Doogs

[bresker]

Am I missing something or have West Coast traded him way under the odds?

Training is not the same as match conditions, but from what I've seen so far we've picked up a bargain.

He's tall with a long reach; is quick for a big guy; seems to be able to work his opponent around by drifting up the ground and to the flanks; leads and presents well; is well physically developed and isn't afraid of taking a pack mark.

Even if he gets his hands to the ball like Adam Morgan was doing he'll be worth something, but I think he's capable of far more.

I'm not going to carried away until I've seen him doing something in a real match, but at the moment I'm more exicted about Doogs arrival than Darcy's return.

Has anyone got any feedback on his goalkicking? I haven't seen him take many set shots yet.

[LostDoggy]

Am I missing something or have West Coast traded him way under the odds?

Training is not the same as match conditions, but from what I've seen so far we've picked up a bargain.

He's tall with a long reach; is quick for a big guy; seems to be able to work his opponent around by drifting up the ground and to the flanks; leads and presents well; is well physically developed and isn't afraid of taking a pack mark.

Even if he gets his hands to the ball like Adam Morgan was doing he'll be worth something, but I think he's capable of far more.

I'm not going to carried away until I've seen him doing something in a real match, but at the moment I'm more exicted about Doogs arrival than Darcy's return.

Has anyone got any feedback on his goalkicking? I haven't seen him take many set shots yet.

What the Eagles did is facilitate a trade for a player that they didn't want so that he could go to a team that should be able to use his services.

Basically the Eagles knew that they couldn't get a 2nd reound draft pick for Doogs given the strength of the draft so decided to upgrade a couple of selections.
They were probably going to delist him anyway.

As for his goal kicking, it's not something that I have seen him working on. I doubt it is a real strength of his though. When he is in form he is a fine contested mark and that is how I think we intend to use him.

[westdog54]

Am I missing something or have West Coast traded him way under the odds?

Training is not the same as match conditions, but from what I've seen so far we've picked up a bargain.

He's tall with a long reach; is quick for a big guy; seems to be able to work his opponent around by drifting up the ground and to the flanks; leads and presents well; is well physically developed and isn't afraid of taking a pack mark.

Even if he gets his hands to the ball like Adam Morgan was doing he'll be worth something, but I think he's capable of far more.

I'm not going to carried away until I've seen him doing something in a real match, but at the moment I'm more exicted about Doogs arrival than Darcy's return.

Has anyone got any feedback on his goalkicking? I haven't seen him take many set shots yet.

From What I've gathered from readings on BF, his biggest problem at West Coast was his attitude, he'd made it clear that football wasn't his number 1 priority, and that he wasn't enjoying himself in Perth.

I've only been to one training session this year, but it happened to be the one where Doogs and Mitch were doing stair runs next to us. The thing that stuck out for me is even doing the menial stuff, he looked happy to be here. Perhaps he's turned a corner mentally and playing good footy has moved up on his list of priorities. If that's happened, he'll be a fine acquisition.

[Dry Rot]

FWIW, some eagles on BF claim he has trained the house down in previous seasons then failed to deliver.

Who knows? Hopefully with a change of scenery, club and coach, plus being a year older will result in him playing to his potential at last.

[Twodogs]

FWIW, some eagles on BF claim he has trained the house down in previous seasons then failed to deliver.




They would say that though, wouldnt they?

[BulldogBelle]

Who knows? Hopefully with a change of scenery, club and coach, plus being a year older will result in him playing to his potential at last.

You know what they say - A change is as good as a holiday! He just might prove a few people wrong and be a perfect fit at the Dogs.

[Dry Rot]

They would say that though, wouldnt they?

You posted somewhere else that McD has been training at FF - makes me wonder what Eade's plans are for darcy.

[Hard Ball Get]

They would say that though, wouldnt they?

They were saying that before he was traded though.
As soon as his name went up these things were being said.

[Dry Rot]

They were saying that before he was traded though.
As soon as his name went up these things were being said.

True.

Also interesting that there are some staunch WCE defenders of him too who reckon he will be a player.

[Hard Ball Get]

True.

Also interesting that there are some staunch WCE defenders of him too who reckon he will be a player.

Exactly.
There were people who were passionate on both sides.
I'm quite happy to have him down and I think that maybe a change might do him some good.

[LostDoggy]

They were saying that before he was traded though.
As soon as his name went up these things were being said.
Yes he had both supporters and knockers while he was at West Coast and I doubt that will go away anytime soon until he puts up some consistent games for us. He is the real wild card for our team as far as I am concerned.

[westdog54]

The beauty of the McDougall deal is that all we really gave up to get him was a spot on the list, and slightly downgraded draft picks, which were still used as intended by Scott Clayton. We can afford for Doogs to be a wildcard/speculator in some ways. All we gave up for Doogs is Adam Morgan, who, since he was delisted, was finished at the club anyway.

[Dry Rot]

Eade has succeeded in getting most of our players to improve, and gave non-triers like Bowden and Rawlings the arse.

