Johannisen - Where does he play in 2018?

[GVGjr]

Jason Johannisen is one of our most talented players and with the retirement of both Robert Murphy and Matthew Boyd the most logical position to play him in 2018 as an attacking defender, a role that he has built his footy reputation on.

I would actually like to see us play as a half forward flanker and be a regular contributor to the scoreboard which is an area I think we could struggle with. JJ's energetic approach and his ability to kick some goals could be a real spark plug for us.
This would leave us with the likes of Wood, Sucking, Crozier, Williams, Biggs and maybe Webb to hold down the back flank and back pocket positions.

I know we are weakening one area to hopefully strengthen another but I think it's worth considering

What role would you have JJ playing for us in 2018 and why do you think that is best for the team?

[S Coast Simon]

I would like to see him up a bit further as well. Even to a wing where he can run and deliver into the 50 or even launch them from the 50

[bornadog]

I prefer to see him stay on the HBF and create movement of he ball from the backline and set up a few scoring chances for others.

[Twodogs]

I prefer to see him stay on the HBF and create movement of he ball from the backline and set up a few scoring chances for others.


Yep. I'd like to see him playing that linking role taking the ball out of defence and into the forward line. Sometimes our entire defensive strategy seems to revolve around getting the ball into JJ's hands and getting him to run out of the backline. I'd prefer to leave JJ where he does the most damage and develop other half forward options.

I'm not overly stressed about it though. I'd be happy to see JJ go forward, I'd just rather we played him in his best position.

[hujsh]

I worry that he blazes away too often for little gain. If he plays forward we'd need him to fix that.

Also he's not been hitting targets too consistently which would be nice going forward (but won't matter if we continue to bomb it in)

[Bulldog Joe]

I would be happy to see him more forward or wing. He can take a nice mark and be a real goal scoring option.

I see Bailey Williams as the player who should be ready to take the running half back delivering the ball forward.

[Go_Dogs]

I've voted him to play forward, where I think we can use his speed, long kicking and scoreboard impact.

Too often he was quelled as a defender in 2017, so a bit more freedom and licence to run (which doesn't mean he can't work back and play from behind the ball at times during a game) is what I'd like to see. The point we've lost some key backline players from our 2015-2017 sides is true, but we've also lost a bit up front which negates it.

With the likes of Biggs, Williams and Wood (who can hopefully capture his run again) we should have sufficient options down back.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

It's an interesting one.

For his development as a player, JJ should be pushed up to the wing with stints at half forward. In simplistic terms, you use your most damaging players in areas where they can actually inflict the most damage - mid/forward. Last year was certainly a learning curve for him and there is argument to suggest that teams have now found ways to quell his impact as a running half back.

There will still be times we need to send JJ down back, but I'd like to see his response to playing up the field. We lack pace all over the ground and no doubt he leaves a hole in defense, but perhaps that's why we've recruited the likes of Crozier.

He has shown an ability to kick goals and mark overhead and he typically runs to pretty good spots, so it's time to see if we can really exploit JJ into becoming an elite mid/forward and not just an elite half back.

[boydogs]

Attack starts from defense in the modern game. Our best chance of kicking winning scores is fast breaks. Need JJ down back for that

[jeemak]

I've chosen week to week, where we need him. To me that is mainly deep back to high half forward.

One thing I'd like to see him do is start high half forward, run deep forward and then lead at the carrier with some speed to get him a scoring chance within the forward 50m. He's a fairly reasonable set shot, and by my reckoning, one of only two or three players on the list who could possibly get some separation from an opponent when the ball is being carried forward in open space and then be trusted to go close to converting if given the chance.

It's not something that would work all the time but might work once or twice a game, particularly on the larger grounds. It's likely in this role he won't be given a genuine defender until it looks as if it's a pattern we're going with. As soon as that happens we'd push him back up the ground or into defence.

He has a Norm under his belt, is in the leadership group, and should be primed to have a good year where ever we play him outside of the corridor.

