Dempster watch

milney044 · Post: # 807604Post **milney044** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:08pm

Dempster has a huge engine and can run all day. We might not have noticed this because over the last 3 weeks, he hasn't needed it. A guy like Didak/ Swan are dangerous players and need to be taken out of the game. Dempster has the ability to do this, and if you saw the size of him close up, he is the ideal build of a footballer to match it with any non key position player.

He could be very important come September at playing the shut down role - believe me we are going to need it against sides like the pies, dogs and cats with many damaging players. Whether this ability is rated above the likes of Geary and Ball will be debated, but it would seem Rossy Lyon thinks so.

Personally i would drop Eddy for Ball and McEvoy to make way for Gardiner if fit. If the Pies run all over us on Sunday and Dempster is beaten, he can then make way for Geary perhaps.

I am looking forward to watching Dempster this week when he is actually required to play a very important and telling role.

meher baba · Post: # 807618Post **meher baba** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:17pm

milney044 wrote:Dempster has a huge engine and can run all day. We might not have noticed this because over the last 3 weeks, he hasn't needed it.

Why hasn't he needed to use his engine? Were we winning games easily or something?

I can only recall one reasonably good tagging job Dempster has done this year, and that was against Hodge when we played the Hawks. Even then, he wasn't on Hodge all day, and Hodge hasn't been 100% fit for a while.

He has spent quite a bit of most of his games playing as a medium-sized forward: in which role he has delivered even less than the rather disappointing Gwilt.

The only thing he has undoubtedly done in the games he has played has been to run all over the park without stopping: he is superbly fit.

I just don't think he has enough impact on a game to justify a spot in our top 22: even as a tagger. Baker and CJ and even Eddy do a lot more tackling and contesting of the ball than Dempster.

But Lyon clearly sees him as an essential cog. He must be doing something that most of the rest of us can't see.

spert · Post: # 807636Post **spert** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:32pm

No way Max for Zac..Zac is hard in contests and his disposal by foot is more damaging than Max, and is totally fit -a big plus on the MCG when coming out of the backline. Dempster played with a bit of purpose yesterday, so he will probably stay. Unfortunately for McEvoy, if Gards is fit, he will come in, and Eddy will go for either Armo or Ball...I could see Ball almost jumping out of his seat in the stand yesterday..he's pumped I reckon.

milney044 · Post: # 807640Post **milney044** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:37pm

meher baba wrote:
milney044 wrote:Dempster has a huge engine and can run all day. We might not have noticed this because over the last 3 weeks, he hasn't needed it.
Why hasn't he needed to use his engine? Were we winning games easily or something?

I can only recall one reasonably good tagging job Dempster has done this year, and that was against Hodge when we played the Hawks. Even then, he wasn't on Hodge all day, and Hodge hasn't been 100% fit for a while.

He has spent quite a bit of most of his games playing as a medium-sized forward: in which role he has delivered even less than the rather disappointing Gwilt.

The only thing he has undoubtedly done in the games he has played has been to run all over the park without stopping: he is superbly fit.

I just don't think he has enough impact on a game to justify a spot in our top 22: even as a tagger. Baker and CJ and even Eddy do a lot more tackling and contesting of the ball than Dempster.

But Lyon clearly sees him as an essential cog. He must be doing something that most of the rest of us can't see.

I mean the last two games our opponents haven't really had a player worth tagging out of games and with our record, over the last 3 weeks we haven't really needed to in terms of winning games - we let Watson rack up possession after possession without much of a care.

I see where you are coming from in terms of what Dempster offers over other players and i struggle to see it too at times. Ross obviously really rates his fitness and has a specific role for him to play or he wouldn't still be in the team. I see him as a player who offers great versatility it's just the question of whether he is good enough in his different roles to bother persisting with.

hotdish · Post: # 807653Post **hotdish** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:48pm

What do people think about Dempster taggin Didak this week. I think this could be his chance to shine...

meher baba · Post: # 807655Post **meher baba** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:51pm

hotdish wrote:What do people think about Dempster taggin Didak this week. I think this could be his chance to shine...

Wouldn't Didak be a little too quick and elusive for Sean?

I would have thought he was more likely to play on Swan.

bergholt · Post: # 807659Post **bergholt** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:52pm

jonesy wrote:Dempster,Eddy,Baker,Jones, McQualter in the one side.
Far too many negators to be running around having little impact with the ball. If all 5 play next week we will get beat

Nah, McQualter hasn't played a negating role this year. 19 goals, 20 goal assists and 35 inside 50s in 21 games. Not to mention tackles inside 50. Barely "negating".

bigcarl · Post: # 807664Post **bigcarl** » Mon 31 Aug 2009 1:57pm

bergholt wrote:
jonesy wrote:Dempster,Eddy,Baker,Jones, McQualter in the one side.
Far too many negators to be running around having little impact with the ball. If all 5 play next week we will get beat
Nah, McQualter hasn't played a negating role this year. 19 goals, 20 goal assists and 35 inside 50s in 21 games. Not to mention tackles inside 50. Barely "negating".

nor is jones purely negating. i take the point though. you can have too much tag and too few creating. it's a delicate balancing act.