Where's Gia's Bake?

[boydogs]

I thought Brian Lake and Will Minson were good for us on the weekend. Brian kept the 2008 coleman medallist goal-less plus had 27 possessions, Will presented as a get out handball option in several passages of play and played well in the ruck.

Both made a few mistakes, and not for the first time, which appears to have led to Rocket criticising them publicly.

In my view however, these guys were competing, involved in the play, trying to create something. If they do more good than bad, we should be happy with that.

I would be more inclined to criticise Gia.
Does. Not. Do. Enough.

For someone with such great skills - a one-touch player with fantastic accurate disposal - we need him to get involved more often. There were reports over the pre-season of him improving his fitness, and coupled with an ambition to captain the side I thought we would see more of him, but unfortunately his output so far has been limited

Gia, if you are reading this - have a go, get involved son! Don't be afraid to make a mistake in trying to affect play. I would love to see the ball in your hands more often

[LostDoggy]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I thought Brian Lake and Will Minson were good for us on the weekend. Brian kept the 2008 coleman medallist goal-less plus had 27 possessions, Will presented as a get out handball option in several passages of play and played well in the ruck.

Both made a few mistakes, and not for the first time, which appears to have led to Rocket criticising them publicly.

In my view however, these guys were competing, involved in the play, trying to create something. If they do more good than bad, we should be happy with that.

I would be more inclined to criticise Gia.
Does. Not. Do. Enough.

For someone with such great skills - a one-touch player with fantastic accurate disposal - we need him to get involved more often. There were reports over the pre-season of him improving his fitness, and coupled with an ambition to captain the side I thought we would see more of him, but unfortunately his output so far has been limited

Gia, if you are reading this - have a go, get involved son! Don't be afraid to make a mistake in trying to affect play. I would love to see the ball in your hands more often

What you said

[LostDoggy]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I third this motion.

[Mofra]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

Gia doesn't need a bake - apart from Eagleton, no player in the last decade has been marked as harshly or is put under more scrutiny by Bulldog supporters.

[Desipura]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

How people mention him as a possible captain astonishes me. The guy is a good player with very good foot skill, not an inspirational player who leads from the front on the field.
Thats not disrespect to Gia, it takes someone special to be a captain of a very good footy side. Off the field, he is by all reports a true leader, thats different to onfield.

[Mantis]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

Gia doesn't need a bake - apart from Eagleton, no player in the last decade has been marked as harshly or is put under more scrutiny by Bulldog supporters.

While a bake isn't in order you would have to agree that Gia's output thus far is lower than expectations and he has to do more. We all know what he can offer when on song, but there has been very little singing in 2010.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

Last year Gia managed to turn my opinion of him around. He was running hard without the ball, getting involved, taking a few hits and doing the small things to ensure that he played himself into the game. I thought he was a lazy player on the field but he managed to changed what was an ingrained opinion of him.

It seems that his old habits are back to plague him, unless the ball falls in his lap he seems very diusinterested to do anymore. I've seen him on numerous occasions give up the chase as soon the ball leaves his area and stand around waiting, this is not good enough from someone who is wearing the captain's armband.

If he wants to be captain, which at the moment I do not support, he needs to stop worrying about getting his quota of cheap goals and pay attention to his defensive game. This was the very thing that turned around his form last year. His incresed workrate without the ball ensured he was in the contest more often and combined with his silky skills made him irreplacable.

We turn to our captain for inspiration, even though Johno cant hit the side of a barn with his field kicking, his courage to get to the contest go up against 4 bigger blokes, get smashed and get right back up again has his team mates in awe. There is nothing that Gia is doing on the field that would be inspiring his chargers to go that extra mile.

[Ozza]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I thought that while his first half was very disappointing on the weekend - he certainly responded in the second half and was a lot better. Hopefully he takes his second half form into this week versus Brisbane.

I agree with Mantis that his output hasn't been huge this year so far - but also completely agree with Mofra that "apart from Eagleton, no player in the last decade has been marked as harshly or is put under more scrutiny by Bulldog supporters."

[LostDoggy]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I don't think it was the players involvement that Eade was talking about, but it was more following team rules. I mean Minson gives away a stupid 50 meter penalty just last week, so for him to do it again this week just shows that he's not listening or hasn't learnt his lesson. Hence why Eade suggested maybe he needs to go back to Williamstown to learn his lesson (IMO i don't think it will happen).

Gia is fit, trying hard to get involved but it just isn't coming to him at the moment. I think he would love to get his hands on the ball more than anyone. I really don't see how dropping him back would help him get more of the ball for the Bulldogs.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I find i have a love/hate relationship with Gia.

I guess my biggest problem is that by all report he will be our next captain and going by his on field performaces i just dont see him being right for this role.

He seems a player with two sides. He does a few things which often lead to turn overs and oppisiotion goals

But then he will do very good things to make up for it, spoiling and tackling good 1%ers


I often find myself cursing him and then very soon after applauding him

I think i mark him hard because of the captain aspect.

[Mantis]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I thought that while his first half was very disappointing on the weekend - he certainly responded in the second half and was a lot better. Hopefully he takes his second half form into this week versus Brisbane.

I agree with Mantis that his output hasn't been huge this year so far - but also completely agree with Mofra that "apart from Eagleton, no player in the last decade has been marked as harshly or is put under more scrutiny by Bulldog supporters."

Point 1 - In my opinion this surge in form in the second half was a direct result of our midfield getting on top and supplying more ball to Gia. What disappointed me on relation to Gia's first half was his inability to win the 50:50, which is unlike most of his team-mates. His contested play needs to improve.

Point 2 - Most knowledgable supporters know that Gia isn't soft (the general knock), but everyone still gets frustrated with his occassional inability to impose himself on a game or even contests within the game.

[Mofra]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

I guess my biggest problem is that by all report he will be our next captain and going by his on field performaces i just dont see him being right for this role.

I don't see him as our next captain, but do see him as the sort of senior player that needs to set an example to the others. There was one incident on Sunday which was a terrible effort - allowing Mitchell to easily take away the ball when he could have bodied the fall of the ball harder to cause a contest. I was spitting chips when it happened, but his second half was much better.

Yes I agree his output should be higher, but I don't think it's panic stations yet. I still rate him as a very clean user of the ball in traffic/under pressure which means he still offers value to the side.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

How can someone who doesn't win his own ball be Captain?

Gia is a skilled outside player that lacks a tank and speed. His longevity in the may be shorter than we think.

Boyd should be Captain full stop.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

Not sure how much anyone rates Dermott Brereton's view, but I did hear him on SEN a few weeks ago saying Gia is the player 'I'd go through if I was an opposition team'

Thought he was ok on the weekend - even in the first half he kicked an important goal for us.

[Desipura]

Re: Where's Gia's Bake?

How can someone who doesn't win his own ball be Captain?

Gia is a skilled outside player that lacks a tank and speed. His longevity in the may be shorter than we think.

Boyd should be Captain full stop.

Agree with most of what you have written. However if you are a quick outside player with elite kicking, there is no reason you cannot become Captain