Welcome to the Western bulldogs Billy Gowers

[bornadog]

Better late than never, this is the official welcome to the rookie.

http://www.aflplayers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/billygowers-760x438.jpg
A bit of background:

Billy is the son of Andrew Gowers a Hawthorn premiership player, who played 89 games with the Hawks before moving to play with Brisbane Bears.

Age: 21yr 5mth
Born: June 10, 1996
Height: 186cm
Weight: 83kg
Position: Defender

Q&A — BILLY GOWERS (http://www.aflplayers.com.au/article/qa-billy-gowers/)

Taken with pick 6 by Carlton in the 2015 rookie draft, Billy Gowers’ time at the Blues lasted just two years without making a senior appearance.

After going back to VFL level in 2017 and joining Footscray, the 21-year-old enjoyed a stellar season, culminating in a second chance at AFL level, with the Western Bulldogs offering him a lifeline at Monday’s rookie draft. He sat down with AFLPlayers.com.au to discuss his journey.

When I first called you to discuss the interview, it went through to your voicemail and I heard you say that you worked for VicProp?

Yeah, that’s the one. I’ve been doing residential leasing in the city on Queen Street.

When did you secure work there?

A week after I got delisted last year from Carlton the opportunity came about. Going straight into it was really handy.

Clearly, you must have been on cloud nine on Monday when your name was called in the rookie draft by the Western Bulldogs. Where were you when you found out?

I was actually at the club because I had VFL training that night. I had surgery about three or four weeks ago so I was just doing some rehab work on Monday night which is why I was there. When my name was called, I was in a room with some of the development coaches and a couple of VFL boys.

So you had committed to play for Footscray again if things didn’t pan out?

Definitely. I was rapt with what the club was about last year and really enjoyed my time. I re-committed and was excited for the year, no matter what happened.

Did you have an inkling that you were a chance to be selected?

I knew they were interested, but they kept their cards pretty close to their chest in the last few weeks and right up until the announcement. Not knowing if it was going to happen or be a definite, I was doing my research and trying to find things out from my manager. Because I hadn’t been told anything it was a pretty nerve-racking experience but super exciting at the same time.

And you were just watching it on the TV at the footy club? How did that process work? Did someone from the footy club come in and stop you from doing the rehab?

I spent the whole day at work, then I went into the club and did rehab work and weights prior to the draft. After that I sat in the room with some of the coaches and my teammates from the VFL and we watched on the big screen.

Unfortunately, the internet was down so when we refreshed, all of a sudden there were seven or eight names selected. We refreshed again and there was another three picks. When my name was up there everyone in the room erupted and it was amazing.

Wow. So you only found out when you saw your name up on the screen?
Yeah! It was the exact second it was announced.

And outside of those in the room, who was the first person you contacted?
I had a fair few missed calls on my phone already that I had to get through, but the first people I called were my parents. One of my grandparents was in the car with them so they were the first to be told.

You had a good year at Footscray in 2017, tell me what it was like leaving the AFL environment at the end of 2016 and going back through the VFL… did you think you were a chance of getting back on a list?

The reasoning in terms of going to Footscray was because I really wanted to play AFL again, and I thought that they were the best fit. I also thought that I was a good fit for them, and that their playing group was a super exciting one to play with. I was excited at the prospect of playing VFL again, but it was also about getting back to enjoying my football again. I started to have a lot of fun while playing and actually looked forward to gameday and training.

Did you feel you lost the enjoyment of playing while you were at the tail end of your time at Carlton?

Yeah, definitely. When I was at Carlton, I probably didn’t realise that I wasn’t enjoying it, but stepping away and moving into full-time work made me realise that I wasn’t enjoying it and I wanted to get back to when I was 12, 13, 16, 17, 18 years of age. That’s what I tried to bring to Footscray this year — not only to my footy but everyone else’s — to make sure we were all on the same page.

Not playing a senior game in two years at the Blues, did training almost feel more like a chore and that led to you losing the enjoyment?

Yeah, to some degree. I was injured a fair bit as well which made it difficult. My body wasn’t up to scratch in terms of the demands of training loads and the game and the intensity of it all. Towards the end of my time I started to feel more comfortable in terms of the physical attributes of the game and started to get the mental side up scratch as well. I felt like I was ready to make a big impact in 2017 at AFL level, but obviously got delisted. I thought bugger it, let’s go again.

You mentioned your manager before, and I know you’re with Connors Sports, how hands-on are they when you get delisted and you’re looking for other opportunities?

They’ve been huge. Not just with the football side of things but more with work and those opportunities. I was talking with Paul and Melissa about what’s going to be best for my footy as well as my lifestyle and my life. We talked about living circumstances and finances and basically everything. It was a real holistic approach.

What was the balancing act like between working full-time in real estate and playing VFL?

It was difficult training three nights a week and playing, but I was lucky to have a supportive workplace at VicProp. They allowed me to leave work early Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and I didn’t have to do any work on Saturdays which is game day for real estate as well as football.

I made it clear that football was my priority and I wanted to get back to the highest level, but I also didn’t want it to ruin the experience of working full-time. Working 9-5 as well as being super tired and getting home at 10pm and having to get up at 7am the next morning does tire you out. But it’ll hold me in good stead for the rest of my AFL career in terms of time management and life experience.

And you’re looking at still doing one day a week in real estate while you’re on an AFL list?

I’m not sure whether it’ll be at VicProp, but I am looking to stay in real estate and potentially into the commercial side of things. I’ve obviously been in residential real estate for the last year and I’ve really enjoyed my time at VicProp, but it might be time for me to move on and try different things.

How did you know that real estate and property was something you wanted to get into once your time at Carlton came to an end?

I had some serious and tough conversations with people close to who have helped me out throughout my life. They supported me and told me to move on and explore options and that led to me having some meetings with some real estate agents that were connections I’d made through the Old Xaverians, which is my old school. I felt that was the industry for me because I was interested in that space, and I still am.

When you were having those tough conversations, were your friends and family telling you that you might still make it, but you need to look elsewhere?

Yeah, for sure. You have to be realistic. You find yourself out of the AFL system pretty quickly sometimes. I had two years at Carlton and then it was over. If I was to get back in, I know that it doesn’t last a lifetime and you need to be doing other things outside of footy and have that life-balance. It was about getting my foot in the door and getting that experience outside of footy.

What went wrong with your first opportunity at Carlton? Was it purely unluckiness with injuries, or did you not work hard enough?

I definitely felt like I worked hard enough, it was just that it wasn’t really what I expected. Just lots of little things that all add up and make it hard. There seems to be this feeling that AFL is an amazing lifestyle and it’s super easy, and look, it is an amazing lifestyle and it’s something that I love doing and it can be fun because you enjoy it with great people, but AFL is super hard. Coming in as an 18-year-old — physically underdeveloped, mentally underdeveloped — I felt like there were a lot of little things that added up to me not being at that level, at that age. I feel like that’s quite a common thing.

There seems to be a really strong sense now that if things don’t work out the first time round, there’s a great opportunity to go and play in the VFL and get back in…

Definitely. Places like the VFL, the WAFL, the SANFL, and even just playing local footy or VAFA. There’s great opportunities out there, especially lately with mature-age picks and even guys who have never had AFL experience or been in an elite program before. The second and third tier leagues are good places to be in to get into the AFL system.

It must be comforting to know a lot of the Bulldogs players that you played VFL with will be there when you start?
Yeah, for sure. It’s obviously a new environment in terms of the standard, training and expectation, but going into the club yesterday felt normal because it’s a place I’m familiar with. A lot of the people that work with the AFL team work with the VFL team. There’s a strong allegiance between the two and that will make the transition a lot easier.

Have you got one goal for the year?

Not as of yet. I just want to get my body right for the pre-season and to properly be over the surgeries that I had a few weeks ago. Hopefully I can get that right and be fit and firing and ready to go for Round 1.

Brilliant mate. I hope everything goes well for you in 2018.
Thanks heaps, mate. Appreciate it

[LostDoggy]

Welcome Billy. Think you'll be a great acquisition.

[Eastdog]

Welcome to the Bulldogs Billy.

Enjoyed that interview. Thanks BAD.

[Twodogs]

Kick straight Billy, kick straight.

[LostDoggy]

Good interview. Hopefully the club has footage of the room when his name was called out. That'd be great to see.

[Smads57]

Great interview. Did he mention what his recent surgery was?

[LostDoggy]

https://cdndata.bigfooty.com/2017/11/440139_692d2715b5cda75b9d7ec3dbf434b2bc.jpg

If this instagram post is any indication, billy should fit in a treat with libba, biggsy and co.....

[Twodogs]

https://cdndata.bigfooty.com/2017/11/440139_692d2715b5cda75b9d7ec3dbf434b2bc.jpg

If this instagram post is any indication, billy should fit in a treat with libba, biggsy and co.....

So, uh, exactly when was that taken again?

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Great interview. Did he mention what his recent surgery was?

Don't know Smads, the only surgery I could google was for "a chronic shoulder problem" for which he had surgery when at the Blues.

[divvydan]

So, uh, exactly when was that taken again?

About 9 mths ago.

[bornadog]

So, uh, exactly when was that taken again?

I think that link needs to be deleted, not appropriate for WOOF

[Smads57]

Don't know Smads, the only surgery I could google was for "a chronic shoulder problem" for which he had surgery when at the Blues.

Thanks '54....looking at the picture included with the Q&A his left shoulder is heavily strapped....may have had a post season 'clean out'

[Rocco Jones]

Re his Insta/Twitter/whatever. Unlike the Libba bunch, he seems to be a footyhead.

