Brian Harris this season

[Dry Rot]

How do you rate him so far?

[LostDoggy]

Looking good in the games so far and thought he was terrific today. Seems to be controlling his aggression too - not going soft, but not getting sucked in.

[GVGjr]

Looking good in the games so far and thought he was terrific today. Seems to be controlling his aggression too - not going soft, but not getting sucked in.

We can't afford for him to do anything silly. There are some very good full backs in the competition at the moment and Harris probably has 4 guys in front of him.

[Mofra]

Seems set to reclaim the mantle of most important player in the side. Was brilliant today.

[GVGjr]

Seems set to reclaim the mantle of most important player in the side. Was brilliant today.

Do you think it might have been his best game?

[firstdogonthemoon]

BOG - Easy (unless you count westy - but he is a robot)

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Do you think it might have been his best game?

I do.

Said that today when walking out of the MCG.

27 disposals, something like 10 or 12 marks?

He was phenomenal.

He has slaughtered The Saints, Tigers & now Hawks. Very impressed and proud. Him at his best makes us a far better side.

[GVGjr]

I do.

Said that today when walking out of the MCG.

27 disposals, something like 10 or 12 marks?

He was phenomenal.

He has slaughtered The Saints, Tigers & now Hawks. Very impressed and proud. Him at his best makes us a far better side.

Spot on. It just goes to show that we need him to be focused on the task at hand and not doing anything silly.

[BulldogBelle]

Do you think it might have been his best game?

Would have to be close to his best game if not the best game, West was on SEN straight after the match and the discussion was brought up about Harris's performance today and West said Harris is now beginning to realise how important he is to this side, especially after his performance today.

[Twodogs]

He was awesome today. Lots of times I'd catch a desperate act or a lunge that knocked the ball clear and think "who was that?", look up on the screen(how did we survive without instant replays at the ground?) and it was Brian again.


Some of the marks he took at the Punt Rd end were amazing.



One funny one in the last quarter-he took a mark, looked to kick the ball, realised it was Guido he was kickong it to and changed his mind and went to West instead. I reckon his mind went back to Gelong last year when he went to Guido right at the end and Guido muffed it. Well mine did anyway-maybe Westy just had a louder voice and was in a better possie.

[GVGjr]

One funny one in the last quarter-he took a mark, looked to kick the ball, realised it was Guido he was kickong it to and changed his mind and went to West instead. I reckon his mind went back to Gelong last year when he went to Guido right at the end and Guido muffed it. Well mine did anyway-maybe Westy just had a louder voice and was in a better possie.

I saw that to and just thought I was just imagining too much. :D

[dog town]

He started well in 2004 , 2005 and 2006 then faded. He was brilliant today but needs to maintain it now. It was a very mature game.

[Go_Dogs]

Do you think it might have been his best game?

Easily the best game I've seen Brian play. Having no really dangerous forwards besides Franklin really allowed him to zone off a bit from his man and just follow the ball. Showed some terrific signs in that role, and I expect as Wight and Williams continue to develop he'll do more of the same.

Wasn't BOG for mine, but played really well and held our back half together.

[LostDoggy]

Posted this question on BF.
Did SOS hinder his development more than help it?

[bornadog]

Great game, great judgement of the ball coming into the Hawks forward line, 29 posessions and 15 marks, best (Doggies) fullback stats I have seen for a very long time.

[Topdog]

Was easily in our top 3 today. I think he has had a brilliant year and yesterday was easily his best game of the year. He read the ball so well at times that it looked like he was playing as a loose man in defense.

We look 10 times better with him out there doing his thing.

[Dry Rot]

Only need one other quality tall defender now.

[Dry Rot]

Has Grant's absence helped Harris in a way? And if so, where will Grant play when he returns?

[Go_Dogs]

Could Grant play full back perhaps? Not too sure. I think he'll play forward or back depending on need through out the games.

