Bulldogs can go all the way: Cross

[The Coon Dog]

Bulldogs can go all the way: Cross (http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/74635/default.aspx)

http://mm.afl.com.au/Portals/0/images/AFL/AFL%20A-E/_Daniel_Cross_246a.jpg
Daniel Cross in action against the Kangaroos last weekend


DANIEL Cross believes the Bulldogs have entered this season with renewed confidence as a result of their preliminary final appearance last year.

Cross, 26, said the Dogs' semi-final win over the Sydney Swans and narrow loss to Geelong the week after suggested his side was capable of going one step further this year.

"It shows we've certainly got the cattle to get there. You have to play exceptionally well during the year to make the finals and then to make the top four. The finals are just another story," he said on Wednesday.

"We know we can win finals now. The Swans have been a great finals side for the past four or five years and they've won a flag.

"To beat them last year was great."

The Dogs are currently light on for injuries and have several players performing in the lower leagues.

Cross said the depth of the list – including the increasing number of Bulldogs capable of playing through the midfield – had made the side stronger this year.

"It's really hard for the coaches at the moment to pick the 22, which is a great thing for us," he said.

"They've had trouble in the past finding the best 22 but now there are guys who are playing exceptionally well down at Williamstown and can't fit into our side.

"A lot of our forwards can go through the midfield, which is good for Rocket and [midfield coach] Leon Cameron.

"It allows all of us to play different roles throughout the day. You're not locked into one role for the day and you can be flexible with what you can do.

"Having more guys through the midfield is great."

Cross said the recent inclusion of 22-year-old Liam Picken, who provided a terrific tag on Kangaroos' captain Brent Harvey last weekend, had helped "free up" players like Matthew Boyd and himself.

"He's a really good story. He's like Boydy and Dale [Morris], coming off the rookie list and slotting straight in," he said.

"If he keeps playing the way he did against an exceptional player like Harvey, I wouldn't see why he couldn't play for the rest of the year.

"It's great for us. It frees up guys like Boydy to run off a bit more while he does the lock-down job.

"He's got all the attributes for a good tagger; he's hard at it and loves a contest, so it's good to have a guy like that in the side."

Cross said he was "feeling really good" within his body after his pre-season hit a slight hurdle late last year when he suffered the onset of bulging discs in his spine.

"I've got on top of the back and I'm doing extra work outside the club to make sure my back stays strong and I don't have a reoccurrence of what happened."

[Sockeye Salmon]

Cross said he was "feeling really good" within his body after his pre-season hit a slight hurdle late last year when he suffered the onset of bulging discs in his spine.

"I've got on top of the back and I'm doing extra work outside the club to make sure my back stays strong and I don't have a reoccurrence of what happened."

Cross is doing extra work, who would have thunk it?

[bulldogtragic]

Belief is a wonderful thing.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Cross is doing extra work, who would have thunk it?

If ever there was a guy who leaves no stone unturned it's Crossy - he's an inspirational guy

[Desipura]

If ever there was a guy who leaves no stone unturned it's Crossy - he's an inspirational guy
His kicking is one stone unturned

[mighty_west]

It's players like Crossy who deserve to succeed, the you get the Tom Davidson types who don't seem to give two hoots!

Inspirational.

[mighty_west]

Belief is a wonderful thing.

Indeed, and you won't get there unless you do believe!

[Sockeye Salmon]

His kicking is one stone unturned

No player in the competition works harder on his kicking than Crossy.

[Desipura]

No player in the competition works harder on his kicking than Crossy.
How come there has not been an improvement? Is he not being coached correctly?
I do not expect a siginificant improvement given bad habits develop at a young age. When he is kicking for goal for example, you can tell that he is not confident and wants to give it off.
Don't get me wrong, I love the way he commits himself on the field and he is one of the better overhead marks for an onballer. There would not be a more courageous player than Crossy!

[Sockeye Salmon]

How come there has not been an improvement? Is he not being coached correctly?
I do not expect a siginificant improvement given bad habits develop at a young age. When he is kicking for goal for example, you can tell that he is not confident and wants to give it off.
Don't get me wrong, I love the way he commits himself on the field and he is one of the better overhead marks for an onballer. There would not be a more courageous player than Crossy!

Exhibit 1, your honour.