[Dry Rot]

https://cdndata.bigfooty.com/2017/11/440139_692d2715b5cda75b9d7ec3dbf434b2bc.jpg

If this instagram post is any indication, billy should fit in a treat with libba, biggsy and co.....

Excellent. Lucky bugger. His fishnets are an interesting touch.

I like him already.

[Rocco Jones]

Excellent. Lucky bugger. His fishnets are an interesting touch.

I like him already.

We live in a funny society. That photo would be seen as more offensive than if he was holding a gun.

[Twodogs]

We live in a funny society. That photo would be seen as more offensive than if he was holding a gun.

It is a very funny double standard. Guns kill people, Billy is just having fun in that shot.

[Daughter of the West]

Excellent. Lucky bugger. His fishnets are an interesting touch.

I like him already.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I clicked the link, but it certainly wasn't that! I've lived a very sheltered life...

[bulldogtragic]

Yep, still can’t kick.

[Mantis]

Yep, still can’t kick.

It’s quite embarrassing that a professional athlete can’t execute the main skill in the game.

It’s like having a professional swimmer who wears floaties.

[bulldogtragic]

It’s quite embarrassing that a professional athlete can’t execute the main skill in the game.

It’s like having a professional swimmer who wears floaties.

We drafted him knowing this too. What have the club done to fix it? It’s confusing to say the least on many aspects with him and club.

[Mantis]

We drafted him knowing this too. What have the club done to fix it? It’s confusing to say the least on many aspects with him and club.

We did, well it shouldn’t be ‘we’ as one man was responsible for his recruitment .. many more learned people pointed this issue out, but it wasn’t viewed to be important by the chief.

[bulldogtragic]

We did, well it shouldn’t be ‘we’ as one man was responsible for his recruitment .. many more learned people pointed this issue out, but it wasn’t viewed to be important by the chief.

And given him two crucial games up front.

[Happy Days]

Jesus Christ never again please.

[Greystache]

Awesome. The worst goal kicking team in the AFL went out and recruited a mature player who's now the worst kick at the club. Awesome.

[GVGjr]

If we are to play Gowers then maybe it should be as a defender. He is a good mark but from what I've seen he is an unreliable goal kicker.

[bornadog]

I thought Gowers was ok today, 13 disposals, 8 marks, including 5 inside 50. His kicking for goal was woeful and could have had at least 2 more goals.

Not sure why people are having a go at him, he is not that mature either at 21. Not the worse today.

[GVGjr]

I thought Gowers was ok today, 13 disposals, 8 marks, including 5 inside 50. His kicking for goal was woeful and could have had at least 2 more goals.

Not sure why people are having a go at him, he is not that mature either at 21. Not the worse today.

Do you see a future for him as a forward? He was a good defender as a junior.

[bornadog]

Do you see a future for him as a forward? He was a good defender as a junior.

If he can't kick those goals then maybe it is the backline.

[Twodogs]

Awesome. The worst goal kicking team in the AFL went out and recruited a mature player who's now the first kick at the club. Awesome.

Worst kick. Dunno why but first kick made me laugh. I think it reminded me of somebody.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Horrid by foot but at the very least this bloke has a crack and shows some sort of aggression. A move to the back half could be worthwhile exploring.

[AndrewP6]

I thought Gowers was ok today, 13 disposals, 8 marks, including 5 inside 50. His kicking for goal was woeful and could have had at least 2 more goals.

Not sure why people are having a go at him, he is not that mature either at 21. Not the worse today.
Agreed.

[Ozza]

He had some good moments. But its so deflating when everyone at the ground knows he can’t finish off his work.

That miss from 20, where we’d have gone up 3 goals to 1 half way through the first - just dreadful.
Others played worse than him. But he makes way for Dickson no question. (Although saying that, I’m sure that Dickson as our most natural forward will end up on the wing as he usually does, and will get criticised for not hitting the scoreboard or getting enough possessions).

[chef]

What a great pick up this guy has been. Has a real crack and provides a target. I can see why Bevo wanted him so much.

Has filled Stringers role well, not saying he's as talented but he'll make up for it in other areas.

[Mantis]

What a great pick up this guy has been. Has a real crack and provides a target. I can see why Bevo wanted him so much.

Has filled Stringers role well, not saying he's as talented but he'll make up for it in other areas.

Stringer's role in that he is always trying to get 'out the back'?

He took a couple of nice marks, but he needs to do more for me to be as excited as it seems you are.

[chef]

He does a bit more than that for mine, but hey good for you mate. Im happy with how this kid is developing.

[LostDoggy]

As an aside, it's not often a Rookie pick plays R1 in the year he is rookied and then plays the first 6 in a row - I wonder what the record is? Even if he is limited, I think those saying he wasn't worth a Rookie spot are being pretty harsh.

[Mofra]

Stringer's role in that he is always trying to get 'out the back'?

He took a couple of nice marks, but he needs to do more for me to be as excited as it seems you are.
He's leading our goal-kicking right now and is often our only forward actually moving and providing an option.

What more can you expect of a rookie listed player with 6 games to his name?

[Twodogs]

I wouldn't mind a player with a combination of Stringers talent and Gowers application. Of course that would mean that somewhere would exist a player with Gowers talent and Stingers application.

Actually I think he's the bloke I spotted wearing number 25 for Essendon on ANZAC day.

[Happy Days]

I hate Gowers so much

[angelopetraglia]

I hate Gowers so much

Hate ... that's a strong word.

[bornadog]

I hate Gowers so much

Haven't noticed that at all :D

On a serious note, why?

[Happy Days]

Haven't noticed that at all :D

On a serious note, why?

Because he's terrible and I have to watch him every week. He's probably a lovely guy but he has no business in the AFL.

[AndrewP6]

Because he's terrible and I have to watch him every week. He's probably a lovely guy but he has no business in the AFL.

Even though he is our leading goalkicker...

[Happy Days]

Even though he is our leading goalkicker...

Given that all he does is try to get out the back and kick goals from the square (at about 40% accuracy) he'd want to be leading the goalkicking.

I view this as an embarrassment more than an accomplishment.

[bornadog]

Given that all he does is try to get out the back and kick goals from the square (at about 40% accuracy) he'd want to be leading the goalkicking.

I view this as an embarrassment more than an accomplishment.

He is an extremely good mark for his size, has only played 6 games. Let's wait for the Sockeye 20 game rule.

[angelopetraglia]

Just heard Bob Murphy on crunch time talking about how he looks like a ready made AFL footballer.

[chef]

Weird that all four of our first year players have areas that they struggle/struggled with but only Gowers cops hate.

We do like to go hard and early.

[Happy Days]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2018-04-27/bad-boy-billy-as-hes-snared-by-sam HATE him.

[chef]

Weird.

[LostDoggy]

Even though he is our leading goalkicker...

....and also our #1 ranked player for goal assists....

[bornadog]

Just heard Bob Murphy on crunch time talking about how he looks like a ready made AFL footballer.

How good was Bevo on crunch time giving us an insight into the game plan from round 1 to now as well as talking about the men of mayhem.

[AndrewP6]

Given that all he does is try to get out the back and kick goals from the square (at about 40% accuracy) he'd want to be leading the goalkicking.

I view this as an embarrassment more than an accomplishment.

Nonsense.

[Twodogs]

How good was Bevo on crunch time giving us an insight into the game plan from round 1 to now as well as talking about the men of mayhem.

That was very instructive.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2018-04-27/bad-boy-billy-as-hes-snared-by-sam HATE him.

So i suppose you hate Bontempelli too? I mean he blew an even easier chance?
I reckon Picko had a more mistake riddled first 6 games than Gowers has.
I find it peculiar someone would assign the word 'hate' against a player. But each to their own.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Given that all he does is try to get out the back and kick goals from the square (at about 40% accuracy) he'd want to be leading the goalkicking.

I view this as an embarrassment more than an accomplishment.

It just seems that with your harsh assignment of 'hatred' towards Gowers, that even in light of counter arguments you're just doubling down with the false narrative.
If what you said is true, Gowers would not be selected.
Cognitive dissonance on display here.

[chef]

It just seems that with your harsh assignment of 'hatred' towards Gowers, that even in light of counter arguments you're just doubling down with the false narrative.
If what you said is true, Gowers would not be selected.
Cognitive dissonance on display here.

I wonder if he hates Dunkley too for dropping that mark against Sydney

[The bulldog tragician]

So i suppose you hate Bontempelli too? I mean he blew an even easier chance?
I reckon Picko had a more mistake riddled first 6 games than Gowers has.
I find it peculiar someone would assign the word 'hate' against a player. But each to their own.

“Hate”?? Many of our players have disappointed, frustrated, annoyed me over the years but given that I, like all of us here, have never gone out on the field risking injury and disability while we sit in comfort critiquing them, I think “hate” is an awful word.

I’m not that sold on whether Gowers will make it, but I wasn’t about Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross, Liam Picken and plenty of others, and was so thrilled to be wrong. I don’t even see Gowers as a hang out the back type - I see a bloke who actually leads and has strong hands. But anyway let’s stick to debating his merits as a footballer rather than using ugly words like hate.

[EasternWest]

Because he's terrible and I have to watch him every week. He's probably a lovely guy but he has no business in the AFL.

Steady on mate. No need to bring Suckling into this.

[GVGjr]

Gowers has a couple of uncanny knacks, first up is his ability to kick goals in every game he has played and 6 games is a reasonable sample size. The other is to divide our supporters opinion. Perhaps he is a less cheeky and annoying version of Stephen Milne.

