary on Cross OldSchool. I'm another one who hopes Crossy gets a chance in the seniors and I think this year he'll establish himself as a permament member of the side (maybe in a Brett Kirk run-with type of role).

 

[X_box_X]

Have I missed something? What's wrong with Mitch Hahn?

 

[SonOfScray]

Hahn's had a couple of shoulder operations in the off season I think. Probably won't be right for the Wizzer.

 

[doggies40]

Originally posted by X_box_X
Have I missed something? What's wrong with Mitch Hahn?

He had ops on both of his shoulders.

 

[X_box_X]

Originally posted by doggies40
He had ops on both of his shoulders.

Damn!

I guess it wouldn't exactly be called as an "injury interrupted" pre-season, but the operations aren't really the ideal start for the 2004 season, are they?

I hope this doesn't affect his game.

Was there a thread about these operations that I can read?

 

[scooter600x]

I'll send out your membership card for the Daniel Cross appreciation society.

 

[OldSchool]

Originally posted by scooter600x
I'll send out your membership card for the Daniel Cross appreciation society.

You did call it early on didn't you ?

 

[Doggiesrule1020]

Hope crossy gets his chance to prove him self next year as he is one of my fave players and he deserves a good go.

 

[Bloody-Redhead]

Another good summary.

Few points:

1) Cross has surpassed VFL footy levels, this can be viewed by posessions (proper and not 'soft') and consistency. When he is slowed down it is usually by the VFLs best tagging players, but it only reduces possessions and effectiveness by about 5%. (He can get tagged, but won't be tagged out of game influence)


2) Lack of positioning and knowing what to use him for have really put alot of questions onto both coaching staffs (wer/WB)

3) Hasn't really absorbed the senior AFL games he has had, seems to have treated it slighty different, getting some easier possessions while not trying the sorts of plays he does at VFL

4) What must be added to his VFL games to highlight that he wants a senior gurnsey: GOALS

When Giansiracusa wanted the AFL gig he got the same level of possessions every week that Cross was getting, only Sira kicked goals as well.
Example cross would have 34, 28 , 31 29.
Sira -actual history: 33 poss + 4Goals, 28P +5G, 38 + 3G,
25p +4G

Cross would have 2 goals after a month. Sira had 16!

This is how Sira got a game when Plough wouldn't let him in for being 'too small without required experience" at that moment
(Sira dislocated shoulder and lost a year of proper VFL footy)
BONDY screamed until he got in. First senior game Sira kicked two goals and set up Grant with two (Adelaide, Grant kicked 7 Goals)


This is the recipe for the Cross, B Murphy and Ray 's to get their careers going early when experienced coaches are saying NO!

 

[scooter600x]

I don't often agree with you BR, but that's a good post.

Gia will always kick more goals than Crossy, just like Brown would always kick more goals than Westy, because they play different roles. Crossy just has to keep on getting the thing, eventually he'll get his chance.

Your first line is what got me keen on Crossy two years ago "posessions (proper and not 'soft')".

I agree he has treated his senior games differently to his VFL games, practically everyone does when they start. At Werribee he is one of the more important players - and would be aware of it - and he knows his role. At AFL level he would not yet have the confidence to take the risks and do what has made him successful at the lower level. With time this will come.

 

[SonOfScray]

Cross is another one of those players who, apart from other people's reports I know very little about. I've only ever seen him play a few times at Werribee and the couple of senior games he has been given.

Here's basically what I have heard about him, or have been able to acknowledge myself:

Super endurance
High work ethic
Wins his own footy
potentially a superb 'run with' player
Tough

Add to that BR's comparison with 'Cusa's form and I find it difficult to understand why he hasn't been given more opportunities yet. Perhaps his size works against him? Maybe all his good points are cancelled out by the fact that he is perceived (or is) another one of these small bodied midfielders. With all the injuries and the promise of a more accountable, harder brand of footy I had him earmarked as a player to really make an impact in 2003. Maybe 2004 will be his year.

 

[Number 2 1961]

I would like to see Cross have a season in the BP.

Can take the small and offer further run and TOUGHNESS!

Merry Xmas everyone!!

 

[Bloody-Redhead]

I keep thinking of when Bolton of Essendon tagged Buckley to death in a night game in 02.
Then I recall when Kretiuk tagged buckly and held him to under 10 possessions while accumulating 25 himself (I especially remember us 'cheering' Buckley when he finally got a kick late in the game when it was clear we would win)

Point behind those two comments are that 'strange' match-ups can work, and Cross tagging a major AFL midfielder effectively would in fact be strange given his build. Neither Bolton or Kretiuk should have had the athletic ability or endurance then Buckley but both killed him.
Has Cross got better endurance then either of those two players? YES! So maybe he is closer then we would realise (but for the influx of new players might have been in round 1)
Still it will take a long while to get to kretiuk Muscle level BUT a Short-to-medium level goal of getting Cross to a Bolton build is easily capabale!

 

[Tank]

I recall earlier in the year when we lost the match to St.Kilda and Robert Harvey absolutely slaughtered us. The only time Harvey was quiet was in the 3rd qtr when Crossy did a good job tagging him. Unfortunately, Cross then broke his hand and Harvey cut loose again in the final qtr and we lost the game.

 

[ReservoirDog]

Originally posted by SonOfScray
Cross is another one of those players who, apart from other people's reports I know very little about. I've only ever seen him play a few times at Werribee and the couple of senior games he has been given.

Here's basically what I have heard about him, or have been able to acknowledge myself:

Super endurance
High work ethic
Wins his own footy
potentially a superb 'run with' player
Tough

Add to that BR's comparison with 'Cusa's form and I find it difficult to understand why he hasn't been given more opportunities yet. Perhaps his size works against him? Maybe all his good points are cancelled out by the fact that he is perceived (or is) another one of these small bodied midfielders. With all the injuries and the promise of a more accountable, harder brand of footy I had him earmarked as a player to really make an impact in 2003. Maybe 2004 will be his year.

the guy is 6'1" how would his size work against him?

 

[SonOfScray]

Like I said, I don't know much about him but I always had him pigeon holed as another one of these small bodied midfielders. While his game may be different to the number of players that are of a similar physique the fact some people might be thinking "we don't need any more players of this size"

The coaching panle hopefully don't think that though! I watched the St Kilda game where he played on Harvey and he shut him right down. Other standouts were Shaggy, Jordy and Bassett.

 

[Ching]

Originally posted by ReservoirDog
the guy is 6'1" how would his size work against him?

Probably size in terms of strength/weight not height

 

[Bloody-Redhead]

I'm glad that you pointed out the stkilda game as that was something that was really starting to work until a bad bit of timing had his hand in the wrong place.


Build has a lot to do with a footy players ability to play.
He is strong in a physical sense but not in a manner that adapts well to AFL at the moment.
When you get used to AFL you would keep yourself balanced and more grounded then he was at times this year.
Remember when Murphy just kept being pushed over by SOS in his first game? Nathan Brown was pushed over quite alot in his first season - in 97 Prelim he was pushed over or crunched 5 times in the same pocket by 'Roo' (until he slotted that goal and 'Roo' would have thought 'don't inspire him into playing')
Jordee has went flying so many times I don't need to give any examples

Thats the Cross issue, strong but easily 'moved'...
Build helps keep yourself up and ready for next contest.

.