Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, Denver Grainger-Barras

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

We played him at CHF - if my memory serves me correctly against a struggling Richmond he had zero touches to half time and was subbed out

Was in the right spots...just kept dropping everything.
I would love to see him get one more senior chance

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Lets be realistic the only scenario I see DGB getting a game this year are if we have a catesprohic number of injuries to our defenders (I'm talking 4+) and he's literally the last guy we have available to play that position.

That sounds harsh but tell me anyone would pick him over Serong, Philips, Mitchell, etc based on current form especially with finals still a very real possibility.

Really he needs to focus on the upcoming pre season to have one last crack at building an AFL level body/fitness and hope for luck with no more injuries (assuming he gets another contract which I reckon is 50/50 at the moment).

 

[Charchi]

IMO he will be the steak knives in a Barras deal for Hawks pick 1 and some other pick swaps, we just need the Tiges to finish last so WCE can't automatically pick him up for free.
It is a shame, but I think he should have been showing more at BH than he has.

 

[cryptor]

We gave Thorp and Dowler more time LOL

...and Grimley, and Lowden.

I'm not against DGB getting more time as he does have good traits and sounds like a good quality person. I'm just trying to read the room based on his reviews, the performance of other young talls, and our recruiting targets.

 

[SpanishBrowne]

We gave Thorp and Dowler more time LOL

internet says..
thorp had 3 years, 2 games.
dowler had 5 years, 16 games.
dgb in his 4th with 28 games.
all had injuries that limited ability to get game time

but no.. DGB has been given more senior level time than the Thorp & Dowler combined.

not sure using them as a benchmark is a reason to extend his contract (especially as neither proved themselves as afl footballers after we delisted them...)

 

[Harry Yorkie]

We played him at CHF - if my memory serves me correctly against a struggling Richmond he had zero touches to half time and was subbed out

This is the day when I thought maybe footy's not your go Denver

 

[Buzz Hawk]

I'm sure he laid a couple of meaty shepherds, lots of verbal encouragement to the other boys and cut the oranges at 3/4 time.
Some of that stuff is just not captured in the stats.

 

[CHUBBSS]

Maybe next year is his last chance?

His still young and the argument has always been he needs a much larger fitness base - this would be the pre season for it. And he would be very cheap.

Think he is likely tied up back to coast though

 

[Blackhawk42]

Mark Keane looking likely to leave Adelaide for Collingwood.

Probably a perfect opportunity for somebody like Denver to get a fresh start. The Crows have a no-name list of tall defenders who get the best out of themselves, so he'd be more likely to get senior opportunity early on with a good pre-season.

Adelaide currently have picks 42 and 60 for reference.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Maybe next year is his last chance?

His still young and the argument has always been he needs a much larger fitness base - this would be the pre season for it. And he would be very cheap.

Think he is likely tied up back to coast though

If both Barrass andBattle make it to us. With McCabe and Serong in the waiting DGBS papers are stamped in my opinion.

 

[The Big Dipper]

DGB being a bust hasn't hurt us anywhere near as much as it could have, given Scrimshaw has developed into a quality modern CHB, and with Weddle coming in and being able to contribute straight away.

Scrimshaw has essentially developed into the player we had hoped DGB would become.

Never thought of it this way...

 

[The Big Dipper]

Mark Keane looking likely to leave Adelaide for Collingwood.

Probably a perfect opportunity for somebody like Denver to get a fresh start. The Crows have a no-name list of tall defenders who get the best out of themselves, so he'd be more likely to get senior opportunity early on with a good pre-season.

Adelaide currently have picks 42 and 60 for reference.

SOLD....

 

[The Big Dipper]

Lets be realistic the only scenario I see DGB getting a game this year are if we have a catesprohic number of injuries to our defenders (I'm talking 4+) and he's literally the last guy we have available to play that position.

That sounds harsh but tell me anyone would pick him over Serong, Philips, Mitchell, etc based on current form especially with finals still a very real possibility.

Really he needs to focus on the upcoming pre season to have one last crack at building an AFL level body/fitness and hope for luck with no more injuries (assuming he gets another contract which I reckon is 50/50 at the moment).

Gastro through the backline video session on Friday is his best chance!

 

[2008wasoverDEW!]

I was genuinely hoping DGB would make it, as I loved his courage and aggression from the moment he first arrived at the club.
Four years on, there has been very little improvement physically and aerobically, and he has stagnated as a player in years 3 and 4. To make matters worse he continues to give away reckless free-kicks deep in our defensive 50.

He was initially drafted with the hope of becoming a key backman, which was an area of need at the time.
Much has changed since then, including the additions of Blanck, Serong, Weddle, and McCabe, as well as the targeting of Battle and Barrass. I can't possibly see how he remains on the list after this season.