[The Coon Dog]

Each week I do a 5,4,3,2,1. In the 4 games he's been back I have given hin 2,4,5,5. 16 from a possible 20.

[bornadog]

Has Grant's absence helped Harris in a way? And if so, where will Grant play when he returns?

I would prefer him to play a lynch type of roll at FF.

[Dry Rot]

I would prefer him to play a lynch type of roll at FF.

And Darcy?

[bornadog]

And Darcy?

can he hold CHF?

[southerncross]

can he hold CHF?

He should be able to but I think the coach either wants him as a FF or ruckman.

[Dry Rot]

Consistently our best player now?

And has Grant's absence been a blessing ie Harris has really had to step up to the plate and be the general down there?

[Go_Dogs]

I wouldn't say consistently our best, but he has been consistently in the best 5, which is VERY pleasing given that he's a tall and he's not named Luke or Chris (something we haven't seen a lot of over the last what, 20 years or more?)

I think Grant's absence has helped him, but he's also got confidence atm, which he lacked late last year. I've never seen Brian so content to go third man up for marks and pull them down with such ease. Career best form w/o doubt, lets hope it continues.

[bornadog]

Unfortunatetly although did some good things yesterday, Eade was not happy that he did not stick close to Waite and played too loosely.

[GVGjr]

Unfortunatetly although did some good things yesterday, Eade was not happy that he did not stick close to Waite and played too loosely.

It's a fine line with Eade isn't it? He is critical of KPP not taking their opponents on, especially running with the ball (I can recall him chewing out Grant for not running the ball out of defense) and yet he also has a crack at them when they llose a player and he takes an uncontested mark.

I think, West, Boyd and Cross have been the most consistant players this season performance wise for us but Harris has handled the biggest assignments each week more consistently than anyone else.
It's been an excellent season so far for him. He is holding his marks, hitting his targets with his kicks, running with the ball when required and typically making the right decisions.

[bornadog]

It's a fine line with Eade isn't it? He is critical of KPP not taking their opponents on, especially running with the ball (I can recall him chewing out Grant for not running the ball out of defense) and yet he also has a crack at them when they llose a player and he takes an uncontested mark.

I think, West, Boyd and Cross have been the most consistant players this season performance wise for us but Harris has handled the biggest assignments each week more consistently than anyone else.
It's been an excellent season so far for him. He is holding his marks, hitting his targets with his kicks, running with the ball when required and typically making the right decisions.

yes your right, I don't get it sometimes. For me if Harris wasn't playing yesterday we would have lost by 40 points not ten.

[westdog54]

yes your right, I don't get it sometimes. For me if Harris wasn't playing yesterday we would have lost by 40 points not ten.

Agreed. Seemed to take a mark in every pack he jumped into, was safe as houses when going for contested marks.

[bornadog]

Will Harris take on Brown this week? It will be a very good contest and I can't see anyone else strong enough to take him on.

[westdog54]

Will Harris take on Brown this week? It will be a very good contest and I can't see anyone else strong enough to take him on.

Will be his biggest test for the year without a doubt.

Not only is Brown big, he's mobile and has safe hands. If Brian can't get on top of him its curtains.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Will be his biggest test for the year without a doubt.

Not only is Brown big, he's mobile and has safe hands. If Brian can't get on top of him its curtains.

Yep but one I think he is definitely up to having seen him negate Hall. Hall was able to get marks further up the ground..but didn't get much of a sniff closer to goal. Harris' performance that day was one of the very few positives to take out othe Canberra game.
If Brown goes up the ground searching for marks on the HFF- I expect Harris to let him go, and remain closer to goal to spoil, block space or drift across a pack to create a 2 on 1, and in effect create run from the back line himself.
It will be a big statement on the outcome of the game if Brown stays closer to goal and Haris is still able to quell him.