To make the same error that Josh Dunkley did by playing on when he should of had a shot and costing us a goal was annoying, plus then coughing up 50mtr penalties isn't something that should be easily forgiven but he did mark the ball well and score goals.

I guess both he and Suckling will test our levels of tolerance throughout the season with their blend of good and bad footy.

[Twodogs]

Interesting fact they mentioned about Kade Simpson during the telecast last night. They mentioned it was his 286th game and that he didn't get a touch in his first three games.

It's amazing he got a fourth game (or even a third game, they must have really seen something in him) let alone a 286th game after going touch less for your 360 minutes of football. I wonder if the boys got around him when he finally got a kick?

[bornadog]

Gowers has a couple of uncanny knacks, first up is his ability to kick goals in every game he has played and 6 games is a reasonable sample size. The other is to divide our supporters opinion. Perhaps he is a less cheeky and annoying version of Stephen Milne.

To make the same error that Josh Dunkley did by playing on when he should of had a shot and costing us a goal was annoying, plus then coughing up 50mtr penalties isn't something that should be easily forgiven but he did mark the ball well and score goals.

I guess both he and Suckling will test our levels of tolerance throughout the season with their blend of good and bad footy.

One 50 metre penalty, the second one was because of Lippa.

[Testekill]

He's on track to kick 25-30 this season if he keeps it up. For a pressure small (that plays tall) that's pretty respectable especially when he was bought in with pretty low expectations.

[Sedat]

The last no 26 to lead our goalkicking was Danny Del Re.......just wanted to mention the great man.

[GVGjr]

One 50 metre penalty, the second one was because of Lippa.

He started the ball rolling

[GVGjr]

Interesting fact they mentioned about Kade Simpson during the telecast last night. They mentioned it was his 286th game and that he didn't get a touch in his first three games.

It's amazing he got a fourth game (or even a third game, they must have really seen something in him) let alone a 286th game after going touch less for your 360 minutes of football. I wonder if the boys got around him when he finally got a kick?

Sorry, he was nursed through the first 2 season but by the 3rd he was a regular.
He's been a very good player over his time at the Blues

[Twodogs]

Sorry, he was nursed through the first 2 season but by the 3rd he was a regular.
He's been a very good player over his time at the Blues


I wasn't saying he's a bad player, although a lot of Carlton supporters seem to, quite the opposite I admire him for overcoming a start like that.

[merantau]

I think Gowers will get better and better. He can mark and lead. That's something to work on.

[LostDoggy]

I think Gowers will get better and better. He can mark and lead. That's something to work on.

I didn't hold much hope for him after the first 2 or 3 games, but he is growing on me. In the 1ST qtr on Friday he won 2 balls well outside 50 and sent in 2 beautiful long passes that directly resulted in goals to Boyd and Macrae. That is an aspect to his game that I hadn't seen before and shows signs of development and confidence. He may end up being more than handy.

[ratsmac]

I didn't hold much hope for him after the first 2 or 3 games, but he is growing on me. In the 1ST qtr on Friday he won 2 balls well outside 50 and sent in 2 beautiful long passes that directly resulted in goals to Boyd and Macrae. That is an aspect to his game that I hadn't seen before and shows signs of development and confidence. He may end up being more than handy.

I agree. He has grown on me as well. I like that he has a bit of mongrel in him too. I can see him having a breakout game where he kicks 4 or 5 snags before to long.
He comes from decent football pedigree so hopefully there is plenty of natural improvement in him. His dad Andrew is a premiership player at Hawthorn (1991) and also played with Brisbane. And his grandfather Trevor played 24 games with Richmond as well.

[lemmon]

He's on track to kick 25-30 this season if he keeps it up. For a pressure small (that plays tall) that's pretty respectable especially when he was bought in with pretty low expectations.

Not sure I'd call him a pressure small when he's averaging less than two tackles per game

[Mofra]

I agree. He has grown on me as well. I like that he has a bit of mongrel in him too. I can see him having a breakout game where he kicks 4 or 5 snags before to long.
I'm a convert, although I'm still scarred by the Rhode years where we'd wing the ball on the wing, look up and have absolutely nothing to kick to so having a forward on the move and constantly presenting is something I enjoy having in the side.

Gowers moves around and offers leads. A lot. He's got flaws like most footballers but he is offering us plenty right now.

[westbulldog]

Gowers is showing good signs, he is aggressive and other than the clanger would have kicked 3.

[ratsmac]

Billy on the Sunday footy show shortly.

[Doc26]

I think Gowers will get better and better. He can mark and lead. That's something to work on.

And he already has a strut which typically comes after you've proven you can play.

[Bullies]

And he already has a strut which typically comes after you've proven you can play. He needs to hold the strut for awhile as I am still not convinced.

[Bullies]

And he already has a strut which typically comes after you've proven you can play. Not so sure he should have the strut at this stage. I am not convinced as yet.

[Twodogs]

He needs to hold the strut for awhile as I am still not convinced.



Might not get any better than this...

[Eastdog]

Gave him a vote in the WOOF player awards. Thought he has tried really hard this season along with Honeychurch. He is a great mark.

[hujsh]

Seeing someone hold a mark in the forward line has been refreshing that's for sure.

I know he's been criticised by a few for looking for the easy out the back option but isn't that exactly what we need? Someone who knows when to run forward and get in space or when to lead up and provide an hit up option so that when we break quickly out of defence we actually have someone to kick to?

Unlike with Stringer when we kick to this bloke in space out the back he actually shows some physicality to hold the space and take the mark. That and he'll often show strength in the air when leading up at the ball. You might think that it's easy pickings but we saw JJ up forward not really sure how to do it so obviously not everyone has that 'skill'. I think there is some value in the art of the cheapie (look how much Adelaide pay Jenkins to do it).

Now IF we can fix his kicking (big IF considering it's us but other clubs have shown it can be done) then we may just have our next 30-40 goal mid-small forward. It's not like we have a glut of guys showing signs that they can kick multiple goals over multiple weeks so he's probably worth persisting with for a while.

[LostDoggy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoMwhIW-Mhg

I've referred to this before, but I'm gonna post it anyway. People refer to Gowers poor kicking for goal which is true and needs to be addressed, but his field kicing is actually good. At 0.50, 1.58 and 6.40 of the above he delivers 3 I50 passes to the advantage of a teammate that all directly result in goals. Players who can deliver productive I50 kicks are gold in the modern game. 3 direct goal assists coupled with 2 for himself is an excellent return.

[Bulldog4life]

Because he's terrible and I have to watch him every week. He's probably a lovely guy but he has no business in the AFL.

In your own words:

Originally Posted by Happy Days View Post
Surely you've realised by now I know nothing about footy?

[GVGjr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoMwhIW-Mhg

I've referred to this before, but I'm gonna post it anyway. People refer to Gowers poor kicking for goal which is true and needs to be addressed, but his field kicing is actually good. At 0.50, 1.58 and 6.40 of the above he delivers 3 I50 passes to the advantage of a teammate that all directly result in goals. Players who can deliver productive I50 kicks are gold in the modern game. 3 direct goal assists coupled with 2 for himself is an excellent return.

Given our inability to improve players goal kicking it's not just down onto Gowers but as I have said before, he was a good junior who played a lot of footy as a defender. Perhaps having him further up the ground could be a good thing for the team.

[Happy Days]

In your own words:

Originally Posted by Happy Days View Post
Surely you've realised by now I know nothing about footy?

I've thought this through and maybe I was a little strong.

His defensive efforts (averaging less tackles per game than Laziest Person In The World Jake Stringer) are still lacking, he's still infuriating to watch at times and his skills are still bad.

But I don't really hate him.

[Mofra]

I've thought this through and maybe I was a little strong.

His defensive efforts (averaging less tackles per game than Laziest Person In The World Jake Stringer) are still lacking, he's still infuriating to watch at times and his skills are still bad.

But I don't really hate him.
After round 2 they both average 2 tackles per game. I'm willing to cut Billy some slack to find his feet at AFL level.

The mere fact we are comparing a rookie listed forward who has 6 games to his name to a pick 5 former AA Premiership player who was traded for the points equivalent of pick 11 speaks volumes.

[Twodogs]

After round 2 they both average 2 tackles per game. I'm willing to cut Billy some slack to find his feet at AFL level.

The mere fact we are comparing a rookie listed forward who has 6 games to his name to a pick 5 former AA Premiership player who was traded for the points equivalent of pick 11 speaks volumes.

And we probably would have/should have got a couple of those for him except for our unique sales pitch. "Oh yeah, we know he's talented but we still don't think he's much chop. Frankly you'd have to be insane to consider recruiting him"

[Remi Moses]

Been a bit of a surprise for mine . Great hands and decent pressure , and I think he’s getting better
Like the rest though, if he only could convert

[Twodogs]

Been a bit of a surprise for mine . Great hands and decent pressure , and I think he’s getting better
Like the rest though, if he only could convert


He is 9/10ths of a pretty solid player and if he can learn to kick (and it's teachable) he'd be a Brett Montgomery type, really good overhead, sticks a tackle and can deliver the ball I50 or take a shot.

[bornadog]

Like the rest though, if he only could convert

Last three games he hasn't missed. 6 games he has 8 goals 6, or 57% accuracy

[MrMahatma]

I'm optimistic about him.

Good overhead and seems to lead to the right spots. Not sure why all the hate. Very unfair this early on, particularly when he's actually contributing. Makes some mistakes, but many do.

[Cyberdoggie]

I think he has shown real determination up forward, and you know when you kick to him he is going to give it a contest even when he is outnumbered.
He either takes a mark or brings it to ground, and that is more than Tom Boyd can do.

