Picken selection question

[dog town]

Does anyone else see him becoming a bit of a horses for courses selection? I am loathe to pidgeon hole him on the strength of one game but to me he seems to be a tagging option only at this stage.

We are not going to need a complete shut down tagger every week and if he is not tagging someone then I am not convinced he is good enough in the other areas of the game to have an impact.

He did a brilliant job today but I dont see anything wrong with just bringing him in and out as he is needed. He fills a real need in that he can shut down those explosive midfield types but as I said I just dont think we will need him every week. Really good signs as that shut down player today though.

[GVGjr]

Re: Picken selection question

Does anyone else see him becoming a bit of a horses for courses selection? I am loathe to pidgeon hole him on the strength of one game but to me he seems to be a tagging option only at this stage.

I was only thinking the same on the trip home. Will he be needed next week? Typically you can find a suitable or a workable match-up but the defensive side of things in the midfield hasn't been our trademark and I wonder if Eade will stick with him?
He's done his job and performed well but I'm not convinced there is suitable match-ups for him in the next 2 weeks.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Picken selection question

I'm not convinced there is suitable match-ups for him in the next 2 weeks.

Foley & Kerr?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Picken selection question

If he does that well on Harvey he deserves to have a crack at any other midfielder..not saying Harvey is the best but he really kept him out of the game.

I agree that there is no-one really to put him on next week vs Tigers but why not take him to Perth and put him on Kerr or a ball getter like Priddis..

[Dogs 24/7]

Re: Picken selection question

Foley & Kerr?

You can always find at least one but I'd be surprised if we really need him each week. Giansiracusa can do a similar role if needed. It might depend on Cooney.

[westdog54]

Re: Picken selection question

Does anyone else see him becoming a bit of a horses for courses selection? I am loathe to pidgeon hole him on the strength of one game but to me he seems to be a tagging option only at this stage.

We are not going to need a complete shut down tagger every week and if he is not tagging someone then I am not convinced he is good enough in the other areas of the game to have an impact.

He did a brilliant job today but I dont see anything wrong with just bringing him in and out as he is needed. He fills a real need in that he can shut down those explosive midfield types but as I said I just dont think we will need him every week. Really good signs as that shut down player today though.

When he wasn't busy handing Harvey his backside on a silver platter he seemed to not be averse to putting his head in and winning the hardball.

He's a fair way down the pecking order but I think he's a good chance of finding a fairly solid spot in the 22 depending on injuries/form, both his and others.

[dog town]

Re: Picken selection question

Foley & Kerr?

I get the feeling Rocket wouldn't want a shut down type player into the centre square mix. Picken might be in for the outside type players who we have struggled with in the past. Boydy might get the inside jobs. Could be wrong though. We have had trouble with those types at times as well.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Picken selection question

PLenty of midfielders the tigers have that can be shut down: Foley, Brown, Deledio, give the kid a go.

[Mofra]

Re: Picken selection question

The selection says as much about Boyd as anyone else. Is he too valuable to be used as a tagger/run-with player? ~60 touches in two weeks, and he's developed a good overhead game over summer.
Gets better every year.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Picken selection question

If he keeps this up...dark horse for the Brownlow?

[dog town]

Re: Picken selection question

PLenty of midfielders the tigers have that can be shut down: Foley, Brown, Deledio, give the kid a go.

Every side has players you would like to shut down. I suppose the question is about weighing up whether its worth losing an attacking player from around the ball to shut that player down. It was obviously worth it today because Harvey can be so damaging but it wont be every week.

[mighty_west]

Re: Picken selection question

I believe one of our missing links to the team has been a real tagger, Ling, Rawlings, Sewell etc etc, before today, Boomer has always cut us to shreads, today "Pick Pocket" Picken kept Boomer to less than 20 possies, had he been free all day, they probably beat us AGAIN, even Sam Power had more possies today than Boomer, we have always had trouble keeping those dangerous midfield types at bay, Juddy is another one.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Picken selection question

The selection says as much about Boyd as anyone else. Is he too valuable to be used as a tagger/run-with player? ~60 touches in two weeks, and he's developed a good overhead game over summer.
Gets better every year.

At this stage I have only seen the last quarter (the replay is on fox 501 @ 10 pm) but I would have to agree here without West Boyd really has stepped up. I don't understand why you wouldn't play the kid we all know the Morris story anyone who works that hard for that long deserves a go!!

[Mofra]

Re: Picken selection question

At this stage I have only seen the last quarter (the replay is on fox 501 @ 10 pm) but I would have to agree here without West Boyd really has stepped up. I don't understand why you wouldn't play the kid we all know the Morris story anyone who works that hard for that long deserves a go!!

Yep - and it was heartening to watch a young 42 get a run. There is a bit of Boyd (probably more than Morris) about Picken.

Happy, and for the first time we had 4 rookies/ex-rookies in Bulldogs colours. Good for the club.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Picken selection question

Performed two brilliant spinning pirowets in mid air to avoid tacklers and fed out handballs, he has a few tricks.

I think every side will have someone to tag. If he can do the job week in and week and week out and free Gia, Boyd or Cross for other duties and so they provide more attacking options i say lets look into it. But one game doesn't make the player although it was a ripping performance. For him to say permanently in the team, he needs a few more big name scalps. Counting against him is the fact Eade seems to like players to be multidimensional, the question needs to be in 2009 does he have an attacking side to his game or is his defencive side so exceptional he gets games on this alone. I'm happy to try him for the next few weeks to see Foley and Kerr would be two good assisgments. If he is 3 for 3 after this hen lets look at the make up of the side.