Bulldogs can go all the way: Cross

[LostDoggy]

Would hate to have him kick a goal to win a game from 20 - 40 metres out. Same applies with Hahn.

How about Johnno? Or Minson? To kick a goal to win is a lot of pressure and the best buckle under it, yet Minnow did pretty well last year to snatch a draw. I don't think Crossy or Mitch are the worst kicks in the world.

The reality is, despite there being a whole lot of great kicks in the team (Gilbee, Coons, Griff, Gia et al), there is only one player currently on the Bulldogs list I would want kicking for my life from 20-50 out.

No prizes for guessing who... coolest head in the league.

[Desipura]

How about Johnno? Or Minson? To kick a goal to win is a lot of pressure and the best buckle under it, yet Minnow did pretty well last year to snatch a draw. I don't think Crossy or Mitch are the worst kicks in the world.

The reality is, despite there being a whole lot of great kicks in the team (Gilbee, Coons, Griff, Gia et al), there is only one player currently on the Bulldogs list I would want kicking for my life from 20-50 out.

No prizes for guessing who... coolest head in the league.

Thats a big rap for Morris, I mean it was a good kick and all

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I actually think Higgins comes close to Gilbee when it comes to kicking for goal. Certainly not distance wise, but anything up to 50m, Higgins is a pretty reliable kick.

Great to have both on the team though and it's no wonder Gilbee has played a large proportion of these first three games in the midfield.

[Stefcep]

I remeber this discussion from last season. As much as I admire his work in winning the hard ball, i don't see how a player makes it to AFL level and kicks as badly as Cross, and what's more not improve in what 4-5(?) season with all of the skills coaches and other players to learn from. Seriously his kicking would be be close to the worst in the league for a midfielder. Imagine how damaging he would be if after winning the hard ball, instead of handballing 10 metres he could spear a pass to a half forward or run and kick at goal.

[Stefcep]

I wish players would stop giving him the ball in situations where a kick is required though.

Sounds kinda odd to avoid an AFL-level team mate coz he can't kick. I think a better solution is for Cross to improve his kicking

[LostDoggy]

I actually think Higgins comes close to Gilbee when it comes to kicking for goal. Certainly not distance wise, but anything up to 50m, Higgins is a pretty reliable kick.

Great to have both on the team though and it's no wonder Gilbee has played a large proportion of these first three games in the midfield.

Er. I'm not talking about Gilbee.

[Mantis]

Er. I'm not talking about Gilbee.

You are talking about Akermanis?

[LostDoggy]

You are talking about Akermanis?

Correcto.

If it was a set shot 40 out to win a grand final, it could be in no better hands.

[AndrewP6]

In defense of Crossy... on Monday, super kicks Aker and Griff both missed easy ones...I reckon Cross would've won the game with these kicks...

By the way, I'm a fan of all these guys...

[Desipura]

Hey Sockeye, do you still think his kicking has improved? Sorry you said "there is no player in the competition who works harder on his kicking". That pass in the pocket when he had a full view of the goals 25 metres directly in front was...........of a player who has NO faith in his ability to kick the ball.
These are full time professional footballers, gee its frustrating just like every time he went to ground whilst the Carlton onballers would get free from the tackle "standing upright" and either dish it off or run off with the ball. I cannot question his endeavour, he bleeds for the club.

[Stefcep]

Hey Sockeye, do you still think his kicking has improved? Sorry you said "there is no player in the competition who works harder on his kicking". That pass in the pocket when he had a full view of the goals 25 metres directly in front was...........of a player who has NO faith in his ability to kick the ball.
These are full time professional footballers, gee its frustrating just like every time he went to ground whilst the Carlton onballers would get free from the tackle "standing upright" and either dish it off or run off with the ball. I cannot question his endeavour, he bleeds for the club.

Exactly. How does a guy get to this level and not have THE most fundamental skill in the game? He would've had a football in his hands to practice kicking for 20 years, how many junior coaches, how many reserves coaches, how many senior skills coaches and no-one can fix it? Here's an idea: he spends so much time and effort on his physical fitness, how about getting a footy and kicking it for an hour or so everyday with ex-Bulldog sharp shooter Paul Hudson to show him how its done. FFS, he's not getting picked to play rugby...

Edit: Hudson's at Collingwood so they can get soemone else instead, but you get my drift

[Sedat]

Hey Sockeye, do you still think his kicking has improved? Sorry you said "there is no player in the competition who works harder on his kicking". That pass in the pocket when he had a full view of the goals 25 metres directly in front was...........of a player who has NO faith in his ability to kick the ball.

I hope Rocket highlights this as an unacceptable decision-making error of the same magnitude as Lake's handball over the top in the goal square. Cross is magnificent in so many ways but that reeked of a senior player not taking the responsibility to do what needed to be done.

Opposition teams now just zone of Crossy when he has the ball, and simply let him run forward with it in the knowledge that he will not hit a target further upfield. I reckon Carlton deliberately peeled of Cross 4-5 time today.

[Desipura]

I hope Rocket highlights this as an unacceptable decision-making error of the same magnitude as Lake's handball over the top in the goal square. Cross is magnificent in so many ways but that reeked of a senior player not taking the responsibility to do what needed to be done.

Opposition teams now just zone of Crossy when he has the ball, and simply let him run forward with it in the knowledge that he will not hit a target further upfield. I reckon Carlton deliberately peeled of Cross 4-5 time today.

You make a good point, he is a senior player and is in the leadership group. You cannot shy away from your responsibility when you need to stand up as a leader.
Who in the Geelong or Hawthorn team cannot kick? I can only name Blake off the top of my head

[Sockeye Salmon]

26 touches at 96% efficency.

Yes, he executed a skill poorly but the decision itself wasn't particularily poor. Cross would have been kicking from nearly the 50 line which would have been right on his limits and Hahn would have been 20m closer to goal.

Certainly he should have hit the target. All of his other possessions on the weekend did.


If I could be bothered (and obviously I can't) I could sit down with the video and highlight a skill error from every player on the list for you. I would be very surprised if there was a single player who didn't butcher it at some stage.

[Sedat]

26 touches at 96% efficency.

Yes, he executed a skill poorly but the decision itself wasn't particularily poor. Cross would have been kicking from nearly the 50 line which would have been right on his limits and Hahn would have been 20m closer to goal.

Certainly he should have hit the target. All of his other possessions on the weekend did.


If I could be bothered (and obviously I can't) I could sit down with the video and highlight a skill error from every player on the list for you. I would be very surprised if there was a single player who didn't butcher it at some stage.

Sockeye, I was at the other end of the stadium but he looked closer to goal than that. Irrespective, Crossy was well in the clear, and could have steadied himself and slotted an uncontested shot for goal on the run from 30 metres - he's a smart footballer and should have known that Carlton's defenders would not have gone to him, thereby giving him the chance to head straight to goal. I thought the pass option to Hahn, who was less in the clear than Crossy himself, was low percentage even in the hands of Gilbee and a really poor option to consider. Was critical in the context of the game as well, as we had kicked 4 goals on the trot and looked in good shape halfway through the 2nd qtr.

Picken is no great shakes with his foot skills but he took the responsibility to slot one home on an acute angle from 40 metres.