[Eastdog]

Last three games he hasn't missed. 6 games he has 8 goals 6, or 57% accuracy

Yeah not the worst conversion rate.

[Twodogs]

I think he has shown real determination up forward, and you know when you kick to him he is going to give it a contest even when he is outnumbered.
He either takes a mark or brings it to ground, and that is more than Tom Boyd can do.


That pass to Boyd inside the first minute was a bewdy too. It was a good effort even to get he ball on that side of the ground. It had been on the other wing for a while before we switched it so he must have run into a bit of room.

[Mantis]

He either takes a mark or brings it to ground, and that is more than Tom Boyd can do.

When does Boyd get out-marked?

[Eastdog]

That pass to Boyd inside the first minute was a bewdy too. It was a good effort even to get he ball on that side of the ground. It had been on the other wing for a while before we switched it so he must have run into a bit of room.

I missed that as I was still outside walking to Etihad :)

[Twodogs]

I missed that as I was still outside walking to Etihad :)

So did most of the Carlton defence.

[Eastdog]

So did most of the Carlton defence.

Tom is finding his feet still. He'll regain his form back. Really good signs along with Pat Lipinski also who kicked a couple.

[Greystache]

After 7 games this season;

Billy Gowers

Kicked 10 goals 7
Averaging 11 disposals
4 marks (1 contested)
2 tackles
5 score involvements


Jake Stringer

Kicked 10 goals 6
Averaging 12 disposals
3 marks (1 contested)
3 tackles
5 score involvements

When you consider Stringer is 24 and Gowers is 21 and the rate of improvement of the two players, plus obviously the cultural impact, it's fair to say we're ahead for giving Stringer the boot and replacing him with Gowers.

I know Slobbo and Barrett will read this, but I don't either have the integrity to bring it up this week.

[westdog54]

Gowers had also found the big sticks in every game. Stringer had gone goalless in three games.

[Ozza]

After 7 games this season;

Billy Gowers

Kicked 10 goals 7
Averaging 11 disposals
4 marks (1 contested)
2 tackles
5 score involvements


Jake Stringer

Kicked 10 goals 6
Averaging 12 disposals
3 marks (1 contested)
3 tackles
5 score involvements

When you consider Stringer is 24 and Gowers is 21 and the rate of improvement of the two players, plus obviously the cultural impact, it's fair to say we're ahead for giving Stringer the boot and replacing him with Gowers.

I know Slobbo and Barrett will read this, but I don't either have the integrity to bring it up this week.

The other thing is the pay difference. You'd be getting Gowers for less than half of what Stringer is paid.

Gowers will most likely not ever be able to play at Stringer 2015 levels....but it is probably unlikely that Stringer will either.

[1eyedog]

Billy Gowers vs Tory Dickson? Which one?

[bulldogtragic]

Billy Gowers vs Tory Dickson? Which one?

Fully fit Dickson? Dickson.

[1eyedog]

I have him selected first too, but it isn't as straight forward a choice as it was three weeks ago. Gowers has been very serviceable and I was a critic.

[Mofra]

After 7 games this season;

Billy Gowers

Kicked 10 goals 7
Averaging 11 disposals
4 marks (1 contested)
2 tackles
5 score involvements


Jake Stringer

Kicked 10 goals 6
Averaging 12 disposals
3 marks (1 contested)
3 tackles
5 score involvements

When you consider Stringer is 24 and Gowers is 21 and the rate of improvement of the two players, plus obviously the cultural impact, it's fair to say we're ahead for giving Stringer the boot and replacing him with Gowers.

I know Slobbo and Barrett will read this, but I don't either have the integrity to bring it up this week.
Numbers are a bit skewed as Stringer was good in the first two rounds whilst Gowers was finding his feet in two smashings.
Most of Stringer's tackles are from the first two rounds as well.

On current form Gowers may have just overtaken him.

[bornadog]

Billy Gowers vs Tory Dickson? Which one?

Both, and drop HC :)

[Greystache]

Billy Gowers vs Tory Dickson? Which one?

I think I'll take the guy who's kicked 50 goals in a season, 4 in a prelim, and 3 in a grand final before the young guy who's shown a bit. As for Gowers vs Stringer, I think I'd take Gowers for consistency of effort.

[bulldogtragic]

I think I'll take the guy who's kicked 50 goals in a season, 4 in a prelim, and 3 in a grand final before the young guy who's shown a bit. As for Gowers vs Stringer, I think I'd take Gowers for consistency of effort.

Yep on the last point. But have we still 'lost trade week'.... Maybe we should be thanking Barrett and his flogs for pushing the line that Stringe can come straight in and make a huge difference at trade time. Perhaps Barrett increased Stringer's value? 17 other clubs had opposite view on these bullish claims....

[Twodogs]

Numbers are a bit skewed as Stringer was good in the first two rounds whilst Gowers was finding his feet in two smashings.
Most of Stringer's tackles are from the first two rounds as well.

On current form Gowers may have just overtaken him.

"Most of Stringers (5) tackles" made me laugh. "Most of" seems a contradiction in terms when we mention the massive total of 5 tackles in 8 games.


Either of the Liberatores would have had about 500 tackles by round seven of a season.

[Mofra]

"Most of Stringers (5) tackles" made me laugh. "Most of" seems a contradiction in terms when we mention the massive total of 5 tackles in 8 games.


Either of the Liberatores would have had about 500 tackles by round seven of a season.
He's had 21 tackles - started well with 7 tackles then 5 (first two games). Then 9 tackles in the next 5 games.

Gowers also had 9 tackles in the past 5 games, but had a 3 and a zero before that.

[Twodogs]

He's had 21 tackles - started well with 7 tackles then 5 (first two games). Then 9 tackles in the next 5 games.

Gowers also had 9 tackles in the past 5 games, but had a 3 and a zero before that.

I thought about it after I'd posted and I thought I could remember that Stringer had 7 tackles in a game earlier in the year. I can remember thinking to myself at he time " my god. Not only did Essendon win the trade period, they won it by an innings"

[Mantis]

Numbers are a bit skewed as Stringer was good in the first two rounds whilst Gowers was finding his feet in two smashings.
Most of Stringer's tackles are from the first two rounds as well.

On current form Gowers may have just overtaken him.

Not sure that's correct even though he played majority of the time in the midfield having just 16 & 9 touches and 0 goals.

I'm sort of warming to Gowers, but will wait until we start playing some better teams and judging his performances then before deciding if he is a keeper.

[Cyberdoggie]

Not sure that's correct even though he played majority of the time in the midfield having just 16 & 9 touches and 0 goals.

I'm sort of warming to Gowers, but will wait until we start playing some better teams and judging his performances then before deciding if he is a keeper.

He's obviously very inexperienced but I just want him to back himself more sometimes. Hopefully that confidence comes where he believes he is the one best suited to kick the goals.

[1eyedog]

Dicko has been ordinary since 2016 for a number of reasons. It's fine to select a player on past achievements but the 2016 Dicko seems a world away, and Gowers is on track for 40 goals.

[Remi Moses]

On an even playing field I’d take Dickson, but he just can’t get right .
I’d have Gowers over Stringer in a heartbeat . Just looks like it means more to Bill than it does to Jake .
I actually thought Stringer would have a bit of a honeymoon period , but he’s been underwhelming to say the least

[Twodogs]

On an even playing field I’d take Dickson, but he just can’t get right .
I’d have Gowers over Stringer in a heartbeat . Just looks like it means more to Bill than it does to Jake .
I actually thought Stringer would have a bit of a honeymoon period , but he’s been underwhelming to say the least


Yep I thought a fired up, maybe even chastened, Jake Stringer would kick 60+ in his first year before collapsing under the weight of tickets that himself and the Essendon supporters would have been sticking on him.

[ledge]

Things I find in Gowers is he looks mobile, hungrier , faster and more athletic than Stringer. I would also back Gowers to run down someone more than Stringer.
Dont think we see Stringer going up in pack marks like Gowers who looks like he demands it.
Gowers is a couple of years younger too.
We won this draft with these two by a mile even if you go by attitude alone.

[ReLoad]

Ive really warmed to Gowers, he shows some serious grunt (even if his engine cant handle it at the minute) he also really gives the opposition plenty, he takes no crap and loves standing up for teammates, something our team is very poor at. (who is our resident hard nut?)

Id say Dicko is in a fair bit of trouble if Billy can keep this up. - and its a shame, Dicko can do one thing the rest of the team cant, thats kick straight!

[Mofra]

On an even playing field I’d take Dickson, but he just can’t get right .
I’d have Gowers over Stringer in a heartbeat . Just looks like it means more to Bill than it does to Jake .
I actually thought Stringer would have a bit of a honeymoon period , but he’s been underwhelming to say the least
Stringer was pretty hungry in the first two weeks, laid a lot of tackles but his lack of midfield nous stood out.

What is apparent is that Stringer doesn't make the play, he reacts to it. He can be a star when things are going well but it's very obvious that he's icing, not cake.

Essendon 'won' trade week but let's be honest, for the two second rounders they gave up (equivalent to pick 11 on points) they paid for cake.

[bornadog]

Ive really warmed to Gowers, he shows some serious grunt (even if his engine cant handle it at the minute) he also really gives the opposition plenty, he takes no crap and loves standing up for teammates, something our team is very poor at. (who is our resident hard nut?)

Id say Dicko is in a fair bit of trouble if Billy can keep this up. - and its a shame, Dicko can do one thing the rest of the team cant, thats kick straight!

I think we can have both Dicko and Gowers in the same team.

