Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

[Bornadog]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

[Before I Die]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

I hope what we saw on Friday puts an end to the criticism of JOD and even more so to the criticism of the MC for selecting him. He has a skill set that exceeds that of any of our other KPD options. I’m not including Busslinger in this as he hasn’t yet had a chance to show his full skill set. He has size, pace, agility, overhead strength and kicking skills. I’d suggest his selection into the state U12 team indicates he also has footballing smarts, though I accept that is not definitive. I may be corrected by those who watch the VFL games closer than me, but I believe he was our best, or one of our best defenders in every game he played at that level. He is far from the finished product but I think we should be very excited about just how good he could become.

Naughton, Marra, English, Darcy, Busslinger, JOD and Croft. All Doggies supporters should be drooling over that list of young talls.

[MrMahatma]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

Like it when he kicks.

[EasternWest]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

I hope what we saw on Friday puts an end to the criticism of JOD and even more so to the criticism of the MC for selecting him. He has a skill set that exceeds that of any of our other KPD options. I’m not including Busslinger in this as he hasn’t yet had a chance to show his full skill set. He has size, pace, agility, overhead strength and kicking skills. I’d suggest his selection into the state U12 team indicates he also has footballing smarts, though I accept that is not definitive. I may be corrected by those who watch the VFL games closer than me, but I believe he was our best, or one of our best defenders in every game he played at that level. He is far from the finished product but I think we should be very excited about just how good he could become.

Naughton, Marra, English, Darcy, Busslinger, JOD and Croft. All Doggies supporters should be drooling over that list of young talls.

I think you're right and you're wrong - the early insistence on persisting with JOD was wrong (although the consensus was definitely that he had something about him) but against the Tigers he looked almost ready to go.

Really has something to be excited about.

[GVGjr]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

I hope what we saw on Friday puts an end to the criticism of JOD and even more so to the criticism of the MC for selecting him. He has a skill set that exceeds that of any of our other KPD options. I’m not including Busslinger in this as he hasn’t yet had a chance to show his full skill set. He has size, pace, agility, overhead strength and kicking skills. I’d suggest his selection into the state U12 team indicates he also has footballing smarts, though I accept that is not definitive. I may be corrected by those who watch the VFL games closer than me, but I believe he was our best, or one of our best defenders in every game he played at that level. He is far from the finished product but I think we should be very excited about just how good he could become.

Naughton, Marra, English, Darcy, Busslinger, JOD and Croft. All Doggies supporters should be drooling over that list of young talls.

I agree with a lot of what you have shared but the MC deserved a kick where it hurts for playing him forward for an extended period when he was clearly struggling. He's a more natural defender at this stage and if we want him to thrive then that's where we need to play him.

I was talking with one of the players sponsors on Friday who's very bullish on JOD but also cautioned that we might see another version of Lewis Young in that we have a player come in and perform well as a defender in his first year but then might struggle to hold his spot his spot in year 2 before getting shuffled around a bit.
It could be an overreaction but something I'll look forward to monitoring and seeing how he goes next year.
JOD is an incredible story and lets hope he becomes a 200 game player for us.

[EasternWest]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

I agree with a lot of what you have shared but the MC deserved a kick where it hurts for playing him forward for an extended period when he was clearly struggling. He's a more natural defender at this stage and if we want him to thrive then that's where we need to play him.

I was talking with one of the players sponsors on Friday who's very bullish on JOD but also cautioned that we might see another version of Lewis Young in that we have a player come in and perform well as a defender in his first year but then might struggle to hold his spot his spot in year 2 before getting shuffled around a bit.
It could be an overreaction but something I'll look forward to monitoring and seeing how he goes next year.
JOD is an incredible story and lets hope he becomes a 200 game player for us.

Can't see the Young comparison at all. JOD has already displayed far more will and aggro that Young ever did.

[Bornadog]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

- the early insistence on persisting with JOD was wrong .

We gave JUH games when he probably didn't show he should have - just beacuse he was first pick. Sometimes you just have to develop these kids.

[jazzadogs]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

I agree with others - the issue with JOD's early run of games was not that he got picked, but that he got picked in a role he was not prepared for. He has looked good in defence.

[jeemak]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

Would he be better today if he had have been picked in the twos and played defence rather than the ones up forward, or is he better off having had a taste at the level in any role?

I go with the latter. We put way too much weight on this stuff when the idea is about getting someone out there and giving them a go at the level. Tall talented players get more opportunities, it's just how it is.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

Would he be better today if he had have been picked in the twos and played defence rather than the ones up forward, or is he better off having had a taste at the level in any role?

I go with the latter. We put way too much weight on this stuff when the idea is about getting someone out there and giving them a go at the level. Tall talented players get more opportunities, it's just how it is.

Yep you could see he had something from the first VFL game, I'm pretty happy our coaches saw it too.

In all seriousness where would he go in the next draft? I'm thinking he's a top 20.

[Before I Die]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

Can't see the Young comparison at all. JOD has already displayed far more will and aggro that Young ever did.

I agree, plus Young’s biggest weakness was, and still is, indecision when he had the ball made even worse by poor disposal skills. Whereas JOD showed excellent decision making and disposal skills on Friday. It is, however, early days, but there are certainly grounds for excitement.

[jeemak]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

I agree, plus Young’s biggest weakness was, and still is, indecision when he had the ball made even worse by poor disposal skills. Whereas JOD showed excellent decision making and disposal skills on Friday. It is, however, early days, but there are certainly grounds for excitement.

While you can't listen to MJP most of the time due to his inexperience and wackiness in general, the ONE ( ) thing he has gotten right is the mantra that whoever you trade in and out, usually plays at least in a similar way if not in the same way they played at their original/ former club.

Carlton have jerried onto Young's weaknesses and have moved him out of their structure. We basically did the same with Lobb and gave him a whack, and Baker is fringe with us like he was with Melbourne.

[hujsh]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

While you can't listen to MJP most of the time due to his inexperience and wackiness in general, the ONE ( ) thing he has gotten right is the mantra that whoever you trade in and out, usually plays at least in a similar way if not in the same way they played at their original/ former club.

Broken clock and all that

[azabob]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

While you can't listen to MJP most of the time due to his inexperience and wackiness in general, the ONE ( ) thing he has gotten right is the mantra that whoever you trade in and out, usually plays at least in a similar way if not in the same way they played at their original/ former club.

Carlton have jerried onto Young's weaknesses and have moved him out of their structure. We basically did the same with Lobb and gave him a whack, and Baker is fringe with us like he was with Melbourne.

Pies supporters also coming for Lipinski.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

Pies supporters also coming for Lipinski.

What’s their gripe/s? I thought they loved him.