From ugly duckling to a graceful swan

[Vagg 2,422]

I'm sure there's been lotsa love for Fitzy on other threads. But, I reckon the lad deserves a thread of his own.

I have to say I had mixed feelings about him being named to play on the weekend, in spite of the reports that he was doing well at Casey in his new role as a defender. I just couldn't get out my head the images of him running around in his previous senior appearances, looking something akin to a stunned giraffe, with his awkward gait and gangly appearance.

But, what we were witness to on Sunday was something, at least in my mind, that was truly remarkable. From what I saw of the game on the TV, every time Fitzy went near the ball was a thing of grace and beauty. He really looked like a seasoned veteran, barely putting a foot wrong. I understand his main oponent was Tom Boyd. If true, Fitzy held his man to a single hand ball, finally seeing him handed the red vest.

He just didn't look at all out of place and, if anything, added an extra level of strength to our backline.

I think Fitzy was taken as somewhat of a speculative pick back when he was drafted, and he certainly didn't look much, with his long, unkempt hair, when he was first photographed with Dean Bailey. And, as I mentioned above, he hasn't exactly set the world on fire with his previous odd few senior appearances.

But, hey! If he can build on Sunday's performance, we may really have something special! And, if so, I for one will be stoked! Just so thrilled for the big guy!

[Gorgoroth 12,308]

He played well on the weekend. He should get Ryder and Lobbe this week which will be a step up. Hope he rises up to the role.

[Earl Hood 5,788]

Certainly seemed to read the play well down back and was all over Boyd. If he plays to his strengths and uses his height to punch and his agility to mop up the loose ball he could be very useful.

Frost if not injured would probably be playing down back instead of Fitzy as Pedersen has filled the extra tall forward/ruck roll beautifully. Actually Frost getting injured has been of some benefit as it brought Pedo back in (who was just going at half pace at Casey) and allowed us to experiment with Fitzy.

[praha 10,270]

Could be the second coming of Jetta in that he's a player on the brink that has stepped up in an area we've needed.I

If he can improve his defensive game and his style can remain consistent with how he played on the weekend, our backline will only get stronger.

It all starts with your defense.

[Cards13 9,117]

He played well on the weekend. He should get Ryder and Lobbe this week which will be a step up. Hope he rises up to the role.

That is what I'm really interested to see is a step up player he has to face this week. The Dogs players were average but he played well none the less, kudos Fitzy or as Maxwell called him Fitzgerald.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,089]

Really happy for Fitz, great game! I hope he makes as a regular in the 22. Seems a very humble and likeable fella too!

[Watts Jurrah Dunn? 735]

Well done to Fitzy on a great game. I wondered why he was even picked having played a quarter the week before and being taken to hospital with a serious neck injury.

We've all known that the problem with him is he doesn't play like a 200cm player. He is not physical at all, isn't strong overhead, but is lightning fast when the ball hits the ground. He marked well on Sunday, but the backline should suit him more as he can punch more often, and we know he'll be able to stay with his opponent on the lead.

He looked very sure with the ball on Sunday as well which surprised me. I hope he can have another good game this week on Ryder, and I think Queens Birthday would be a true test with Collingwood's mosquito fleet buzzing around him and putting on a lot more pressure than what the Dogs did.

[Its Time for Another 4,052]

It's starting to get hard to work out how to limit the back line to just 6 players. We are finally on the brink of having selection dilemmas. Don't forget at least Salem and Jetta still have to go back into that backline and Frost will possibly be fighting for a spot in there as well. Howe is supposed to be there and Pedersen. Must say it's great to see Howe where I think he should be in the forward line. All 5 of those players are very different propositions to Fitzy. None of them will give a contest against a 200cm forward whereas Fitzy will struggle against smaller faster forwards. Most of the say 196cm forwards like Franklin, Cloke, Cameron would eat him alive on running up and down the ground. Who goes out of the backline for him when Salem and Jetta come back and the opposition don't have a 200cm forward. Likely to be a horses for courses.

[Young Dee 1,302]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves he only played one game down back.

I was very skeptical of his selection in the back line however he held his own on the weekend so well done to him.

[daisycutter 28,480]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves he only played one game down back.

I was very skeptical of his selection in the back line however he held his own on the weekend so well done to him.

he did much better than hold his own, yd. i'd put him in the top 5 on the ground. credit when it is due.

[Its Time for Another 4,052]

He is not physical at all, isn't strong overhead. He marked well on Sunday, but the backline should suit him more as he can punch more often, and we know he'll be able to stay with his opponent on the lead.

He looked very sure with the ball on Sunday as well which surprised me. I hope he can have another good game this week on Ryder, and I think Queens Birthday would be a true test with Collingwood's mosquito fleet buzzing around him and putting on a lot more pressure than what the Dogs did.

His overhead marking on Sunday was a very pleasant surprise. Hope it was more than a one off lucky game. Reports on Casey had him dropping a lot of crucial marks in the backline. Perhaps he's sorted that out. I think the judgement of when to go for a mark in the backline or punch is one of the very hardest in football. I have huge respect for backmen who successfully mark the ball around the last line of defence. Get it wrong and you have a very high probability of gifting the opposition a goal and having the MCG howl at you. Get it right and you're just doing your job.