[LostDoggy]

He's not in the same class, but does anybody else see a little bit of Jim Edmond in the way Gowers plays?

[hujsh]

Things I find in Gowers is he looks mobile, hungrier , faster and more athletic than Stringer. I would also back Gowers to run down someone more than Stringer.
Dont think we see Stringer going up in pack marks like Gowers who looks like he demands it.
Gowers is a couple of years younger too.
We won this draft with these two by a mile even if you go by attitude alone.

Disagree with the bolded. Stringer is quick, quicker than Gowers. We all know it. If that was Stringer playing on in the Carlton game he'd have had the space to get the kick off at goal.

He also goes up for pack marks all the time. He goes the mark of the year route and always drops them but regardless he still goes up

[bornadog]

He's not in the same class, but does anybody else see a little bit of Jim Edmond in the way Gowers plays?

Yeah I do. Jimmy was a pretty good mark for his size as is Gowers, and the way he goes into packs does remind me a bit of Jim.

[Twodogs]

He's not in the same class, but does anybody else see a little bit of Jim Edmond in the way Gowers plays?

I was thinking that the other day. Edmond was a lot stronger but Billy has a lot of similiar attributes. I could see Billy being right up in Gubby Allen's face that time Allen had the World's all time biggest brain fart and passed the ball to Simon Beasley in the goal square when the whole idea was to keep the ball away from the opposition gun full forward and the goalsquare. The way Jimmy Edmond was doing.



He also goes up for pack marks all the time. He goes the mark of the year route and always drops them but regardless he still goes up

Are you talking about Billy or Stringer? Stringer spent a couple of years trying to take the mark of the year after he dropped one against st Kilda.

[hujsh]

Are you talking about Billy or Stringer? Stringer spent a couple of years trying to take the mark of the year after he dropped one against st Kilda.
Stringer. Gowers is solid and holds his marks but I wouldn't consider him to have a massive leap to get up on top of the pack

[ledge]

Disagree with the bolded. Stringer is quick, quicker than Gowers. We all know it. If that was Stringer playing on in the Carlton game he'd have had the space to get the kick off at goal.

He also goes up for pack marks all the time. He goes the mark of the year route and always drops them but regardless he still goes up

When Stringer was younger he did it all but the last two years he waddles when chasing, he hangs out the back and his athleticism has dropped a lot in my view.
Gowers is a couple of years younger and looks like he wants to be an AFL player , Stringer takes it for granted.

[Sedat]

I hope media street can stay away from Billy. He's going well and improving each game but he needs to keep working as hard as possible to get the best out of his career. He's not the finished article by a long stretch.

Very happy with the rate of improvement so far and I hope it can continue - he'll get himself a much deserved new contract and list upgrade if he does.

[Twodogs]

I hope media street can stay away from Billy. He's going well and improving each game but he needs to keep working as hard as possible to get the best out of his career. He's not the finished article by a long stretch.

Very happy with the rate of improvement so far and I hope it can continue - he'll get himself a much deserved new contract and list upgrade if he does.

Too late, he was on The Sunday Footy show a couple of weekends back. Or the c7 version.

[MrMahatma]

Gowers is an inexperienced player on the upward trajectory. He's rough around the edges. Makes loads of mistakes (double 50 anyone?), isn't a great shot at goal.

I think given his apparent determination and work ethic, he'll become a decent player. But not long after Stringer was drafted he was an AA and most of us thought he was a once in a generation player. Stringer has 5x the natural talent of Gowers.

We didn't win that trade, nor did Essendon. Schache is also behind Gowers at the moment.

Stringer is a disappointment. Gowers looks like being a surprise, and that Shache isn't a disappointment.

[Testekill]

Gowers is an inexperienced player on the upward trajectory. He's rough around the edges. Makes loads of mistakes (double 50 anyone?), isn't a great shot at goal.
.

Second 50 was Lipinski

[westdog54]

Second 50 was Lipinski

Yep, can't stand that Gowers is still wearing flack for a 'double 50' he was only partly responsible for.

[Twodogs]

What was the second fifty actually for?

[bornadog]

What was the second fifty actually for?

He ran past the man on the mark within 10 metres

[Twodogs]

He ran past the man on the mark within 10 metres


Mustn't run through the exclusion zone. We are still a million miles ahead on those fiftys after JJ ran through Tom Scully's in the middle of the ground late in the prelim.

[Testekill]

The 10m exclusion zone is far too heavy a punishment; it should be 25m but you can't even trust the umpires to figure out 10 metres let alone 25.

[Twodogs]

The 10m exclusion zone is far too heavy a punishment; it should be 25m but you can't even trust the umpires to figure out 10 metres let alone 25.


I asked about umpires estimating how long 50 metres was and whether they trained in depth perception or whatever it that allows you to guess distances and was told, for what it is worth, that each cross section of cut grass is ten metres so the umpire just has to count off five of them.

[LostDoggy]

I asked about umpires estimating how long 50 metres was and whether they trained in depth perception or whatever it that allows you to guess distances and was told, for what it is worth, that each cross section of cut grass is ten metres so the umpire just has to count off five of them.
They must have problems counting to 5 then. Sometimes they give 30 metres, sometimes 60, or anywhere in between....

[Twodogs]

They must have problems counting to 5 then. Sometimes they give 30 metres, sometimes 60, or anywhere in between....


The varying distances meted out is why I asked. The answer makes sense but I'm not sure that the umpires always do.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Gowers seems to start games well and then fades out - his fitness is clearly lacking if you watch him closely, but this in itself is a good sign because when the players are fresh and the kitchen is hot Gowers is typically in the thick of the action.

He's got some obvious flaws but he's growing on me as a hard at it, strong leading/marking, goal-a-game player.

[bornadog]

Gowers seems to start games well and then fades out - his fitness is clearly lacking if you watch him closely, but this in itself is a good sign because when the players are fresh and the kitchen is hot Gowers is typically in the thick of the action.

He's got some obvious flaws but he's growing on me as a hard at it, strong leading/marking, goal-a-game player.

One of only a handful of players that have achieved that so far this season.

[Mantis]

One of only a handful of players that have achieved that so far this season.

How many players are there in the comp that are pretty much purely forwards? Wouldn't be many.

[bornadog]

How many players are there in the comp that are pretty much purely forwards? Wouldn't be many.

Well they aren't kicking goals every week. 18 teams, maybe 3 per team, say 54 and Gowers a first year player with 7 games to his name.

[LostDoggy]

I think Billy can be better than a goal a game player. This year he has gone 1-1-1-1-2-2-2. Hopefully a break out 4 or more goal isn't far away. He can easily be a 35-40 goal player for us this year. He has also had 5 direct goal assists in the past 3 weeks. If he can be kicking/directly assisting 50+ goals, he will be very valuable.

[Mofra]

I think Billy can be better than a goal a game player. This year he has gone 1-1-1-1-2-2-2. Hopefully a break out 4 or more goal isn't far away. He can easily be a 35-40 goal player for us this year. He has also had 5 direct goal assists in the past 3 weeks. If he can be kicking/directly assisting 50+ goals, he will be very valuable.
A goal a game player will likely win out goal kicking award this year - and would have likely won it last year.

We should all be celebrating the fact we've managed to snag a solid player, a goal kicker which we lack, with a rookie pick. He's shown far more than many of our rookies have over the years and it's his first year on the list.

Not to mention he is very far from the finished product. Since round 3 he's above par for accuracy too which again is something we sorely lack.

[Bulldog4life]

Bill has certainly surprised me this year with his goal kicking nous, marking and aggressive nature. Plus there is huge upside for him as well as he gets more pre seasons into himself. A good pick up. Plus I am enjoying watching him play.

[Twodogs]

Bill has certainly surprised me this year with his goal kicking nous, marking and aggressive nature. Plus there is huge upside for him as well as he gets more pre seasons into himself. A good pick up. Plus I am enjoying watching him play.

That's a good call. I hadn't really thought bout because footy is played for sheep stations and you get a it caught up in it but I do like watching Billy play.

[soupman]

That's a good call. I hadn't really thought bout because footy is played for sheep stations and you get a it caught up in it but I do like watching Billy play.

Completely agree. Even when he stuffs up I like it cause he does it with such enthusiasm. When he played on against Carlton I wasn't even mad, it was hilarious.

[SonofScray]

We are getting good value out of Gilly Bowers. It's not fair on him, but I remain unconvinced at this level, clearly he has a nose for goal which I love, but can't trust him yet. That said, have a lot of respect for his work rate and appetite for the contest, doing plenty right.

Can anyone recall if Jason Watts was any good? He was an unlikely leading goal kicker circa 94/95 if I recall correctly. In my memory he wasn't great, but did his job in a team lacking firepower. I was just a kid though, so would love to hear if there are any memories, or comparison to Gowers?

[Twodogs]

Completely agree. Even when he stuffs up I like it cause he does it with such enthusiasm. When he played on against Carlton I wasn't even mad, it was hilarious.

I expected him to play on. He was one player away from being goal side with no opponent between him and the sticks and running at top place. The idea was good the instinct to take the game on was there and that situation works out to the attacking player's advantage more than the defender's.

And Billy is only a 50/50 chance with a set shot from that distance. If the same thing happened I reckon Billy would do the same thing again.

[LostDoggy]

We are getting good value out of Gilly Bowers. It's not fair on him, but I remain unconvinced at this level, clearly he has a nose for goal which I love, but can't trust him yet. That said, have a lot of respect for his work rate and appetite for the contest, doing plenty right.

