2018 Player Reviews: # 36 Jeff Garlett

[Demonland 64,752]

SEASON TO FORGET

Jeff had a strong start to the season with a match-winning five goal performance in Round 2 against Brisbane but things went downhill from there. He was in and out of the side for most of the season and some of his later games - even at Casey - were very forgettable. He needs to lift if he is to remain in the AFL scene beyond next year.

Date of Birth: 3 August, 1989

Height: 180cm

Weight: 72kg

Games MFC 2018: 11

Career Total: 178

Goals MFC 2018: 18

Career Total: 312

CDFC Games 2018: 12

CDFC Goals 2018: 15
 
Votes 2018 Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy: 105 votes

 

[poita 3,573]

What a massive disappointment Garlett was this year. He clearly didn't want to be playing football at any point of the season. I hope he can sort out whatever personal problems he has been dealing with this year, and come back strongly next year. 

If he doesn't want to be an AFL footballer any more, I hope he can step away now rather than going through the motions for another 12 months.

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 5,794]

Love Jeffy if he's on but might be an idea to move him on.

Edited October 3, 2018 by Win4theAges

[Satyriconhome 9,982]

2 hours ago, poita said:

What a massive disappointment Garlett was this year. He clearly didn't want to be playing football at any point of the season. I hope he can sort out whatever personal problems he has been dealing with this year, and come back strongly next year. 

If he doesn't want to be an AFL footballer any more, I hope he can step away now rather than going through the motions for another 12 months.

So do you have any facts to back up this statement?

As it is, your a completely wrong, it was mainly form based, and in an ever changing Casey forward line, he was having difficulty gaining consistency in performance, he won the prelim for Casey by nailing a kick in atrocious conditions

[dieter 3,325]

10 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

So do you have any facts to back up this statement?

As it is, your a completely wrong, it was mainly form based, and in an ever changing Casey forward line, he was having difficulty gaining consistency in performance, he won the prelim for Casey by nailing a kick in atrocious conditions

Agree entirely: I watched those windswept Casey games and wondered why anyone would want to be a forward. I used to call it the epitome of chaos. Players like Garlett just get lost in those situations.

[Adzman 2,085]

Lost his spot to the kid from home alone.

Will need to change his game if he wants to break back into the side. Still a quality footballer.

[chook fowler 18,211]

Seems to have lost confidence, motivation and commitment - a long way back from there. Probably needs a new start somewhere else.

[Roger Mellie 3,487]

His manager was on Lame Radio today indicating he was up for the challenge, keen to stay and fight for his place in the senior side. Clearly talking him up, but it looks like he's not wanting out or to get back to WA, or there are no takers.

I hope he can because when Jeff's on fire he does a lot of damage. When he's not it's just pathetic.

[Nasher 33,047]

Given that we're already moving a squillion players on, I see no harm in one final year to pull the finger out. If he can recapture his prior form it will be worth it, if not, it will come at the expense of about draft pick 150 with our current vacancy list.

[layzie 28,692]

A bad year for Jeff. I hope it wasn’t some serious personal issues that affected him. I think we keep him another year and fingers crossed he can recapture that great form we know. 

[WERRIDEE 5,208]

A shocker from Jeffy except for the Brisbane game. Needs to lift and he only has 2019 to do it or he's gone.

[What 18,810]

Does anyone ting Jeff can bounce back in 2019 and have a big year?  It could tip us over the edge to glory if he does.  We really need a crumbing goal kicking small forward hitting the scoreboard....  but also providing pressure, which is where Jeff has let himself down.

Would be great if he stood up and made a statement next season....  the small forwards we just drafted don't seem to be goalkickers, not at junior level any way.

[Deemania since 56 6,132]

25 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Does anyone ting Jeff can bounce back in 2019 and have a big year?  It could tip us over the edge to glory if he does.  We really need a crumbing goal kicking small forward hitting the scoreboard....  but also providing pressure, which is where Jeff has let himself down.

Would be great if he stood up and made a statement next season....  the small forwards we just drafted don't seem to be goalkickers, not at junior level any way.

