Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

[AshMac]

Interested in the WOOF collective opinion.

From the clubs perspective we held onto Josh because Essendon weren’t prepared to pay for him. They made commitments to him they weren't prepared to see through. We called him a “required player” for the future knowing his preferred position is as a midfielder. At the same time we bolstered our midfield stock making it even harder for players to cement a role there.

For Dunkley, he had an offer to play his preferred role full time, more money, longer contract and was held back from moving.

Do we owe him time as an inside midfielder this year? A chance to make that role his own and begin to hold it for the next 6+ years.

For me, we don’t owe him anything, footy is a business, but the situation is complex. Interested in the views of the forum.

[GVGjr]

He should play more in the midfield because he plays his best football there
I'm not sure if we 'owe him' but I hope we have sold him on a vision when we decided to knock back the Essendon offer

We've got some challenges in sharing the midfield duties between all our players

[EasternWest]

For me, we don’t owe him anything.

Agree, he's a very highly paid employee.

That being said, we should play him in his best position as much as possible, because otherwise what's the point?

[bornadog]

Dunkley should play in the role he is best at. It is a team sport, so we can't promise anyone anything. I think it was Axeman that said, many back pockets dream about playing midfield, but they play back pocket as it suits the team and they are good in their role.

As GVGjr said, Dunks plays his best footy as an inside mid and he should be aiming to be in the best 22 playing that role.

[dog town]

If it’s best for the team he plays mid if it’s not he plays elsewhere. It doesn’t matter one bit where the best position is for him if the team needs him somewhere else.

I actually think we can throw the challenge back at him and see if we can gain some flexibility from another mid somewhere else.

[1eyedog]

We ned to play him in his best position to maximum our asset and ensure we have maximum collateral during trade negotiations at the end of this year.

[Bulldog Joe]

We actually need him to maximise his contribution to the team for the benefit of the team.

On some occasions this will be in the middle doing what he does best, but on other occasions, it may be somewhere else.

He needs to be providing what the team needs to win games. That is what we require from the team on the park each and every week. The collective is more important than any individual.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Do we see Dunks ahead of Libba and MaCrae. I do not so he is third in line and needs to compete for a spot with those two.

It’s pure business and we own him nothing but the chance to show the footy world that Essendon should have upped the ante for him.

[Topdog]

The only team that owes Dunkley something is Essendon and they don't even owe Josh

[Happy Days]

We owe it to ourselves to play him in the midfield. He's really good! There's a reason we didn't trade him after all.

[jeemak]

We don't owe it to him to play him there, but it makes sense for him to play the bulk of his time there if it meets the team's needs because that's his best spot.

The reality is he's going to have to play where we want him to, and that means that if we want him to play ruck for a few minutes then he has to suck it up. I won't be happy if that's where we find ourselves, however, we're not the Dunkley Bulldogs.

[ratsmac]

The ruck is in the midfield, I don't know what his problem is :p.

But seriously if he earns it he earns it. I don't think Bevo is the type to be held to ransom because that's what one of his players really wants, his more a you do what your told kind a guy.

Dunkley has made his point known and now has to deliver on field or he's going to look like a bit of a dick. As far as "owing" him midfield time, certainly not. His boss pays him to do the job his boss wants, just like you and me.

[Bulldog4life]

If it’s best for the team he plays mid if it’s not he plays elsewhere. It doesn’t matter one bit where the best position is for him if the team needs him somewhere else.

I actually think we can throw the challenge back at him and see if we can gain some flexibility from another mid somewhere else.

As Tom Hafey famously said to Sheedy early in his career "you are a bloody back pocket plumber so remember that" ....or similar words.
Later on though Sheedy played ruck rover in Richmond's premiership team.

[Bulldog Revolution]

As many have said Dunkleys best footy is an inside mid - and not coincidentally when Dunkley was in his career best form in 2019 we were the best we've been since 2016

I don't view that as a coincidence - Dunkley does a lot of the heavy defensive lifting - blocking, tackling, two way running etc - we need to get him up and firing because it gives us the best chance as a team.

[Mofra]

By sheer virtue of longer quarters he'll play more midfield, and in the event Libba cops an injury he'll be closer to a full time mid.
Given our stacked midfield Hunter might be the only full time mid that runs out every week, and that's because he's a genetic freak who can play the outside role well.

[Ozza]

I think there is room for Dunks to play more mid than forward. We certainly don't 'owe' him - but with our midfield strength - I am conscious of the balance between our out and out ball hunters, and the defensive side, and think Dunks' size allows him to match up well with many top mids from oppositions.

Macrae for one, is more than adept at playing on the wing - and if I recall accurately, was mostly a winger in the Premiership year. He obviously goes well inside too, but I do like the idea of Hunter and Macrae on the wings.

It will be really interesting to see how we approach centre bounce attendance. Looking at last year, ruckman aside, it was Bont, Macrae and Smith who dominated our centre bounce attendances, with Libba next and then a big gap to Dunkley. How Treloar fits into this, I'm not sure. He had quite an interrupted season last year, and attended just under 60% of the centre bounces when he played. I would assume he attended a higher % in previous seasons.

Bont was up at 78% last season, our highest, and whilst I've always been an advocate for Bont being primarily a mid - I noticed Fyfe was sitting at 60% attendance, and am wondering whether that may be the sort of fwd/mid mix we look at for Bont this season.
Surprisingly, Dustin Martin was at 78% of centre bounces last season - I'd have thought he started forward far more often.

