Cam Mooney

[bulldogtragic]

Just watching the 360 replay and listening to Moondog.

He was saying he is trying to impose a culture of physicality with his forwards at the dogs. Specifically he said if an opposition player drops into the 'hole' he wants them to flatten them "so next time they think twice about doing it".

I loved hearing that mongrel is being taught, as I always loved Mooney's presence on the field. But I can't say Jarred, Ayce or Liam are walking the walk yet...

Anyone else see it and get a little excited. I hope it shines through soon, I'd love to be hated like we were when Libba was at his best.

[bornadog]

I think Jones has been very aggressive towards the ball, crashing packs, and making his presence felt. Has shown more mongrel this year in a controlled manner.

[LongWait]

I think Jones has been very aggressive towards the ball, crashing packs, and making his presence felt. Has shown more mongrel this year in a controlled manner.

Yep.

Jones and Stringer are the ones at the moment to do as Mooney wants. Big Tom Williams could as well if he finds himself up there.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Yep.

Jones and Stringer are the ones at the moment to do as Mooney wants. Big Tom Williams could as well if he finds himself up there.

Go Tom. He does have an incredible physique.

[Mofra]

I think Jones has been very aggressive towards the ball, crashing packs, and making his presence felt. Has shown more mongrel this year in a controlled manner.
My initial reaction to the OP as well - even Cordy was hitting packs to bring the ball to ground.

If our tall forwards are still firmly int he developing phase and are not going to dominate their opponent, I'm happy for them to find a way to impact the game - if that involves a few bruised opposition players, all the better

[KT31]

Yep.

Jones and Stringer are the ones at the moment to do as Mooney wants. Big Tom Williams could as well if he finds himself up there.

Unfortunately poor Tommy does not have the body to be able to crash packs.

[bornadog]

Unfortunately poor Tommy does not have the body to be able to crash packs.

He was drafted the pick after Buddy, has the same height and weight, yet his body breaks down and consequently has played 100 games less. I think he has the talent for someone that grew up with Rugby, but that body....argghhhh.

[bulldogtragic]

This is not a negative, I'll be clear.

As a person and player Cam was and is excellent. But he's had Ayce Cordy from the beginning and to hear that he is still wrestling and the insipid one hand up to mark is still front and centre of his game. To hear reports of this again yesterday is puzzling. Surely Mooney is telling him something different, ie use your height to your advantage and move with your arms up.

So to my question, Mooney is not getting through. Either Mooney can't teach effectively or Ayce can't be taught. I would have hoped this aspect of his game would be long gone.

[Go_Dogs]

IIRC, Brian Lake remarked that spending a few weeks in the VFL where he was able to clunk a lot of marks gave him the confidence to transition that to his AFL game - we all know what happened there.

I think it's a combination of confidence and physical limitation due to his shoulder injuries. He probably hasn't quite got the movement he wants and lacks confidence in his ability because of it.

I agree that it is an on-going concern and by now he should be strong enough to contest more consistently a clunk a few marks.


It's a massive year for Ayce, but I think he'll benefit from having greater responsibility at VFL level.

I'm pretty reluctant to question Mooney because Campbell has made significant improvements to this area in a very short time and I doubt either player is more or less "coachable" than the other. Tom has just "got it" and appears to have more confidence to impose himself on a contest and crash a pack which Ayce hasn't developed.

[Greystache]

Mooney probably can't be judged on one player either way, some players can improve rapidly while others can go nowhere, and that can often be in no way attributed to their coaching.

As you said Campbell is developing quickly, but he has some nice tools to work with. Cordy on the other hand has limited scope to improve. He's slow, physically weak, and has minimal natural football talent. He could improve gradually over the years from so much time being invested in him, but in the end we're trying to turn a park footballer into an AFL player. It's a very difficult task.

I saw Ayce play at Williamstown pre-shoulder injuries and it was the same then too. No arm extension in marking contests, and no attack at the ball coming at him. And that was when he still had a little bit of athleticism. Some players just can't do it.

[1eyedog]

Unlike our last tilt at a flag we have a forward line packed with beasts. Campbell is a man mountain and can do some serious damage running in straight lines (yes including to himself)and while not absolute Gorillas Crameri and Stringer are taller than Hahn and weigh almost as much, Stringer is just under 6'4"and apparently on 95kg putting on 4kg since he came to the club. Crameri is 6'3" and 95kg. They are big units who have the ability to unnerve opposition backmen with their speed, strength, smarts around goal and ability overhead. And of course Jones has no fear in aerial contests. If we do have to go the long option into the forward line there is more chance of a tough aerial contest than I can ever remember. It's pretty exciting.