Set shot v Freo.

Don't get caught in 2006, Desi. Crossy will never be up there with Gilbs for kicking, but he has improved markedly over the last few years.

He will never have great penetration and will probably always look to give it off, but like Scott West his kicking is adequate up to 40-45 metres.

[Bulldog Revolution]

West whilst never being a long kick ended up being a terrific kick over that distance because he was such a clever decision maker

[Desipura]

Exhibit 1, your honour.

Set shot v Freo.

Don't get caught in 2006, Desi. Crossy will never be up there with Gilbs for kicking, but he has improved markedly over the last few years.

He will never have great penetration and will probably always look to give it off, but like Scott West his kicking is adequate up to 40-45 metres.
SS I suggest you watch yesterdays game, I do not need to use 2006 as an example. Crossy was one of our best IMHO doing what he does best, getting the ball out as an in and under player and taking some very strong overhead marks.
However he missed an easy goal from 35 out almost directly in front. Turned one over on the wing opposite AFL members with no pressure at all. I cannot see how he has improved his kicking. I never expected him to be up there with Gilbs however I thought we would see some improvement.
I disagree that he has improved his kicking, and please don't throw me the line "the whole teams skill were down" as that is not an excuse.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I agree - Cross' kicking hasn't improved at all. He still turns it over far too often and he was even worse than usual yesterday. Just about every kick missed the target either falling too short or to the wayside.

I wish players would stop giving him the ball in situations where a kick is required though. Too many times he ends up having to kick the ball IE. the missed shot at goal. Cross should have cleared the path for Higgins to keep running, not the other way around.

Crossy is a great player but his kicking is terrible, and always has been.

[LostDoggy]

I will have him in the team every week regardless of his kicking. Hopefully he can improve that too, if not our boys just need to keep running alongside of him.

[Desipura]

Would hate to have him kick a goal to win a game from 20 - 40 metres out. Same applies with Hahn.

[LostDoggy]

Would hate to have him kick a goal to win a game from 20 - 40 metres out. Same applies with Hahn.

How about Johnno? Or Minson? To kick a goal to win is a lot of pressure and the best buckle under it, yet Minnow did pretty well last year to snatch a draw. I don't think Crossy or Mitch are the worst kicks in the world.

The reality is, despite there being a whole lot of great kicks in the team (Gilbee, Coons, Griff, Gia et al), there is only one player currently on the Bulldogs list I would want kicking for my life from 20-50 out.

No prizes for guessing who... coolest head in the league.

[Desipura]

How about Johnno? Or Minson? To kick a goal to win is a lot of pressure and the best buckle under it, yet Minnow did pretty well last year to snatch a draw. I don't think Crossy or Mitch are the worst kicks in the world.

The reality is, despite there being a whole lot of great kicks in the team (Gilbee, Coons, Griff, Gia et al), there is only one player currently on the Bulldogs list I would want kicking for my life from 20-50 out.

No prizes for guessing who... coolest head in the league.
Thats a big rap for Morris, I mean it was a good kick and all:D

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I actually think Higgins comes close to Gilbee when it comes to kicking for goal. Certainly not distance wise, but anything up to 50m, Higgins is a pretty reliable kick.

Great to have both on the team though and it's no wonder Gilbee has played a large proportion of these first three games in the midfield.

[Stefcep]

I remeber this discussion from last season. As much as I admire his work in winning the hard ball, i don't see how a player makes it to AFL level and kicks as badly as Cross, and what's more not improve in what 4-5(?) season with all of the skills coaches and other players to learn from. Seriously his kicking would be be close to the worst in the league for a midfielder. Imagine how damaging he would be if after winning the hard ball, instead of handballing 10 metres he could spear a pass to a half forward or run and kick at goal.

[Stefcep]

I wish players would stop giving him the ball in situations where a kick is required though.


Sounds kinda odd to avoid an AFL-level team mate coz he can't kick. I think a better solution is for Cross to improve his kicking

[LostDoggy]

I actually think Higgins comes close to Gilbee when it comes to kicking for goal. Certainly not distance wise, but anything up to 50m, Higgins is a pretty reliable kick.

Great to have both on the team though and it's no wonder Gilbee has played a large proportion of these first three games in the midfield.