But I've strayed way off topic from Dunkley. My point is - it will be a juggle to fit everyone in, but I think Dunkley's best hope of being significantly midfield, is to play a more defensive role around the stoppages along with Libba - and having a combination of Treloar/Bont/Smith/Macrae more attacking.

[Mofra]

Bont was up at 78% last season, our highest, and whilst I've always been an advocate for Bont being primarily a mid - I noticed Fyfe was sitting at 60% attendance, and am wondering whether that may be the sort of fwd/mid mix we look at for Bont this season.
Surprisingly, Dustin Martin was at 78% of centre bounces last season - I'd have thought he started forward far more often.

Doesn't Dusty start at the CB then drift forward?
TBH it's not a bad strategy and one you could copy with Bont - he gets the CBA where he's a beast, then becomes a "do it all" forward who can take a big grab but is dangerous at ground level. It woudl rely on 1-2 HFs playing high and running up to the contest after the bounce.

Would also mean any tagger Bont has suddenly has to play as a defender and very few (if any) can match him in the air... and the alternative is not to tag him which means Bont will be influential at the contest.

[jazzadogs]

If we had our best midfield against our next midfield, would it look like this?

C: Hunter Bont Macrae
R: Martin Libba Treloar


C: Vandermeer Dunkley Lipinski
R: English Jong Smith


It's tough to make a case for Dunkley as a starting mid against any of that first group, unless we decided that Bont can do more damage as a 60/40 forward (rather than 78% CBA). I agree that it is where he played HIS best footy, but was that best footy better than the others?

[Jeanette54]

If we had our best midfield against our next midfield, would it look like this?

C: Hunter Bont Macrae
R: Martin Libba Treloar


C: Vandermeer Dunkley ?Richards
R: English Jong Lipinski


It's tough to make a case for Dunkley as a starting mid against any of that first group, unless we decided that Bont can do more damage as a 60/40 forward (rather than 78% CBA). I agree that it is where he played HIS best footy, but was that best footy better than the others?

So Bailey Smith doesn't crack it for our top twelve midfielders Jazzadogs ?

[jazzadogs]

So Bailey Smith doesn't crack it for our top twelve midfielders Jazzadogs ?

I knew I'd miss one. Even had a team list open to double check *facepalm*.

It would be between him and Treloar for the 'speedy' spot in the first six I think.

[AshMac]

If we had our best midfield against our next midfield, would it look like this?

C: Hunter Bont Macrae
R: Martin Libba Treloar


C: Vandermeer Dunkley Lipinski
R: English Jong Smith


It's tough to make a case for Dunkley as a starting mid against any of that first group, unless we decided that Bont can do more damage as a 60/40 forward (rather than 78% CBA). I agree that it is where he played HIS best footy, but was that best footy better than the others?

Gee - looking at this it is actually incredible the depth and talent we have in the middle of the ground. To think Bailey Smith might not be in our best 6 midfielders is mind boggling.

Libba definitely the player Dunks has the most competition with and Libba didnt do enough to own the spot last year IMO. He had some brilliant games and some games yould barely know he was there. i think his best footy might be behind him but the lift he gives the team just being on the ground cant be taken for granted.

[jeemak]

Pretty tough going when you finish third in the BnF and don't own your spot!

[jazzadogs]

Gee - looking at this it is actually incredible the depth and talent we have in the middle of the ground. To think Bailey Smith might not be in our best 6 midfielders is mind boggling.

Libba definitely the player Dunks has the most competition with and Libba didnt do enough to own the spot last year IMO. He had some brilliant games and some games yould barely know he was there. i think his best footy might be behind him but the lift he gives the team just being on the ground cant be taken for granted.

I feel that there is a quality that Libba brings to our midfield that is a significant point of difference to our other midfielders, and that puts him ahead of Dunkley in that role IMO. That quality is his tenacity - the rest of our midfield are 'nice guys' but Libba refuses to be bullied.

[1eyedog]

I feel that there is a quality that Libba brings to our midfield that is a significant point of difference to our other midfielders, and that puts him ahead of Dunkley in that role IMO. That quality is his tenacity - the rest of our midfield are 'nice guys' but Libba refuses to be bullied.

Agreed Libba should play as much midfield as he can handle.

[AshMac]

I feel that there is a quality that Libba brings to our midfield that is a significant point of difference to our other midfielders, and that puts him ahead of Dunkley in that role IMO. That quality is his tenacity - the rest of our midfield are 'nice guys' but Libba refuses to be bullied.

I agree - that’s what I meant by the lift he gives the boys just by being there. I love him don’t get me wrong - but I question whether he can put a full season together like he has in the past. There are some games he absolutely dominates and other games he goes missing. I’d love him and Dunks to form a rhythm of rotation with both of them at their best alternating in that spot. The issue with Libba is I’m not sure there is another role on the ground he’s be effective in.

[Ozza]

I've mentioned this previously, but the shortened quarters and shortened season was a real benefit to Libba last year in getting him through.

I think we can only realistically expect 15-18 games from Libba and will have to carefully manage him so that he is out there and firing when it is most important.

[SonofScray]

Run with, defensive mid role for him. Plenty of minutes, plus Libba coverage as indicated above.