3 Youngsters ready to impress

[GVGjr]

To me a lot of the clubs improvement in the next 12 months and beyond hinges on 3 players

Liam Jones - I don't think anyone can question his ability. He's a great height (197cm) and he possess a strong mark. If he can put the on field woes on 2012 behind him he does shape as being the key forward we can build around.
I heard that Jones is performing well on the track and in the gym so his preparation for the 2013 is right on track.

I have modest hopes for him in 2013. Play at least 17 senior games, continue to develop as a footballer and a 40 goal haul for the season would go a long way to taking this club forward.

Jordon Roughead - Roughy has been earmarked as a key defender by the coach and while I'm still not sold on that vision, Roughead does demonstrate the right sort of character to give it his best go. A lot rides on his ability to adapt to this new challenge but not many 200cm plus defenders can actually make a career out of it. If it works it give our back like a lot of structure and frees up some other players to play more attacking roles.

I think Roughead can improve on his 2012 season so he will be one of the guys that I watch closely.

Luke Dahlhaus - Dahlhaus has been a great addition to a side requiring speed and defensive efforts however he does need to take another step forward in 2013.
He's been mainly used as a forward but I suspect he will be used a lot more in the midfield next season. We need him to win a bot more of the ball, apply some more tackles and on top of that we need a few more goals from him.

That might seem like a lot to ask but I think he is up for the challenge.



Jones gives us the forward target we needed last season, Roughead hopefully gives us the key defensive stopper and Dahlhaus the spark around the midfield.

How do you rate these three players chances of taking the club forward next season?

[F'scary]

Jones: couldn't have as bad a season as 2012. Has a lot to offer. Agree: he is pivotal to an improved win / loss ratio (& margins!). Needs to also improve kicking in addition to positioning and reading of the play which were woeful in 2012.

Roughead: just has to continue on as in 2012. Having players not going backwards (e.g., Jones & J Grant) is just as important.

Dahlhaus: Can't fault him. He is an example to all players needing to establish themselves in the AFL. All we need now is for his average disposals per game to increase a little.

[FrediKanoute]

Jones: he has to improve on 2012 period. I'm not sure though that he can. His kicking is awful, both field and for goal and much of his problems stem from the confidence he loses each time these skills fail. I don't think his kicking is a technical issue like Smith's, its a confidence issue and that is almost like having the Yips in golf.......hard to fix.

[Remi Moses]

Jones needs to work his backside off.
He doesn't look like he has the fitness and seems to lack confidence.
Roughead really surprised me how good he looked in the back six, to be honest
Dahlhaus- just keep taking the game on. He had a few quiet games last season but a second year player is always going to have those issues.

[Ghost Dog]

Roughead: If I was an opposition coach, would be licking my lips at having him play full back. Just lead off him all day and tire him out. Will get turned inside out by mobile Key forwards.
Belongs in the ruck, or can be more useful in the forward 50. Has shown more as a Key forward than Jones or Cordy to date. The decision to play him back confounds me.
both Roughy and Jones have ordinary kicks. Need massive and quick improvement in this area. Good kids, both of them. I know they can turn it around.

Dahlhaus: Started to be tagged in 2012. Will improve if only he gets more support.

[Remi Moses]

Roughead: If I was an opposition coach, would be licking my lips at having him play full back. Just lead off him all day and tire him out. Will get turned inside out by mobile Key forwards.
Belongs in the ruck, or can be more useful in the forward 50. Has shown more as a Key forward than Jones or Cordy to date. The decision to play him back confounds me.
both Roughy and Jones have ordinary kicks. Need massive and quick improvement in this area. Good kids, both of them. I know they can turn it around.

Dahlhaus: Started to be tagged in 2012. Will improve if only he gets more support.

Wouldn't think Roughead would be playing on the more nimble types.
More on the big gorilla types.I'd think Jones and Cordy are better up forward

[DragzLS1]

Dahlhaus was being tagged which says a lot for somebody who had only played 16 afl games! Will be the future game breaker for us. If Cooney has a moderate season that will free a few of our players up because let's be honest, no team wants a fit and firing Cooney in tagged ;)

Jones needs to step up big time and I was happy with roughead, think he will be good for 2013..

Somebody was telling me to expect the spoon this season.. I told them to put their money where their mouth is because we will surprise a few teams early on :)

Go dogs!

