Dougal Howard - I'm Not Convinced Yet.

[Secret Kiel]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

[CURLY]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Obviously taking the piss.

[Beno88]

The coaches obviously thought otherwise. Both gave him votes.

He took a bit to get going in 2020, but his last two games have been excellent.

[Saintmatt]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Wow. You're actively trolling now. Are you saying that you have actually tuned in to watch this game? Surely not.

Anyway - assuming that as usual, you did not - Howard was actually pretty good. Yep - had a few clangers but, so did Seb Ross (and yet, he's a Senior player who you blindly defend). So did a few others too. Was a pretty hot game. Anyway, I thought it was a good effort from the 24yo / 52 game defender to keep the hottest 29yo / 141 game key forward (other than J Kennedy) to a single goal and 8 disposals. Was also playing against his old team for the first time.

Also - backlines are a team in and of themselves these days. When teams defend well, backmen look good. When they get separated and isolated - then backmen look flat out ordinary. Collingwood's much vaunted backline? Torn a new one by WC on Sunday when Waterman, Kennedy and Darling separated them. Backmen will make mistakes and when their team gets out of jail - it will generally be because their fellow backmen come and help clean up.

[Secret Kiel]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Wow. You're actively trolling now. Are you saying that you have actually tuned in to watch this game? Surely not.

Anyway - assuming that as usual, you did not - Howard was actually pretty good. Yep - had a few clangers but, so did Seb Ross (and yet, he's a Senior player who you blindly defend). So did a few others too. Was a pretty hot game. Anyway, I thought it was a good effort from the 24yo / 52 game defender to keep the hottest 29yo / 141 game key forward (other than J Kennedy) to a single goal and 8 disposals. Was also playing against his old team for the first time.

Also - backlines are a team in and of themselves these days. When teams defend well, backmen look good. When they get separated and isolated - then backmen look flat out ordinary. Collingwood's much vaunted backline? Torn a new one by WC on Sunday when Waterman, Kennedy and Darling separated them. Backmen will make mistakes and when their team gets out of jail - it will generally be because their fellow backmen come and help clean up.

I have just reported you for accusing me of trolling.

[The_Dud]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Did you watch the game?

[Saintmatt]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Wow. You're actively trolling now. Are you saying that you have actually tuned in to watch this game? Surely not.

Anyway - assuming that as usual, you did not - Howard was actually pretty good. Yep - had a few clangers but, so did Seb Ross (and yet, he's a Senior player who you blindly defend). So did a few others too. Was a pretty hot game. Anyway, I thought it was a good effort from the 24yo / 52 game defender to keep the hottest 29yo / 141 game key forward (other than J Kennedy) to a single goal and 8 disposals. Was also playing against his old team for the first time.

Also - backlines are a team in and of themselves these days. When teams defend well, backmen look good. When they get separated and isolated - then backmen look flat out ordinary. Collingwood's much vaunted backline? Torn a new one by WC on Sunday when Waterman, Kennedy and Darling separated them. Backmen will make mistakes and when their team gets out of jail - it will generally be because their fellow backmen come and help clean up.

I have just reported you for accusing me of trolling.

Cool. It doesn't surprise me that that would be your style so, I hardly find that earth shattering. Cheers

[perfectionist]

The coaches obviously thought otherwise. Both gave him votes...

I don't think you can say that. One of the two "4 voters", Dougal and Darcy Byrne-Jones, only got votes (i.e 4) from one coach.

However, he was worth votes in my opinion. His marking is becoming more certain, as it needs to be. We need 6 backs who can take a secure contested mark. It's great that they are all going for it rather than that easier punch away option all the time. Punch away is the option when you are in no position to mark. Punching because you don't have the ability to mark is no good. I know I harp on this all the time, but it is the crucial ingredient to any GF win. It won us the 66 GF. It lost us the 97, 09 and 10 GFs. After we hit the front in 10, Collingwood attacked and we punched - they goaled. Contested marks stop the attack and send the ball in the opposite direction.

The secret to contested marks on the backline is a team response to make sure that your player has the best run at the ball. This means blocking and covering. Easier said than done. There is that fine line between a "legal" block and an illegal one. That's where skill and practice comes to play. I am hopeful that our players have the skills and brains to do this. They also have the height to counter most teams. Agility levels are good too. But confidence is the key. And as we all know, it can be there in spades one moment (the last quarter against PA) but it's gone the next (the last quarter against NM or Freo).

[Joffa Burns]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Lucky the opinions of Forum Karens don't count!

The coach/ coaches who gave Howard votes understood he blanketed the competitions in form key forward and was excellent all night other than a 3 minute period in the 3rd 1/4.

I guess 200cm athletic, courageous, competitive key defenders need to earn your respect

Then again, let's recap some of your prized calls this season, you've become the forums new TED

Not sure why King would be in the team for round 1, he's going to need a few games at Sandy first and earn his way to the AFL grade, he probably has to prove he's physically up to it as well.