Can anyone recall if Jason Watts was any good? He was an unlikely leading goal kicker circa 94/95 if I recall correctly. In my memory he wasn't great, but did his job in a team lacking firepower. I was just a kid though, so would love to hear if there are any memories, or comparison to Gowers?

Watts was a strange one. He had a couple of solid years with us as a no frills small/mid defender who seemed an honest trier with a modest skill level. Then in 1996, a horrid year, he was thrown forward (presumably in desperation) and he turned out to be a leading forward who could steal a crafty goal in a Tory Dickson kind of way. He kicked over 40 goals for the year, but Paul Hudson came the next year and he hardly got another game.

[ratsmac]

I expected him to play on. He was one player away from being goal side with no opponent between him and the sticks and running at top place. The idea was good the instinct to take the game on was there and that situation works out to the attacking player's advantage more than the defender's.

And Billy is only a 50/50 chance with a set shot from that distance. If the same thing happened I reckon Billy would do the same thing again.

He just needs to learn the JJ goose step to get the defender off his arse next time.

[Twodogs]

He just needs to learn the JJ goose step to get the defender off his arse next time.

Yeah, he basically got 3/4s of what he was trying to do wrong, it's just the 1/4 he got wrong looked really, really bad.

[Remi Moses]

Disagree with the bolded. Stringer is quick, quicker than Gowers. We all know it. If that was Stringer playing on in the Carlton game he'd have had the space to get the kick off at goal.

He also goes up for pack marks all the time. He goes the mark of the year route and always drops them but regardless he still goes up
Jake stringer avoided contact in pack marks often in the last two years . Noticed by a few as well

[Twodogs]

Jake stringer avoided contact in pack marks often in the last two years . Noticed by a few as well

Ever since May cleaned him up at the Gold Coast.

[Greystache]

He's in front of Stringer for goals for 2018 after 8 games.

[macca]

It would be interesting to see the other stats as comparison like:
tackles
goal assists
marks

etc...

[lemmon]

It would be interesting to see the other stats as comparison like:
tackles
goal assists
marks

etc...

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?playerStatus1=A&tid1=8&pid1=4106&fid1=S&playerStatus2=A&tid2=6&pid2=3799&fid2=S&type=A

Very similiar. Jake gets him for disposals and tackles, Billy takes more marks and edges him on goal assists and goals.

Billy also averaging 3 clangers from his 11 disposals - something he needs to clean up.

[GVGjr]

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?playerStatus1=A&tid1=8&pid1=4106&fid1=S&playerStatus2=A&tid2=6&pid2=3799&fid2=S&type=A

Very similiar. Jake gets him for disposals and tackles, Billy takes more marks and edges him on goal assists and goals.

Billy also averaging 3 clangers from his 11 disposals - something he needs to clean up.

They are very close on many of the stats. Interestingly Stringer is under pressure in holding his spot and Gowers is regarded as one of our better performed players.

[Mofra]

They are very close on many of the stats. Interestingly Stringer is under pressure in holding his spot and Gowers is regarded as one of our better performed players.
Compare them since round 2 or round 4 and it becomes clear.

Stringer cheats, wants easy ball out the back. Gowers works to make contests, they are vastly different players with a vastly different workrate.

[macca]

They are very close on many of the stats. Interestingly Stringer is under pressure in holding his spot and Gowers is regarded as one of our better performed players.

Further breakdown, with averages for 2018 collated.
Points to note:
* CL- Gowers higher clangers ( something he will look to improve) 1.2 vs 0.8
*I50- Gowers higher I50 3 vs 2.1
*CG- Stringer higher contested marks 1.8 vs 0.4
*M- Marks - stringer higher 12.6 vs 11.2
Goals Total:
Gowers 12.8
Stringer 10.7

stats unformatted from footywire (https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?playerStatus1=A&tid1=8&pid1=4106&fid1=S&playerStatus2=A&tid2=6&pid2=3799&fid2=S&type=A)

...........K..HB..D....M....G....GA..B.....T...HO...FF...FA. ..CL...CG...I50..R50
Stringer 8 7.5 5.1 12.6 3.0 1.2 0.4 0.9 2.8 0 0.8 0.8 1.8 2.1 1.8
Gowers 8 7.5 3.8 11.2 4.5 1.5 0.8 1.0 1.8 0.1 0.5 1.2 0.4 3 1.9

[bulldogtragic]

Stringer: Cost to pick up, Picks 25 & 30 (Effectively Josh Schache, and extra draft assets towards getting Ed Richards) - $400,000 to $500,000 a year - 97 games experience and 6.5 years in the AFL environment

Gowers: Cost to pick up, Pick 9 Rookie Draft - Rookie wage plus games - 8 games experience - 2.5 years in the AFL environment

For the stats be nearly identical should embarrass Stringer and Essendon. But they have no shame.

[GVGjr]

Compare them since round 2 or round 4 and it becomes clear.

Stringer cheats, wants easy ball out the back. Gowers works to make contests, they are vastly different players with a vastly different workrate.

That's one of the reasons why the quoting stats don't necessarily work. I often read here that a player only had 6 kicks as a reason why they should be dropped and yet there are number of other considerations that should be in the mix.

[Mofra]

That's one of the reasons why the quoting stats don't necessarily work. I often read here that a player only had 6 kicks as a reason why they should be dropped and yet there are number of other considerations that should be in the mix.
Stringer had a huge tackle count in the first two games too which skews the stats, especially given Gowers was debuting and finding his feet at AFL level.
With each week Gowers improves and Stringer looks lazier - and the drums are beating for Stringer to be dropped this week.

[Funke disco]

If Stringer is dropped this week then I'm calling it.... there will be no coming back for him... he will eventually be a bust with the bombers. He just isn't a fighter. He is a player that was able to cruise through his junior years on the back of his talent and physical prowess. That doesn't cut it in the AFL as he has learnt and is no longer given the leniency of youth and development he was allowed pre 2016. I couldnt understand trading him out but trusted Bevo, now with the arrival of Billy Gowers and the continued regression of Stringer it was the right choice and the club is currently being vindicated for its trade decision.

[Twodogs]

If Stringer is dropped this week then I'm calling it.... there will be no coming back for him... he will eventually be a bust with the bombers. He just isn't a fighter. He is a player that was able to cruise through his junior years on the back of his talent and physical prowess. That doesn't cut it in the AFL as he has learnt and is no longer given the leniency of youth and development he was allowed pre 2016. I couldnt understand trading him out but trusted Bevo, now with the arrival of Billy Gowers and the continued regression of Stringer it was the right choice and the club is currently being vindicated for its trade decision.

Well said FD. I was shocked frankly (and a bit annoyed) when we did actually trade Stringer out. I thought the whole thing was to give him a well aimed kick up the backside. Bit in Bevo we trust because Jake hasn't fired a shot at Essendon.

[Sedat]

If Stringer is dropped this week then I'm calling it.... there will be no coming back for him... he will eventually be a bust with the bombers. He just isn't a fighter. He is a player that was able to cruise through his junior years on the back of his talent and physical prowess. That doesn't cut it in the AFL as he has learnt and is no longer given the leniency of youth and development he was allowed pre 2016. I couldnt understand trading him out but trusted Bevo, now with the arrival of Billy Gowers and the continued regression of Stringer it was the right choice and the club is currently being vindicated for its trade decision.
Essendon and the wider football meedya can talk shit all day about 'only' giving up two 2nd round picks for Stringer, but without trading out Stringer and using that currency to trade with Carlton we simply don't get Richards. That's a huge win on its own, let alone freeing up 600k salary off the books to invest in other players worthy of a pay rise, getting a free hit on Schache and investing game time on a speculative young player who is improving every week in Stringer's old role.

Essendon's absurd trading strategy also cost them the chance of getting Richards, Jack Higgins and some guy by the name of Tim Kelly, who is already killing the competition as an elite midfielder, an area of the ground that the Bombers are spectacularly deficient in.

Fark them.

[Ozza]

Pretty handy couple of half-volley pick ups from Billy on the weekend. Very sharp.

[LostDoggy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO0CLEqcROk

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO0CLEqcROk)
Pretty handy couple of half-volley pick ups from Billy on the weekend. Very sharp.

How good was the one at 2.50 as above.

[westdog54]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO0CLEqcROk

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO0CLEqcROk)

How good was the one at 2.50 as above.

Its the sort of clean hands you simply don't expect from a rookie.

[bornadog]

What I like about Billy is when he is going for the ball, there is a bit of presence about him. You can him see him charging towards the ball and it is a bit like "Get out of my way, here I come".

After only 8 games in the AFL, I am pleased with this rookie player - well done Bevo for pushing to recruit him and at very little cost.

[Twodogs]

I watched Billy for a bit of last year and he was doing all this for Footscray, he was a one clean grab mark, good below his knees and had a bit of footy nous and a lot of mongrel. He was really impressive in the finals. I wouldn't have rookied him though because of his set shorts. I'm glad I'm not in charge of recruiting about four or five times a year I reckon.

Billy is our Cyril Rioli, he doesn't get a lot of touches but every touch he has is magic.

[bornadog]

I watched Billy for a bit of last year and he was doing all this for Footscray, he was a one clean grab mark, good below his knees and had a bit of footy nous and a lot of mongrel. He was really impressive in the finals. I wouldn't have rookied him though because of his set shorts. I'm glad I'm not in charge of recruiting about four or five times a year I reckon.

Billy is our Cyril Rioli, he doesn't get a lot of touches but every touch he has is magic.

