Where to for Dougal Howard and what does our defence look like?

[Sanctorum]

As for the future, my money is on Arie Schoenmaker, who at 194 cm is the same size as Tim May, to become St Kilda's long term fullback in due course.

Why are you comparing the size of a former test off-spinner with a footballer?

Definitely a senior moment....

[saynta]

As for the future, my money is on Arie Schoenmaker, who at 194 cm is the same size as Tim May, to become St Kilda's long term fullback in due course.

Why are you comparing the size of a former test off-spinner with a footballer?

Definitely a senior moment....

[Kent the Butler]

Where to for Dougal Howard and what does our defence look like?
Post by skeptic » Wed 06 Dec 2023 8:54pm
but it was in the wet and he made a number of bad blunders that cost us goals. He got subbed and then dropped.
IMO the criticism for the game he was dropped in was a bit overblown…


Dougal Howard wasn't dropped this year.

But I get it... Say it enough on here, and it becomes fact.

[skeptic]

Where to for Dougal Howard and what does our defence look like?
Post by skeptic » Wed 06 Dec 2023 8:54pm
but it was in the wet and he made a number of bad blunders that cost us goals. He got subbed and then dropped.
IMO the criticism for the game he was dropped in was a bit overblown…


Dougal Howard wasn't dropped this year.

But I get it... Say it enough on here, and it becomes fact.

Maybe he was out injured straight after then? Forgive me, the memory isn’t what it used to be.

[Saintmike65]

I’m far from a Dougal fan but acknowledge he’s good enough to be on our list.
What I’d like to see in 2024 is 3 things:

1. He play within his limitations
2. He goes for his marks if he gets 2 hands on the footy instead of going the spoil…this would help his confidence no end.
3. Stop blaming teammates when he gets beaten in a one on one contest.

[Yorkeys]

I’m far from a Dougal fan but acknowledge he’s good enough to be on our list.
What I’d like to see in 2024 is 3 things:

1. He play within his limitations
2. He goes for his marks if he gets 2 hands on the footy instead of going the spoil…this would help his confidence no end.
3. Stop blaming teammates when he gets beaten in a one on one contest.

Think you/we are over critical.
Dougal is a very good defender. Injuries can stop an elephant and sap confidence. Like most he struggles one on one with the occasional gorilla forward.
We can't read his mind. Wears his disappointment on his sleeve.
End of zoo analogies.

[Otiman]

Maybe he was out injured straight after then? Forgive me, the memory isn’t what it used to be.

He was injured but then when fit, was not selected. But to be fair it was a final after a lengthy layoff and no VFL to come back in through.

[CQ SAINT]

I’m far from a Dougal fan but acknowledge he’s good enough to be on our list.
What I’d like to see in 2024 is 3 things:

1. He play within his limitations
2. He goes for his marks if he gets 2 hands on the footy instead of going the spoil…this would help his confidence no end.
3. Stop blaming teammates when he gets beaten in a one on one contest.

Think you/we are over critical.
Dougal is a very good defender. Injuries can stop an elephant and sap confidence. Like most he struggles one on one with the occasional gorilla forward.
We can't read his mind. Wears his disappointment on his sleeve.
End of zoo analogies.

I tend to agree with Yorkeys. The benefits Howard brings against most 3 man tall forward combos, is actually his team play and positioning.

When we win in the midfield, it usually because the system is shared and 16 players are controlling the ball in circle work or lanes.

When those match ups are balanced, we are very hard to score against.

We plan for when Howard is out gunned, every week.

There are big power forwards everywhere and some really powerful medium sized ones.

Battle and Howard just aren't as good as Wilkie at reading their man and knowing when to defend.

But they read the ball beautifully and works well together in forcing the ball to ground and intercepting, it is part of why Wilkie and Sinclair are playing so well.

[NickyDal]

The criticism of Howard is not justified. He makes a few errors just like every other defender in the comp.

[axcellence]

He's so much better than Luke Delaney

[B.M]

Luke Delaney had a reasonable year at StK

Nathan Brown was very good in his first year.

