We Need To Talk About Dan

[The Billings Method]

We need to talk about Dan. I know we're all devastated by last night's effort, but in the cold light of day there were several mitigating factors.

As pointed out by other posters, we were coming off a six day break from slogging around in heavy conditions. We were missing 7 of our best, crucially our two, first choice ruckmen.

Predictably we were smashed by the 7 foot tall, inbred hillbilly. He has a genetic advantage. Have you ever noticed how far apart his eyes are? He must have 360 ° vision, like a bird, or a fish. Sometimes mating with your relatives produces an advantageous mutatation. I digress.

I don't think this loss is as big as a disaster as some would think. As long as we beat the dopers, we'll be back on track. We have a good, deep list, being stretched by injury. The season is a marathon. I'm still confident this was an aberration.

Throw in the emotion of Spud's game, which I always thought was going to be detrimental and it's any wonder we lost.

Now, onto Dan. Ratts has already stated he won't be playing against the dopers and his comeback date is unknown. He may not be back at all for all we known.

He has become an addition to the Aaron Hamill "knee - 2 weeks" joke. A former player, a good friend, told me that Hamill was finished 2 years before it was formally announced, yet the club continued to lie to us for fear of affecting membership, coterie and sponsorship sales.

Unfortunately, the similarities between the two cases renders it anything but a joke. Spending between 3 and 4 million dollars on someone who, on average, plays fewer than one in three games is nothing to laugh about. He and Hill cost us Treloar as well.

Hill is skilled, but notoriously lazy. He's very good at what he does well what he enjoys doing. He is poor at doing what he doesn't like doing. As a former coach myself, not the sort of player I'd have wanted in my team. We do get seduced by superficial skill and the mythical and overrated, "pace", whatever that actually means. Hill's output last year was disappointing, to say the very least. Nowhere near $800K worth.

Hanners is a determined and professional type. His record is as positive as Hill's is damning. I was all for his recruitment at the time. Far more so than a cat like Hill. It was a gamble worth taking. It has failed. 13/43 is an appalling return. It wouldn't surprise me if he never dons the RWB again.

If he doesn't, is there any value in talking him into retirement and negotiation SC measures? We would be far better off putting games into Byrnes and Bytel, without them worrying about being replaced for no good reason every couple of weeks.

Put Hill on notice. A game for Sandy wouldn't hurt him and send him the same message as Milney or Dal got from RTB in 2008. That was a turning point for that squad. Maybe it's what this squad needs. No Hanners, and Hill put on notice the way Milney and Dal were. Those two became far better, dare I say truly great players, and the team went on to play in 3 GFs. I'd gladly take a repeat of 2009-10.

[The_Dud]

As pointed out by other posters, we were coming off a six day break from slogging around in heavy conditions. We were missing 7 of our best, crucially our two, first choice ruckmen.

None of that is a excuse for making basic skill errors from the first bounce over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.

Saying that, I think we should beat the bombers quite easily next week. If not, then our season is truly shot.

[The Billings Method]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

[shanegrambeau]

As pointed out by other posters, we were coming off a six day break from slogging around in heavy conditions. We were missing 7 of our best, crucially our two, first choice ruckmen.

None of that is a excuse for making basic skill errors from the first bounce over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.

Saying that, I think we should beat the bombers quite easily next week. If not, then our season is truly shot.

Agree.

But I don't expect much joy from there. If we make it to the bye with four wins we might be lucky.

(Then we will dominate!)

Melbourne looked so, so much better. Bigger, faster, stronger, more skilled, even in the low standard of the game. And when we had possession we just didn't have choices it seemed.

Demons could have won by 50. Easily.

Carlisle has to come back.

I can't see how Kent or Dunstan would have made a difference..do you? At least Hill presented and he still had time with the ball.

For the crappy kicking what can you say. See Lonie's kick...that dribbler to the pocket, and compare it to the miracle goal last week. Something rotten in Denmark last night.

[The_Dud]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

A foreseeable disaster from the start.

If he does get on the park, which he hasn’t been able to for a few years now, I don’t think he’ll offer more than say Seb Ross, by no means a saviour.

[skeptic]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

A foreseeable disaster from the start.

If he does get on the park, which he hasn’t been able to for a few years now, I don’t think he’ll offer more than say Seb Ross, by no means a saviour.

I’d be rapt if he got anywhere near Ross’ level of output. For all of his faults, Seb has more than 1-2 good games a year. The majority of the game DH has played for us have been ok’ish at best. His final vs WB has become the most overrated performance since Luke Ball’s 1st half in the 09 GF.

[Shaggy]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

A foreseeable disaster from the start.

If he does get on the park, which he hasn’t been able to for a few years now, I don’t think he’ll offer more than say Seb Ross, by no means a saviour.

Dan and Seb were both in our best players in the finals last year when it counted. You do not like either. It is a reflection on you not them.

[The Billings Method]

FWIW, I'm a fan of Seb. If Hannebery had the output and durability of Ross, we'd be doing well.

[The_Dud]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

A foreseeable disaster from the start.

If he does get on the park, which he hasn’t been able to for a few years now, I don’t think he’ll offer more than say Seb Ross, by no means a saviour.

Dan and Seb were both in our best players in the finals last year when it counted. You do not like either. It is a reflection on you not them.