They are strange, bit like Eddie's shorts :D

[bornadog]

Selecting Billy Gowers in last year’s rookie draft dramatically changed the Western Bulldogs (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/selecting-billy-gowers-in-last-years-rookie-draft-dramatically-changed-the-western-bulldogs/news-story/2935a74763d261575d4f387a0b9391f5)


LUKE Beveridge sent a text to Billy Gowers a week before last November’s rookie draft, inviting him to dinner.

Gowers, 21, had spent two turbulent years under three senior coaches as a Carlton rookie and was the final player cut in late 2016.

Then, as he worked full-time in real estate, the strong-bodied Xavier College product blossomed under Beveridge’s nose in the Footscray VFL side.

Beveridge, now a premiership coach at the Western Bulldogs, had kept an eye on Gowers but wanted to know what made him tick.

“It was the week before the rookie draft and I had only just got to work and he messaged me saying, ‘I would love to catch up for dinner and have a chat’,” Gowers recalled this week.

“I went around to his place and his wife Dana cooked up a nice meal and we had a one-on-one chat about what had been going on for the 10-12 months since I had been delisted by Carlton. He was generally interested in me and what I had been doing and what I was thinking.

“I had spoken to my manager and I thought it was a bit of a job interview, so I went in quite prepared and left thinking, ‘That was completely different to what I was expecting’.

“He wanted to know if I had enjoyed my footy at Footscray, about my work life. Some people forget that some blokes don’t want to play AFL again after they have experienced it already.

“I was expecting hard-hitting questions, but he is just so caring and knowledgeable about a lot of things — obviously footy, but the other side of things with day-to-day life.

“So I think that night was to make sure I was fully on board and whether I really wanted to prove myself as a footballer and person again.”

Eight rounds into this season, you can take it as read that Billy Gowers MkII is fully on board.
Not only has he kicked a goal in every game (two in each of his past four) he leads the Dogs’ goal tally with 12.

Last weekend against Brisbane, the son of former Hawk and Lion Andrew Gowers looked the most assured and dynamic forward on the ground.

Effectively, he is playing Jake Stringer’s former role at perhaps a quarter of his salary and with demonstrably less histrionics.

To be frank, his recruitment was the subject of a significant power struggle between Beveridge and recruiter Simon Dalrymple, but more of that later.

So back to that dinner at the Beveridge house and whether it contained any hidden traps.

“It was beautiful, slow cooked lamb and sweet potatoes and a nice salad,” Gowers said. “She even offered me some chocolate Lindt balls, but I didn’t take them. I thought, ‘That might have been a little test, so I thought I won’t do that’.”

A frothy or a cheeky glass or shiraz?

“Yeah, he offered me a stubby, but I was driving so that was my excuse,” Gowers replied.

If he looks a Stringer clone, it is no coincidence. As the Dogs were going through their list management battles late in the season, they knew Stringer was probably on the outer.

Beveridge kept coming back to this kid from the VFL and what he could do for the Dogs’ forward line. He wanted Gowers as the club’s first and only rookie pick.

Dalrymple had been scouting another young player all year and strongly felt he deserved the right to select the player his recruiting team had at the top of their list.

An insider laughed as he described the “robust discussions” that took place as coach and recruiter considered who they would take.

They effectively resulted in Dalrymple being overruled and Gowers taken over the other young player, who remains undrafted but likely to emerge on a club list this November.

Dalrymple was contracted for 2018 but left for Sydney, believing Beveridge had broken his own rule about “letting the bakers bake”.

He believed he had built up enough credits through rookie picks Jason Johannisen and Luke Dahlhaus to be handed the power to select the Dogs’ only rookie pick last year.

It was the final straw, and Sam Power now is at the top of a list management structure as the “single point of responsibility for decisions”, as Western Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains described it.

They are the kind of internal power struggles that must be so commonplace in football, but rarely emerge publicly.
What is beyond question is that right now Gowers looks a player.

As Kevin Sheedy has often said, the recruiter could pick someone, but Sheedy as senior coach had to want to play him.

Alastair Clarkson overruled list manager Chris Pelchen to recruit Stuart Dew, and it won Hawthorn the 2008 premiership.
For his part, Gowers is just happy Beveridge wanted him.

“I really don’t know about that, to be honest,’’ he said of the power struggle.
“Maybe it might give you a bit more confidence, but once you are at the club you still have to earn the respect of all the coaches and players.”

Gowers credits the Dogs’ VFL affiliate with reigniting his love for the game, a year spent working with real estate firm Vic Prop selling and leasing properties giving him a taste of the real world.

“It feels like it was a lifetime ago I was at Carlton,” he said. “It was only a year and a half ago and I am still finding my feet with adapting to full-time footy again but, in saying that, I am loving it.

“I have been asked the question of what went wrong at Carlton, but I think it was a bit of a maturity thing.

“There were heaps of changes in a short amount of time, three senior coaches in two years, a heap of different development coaches, senior assistants. Only 13 or 14 blokes are still there from when I was there, which is an amazing stat.

“Ultimately I wasn’t playing well enough to keep my spot and yet technically I was the last bloke not to get picked. It was out of me and Andrew Gallucci and he took that rookie spot.”

This time around Gowers doesn’t want to leave anything to chance.

“Last year was about enjoying my footy and this year I want to be a regular player in the team and give value for effort and be of value to the club.”

[Axe Man]

Fascinating about the Bevo/Dalrymple disagreement. I wonder if we will ever find out who the player Dalrymple wanted was? So far so good on the Gowers decision but really we should have made room for Dal's pick as well rather than carrying a couple of players a season too long like we always do (R Smith, Lynch come to mind).

[bornadog]

Fascinating about the Bevo/Dalrymple disagreement. I wonder if we will ever find out who the player Dalrymple wanted was? So far so good on the Gowers decision but really we should have made room for Dal's pick as well rather than carrying a couple of players a season too long like we always do (R Smith, Lynch come to mind).

I don't mind what Bevo wanted to do, it was a rookie pick.

BMacc insisted our first round pick would be Clay Smith and virtually overruled Dal.

Did Dal sook over this one, or was it time to leave.

[westdog54]

That's a brilliant article. I hate to admit it but Jon Ralph has done a superb job with this one.

I love the 'histrionics' swipe at Stringer.

Interesting that Dalrymple's man remains undrafted. I'm sure that that story will come out when and if he's selected this year. For now it seems Bevo's stance is set to pay dividends.

[LostDoggy]

Whoever Dal's pick was, he rated him below all the draft picks, including Porter. Hard to go against Bevo's call looking the right one at this stage.

If Dal did have his heart set on another youngster, I wonder if we considered dropping a R.Smith or Lynch down to Footscray to open up a rookie spot. May be tough on Smith/Lynch, but at least they'll still be around the system and possibly open for a re-rookieing next year if their form warrants it.

[Ozza]

Its a tricky one. Yes, it would appear - at least at this stage - that picking up Gowers in the rookie draft was a good decision.

However, conceptually, it would be very difficult to work in an environment where someone is coming in and overruling you on your specialty area. Dalrymple and the team under him do a mountain of work, all year, to essentially make about 5 decisions (picks) in November. It would be hard to be non-emotional about the circumstances that have occurred there.

[Twodogs]

Quick question. Dal selects a kid and decides that he would be much better playing this kid at full forward, rather than at full back where Bevo is playing him. He goes to the Director of Football and explains the situation and the DOF agrees with Dal and orders Bevo to play the kid (there is no kid, none if this happened, I'm purely interested in an academic fashion) at full forward.

What would happen in that situation?

[jeemak]

Quick question. Dal selects a kid and decides that he would be much better playing this kid at full forward, rather than at full back where Bevo is playing him. He goes to the Director of Football and explains the situation and the DOF agrees with Dal and orders Bevo to play the kid (there is no kid, none if this happened, I'm purely interested in an academic fashion) at full forward.

What would happen in that situation?

Bevo would tell everyone to GTFO.

It's not an ideal situation, the one described within the article. Hard and fast rules around list management decisions are difficult to manage and without knowing whether the rookie Dalrymple had in mind was an equivalent type of player to Gowers, not sure how you can determine who was right and who was wrong.

If the coach always intended to play Gowers at some point this year, then you would say it made sense to rookie him if a primary list spot wasn't available over someone he potentially had no intention of playing and in all likelihood (by AFL standards generally) would struggle to play an AFL game anyway.

[Twodogs]

Correct response, coaching is Bevo's responsibility and he should brook no interference.

Ideally we should have had more than one Rookie spot. If I was Dal I put in that situation I guess my response would have been to say they should have cut deeper and freed up more spots at trade time. I wonder how much it had to do with Dal scooting up to Sydney with a year to go on his contract?

[Happy Days]

Remember when McCartney did this except with our first round pick?

[bornadog]

Correct response, coaching is Bevo's responsibility and he should brook no interference.

Ideally we should have had more than one Rookie spot. If I was Dal I put in that situation I guess my response would have been to say they should have cut deeper and freed up more spots at trade time. I wonder how much it had to do with Dal scooting up to Sydney with a year to go on his contract?

Bevo is coach and has to coach these players, he wanted Gowers and he has the right to override. Good enough for me.

[jeemak]

Remember when McCartney did this except with our first round pick?

It was a good move too. Just a shame Smith banged his knee up so many times, albeit being a major factor in our preliminary final and grand final wins.

I think at the time Dal was interested in Crozier at the Smith pick, but don't quote me on that.

[bornadog]

It was a good move too. Just a shame Smith banged his knee up so many times, albeit being a major factor in our preliminary final and grand final wins.

I think at the time Dal was interested in Crozier at the Smith pick, but don't quote me on that.

