Gavin Hughes?

[LostDoggy]

I have a couple of questions about Gavin Hughes

Q1 - Training reports and the East West Day summaries have had no mention of Hughes although I did hear that he was close to a promotion one time during the season.
Does anyone know if he is injured?

Q2 - Does anyone think he is a chance to be elevated this season if there was an injury or two to cover?

[LostDoggy]

I doubt he will be elevated. Its good to live in false security, thinking all our players will make the grade, but unfortuately i dont think he will. He's fast and attacking. His game stops there. He doesnt have much of a defensive side and his foot skills are lacking, particularly on the run judging from the games i saw of him last year. Unless he rectified this problem area during the pre season i dont see much hope for him cracking a spot in the team in the future.

Rookies have to be good from the get go. Some of these rookies take longer to develop than others and the ones that do more often that not find themselves on the scrap heap come years end. Its a different situation to a senior list player, they have time to develop whereas rookies havent. Sad really because there are talented players that slip through the cracks.

[Go_Dogs]

Personally, I think a bit of an injury just before the start of the season held him back a bit, one of his strengths at Norwood was his run and disposal.

His defensive side apparently needs a lot of work however.

It will be interesting to see how he goes this year, prove 'em wrong Gavin!

[Mantis]

Personally, I think a bit of an injury just before the start of the season held him back a bit, one of his strengths at Norwood was his run and disposal.

His defensive side apparently needs a lot of work however.

It will be interesting to see how he goes this year, prove 'em wrong Gavin!

Who does he have to prove wrong?

[Go_Dogs]

Those unconvinced he can make the grade.

[Cyberdoggie]

Who does he have to prove wrong?

you know.......THEM!


or otherwise known as......"THE MAN!"

[Cyberdoggie]

I doubt he will be elevated. Its good to live in false security, thinking all our players will make the grade, but unfortuately i dont think he will. He's fast and attacking. His game stops there. He doesnt have much of a defensive side and his foot skills are lacking, particularly on the run judging from the games i saw of him last year. Unless he rectified this problem area during the pre season i dont see much hope for him cracking a spot in the team in the future.

Rookies have to be good from the get go. Some of these rookies take longer to develop than others and the ones that do more often that not find themselves on the scrap heap come years end. Its a different situation to a senior list player, they have time to develop whereas rookies havent. Sad really because there are talented players that slip through the cracks.

yeah i agree with ya borgmeister.
he's got pace and a long kick but no defensive game. Had a lot of chances to kick big goals on the run streaming out of the middle but more often than not sprayed them.

Will be hard for him, especially competing with the 2 ruckmen on the rookie list.

[Mantis]

yeah i agree with ya borgmeister.
he's got pace and a long kick but no defensive game. Had a lot of chances to kick big goals on the run streaming out of the middle but more often than not sprayed them.

Will be hard for him, especially competing with the 2 ruckmen on the rookie list.

What the??

I would have thought the ruckmen would be competing against each other and Hughes would be competing against the other midfielders.

Just goes to prove how little I actually know.

[hujsh]

I think that they would all compete against eachother wherever they play in the field. There most likely won't be spots for every player on the rookie list so Hughes will need to be more impressive than everyone.

[Cyberdoggie]

What the??

I would have thought the ruckmen would be competing against each other and Hughes would be competing against the other midfielders.

Just goes to prove how little I actually know.



it is very unlikely that all rookies would get promoted.

This is just a guess here but i doubt that you would get more that 2 promoted in
a season very often, it's usually only 1 per side.

This applies to my comment as i believe mulligan to be a real chance, shaw also has potential. So this is why i feel he is competing against all the other rookies.

Of course if we are in need of a midfielder and he's on fire then he'll get looked at first but i think we'll be looking at a big man before hughes.

[Mantis]

it is very unlikely that all rookies would get promoted.

This is just a guess here but i doubt that you would get more that 2 promoted in
a season very often, it's usually only 1 per side.

This applies to my comment as i believe mulligan to be a real chance, shaw also has potential. So this is why i feel he is competing against all the other rookies.

Of course if we are in need of a midfielder and he's on fire then he'll get looked at first but i think we'll be looking at a big man before hughes.

Agree in part.

It is a make or break season for Hughes no doubt. He simply has to perform or he is a goner. He has to somehow push his way past the likes of Harbrow, Eagleton, Ray, etc.. As a more mature rookie he has to be within the best 30 players on our list by the end of the season which is a tough ask, but something that Harbrow achieved last year.

For the ruckman it's a bit of a different proposition. From the reports that have been posted Mulligan is more a tall forward than a ruckman. So it will be interesting to where we play him. There development will be intriguing as if they improve over the season it will place pressure on the likes of Street, Skipper and Minson to pick up there game or they may come under some intense pressure to keep there spots in 09.

With Cordy potentially (almost definitely) coming on board in 09, abit still a fair way off senior footy and these 2 rookies it makes for some interesting times ahead.

[Go_Dogs]

It would seem that Hughes is miles ahead of our other rookie midfielder, who is apparently all skin and bones, so if we need coverage in that area, Hughes would be quietly confident. Obviously which rookie/s get elevated will depend on whom suffers serious injuries and where potential holes in the list are identified.

[Templeton31]

so has hughes actually been sighted at training?

[hujsh]

It would seem that Hughes is miles ahead of our other rookie midfielder, who is apparently all skin and bones, so if we need coverage in that area, Hughes would be quietly confident. Obviously which rookie/s get elevated will depend on whom suffers serious injuries and where potential holes in the list are identified.

