Zac Dawson to make Round 1 debut

[Bowey Boy]

Whilst mentioned in at least one other thread, here is an article from The Hun relating to Zac's likely inclusion for Round 1. I think it is worth a separate thread.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

ZAC Dawson will make a surprise Round 1 debut for St Kilda at the scene of his worst nightmare.

The Saints have told Dawson he will be promoted from the rookie list in time to confront Sydney at Docklands on Saturday week.

Waiting for Dawson in the goalsquare will be the menacing Barry Hall. Dawson, the former Hawk best known for being monstered by Anthony Rocca at Docklands in 2006, has been fast-tracked because of injuries at Moorabbin.

First-choice full-back Max Hudghton suffered a calf injury in a practice match against Port Adelaide on Friday night and will miss up to a month.

The Saints' Plan B, Matt Maguire, is still not ready for the intensity of AFL after a long layoff with leg and foot stress-fracture complications.

That leaves Dawson, discarded by Hawthorn at the end of last season after only 14 games, as the man with the best physical credentials to go head-to-head with Hall.

Dawson, 23, was adopted as football's favourite underdog when in Round 2, 2006, he battled outside his weight division as Rocca kicked seven goals on him, including five in the third term.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson delayed replacing Dawson with Jarryd Roughead, saying it was an invaluable learning experience.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon dropped the Dawson news at the club's season launch on Tuesday night.

Lyon spoke positively about Dawson taking on the challenge.

Dawson, who has put on several kilograms and now measures 195cm and 95kg (up from 88kg in 2006), was clearly elated as the players mingled with high-profile supporters and sponsors.

The club has until next Thursday to get the relevant paperwork into AFL House, with Jarryd Allen moving on to the long-term injury list to make room for Dawson.

Allen has a hip injury that will keep him out for the entire season.

Dawson looked lost to the AFL when overlooked in the national and pre-season drafts, but St Kilda surprised many by taking him with pick No. 13 in the rookie draft.

The Saints had been considering former Melbourne defender Nathan Carroll as a back-up for Hudghton, but gave Dawson the nod on the strength of his performances with Box Hill in the VFL.

Dawson was always seen as "insurance" and the decision to go with him on rookie draft day has already paid dividends.

He no longer looks under-sized and has impressed the Saints with his maturity in the pre-season.

[fugazi]

Good luck to Zac....talking to a Hawthorn supporter today, he said he was at the infamous game vs Collingwood and that no-one who knew anything about footy could have been critical of Dawson. He said Hawthorn midfield put no pressure at all on the ball carriers and Rocca was one out in the fifty with Zac...he reckoned no-one would have stopped at least 5 of those marks/goals especially an 88kg rookie.

Also...other full backs, with much more experience, have had bags kicked on them....so why Dawson gets tainted is bewildering to me

Good luck to the young man now 95kg, hope he has a great game for the Saints and becomes a real find for us this year.

[Batnoe]

I hope he does well. At 23 he still has a good 6-10 years in him. maybe, just maybe he is the back up backmen we need and could play a big part. Ultimately not our first choice but all he has to do is stop his player kicking goals. looking forward to seeing how he manages it.

I like his speed for a big guy and is fairly agile

[Moccha]

Mate this guy is gonna be a champion!

[evertonfc]

I'd start with Sam Fisher on him. Honestly.

[stinger]

lets not get carried away......i wish the boy well....yes.....i do....but the dorks aren't flash with key backs and this kid couldn't get a game with them the past two years......still...he's young, dedicated and deserving of a second chance......

[Saints Premiers 2008]

I'd start with Sam Fisher on him. Honestly.

harsh....funny though

[B W and R all over]

lets not get carried away......i wish the boy well....yes.....i do....but the dorks aren't flash with key backs and this kid couldn't get a game with them the past two years......

Funny thing is I reckon he'd definitely get a game with them in round 1 if he was still on the list.

Croad and Gilham injured, Dowler showing that he has no idea how to play defence...

It's another small victory for us against the big teams. Kind of like how Steven King was a solid no. 1 ruckman for us last year while Geelong slowly realised Mark Blake is the reincarnation of Trent Knobel and probably shouldn't be paid anywhere near what he is getting.

[stinger]

lets not get carried away......i wish the boy well....yes.....i do....but the dorks aren't flash with key backs and this kid couldn't get a game with them the past two years......

Funny thing is I reckon he'd definitely get a game with them in round 1 if he was still on the list.

Croad and Gilham injured, Dowler showing that he has no idea how to play defence...

It's another small victory for us against the big teams. Kind of like how Steven King was a solid no. 1 ruckman for us last year while Geelong slowly realised Mark Blake is the reincarnation of Trent Knobel and probably shouldn't be paid anywhere near what he is getting.

yeah.......i forgot about croad and gilham being injured.....good point.....

[Solar]

good luck to zac

another ranga gets to wear the red white and black

[Saints Premiers 2008]

lets not get carried away......i wish the boy well....yes.....i do....but the dorks aren't flash with key backs and this kid couldn't get a game with them the past two years......

Funny thing is I reckon he'd definitely get a game with them in round 1 if he was still on the list.

Croad and Gilham injured, Dowler showing that he has no idea how to play defence...

