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  1. #1
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    Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    Interested in the WOOF collective opinion.

    From the clubs perspective we held onto Josh because Essendon weren’t prepared to pay for him. They made commitments to him they weren't prepared to see through. We called him a “required player” for the future knowing his preferred position is as a midfielder. At the same time we bolstered our midfield stock making it even harder for players to cement a role there.

    For Dunkley, he had an offer to play his preferred role full time, more money, longer contract and was held back from moving.

    Do we owe him time as an inside midfielder this year? A chance to make that role his own and begin to hold it for the next 6+ years.

    For me, we don’t owe him anything, footy is a business, but the situation is complex. Interested in the views of the forum.
    The dam wall has busted!

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  3. #2
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    He should play more in the midfield because he plays his best football there
    I'm not sure if we 'owe him' but I hope we have sold him on a vision when we decided to knock back the Essendon offer

    We've got some challenges in sharing the midfield duties between all our players
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

  4. #3
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    Quote Originally Posted by AshMac View Post

    For me, we don’t owe him anything.
    Agree, he's a very highly paid employee.

    That being said, we should play him in his best position as much as possible, because otherwise what's the point?
    "It's over. It's all over."

  5. #4
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    Dunkley should play in the role he is best at. It is a team sport, so we can't promise anyone anything. I think it was Axeman that said, many back pockets dream about playing midfield, but they play back pocket as it suits the team and they are good in their role.

    As GVGjr said, Dunks plays his best footy as an inside mid and he should be aiming to be in the best 22 playing that role.
    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.

  6. #5
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    If it’s best for the team he plays mid if it’s not he plays elsewhere. It doesn’t matter one bit where the best position is for him if the team needs him somewhere else.

    I actually think we can throw the challenge back at him and see if we can gain some flexibility from another mid somewhere else.

  7. #6
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    We ned to play him in his best position to maximum our asset and ensure we have maximum collateral during trade negotiations at the end of this year.
    But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.

  8. #7
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    We actually need him to maximise his contribution to the team for the benefit of the team.

    On some occasions this will be in the middle doing what he does best, but on other occasions, it may be somewhere else.

    He needs to be providing what the team needs to win games. That is what we require from the team on the park each and every week. The collective is more important than any individual.
    Life is to be Enjoyed not Endured

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  10. #8
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    Do we see Dunks ahead of Libba and MaCrae. I do not so he is third in line and needs to compete for a spot with those two.

    It’s pure business and we own him nothing but the chance to show the footy world that Essendon should have upped the ante for him.
    BB.

    Looking forward - Naughton, Darcy and JUH. It will be the envy of everyone.

  11. #9
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    The only team that owes Dunkley something is Essendon and they don't even owe Josh

  12. #10
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    We owe it to ourselves to play him in the midfield. He's really good! There's a reason we didn't trade him after all.
    - I'm a visionary - Only here to confirm my biases -

  13. #11
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    We don't owe it to him to play him there, but it makes sense for him to play the bulk of his time there if it meets the team's needs because that's his best spot.

    The reality is he's going to have to play where we want him to, and that means that if we want him to play ruck for a few minutes then he has to suck it up. I won't be happy if that's where we find ourselves, however, we're not the Dunkley Bulldogs.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

  14. #12
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    The ruck is in the midfield, I don't know what his problem is .

    But seriously if he earns it he earns it. I don't think Bevo is the type to be held to ransom because that's what one of his players really wants, his more a you do what your told kind a guy.

    Dunkley has made his point known and now has to deliver on field or he's going to look like a bit of a dick. As far as "owing" him midfield time, certainly not. His boss pays him to do the job his boss wants, just like you and me.
    They've done studies you know, 60% of the time, it works every time!
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  15. #13
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    Quote Originally Posted by dog town View Post
    If it’s best for the team he plays mid if it’s not he plays elsewhere. It doesn’t matter one bit where the best position is for him if the team needs him somewhere else.

    I actually think we can throw the challenge back at him and see if we can gain some flexibility from another mid somewhere else.
    As Tom Hafey famously said to Sheedy early in his career "you are a bloody back pocket plumber so remember that" ....or similar words.
    Later on though Sheedy played ruck rover in Richmond's premiership team.

  16. #14
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    As many have said Dunkleys best footy is an inside mid - and not coincidentally when Dunkley was in his career best form in 2019 we were the best we've been since 2016

    I don't view that as a coincidence - Dunkley does a lot of the heavy defensive lifting - blocking, tackling, two way running etc - we need to get him up and firing because it gives us the best chance as a team.

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  18. #15
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    Re: Do we owe Dunkley midfield time this year?

    By sheer virtue of longer quarters he'll play more midfield, and in the event Libba cops an injury he'll be closer to a full time mid.
    Given our stacked midfield Hunter might be the only full time mid that runs out every week, and that's because he's a genetic freak who can play the outside role well.
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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