Originally Posted by
liz
Not really. I should learn to pay attention to that kind of thing. I think that Maibaum and Talia both played on him for portions of the game. Whenever I particularly looked out for Melican, he seemed to be on someone else. The Lions had quite a few tall players in their forward line, plus a very lively Daniel Rich wannabee (too long, greasy blond locks, secured with a headband) who was probably a toppie, given he was wearing no 55.
I am encouraged by the possession count of Dawson. That suggests he was more involved than I had realised. He doesn't stand out especially (from a physical sense) so it's not as obvious when he's involved in passages of play as, say, Rose. When he takes a strong contested mark, or kicks a goal on the run from 50m out, that's when I tend to notice him.
Next time I go to a NEAFL game I will make it my special projects to
a) pay more attention to how the tall defenders are lining up
b) pay more attention to how effective the ruckmen are at centre bounces
c) pay particular attention to Dawson, not just when he does something eye-catching.
If team selection were based primarily on who plays like they want it the most, I nominate Edwards as next cab of the rank. If it is based on who has the skillset that looks most likely to be able to sustain a senior AFL career, I'd have Dawson on top. He had another injury interrupted pre-season, however, so I imagine the coaching group will need to be convinced he has a sufficient fitness base before he gets his shot.
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