[Dry Rot]

Yep but one I think he is definitely up to having seen him negate Hall. Hall was able to get marks further up the ground..but didn't get much of a sniff closer to goal. Harris' performance that day was one of the very few positives to take out othe Canberra game.
If Brown goes up the ground searching for marks on the HFF- I expect Harris to let him go, and remain closer to goal to spoil, block space or drift across a pack to create a 2 on 1, and in effect create run from the back line himself.
It will be a big statement on the outcome of the game if Brown stays closer to goal and Haris is still able to quell him.

Curiously a lot of folk on BF bagged Harris for letting Hall get cheap marks up field.

I thought he did an excellent job that day.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Curiously a lot of folk on BF bagged Harris for letting Hall get cheap marks up field.

I thought he did an excellent job that day.

Yep my Saints mate who came with me had previously doubted Harris.. and thought he looked "small" for a Key Defender... and hence nicknamed him "The Dwarf" I relished in yelling out Go dwarf everytime he spoiled that day... and my Saints mate had to admit that he'd been very wrong about Harris...
Considering he took a big hit by Hall late in the 3rd to, which would've laid out any other merer mortal.. He looked quite stunned but still never shirked.
Whilst some of our guys have obviously lost a bit of their confidence Harris has grown in this regard this season, and I've noticed of late he is more inclined to go for marks rather than his trademark spoil.. and it's been coming off for him too.

[Dry Rot]

Will be his biggest test for the year without a doubt.

Not only is Brown big, he's mobile and has safe hands. If Brian can't get on top of him its curtains.

Another high quality scalp for Brian. This week Pavlich......

[bornadog]

Another high quality scalp for Brian. This week Pavlich......

Eade is quoted as saying he us the form Fullback of the competition.

Harris league's form full-back: Eade
12:10 AM Sun 10 June, 2007 | Back

By Michael Whiting

Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network

News
Rodney Eade has hailed Brian Harris as the best full-back in the AFL after the Bulldogs strongman starred in his team's 23-point win over Brisbane on Saturday night.

Harris was handed the daunting task of minding Lions focal point Jonathan Brown, a job he did with distinction.

Brown booted just two goals for the night, including one deep into the fourth quarter, as Harris added another scalp to his impressive list.

Eade said his performance was one of many highlights in the 13.17 (95) to 10.12 (72) win at the Gabba.

"You can see Jonathan is carrying a couple of niggles but Brian is in career-best form," Eade said.

"His past eight weeks have been as good as any full-back in the competition, if not better. I think he's probably the form full-back at the moment.

"But he's not just beating opponents, he's also winning the ball himself."

Harris was a standout in a number of one-on-one contests with the Lions champion, but Eade paid tribute to a full team effort.

He said bouncing back after losses to Sydney and Carlton the previous two weeks came down to a more rounded performance.

"The last two games we've lost, people have criticised us for our hard ball gets but we've actually won them against pretty good opposition," he said.

"Last week, Carlton were number one in clearances and we won that but we forgot about the other part of our game.

"I think tonight we were able to maintain our hardness at the ball but we were able to get our run going as well.

"The competition is very even. We say it all the time, but it's getting more even every year. The draft and salary cap are really working and if you don't bring that consistency of effort you're really a chance of losing against any team."

While not big on setting goals, the Bulldogs boss admitted he was desperate to win against Fremantle in Darwin next weekend to turn at the mid-season break with a 7-5 win-loss record.

Eade said the huge hype surrounding Jason Akermanis in the build-up to the game had not affected the Dogs.

He said his star recruit had handled the week superbly, and while not talking to him too much directly in the build-up, had offered some consoling words when needed.

"People tried to generate it and Jason was very good at absorbing that and was able to deflect it and turn it down to fine leg a bit," he said.

"We spoke as a group that we're here to support each other and if anything untoward happens that we're here for him.

"But in this day and age in footy there's not going to be anything silly happen."
Eade said he was also pleased with the way Luke Darcy had responded to constant media scrutiny, putting in a solid display across the ground.