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Its a luxury to have low expectations this year and yet to know that some players will step up. I'm happy for us to most probably and honestly to finish low and pick up real talent in the 2013 draft (dare I mention it, you bet I do!) We have no real need for team success in the short term future, it is not going to happen. Ours is the future and the medium future is critical, we will need every talent, every character, every luck, every glory for soon many supporters of this era with links to Ted Whitten will die. This epoch in the teams history I feel has been coming a long time. We are building.
Roughead (people change their surnames, how fantastic is it that this one has survived, perhaps to be celebrated in our history) will find a place but I don't believe he will thereafter be our permanent fullback but he will impfove there next season. Liam Jones is more than a good mark, is learning his craft but will be a slow developer but that's all he needs to be. Dalhaus is a jack-in-the-box and they surprise by nature. Hopefully he is infectious because it's spirit more so than talent that he gives. Next year he could go to another level with more responsibility.

[LostDoggy]

Of this group it's Jones that needs to come good, the other two are on track and will develop naturally.

[Ghost Dog]

Grant, anyone?

[DragzLS1]

Grant, anyone?

Well here's hoping.. Showed a few good signs in a few games last year but will need dramatic improvement. I have always defended grant but this is his final year to show us all what we know he can be.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Roughy will be a gem. Not convinced he will or should stay as a defender, but he had some good games down there so at the least it's another string to his bow. Personally I think he should be a first ruck who can push forward -- think Darren Jolly. His kicking for goal is a concern, but he reads the play much better than Jones/Grant/Cordy and is capable of taking strong marks. For mine, he could be even effective as a key forward. It's a bit of a shame that we are grooming him as a key defender.

Dahlhaus needs to get a lot fitter. He started off the season very well but he did struggle after the first 10 or so weeks, particularly when playing as a mid. At this stage, he's a much better forward than he is midfielder, so the challenge for him is to get fitter and stronger so that he can compete as a predominate mid. Ablett had this challenge early on in his career, I see Dahl being in a similar position.

Jones is an interesting one. Great size, quick and can take a solid mark but he hasn't improved his weaknesses since day dot. He continually runs under the flight of the ball and this is a huge concern for mine. If you can't read the play/flight of the ball you simply won't make it as a key forward. I am less concerned about his kicking for goal, but it's obviously another area that needs to be addressed. In addition to not being able to read the play, Jones isn't a smart footballer; decision making by hand and foot can be silly and/or not deft enough in certain tricky situations. However, this can be all 'worked with' and improved if he could read the play well enough to involve himself in a lot more contests.

[bulldogtragic]

Dead accurate as always TBB. Well put and I couldn't agree more.

[LostDoggy]

Roughy will be a gem. Not convinced he will or should stay as a defender, but he had some good games down there so at the least it's another string to his bow. Personally I think he should be a first ruck who can push forward -- think Darren Jolly. His kicking for goal is a concern, but he reads the play much better than Jones/Grant/Cordy and is capable of taking strong marks. For mine, he could be even effective as a key forward. It's a bit of a shame that we are grooming him as a key defender.

Dahlhaus needs to get a lot fitter. He started off the season very well but he did struggle after the first 10 or so weeks, particularly when playing as a mid. At this stage, he's a much better forward than he is midfielder, so the challenge for him is to get fitter and stronger so that he can compete as a predominate mid. Ablett had this challenge early on in his career, I see Dahl being in a similar position.

Jones is an interesting one. Great size, quick and can take a solid mark but he hasn't improved his weaknesses since day dot. He continually runs under the flight of the ball and this is a huge concern for mine. If you can't read the play/flight of the ball you simply won't make it as a key forward. I am less concerned about his kicking for goal, but it's obviously another area that needs to be addressed. In addition to not being able to read the play, Jones isn't a smart footballer; decision making by hand and foot can be silly and/or not deft enough in certain tricky situations. However, this can be all 'worked with' and improved if he could read the play well enough to involve himself in a lot more contests.

I agree with most of this.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Truly I think we have a good bit of improvement in this group,


Roughy as other has stated has to be moved into the ruck, move Minson to FF or drop him if needed, (Purely for game time)

Jones should come on and I like him as a player, one on one with Johno and all should be fine

With Dahlhaus, the improvement in Cooney will help him no end, the tag will be lifted from Griff and Dal and he will run a muck.