Er. I'm not talking about Gilbee. :cool:

[Mantis]

Er. I'm not talking about Gilbee. :cool:

You are talking about Akermanis?

[LostDoggy]

You are talking about Akermanis?

Correcto.

If it was a set shot 40 out to win a grand final, it could be in no better hands.

[AndrewP6]

In defense of Crossy... on Monday, super kicks Aker and Griff both missed easy ones...I reckon Cross would've won the game with these kicks... :):):)

By the way, I'm a fan of all these guys...

[Desipura]

Hey Sockeye, do you still think his kicking has improved? Sorry you said "there is no player in the competition who works harder on his kicking". That pass in the pocket when he had a full view of the goals 25 metres directly in front was...........of a player who has NO faith in his ability to kick the ball.
These are full time professional footballers, gee its frustrating just like every time he went to ground whilst the Carlton onballers would get free from the tackle "standing upright" and either dish it off or run off with the ball. I cannot question his endeavour, he bleeds for the club.

[Stefcep]

Hey Sockeye, do you still think his kicking has improved? Sorry you said "there is no player in the competition who works harder on his kicking". That pass in the pocket when he had a full view of the goals 25 metres directly in front was...........of a player who has NO faith in his ability to kick the ball.
These are full time professional footballers, gee its frustrating just like every time he went to ground whilst the Carlton onballers would get free from the tackle "standing upright" and either dish it off or run off with the ball. I cannot question his endeavour, he bleeds for the club.


Exactly. How does a guy get to this level and not have THE most fundamental skill in the game? He would've had a football in his hands to practice kicking for 20 years, how many junior coaches, how many reserves coaches, how many senior skills coaches and no-one can fix it? Here's an idea: he spends so much time and effort on his physical fitness, how about getting a footy and kicking it for an hour or so everyday with ex-Bulldog sharp shooter Paul Hudson to show him how its done. FFS, he's not getting picked to play rugby...

Edit: Hudson's at Collingwood so they can get soemone else instead, but you get my drift

[Sedat]

Hey Sockeye, do you still think his kicking has improved? Sorry you said "there is no player in the competition who works harder on his kicking". That pass in the pocket when he had a full view of the goals 25 metres directly in front was...........of a player who has NO faith in his ability to kick the ball.
I hope Rocket highlights this as an unacceptable decision-making error of the same magnitude as Lake's handball over the top in the goal square. Cross is magnificent in so many ways but that reeked of a senior player not taking the responsibility to do what needed to be done.

Opposition teams now just zone of Crossy when he has the ball, and simply let him run forward with it in the knowledge that he will not hit a target further upfield. I reckon Carlton deliberately peeled of Cross 4-5 time today.

[Desipura]

I hope Rocket highlights this as an unacceptable decision-making error of the same magnitude as Lake's handball over the top in the goal square. Cross is magnificent in so many ways but that reeked of a senior player not taking the responsibility to do what needed to be done.

Opposition teams now just zone of Crossy when he has the ball, and simply let him run forward with it in the knowledge that he will not hit a target further upfield. I reckon Carlton deliberately peeled of Cross 4-5 time today.
You make a good point, he is a senior player and is in the leadership group. You cannot shy away from your responsibility when you need to stand up as a leader.
Who in the Geelong or Hawthorn team cannot kick? I can only name Blake off the top of my head

[Sockeye Salmon]

26 touches at 96% efficency.

Yes, he executed a skill poorly but the decision itself wasn't particularily poor. Cross would have been kicking from nearly the 50 line which would have been right on his limits and Hahn would have been 20m closer to goal.

Certainly he should have hit the target. All of his other possessions on the weekend did.


If I could be bothered (and obviously I can't) I could sit down with the video and highlight a skill error from every player on the list for you. I would be very surprised if there was a single player who didn't butcher it at some stage.

[Sedat]

26 touches at 96% efficency.

Yes, he executed a skill poorly but the decision itself wasn't particularily poor. Cross would have been kicking from nearly the 50 line which would have been right on his limits and Hahn would have been 20m closer to goal.

Certainly he should have hit the target. All of his other possessions on the weekend did.


