Farran Ray 2009

[bulldogtragic]

Firstly, have you noticed on the Army Award TV ad's some of the courageous acts are last year's run down of him, completely obvlious to play.

Secondly, and seriously, Farren has played well, and i was upset that his manager in my opinion mis-handled the circumstances. That aside he is playing some ok footy for the Saints.

Question.

If he were still at the dogs who would be be displacing on our players current form?

Gia
Ward
Gilbee
Coons
Griff
Boyd
Cross
Harbrow
Eagleton
Others

All of the above have had good seasons. Perhaps he was right to think if he stayed he wouldn't be in the 22. But that said, we are now short of running players with really only the Eagle with that ability.

And all that aside, i think it's a win/win trade, just wait until you see young Liam Jones.

[LostDoggy]

We don't miss him at all, not one bit.

He showed time & time again his true colours.

[bornadog]

We don't miss him at all, not one bit.

He showed time & time again his true colours.

agree, not mush else to say.

[The Coon Dog]

He showed time & time again his true colours.

Can you clarify this please. :confused:

[LostDoggy]

Can you clarify this please. :confused:

You don't remember the amount of games his decision making, poor disposal & bad vision cost us?

[The Coon Dog]

You don't remember the amount of games his decision making, poor disposal & bad vision cost us?

Yes I do, but your statement didn't say that, which is why I sought clarification.

[LostDoggy]

Yes I do, but your statement didn't say that, which is why I sought clarification.

Fair enough.

Thought it was pretty clear, as bornadog agreed.

[bulldogtragic]

I guess where i was coming from is many here, probably me included, think his second 100 games would be better than his first 100, so we wanted him to stay, to get our money's worth. Eade did not want him to leave.

So viewing the question i posed, thorugh that viewpoint, where we are this year and the players we have used, and their individual form. Could Farren have cracked our 22 for the year, some game, no games?

He frustrated the hell out of me with his ability to get tackled and shank balls from 50. But his form has been quite good in 2009, but it's a hypothetical questions about even with that improvement would he still be ahead of Gilbee, Hargrave, Harbrow or Eagleton - probaly the 4 spots most likely for him.

[LostDoggy]

I was sick of him as well, but still thought he might come good.

But the running into open goal shank for a behind, three minutes into the QF last season, was the nail in the coffin for me.

[bulldogtragic]

I was sick of him as well, but still thought he might come good.

But the running into open goal shank for a behind, three minutes into the QF last season, was the nail in the coffin for me.
I agree.

His ability to give fans heart attacks and use words only reserved for dockworkers, is not the question. His negatives were profoundedly bad.

The question is with his improvement, if he had stayed, would he have been even able to crack to best 22. And if so for which player.

My point was in the initial post, despite him preliminarily coming good, i still don't he would have made our best 22 ona regular basis.

Furthermore, the trade was essentially for Liam Jones. So i will start calling it the Ray/Jones trade. I have started the Jones bandwagon and I think Comrade is firmly in the wagon too. So wilst StK have had a win, i think we have had a pretty decetn win too. Watch for young Liam Jones, Gran and Cordy are obvious talents, but i am most excited by Jones.

So perhaps, despite the argy bargy, and the view his second 100 games would be better, the trade was actually a win for the footy club as he would have played predominatly at Willi and we would have missed Jones.

Or, am I compltely wrong in our player assessment and we should be soewing Ray who is playing great footy for another team dumped us?

[LostDoggy]

I still want to slap Faz, I had to defend his ultimate shitness for years and years, and the once he leaves us (in a horrid way, in my opinion) he decides to put in some effort or something. Still the majority of the time I still see him just standing around, failing at tackles and getting run down. He only looks better because he can now actually hit a target (Reiwoldt) up forward.

I hate seeing his face, it just angers me.

[AndrewP6]

I used to quite like him at the Dogs, but he clearly didn't want to be there at the end...interesting to see what Liam Jones will be like -must confess, haven't seen him in action. Of the players Bulldog Tragic mentioned, on current form Ray might've pushed Eagle for a spot. Then again, there wasn't much last year that indicated he could play like he is now... shits me to tears we used a no. 4 pick on him, and the return wasn't nearly as good as that high a pick...and the Saints are making him look good. Anyway, as I said, he didn't want to be a Bulldog, so good riddance...

