Hardwick interview Jan 24 - 2014 expectations / Dusty the defender (afl site)

[big tone]

I think people are missing the point. Forget about how good he can be down back with ball in hand, it's when he hasn't got the plum that would concern me. Just cannot see him with an 'opponent first' attitude. And that's  what a backmens first thought should be.
Anyway I think it's a bit of BS.

What would we all think if the story was about Cotch playing across halfback?

[Penelope]

according to alex rance, in this story, we did use cotch there at times last year.

I love it how people think a coach should pander to a blokes weakness, rather than challenge them to face it head on and improve.

[yellowandback]

Al, I wouldn't assume its a case of pandering - moreso weighing up the pros and cons of both options.
They are both good options just a matter of what the works best for the team

[Penelope]

i'm talking about the view that he should not be played in the backline because he has a poor defensive mindset.
To me that is pandering to a weakness - avoiding putting the player into a situation where he has to change his mindset and rectify a flaw

[WA Tiger]

i'm talking about the view that he should not be played in the backline because he has a poor defensive mindset.
To me that is pandering to a weakness - avoiding putting the player into a situation where he has to change his mindset and rectify a flaw

Some players are good at what they do and that's that, some players will never change, that's why they are left in their position where they can be most damaging. Martin is very damaging where he is, why spend half a season with him in the backline if it doesn't suit his style of play. Leave him where he is most damaging and where he can win games for us..that for mine is as a mid attacking goal kicker!!

[Penelope]

so just accept him as defensively poor player and let others take up the slack?
yeah, thats the culture that will get the best of each and every player and lead to success.

[WA Tiger]

so just accept him as defensively poor player and let others take up the slack?
yeah, thats the culture that will get the best of each and every player and lead to success.

Like I said, some players are like that, like it or not, that's the way they are. Some players are not suited to certain positions or roles.

There is no reason that Dusty cant learn his defensive side from his current position/role...nothing to do with culture.

[Gigantor]

The RFC should never ever accept second best scenarios.If we can get even 1% extra from Dusty then that's a win for him and the RFC

[Smokey]

Martin is very damaging where he is, why spend half a season with him in the backline if it doesn't suit his style of play. Leave him where he is most damaging and where he can win games for us..that for mine is as a mid attacking goal kicker!!

Martin CAN be very damaging but he can also go missing for large chunks of many games and that doesn't work in the team's best interests at all.  To give him a wider scope of talent and purpose seems to me to be making him a more consistently unpredictable and beneficial asset, and that's not detracting from what he does best but (hopefully) removes some of the periods when he's not productive.

[WA Tiger]

Martin is very damaging where he is, why spend half a season with him in the backline if it doesn't suit his style of play. Leave him where he is most damaging and where he can win games for us..that for mine is as a mid attacking goal kicker!!

Martin CAN be very damaging but he can also go missing for large chunks of many games and that doesn't work in the team's best interests at all.  To give him a wider scope of talent and purpose seems to me to be making him a more consistently unpredictable and beneficial asset, and that's not detracting from what he does best but (hopefully) removes some of the periods when he's not productive.

FINE, if that's is the way it eventuates, but if it doesn't what then??? Why waste the time??

[Penelope]

so just accept him as defensively poor player and let others take up the slack?
yeah, thats the culture that will get the best of each and every player and lead to success.

Like I said, some players are like that, like it or not, that's the way they are. Some players are not suited to certain positions or roles.

There is no reason that Dusty cant learn his defensive side from his current position/role...nothing to do with culture.

how long has dusty been playing his current role, and how well has he developed his defensively side in that time? To just accept a flaw in a persons game, one that is in the head rather than skill related, is most definitely a culture thing.

but lets look at it another way.

Dusty is a dynamic midfielder who can play forward and kick goals, yet has a defensive game that is not as good as it could be.

Hardick and co, it appears, would like him to become a midfielder who can play forward and kick goals, as well as being able to play an attacking role off halfback where he can use his long penetrating kick to great advantage, while also improving his defensive game. They feel that with the interchange restrictions coming in that the more versatile a player is, the better it for the team in terms of rotating midfielders

But you think the current form of Martin is a better and more valuable player than more rounded, versatile, and complete player that they have a vision of him hopefully becoming?

[Penelope]

FINE, if that's is the way it eventuates, but if it doesn't what then??? Why waste the time??

So you don't try to improve a player just because it may not work?

[WA Tiger]

so just accept him as defensively poor player and let others take up the slack?
yeah, thats the culture that will get the best of each and every player and lead to success.

Like I said, some players are like that, like it or not, that's the way they are. Some players are not suited to certain positions or roles.

There is no reason that Dusty cant learn his defensive side from his current position/role...nothing to do with culture.

how long has dusty been playing his current role, and how well has he developed his defensively side in that time? To just accept a flaw in a persons game, one that is in the head rather than skill related, is most definitely a culture thing.

but lets look at it another way.

Dusty is a dynamic midfielder who can play forward and kick goals, yet has a defensive game that is not as good as it could be.

Hardick and co, it appears, would like him to become a midfielder who can play forward and kick goals, as well as being able to play an attacking role off halfback where he can use his long penetrating kick to great advantage, while also improving his defensive game. They feel that with the interchange restrictions coming in that the more versatile a player is, the better it for the team in terms of rotating midfielders

But you think the current form of Martin is a better and more valuable player than more rounded, versatile, and complete player that they have a vision of him hopefully becoming?

"But you think the current form of Martin is a better and more valuable player than more rounded, versatile, and complete player that they have a vision of him hopefully becoming?"

No, I didn't say that, can you guarantee that he will and up that player and at what cost will this at?? Will we waste half a season on him, lose games as a result??? It goes both ways al.

[Penelope]

  @  "at what cost."

and that is exactly what you saying. you just want things left how they are rather than trying to improve them.

to not try to improve just because you are afraid of failure, is failure, dont you think?

[WA Tiger]

@  "at what cost."

and that is exactly what you saying. you just want things left how they are rather than trying to improve them.

to not try to improve just because you are afraid of failure, is failure, dont you think?

Why fix what's not broken, he may improve his defensive style he may not.

I have said what I said, I prefer him as a mid attacking goal kicker, not a backman. That's it for me like it or lump it. We tried to turn Rance into a forward and that didn't work, Griff doesn't know where to look these days, he's has been back and forward in every game. Jacks move up the ground a couple of years ago didn't work.

I am happy to leave Dusty where he is and develop his game through his strengths.