TJ - an excuse ( or a cop out )

[joeboy 2,754]

Apparently TJ is still suffering the effects of a broken toe , but do we blame him or the selectors for his subsequent underachieving ?

[Real Demon 232]

If correct......selectors.......not fit, don't play him!

[WonnaJurah 5]

hayden got a broken toe and look how well he is playing, in the cricket

[Jarka 767]

hayden got a broken toe and look how well he is playing, in the cricket

Well, in cricket you don't kick the ball to score.....

[occo 2]

hayden got a broken toe and look how well he is playing, in the cricket

Cricket requires:

*Less running during training

* Less running during games

*A 'runner' if the player cant run between the wickets...which Hayden used on 2 occasions

* No kicking of a ball on the foot

Cricket is only slightly different to footy....wouldnt u agree lol

[WonnaJurah 5]

i know only example i could think of ,wouldnt you think he would struggle through training if his foots like that and be rested instead of played and being basically useless on field?

[CHAMP 347]

Apparently TJ is still suffering the effects of a broken toe , but do we blame him or the selectors for his subsequent underachieving ?

If he was serious about not dudding his mates he would had it amputated and cauterised.

[Lord Travis 10,141]

Assign him a bodyguard. I nominate Moloney. He is to follow Travis around the field and protect him from the illegal bumps he receives constantly behind play, and also take out the taggers with meaty hip n shoulders of his own :D

In all seriousness though, Travis may be injured, he may not. He was ok in Round 1, poor in Round 2. He will work into form, and if he doesnt...well then Sandy may beckon. Highly doubt it'd get that bad though.

Side note: Travis has better hair than Nathan Carroll now

[Gorgoroth 12,307]

he is out there so he deserves to be criticised

he didnt look to be in any discomfort on monday

[deanox 8,518]

Cricket requires:

*Less running during training

* Less running during games

*A 'runner' if the player cant run between the wickets...which Hayden used on 2 occasions

* No kicking of a ball on the foot

Cricket is only slightly different to footy....wouldnt u agree lol

using those gps trackers they use now they have found that some of the fast bowlers in cricket cover as much ground during a game as an afl midfielder.

from the daily telegraph: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/stor...5006069,00.html

brad hodge (australian batsman) has been running an extra 13 kms on top of his usual training...

you can only have a runner if you injure yourself during that particular game. im not saying thats what happened im saying thats what should happen.

true, you dont kick the ball with your foot, unless you are a fast bowler kicking it up to yourself...

yes there are difference bettween footy and cricket. many differences, but not quite how you described it

[Hards 2]

Travis' kicking accuracy is as bad as it was last year, which suggests the broken toe isn't having any influence.

If he can run and play then he should be able to a) get the ball or B) chasing and tackle. Neither of which is currently happening.

[johnfidge 0]

Apparently TJ is still suffering the effects of a broken toe , but do we blame him or the selectors for his subsequent underachieving ?

With injuries, once on field a player is deemed fit. Now this is the hard part for players because depending on your status, ability and position some players still play suitable games which coaching staff assess is a risk worth takeing. Its never cut and dry, all players play hurt, believe me the medical room is busy game day. In 1986 I broke my right foot, but at first the exrays did not show it. badly bruised was the diagnosis,should be right in 2 to 3 weeks. well i couldnt get out of a jog, after 5 weeks i played in reserves, kicked 10, straight in seniors the next week, but foot was still very sore from playing, I played but struggled to run, doctors assured me thier was no bone damage so it must be me. This pattern continued all season till after struggling through 5 or 6 senior games they decided to get a cat scan, guess what the foot was fractured in 5 places. wasted a whole year. That was a major reason I left Melbourne. A coach says to a player. are you right to play, the player says yes ( because he doesnt want to let down the club, and the supporters!) He struggles , most coaches put it down to experiance and move on. If the player says no im not right, he gets called soft, or not tough enough to carry injuries. there would not be anyone who played the game at AFL level that has not been through it. Just remember what actually motivates footballers, they want more than anything to play and to play well. If they consistantly dont, apart from abilitiy, there is probably a physical cause. hope i havnt bored you cheers.

[Nasher 33,047]

It's a good point John and thanks for sharing.

Interesting case in point is Luke Ball, coming back on after suffering a severe head injury during the game against us. Head injuries are one injury that you just shouldn't screw with. A friend of mine who was a trainer at grassroots level said this happened all the time; the coach would bring blokes back on half an hour after they were knocked out cold. They might seem okay (and a player is ALWAYS going to say they're okay), but jeez.

If there's that much pressure at the low levels I hate to think what it'd be like at the top.

Personally, I agree that if a player is on the field then he's fair game and I expect him to perform. Clubs need to get better at recognising when a player is NOT right to play though, and not place so much pressure on players to play if they're seriously injured. It isn't fair on the player, or the team if they're really struggling to get near the footy.

[Jaded No More 57,682]

Interesting case in point is Luke Ball

Or Jeff White playing with socks full of blood.... or Miller and Bell playing with OP.... or Robbo playing with a bad knee and a bad shoulder...

Maybe the broken toe is affecting TJ's ability to run, or kick, but it shouldn't affect his attitude or desire to be there. The main issue with him at the moment, is that he looks disinterested. Don't think that's a symptom of having a broken toe (and I should know, having broken my toes about 3 times )

Brad Green played with a foot injury the whole of last year, and while his kicking was affected by it, his hunger for the ball wasn't. That's why he's in the leadership group.