[Surfer Dee 210]

Hoping he runs with westhoff this week. Will be interesting!

[mauriesy 6,785]

Funny, I've never thought of Fitzpatrick as having an 'awkward gait' and 'gangly appearance'.

Not in the mould of Spencer anyway (now there's another who might be in transition to something else).

[Dr. Gonzo 22,404]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves he only played one game down back.

I was very skeptical of his selection in the back line however he held his own on the weekend so well done to him.

he did much better than hold his own, yd. i'd put him in the top 5 on the ground. credit when it is due.

I agree dc however he was only playing on Tom Boyd and Ayce Cordy (maybe Roughead in the last?) He was very good, let's hope he can build on that.

[Deeoldfart 7,719]

It's only one game, but if Fitz can resurrect his faltering career as tall defender, full credit to him and the coaching staff who set him down that path. He obviously needs to keep learning and building on that performance, but if he can establish himself as a reliable 'best 22', the flexibility that his inclusion would bring to our line-up would be enormous. Keep it up Fitzy!

[monoccular 16,039]

He has surprising pace and agility for such a big man.

He also does provide some versatility in that he can if needed go forward as a mismatch, or do some ruck work, yet can run as a defender.

It will be interesting to see him against a slightly smaller agile forward.

Does anyone know about his endurance? He is diabetic as I recall, but that seems to we well controlled.

As one of the previous posters pointed out, our "best 22" now is far more of a contest than it was a few weeks back. Having Howe and Pedersen who can fill a rôle at either end gives great flexibility when circumstances such as injury or a dominating opposition player forces a change. Fitz can be added to that group.

Edited May 27, 2015 by monoccular

[FireOath 290]

This forum amuses me sometimes. Everyone loses their [censored] after being handed by a flogging from Hawthorn, come next week, its all good and everyone is on a high.

The same with this thread, Fitzy has played one decent game (except for the Eagles game last year where he had a few nice snaps at goal). I admit, he had a ripper of a game on Sunday and I hope he does move forward and build on that for his sake and ours. But to think he is going to explode into this 200cm monster is a bit over exaggerating in my eyes. We all know where he has been in the past and what his skills were/are. But it is going to be very difficult for him to remain in the 22. If he keeps that form up I am all for him to stay in the 22, but we all know that as soon as that form he had falls away, he will be out of the team.

But I will finish with that I thoroughly enjoyed watching him on Sunday and I do hope he does produce more of the same.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Barra17

[monoccular 16,039]

^^. Bah, Barra. You sound like too much of a realist. Enjoy the win! They have been rare enough.

[FireOath 290]

I enjoyed the win for Fitzy and as a whole, don't worry about that mate!

[hardtack 10,126]

What impressed me most was the fact that Tom Mc was having a "quiet" day, there was no Salem and no Jetta, so Fitzy and Garland had to carry a much bigger load. Garland was Garland (which is good), but Fitzy had come from the 2's no doubt aware that his future is in the balance, no doubt aware that there are supporters who already have him gone, and no doubt aware that getting the Dees season back on track was reliant in a large part on his performance on Boyd.

The fact that he coped with all of that and the fact that he was probably the 3rd or 4th best performed player for our team (probably only beaten by Pedersen and Hogan and maybe Jones), speaks volumes for his character and his coming of age as a player. If he repeats that again this week, I think it will be up to others to displace him rather than him going back to the VFL having performed his role as simply a depth player.

Edited May 27, 2015 by hardtack

[Dr. Gonzo 22,404]

The backlines job is made exponentially easier when the midfield pulls its weight - both through winning contests in the middle of the ground and preventing quick and repeat i50's and also by running hard to push back and help out once the ball gets into our D50.

[rjay 23,883]

Hoping he runs with westhoff this week. Will be interesting!

I can't see him running with the Hoff...he won't have the tank to go. Tommy Mc should take him, Dunn Schultz (similar size) and Fitz the resting ruck.

[monoccular 16,039]

^^. Gonzo. I said elsewhere that this was a fantastic TEAM effort. And the guys "on notice" fitted into that team structure very well

And rjay - given the thread title, what an ugly duckling Westhoff looked for quite a few years as a youngster. Big men take time but some are worth preserving with. Hopefully Fitzdemon will be one of them.

Edited May 27, 2015 by monoccular

[Red and Bluebeard 2,031]

I remember reading somewhere that he credits the paleo diet with significantly reducing the effect of his diabetes --- something like only need to check his insulin levels once a day rather than several times per day. Having to check insulin a lot less must have a significant effect on both his fitness and his confidence.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

While I'm happy for Fitzy to have played a good game, and I'm one of those who has not been a fan in the past, this is the quintessential Demonland thread. A player plays ONE good game and we need a thread showering him with praise as if he's the second coming of Gary Hardeman.

Let's wait and see him do it on a consistent basis before we all walk around with erections for the day.