The most versatile Bulldog players?

[southerncross]

The most versatile players?
Who do you regard as the type of player over the years that could be relied to contribute at both ends of the ground?

For me there are a few guys that spring to mind.

1) Ian Dunstan - While I regard him as probably the most selfish player to have played for the Dogs he was infact a very good defender who was more than capable of of shutting his opponent out of the game as a backman (providing he was getting plenty of the ball himself) plus he was more than capable of kicking goals when used as a HFF. I know he played a lot as a ruck rover but really when his was focused he could play just about anywhere.

2) Jim Sewell - A most versatile tall that was more than capable of playing either CHF or FB even in the same game.

3) Murray Rance was another who could move between CHF and CHB

4) Steve MacPherson was a dangerous HFF but was probably better suited to playing in defence.

5) Doug Hawkins - After his days as a gun mdifielder were over he was absolutely brilliant at moving between defence and forward line duties although his time in the backline was often characterised by being the loose man in defence.

Does anyone have any others?
Sandilands and Morrison where terrific at moving between defence and attack
and of course Chris Grant.

[bulldogtragic]

This may sound funny or stupid but Matty Croft.

He could always switch between CHB and FB, but I always rated him as a forward target, and upon retiring he showed why.

I think Harris could do the same to if he got more time forward.

[GVGjr]

This may sound funny or stupid but Matty Croft.

He could always switch between CHB and FB, but I always rated him as a forward target, and upon retiring he showed why.

I think Harris could do the same to if he got more time forward.

Crofty was the 1st one I thought of when I read this.

[Dry Rot]

This may sound funny or stupid but Matty Croft.

He could always switch between CHB and FB, but I always rated him as a forward target, and upon retiring he showed why.

I think Harris could do the same to if he got more time forward.

Wasn't both Croft and Harris recruited as forwards?

Arguably their careers have been shaped by our lack of tall defenders more than their ability/suitability.

[Griffen#16]

Brad Johnson.

[GVGjr]

Wasn't both Croft and Harris recruited as forwards?

Arguably their careers have been shaped by our lack of tall defenders more than their ability/suitability.

Probably the big difference with Harris is that he has played 95% of his games as a defender. Croft played both forward and defence throughout his career and I think he meets the criteria perfectly.

I think the thread means players that could be moved forward and back effectively either during a game or from week to week.

Sandilands is one player that could play either end of the ground.

[Twodogs]

Wasn't both Croft and Harris recruited as forwards?

Arguably their careers have been shaped by our lack of tall defenders more than their ability/suitability.


Croft was recruited as a wingman.



This is my pet peeve with the footy in the early '90s to 2002. We stood by and let clearly undersized defenders get smashed year after year by monster forwards and didnt address it. This robbed us in areas we needed-Kretiuk could have been that huge midfielder we desperatly needed for most of the time he was playing for us, it shaved years of the careers of blokes like Kretiuk, Croft and Southern, and cost us in big games.



Just to drive myself mad I used to keep a list of the big defenders who swapped clubs in those years. Blokes like Caven, Wellman even played in premierships.

[GVGjr]

Croft was recruited as a wingman.

This is my pet peeve with the footy in the early '90s to 2002. We stood by and let clearly undersized defenders get smashed year after year by monster forwards and didnt address it. This robbed us in areas we needed-Kretiuk could have been that huge midfielder we desperatly needed for most of the time he was playing for us, it shaved years of the careers of blokes like Kretiuk, Croft and Southern, and cost us in big games.



Just to drive myself mad I used to keep a list of the big defenders who swapped clubs in those years. Blokes like Caven, Wellman even played in premierships.

I must admit it was a perplexing period where draft after draft and trade period after trade period we just couldn't get any decent tall defenders.

We probably still need to find someone other than Chris Grant who can be swung from forward back into defence and vice-a-versa and still be equally effective.

Does any other versatile players come to mind?

[bulldogtragic]

How if the Adam Hunter trade went through.....

Perhaps Doogs in the years to come based on training reports....