Players - Surprises

[wimberga]

Thinking back over the years and all the players that came through the Red White and Blue, which players surprised you or proved you right or wrong across there career?!?

For example, Matt Boyd is a player who since I first watched, showed me the signs that he would go on to become a top player. His dedication and the way he players really made be believe he would overcome his short comings and become a top flight AFL player.

On the flip side, I always thought that Jordan McMahon would have a fantastic career with us. When watching him initially I liked the way he played running off half back and anticipated him becoming THE premier rebounding defender on our list. MY oh my was I wrong.

So how about it? What calls have you made on players earl in their careers that turned out to be true or false? Lets hear em!

[Maddog37]

I thought Cal Ward would be a bulldogs great:mad:

[Hotdog60]

I thought Cal Ward would be a bulldogs great:mad:

Me too, then there was a player called Loveless

[mighty_west]

I thought Cal Ward would be a bulldogs great:mad:

I thought the same wIth Brad Hardie, but got the sooks up with Malthouse and it was all she wrote, I think he may still hold the record up in Brissy with most goals in a game, 9?

[Hotdog60]

I thought the same wIth Brad Hardie, but got the sooks up with Malthouse and it was all she wrote, I think he may still hold the record up in Brissy with most goals in a game, 9?

Hardie kicked 9 goals against Carlton in '89 Highest for the Brisbane Bears. Jonathan Brown had 10 goals against Carlton in 2007.

[ledge]

Farren Ray disappointed me, thought he had a lot more to offer, also a bloke named Neil Hodder back in the 70s He had talent but was stuck in the ressies due to Templeton if my memory serves me right.

Purser was a gun but went back home to WA.

We also had a bloke fromWA whos name escapes me but I think he played two blinders and then some old rule meant he had to return and he couldn't play for us

[LostDoggy]

Never thought Minson would make it. Was wrong.

[bulldogsfight]

never thought Liber or Foster would make it

biggest disppointment Dan JHargreaves

[Dry Rot]

Two disappointments that come to mind were trades.

Both showed something either at their previous club or here, to lead us to think they could be good players for us. But they weren't, and both delisted.

Bandy and Sherman.

On the good surprise side, look at our promoted rookies.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Crossy surprised me, I wasn't confident that he would make it but he certainly did.

At the moment, Grant is the other. I was pretty certain he would develop into a very good player.

[lemmon]

Thought Andrejs Everitt was going to be a star

[bornadog]

Tony Libba. When I saw his first game, I thought, back to the reserves son. Malthouse thought the same but it was Wheeler that saw potential in him and gave him a chance, and bingo a brownlow medal.

[Ghost Dog]

Justin was a great disappointment. He was they type we needed, and wasn't cheap.

Goodes was a pleasant surprise. People 'who know' on here had him slated as a 'Great VFL player only' for years.

[Ghost Dog]

Tony Libba. When I saw his first game, I thought, back to the reserves son. Malthouse thought the same but it was Wheeler that saw potential in him and gave him a chance, and bingo a brownlow medal.

That footage of Tony giving his speech, and the panning to Terry - a very emotional moment.

[SlimPickens]

Goodes was a pleasant surprise. People 'who know' on here had him slated as a 'Great VFL player only' for years.

Big call on a bloke who hasn't played a senior game yet....I like your optimism!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I remember posting on the other forum, only a couple of games into his career, how I thought that Farren Ray might just prove to be the better midfielder out of him, Cooney and Griffen. :eek:

On the flipside, at the end of his first quarter of AFL in his debut against Adelaide, I recall saying to my mate that Dale Morris was going to be a top deck defender or tagger for us. He just looked like a natural competitor with intense focus and team first attitude. He wasn't fazed that he was up against McLeod and then Ricciuto during different periods of his debut game.

[Remi Moses]

Surprised by Peter Foster. Thought he was a Reserves footballer.
Thought Cameron Faulkner was the next Andrew Macleod !:eek:

[Ghost Dog]

Big call on a bloke who hasn't played a senior game yet....I like your optimism!

Is it a big call to say his selection was a surprise?
Not many 29 year olds make it into AFL level for the first time; especially in a team that's rebuilding.

[LostDoggy]

Adrian Campbell.
If injuries hadnt hit, who knows....but he had me on the edge of my seat for a year or two.

John Georgiades was another. I was at Princes Park when he kicked 8 or 9 in his first game......then nothing.....

[SlimPickens]

Is it a big call to say his selection was a surprise?
Not many 29 year olds make it into AFL level for the first time; especially in a team that's rebuilding.

Sorry I didn't get that you meant his selection, as you didn't say that. My assumption was that you meant him playing in the seniors.

I agree I was surprised by his selection.

[Ghost Dog]

Sorry I didn't get that you meant his selection, as you didn't say that. My assumption was that you meant him playing in the seniors.

I agree I was surprised by his selection.

No worries. I am rather too optimistic most of the time. Hopeless really.

How have you rated his game so far?
I thought he looks like a very strong kick, and takes care with it. He kicked a goal from outside 50 post high V Hawthorn.

[SlimPickens]

No worries. I am rather too optimistic most of the time. Hopeless really.

How have you rated his game so far?
I thought he looks like a very strong kick, and takes care with it. He kicked a goal from outside 50 post high V Hawthorn.

I've liked what he has offered the team. He generally uses the ball well and is hard as nails. What I also like is he frees up Murph to play forward.

Looking forward to seeing how he adapts when the real stuff starts.

[Ghost Dog]

Right. Hard, but with decent composure. The thing is, barring Murph, we haven't had a composed kicker in the back half for a while. Harbrow was pretty hit and miss. Wood bombs it a bit as well. And Vezpremi didn't really set the world on fire with his ability to spot a target. Let's see if Goodes can deliver.