Perhaps McDougall will be one of the toughest projects for Eade, but if he really succeeds then it will be the trade of the year.

[The Coon Dog]

It's horses for courses. Some players fare better in different teams for a variety of different reasons.

I know the West Coast supporters on BF seem to take great delight in knocking Doogs. He may just not have fitted in & with the improvement over there of Quentin Lynch, he struggled.

In some ways Patrick Bowden found a spot & slotted in perfectly at Richmond, tho with Lindsay Gilbee at the Bulldogs Bowden was never going to be able to play that same role with us, as I say, horses for courses.

If Doogs doesn't measure up then it's his own fault & we haven't really lost too much (as was pointed out earlier, we just dropped back a few picks in R2 & 4 of the draft & still got who we watnted anyway). The upside tho if he clicks is that it gives us just so much more flexibility.

Be very interesting to see how both he & Polak (DR's love child) fare in different environments.

[Dry Rot]

Polak (DR's love child)

I call him Graeme ;)

[LostDoggy]

The beauty of the McDougall deal is that all we really gave up to get him was a spot on the list, and slightly downgraded draft picks, which were still used as intended by Scott Clayton. We can afford for Doogs to be a wildcard/speculator in some ways. All we gave up for Doogs is Adam Morgan, who, since he was delisted, was finished at the club anyway.

Spot on. Doogs has a bit to do to shake his soft image from his Eagles days but generally if a club is chasing you they have you in their plans. That can only help his confidence.

[mjp]

They were probably going to delist him anyway.


Don't think so. Believe he was offered a contract extension in fact.

Eagles fans will say a number of things:

1/.He has a poor attitude.
2/.He does not attack the ball hard enough.
3/.He has no physical presence in a contest.
(Read 'He is soft' for the last two.)
4/.He is a star at training, but does not perform under pressure.

They also say:
1/.He is much better than Staker.
2/.He has not been given much of a go in either 2005 or 2006.

I watched a lot of him before moving to Melbourne - mainly because if you dont watch the Eagles and Dockers you dont watch footy (I moved at the end of 2004), though also because he played at Perth with a friend of mine who I went to see many times in 2003.

Now, as I have sworn off being critical of Doogs, I wont say that those calling him names are right. What I will say though is that when the Eagles were literally SCREAMING out for a forward in 2005/2006 they did not have faith in Doogs to do the job. This is perhaps because the coaches there are stupid, but I dont think anyone believes that to be the case. It is more likely because they had seen him do the wrong thing so many times that they had forgotten (and allowed him to forget) that he still knew how to do the right thing at least some of the times.

His performances for Perth last year (didn't see them, stats alert) worry me because in a poor team he really was not able to take charge of too many games. So the reality is he is probably somewhere (on the high side) in the middle between what the Eagles fans think we got and what we hope we got...and that will have him in the best few tall players at our club.

[southerncross]

Terrific post MJP.

Lets hope the opportunity presented to Doogs by Eade and the club is enough to inspire him to extract the digit and for him to start trying to make the most of it.
We need a key forward who is capable of taking contested marks and he fits the bill perfectly particularly given the price we paid but Eade proved last year with Davidson that potential means jack if you don't perform. It's up to him as long as the injury ghods keep smiling.

[LostDoggy]

Don't think so. Believe he was offered a contract extension in fact.

Eagles fans will say a number of things:

1/.He has a poor attitude.
2/.He does not attack the ball hard enough.
3/.He has no physical presence in a contest.
(Read 'He is soft' for the last two.)
4/.He is a star at training, but does not perform under pressure.

They also say:
1/.He is much better than Staker.
2/.He has not been given much of a go in either 2005 or 2006.

I watched a lot of him before moving to Melbourne - mainly because if you dont watch the Eagles and Dockers you dont watch footy (I moved at the end of 2004), though also because he played at Perth with a friend of mine who I went to see many times in 2003.

Now, as I have sworn off being critical of Doogs, I wont say that those calling him names are right. What I will say though is that when the Eagles were literally SCREAMING out for a forward in 2005/2006 they did not have faith in Doogs to do the job. This is perhaps because the coaches there are stupid, but I dont think anyone believes that to be the case. It is more likely because they had seen him do the wrong thing so many times that they had forgotten (and allowed him to forget) that he still knew how to do the right thing at least some of the times.

His performances for Perth last year (didn't see them, stats alert) worry me because in a poor team he really was not able to take charge of too many games. So the reality is he is probably somewhere (on the high side) in the middle between what the Eagles fans think we got and what we hope we got...and that will have him in the best few tall players at our club.

Hello MJP. Excellent commentary. Reading between the lines here, it would seem that you do think Doogs is soft. The question is, do you think he can he overcome this? On your reading of the present situation, does it appear that a leopard can't change its spots and that under pressure his weaknesses will be exposed again, or do you see it as a case of an injection of confidence at a new club will make a difference and lead to a player who can find his strengths and play to them? When I think of Bandy I think of someone who did well for a year, but ultimately struggled, especially with injury.