Classy Bulldog Higgins could return on a wing or in defence, says McCartney

[bornadog]

Link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/classy-bulldog-higgins-could-return-on-a-wing-or-in-defence-says-mccartney-20140127-31iud.html)

Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney has revealed Shaun Higgins could play on a wing or in defence when he returns from injury.

Twenty-five-year-old Higgins, who has not played since fracturing his left navicular bone against Richmond in round three last season, had made his name as a silky half-forward.
''He will be back in training in two weeks. We are confident he will be playing at the start of the year and we are even more confident with a really good rehab program that we have a driven young man with a lot of talent. We believe that Shaun will get back to playing some really good footy,'' McCartney said on Bulldogs TV.

''He is the first to admit he has worked hard to add some things to his game and he is a lot stronger around the ball and [has] more conviction in the contest. He is adding that ability to play wing and half-back to his game, too, to help our club.''

McCartney said that Stewart Crameri, who was recruited from Essendon as a forward, would also be used through the midfield because of his size and capacity to run.

[Remi Moses]

It's time (to put it mildly )Shaun delivered.
Needs a decent break injury wise as well.

[bulldogtragic]

It was only a matter of time for a Higgins article.

Seriously, the journos love writing about him in the pre season.

[Greystache]

You can set your calendar by the timing of this article. Any excitement this article might have generated died several years ago.

[lemmon]

Just from the article did he ever really lack conviction in the contest? I always thought his problems were he lacked a yard of pace and did work hard enough off the footy, don't recall him being soft

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Seems like a waste to not have his excellent goal kicking skills put to use. Maybe he is not seen as someone that you build your structure around rather just a utility player.

[Ghost Dog]

I cringe a bit when I hear players earmarked for the wing - Everitt a classic example.
Furthermore, to quote Mantis, "does the wing as a position exist anymore?"
Forward or nothing for Shaun IMO.

[Happy Days]

Please no backline play; you just can't play on a HBF and not give a shit about defending your man.

Craig Bird (!) kicking serious goals against us is still too raw.

[Bulldog Joe]

Please no backline play; you just can't play on a HBF and not give a shit about defending your man.

Craig Bird (!) kicking serious goals against us is still too raw.

I know Bird kicked 4, but it was the success of Higgins on half back that led to Bird being assigned to him as a defensive forward.

A role for Higgins off half back could give us a very good set up player.

While plenty on the forum have a go at Higgins for his alleged shortcomings, it may well be that those games he has displayed lack of defense or intensity are more related to him trying to play through his plethora of injuries.

I have no doubt that he played a large part of one season seriously impacted by OP and even in 2013, he played a brilliant opening game and then disappointed before succumbing to his latest injury. Did he perhaps try to play through the injury for a week or 2?

A fit Higgins is a very good player. Supporters are quick to criticise without full knowledge of the facts.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Higgins best is sublime. A goal he kicked running towards the boundary line with someone on his hammer, scooping the ball off the turf with his left hand and with one extra running step, threading it through from 40 m on his left, like he was shelling peas, has stamped itself on my brain.

[Dazza]

A fit Higgins is a gun. He was being talked up as the best player of his draft early in his career.

He's had a wretched run with injury for his whole career. Hopefully it all turns around for him.

[Maddog37]

Interesting to read he is addressing his shortcomings including hardness in the contest. Great sign.

[Go_Dogs]

I had the opportunity to have a brief chat with Shaun's mum at a game last year. The way she spoke about his injury, how serious it was - comparing it to Matty Egan, and how much he wished he could've been out there helping us (this is during the long stretch of the season where our form wasn't so great).

It also conveyed how passionate about our Club his family is.

I really hope he has a great year and a bit of luck on the injury front.

[bornadog]

A fit Higgins is a gun. He was being talked up as the best player of his draft early in his career.

He's had a wretched run with injury for his whole career. Hopefully it all turns around for him.

For those doubters, have a look at his highlight package and you will see he is a gun. Did some great things in the 2009 prelim, and many other games. Fingers crossed he doesn't suffer another injury.

[Happy Days]

I know Bird kicked 4, but it was the success of Higgins on half back that led to Bird being assigned to him as a defensive forward.

A role for Higgins off half back could give us a very good set up player.

While plenty on the forum have a go at Higgins for his alleged shortcomings, it may well be that those games he has displayed lack of defense or intensity are more related to him trying to play through his plethora of injuries.

I have no doubt that he played a large part of one season seriously impacted by OP and even in 2013, he played a brilliant opening game and then disappointed before succumbing to his latest injury. Did he perhaps try to play through the injury for a week or 2?

A fit Higgins is a very good player. Supporters are quick to criticise without full knowledge of the facts.

Don't get me wrong man, I like Shaun! He has serious ability *and* a willingness to put his body secondary to the team by playing through injury time and time again.

But, that doesn't make him a defender. It's not a coincidence that he got lit up once and never played down that end of the ground again in ~2 years. Plus defensive forwards are becoming a relic; tell me a player that Shaun could defend step for step in Fremantle's forward line?

His ability can be better used elsewhere. Remember how terrible we were at kicking goals for most of last year?

[SonofScray]

Just from the article did he ever really lack conviction in the contest? I always thought his problems were he lacked a yard of pace and did work hard enough off the footy, don't recall him being soft

My opinion was that he started off OK with the physical aspect of the game, his marking was really good under pressure and used to throw himself into the contest when he had to but it wasn't ever his natural game. That aspect of his game has suffered through injury and unfortunately the mix of that, his fitness and body language, makes it is easy to paint him as soft.

If not soft, he certainly isn't one to role model the cracking in mantra.