Ticker > Talent. Every Time. Bar None.

[Mofra]

I don't want to start a wholesale bagging out of the team, despite today's debarcle. I want to mention 1 bloke in particular for discussion.

J. Harbrow.

The kid weighs 45kgs, is about 2 foot 3, yet was arguably our best tackler today. He marked & goaled, good for you Mr. Forward. What I found impressive is when he commits to the opposition body in a tackle, there is nothing held back.
The kid gives his all.
He chased harder that any other Bulldog.
He runs hard to block space on the opposition kickout.
He hits packs, knowing full well he's probably going to be the smallest guy in that tangle of arms and legs.

We need a team of guys like this. We need to be able to tell guys like Dale Morris, Daniel Cross, Cam Wight, Dylan Addison, Tim Callen and those of similar ilk, "we will accept errors by foot, we will accept decision errors, as long as you lead they way in putting your head over the ball".

In some ways, I fear our selection committee were getting too cute. Aker is clearly unfit - he can't move sideways, so is getting stepped around. Most other guys would have been rested.
Skinny Everitt will be a talent, but is a mile off the intensity required to take an opposition tall forward.
As much as I try to defend Eagle, his kicking was sublime yet his defensive pressure was sub-par tonight.
These guys are getting picked on talent (which they clearly have in spades). I'm not convinced it is the right thing to do.

It's not time to swing the axe, but perhaps it is time to tell the group that, in the next month, endeavour is the ONLY factor that will determine whether you have a place in the side. Show them videos fo Kretiuk beating Lloyd, Hargrave beating Riewoldt. Inspire them. Get them wanting to "out courage" their teammates.

[Go_Dogs]

Yes was good to see Harbrow get amongst the goals - has been the one criticism of his game at this stage. You know what you'll get every time with him, 100%.

[GetDimmaBack]

I don't want to start a wholesale bagging out of the team, despite today's debarcle. I want to mention 1 bloke in particular for discussion.

J. Harbrow.

The kid weighs 45kgs, is about 2 foot 3, yet was arguably our best tackler today. He marked & goaled, good for you Mr. Forward. What I found impressive is when he commits to the opposition body in a tackle, there is nothing held back.
The kid gives his all.
He chased harder that any other Bulldog.
He runs hard to block space on the opposition kickout.
He hits packs, knowing full well he's probably going to be the smallest guy in that tangle of arms and legs.

We need a team of guys like this. We need to be able to tell guys like Dale Morris, Daniel Cross, Cam Wight, Dylan Addison, Tim Callen and those of similar ilk, "we will accept errors by foot, we will accept decision errors, as long as you lead they way in putting your head over the ball".

In some ways, I fear our selection committee were getting too cute. Aker is clearly unfit - he can't move sideways, so is getting stepped around. Most other guys would have been rested.
Skinny Everitt will be a talent, but is a mile off the intensity required to take an opposition tall forward.
As much as I try to defend Eagle, his kicking was sublime yet his defensive pressure was sub-par tonight.
These guys are getting picked on talent (which they clearly have in spades). I'm not convinced it is the right thing to do.

It's not time to swing the axe, but perhaps it is time to tell the group that, in the next month, endeavour is the ONLY factor that will determine whether you have a place in the side. Show them videos fo Kretiuk beating Lloyd, Hargrave beating Riewoldt. Inspire them. Get them wanting to "out courage" their teammates.

You said it, Mofra.
They could all take a leaf out of Harbrow's book. He gives it everything, unlike a lot of blokes out there tonight. I find it hard to believe that such a hard nosed side could serve up something like that.
If the selectors are "finesseing" with injured players, then it's too cute by half. Some players seem to be in the side because "yeah, they're down at the moment, but we know they'll come good...".
If Aker's not injured, does it then mean that his nose is out of joint over the handstand in Darwin?
If Welsh is not injured, does it mean that he has lost all of that sensational defensive ability he's shown all year?
Cooney must have a recurrence of OP or something - he's not himself by a long way.

Or have we simply begun to believe our own publicity?

For all the Wight knockers out there, this kid always gives 100%. He was being bagged when we were winning, but I reckon he'd have given us way more tonight than we got from most of them.

Make no mistake, this was far worse than last week's effort at Geelong.

[Mofra]

For all the Wight knockers out there, this kid always gives 100%. He was being bagged when we were winning, but I reckon he'd have given us way more tonight than we got from most of them.

Make no mistake, this was far worse than last week's effort at Geelong.
Agree totally with these two points.
We simply don't have a plan C for CHB. Williams is the first choicer, Wight the second.
Taking on Geelong last week, and at one point having Tiller & Everitt as FB & CHB respectively was just plain embarrassing, given how undersized we looked (and how raw both players are).