Yes he was

[LostDoggy]

I reckon Billy might be very influential tonight. With 3 talls, Boyd should be forward more which should give BG a bit more space and opportunity. I reckon he might go alright in the wet too, he holds his feet, can use his body and has good hands.

[Happy Days]

It was a good move too. Just a shame Smith banged his knee up so many times, albeit being a major factor in our preliminary final and grand final wins.

I think at the time Dal was interested in Crozier at the Smith pick, but don't quote me on that.

I guess he was right to do it given Dal drafted Mick Talia with his next pick. On purpose.

[chef]

What an inspired choice by Bevo.

[anfo27]

What an inspired choice by Bevo.

He's exciting to watch isn't he? Have liked seeing him spend time in the midfield. He's so dynamic Billy!

[Go_Dogs]

Billy Goat has been very impressive the last few weeks. He's kicked some great goals and has added another string to this bow - probably worth noting he's been able to make a bigger midfield impact than the package did in a much shorter space of time.

[boydogs]

Billy Goat has been very impressive the last few weeks. He's kicked some great goals and has added another string to this bow - probably worth noting he's been able to make a bigger midfield impact than the package did in a much shorter space of time.

I think Billy will always get the Stringer comparisons because he was more or less his replacement in the side, but they're reasonably similar players too. Quick, long kick, strong, but not that tall

[Testekill]

I think Billy will always get the Stringer comparisons because he was more or less his replacement in the side, but they're reasonably similar players too. Quick, long kick, strong, but not that tall

Except Gowers actually uses his strength in the contest, Stringer went the fend sometimes but he's a shocking contested mark while Gowers is pretty reliable one out.

[bornadog]

Except Gowers actually uses his strength in the contest, Stringer went the fend sometimes but he's a shocking contested mark while Gowers is pretty reliable one out.

Stringer doesn't like body contact

[Twodogs]

Stringer doesn't like body contact


To be fair he didn't mind it until that thug Stephen May heroically attacked Stringer from behind and dislocated his shoulder. Before that Stringer loved edging blokes out of the contest and swooping on the loose ball.

[bornadog]

To be fair he didn't mind it until that thug Stephen May heroically attacked Stringer from behind and dislocated his shoulder. Before that Stringer loved edging blokes out of the contest and swooping on the loose ball.

May hit him from the side, it was a fair bump.

[Twodogs]

May hit him from the side, it was a fair bump.

You reckon? Next time I see you we can reproduce it, I will be May and you can be Stringer and then you can tell me again that it was a fair bump. :)

From where I sat Stringer is going back and watching the the ball and May lines him up in as cynical a fashion as I have seen. May may have hit him from the side but he still lined him up and took him out from a place where Stringer couldn't see him.

[bornadog]

You reckon? Next time I see you we can reproduce it, I will be May and you can be Stringer and then you can tell me again that it was a fair bump. :)

From where I sat Stringer is going back and watching the the ball and May lines him up in as cynical a fashion as I have seen. May may have hit him from the side but he still lined him up and took him out from a place where Stringer couldn't see him.

Check the vision, around 6.25 ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p07SfDytU0

[Twodogs]

Must be earlier than 6.25. that's when it runs out.

[bornadog]

Must be earlier than 6.25. that's when it runs out.

Sorry, I looked at the wrong number. Around 4.00min. You will see it was a legit bump.

[MrMahatma]

Fair bump

Gowers has proven me wrong and has a lot of value to give. Great selection, great development, strong first year.

[Topdog]

Sorry, I looked at the wrong number. Around 4.00min. You will see it was a legit bump.

Surely that isnt the hit that has been spoken about on here for the last 2 years?

Thats a legit fair bump doing a kick. TwoDogs referenced watching the ball so I assume it is waiting for a mark.

[bornadog]

Surely that isnt the hit that has been spoken about on here for the last 2 years?

Thats a legit fair bump doing a kick. TwoDogs referenced watching the ball so I assume it is waiting for a mark.

That is the one. I don't remember May hitting Stringer any other time.

[Greystache]

The head to head battle rolls into the final 3rd of the season.

Gowers

Games 14
Goals 20
Ave disposals 12.9
Ave marks 4.6
Ave goal assists per game 0.6
Ave score involvement 5
Ave tackles 1.9
Ave clanger 3.3


Stringer

Games 14
Goals 23
Ave disposals 15.2
Ave marks 3.8
Ave goal assists per game 0.5
Ave score involvement 6
Ave tackles 3.1
Ave clanger 3.2

Given Gowers rate of improvement, age, lack of experience, cultural impact, salary, and cost to recruit Bulldogs are well in front.

One of them also looks like this
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/55972e1ef412dc15b4f34d1004238927?width=1024

and has added this touch of class over the week- Yes it's a "bling grill" mouthguard. Classy!

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/fadb867c-121d-407a-bc51-fc3286f034cd.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

[Twodogs]

That tattoo looks like more one of those stream of consciousness animations that Terry Gilham did on Monty Python. They usually ended with a big boot squashing everything.

[bulldogtragic]

Gowers

Rookie Salary & match fees


Stringer

$600,000


Is that crazy value for us? Is that crazy bad value for Essendon? Or both?

[whythelongface]

Love Billy Gowers already. Hard at it and enthusiastic. Love that he is also that little bit arrogant.

Fair to say that he is still a work in progress with a lot of upside. His kicking for goal seems to have improved in the last few weeks as well.

[Twodogs]

Gowers

Rookie Salary & match fees


Stringer

$600,000


Is that crazy value for us? Is that crazy bad value for Essendon? Or both?

Yeah, nah, a bit of column A, a bit of column B.

[hujsh]

Adding to Gowers case is the way we've gone on the scoreboard this year and our horrible movement inside 50. Also the quality of players in their respective forwardlines. Gowers has a harder job and until the last couple weeks was ahead on the scoreboard.

Stringer is cashing in as part of a high scoring team.

[bornadog]

Adding to Gowers case is the way we've gone on the scoreboard this year and our horrible movement inside 50. Also the quality of players in their respective forwardlines. Gowers has a harder job and until the last couple weeks was ahead on the scoreboard.

Stringer is cashing in as part of a high scoring team.

I watched part of the North v Essendon game last week, and Stringer was still hanging out the back to get the easy goal. He has been tried in the midfield but he has lost pace and put on a lot of weight.

As for Gowers, he has some flaws, but he is a first year player and is getting better all the time.

[ledge]

I had a chat to Billy G the other week at a VFL game , he might seem arrogant on the field but he came across a little shy but very friendly and quite a modest kid.
I asked him about his dad etc he was very open.

[Sedat]

I've liked the cut of his jib since R1 while acknowledging he needed to get more involved more often and for longer in games. He has certainly improved significantly on that score as the season has progressed. I've been shocked at his impact and importance to the team through the midfield over the last 2 weeks especially, in an area we have been crying out for some additional numbers. He looks a conplete natural through the middle and has a great combination of football nous and athletic power to continue improving in this area.

He's still got plenty of upside for a lightly raced 21yo. Exciting.

[ledge]

Hard to believe Carlton couldn't see this in him.
Then again they don't see a lot in footballers who can kick goals.
The tradition continues.

[Bulldog4life]

Apart from his playing prowess I love Bill's enthusiasm for the contest and his bullish way of giving it to the opposition. Mitch Wallis mentioned on television on Sunday that Billy was a leader too. A great compliment for a player just starting out too.

[Mofra]

Apart from his playing prowess I love Bill's enthusiasm for the contest and his bullish way of giving it to the opposition. Mitch Wallis mentioned on television on Sunday that Billy was a leader too. A great compliment for a player just starting out too.
Brad Lynch also mentioned he plays like a 200 game player and was the first on gameday to settle him down pre-game.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Love ya Billy.

[soupman]

Love that he always gives a contest. If it's in his vicinity he will almost always have an influence on the contest, and despite his mistakes I love that unlike many on our list he isn't afraid to try stuff and back himself in when he gets it.

[bulldogtragic]

Here is your 2018 WBFC Leading Goal Kicking Medalist

20 Games
26 Goals - 20 Behinds

(2017 was 24 Goals by Picken & Stringer - So he's the highest single year goal kicker for two full seasons. In his first year as a rookie)

[bulldogtragic]

Or another way to put it.... In the years since the Premiership, no senior listed or rookie listed player has kicked more goals than Billy Gowers.

[merantau]

Billy Gowers has had an excellent first year. Like the way he plays.

[Eastdog]

Billy Gowers has had an excellent first year. Like the way he plays.

Really good year. Great presence he has been up forward. Scored a goal at least in the first 8 rounds of the year.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Billy has fractured his wrist in a car accident. I now understand the joke on Instagram where he was asking when preseason starts.

This year's leading goalkicker will be sidelined for a short period as he recovers http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-11-02/exciting-bulldog-fractures-wrist-in-car-accident

[bulldogtragic]

What is it with car crashes lately? Smith & Collins (I think was the passenger) English & now Gowers.

[GVGjr]

What is it with car crashes lately? Smith & Collins (I think was the passenger) English & now Gowers.

Looking at the phones might be one explanation :) Hopefully this won't impact Gowers too much and the good news is everyone is OK.

[Twodogs]

What is it with car crashes lately? Smith & Collins (I think was the passenger) English & now Gowers.

Actually there are a lot of car accidents lately now that you mention it.

[S Coast Simon]

Glad he is ok. I really like the way he attacks the ball. He has that get out of my way attitude we need. Remember Max Rooke used to put fear in the opposition with his tackling. Just watched the last Quarter of the prelim and the Grand final. We were ferocious at the ball and the man. We really miss M Boyd. He was a brick wall to try get past. Hope billy has a big year and no second year blues