[bornadog]

Its going to be a real testing year for these three.

Roughy - Did some good things playing at fullback in 2012, but still to be really tested in this role. Forget about moving him, the MC have already stated he will be playing up back.

Jones - Needs to find some confidence with his marking and kicking. Will be more mature in 2013 and may not have as much pressure on him than he did at the start of 2012.

Dahl - Should still play up forward with some short stints in the midfield.

[Ghost Dog]

Anyone for Jones to play half back for a while to get some confidence? They did it to Grant.

[The Underdog]

Anyone for Jones to play half back for a while to get some confidence? They did it to Grant.

Nah, we've got plenty of guys who can fill tall defender roles. I'd rather get games into Talia, Roberts and Austin. Grant was much more agile & able to play a flank.

Would prefer he gets games forward and sinks or swims.

[F'scary]

Grant, anyone?

The most frustrating player presently at the club. Kicking for goal from set shots is currently woeful (and he is in company here) but otherwise very talented, very athletic. Should be a headache as 3rd tall for oppositions but just hasn't been.

[Ghost Dog]

The most frustrating player presently at the club. Kicking for goal from set shots is currently woeful (and he is in company here) but otherwise very talented, very athletic. Should be a headache as 3rd tall for oppositions but just hasn't been.

Right you are. The boards have gone a bit quiet on Grant. I think a few people have given up.

[DragzLS1]

The most frustrating player presently at the club. Kicking for goal from set shots is currently woeful (and he is in company here) but otherwise very talented, very athletic. Should be a headache as 3rd tall for oppositions but just hasn't been.

Spot on! Should be a headache as a 3rd tall but clearly needs to lift this year.

Just looking over the list has anybody else realised how young our list actually is!! Going to be a rough 2013 as was 2012 but 2014 will show some good signs as these youngsters continue to improve. Libba will be a stand out this year along with wallis and Dahl. Very excited

[soupman]

Not sure why there seems to be a push from many posters for Roughead to continue as a ruckman/forward and not bother with the whole backline experiment.

Roughead's few games in defence last season were all very encouraging. He wasn't badly beaten by any of his opponents, who were all pretty good. He showed a capacity to take contested marks deep in defence. His field kicking is more than adequate and it meant that he could let the game come to him.

The role people are calling for him to play, as a forward/ruck, is what he has been playing for a few years now without any obvious improvements from his first game. By playing in defence he will get more of the ball, add to our versatility, provide a strong bodied tall key defender and most importatntly his game time won't be stifled by having to compete with Cordy and Campbell for a part time ruck spot behind Minson.

I'm confident Roughead will come out of 2013 as the big improver on our list.

[Ghost Dog]

Fair enough. Are there any players of similar size and type ( position ) who have had a long career in the AFL? Someone he could model his game on?

[bornadog]

Fair enough. Are there any players of similar size and type ( position ) who have had a long career in the AFL? Someone he could model his game on?

A bloke at Hawthorn called Lake:p

[bulldogtragic]

A bloke at Hawthorn called Lake:p
Also recruited as a forward.

[jeemak]

Jones - Extremely challenging year ahead for this young KPF, and scoreboard coupled with marking and ball use output isn't necessarily going to be the determining factor in him taking a step forward. I'll be looking for his work rate to improve, and his willingness to present at the right moment in the right position as markers on his progress. Like others have mentioned his tendency to run under the ball isn't helped by poor delivery, though an innability to counter the poor delivery with better timing and positioning has been a major downfall of his over the past 12 months. Clearly the most talented tall target on our list, and he needs to mature and start thinking through forward thrusts to remain in the contest and have an impact.

Dahlhaus - I'm not expecting a huge step forward this year from Luke. As he builds his fitness base he's going to have times where he's relevant in the contest, and times when he's not when played in the midfield. The key for him is to keep working as hard as he possibly can when working through the middle of the ground, and remain dangerous when played forward and finish up at the end of the game having made a meaningful contribution to the scoreboard and with defensive efforts.

Roughead - I thought he showed more class and mobility than I gave him credit for when played in defense. It's important that the match committee picks his opponents carefully, and doesn't leave him unnecessarily exposed against mobile opponents. Another poster stated it's good for him to have the game coming to him, and I tend to agree. His better moments in the back half were highlighted by his ability to compete cooly with a quick ball coming in high, rather than having to defend on the lead. I'm not prepared to write him off as our number on ruck for the future, and a pinch hitter up forward throughout his career. If this year can be spent refining his defensive skills, it will result in him being a well rounded footballer.

