Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

[GVGjr]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Love the article and love what Higgins had to say about the club.

Totally agree. I love it even i was jumping around the house last night when his name got called out .

[chef]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Totally agree. I love it even i was jumping around the house last night when his name got called out .

So was I.

[GVGjr]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Douggie followed the Kangas.

Thats right the Hawk loved Keith Greg .JOHNNO AND SMITHY followed the doggies

[boydogs]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

The Giants settled on 11 of their allotted 12 teens, and then passed on Talia, with recruiter Neville Stibbard not sold on his field kicking.

Why do so many players get excluded by their shortcomings, rather than picked on their strengths?

Ben Rutten, Darren Glass, Simon Prestigiacomo and Dale Morris couldn't kick 50 metres between them, but they are some of the best defenders of the last decade.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Still can't believe we got him at pick 39

The recommendation by Scott Wynd now coach at Assumption College having replaced the famous Ray Carroll was considered a key factor in Talia's recruitment. Michael is said to have a stronger physical approach to his game than older brother Daniel which should please coach McCartney who is demanding a far more ruthless approach to the Bulldogs attack on the ball in 2012. It is good to see some history being developed with Simon Garlick as CEO, Chris Grant, Director of Football, plus the recent recruitments of Liberatore, Wallis and now Harvey Steven's grandson in Talia. These are healthy signs going forward for the club.

[ledge]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Marty Allison rates him which is high praise.
Looks like both lads we picked up with our first two picks have a good work ethic

Thats what our coach has been saying since he got here we are never going to pick up players without it while he is coach.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Good to see we're bringing in Footballers and not athletes.
Clay Smith and Michael Tallia will work on their kicking, whereas bringing in a great athlete and teaching him the nuances is a totally different matter.

[Mantis]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Good to see we're bringing in Footballers and not athletes.
Clay Smith and Michael Tallia will work on their kicking, whereas bringing in a great athlete and teaching him the nuances is a totally different matter.

Daniel Cross has been working on it for 12 years, is a manic trainer and still struggles.

Very rarely do you see players improve their kicking once they get in the system, you either have it or you don't.

[EasternWest]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Daniel Cross has been working on it for 12 years, is a manic trainer and still struggles.

Very rarely do you see players improve their kicking once they get in the system, you either have it or you don't.

Do you think Cross is a "bad" kick though? I don't. He's not the best kick in terms of spotting people up, and they do sit in the air a bit, but he's generally pretty accurate.

The problem with Cross' kicking for mine is a twofold thing. It takes him forever to decide to kick, and by the time he does, the kick then can't afford to be a Daniel Cross floater.

[anfo27]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Daniel Cross has been working on it for 12 years, is a manic trainer and still struggles.

Very rarely do you see players improve their kicking once they get in the system, you either have it or you don't.

I think Cross problem is mostly mental. I think he isn't that bad a kick when he actually decides to kick it but he avoids kicking it because it seems he doesn't rate himself as a kick. If Daniel could ever get over his mental demons on kicking he would improve dramatically. Hopefully Smith & Talia don't have the same mental hurdles to overcome.

[boydogs]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Good to see we're bringing in Footballers and not athletes.
Clay Smith and Michael Tallia will work on their kicking, whereas bringing in a great athlete and teaching him the nuances is a totally different matter.

Strange comment, Clay Smith is rated as an athlete from his beep test and Talia is athletic for a KPD. Not being able to kick well is a hallmark of athletes and not footballers.

Do you think Cross is a "bad" kick though? I don't. He's not the best kick in terms of spotting people up, and they do sit in the air a bit, but he's generally pretty accurate.

The problem with Cross' kicking for mine is a twofold thing. It takes him forever to decide to kick, and by the time he does, the kick then can't afford to be a Daniel Cross floater.

It's his wind-up when going for distance. I actually think he needs to work on his acceleration rather than kicking, if he can get moving at speed quickly then his distance would improve and time taken would reduce.

We know he can run all day, but he needs to be able to keep up with the Leigh Brown's of the world in a sprint.

[azabob]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Strange comment, Clay Smith is rated as an athlete from his beep test and Talia is athletic for a KPD. Not being able to kick well is a hallmark of athletes and not footballers.


.

Smith gets the football though? He can't jump, isn't a speedster and doesn't set the world on fire with his athletic ability like a Wood or Mulligan. To me he is more footballer than athlete.

Would you say Cross is footballer or athlete first?

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Do you think Cross is a "bad" kick though? I don't. He's not the best kick in terms of spotting people up, and they do sit in the air a bit, but he's generally pretty accurate.

The problem with Cross' kicking for mine is a twofold thing. It takes him forever to decide to kick, and by the time he does, the kick then can't afford to be a Daniel Cross floater.

Some good points but really, Splitting hairs. It's all part of getting the the job done.

[chef]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Daniel Cross has been working on it for 12 years, is a manic trainer and still struggles.

Very rarely do you see players improve their kicking once they get in the system, you either have it or you don't.

While Dahlhaus has come on leaps and bounds in twelve months. He had the worst disposal efficiency in the under 18's in the year he got drafted.

[boydogs]

Re: Western Bulldogs steal a bargain in AFL national draft with Michael Talia

Smith gets the football though? He can't jump, isn't a speedster and doesn't set the world on fire with his athletic ability like a Wood or Mulligan. To me he is more footballer than athlete.

Would you say Cross is footballer or athlete first?

Both Smith & Cross have athletic endurance and sub-par kicking. They are more Callan Ward than Ed Barlow, but I wouldn't use them as evidence we are picking pure footballers with all the skills instead of athletes that can run & jump.