The odds are very high that not all 5 of our traded recruits will become best 22 players.

Butler is behind Lonie, Kent, Parker and others

No Howard misses out as we will be too tall otherwise. Remember I have Jake, Josh and Wilkie in. Another tall makes us too tall and those three have earnt their spot for R1.

I have Ryder and Marshall rotating in the FWD line. Kent doesn't get a game for R1. He's got a battle on his hands to get in the side.

Howard will get his opportunity.

So my logic on Howard is Carslise, Battle and Wilkie are in front of him,

<1 day ban for baiting>

[Secret Kiel]

The coaches obviously thought otherwise. Both gave him votes...

I don't think you can say that. One of the two "4 voters", Dougal and Darcy Byrne-Jones, only got votes (i.e 4) from one coach.

However, he was worth votes in my opinion. His marking is becoming more certain, as it needs to be. We need 6 backs who can take a secure contested mark. It's great that they are all going for it rather than that easier punch away option all the time. Punch away is the option when you are in no position to mark. Punching because you don't have the ability to mark is no good. I know I harp on this all the time, but it is the crucial ingredient to any GF win. It won us the 66 GF. It lost us the 97, 09 and 10 GFs. After we hit the front in 10, Collingwood attacked and we punched - they goaled. Contested marks stop the attack and send the ball in the opposite direction.

The secret to contested marks on the backline is a team response to make sure that your player has the best run at the ball. This means blocking and covering. Easier said than done. There is that fine line between a "legal" block and an illegal one. That's where skill and practice comes to play. I am hopeful that our players have the skills and brains to do this. They also have the height to counter most teams. Agility levels are good too. But confidence is the key. And as we all know, it can be there in spades one moment (the last quarter against PA) but it's gone the next (the last quarter against NM or Freo).

Yes it was votes from one coach only. It would be fascinating to know which one. I'm hoping it wasn't from Ratts, he played an Ok game in a backline that worked in a very supportive way which pulled Howard out of a hole which is a good thing but still it can go the other way and has to get repeat clangers out of his game. If I'm Ratts, I'm prasing him for 3 ok quarters but letting him know his shocker in the 3rd can't be repeated, if you're having that type of conversation with a Player you probably shouldn't be giving him votes

[CURLY]

The coaches obviously thought otherwise. Both gave him votes...

I don't think you can say that. One of the two "4 voters", Dougal and Darcy Byrne-Jones, only got votes (i.e 4) from one coach.

However, he was worth votes in my opinion. His marking is becoming more certain, as it needs to be. We need 6 backs who can take a secure contested mark. It's great that they are all going for it rather than that easier punch away option all the time. Punch away is the option when you are in no position to mark. Punching because you don't have the ability to mark is no good. I know I harp on this all the time, but it is the crucial ingredient to any GF win. It won us the 66 GF. It lost us the 97, 09 and 10 GFs. After we hit the front in 10, Collingwood attacked and we punched - they goaled. Contested marks stop the attack and send the ball in the opposite direction.

The secret to contested marks on the backline is a team response to make sure that your player has the best run at the ball. This means blocking and covering. Easier said than done. There is that fine line between a "legal" block and an illegal one. That's where skill and practice comes to play. I am hopeful that our players have the skills and brains to do this. They also have the height to counter most teams. Agility levels are good too. But confidence is the key. And as we all know, it can be there in spades one moment (the last quarter against PA) but it's gone the next (the last quarter against NM or Freo).

Yes it was votes from one coach only. It would be fascinating to know which one. I'm hoping it wasn't from Ratts, he played an Ok game in a backline that worked in a very supportive way which pulled Howard out of a hole which is a good thing but still it can go the other way and has to get repeat clangers out of his game. If I'm Ratts, I'm prasing him for 3 ok quarters but letting him know his shocker in the 3rd can't be repeated, if you're having that type of conversation with a Player you probably shouldn't be giving him votes

His shocker that mean't his direct opponent and leagues in form key forward took one mark and kicked one goal. Yep kicked one out on the full from a rushed kick but hardly a shocker.

[Ghost Like]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Lucky the opinions of Forum Karens don't count!

The coach/ coaches who gave Howard votes understood he blanketed the competitions in form key forward and was excellent all night other than a 3 minute period in the 3rd 1/4.

I guess 200cm athletic, courageous, competitive key defenders need to earn your respect

Then again, let's recap some of your prized calls this season, you've become the forums new TED

Not sure why King would be in the team for round 1, he's going to need a few games at Sandy first and earn his way to the AFL grade, he probably has to prove he's physically up to it as well.

The odds are very high that not all 5 of our traded recruits will become best 22 players.

Butler is behind Lonie, Kent, Parker and others

No Howard misses out as we will be too tall otherwise. Remember I have Jake, Josh and Wilkie in. Another tall makes us too tall and those three have earnt their spot for R1.

