King at home among Dogs

[The Coon Dog]

Jon Pierik - The Age - 30 October


The four new coaches at The Western Bulldogs for season
2012 - from left Steven King, head coach Brendan McCartney,
Shannon Grant and Rohan Smith.

WHILE he has barely had time to fit out his office at Whitten Oval, new Western Bulldogs assistant coach Steven King has already turned his mind to what he can do to help the club return to the finals next season.

King, the former ruckman who played 240 matches with Geelong and St Kilda, opted against remaining as an assistant with the Saints under new coach Scott Watters to link with a familiar face in rookie Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney.

King, part of Geelong's 2007 premiership side, has a long history with McCartney, who helped shape the modern Cats dynasty that continues to this day. McCartney, at one stage, was the Cats' ruck coach, and helped King emerge as a club captain and No. 1 big man.

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[ledge]

Looks like Wil is finally getting a go at settling in.

[LostDoggy]

If King can help Will become a big physical dominant AFL ruckman he will be a godsend.

[1eyedog]

If King can help Will become a big physical dominant AFL ruckman he will be a godsend.

It ain't gonna happen, but he can become a better player more consistently. It's Will's time, Ayce and Roughie are no where near up to it yet.

[Ghost Dog]

It ain't gonna happen, but he can become a better player more consistently. It's Will's time, Ayce and Roughie are no where near up to it yet.

State your case. Why not?

[chef]

State your case. Why not?

Because he would have established himself by now if he was ever going to.

[1eyedog]

Because he would have established himself by now if he was ever going to.

This.

Will has played 115 games now and is turning 27. I understand that Jamar didn't come on until he was the same age but he had played 30 games less than Will has now when he really started to show some signs. Big men take time but I cannot see Will being a dominant ruckman in the AFL.

I am hoping that some continuity will improve his output and make him very competitive for us for the next few years while Ayce/Roughie continue their slow development.

[Ghost Dog]

Because he would have established himself by now if he was ever going to.

You assume, but can't say

So let's toss up a few names of Big men / players who bloomed late...Leigh Brown, Podsiadly, Shane Mumford...
Wills problem is he often doesn't play to his strengths.

[LostDoggy]

Because he would have established himself by now if he was ever going to.

I don't agree, the beard was preferred to Will on many occasions and maybe undeservedly.

[ratsmac]

I think (hope) Will can answer a lot of his critics next season. I really thought that he was going to have a big season this year but as we saw it didn't happen. I like Will and I hope McCartney and King can get the best out of him.
I really like this coaching panel, not sure why though. Maybe it's just the fresh new faces. But I do like the fact we have a good insight to Geelong's game tactics and Stkilda's tactics, two dominant teams over the last 5 or so years, with McCartney and King. Do they have the cattle though???

[LostDoggy]

Minson -- not the greatest ruckman going around, but not the worst by a long shot. A solid, middle of the road ruckman is not the worst thing in the world. Coxs and Kings don't grow on trees -- it's not an either-or proposition for me unlike some here who seem to be saying that he should be delisted because he's not Mumford or Jamar (!), and I am happy as long as he's a consistent contributor (which he will be).

My biggest problem with Will is that he's a liability in defence against the gun forward rucks (Ottens, Nicnat, Cox etc.) but so was Huddo (and let's face it, most rucks struggle defensively against those guys) -- we just need a better tall defensive option when an opposition ruck goes forward. Will playing 20% ruck and giving us nothing else around the ground was a problem re: team balance. Will playing 80% in the ruck will be fine.

There are bigger problems on the list than Will.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I think Will can be an inspiring competitor.

He's not a good enough contested mark to count as a ruck/forward.

But as a No.1 Ruckman week in week out I think he can rise to be a powerful presence.

Was Hudson a threat sneaking/resting forward? No.

Will's time is now, and I have faith in him as a powerhouse smash and bash ruckman.
We all know Eade had his starting 22 locked in every week and changes were really only made for injuries or truly appalling long term form.
Hudson had the number one ruck role and that meant Will couldn't get a game.

I'm in his corner and have faith he will deliver.

[1eyedog]

I'm sorry I have more faith in Roughie being a dangerous forward/ruck than Will. Will has hard hands. His strengths are his competitive nature and desire for the contest, but this is also his down fall because he (at least appears) to give away a lot of free kicks. He has the ability to spark his team mates with something quite brilliant but then lets the coaching staff down by doing something stupid. He must be a frustrating player to coach. I think King can help grow his confidence, which must surely be low playing second fiddle to Hudson for so long. If King can do this, and sustain this, I think the battle is half won because it will create a vastly superior player to what we have thus far seen.

[Remi Moses]

I think Will can be an inspiring competitor.

He's not a good enough contested mark to count as a ruck/forward.

But as a No.1 Ruckman week in week out I think he can rise to be a powerful presence.

Was Hudson a threat sneaking/resting forward? No.

Will's time is now, and I have faith in him as a powerhouse smash and bash ruckman.
We all know Eade had his starting 22 locked in every week and changes were really only made for injuries or truly appalling long term form.
Hudson had the number one ruck role and that meant Will couldn't get a game.

I'm in his corner and have faith he will deliver.

Agree with this. Personally think Will won't make it ( hope I'm wrong)No more excuses for Big Will and if he doesn't come through it's time to go.

[divvydan]

There's no doubt in my mind that Minson is, in how he plays, a more natural number one ruckman than a relieving second ruckman/resting forward.

Just thinking back through his career, I can't really remember a time when he was the first choice ruckman for a sustained period of time, with Darcy, Street and Hudson all playing that role ahead of him.