Injuries could deny flag-winning Dog a new deal

[bornadog]

Link (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-17/injuries-could-deny-flagwinning-dog-a-new-deal)http://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/Samples/582658-tlslargelandscape.jpg


PREMIERSHIP Bulldog Tory Dickson faces an uphill battle to win a new contract at Whitten Oval due to persistent injuries, says coach Luke Beveridge.

The 30-year-old has played just five games this season due his problematic hamstrings, and registered just nine games in 2017 because of abdominal, adductor and quad complaints.

A 40-goal season from Dickson in the Dogs' 2016 premiership campaign was vital to the club's success, but it appears injuries may have caught up with the goalsneak after 93 games and 153 goals.

Beveridge said Dickson was keen to put misfortune behind him and prove himself on the field.
"(Tory's) had tough 2017 and 2018 (seasons) because we just haven't seen enough of him, and he's had injury after injury, so it is frustrating for him," Beveridge said on Tuesday.

"He's due to come back into full training with the main group next Sunday when we play Port Adelaide in Ballarat, and then hopefully he plays a week after and squeezes a few games in by the end of the year.

"He's a lad that's given great service (to the club), but he's not a 22-year-old, so he's keen to get back and play a few games before the end of the year and work out a way forward beyond that."

Defensive playmaker Matt Suckling is another veteran battling injury, with the former Hawk missing the past month with an ongoing Achilles concern.

Suckling is also out of contract at season's end, but Beveridge expects the 30-year-old to play on next year.
"He's had both Achilles' nagging him over the past two years and we haven't had him at 100 per cent over that duration, which is unfortunate," Beveridge said.

"He's going to try and run this afternoon, and hopefully we can get a few games into him before the season is out.
"We're in talks with his management about 2019, so he'll keep going (next year)."

Beveridge also said Jack Redpath could miss the remainder of the season after the club registered the hulking key forward as indefinite on the club's injury list.

Added to the leadership group this season, the 27-year-old has only played two games due to problems with the knee he had reconstructed in 2016.

[bornadog]

Sorry, didn't realise also posted in another thread at the same time.

[Axe Man]

Sorry, didn't realise also posted in another thread at the same time.

That was some finely synchronised posting right there.

[Sedat]

Smith, Dickson and Picken were all in the top 10 best players throughout the entire 2016 finals series, all of them in our forward half and all of them virtually gone 18 months later. Big hole - bigger than we all suspected.

[jeemak]

Smith, Dickson and Picken were all in the top 10 best players throughout the entire 2016 finals series, all of them in our forward half and all of them virtually gone 18 months later. Big hole - bigger than we all suspected.

But I just don't understand why we could be so bad now.........

[bornadog]

But I just don't understand why we could be so bad now.........

It's all the fault of the club :D

[Greystache]

Smith, Dickson and Picken were all in the top 10 best players throughout the entire 2016 finals series, all of them in our forward half and all of them virtually gone 18 months later. Big hole - bigger than we all suspected.

But Smith didn't come into the team in 2016 until late in the season, at which point we were pushing for top 4. Dickson didn't play until round 5 and we'd already won several games by 10+ goals. Sure if you told me those 3 wouldn't be playing much (or at all) I'd be doubting how we'd go during finals against the best teams, particularly as all 3 played exceptionally well in finals, but we're challenging for bottom 4 with a disgraceful %. Picken was the only one of those players to play all games in 2016 and we had a percentage of 115%.

I've heard people say losing Hamling was also a big loss we hadn't counted on. But again he only played 2 games between round 4 and round 19 and we were pushing for top 4 during that time. There's something far more serious going on than missing a few players, especially when 2 years ago we had no trouble covering for them.

[Sedat]

But Smith didn't come into the team in 2016 until late in the season, at which point we were pushing for top 4. Dickson didn't play until round 5 and we'd already won several games by 10+ goals. Sure if you told me those 3 wouldn't be playing much (or at all) I'd be doubting how we'd go during finals against the best teams, particularly as all 3 played exceptionally well in finals, but we're challenging for bottom 4 with a disgraceful %. Picken was the only one of those players to play all games in 2016 and we had a percentage of 115%.

I've heard people say losing Hamling was also a big loss we hadn't counted on. But again he only played 2 games between round 4 and round 19 and we were pushing for top 4 during that time. There's something far more serious going on than missing a few players, especially when 2 years ago we had no trouble covering for them.
You'll have no arguments from me that all is not well at the kennel 'stache. I was just making the observation that our forward line, both offensively and in particular defensively, has really suffered with the continued absence of these three. Of course recurring injuries have caused two of these players to miss extended games - just unlucky I guess.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

But Smith didn't come into the team in 2016 until late in the season, at which point we were pushing for top 4. Dickson didn't play until round 5 and we'd already won several games by 10+ goals. Sure if you told me those 3 wouldn't be playing much (or at all) I'd be doubting how we'd go during finals against the best teams, particularly as all 3 played exceptionally well in finals, but we're challenging for bottom 4 with a disgraceful %. Picken was the only one of those players to play all games in 2016 and we had a percentage of 115%.

I've heard people say losing Hamling was also a big loss we hadn't counted on. But again he only played 2 games between round 4 and round 19 and we were pushing for top 4 during that time. There's something far more serious going on than missing a few players, especially when 2 years ago we had no trouble covering for them.
Apart from Hamling, the fact that Roberts was deemed good enough to play on Franklin in the GF has had a dramatic fall off.
Losing on fielder leaders in Picken Libba Matthew Boyd and also Morris through injury has been a major factor. Then we have had the loss in form of our two ruck men in Tom Boyd and Roughead, which has left us with a poor ruck combination. The loss of Murphy and then Wood exposed our on field leadership. The forward line was at its best when Dickson Crameri and Stringer were all in fine form and we have continued to struggle up forward without their influence. Desperation set in then with the decision to play our best two half backs in Wood and JJ forward which back fired badly.
The recruitment of Richards Naughton and Schache have all been positives, but without plucking a couple of ace players from stronger Clubs it is going to be a slow grind back to the top.