The trouble is every thread about players Gia's name comes up and it's worse than a broken record. Instead of focusing on a few players how about reading more in to what BMacc is talking about.
If the forward press is working effectively, you don't need super fast players in your forward line as the whole team is pressing forward and keeping the ball in. Gia is not the quickest player but he tries his guts out trying to tackle players, he doesn't just sit back. My reading of the new coach is the emphasis on team play and how individuals will fit into the team.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
We only had 18 players last year average more than 2.5 tackles a game, and only 14 average 3 or more (2011 figures). That is not good enough.
Wallis & Libba both averaged more than 4 per game, so the young crop seem to understand what is required.
FWIW Higgins & Gia are 10th & 15th respectively on the ave stats - not the worst offenders on our list
Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers
The list of names underneath Gia on that average doesn't make good reading for him though.
And you are right it is not good enough from a teams perspective. I personally believe Gia will struggle from what I have heard early on from BMac.
Sorry if that offends but I have always stuck up for Gia and love him as a player.
Anyway these arguments always end the same, round and round in circles until I finally admit that everything at the Bulldogs is 100% rosy and we will win the next 8 premierships.
I think his role may be redefined a little - I still rate his disposal in traffic as excellent. As fans, we often dwell on a player's shortcomings (in Gia's case, pace) but forget about some of their attributes.
I think you're a better poster than to try and patronise anyone who disagrees with you, especially considering you've made good points on this thread alone.
Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers
Defending and critiquing players is all part of it. He has had a pretty good run with selection while at times being a bit patchy. Almost dropped last season when in other clubs, feel he would not have been given as much credit. each player now knows no more credit along the usual lines. People tend to get in a rhythm, Human nature is like this. We need others to get the best out of us. This is the advantage of fresh eyes at the club -
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus
Yep, BMac is talking the talk, and I sincerely hope that next year, we see that he is walking the walk and that the players are doing the same! Gotta keep thinking positive
Yeah in close he is excellent and I think a lot of people glossed over his work in the midfield for us, I think we could have used him there this year.
Possibly but I don't like being attacked for no reason (not you and the comment wasn't aimed at you) and am working off very little sleep.
If you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.
Formerly gogriff
The issue here is his pace - if Boyd and Crossy are around the stoppages, I don't think we can accomodate Gia there as well. There was a mention of lookign at another inside mid - I think Gia could play this role, although that would mean we have effectively lost our two major goal kickers in a season as well as a heap of experience in the F50.
It will be very interesting to see how BMac structures the side over the pre-season and in the early rounds.
Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers
The first requirement of the midfield is to get the pill. Pace alone won't win you the ball. Who among Bartel, Kelly, Corey, Chapman or Sellwod is express? None of them and this is the engine room of the best side in the competition.
Get me blokes who can get their hands on the ball first. I don't really care if they win the sprint on Grand Final day.
This.
The only speed you need around the stoppage is speed of thought.
The key attribute of all the Cats players named is that they all make great decisions with and without the ball. I was going to say that they have 'good disposal', but I think this is a furphy -- 99% of players on an AFL list can kick and handball fine, it's their decision making under pressure that makes a disposal look good or bad.
Gia is an elite midfield player, and his 'limitations' won't be an issue whatsoever in there -- he also has a tank that goes all day. It's because he can play above his height and is also a genius goalpoacher that he gets used up forward, where his pace going the other way becomes an issue. I think he has one, two years MAX as a forward in this age of the forward press -- at least three, if not more, as a mid.