Fit Higgins to press claims for midfield

[bornadog]

Link



AN INJURY-FREE pre-season has given the Western Bulldogs' Shaun Higgins the opportunity to push for extended time in the midfield next season.

Higgins, 24, has struggled to complete the work required in recent summers because of injury and illness but has benefited this time from running with the elite midfielders.
He spent more time at half-forward last season, winning 27 per cent of his disposals inside 50 metres, up from 19 per cent in 2011 and 17 per cent in 2010.

But given the chance to spend more time up the ground, the 106-game veteran would add pace and clean ball use through the middle, an area the Bulldogs know they must improve in if they are to complement their hardnuts and trouble opponents.

''Hopefully, I am giving myself an opportunity to do that and play a variety of roles which I wasn't able to do last year because I was a little bit underdone,'' Higgins said.
''It's been a really good start to the pre-season. It's the first [injury-free] pre-season for a while. I have been able to get a bit of work in which has been nice.''
Sports statistics company Champion Data has ranked the Bulldogs 15th in midfield quality next season, but that ranking could improve if Higgins and a list that is the sixth-youngest continues to develop.

The Bulldogs, expected to tinker with their leadership structure, have worked on two key areas before Christmas.
''There has been a really big focus on our skill work and getting some running into the younger boys, which we felt dropped away towards the end of last year. They are the two main focus points,'' Higgins said. ''It's been a really enjoyable pre-season and really valuable for the young group.''

This has involved 16 mostly first and second-year players sleeping in the high-altitude room at Victoria University's ''high altitude'' hotel and spending time in its training chamber.
Higgins said mature rookie Brett Goodes, the brother of Sydney's Adam, would add depth to the playing list. One reason the club plumped for the VFL veteran, who had been the Dogs' welfare manager, was because of his precise kicking from half-back. ''He has actually surprised everyone how fit he has come back this year. He is running up in the midfield group, the first group, and his skills are great,'' Higgins said. ''He is a strong body and I think he will be really good value to our back line.''

Goodes, 28, has also been recruited to help the young talent improve their training standards later in the season when they traditionally begin to tire.

[jeemak]

''There has been a really big focus on our skill work and getting some running into the younger boys, which we felt dropped away towards the end of last year. They are the two main focus points,''

Tick.

Hopefully this approach pays dividends. I think we all realise these are two cronic issues for us based on last seasons results.

A fit Higgins would add to our class stocks in the middle. A fit Higgins will use the ball better than a struggling Higgins has. Moving a fit Higgins into the midfield will severely detract from our forward line potency.

What to do? Forward line for me. Pinch hit through the middle only when required. No team will leave a bad defender on him, and the attention on him make things a lot easier for our other forwards.

[boydogs]

What to do? Forward line for me. Pinch hit through the middle only when required. No team will leave a bad defender on him, and the attention on him make things a lot easier for our other forwards.

Thoughts on Gia playing midfield?

[lemmon]

Thoughts on Gia playing midfield?

Not sure his body's up to it anymore, not a massive inside ball winner and too slow for the outside. The forward line lets him use that canniness and goal sense that are his strongest attributes.

[Ghost Dog]

Another year. Another preseason article on Shaun! Regular as clockwork.

[boydogs]

Not sure his body's up to it anymore, not a massive inside ball winner and too slow for the outside. The forward line lets him use that canniness and goal sense that are his strongest attributes.

Higgins to me is a great overhead mark and shot for goal, but Gia I would rather have delivering the ball inside 50. To me he is an assist player, highly skilled and capable of precision passing.

[Throughandthrough]

is he really only 24? wow!

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Another year. Another preseason article on Shaun! Regular as clockwork.

Thought the same thing.

Every pre-season a similar article is posted about Higgins, but hopefully for his sake and ours, he can deliver in 2013.

[GVGjr]

Another year. Another preseason article on Shaun! Regular as clockwork.

Most previous articles were about how he is working through injuries, this one is more about that he is training well without the injury concerns that have typically plagued him.

[bornadog]

Love the way the article mentions the word " Pace "

This bloke is still young and is having his best start to pre -seaon for a long time. Fingers crossed he is able to stay injury free.

[bulldogtragic]

15th in midfield quality... If true I guess we can pick up a Good KPF next draft.

[Ghost Dog]

Most previous articles were about how he is working through injuries, this one is more about that he is training well without the injury concerns that have typically plagued him.

I get that. Does it get to the point that it would be better for certain players to enter a media bubble for a period, so they can feel less pressure?
This happened with J Grant for a while.

[jeemak]

Thoughts on Gia playing midfield?

I've always liked his creativity there and his ability to play a clean inside role.

Unfortunately his body would struggle, and I suppose it's best we let others develop into midfield roles.

[Topdog]

I thought Higgo was good last year

[F'scary]

The Professor's best use is as a forward.

Those who are bothered by this and see him as an inside midfielder can take solace from the fact they will still see him up the ground because that is the way the game is played, especially for the forwards who are required to flood right back when the ball is in defence and then participate in transitioning back forward on the rebound and then get forward again to provide scoring avenues. As a forward he offers accuracy when shooting for goal, can take a mark, has the smarts to get out by himself and has that creative touch with his positioning, vision and disposal.

It is not for nothing that he is called the Professor.

Having him on the forward line with Bob Murphy, Tory Spelling and Guido would make for a classy forward line up.