If I could be bothered (and obviously I can't) I could sit down with the video and highlight a skill error from every player on the list for you. I would be very surprised if there was a single player who didn't butcher it at some stage.
Sockeye, I was at the other end of the stadium but he looked closer to goal than that. Irrespective, Crossy was well in the clear, and could have steadied himself and slotted an uncontested shot for goal on the run from 30 metres - he's a smart footballer and should have known that Carlton's defenders would not have gone to him, thereby giving him the chance to head straight to goal. I thought the pass option to Hahn, who was less in the clear than Crossy himself, was low percentage even in the hands of Gilbee and a really poor option to consider. Was critical in the context of the game as well, as we had kicked 4 goals on the trot and looked in good shape halfway through the 2nd qtr.

Picken is no great shakes with his foot skills but he took the responsibility to slot one home on an acute angle from 40 metres.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Picken is no great shakes with his foot skills but he took the responsibility to slot one home on an acute angle from 40 metres.

Barassi would have dragged him for taking such a low % shot.

[Mantis]

26 touches at 96% efficency.

Yes, he executed a skill poorly but the decision itself wasn't particularily poor. Cross would have been kicking from nearly the 50 line which would have been right on his limits and Hahn would have been 20m closer to goal.

Certainly he should have hit the target. All of his other possessions on the weekend did.

If I could be bothered (and obviously I can't) I could sit down with the video and highlight a skill error from every player on the list for you. I would be very surprised if there was a single player who didn't butcher it at some stage.

According to the HUN he had 21 touches (95% efficiency). Of these he had just 4 kicks, 4 f***ing kicks from a guy who finds more open space than Burke & Wills... It's not good enough.

Of these 17 handballs how many were attacking? Now I haven't watched the game as yet (doing so tonight), but I will make a note of every handball that goes backwards and get back to you.

[1eyedog]

Sockeye, I was at the other end of the stadium but he looked closer to goal than that. Irrespective, Crossy was well in the clear, and could have steadied himself and slotted an uncontested shot for goal on the run from 30 metres - he's a smart footballer and should have known that Carlton's defenders would not have gone to him, thereby giving him the chance to head straight to goal. I thought the pass option to Hahn, who was less in the clear than Crossy himself, was low percentage even in the hands of Gilbee and a really poor option to consider. Was critical in the context of the game as well, as we had kicked 4 goals on the trot and looked in good shape halfway through the 2nd qtr.

Picken is no great shakes with his foot skills but he took the responsibility to slot one home on an acute angle from 40 metres.

He was only 40 out and steadied. He should have slotted it.

[Desipura]

He was only 40 out and steadied. He should have slotted it.

And with no one in the square, he could have kicked it 35 and rely on the bounce to roll thorugh the goals.
SS, beg to differ on the decision not being particularly poor.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Cross is struggling at the moment.

He's still finding the ball and open space as others have alluded to, but his impact is almost next to nothing at the moment. FAR too often he decides to go to ground, putting his body over the ball rather than just bending down and picking it up. Clubs are starting to work it out - let him slide in, then stand off him because he's not going to be able to handball far on his backside. One player makes the tackle and the other covers the space in which Cross is going to handball it to.

His kicking is going backwards but I think the biggest concern is the amount of times he's fumbling the ball in congestion. His use of handball and decision making has been ordinary lately too.

He's been super consistent to date in his career but he really needs to turn it around soon. Boyd has surpassed him by a long, long way.

[hujsh]

Picken is no great shakes with his foot skills but he took the responsibility to slot one home on an acute angle from 40 metres.

I think he tried to centre it but it swung the wrong way off his boot. I was in line from him to the goal and it looked like he was about to pop it up in the square

[Mantis]

Of these 17 handballs how many were attacking? Now I haven't watched the game as yet (doing so tonight), but I will make a note of every handball that goes backwards and get back to you.

1st rule of forum life: Don't quote your own posts... oh well.

Cross:

1st qtr - 6 handballs for the qtr, 3 within 10 sec's , only one of these is creative. All travel backwards or sideways. Two more during the qtr release running player's.

2nd qtr - All handballs sideways or backwards. Two release players. Stuff's up goal opportunity.

2nd half - Two handballs put players under more pressure than he was. One results in a Carlton goal.

Although his handballs were effective (hit a target) I would say less than half of these released running players. His game was better than I was led to believe, but played too wide of his opponent.