Official Dale Finucane

Gal The Goat

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His season was pretty good. Not a very good finals series.

4 years is a long time though, hopefully the foot print he leaves is worth it
 

Blix

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Defensively has been great.

Yes a howler tonight, but no doubt if it was a regular match he is out and not playing.

Has helped transform the team this season.
 

jocktheshark

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He's had a horrible season with injuries and HIA's , very disruptive . I'm sure he's not happy with his contribution , thru the year and the finals . He will repay it next year . He has helped lift the standards so his contribution is bigger than just on field .
 
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He's had a horrible season with injuries and HIA's , very disruptive . I'm sure he's not happy with his contribution , thru the year and the finals . He will repay it next year . He has helped lift the standards so his contribution is bigger than just on field .
Yeah agree with this, missed a fair few games through Injuries and the suspension, granted the suspension was BS. That rib injury was obviously hurting him.

Expect he'll be smarting from that finals series and be up for a big off season, help keep lifting those standards.
 

Rob

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Think we will see him coming of the bench next year
 

Gards

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Hasn't been the same since those injuries/suspensions mid year or whatever whenever it was. Was in and out of the team and battling fitness

Tackle % fallen from typical mid/high 90% (Tolman tier) to somewhere in the 80% range (2021 Rudolf Tier) + handling errors crept into his game

I think his carries with the ball the last 2 games (finals) have actually been pretty good, maybe as good or better than even earlier in the year. He seems to have put his energy and intensity into that part of his game at least and perhaps his injury doesn't hamper him as much in that regard.

Was going to say something last week which might have been controversial but I don't think it would seem that controversial now, was kinda along the lines of I don't think Dale has been that amazing for us.

It's too early to be saying he is past it though or that 4 years is too long, he was good first half of season and was fairly typical Dale so I think it's fair to give him the benefit of the doubt and see how he comes back in 2023. He didn't just suddenly regress as a player or lose all that experience he has accumulated - more likely fitness/temporary form slump.

His leadership and passion is an asset and will be even more crucial with Fifs moving on and depending what happens with Wade. In his early 30's in theory he should be around his prime now as a forward.

A few weeks ago Dale was not playing (suspension IIRC) but he was still on the sidelines during our warmup barking instructions and encouragement. I love that sorta stuff from players.

Was it a mistake for Fitz to select him for the finals? That's speculative and hypothetical at this point.

Dale would be keen as guts to play and would do everything he could to convince Fitz he was good to go and for our coach it would be hard to leave out a player of Dales quality if he is available for selection, especially when we have ended up going down a forward or 2 from injury. Plus Dale is a tough bugger and their would be input, guidance and support from medical staff.

Play one of young forwards in his place, maybe they have a rough night at the office as well.

It wasn't quite at the level of picking Paul Gallen with one working knee and shoulder because there was no one else. Sometimes you roll the dice either way and it can work or not and as I already said Dales carries were actually strong IMO so it wasn't all bad.

I felt sorry for Dale missing that tackle, he is better than that. Don't get me wrong I was filthy he missed it and we expect that tackle to be made. It makes it look even worse when it happens up field and the ball carriers gets to streak away smiling all the way to your try line.
 

Jaz

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As filthy as we are with him, you know he'll be even angrier at himself.
 

bort

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Hasn't been the same since those injuries/suspensions mid year or whatever whenever it was. Was in and out of the team and battling fitness

Tackle % fallen from typical mid/high 90% (Tolman tier) to somewhere in the 80% range (2021 Rudolf Tier) + handling errors crept into his game

I think his carries with the ball the last 2 games (finals) have actually been pretty good, maybe as good or better than even earlier in the year. He seems to have put his energy and intensity into that part of his game at least and perhaps his injury doesn't hamper him as much in that regard.

Was going to say something last week which might have been controversial but I don't think it would seem that controversial now, was kinda along the lines of I don't think Dale has been that amazing for us.

It's too early to be saying he is past it though or that 4 years is too long, he was good first half of season and was fairly typical Dale so I think it's fair to give him the benefit of the doubt and see how he comes back in 2023. He didn't just suddenly regress as a player or lose all that experience he has accumulated - more likely fitness/temporary form slump.

His leadership and passion is an asset and will be even more crucial with Fifs moving on and depending what happens with Wade. In his early 30's in theory he should be around his prime now as a forward.

A few weeks ago Dale was not playing (suspension IIRC) but he was still on the sidelines during our warmup barking instructions and encouragement. I love that sorta stuff from players.

Was it a mistake for Fitz to select him for the finals? That's speculative and hypothetical at this point.

Dale would be keen as guts to play and would do everything he could to convince Fitz he was good to go and for our coach it would be hard to leave out a player of Dales quality if he is available for selection, especially when we have ended up going down a forward or 2 from injury. Plus Dale is a tough bugger and their would be input, guidance and support from medical staff.

Play one of young forwards in his place, maybe they have a rough night at the office as well.

It wasn't quite at the level of picking Paul Gallen with one working knee and shoulder because there was no one else. Sometimes you roll the dice either way and it can work or not and as I already said Dales carries were actually strong IMO so it wasn't all bad.

I felt sorry for Dale missing that tackle, he is better than that. Don't get me wrong I was filthy he missed it and we expect that tackle to be made. It makes it look even worse when it happens up field and the ball carriers gets to streak away smiling all the way to your try line.

I think if you can play Dale and he says to play him you play him.

We weren't in a position we could afford to rest blokes unfortunately.
Win that first round and Dale, Hunt and Talakai all hopefully would have been better for it, although Talakai probably needs a reco I assume.
 

andrew's_sharks

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My only comment for Dale is I think actually we played him too long before a break. We did the week before as well. I think he should play 30 and then come off for a spell.
 

Rob

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My only comment for Dale is I think actually we played him too long before a break. We did the week before as well. I think he should play 30 and then come off for a spell.
We have played all our middle forwards to long every week, that’s the problem when u play Fifita, Hunt, Uele, Trindal, even Tolman or a 80 min backrower in Tieg or Wade.
Just not enough big min props in the squad.
Every game we had errors and missed tackles by our tired forwards by pushing their minutes to long.
Was one of Fitz biggest mistakes this year.
2023 will be a different story
 

andrew's_sharks

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We have played all our middle forwards to long every week, that’s the problem when u play Fifita, Hunt, Uele, Trindal, even Tolman or a 80 min backrower in Tieg or Wade.
Just not enough big min props in the squad.
Every game we had errors and missed tackles by our tired forwards by pushing their minutes to long.
Was one of Fitz biggest mistakes this year.
2023 will be a different story
Def agree.
 

bort

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We have played all our middle forwards to long every week, that’s the problem when u play Fifita, Hunt, Uele, Trindal, even Tolman or a 80 min backrower in Tieg or Wade.
Just not enough big min props in the squad.
Every game we had errors and missed tackles by our tired forwards by pushing their minutes to long.
Was one of Fitz biggest mistakes this year.
2023 will be a different story
Fifita didn't get on until after the break from memory so he only got 20. With break he'd have played a little more.
BHU could play a little more than 33, Tolman easily could have played more than 24 but lacks impact in offence.
Teig and Wade both could have played more than 39 and 46.
McInnes 47 which is fine but easily could play more especially if Dale isn't 100%

No reason for Dale to play 55 if not 100% and first stint of that was 48 so he played full first half but then came off quickly in second half.

Probably would have been better to get him off with 10 to go and give Fifita a run just before half time.
Instead we had a Tolman, McInnes, Dale middle just before halftime. No reason for Dale to be in prop there.
 
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