Whilst I think all of the above players will be integral to our future plans, this year I'm looking for a more meaningful contribution from the likes of Howard, Wood, Grant, Liberatore, Wallis (I just have high expectations for Wallis and Liberatore as I think they have capacity to improve quickly) and Veszpremi. These guys have either been in the system longer than the abovementioned, have the body types or are in positions more conducive to rapid improvement. You could include Dahlhaus in that category, though the move to the midfield will be a sufficient challenge for him.

[KT31]

Agree on Luke, but think there will be other youngsters stand out next season more than the other two.
Roughead will improve, not sold on Liam.
Had a good chat to someone in the know tonight and my money is on Clay.

[JohnGentStand]

I wolud love to see Easton Wood take the next step.To date it's been only glimpses and setbacks. Fingers crossed for a good run at it.

[Twodogs]

Fair enough. Are there any players of similar size and type ( position ) who have had a long career in the AFL? Someone he could model his game on?



Dustin Fletcher is the first player I thought of. He's about the same size and if Roughy can be as good as Fletcher we'll be pretty happy. In fact if Fletcher gets around to retiring before Roughhead does then he'd be a great coach/mentor for him.

[Ghost Dog]

Fletcher is an amazing athlete. His kicking is what stands out for me. Remember him bombing goals from the centre of the ground?
Who, of our young players, is the best kick? With Murph in decline, no Gillbee, and Howard not really cutting the mustard, who's going to step up as the player who can negate the forward press with long, accurate kicking?

[Eastdog]

I wolud love to see Easton Wood take the next step.To date it's been only glimpses and setbacks. Fingers crossed for a good run at it.

Easton Wood in that game he got injured I think against the Pies played very well. He needs to replicate that. Jones we all know has potential but needs to take the next step.

[Go_Dogs]

Three very important players, being a key forward, a key defender and our best quick midfield prospect.

I'm quite positive about Roughead, I think Dahlhaus might find it a bit tougher if he continues to get greater attention from opposition sides but his challenge will be still finding a way to impact games and I think he can.

Jones I'm slightly less confident on at this stage but he still has some handy tools to make it. It's a massive year for him. Hope he can really establish himself.

[LostDoggy]

Jones is an interesting one. Great size, quick and can take a solid mark but he hasn't improved his weaknesses since day dot. He continually runs under the flight of the ball and this is a huge concern for mine. If you can't read the play/flight of the ball you simply won't make it as a key forward. I am less concerned about his kicking for goal, but it's obviously another area that needs to be addressed. In addition to not being able to read the play, Jones isn't a smart footballer; decision making by hand and foot can be silly and/or not deft enough in certain tricky situations. However, this can be all 'worked with' and improved if he could read the play well enough to involve himself in a lot more contests.

I agree absolutely with this assessment. But running under the ball surely can be fixed with specific drills. That's not to say you become perfect in timing, confidence and movement, but that you learn what not to do, when not to go, where not to go as a basic first step. Surely it's possible to simulate and practise how to not get caught running under the ball in a variety of different situations. At a professional level I would have thought this was fixable, to some degree, even during a year. If it keeps not working, don't you change your approach or do you just lose confidence? I guess those with the yips would say it's the latter.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I wolud love to see Easton Wood take the next step.To date it's been only glimpses and setbacks. Fingers crossed for a good run at it.

Good call JGS

Physically we have few more ready players

Id be hopeful he could start to have a more consistent influence also

[Ghost Dog]

I'm one that thinks Howard has not been as bad in the clinches as some people say.
He looked a lot tougher in close than I thought he was. Saw a few of his games at Willy.
It's just his kicking that seemed underwhelming and this is what he was chosen for.
I wonder what the coach thinks of his work?

You could argue he showed just as much potential as the three above before being drafted.

[GVGjr]

I'm one that thinks Howard has not been as bad in the clinches as some people say.


His best was quite good but there was too big of a gap between his best and his worst performance which is typical of a lot of youngsters. He needs to focus on his football and see how far that takes him. If he doesn't give it close to 100% he is going to struggle.