Six things I want to see this pre-season ...

[angelopetraglia]

Six things I want to see this pre-season ...


1. Jarrad Grant – putting some meat on those bones | The boy has been in the system for a while now and still looks like a skinny 15 year old boy. Hoping to see some dedication to the gym and eating plenty of rib-eye (Ace Cordy ... ditto).

2. Some serious challengers to Crossy, Boyd and Gia | One can only admire these guys ability to turn up at the start of every pre-season in tip top shape, but if we are to improve we need the younger guys to start challenging these guys in the fitness stakes.

3. Cooney getting his knee right | How we miss the real Adam Cooney. Will the real Adam Cooney, please stand up? Fingers crossed that his knee can fully recover, because the real Adam Cooney is feared by the opposition and warms the heart of every Bulldog supporter.

4. A new game plan | No doubt about it, our game plan last year was like taking a knife to a gun fight. We were beaten before the ball was bounced. How the previous coaching staff managed to miss the quantum change in how the game is played is still a mystery to me. Hopefully our new game plan not only mimics what has been so successful but also makes some minor tweaks and improvements that are always required not to only the match the best but actually beat them.

5. Brian Lake gets himself right | Is it his body or his head? Obviously last year he had to overcome a horrific pre-season full of operations and limited preparation. No doubt the body was broken, but I also worry about his mental strength. Hopefully he gets both right, because All Australian full backs a rare commodity and Lake at his best is a AA match winner.

6. Toughness, gritty determination & a never say die attitude | In my humble opinion, a lack of these characteristics denied us taking the next step in ’08, ’09 and ’00. The new coach is saying all the right stuff; let’s hope that it’s just not talk and we actually improve in this area. It is the actual playing group or can we teach this stuff. I'm hoping its the latter.


What do you want to see this pre-season?

[westdog54]

Rather than quote the whole post:

Point 1:As far as I'm concerned Jarrad has far bigger problems than lack of meat on his bones. He needs to work harder and play smarter. I want to see him develop as a footballer before we worry about developing him as a bodybuilder

Point 2:While I take your point, Crossy and Boyd are the most fanatical trainers I can remember at the club, to the point where Crossy keeps footballs in his kitchen cupboards so he can catch them when he opens them.

Other than that, agree 100%

[soupman]

Point 1:As far as I'm concerned Jarrad has far bigger problems than lack of meat on his bones. He needs to work harder and play smarter. I want to see him develop as a footballer before we worry about developing him as a bodybuilder


Yeah I'll second that.

Honestly I'd rather see him develop a greater endurance base than bulk up, because I just can't ever see him being big enough to actually use bulk, and putting on weight could be detrimental to his strengths like his pace. If he worked on his endurance and work ethic though he could influence matches much more and could really be a hard matchup.

[EasternWest]

Cooney. I'll probably get slaughtered for saying this but here goes: at what point do we concede that the Cooney we've got is never, ever going to be the Cooney we had? All we hear about when his name is mentioned in "degenerative knee injury" that's "never going to fully heal" (paraphrasing).

He'd be one of the highest paid players at our club, but is he now worth it? I've always developed a sentimentality for our players, and I hate the thought of hard decisions being made on them, but if he's not going to get better, can we afford to keep him on? Do we try to trade him, do we retire him?

I'm not necessarily advocating it, I feel a bit dirty typing it, but I'm desperate for us to win a flag, and wondering if we can do it while carrying a chronically injured star.

I hope he can recover and get near to his best again, but seeing him on the bike in the preseason pics doesn't fill me with confidence. Interested to hear what you guys think.

[KT31]

Rather than quote the whole post:


Point 2:While I take your point, Crossy and Boyd are the most fanatical trainers I can remember at the club, to the point where Crossy keeps footballs in his kitchen cupboards so he can catch them when he opens them.

Love it.:D:D

[Ghost Dog]

Cooney. I'll probably get slaughtered for saying this but here goes: at what point do we concede that the Cooney we've got is never, ever going to be the Cooney we had? All we hear about when his name is mentioned in "degenerative knee injury" that's "never going to fully heal" (paraphrasing).

He'd be one of the highest paid players at our club, but is he now worth it? I've always developed a sentimentality for our players, and I hate the thought of hard decisions being made on them, but if he's not going to get better, can we afford to keep him on? Do we try to trade him, do we retire him?

I'm not necessarily advocating it, I feel a bit dirty typing it, but I'm desperate for us to win a flag, and wondering if we can do it while carrying a chronically injured star.

I hope he can recover and get near to his best again, but seeing him on the bike in the preseason pics doesn't fill me with confidence. Interested to hear what you guys think.

So he has lost a bit of speed. Question, is the injury to his preferred kicking leg?
Like to note, plenty of hobbly midfielders have re-invented themselves up forward.

[EasternWest]

So he has lost a bit of speed. Question, is the injury to his preferred kicking leg?
Like to note, plenty of hobbly midfielders have re-invented themselves up forward.

Is it as simple as that? If it was then maybe, but to me he doesn't look to be moving laterally real well either, and his kicking has looked pretty wonky.

I think he had one cracking game this year (against Carlton IIRC) and a few ok ones after but was then sidelined for the rest of the year (again, IIRC). I guess that's the point I'm making, can we keep him at that cost for that output?

