Hey Ed, is this going to be YOUR team?

[Go_Dogs]

I think there have been moments throughout 2025 where we’ve all thought “this is becoming Ed’s team” when his brilliance rises to the top and he takes centre stage.

Personally, he’s not quite there yet - that Bont had to carry us (again) in a demoralising round 24 loss spoke volumes to me.

I know there was injury.
I know he’s been in our best handful in probably 50%+ of our losses this year.
I know he’s being compared to Bont in my analysis which is a pretty bloody tough yardstick.

What does Ed need to do over the off-season to become a player who can put the team on his back consistently? Or am I wrong and he’s already there?

If he can get to that level consistently (I know everyone has bad games) and Bont maintains his, it will go a long way

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Needs to impact in big games. His two finals have been very poor and by all reports he was a non-factor in the game vs Freo last week (I didn't see it personally).

That's his last step IMO.

[Go_Dogs]

Do you think it’s a skill or a will thing TBB?

We’ve had lots of “good” players over my time supporting the club who earned reps for being non-factors in big games and/or clutch moments.

And hey, maybe that’s how all (or 98% of) good players who never climb the mountain and win a flag end up being regarded.

Hopefully whatever it is, Ed and the coaching staff can draw it out for 2026 and beyond.

[Uninformed]

Or was he just impeded by his shoulder issue?

[Garbs_7]

Ed copped a bit of attention from O'Meara and a few others at stoppages last week as well as not having his best game.

Going forward he is so, so important to us in the middle of the ground being a mid with pace as well as great skills and goal kicking. When you think of the future of the midfield he is so crucial to any rotation to ensure we aren't too one paced or vanilla.

[Go_Dogs]

Or was he just impeded by his shoulder issue?

I mean, it definitely wouldn’t have helped him…!

[Happy Days]

I love Ed, he’s a brilliant, dynamic player who can do everything there is to do on a field, but I just can’t shake that he doesn’t love it when the lights are bright.

He missed Buku by a mile with a chip pass against Geelong that would’ve put us in front (and honestly should’ve just been a goal he buried himself). He’s been invisible in finals and games of major consequence, including against Hawthorn last year when he’s the exact sort of speed we needed to hunt the ball. I need to see him dominate in these big moments as soon as the next one arrives.

[Go_Dogs]

I love Ed, he’s a brilliant, dynamic player who can do everything there is to do on a field, but I just can’t shake that he doesn’t love it when the lights are bright.

He missed Buku by a mile with a chip pass against Geelong that would’ve put us in front (and honestly should’ve just been a goal he buried himself). He’s been invisible in finals and games of major consequence, including against Hawthorn last year when he’s the exact sort of speed we needed to hunt the ball. I need to see him dominate in these big moments as soon as the next one arrives.

you’re like the ChatGPT to the post I tried to write

[lemmon]

It's interesting that Richards, Serong and Butters are all smaller midfielders and all susceptible to a tag. Those smaller inside mids can all be manhandled around the stoppages, where it's a lot harder with someone like Cripps or Bont.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Do you think it’s a skill or a will thing TBB?

We’ve had lots of “good” players over my time supporting the club who earned reps for being non-factors in big games and/or clutch moments.

And hey, maybe that’s how all (or 98% of) good players who never climb the mountain and win a flag end up being regarded.

Hopefully whatever it is, Ed and the coaching staff can draw it out for 2026 and beyond.

It's a good question. I'm not sure, I don't know him well enough to determine how he handles the anxiety of the big moments. Theoretically his game should translate well - he can win his own ball, his defensive game is good, he can run and he can take space by foot.

Perhaps it's just learning to deal with extra heat - sometimes it's in the form of a tag, sometimes it's just being impeded.

As HD said above though, we need to see this change the next time another big game/moment arrives. It's not that he's just been quiet in some of these games, he's been really poor and shaky (the two finals were probably two of his worst games ever).

[Uninformed]

I love Ed, he’s a brilliant, dynamic player who can do everything there is to do on a field, but I just can’t shake that he doesn’t love it when the lights are bright.

He missed Buku by a mile with a chip pass against Geelong that would’ve put us in front (and honestly should’ve just been a goal he buried himself). He’s been invisible in finals and games of major consequence, including against Hawthorn last year when he’s the exact sort of speed we needed to hunt the ball. I need to see him dominate in these big moments as soon as the next one arrives.

I hope you are wrong. But that is a fair bit of evidence..

[Uninformed]

It's interesting that Richards, Serong and Butters are all smaller midfielders and all susceptible to a tag. Those smaller inside mids can all be manhandled around the stoppages, where it's a lot harder with someone like Cripps or Bont.

Great observation. Makes you wonder how Libba does it?

[1eyedog]

It's a good question. I'm not sure, I don't know him well enough to determine how he handles the anxiety of the big moments. Theoretically his game should translate well - he can win his own ball, his defensive game is good, he can run and he can take space by foot.

Perhaps it's just learning to deal with extra heat - sometimes it's in the form of a tag, sometimes it's just being impeded.

As HD said above though, we need to see this change the next time another big game/moment arrives. It's not that he's just been quiet in some of these games, he's been really poor and shaky (the two finals were probably two of his worst games ever).

You make good points and provide good examples but I think coming into a midfield role from half back will take some adjustment. He's already amazing but I'm hoping those little skill errors and his failings to work his way out of a tag will lessen as he matures. Next season he'll be approaching the start of his prime as an AFL midfielder. We need him to eventually take the mantle from Bont in the next 3 years as a top 10 player.

I saw today the AFL have him ranked the 21st best player in the comp so he's well on his way.