I have Ryder and Marshall rotating in the FWD line. Kent doesn't get a game for R1. He's got a battle on his hands to get in the side.

Howard will get his opportunity.

So my logic on Howard is Carslise, Battle and Wilkie are in front of him,

That's certainly a compendium of embarrassing quotes, yet the author continues to spam this forum. It is hard to take any topics created by the author as nothing but bait as the author finds a way to trot out the same rhetoric in any given topic.

What I find amusing is the observation that Ryder & Marshall will play in the same side. I can't believe the author would go against the belief of that other quality poster, Highettman or Karenman, one of them, who believed two ruckman will no longer work and have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Which one do we believe?

[roskilde]

Great you're back with more super hot takes. Perhaps Port were tanking and that's why we beat them. After all this season doesn't even count.

Go kick rocks.

[Yorkeys]

SK in your journey to football enlightenment have you ever gone toe to toe with anything the size and speed of Charlie Dixon*. Nevertheless, your studies of the all glorious rhetoric of master Kim Il Keil of the order of the dishonorable secret squirrel shine through with disrespectful omniscience worthy of a heedless and erratic old man yet to be convinced the world is not flat. Get well soon.

* For real, not on play station or in your mind while lurking near the change room facilities.

[Vazelos]

A puzzling post...
Howard is young and settling in the side and has just taken the scalp of Dixon...
He is tall athletic aggressive combative and hates to lose.... he reminds me a little bit of Max Hudghton...
We should be doing back flips that we stole this player off Port that just doesn’t happen very often...

[SaintPav]

A puzzling post...
Howard is young and settling in the side and has just taken the scalp of Dixon...
He is tall athletic aggressive combative and hates to lose.... he reminds me a little bit of Max Hudghton...
We should be doing back flips that we stole this player off Port that just doesn’t happen very often...

Indeed.

Port fans and his ex-teammates really got in his face. It must have really hurt them for him to leave because they looked a bit short down back and they could have really used him. I guess that just have to suck it up.

[kosifantutti]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

Wow. You're actively trolling now. Are you saying that you have actually tuned in to watch this game? Surely not.

Anyway - assuming that as usual, you did not - Howard was actually pretty good. Yep - had a few clangers but, so did Seb Ross (and yet, he's a Senior player who you blindly defend). So did a few others too. Was a pretty hot game. Anyway, I thought it was a good effort from the 24yo / 52 game defender to keep the hottest 29yo / 141 game key forward (other than J Kennedy) to a single goal and 8 disposals. Was also playing against his old team for the first time.

Also - backlines are a team in and of themselves these days. When teams defend well, backmen look good. When they get separated and isolated - then backmen look flat out ordinary. Collingwood's much vaunted backline? Torn a new one by WC on Sunday when Waterman, Kennedy and Darling separated them. Backmen will make mistakes and when their team gets out of jail - it will generally be because their fellow backmen come and help clean up.

I have just reported you for accusing me of trolling.

Maybe one of our legal experts could confirm, but I’m pretty sure truth is a valid defence in a libel case.

[asiu]

watching that unfold ,
was enlightening i thought

didn’t drop his head
didn’t do the mind game loss of attention thing

copped the comments from his old crew
n crowd (no doubt !!)

did , reset and go again

good work that man
he’s a keeper

[bigred]

He was actually pretty good.

Had a mare few minutes in that quarter but that was the extent of it.

The way the back six is working right now is very, very good. Howard, Wilkie and Jake's three man chop out is working exceptionally well.

[The Fireman]

Well this one is out of the blue....what an unusual post

for fear of getting a ban can I at least say the OP is ridiculous ?

I though Howard was grouse and immediate selection material.

[The Fireman]

The Ban on Joffa is a bit rich, bringing up old posts is more about clarifying credibility rather than baiting.

I thought his post was insightful.

[Munga]

He had a shocker of a quarter against Port. Had it not been for the support around him to clean up his chain of clangers he could have been the sole reason we lost.

It was his first real test with pressure when a game was in the balance AND with crowd pressure and he didn't cope well at all. I want to see a much bigger sample size of him performing under those and much hotter conditions before I'm convinced he can play in a top 4 backline under finals pressure.

I can see where Secret Kiel is coming from. Howard did lose the plot for a while and I was surprised he was in the votes. He got over the line in the end, but he does need to improve that composure at times.

[asiu]

lol @ Karenman

[CQ SAINT]

This post is a bait hook. Best to read it, shake your head and move on. Some will never learn.

[Saintmatt]

The Ban on Joffa is a bit rich, bringing up old posts is more about clarifying credibility rather than baiting.

I thought his post was insightful.

Spot on. I'm pretty sure that truth is actually a defence (not just on this site but, you know - in the real world). Joffa's only crime was to not aggregate all of numpty utterings from SK that we've had to put up with over the duration. Mind you - the select few he did highlight did indeed paint an interesting insight OP's 'thought' process