[GVGjr]

How many players play in different positions each week? I'd say it's a very difficult skill to master.

I see the merit of him moving around a bit but I'd prefer to see him play mainly in one position.

[jeemak]

How many players play in different positions each week? I'd say it's a very difficult skill to master.

I see the merit of him moving around a bit but I'd prefer to see him play mainly in one position.

There's no reason why seasoned players shouldn't be able to get into the groove in multiple positions on a weekly basis. The way match ups work week to week, alongside ground set up week to week, no single position is played the same way week to week.

[SonofScray]

I'd seriously consider shifting him to a HFF. Watched a few replays and felt his most damaging footy in 2017 was up the field, more so than off the HBF where we have seen the bulk of his best work. With a heavier, taller F50, his pace and running capacity could be more use to us up front. Getting up to the wing, stretching the defensive set up. Helping keep the ball in our end.

JJ & Dalhaus into the attacking half of the ground more regularly would be what I would do as coach.

[Axe Man]

Sounds like a nothing story, the club just heading off any media rubbish. The headline sure made me nervous though!

Club statement: Jason Johannisen (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2018-02-28/club-statement-jason-johannisen)

The Western Bulldogs can confirm an incident involving Jason Johannisen and his partner at Crown Casino last weekend.

Jason was at Crown with his partner and a small group of male and female friends in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Another group of males began acting extremely inappropriately towards some female members of Jason’s group, which caused an argument between males of both groups (which did not involve Johannisen).

Crown security intervened immediately, the groups dispersed, and Jason’s group left the Casino and travelled home.

Jason was not intoxicated, there have been no complaints made to the Club from the public, nor has it received any incident reports from Victoria Police or Crown Casino.

While the Club and his management are very supportive of Jason’s handling of the incident due to the inappropriate actions of the group of males toward his girlfriend and her female friends, they are disappointed he was out late.

The Club will be making no further comment at this time.

Exclusive to westernbulldogs.com.au

[Remi Moses]

Good god , this is what we are reduced :rolleyes:

[Ozza]

A sign of the times.

"they are disappointed he was out late."

I wonder what his bedtime is. :rolleyes:

[LostDoggy]

The headline sure made me nervous though!

Those Club Statements always have me on the edge of my seat, luckily it's a non issue in this case.

[Twodogs]

A sign of the times.

"they are disappointed he was out late."

I wonder what his bedtime is. :rolleyes:

I'm guessing 10pm.:p

[Jeanette54]

I'm guessing 10pm.:p

Hopefully he wasn't there until 10pm Sunday night, the report says that the incident took place in the early hours of Sunday morning.

[Sedat]

A sign of the times.

"they are disappointed he was out late."

I wonder what his bedtime is. :rolleyes:
Yep, no milk and cookies for JJ this week.

We haven't had a good week off the park. Our senior management team are sadly out of form at the moment.

[westdog54]

A sign of the times.

"they are disappointed he was out late."

I wonder what his bedtime is. :rolleyes:

They got that sentence arse-about.

It should have read: "While the club is disappointed Jason was out late, they are very supportive of Jason’s handling of the incident due to the inappropriate actions of the group of males toward his girlfriend and her female friends".

It ends on a positive and affirms the club's stance on behaviour towards women.

The statement also should have read.

[Greystache]

Our media comms and public relations department are diabolically bad. They've been industry worst for years but seem to get more inept with every event. I cannot understand how Kent/Bains and PG have allowed us to be so atrocious at something that has become more and more important as media has changed from news to gossip and activism.

Surely even a half-arsed review of our operations would identify what a gaping hole it is in running the club effectively.

[Twodogs]

Our media comms and public relations department are diabolically bad. They've been industry worst for years but seem to get more inept with every event. I cannot understand how Kent/Bains and PG have allowed us to be so atrocious at something that has become more and more important as media has changed from news to gossip and activism.

Surely even a half-arsed review of our operations would identify what a gaping hole it is in running the club effectively.



The current communications guy has been there for a while too, hasn't he?