[AndrewP6]

Or, am I compltely wrong in our player assessment and we should be soewing Ray who is playing great footy for another team dumped us?

spewing?

[Mofra]

Well, he's in the best 22 of the team on the top of the ladder, so to say "good riddance" doesn't seem a terribly unbiased view of his ability.
He is a gut runner who is courageous when heading back with the flight of the ball, ranks highly with metres gained and would be in our best 22 this year on current form.

Unfortuntely we had to let him go for virtually nothing. We nabbed Welsh & Hudson for very little so sometimes things just even out. That's football.

[boydogs]

You don't remember the amount of games his decision making, poor disposal & bad vision cost us?

Jarrad Grant may be in the #10 not #1 if not for the Ray trade. Eagle has the same flaws and the younger Farren may have edged him out. Eade's 'you may be spending a lot of time at Williamstown' may have become 'we don't have a spot for you any longer'

Jones and Eagleton for Ray, I'd probably take that

[AndrewP6]

Well, he's in the best 22 of the team on the top of the ladder, so to say "good riddance" doesn't seem a terribly unbiased view of his ability.


I am biased, make no mistake... "good riddance" was more in terms of his obvious desire to leave...I'll shed no tears over losing a player who doesn't want to be with us. His good form now is the cause of much of my displeasure, as I said, he couldn't produce near that in his time with us. And having the big targets up forward makes him look better.

Can someone explain the "metres gained" stat for me? If I kick it sideways, does that count? Or if I kick it forward to a bloke who then kicks it back to me... anyone?

[LostDoggy]

I didn't like him or hate him. Ray changing clubs, in my opinion has made him a better player. If he stayed with the Doggies, don't think he would be as useful a player as he is for the Saints.

[Topdog]

He has been a lot quieter in the last 5-6 weeks. Didn't do much today. Good luck to him with the Saints.

[bulldogtragic]

spewing?
Sorry, my spelling error.

[AndrewP6]

Sorry, my spelling error.

No probs, knew that was the intended word... did have to think for few seconds though!:)

[Remi Moses]

Don't dislike or like the guy. Noticed in a BIG GAME yesterday Farren missed the target by foot a few times. Dime a dozen footballer IMHO.

[LostDoggy]

Ironic that Liam Jones was a St Kilda supporter, and was doing a pre-season with the saints before we drafted him.

Time will tell whether we got the better deal, but I believe it is good to keep turning the list over. I think that Harbrow is doing well in the backline and has the speed to get the ball out.

Farran, was terrible in that final against the Hawks, and Rocket had good reason to drop him - if he couldn't take the punishment for a poor game then tough. Yes, he started the season off well at the Saints as do most new players at clubs usually do (Medhurst, Rodan etc) good luck to him, but his form is starting to drop off now, and it is an advantage to know that if we put him under some pressure he will cough up the ball.

[lemmon]

During his time at the dogs I always wondered why he never had a decent, prolonged spell on a half back flank. He seems to have found a niche with St Kilda across the backline so that may be the catalyst for some of his good performances.
In saying that though we have uncovered Harbrow, now playing a similiar role but with superior foot skills so I dont think has trade has cost us anything.

[bulldogtragic]

When you look at the charachter of people.

Example A) Eade to Nathan Eagleton, if you want to stay on you can, but expect the kids to push you out of the side. And you're a scapegoat for the supporters - Thanks for the challenege Rocket i'll show you just how good i can be.

Example B- Eade to Farren Ray. You player quite poorly against Hawthorn and we've made the decision to drop you this week. And it looks like the supporters will make you a one week scapegoat unlike Nathan who has copped it since robbing the throngs of Monty.

A - Eagleton pulls out a brilliant years and shuts the critics up.
B - Farren couldn't take the heat for a week and jumped ship.

I guess that's why David Smorgon said the club needs more people like Nathan Eagleton. To stare down criticisim and challenge and win. Not run awa when it gets tough.

[Desipura]

When you look at the charachter of people.