[craigsahibee]

Farren Ray disappointed me, thought he had a lot more to offer, also a bloke named Neil Hodder back in the 70s He had talent but was stuck in the ressies due to Templeton if my memory serves me right.

Purser was a gun but went back home to WA.

We also had a bloke fromWA whos name escapes me but I think he played two blinders and then some old rule meant he had to return and he couldn't play for us

You might be referring to John Reilly from Nth Adelaide. There was a clearance dispute and he was forced back to SA. Is a Nuclear Phycisist.

[Dazza]

Thought Peter Street would be a star....








...and I was right.

[1eyedog]

Always wished Jon Ballantyne was better than he was. Had him ranked pretty high when I saw him a few times but he never made it.

Danny Del Re, got the most out of himself and I said he was going to be a crap player for us.

[1eyedog]

Right. Hard, but with decent composure. The thing is, barring Murph, we haven't had a composed kicker in the back half for a while. Harbrow was pretty hit and miss. Wood bombs it a bit as well. And Vezpremi didn't really set the world on fire with his ability to spot a target. Let's see if Goodes can deliver.

Lindsay Gilbee.

[jeemak]

Daniel Giansiracusa has proved to be a surprise to me. When he started I thought his deficiencies would outweigh his obvious talent and smarts.

As time has gone on he's shown to be a consistent and genuine class player for us, and I can't help but wonder what would have been made of his career if we had some other smaller and classy forwards to assist him, freeing him up to play in the middle of the ground where his creativity, decision making, tank and excellent skills could have really shined for us.

He'll always have some downside to his game which we're all aware of, but he really has had a fantastic and productive career at our club, and will always have my respect for his hard work and dedication.

[bornadog]

Daniel Giansiracusa has proved to be a surprise to me. When he started I thought his deficiencies would outweigh his obvious talent and smarts.

As time has gone on he's shown to be a consistent and genuine class player for us, and I can't help but wonder what would have been made of his career if we had some other smaller and classy forwards to assist him, freeing him up to play in the middle of the ground where his creativity, decision making, tank and excellent skills could have really shined for us.

He'll always have some downside to his game which we're all aware of, but he really has had a fantastic and productive career at our club, and will always have my respect for his hard work and dedication.

Did you mean Cross:D

[Ghost Dog]

Lindsay Gilbee.

In his last years few years? I thought his kicking was fairly ordinary in the last few seasons of his career.

[jeemak]

Did you mean Cross:D

Haha, you might think so due to my recent posting history on that particular player.

Truth is, up until about 2011 I really thought he was an absolute superstar contributor to the side who hid his deficiencies better than most players I've seen play the game, and had an ability to influence the game for our side to the standard some of the best midfield grinders who ever played the game did for their respective clubs.

He will always go down as a superstar of the Bulldogs to me, and I've respected his output to the abovementioned point pretty much since he solidified his spot in the side.

I've said my piece on where I think he stands right now, and my opinion on his ability to still contribute has been tempered by some excellent performances in 2012 where he surprised me.

There's not a bone in my body that wants to see him fail in 2013.

[Greystache]

Haha, you might think so due to my recent posting history on that particular player.

Truth is, up until about 2011 I really thought he was an absolute superstar contributor to the side who hid his deficiencies better than most players I've seen play the game, and had an ability to influence the game for our side to the standard some of the best midfield grinders who ever played the game did for their respective clubs.

He will always go down as a superstar of the Bulldogs to me, and I've respected his output to the abovementioned point pretty much since he solidified his spot in the side.

I've said my piece on where I think he stands right now, and my opinion on his ability to still contribute has been tempered by some excellent performances in 2012 where he surprised me.

There's not a bone in my body that wants to see him fail in 2013.

I think the change in our game plan has helped Cross in a lot of ways. A game plan built around playing on at all costs, running the ball through the corridor, and a heavy reliance on precise skills is the opposite of his strengths (and many others on our list mind you). The change to a contested style of play with more stoppages and less reliance on continual fast ball movement has reduced the exposure of Cross' weaknesses and amplified his strengths. I too thought in 2011 Cross' end seemed nigh, but 2012 was one of his more effective seasons in recent times for me.

[jeemak]

You've summed up my thoughts really well. Agree 100%.

[BulldogBelle]

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/7532/eo4ewavqkuxyoouxzinqfc.mp4
.

Goodes is a pleasant surprise. Not only can he knock them around, protect our young players, but he is quite skillful too.

Congratulations to the recruiters!

[F'scary]

Ed Barlow. When he ran onto the ground in his first game for us, I looked at him and thought, "the Swans were mad, this bloke looks like an absolute champion." And then the game started.

[LostDoggy]

Shaun Higgins: A player who showed great talent when he first came onto the scene. Placed in the leadership group at a young age, his talent and injuries have only led him to be considered a serviceable player imo.

He really should have been a player that made the transition into a permanent midfielder, had his injuries and drifting out of games been curtailed.

Nathan Brown: Had he stayed he may have been a club legend. Insted he left to seek glory just as we were headed for an extended period of door-knocking the Grand Final. His broken leg likely would never have happened. Left for finals, left for money, left broken-hearted

[bornadog]

Nathan Brown: Had he stayed he may have been a club legend. Insted he left to seek glory just as we were headed for an extended period of door-knocking the Grand Final. His broken leg likely would never have happened. Left for finals, left for money, left broken-hearted

Just imagine the team in 2008 to 2010 with a fit Brown. He must go down as the biggest money hungry fool of all time.