[katemeehan]

It's a bugger Addison got injured, he always seems to give it all he's got

[1eyedog]

I thought he played a good game tonight. You can tell he really wants to be there.

[Go_Dogs]

It's a bugger Addison got injured, he always seems to give it all he's got

Any word on the extent of his injury? Is it season ending?

[Mantis]

Any word on the extent of his injury? Is it season ending?

It's been reported in the paper's today that he has strained a medial and will be out for 8-10 weeks.

[SonofScray]

Any word on the extent of his injury? Is it season ending?

Out for the year according to the Herald Sun.

I thought it was an ACL when he went down, not sure what the official report was but he did look to be in a lot of pain but then walked, assisted, from the ground. Sometimes that isn't is a good sign.

[Go_Dogs]

It's been reported in the paper's today that he has strained a medial and will be out for 8-10 weeks.

At least its not torn. Bit disappointing for Dylan, he'd had a very solid year.

[LostDoggy]

Totally agree with above posts RE: Harbrow. A bit worrying when, in a team that had only lost 2 games for the year, Hill and Harbrow were probably 2 of our best in actually having a fair dinkum crack.

[westdog54]

Good Topic Mofra.

When I watched the StKilda game in Round 3, one of the things that Sockeye raved about was that with 2 minutes to go and the game on toast, J. Harbrow was still running his guts out on the lead to get the ball. And last week against Geelong his courage in going to the tackle was exemplary.

[Mofra]

When I watched the StKilda game in Round 3, one of the things that Sockeye raved about was that with 2 minutes to go and the game on toast, J. Harbrow was still running his guts out on the lead to get the ball. And last week against Geelong his courage in going to the tackle was exemplary.
I remember Cross at the end of his breakout year (04?), he put 6-7 good games together based on nothing more than sheer effort.
Addison doesn't have great football smarts but goes harder than perhaps anyone else in the side. Look at them now.

I get the same feeling about Harbrow. He is the antithesis of your average Indigenous goalsneak - does the hard stuff before the easy, but he has tackling abilty in spades & showed he has that little Union-like halfstep that helps him get around opposition defenders as well. Going in that hard when you are 2 pre-seasons away (and a few hundred big meals) from being a reasonable size for AFL football shows something to the coaching staff and his teammates. I'd hate to see him dropped next week, it would send exactly the wrong message to the squad.

[MrMahatma]

So it doesn't matter if you're a spud, as long as you give 100% , 100% of the time?

Sorry. Disagree.

I think you're downplaying the fact that Harbrow is very tallented. His ticker is good, but he's tallented.

[bornadog]

I think you're downplaying the fact that Harbrow is very tallented. His ticker is good, but he's tallented.

He is talented for sure. He just needs to improve his disposal under pressure, but you can see he has speed, skill and can kick a ball when he gets on to it. Great goal on Sunday from 50 out.

[Sockeye Salmon]

So it doesn't matter if you're a spud, as long as you give 100% , 100% of the time?

Sorry. Disagree.

I think you're downplaying the fact that Harbrow is very tallented. His ticker is good, but he's tallented.

Adam Contessa gave 100%, Gary Ablett senior didn't always give 100%.

Talent > ticker.

Talent + ticker however ...

[bornadog]

Adam Contessa gave 100%, Gary Ablett senior didn't always give 100%.

Talent > ticker.

Talent + ticker however ...

How would you rate Libba, SS ticker or talent greater;)

[Desipura]

TCD, how did you rate Harbrow's game? Against Geelong you rightly pointed out he butchered the ball too many times.

[The Coon Dog]

TCD, how did you rate Harbrow's game? Against Geelong you rightly pointed out he butchered the ball too many times.

Much improved against Carlton.

[Ozza]

Harbrow is playing for his career everytime he runs out there - so his desperation is both welcomed and necessary!

[Mantis]

Harbrow is playing for his career everytime he runs out there - so his desperation is both welcomed and necessary!

I would have thought that Harbrow in his first 2 years at the club has showed enough to suggest that he will be around for a while.

[ledge]

Harbrow reminds me of Mark West. Love them both, never ever question the hardness they both have at the ball.
Harbrow is talented a lot more than people give him credit for, remember he is only young.

[LostDoggy]

It's an indictment on our senior players that Harbrow was by far leading the way in the desperation stakes, he chased down everything and tackled as though it was to save his life. Apart from Cross, there were few others that could attest to showing any desperation about arresting the blow out.

[Sockeye Salmon]

How would you rate Libba, SS ticker or talent greater;)

Very good player who got where he did due to his enormous heart and pure will.

I would have rathered Bobby Skilton.