Dougal is a very aggressive FB - his positioning is aggressive- more akin to, Jeremy McGovern, Harris Andrew’s or Steven May than a lock down

He sits off his man and tries to read the play and ball coming in, unless you are very good at this and are a gun it can be dangerous

[Vortex]

His kicking is aggressive too, uses his elite long range accurate kicking skills to probe for the outlet kick, sometimes it doesn't come off but is essential if you are a transition side.

[shanegrambeau]

The only game I have been to since Covid was the Elimination Final vs GWS when I was briefly in Melbourne. (shout out Terry Rules , your bottle is in the in the kiln mate/mam, and it is the first time they are making a R,W & B one.)

And Dougal Howard sat in the shed unpicked.

I had to watch Zaine Cordy and Anthony Caminiti combine for a glorious 7 measly possessions and three marks, in TOTAL, between them.

I had to watch the GWS entries (sorry venting- cos we all know, don't we?) flow into their F50.

And our abysmal dysfunctional forward line.

Only King and Sharman gave me hope. I even wondered if Howard might have served as a cameo forward on the day. ala that Adelaide/Blight trick in the '97 GF

Surely we won't tip Dougal onto the ..eh...tip.

[Yorkeys]

The only game I have been to since Covid was the Elimination Final vs GWS when I was briefly in Melbourne. (shout out Terry Rules , your bottle is in the in the kiln mate/mam, and it is the first time they are making a R,W & B one.)

And Dougal Howard sat in the shed unpicked.

I had to watch Zaine Cordy and Anthony Caminiti combine for a glorious 7 measly possessions and three marks, in TOTAL, between them.

I had to watch the GWS entries (sorry venting- cos we all know, don't we?) flow into their F50.

And our abysmal dysfunctional forward line.

Only King and Sharman gave me hope. I even wondered if Howard might have served as a cameo forward on the day. ala that Adelaide/Blight trick in the '97 GF

Surely we won't tip Dougal onto the ..eh...tip.

Yes, very unfair on you. And it rained, you poor bugger. And when did AC know he was playing?
By the way, GWS could easily have gone top with its line up and it would not have surprised, so it wasn't a performance put on just to annoy you. Didn't we keep fighting till the end, out gunned but gutsy effort?

[shanegrambeau]

The only game I have been to since Covid was the Elimination Final vs GWS when I was briefly in Melbourne. (shout out Terry Rules , your bottle is in the in the kiln mate/mam, and it is the first time they are making a R,W & B one.)

And Dougal Howard sat in the shed unpicked.

I had to watch Zaine Cordy and Anthony Caminiti combine for a glorious 7 measly possessions and three marks, in TOTAL, between them.

I had to watch the GWS entries (sorry venting- cos we all know, don't we?) flow into their F50.

And our abysmal dysfunctional forward line.

Only King and Sharman gave me hope. I even wondered if Howard might have served as a cameo forward on the day. ala that Adelaide/Blight trick in the '97 GF

Surely we won't tip Dougal onto the ..eh...tip.

Yes, very unfair on you. And it rained, you poor bugger. And when did AC know he was playing?
By the way, GWS could easily have gone top with its line up and it would not have surprised, so it wasn't a performance put on just to annoy you. Didn't we keep fighting till the end, out gunned but gutsy effort?

yes
yes
and yes

Late inclusion and not his fault..not his fault that he was picked so much earlier either. (AC)
kept fighting and rallying yes..definitely

[Vazelos]

Ross lost faith in Howard last season.
Ross is task driven and Howard let him down too often.
He misses crucial punches in 1v1 duels, likes to finger point up the ground, turns over the ball at times in critical areas by foot, is slow with his hands has handballs miss targets or get intercepted and Ross hates pre season injuries he would have not been happy injuring key forward Max King.
Howard just isn’t the level Ross is seeking for a key back.

[B.M]

Didn’t he just get injured (wrist)

He didn’t play for Sandringham

[magnifisaint]

Ross lost faith in Howard last season.
Ross is task driven and Howard let him down too often.
He misses crucial punches in 1v1 duels, likes to finger point up the ground, turns over the ball at times in critical areas by foot, is slow with his hands has handballs miss targets or get intercepted and Ross hates pre season injuries he would have not been happy injuring key forward Max King.
Howard just isn’t the level Ross is seeking for a key back.

Is that fact or opinion because I agree with your summation.