Paddy Dow | 2020 Season Review

Written by Joseph Addamo

Throughout the 2020 off-season, Blue Abroad will be providing content to cover everything you need to know about the Carlton Football Club.

After a largely improved season, we will be reviewing every player that pulled on the famous Navy Blue guernsey in 2020.

This is the Blue Abroad Player Review for Carlton’s #2 – Paddy Dow.

SEASON SYNOPSIS

After bursting onto the scene in his debut season in 2018, the trials and tribulations of Paddy Dow have been on show for all. At only 20 years old, there is so much opportunity for growth in Dow’s game, although in 2020 his body and his consistency stifled his ability to do so.

Playing only 3 games for the season, Dow averaged approx. 67% game time and kicked only 1 goal across those games. Averaging 9 disposals, his impact in transitioning the ball forward was not translated effectively.

A knee injury hampered Dow’s season further, and evidently had a negative impact on how much he could give to the team in limited games. While players like Dow should be given every opportunity to come into their own, he will be entering his fourth season of AFL football in 2021. It would not come as a surprise to see Dow shopped around on the trade table this off-season, however we should expect him to be given one last chance to bloom in the Navy Blue.

BEST PERFORMANCE

As his AFL level exposure was quite limited, there was no game that stood out for Dow at Senior level in 2020. His best-on-ground Reserves performance vs. West Coast showed the type of player Dow could be if he could transition this output to AFL level.

As Daniel O’Keefe reviewed in the aftermath of the West Coast Reserves game:

Paddy was brilliant, it was probably the best I’ve seen him play since I’ve been here. He played on-ball for the majority of the day and spat forward at times. His stoppage work and craft was exceptional: he showed that explosiveness out of congestion and he was extremely clean. At times, there was torrential rain but he played like it was dry.

From all reports, this is the level of confidence that the Carlton coaching staff hold in Dow’s stocks. At Under 18 level, Dow possessed explosive pace away from stoppages and a knack of finding the football as a goalkicking midfielder. There is belief that these types of Reserves performances can eventually rekindle that spark. If he’s given the green light to continue to compete for a regular Senior spot, we can only hope that he finally takes that next step.

OFF-SEASON & 2021 OUTLOOK

Paddy Dow has been given the opportunities to shine early in his career. However, while Brendon Bolton persisted with Dow at the majority of stoppages in his youth-first coaching approaching, Dow has fallen out of favour under the more veteran-headed midfield unit that David Teague prefers to run with.

While by every report it is widely believed Dow will remain on Carlton’s list in 2021, it is interesting to look into what his value at the trade table might actually be.

Taken at Pick 3 in his draft class, his numbers and performances over the years do not hold up to anywhere near this value three years on. Comparing to that draft class, Charlie Constable, taken by Geelong late in the second round, has the most similar career trajectory and could be a yardstick for Dow’s trade value.

Would a late second or early third round draft pick satisfy you in a trade, Blues fans?

2020 REPORT CARD RATING

D-

STATUS HEADING INTO 2021

Last Chance