[bulldogtragic]

Mooney probably can't be judged on one player either way, some players can improve rapidly while others can go nowhere, and that can often be in no way attributed to their coaching.

As you said Campbell is developing quickly, but he has some nice tools to work with. Cordy on the other hand has limited scope to improve. He's slow, physically weak, and has minimal natural football talent. He could improve gradually over the years from so much time being invested in him, but in the end we're trying to turn a park footballer into an AFL player. It's a very difficult task.

I saw Ayce play at Williamstown pre-shoulder injuries and it was the same then too. No arm extension in marking contests, and no attack at the ball coming at him. And that was when he still had a little bit of athleticism. Some players just can't do it.

If we were to go for the detailed assessment on Moons... Jones has shown he can take a great grab, but his 2013 was not as good as it could've been, but then again maybe Macca has backed Moons if he has said Jones needs to do more. But I guess my bump was more along the lines of Moons being a decent teacher. Surely Moons and Macca are not asking him to rag doll opponents and take one handed marks. This apparently un breakable pattern is so frustrating, he's not a junior standing 30cm taller than every other kid. I think everyone outside the inner sanctum was shocked by his massive resigning. He's had every backing, advantage and education and coaching and yet the same is being served and I can't see why he's doing it. It's a shame the watchers who gave feedback had to preface comments of a positive being one mark, and kick. Probably because he played on a 4th string defender in the worst team and got no marks and no kicks... Surely at some point we hope with his height he can ruck, because it's grating hearing of, and seeing him trying to wrestle rather than lead. Hence the question, either Ayce is unable to follow instructions, or Moons is giving him horrific advice. I think I know which one it is.

[boydogs]

If we were to go for the detailed assessment on Moons... Jones has shown he can take a great grab, but his 2013 was not as good as it could've been, but then again maybe Macca has backed Moons if he has said Jones needs to do more.

We haven't had a great start to 2014 with our tall forwards, have we. Grant injured, Stringer not involved enough, Jones not getting a game, Cordy & Campbell playing poorly. This is more of a concern to me than looking for more tall defenders beyond Roughead, Talia, Austin, Young & Wood.

I note that Brian Cordy has been called in to work with the VFL side, let's hope he can make a difference.

[Mantis]

We haven't had a great start to 2014 with our tall forwards, have we. Grant injured, Stringer not involved enough, Jones not getting a game, Cordy & Campbell playing poorly. This is more of a concern to me than looking for more tall defenders beyond Roughead, Talia, Austin, Young & Wood.

Jones not getting a game really puzzles me.. Like really puzzles me .. Would love to know why he isn't playing.


I note that Brian Cordy has been called in to work with the VFL side, let's hope he can make a difference.

To his son or others?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Agree with Grey - some players just don't have it.

When I went to training a few months back and Mooney was working with the forwards, even then Cordy was preoccupied with wrestling (that he never won) and one hand mark attempts. Campbell was doing the complete opposite and obviously getting success in the drill as a result.

Are the coaching staff pulling him up on it? Not sure - good question to ask. You don't have to be a good player to attempt to do the right thing in terms of technique. You're not going to take too many marks wrestling whilst sticking out one hand.

The basics of acceleration off the mark, leading with purpose and intensity, arms fully extended shouldn't be hard to grasp.

[boydogs]

To his son or others?

His official role is coach of the VFL coaches, but reading between the lines he has been brought in to work with Ayce and by extension our other tall forwards.

[bulldogtragic]

Agree with Grey - some players just don't have it.

When I went to training a few months back and Mooney was working with the forwards, even then Cordy was preoccupied with wrestling (that he never won) and one hand mark attempts. Campbell was doing the complete opposite and obviously getting success in the drill as a result.

Are the coaching staff pulling him up on it? Not sure - good question to ask. You don't have to be a good player to attempt to do the right thing in terms of technique. You're not going to take too many marks wrestling whilst sticking out one hand.

The basics of acceleration off the mark, leading with purpose and intensity, arms fully extended shouldn't be hard to grasp.

I don't want to wrongly slander Emma Qwayle, it was a draft watcher (I think Emma) who said Ayce's agility could make him better than Buddy Franklin...

I find that the things that annoy me most in life is where I can't see any logic, and this is one such occasion. As you say, it's not a complex message and instruction.