Example A) Eade to Nathan Eagleton, if you want to stay on you can, but expect the kids to push you out of the side. And you're a scapegoat for the supporters - Thanks for the challenege Rocket i'll show you just how good i can be.

Example B- Eade to Farren Ray. You player quite poorly against Hawthorn and we've made the decision to drop you this week. And it looks like the supporters will make you a one week scapegoat unlike Nathan who has copped it since robbing the throngs of Monty.

A - Eagleton pulls out a brilliant years and shuts the critics up.
B - Farren couldn't take the heat for a week and jumped ship.

I guess that's why David Smorgon said the club needs more people like Nathan Eagleton. To stare down criticisim and challenge and win. Not run awa when it gets tough.

Eagleton had no choice but to stay with us if he wanted to continue playing given his age.
Ray is much younger and had a club interested in him, two very different examples

[Topdog]

Eagleton had no choice but to stay with us if he wanted to continue playing given his age.
Ray is much younger and had a club interested in him, to very different examples

Ray also had the Bulldogs still interested in him. Eagle could have retired or just played the year out at Willi and still have been paid. He chose to fight for his career and to do that with his mates. Ray ran away thanks in part to his dickhead manager.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I notice Ray is coming back to the pack in regards his form after an early season peak.
I don't really wish any ill towards Ray but I think we all agree it FEELS better when players who leave the kennel go downhill. And it feels better when players traded in go uphill when at the kennel.

[The Coon Dog]

I notice Ray is coming back to the pack in regards his form after an early season peak.
I don't really wish any ill towards Ray but I think we all agree it FEELS better when players who leave the kennel go downhill. And it feels better when players traded in go uphill when at the kennel.
Very true indeed.

[Go_Dogs]

Ray's season has been pretty good.

When he receives the ball he still seems to panic a bit. There were a few occasions against Geelong on Sunday where he received the ball in the corridor or on the wing. Under pressure he looks completely lost, turns backwards and eventually, after dancing on the spot for a second, runs backwards to release the ball to someone else. In both instances his handballs were OK, not great, but seemed an improvement on his time at the Dogs.

During the Hawthorn final last year, Ray actually got to some ok spots and managed to get a hold of the ball a lot. When he has little time and space though, he tends to panic, make poor decisions and often his execution by foot and hand was poor. Numerous handballs in the Hawthorn game were floaters that put other blokes under a heap of pressure and a turnover resulted. The Hawk pressure was fantastic, but in finals type pressure games I still feel he is a liability.

He fills a good role at the Saints and playing him off half back has been a good move. Having a few bigger targets to bomb into, rather than having to spot up precision balls to leading targets, has also helped.

[Scraggers]

Just as an aside ...

Did you know that Farren Ray's Bulldog jumper is in the Western Bulldogs display at the AFL Hall Of Fame (at the MCG)

[bulldogtragic]

Just as an aside ...

Did you know that Farren Ray's Bulldog jumper is in the Western Bulldogs display at the AFL Hall Of Fame (at the MCG)
He is also in the Army Award TV ad too in a bulldogs jumper. Standing still, looking completely confused and getting smashed into the ground and holding the ball.

[Mofra]

He is also in the Army Award TV ad too in a bulldogs jumper. Standing still, looking completely confused and getting smashed into the ground and holding the ball.
Which is as much the fault of his teammates (lack of talk) than him.

[Sedat]

Patrick Bowden and Sam Power also had terrific first 12-15 weeks at their new clubs immediately after leaving the kennel. In reverse, Daniel Bandy and Rawlings also started well when they arrived at the kennel. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

[Desipura]

Patrick Bowden and Sam Power also had terrific first 12-15 weeks at their new clubs immediately after leaving the kennel. In reverse, Daniel Bandy and Rawlings also started well when they arrived at the kennel. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Scott Cummings had a history of having a good 1st year at every club he played for Essendon, WCE, Port & Coll

[bulldogtragic]

Which is as much the fault of his teammates (lack of talk) than him.
Actually Aker talked about that tackle on before the bounce, they were doing tackle of the year. He said he was 10 metres away screaming and screaming his lungs out at Farren to get get rid of it. Aker looked really frustrated and rooled his shoulders, i.e. 'what more can you do?'.