Whatever transpires I hope DGB can still manage to have a long and successful AFL career.

 

[SSSSSS]

This is the day when I thought maybe footy's not your go DenverView attachment 2065211

To be fair that was one of the best donut games I've seen.

 

[Nick the Pig]

If both Barrass andBattle make it to us. With McCabe and Serong in the waiting DGBS papers are stamped in my opinion.

His papers may be stamped regardless

 

[Yardie]

We played him at CHF - if my memory serves me correctly against a struggling Richmond he had zero touches to half time and was subbed out

He was making a Richmond defender accountable. We subbed him off and it all went to shit as they rebounded with glee off half back.

 

[I wanna pash Nash]

Hollands had had a very solid year in one of the top sides of the competition.

His first year was a write-off due to his ACL.
Very much like Jack Scrimshaw he just never settled into life as an AFL footballer at the Gold Coast. This has been his first real full season of senior footy and he's been a great value pick up IMO.

I also believe, like Scrimmers, his best footy is ahead of him.

Agree, odd take from some that Hollands hasn't had a good year. I've watched a fair bit of Carlton this year and he's had some great games.

I mean he's no Cmac but he plays a pretty similar role. And his stats aren't too dissimilar.

On topic, I'd like to give DGB another year unless he requests a trade. But I think we'd rookie him.

 

[HedgeFund]

yes he has ...the only good games he s played for Box hill and hawthorn (there's been about 6/7 of them in his whole time in total ) are at centre half forward where he played there last half of season + a few cameos the season before

bags of 3 and 4 goals at box hill and a couple of good games in seniors there ....he hasn't had one good game in defence

Played 4 AFL games as a forward at the end of 2023, kicked a total of 4.1, with an average of 6.7 kicks, 4 marks and 2.2 hbls (so 9 disposals). Calsher Dear has rocketed past him already. Denver going to the forward line was a "break glass" option to try and get him to do something because he wasn't shining as a defender. Think of a reverse Emerson Jeka.

He's not a forwards boot stud.

 

[RoughysMullet]

He was making a Richmond defender accountable. We subbed him off and it all went to shit as they rebounded with glee off half back.

Turn it up - a witches hat would’ve been more useful that day. Everyone tries to convince themselves he’s an AFL caliber forward- but he really isn’t

 

[Yardie]

Turn it up - a witches hat would’ve been more useful that day. Everyone tries to convince themselves he’s an AFL caliber forward- but he really isn’t

At no point did I say he was an AFL calibre forward. But on that day the coaches made a structural mistake in removing a tall who was making a defender accountable. Game completely turned at that point.

 

[HedgeFund]

It sucks that it didnt work out with DGB but the 2020 draft class was absolutely horrid in hindsight

JUH, Thiltorpe, McDonald the only top 10 picks to write home about so far

What could have been if North picked McDonald as expected. DGB ends up at Sydney and we end up with Hollands/Perkins who would both be in the seniors at the moment

Is that the same Riley Thilthorpe who averages 10 possessions and 1 goal a game?

Another underwhelming pick for sure.

 

[HedgeFund]

Mark Keane looking likely to leave Adelaide for Collingwood.

Probably a perfect opportunity for somebody like Denver to get a fresh start. The Crows have a no-name list of tall defenders who get the best out of themselves, so he'd be more likely to get senior opportunity early on with a good pre-season.

Adelaide currently have picks 42 and 60 for reference.

Keane left Collingwood after 5 games in 3 years to go back to Ireland. Then after a year in the GAA Adelaide picked him up and he is now getting regular games.

So why would he go back to the club that he walked out on?

Seems very odd.

 

[Hawk88]

Is that the same Riley Thilthorpe who averages 10 possessions and 1 goal a game?

Another underwhelming pick for sure.

Thilthorpe is going to be a very good player. Has had a lot of injury worries but you can tell he has "got it" when you watch him play

I don't think we have seen that with DGB yet

 

[OccamsRazorRay]

Mark Keane looking likely to leave Adelaide for Collingwood.

Probably a perfect opportunity for somebody like Denver to get a fresh start. The Crows have a no-name list of tall defenders who get the best out of themselves, so he'd be more likely to get senior opportunity early on with a good pre-season.

Adelaide currently have picks 42 and 60 for reference.

If you're going off the Cal Twomey trading segment this week then they seem to have missed the bit where Keane literally said his preference is to stay and sign on with the Crows.

My guess is that Crows are keeping their options open, he's contracted for another year but we're flush for decent defenders, so we might strike whilst the iron is hot. I don't doubt that Keane would be open to a move because it sounds like he enjoyed his time at the Pies/Victoria, but is he dictating the move? Absolutely not