It's another small victory for us against the big teams. Kind of like how Steven King was a solid no. 1 ruckman for us last year while Geelong slowly realised Mark Blake is the reincarnation of Trent Knobel and probably shouldn't be paid anywhere near what he is getting.

i shuddered when we were brought up as potential homes for mark blake...

he really doesn't look much chop at all...thank christ for ottens

[skeptic]

damn it, i wished they hadn't announced this

i've had zac in my sc team for ages... lot of other ppl will jump on him now

[Armoooo]

Even though he is almost a certainty to play a good 10 games this year I'm still not putting him in my fantasy teams, he doesn't have enough upside for mine. I'm going Rance and Hill.

[evertonfc]

To qualify my earlier post, the club needs to make a concerted judgement about whether they feel Dawson can hold Hall to no more than 2-3 goals.

I'd be asking Riewoldt and Koschitzke - and Max, obviously - about whether they feel Dawson has the physicality and smarts to play as our leading KP full-back. If they say yes, without an asterisk, then I'd give him the nod.

The major, major plus out of Dawson playing would be that Hall isn't the player he used to be, and can be beaten these days. That would give Dawson an incredible shot of confidence to say "I beat Barry Hall in my first game for St Kilda" - and he'll start to believe that he can make a difference for us.

But it's not worth losing a game over. If Dawson is getting beaten, we need to switch him either to CHB or up forward, letting Sam Fisher to play, unfortunately, as a key defender and hope either Colm Begley or Farren Ray can lift and fill the run he provides from defence.

Indeed, I could think of worse things than having him as a pinch-hitting third forward, particuarly if Kosi is struggling.

Questions aplenty. Given that Micky O'Loughlin probably won't play, Sydney are likely to have a forward line of Hall, Grundy O'Keefe and a mix of Moore/Veszpremi/McVeigh/Bird/Jack rotating through.

The alternative theory is that the resting ruckman - either Adam Goodes, possibly Jesse White (surely not Pyke) or Darren Jolly - will play forward when not on the ball, giving the Swans another tall option. In that case, Dawson could well be better suited to taking that player. However, I'd be targeting him to take Grundy, who I think is a very average footballer and somebody Roos has grown too attached to.

On selection night, you'll be able to tell how we think they'll play. But we should be wary that the Swans are going to gear their game for stoppages and speed, and we can't afford to be beaten on either front.

[B W and R all over]

I noticed the article mentioned Ross announced it at the club's season launch.

Is it just me or did the club tell absolutely no one that this was on?

[thirty-seven!?]

Thinking back to other players that have played on Hall, i remembered Gwilt's game on him... however, cannot remember the outcome - can anyone enlighten me?

He could be a reasonable just-in-case back up to Zac

And before anyone says anything, I too would prefer gwilt not in the defensive half, but as i said... just in case!!

[matrix]

I'd start with Sam Fisher on him. Honestly.

and if Raph plays (?) him floating across in front for the punch and also taking him if Chips goes for a trot up the ground on the rebound.

can remember Raph doing this last year, putting his body on the line and cutting across Halls leading run.

looking forward to seeing Zac though...give him a go, and if doesnt work put Chips on him

[dalsanto26]

havent really seen much of him as yet, but good luck to him.
Hopefully can turn out to be a good defender for us for the next 5-10 years

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Best thing about this? By round 2 we'll be over the Zac Dawson love fest that's been going on since he was rookied. Zac will not be a 10 year player for us, he'll be filler until we figure out who our next defensive KPP is at best.

Of course, I hope I'm wrong. I think he's a decent gamble for the price of a rookie slot, and I wont be at all surprised if he can earn a promotion to the senior list at years end at the expense of whichever one of the Gwilt-L Fisher-McQualter-Armitage-Geary-Eddy crew does the least this year and becomes a delisting above and beyond the required 3.

I do not believe he will ever be a top quality fullback - but in his time with St Kilda, I wish him the best, if he can keep his opponents to 3 goals a game, that would be adequate.

[mad saint guy]

Thinking back to other players that have played on Hall, i remembered Gwilt's game on him... however, cannot remember the outcome - can anyone enlighten me?

Gwilt kept him to one or two goals, got plenty of touches himself and a brownlow vote. Had LOTS of support though

[InkerSaint]

I noticed the article mentioned Ross announced it at the club's season launch.

Is it just me or did the club tell absolutely no one that this was on?

I noticed that too. What launch? Why is nobody else curious?

[borderbarry]

I have seen him play three times, in the intra-club game, against Brisbane and against Richmond. I must be missing something because I have hardly seem him touch the footy. Not worthy of a game at this level yet
If he is selected I wish him well, especially against Hall.

[Mr Magic]

I noticed the article mentioned Ross announced it at the club's season launch.

Is it just me or did the club tell absolutely no one that this was on?

I noticed that too. What launch? Why is nobody else curious?

The Season Launch Function held on Tuesday night that at least 7 members of this forum attended.

[Sam23]

Couldn't care less if he didn't touch the footy FWIW.

Max doesn't get a lot of it and as long as he is keeping hsi forward quiet none of mind.



I think he will be unfairly judged by supporters due to the thoughts everyone already has.

I think he might be alright.

[golden hawk]

good luck to him hope big bad bazza does not hurt him and that he ignores his intimidation show and tells him where to shove that !