There is a great silence around Jeffy and his form slump in 2018 that questioned his attitude and worth. Looking at that slump and its duration, my bet would be that it was solely an injury complaint upon which one hellava personal matter may have descended taking an even further toll on his football readiness at the time. I have confidence in his capabilities and qualities for the MFC team in 2019 - he is a great crumbing forward, with pace and strike awareness. He can be - and is - a terrific defensive opponent tackler from some remarkable chase downs. He is a 'must have' in our Premiership team next season. Best wishes to him with a return to form and effectiveness.

[praha 10,270]

On 10/3/2018 at 7:19 PM, Satyriconhome said:

So do you have any facts to back up this statement?

As it is, your a completely wrong, it was mainly form based, and in an ever changing Casey forward line, he was having difficulty gaining consistency in performance, he won the prelim for Casey by nailing a kick in atrocious conditions

makes me laugh how whenever an Indigenous player is out of form people automatically assume it's because of personal issues.

He just had a crap season. His one-way running and one-arm, half-hearted tackles were always going to come undone in a finals team and finals-like intensity. I'm not surprised in the slightest. He needs to get his [censored] together.

[Demon17 4,541]

8 hours ago, praha said:

makes me laugh how whenever an Indigenous player is out of form people automatically assume it's because of personal issues.

He just had a crap season. His one-way running and one-arm, half-hearted tackles were always going to come undone in a finals team and finals-like intensity. I'm not surprised in the slightest. He needs to get his [censored] together.

Re-watching the Cats and hawks finals show excellent examples by young Spargo on how a small forward should lay tackles. Cyril had it as well.

Jeff Garlett is  a long way off this standard in 2018 season IMO

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,154]

8 hours ago, praha said:

makes me laugh how whenever an Indigenous player is out of form people automatically assume it's because of personal issues.

He just had a crap season. His one-way running and one-arm, half-hearted tackles were always going to come undone in a finals team and finals-like intensity. I'm not surprised in the slightest. He needs to get his [censored] together.

I don't think it is an 'indigenous' issue. 

He never looked settled, comfortable or happy out there this year.  There was no spark, no joy in his football.  He's a very, very talented player and when someone who was in All Australian contention for much of 2017, can't even get a game in 2018, we look to injury or private life for a possible reason.  As he played out the year in the 2s, and there was no apparent injury issue, that leaves one logical conclusion to allude to.

IMHO he can get back into the team and have a huge impact on the side.  When he's 'on', he is a fast, agile, creative, one-touch player who can turn a match.  There's room in any side for a player of that quality.  However, we didn't see that player out there this year... 

[praha 10,270]

9 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

I don't think it is an 'indigenous' issue. 

He never looked settled, comfortable or happy out there this year.  There was no spark, no joy in his football.  He's a very, very talented player and when someone who was in All Australian contention for much of 2017, can't even get a game in 2018, we look to injury or private life for a possible reason.  As he played out the year in the 2s, and there was no apparent injury issue, that leaves one logical conclusion to allude to.

IMHO he can get back into the team and have a huge impact on the side.  When he's 'on', he is a fast, agile, creative, one-touch player who can turn a match.  There's room in any side for a player of that quality.  However, we didn't see that player out there this year... 

I agree. I am saying that whenever Indigenous players seem to go through form slumps there seems to be a narrative around it being related to personal issues.

[Satyriconhome 9,982]

6 minutes ago, praha said:

I agree. I am saying that whenever Indigenous players seem to go through form slumps there seems to be a narrative around it being related to personal issues.

Totally agree , pisses them off mightily as well, Jeff knows exactly why he was dropped and why he couldn't force his way back in, form

Already done a power of work this pre season, he knows he has to

[Cranky Franky 1,483]

12 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

I don't think it is an 'indigenous' issue. 

He never looked settled, comfortable or happy out there this year.  There was no spark, no joy in his football.  He's a very, very talented player and when someone who was in All Australian contention for much of 2017, can't even get a game in 2018, we look to injury or private life for a possible reason.  As he played out the year in the 2s, and there was no apparent injury issue, that leaves one logical conclusion to allude to.

IMHO he can get back into the team and have a huge impact on the side.  When he's 'on', he is a fast, agile, creative, one-touch player who can turn a match.  There's room in any side for a player of that quality.  However, we didn't see that player out there this year... 

Its all between the ears for Jeff. People need to remember he did exactly the same thing at Carlton.  When he gets the chitz he does so in a big way.  He had the luxury this year of being contracted on good $$ for next year.