Well. We did replace Grant with Harbrow. It might just be who is impressive

[Cyberdoggie]

Well. We did replace Grant with Harbrow. It might just be who is impressive

true.


he really earned his spot though, he was impressive all summer and nab cup.
Was on fire early in the season, easily werribee's best at times, so they had to reward him.

i agree it's all about performing.

If we get a long term injury, they will only promote a rookie if they can see him playing senior footy in that time, otherwise they are throwing money away.

for gavin to get a game we would have to be in dire straights injury wise to our runners.
Guys like hill, lynch, harbrow, stack, callan, will all get a look in first

[always right]

Agree in part.



For the ruckman it's a bit of a different proposition. From the reports that have been posted Mulligan is more a tall forward than a ruckman. So it will be interesting to where we play him. There development will be intriguing as if they improve over the season it will place pressure on the likes of Street, Skipper and Minson to pick up there game or they may come under some intense pressure to keep there spots in 09.

I believe he played for Southport as a ruckman and I'm sure I read recently somewhere that the dogs plan to start him as a ruckman with the potential for him to be key position down the track.

[Cyberdoggie]

I believe he played for Southport as a ruckman and I'm sure I read recently somewhere that the dogs plan to start him as a ruckman with the potential for him to be key position down the track.

yeah he's a ruckmen,
although he has impressed many with his overhead marking and ability to find the pill,
something our ruckmen, (minson/street/skipper) really struggle to do.
I guess that has got people thinking maybe he's a potential forward?

[hujsh]

yeah he's a ruckmen,
although he has impressed many with his overhead marking and ability to find the pill,
something our ruckmen, (minson/street/skipper) really struggle to do.
I guess that has got people thinking maybe he's a potential forward?

I agree with Minson and Street but Skipper has shown he can find and use the ball in the middle, it's his ruckwork that doesn't impress me.

[bornadog]

The Age Saturday 2 February

Western Bulldogs youngster Gavin Hughes has gone home to South Australia as a result of personal problems that have prompted him to receive counselling from the AFL Players' Association.

The Bulldogs yesterday confirmed that 21-year-old Hughes, a rookie list player, had gone back to SA to spend time with his family.

The Bulldogs are hopeful that Hughes, who has not yet played a senior game, will be able to return to Melbourne next week and resume training. The club has been unable to get in contact with Hughes in recent days, though.

Bulldogs' general manager of football operations James Fantasia said the club viewed Hughes' welfare as paramount and would not place any pressure on him to return immediately.

Hughes was drafted as a rookie in 2006, retaining his position on the rookie list for this year.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Hopefully he can sort a few things out and then come back and be a contributor

Are there any parallels here with the way 2nd year rookie Travis Baird lost his way in 2007?

[Templeton31]

so has hughes actually been sighted at training?

I can answer my own question now - No

[The Coon Dog]

Forgot to mention, I asked Rocket about this today. A marriage split by his parents is the reason he returned home. Struggling to cope with it. Hopeful he'll be back soon. NO DRUG CONCERNS as floated on BF whatsoever.

[bornadog]

Forgot to mention, I asked Rocket about this today. A marriage split by his parents is the reason he returned home. Struggling to cope with it. Hopeful he'll be back soon. NO DRUG CONCERNS as floated on BF whatsoever.

TCD, do you know if he is back training?

Also, is Gavin still regarded as on the rookie list. I just noticed on the Herald Sun site, that he was listed as a regular player and not under the rookies.

[hujsh]

TCD, do you know if he is back training?

Also, is Gavin still regarded as on the rookie list. I just noticed on the Herald Sun site, that he was listed as a regular player and not under the rookies.

I saw that 2. Would be their mistake as i doubt we would only have 3 rookies

[Go_Dogs]

Gavin is still a rookie as far as I'm aware, we don't have any secret long term injuries do we?

Hope he's doing well.

[Sockeye Salmon]

TCD, do you know if he is back training?

Also, is Gavin still regarded as on the rookie list. I just noticed on the Herald Sun site, that he was listed as a regular player and not under the rookies.

Only if the AFL have agreed to let us have a senior list of 39 + vets.

I'm fairly sure I would have heard something from Eddie Maguire if that was the case.

[bornadog]

Now that we know he isnot coming back, can we add another rookie?

[FrediKanoute]

Now that we know he isnot coming back, can we add another rookie?

has it been confirmed that he has left permanently?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Now that we know he isnot coming back, can we add another rookie?

No.



has it been confirmed that he has left permanently?

Pretty much (short of a club announcment).

[hujsh]

Pretty much (short of a club announcment).

Really? Shame. So not coming back at all?

[bornadog]

Really? Shame. So not coming back at all?

rumour has it

[aker39]

rumour has it


Not rumor, fact

[The Coon Dog]

Gavin Hughes Retires
(http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23275653-19742,00.html)
In other news at Whitten Oval, Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia has confirmed South Australian rookie-listed player Gavin Hughes has retired.

Hughes returned home in early February to ponder his future and sort out personal issues, but will not return.

The speedy 21-year-old was kept on the rookie list this year after impressing for Werribee last season.

The Dogs will enter the season one rookie short.

"He'll stay on the list, but at this stage he's staying in Adelaide," Fantasia said.

[Throughandthrough]

Will he be allowed to play in the SANFL?

[Go_Dogs]

Good question throughandthough, the 'Legs could certainly use Gav.

[GVGjr]

Will he be allowed to play in the SANFL?

I'm fairly sure he can.

[Throughandthrough]

I'm fairly sure he can.



Common sense approach.

Nothing to be gained by letting him rot.

If, by some fluke, he burns in the SANFL, and off field thing sort out, i guess you just never know.