Name them.

[jeemak]

Cooney. I'll probably get slaughtered for saying this but here goes: at what point do we concede that the Cooney we've got is never, ever going to be the Cooney we had? All we hear about when his name is mentioned in "degenerative knee injury" that's "never going to fully heal" (paraphrasing).

He'd be one of the highest paid players at our club, but is he now worth it? I've always developed a sentimentality for our players, and I hate the thought of hard decisions being made on them, but if he's not going to get better, can we afford to keep him on? Do we try to trade him, do we retire him?

I'm not necessarily advocating it, I feel a bit dirty typing it, but I'm desperate for us to win a flag, and wondering if we can do it while carrying a chronically injured star.

I hope he can recover and get near to his best again, but seeing him on the bike in the preseason pics doesn't fill me with confidence. Interested to hear what you guys think.

We let him play out his contract, and hope like hell he can turn it around. If he doesn't improve we offer him a significantly reduced contract in terms of years and wages.

He won't have any trade value for us, so it will become an issue of whether we think he can be a bits and pieces midfielder that can play forward, or an impact sub.

We can't continue to pay him top dollar though.

[Ghost Dog]

Is it as simple as that? If it was then maybe, but to me he doesn't look to be moving laterally real well either, and his kicking has looked pretty wonky.

I think he had one cracking game this year (against Carlton IIRC) and a few ok ones after but was then sidelined for the rest of the year (again, IIRC). I guess that's the point I'm making, can we keep him at that cost for that output?

Name them.
Agree with you. Just saying it is a bit early to write off this unique player. His size and decision making are still a weapons, and we are after larger players this season. Agree, his kicking is poorer now, or looked it in a few games. but if we have a Boyd or a Cross go down, we may need him in an inside role.

Hell, Cross's kicking has always been wonky, never been able to run fast and laterally ( sidestepping ) atrocious, but he manages to hold a role. Def need to cut a new deal to reflect the changes in his body at the first opportunity.

[the banker]

Surely it's wait and see with Cooney. The guy is a brilliant footballer and would have the ability to reinvent himself as a goal kicker.

[Maddog37]

What about Cooney the attacking half back flanker?

[Dazza]

Would prefer cooney the impact substitute player TBH.

[Mantis]

What about Cooney the attacking half back flanker?

The issue is more about getting him on the park rather than finding him a new role to play.

[lemmon]

I take a bit of heart from the fact that Andrew Mcleod was talked about in a similar vain in regard to his knee for the last 5 or 6 years of his career.

[Ghost Dog]

I take a bit of heart from the fact that Andrew Mcleod was talked about in a similar vain in regard to his knee for the last 5 or 6 years of his career.


Good analogy. can we think of any other people who played on with a similar issue?

[Dazza]

Michael Voss? I was a bit young to remember 100%

[stefoid]

The biggest problem is probably that he cant train as much as he needs to.

[Mofra]

Re: Point no 2 - isn't that what Christain Howard is basically doing now? #4 in the endurance stakes going by the media reports.

[The Doctor]

What do you want to see this pre-season?

DRAFT SENSIBLY

No more smokeys, bolters, projects, speculatives and gunnabees.

[Mantis]

Re: Point no 2 - isn't that what Christain Howard is basically doing now? #4 in the endurance stakes going by the media reports.

He was always in the top half dozen last pre-season too.

[always right]

He was always in the top half dozen last pre-season too.

I love your posts Mantis......the antithesis of hope.

[LostDoggy]

I love your posts Mantis......the antithesis of hope.

Quintessentially bulldogsian.

[w3design]

Michael Voss? I was a bit young to remember 100%



Luckily for Voss they transplanted most of his brain tissue into his knee. His knee came good but he's been dumb as dogshit since.

[Mofra]

I love your posts Mantis......the antithesis of hope.

http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life/the-happy-brain-20111118-1nmt3.html

:p

[Mantis]

I love your posts Mantis......the antithesis of hope.

Glad I could brighten up your day.

It's nice the kid can run, but there's more pressing issues to improve in his game than his tank.

[LostDoggy]

From memory Cam Wight was a pre season specialist.

[LostDoggy]

DRAFT SENSIBLY

No more smokeys, bolters, projects, speculatives and gunnabees.

Grant was a late pick (Chris that is)Harris/Lake was a smokey.pick up's like that would be GREAT IF ONLY.

[LostDoggy]

Point 2: Crossy keeps footballs in his kitchen cupboards so he can catch them when he opens them.




Sounds like he may be related to Chuck Norris. Apparently Chuck Norris has a Grissly bear rug in his house. The bear isn't dead its just afraid to move.

[ledge]

Sounds like he may be related to Chuck Norris. Apparently Chuck Norris has a Grissly bear rug in his house. The bear isn't dead its just afraid to move.

I love Chuck Norris facts because he is the worst actor in history along with Arnie :D

[azabob]

I love Chuck Norris facts because he is the worst actor in history along with Arnie :D

What about Segal?

[LostDoggy]

I love Chuck Norris facts because he is the worst actor in history along with Arnie :D

Be careful mate. He'll hear you, then the next thing you know you're copping a roundhouse kick to the chops.