When a player of his calibre is getting 5 or 6 touches at Casey he is clearly not trying and good on the coaches for sticking to their guns..

 

[hemingway 7,589]

Most white urban folk will never fully understand or comprehend the connection that our first Australians have to the wider family or mob, that in many cases has multiple layers and complexities. They bring responsibilities and at times distractions to indigenous footballers and sportsmen. Just as the importance of connection to land is so important. Plying your trade in a city or urban environment away from your family and home town can be very difficult. Having indigenous mentors can help but it is often not the answer. 

This may not be Jeff's problem but there has clearly been something missing that can't be explained by just loss of form or confidence. 

Attitude and motivation is impacted and deeply rooted to a persons happiness, emotional psyche, and sense of place.  

[Cranky Franky 1,483]

Hemingway you really are pontificating about this without a shred of evidence for Jeff's particular circumstances.

Its like an inverse form of apartheid. Guess what - Indigenous people can be stupid, greedy, spit the dummy and and make poor decisions just like non Indigenous people can.

Lots of people come from difficult circumstances when they are growing up - Col Sylvia, David Schwarz & Col Garland for example.

You don't do anybody any favours by pulling out the racial excuse whenever an Indigenous player has a problem or a loss of form.

Its pretty obvious from what I saw - he got dropped, spat the dummy and stopped trying - EXACTLY LIKE HE DID AT CARLTON.

He's not the first & he won't be the last footballer to do it.

 

 

 

  

 

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[HardBallGet 127]

There is also no real evidence that he spat the dummy or wasn't trying. All that was obvious was that he stopped impacting games and was in poor form. I think it's worth remembering that the small forward position is one of the least predictable in regard to correct running patterns. Often the crumbing forward is taking a punt on where they should run to either present for the ball, crumb the ball or pressure the opposition. These problems are worse at vfl level where the ball tends to be kicked long to packs more regularly. Whilst I don't actually know for sure, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he was trying. Like everyone else I hope he comes good in 2019. 

[DV8 2,271]

14 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

Does anyone ting Jeff can bounce back in 2019 and have a big year?  It could tip us over the edge to glory if he does.  We really need a crumbing goal kicking small forward hitting the scoreboard....  but also providing pressure, which is where Jeff has let himself down.

Would be great if he stood up and made a statement next season....  the small forwards we just drafted don't seem to be goalkickers, not at junior level any way.

We were crying out for a winger early this year... anyone who would break their arzz running 2 ways, and apply pressure when we don't have the pill.   Some one with good skills, and some pace. 

 

The spot was there for the taking for Jeffy... and he did not grab it, in any way, shape or form.

I can only assume his application was never seen.

 

With the players we let go, and the players we recruited, I would say there was no takers interested in Jeffy.

I feel certain he would have been offered about.   Given the scratching we did Re picks and Swaps.

I reckon if we don't offer him another contract end of 2019,  his AFL footy will be dusted.

.

[Lord Travis 10,158]

Jeff had a poor season. He had personal issues tied to deaths in the family which obviously impacted him mentally both on and off field.

Fact is he's the highest goal scorer on our entire list. Hopefully with time to heal, get himself mentally prepared and work his way into form, he can contribute up forward again. As a goal scoring option, he is one of if not the best on our list, so a spot is there for him if he steps up again. Hopefully we can see some magic from him again and he doesn't just disappear.

[DV8 2,271]

13 hours ago, praha said:

makes me laugh how whenever an Indigenous player is out of form people automatically assume it's because of personal issues.

He just had a crap season. His one-way running and one-arm, half-hearted tackles were always going to come undone in a finals team and finals-like intensity. I'm not surprised in the slightest. He needs to get his [censored] together.

There was a game in the first part of the season Jeffy was playing.. we were in attack and the ball was kicked toward goal, 2 opposition were mid goal square and Jeffy was tracking toward goal line from the outer direction. the opposition player marked the ball uncontested with Jeffy meters away, hoping for spillage.

He did not attempt to 'go' and try to spoil, by making contact. We were in this game, with close scores as I recall it. 

 

I complained in a post immediately Jeffy did not contest the ball.  WTF.....

The very next match he, was out of the side.   And that was it.

 

 I draw a comparison to Jeffy's 2018,  and Watt's 2017 season.