According to who? They were our 9th and 10th ranked players, there were a few in front of them.

I think Seb has looked much better this year already than last (I gave him votes last week), our reduced reliance on him has been a benefit on his performance. Comparing Dan to him wasn’t an insult, but just saying he is not going to be A-grade (like many still believe and his pay packet would suggest) and behind players like Steele, Billings and hopefully Crouch.

[The_Dud]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

A foreseeable disaster from the start.

If he does get on the park, which he hasn’t been able to for a few years now, I don’t think he’ll offer more than say Seb Ross, by no means a saviour.

I’d be rapt if he got anywhere near Ross’ level of output. For all of his faults, Seb has more than 1-2 good games a year. The majority of the game DH has played for us have been ok’ish at best. His final vs WB has become the most overrated performance since Luke Ball’s 1st half in the 09 GF.

Agree, when he has been on the park his performances have been massively overrated by some.

I didn’t mean he’d deliver the same as Ross over a year, just on a game by game basis. But obviously he’ll get on the park much less.

[B.M]

On today’s game

Hannebery would be a huge in, just for his ability to hit targets.

[bangaulegend]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

A foreseeable disaster from the start.

If he does get on the park, which he hasn’t been able to for a few years now, I don’t think he’ll offer more than say Seb Ross, by no means a saviour.

IMO that is disrespectful to Seb at least he's on the park & giving it a shot . What is Dan doing? Getting paid a s*** load for doing SFA. I was against recruiting him from the start & my opinion hasn't changed

[ace]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

The Dud and I are not allowed to discuss Dan.
There is a ban on political content.

[ace]

Something rotten in Denmark last night.

Yes called covid-19
I just checked it out 39,098 cases of covid per million that's 1 in 25 have copped it.
Deaths from covid 416 per million that 1 in 2,400.

[ace]

FWIW, I'm a fan of Seb. If Hannebery had the output and durability of Ross, we'd be doing well.

Hannebery is our Buddy, got 2 more years after this on his contract.
A lot of money for someone we rarely see.

[ace]

Saying that, I think we should beat the bombers quite easily next week. If not, then our season is truly shot.

Nah, got an easy run after the Bombers.
West Coast
Richmond
Port Adelaide
All of them easy beats.

Later in the season get consecutively
Richmond
Collingwood
Brisbane
Port Adelaide
West Coast

Got an easy draw, only have to play Brisbane, Bulldogs & Collingwood once
By coming 6th the only teams St Kilda gets to play twice are 4 of last years top 5 teams and Sydney.

[Wayne42]

I wonder if Dan would consider retiring at years end if he doesn't get to play many games.

[Scollop]

Thread title should be;

We Need to Fantasise about Dan

[sks023]

I think it's BS that Hills a scapegoat for when we lose
If we want to keep mentioning his poor kicking then maybe we should consider someone like Gresham who constantly bombs the ball forward without even looking
Hill at least is trying to hit a target and well Gresham I'm not sure what he sees up in the heaven's

[saynta]

What do you think about the Dan situation, The Dud?

You would be better off asking that question of "Joffa" of filth fame.

[Teflon]

I think it's BS that Hills a scapegoat for when we lose
If we want to keep mentioning his poor kicking then maybe we should consider someone like Gresham who constantly bombs the ball forward without even looking
Hill at least is trying to hit a target and well Gresham I'm not sure what he sees up in the heaven's

Some truth in Gresham comments
Headless chook sometimes touch of the Jack Stevens about him....gets the ball....sprints.....then thinks “what do I do with it now?”
If he added some composure to his game he’d be a gun

[The_Dud]

I think it's BS that Hills a scapegoat for when we lose
If we want to keep mentioning his poor kicking then maybe we should consider someone like Gresham who constantly bombs the ball forward without even looking
Hill at least is trying to hit a target and well Gresham I'm not sure what he sees up in the heaven's

Some truth in Gresham comments
Headless chook sometimes touch of the Jack Stevens about him....gets the ball....sprints.....then thinks “what do I do with it now?”
If he added some composure to his game he’d be a gun

If he added any kind of a left foot he’d be a gun!

[axcellence]

Delist Dan at the end of the year. Give the spot to a youngster.
Hill to VFL

[st.byron]

FWIW, I'm a fan of Seb. If Hannebery had the output and durability of Ross, we'd be doing well.

I think Ratten’s been good for Seb Ross. Has become a better player under him. Hannebery is a bust so far. He can’t stay fit. A disappointing result. Also, having a senior player on substantial money constantly injured and constantly “gunna be a gun for us” in club speak has worn thin. “He’s so important for what he brings off the field”. Hire him as a coach then and get him off the list if he can’t get fit.

[Yorkeys]

Aside from salary cap considerations, at any point does it get to the stage where Dan lurking in the background becomes a seriously negative factor because of the uncertainty it creates about positions, pecking order, continuity and possibly resentment. His recruitment was a positive at the time, his few appearances were positive signs, his reoccurring and long term injury situation are downers, not sure how he bonds with team mates. Have worst case scenario discussions been had within the coaching and medical inner circle, if not with Dan. Obviously his unfortunate situation and Paddy's cannot be good for club morale no matter how much they are out of anyone's control notwithstanding all concerned being given every sympathy and support. I would think one of the harder tasks of a coach is to manage unmet high expectations.