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Good looking numbers from Edwards - particularly the tackles. Might be seeing him on the SCG this Fri evening?
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Looks like Edwards is next in line. How far do people think Dawson as from getting picked for the seniors?Comment
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Don't get me started on Cunningham. That lack of effort against Bont in the marking contest was so un-Swans like. It was a terrible piece of non footy. If he had put his body in and gone for the ball he may have impacted the contest and spilled the ball out or got a free. But to just basically stand there waiting for the ball to fall in his hands...GGGRRRR. Then there was the 53% Disposal Efficiency on 15 disposals. GOT TO GOOOOOO NOW!Comment
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Not really. I should learn to pay attention to that kind of thing. I think that Maibaum and Talia both played on him for portions of the game. Whenever I particularly looked out for Melican, he seemed to be on someone else. The Lions had quite a few tall players in their forward line, plus a very lively Daniel Rich wannabee (too long, greasy blond locks, secured with a headband) who was probably a toppie, given he was wearing no 55.
I am encouraged by the possession count of Dawson. That suggests he was more involved than I had realised. He doesn't stand out especially (from a physical sense) so it's not as obvious when he's involved in passages of play as, say, Rose. When he takes a strong contested mark, or kicks a goal on the run from 50m out, that's when I tend to notice him.
Next time I go to a NEAFL game I will make it my special projects to
a) pay more attention to how the tall defenders are lining up
b) pay more attention to how effective the ruckmen are at centre bounces
c) pay particular attention to Dawson, not just when he does something eye-catching.
If team selection were based primarily on who plays like they want it the most, I nominate Edwards as next cab of the rank. If it is based on who has the skillset that looks most likely to be able to sustain a senior AFL career, I'd have Dawson on top. He had another injury interrupted pre-season, however, so I imagine the coaching group will need to be convinced he has a sufficient fitness base before he gets his shot.Comment
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There is an all too short video of the game highlights on the Swans website. There were a few good patches of play from Edwards in the video. 29 disposals and a big 10 tackles should get him a gig in the seniors. I think he would be a better choice than Fox, who still looks tentative, but a promising prospect once he builds his confidence. And how good would it be to see the number 19 back out on the SCG.
I can't wait for Dawson to get a senior game. Our forward line would be quite daunting with so many players who can nail goals from outside 50 on a regular basis. Both Dawson and Hayward easily make the distance and are strong contested marks. Rohan and Papley can also hit them from beyond 50. One of the things I like about Dawson is that he can have an impact all over the ground. He can play through the midfield as well as help out in defence.Comment
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Thanks again, liz. From your observations and ugg's stats, it sounds like Edwards is next cab off the rank if, for instance, they decide Harry C needs some time in the magoos. His enthusiasm keeps shining through. 10 tackles is impressive, especially when coupled with good speed and kicking skills. What are the knocks on him?
Don't know what to make of the mixed news about BJ. The pressure is definitely on him. I'd love to see him come good. But then of course I feel that way about every player. I'll be very interested to see the coaches' votes when ugg posts them.
Just curious, liz, did ugg arrange for you to cover the match he couldn't or was that a happy coincidence?All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated, and well supported in logic and argument than others. -Douglas Adams, author (11 Mar 1952-2001)
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As a matter of interest Liz does Edwards use his pace? After all, that is why we recruited him. I don't want him to be another Towers or Cunningham, neither of which plays to their strengths. Great to see his tackle count.
I could be wrong but the problem with his career to date has been his defensive pressure. We might find they give him more time in the twos ala Mitch Morton.Comment
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I haven't seen enough of Edwards yet to make a strong judgment - just the one JLC game, one NEAFL game and a few pre-season training sessions.
My early observations (which I reserve the right to change my mind about when I've seen more of him) are
- he plays in an extroverted style. His physical attributes make him suited to fill similar roles to Towers, but their onfield personalities are very different. We don't have many players in our team who play in an extroverted style, so he would bring something valuable to the mix in that regard;
- he desperately wants another chance to prove he can play at senior level, and he understands this is almost certainly his last chance. The interview with him on the Swans' website just after he was drafted made this pretty clear. And he played on Saturday with that intent and desire evident;
- I don't have a feel for how quick he really is but I doubt he'd match Cunningham or maybe even Towers in a footrace over 30+ metres. What he can do is reach close to his top speed in a few steps. That burst out of congestion is valuable. Towers and Cunningham probably have it too, but don't regularly show it;
- if he was told when he arrived at the Swans that he needed to focus on pressure and tackling, he listened.
- I don't think he's an especially nuanced player. The two clips of him in the highlights reel from Saturday's NEAFL game illustrate what he does - find a bit of space and whack the ball on the boot. In those two instances, the ball reached Rose, who was able to convert into goals. But I doubt he was aiming for Rose. I doubt he knew who he was aiming for. You can see in the video that he didn't raise his eyes to even look in the direction of where he kicked. In his defence, this is the team style - kick long into the forward line - so maybe he was just following team rules. But I haven't seen any evidence that he might be able to pinpoint passes such as we saw Newman do on Friday, or Florent in both rounds 1 and 2;
- he can be a little reckless with his approach at times. Early in the NEAFL game he caught a Lions player with a coat hanger because he rushed into the contest and wasn't in control of his actions. To give him credit, he stood the mark well and when the Lions player moved off his line and was called to play on, he moved in for a follow up tackle and executed a wonderful tackle. At least, it would have been had the umpire not called that one high as well. It wasn't - and those sitting in the stand had a much better view than the umpire did. I have no idea what the umpire was thinking when he penalised Edwards again.
- he may be prone to drift in an out of games. His energy levels in the first 10 minutes of Saturday's game were fantastic. I wouldn't be surprised if he laid half his tackles during that period. But he didn't sustain it throughout the game. He was prominent again during the James Rose Purple Patch, and, from memory, was one of the better players in the final quarter. One game is too small a sample to make definitive conclusions but (not) maintaining a consistent level of effort throughout a game may prove to be one of his limitations. I've read comments from Essendon fans that suggest this was a reason he didn't get more senior opportunities there.
He is a player I look forward to watching more as the season unfolds because, despite some limitations, he does offer something a bit different from most of the rest of the squad.Comment
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His form over the years backs up your observations, Liz. Sounds like the one line weekly reviews of his career:
Inside Football - AFL Player Ratings - Shaun EDWARDS
I hope we can use our magic to turn him into a more consistent player, because he seems to have the talent.Comment
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