[deanox 8,518]

good point jaded.

it is also interesting to note that if we take the leigh matthews, substitute system on board, once a player is off injured they wont be back on. reducing the risk to these players of a second injury. the other side of the coin is that, players might be risked out on the ground when they would have normally come off for a short break to ice/rest/whatever. or injuring the oppositions star player could now put them off the game for the whole game, not just the first quarter...

[beelzebub 22,225]

With injuries, once on field a player is deemed fit. ......... If they consistantly dont, apart from abilitiy, there is probably a physical cause. hope i havnt bored you cheers. ( edited for brevity )

John...thanks for your insights.

agree nothing ever in life is cut and dried is it..always some extenuating circumstance or influence.

Your view im interested in on thsi matter..as might we all.

Is it simply a case though that should you cross that white line... then all that happens as a result is up for scutiny without reserve to all of the above type conditions ?

Most of us are monday morning experts.. with any or all of what football experience probably past and not of the level you played at ( I dont count my Richmond little league appearances of over 35 years ago as all that much !! lol )... so in that light are we over merciless ( translate passionate and blinkered ) or is it very much a case of you payz ya money ya get to make the call ?

[Nasher 33,047]

Maybe the broken toe is affecting TJ's ability to run, or kick, but it shouldn't affect his attitude or desire to be there. The main issue with him at the moment, is that he looks disinterested. Don't think that's a symptom of having a broken toe (and I should know, having broken my toes about 3 times )

Brad Green played with a foot injury the whole of last year, and while his kicking was affected by it, his hunger for the ball wasn't. That's why he's in the leadership group.

I don't quite understand how you can "look" disinterested. Can you please explain what you mean by that?

[mordja 187]

my hint would be sitting there scratching his nuts with one touch for the first quarter and his next in the second coming halfway through would be an indication of disinterest.

[Jaded No More 57,682]

I don't quite understand how you can "look" disinterested. Can you please explain what you mean by that?

Standing with your hands on your hips and your head down screams poor attitude to me, and he isn't alone in that. Davey was another prime example of someone with a defeated, mind-elsewhere, body language.

When running along the boundary he also looked to be in his own space.

Daniher said on the Footy Show last night that Travis tends to come across that way, so maybe it's just his personality and I'm reading far too much into his body language.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Standing with your hands on your hips and your head down screams poor attitude to me, and he isn't alone in that. Davey was another prime example of someone with a defeated, mind-elsewhere, body language.

When running along the boundary he also looked to be in his own space.

Daniher said on the Footy Show last night that Travis tends to come across that way, so maybe it's just his personality and I'm reading far too much into his body language.

I dont think so. his body language and actions are different in 07 than he was in 2005 and 2006.

[Guest dee'viator]

Assign him a bodyguard. I nominate Moloney. He is to follow Travis around the field and protect him from the illegal bumps he receives constantly behind play, and also take out the taggers with meaty hip n shoulders of his own :D

In all seriousness though, Travis may be injured, he may not. He was ok in Round 1, poor in Round 2. He will work into form, and if he doesnt...well then Sandy may beckon. Highly doubt it'd get that bad though.

Side note: Travis has better hair than Nathan Carroll now

I remember he kicked at least twice out on the full in Rnd1. Maybe he is playing with pain killers.

[johnfidge 0]

John...thanks for your insights.

agree nothing ever in life is cut and dried is it..always some extenuating circumstance or influence.

Your view im interested in on thsi matter..as might we all.

Is it simply a case though that should you cross that white line... then all that happens as a result is up for scutiny without reserve to all of the above type conditions ?

Most of us are monday morning experts.. with any or all of what football experience probably past and not of the level you played at ( I dont count my Richmond little league appearances of over 35 years ago as all that much !! lol )... so in that light are we over merciless ( translate passionate and blinkered ) or is it very much a case of you payz ya money ya get to make the call ?

Look, the thing about injuries are that they are not all equall, some blokes can play with hammys and calf strains, I couldnt. Others can play with ligament ruptures and fractures, this I did, Its amazing how the body or brain copes, what you learn over a carear is your limitations, When young though you just play. As a supportor you are entitled to think and say what you like, But i can promise you that you would be a lot more forgiving on players if you knew the hole picture. Hell i get frustrated when i watch the demons struggle, Individuals look disinterested and lazy,thats human nature. But Iv never met the perfect human being, or footballer yet, except maybe robbie flower, or plugger,

[Guest dee'viator]

Standing with your hands on your hips and your head down screams poor attitude to me, and he isn't alone in that. Davey was another prime example of someone with a defeated, mind-elsewhere, body language.

When running along the boundary he also looked to be in his own space.

Daniher said on the Footy Show last night that Travis tends to come across that way, so maybe it's just his personality and I'm reading far too much into his body language.

I spoke to some of the players @ a moorabbin intra-club training session, Aaron did not seem to happy about something even then. I noticed the difference in his demeanor.

There's must be some sort of distraction going on???

[beelzebub 22,225]

Daniher said on the Footy Show last night that Travis tends to come across that way, so maybe it's just his personality and I'm reading far too much into his body language.

ya know...i cant help but feel this is symtomatic of much that is quite frankly wrong with the Dees.

Both the fact that Trav's attitude can be "his personality " ...and that the Coach simply accepts this as OK...or if not Ok..simply par of his make up.

I know this will sound ridiculously trite...but as a kid I was told time and time again...'stand up straight...dont slouch !!"... this was not only a posture thing....but it was about your attitude..of what was basically acceptable and what wasnt.. and the flipside to this is what you as the individual expect to gain by it. Dropping your head is never a good thing for mine.. It just screams ..'giving in" ..( even if temepred by frustration )

When your allowed to stand on the pitch with hands on hips pondering what might have been...you've lost the mental game already and the other is only a matter of time.

Not good enough MFC..