Cam Bruce's terrible kicking rarely gets mentioned in the media. In fact he is regularly listed in our best players for a high possession tally. But for a player that should really be getting better and better, his kicking is appauling. It's gone backwards. He started his career as a very reliable kick and an excellent shot for goal. I'm sure many of you remember the seven goals he kicked against Carlton back in 04. So what happened? He butchers the ball these days - kicks helicopters or sprays straight forward passes out of bounds. Don't get me wrong, I really like Brucey, but there's no way that he's going to improve or help the club improve with disposal like that. Thoughts?

Did the change occur before or after his shin troubles?

You are dead right but I see that you are a new poster. This topic has been done once or twice and has been known to polarise people (person). I look forward to seeing the responses.

I totally agree about Cam the Bruce. When he first started playing seniors - we all thought of him as a highly skilled kick. I was at that Carlton game and he seemed like an elite player. But somehow over the recent years he has become a Butcher of the ball - hospital handballs and wayward kicking - including at goals in important moments. On the other hand Green has gone from a skilled soft Footballer to become a skilled and courageous footballer. Go figure.

I'm sure many of you remember the seven goals he kicked against Carlton back in 04.

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Pure Gold

You are dead right but I see that you are a new poster. This topic has been done once or twice and has been known to polarise people (person). I look forward to seeing the responses.

You didnt have to wait long !

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Our match committee bang on about introducing players with excellent foot skills into the club, yet continue to rely heavily on a player such as Brucey who clearly can't kick any more. It's a genuine shame.

It also has me stumped that such a noticeable nosedive in skills from a front line player hasn't been picked up by the plethora of media covering the game. Perhaps they just don't pay attention to us?

You didnt have to wait long !

Good advice!

Cam's kicking has always been ordinary. He fails to guide the ball to the foot with the right hand and tends to impact with the toe. Accordingly he is unable to achieve consistent spin and thus control.

He's works with a smaller "sweet spot". His accuracy of 57.9% is mediocre and fails moreover to factor in an alarming number of shots that miss the bloody lot, left AND right.

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

HaHa! That got me Laughing at work Big Time! Thanks Y.M. your posts are always beautifully unique.

I did love the goal Brucey kicked against Brisbane last year though.

never been the same player after getting tackled by Guerra when he played for the Saints, Bruce was fire on the first 4-5 games that year. slowly downhill since his comeback

I've been wondering this as well for a while now. The only thing I can think of is that it's got to do with his chronic shin problems. Some have questioned why he wears the track pants in every warm up, again I suspect it's to do with the same issue.

Did the change occur before or after his shin troubles?

Thats what I think to 'Rogue'. He is also missing a lot of targets by hand as well.

IMO, Cam has always dropped the ball a long way from his foot, a bit like Adem Yze.

This method is always prone to error, particularly when the player is tired.

Bruce probably runs more k's now than he did when he was younger, and this could explain the problem.

Yep. Exactly. I thought I was the only one who saw that. He's been dropping the ball too high up to be an accurate kick.

I think that Bruce always seems to be a hard worker. Even if he doesn't dispose of it properly sometimes,

he always puts his full effort every week, and shows leadership qualities.

never been the same player after getting tackle by Guerra when he played for the Saints, Bruce was fire on the first 4-5 games that year. slowly downhill since his comeback

that's a great pick up! he was touted as a brownlow certainty until bloody guerra smashed his shoulder on the concrete that is etihad stadium....

btw, i've always thought the same thing about daniel bell - never the same after he got badly crunched by johnson? of the filth in that night game.....

Has always kicked his helicopters, luckily Bailey has got him to hand it off more.

Frankly, his value right now is to introduce the younger mids to 'gut running.'

He runs a marathon every week and, hopefully, instills that into our youngsters that do have quality disposal by foot.

Cam Bruce's terrible kicking rarely gets mentioned in the media. In fact he is regularly listed in our best players for a high possession tally. But for a player that should really be getting better and better, his kicking is appauling. It's gone backwards. He started his career as a very reliable kick and an excellent shot for goal. I'm sure many of you remember the seven goals he kicked against Carlton back in 04. So what happened? He butchers the ball these days - kicks helicopters or sprays straight forward passes out of bounds. Don't get me wrong, I really like Brucey, but there's no way that he's going to improve or help the club improve with disposal like that. Thoughts?

Nothing wrong with his disposal by hand or foot in his most RECENT game against Port. ( Even some of his critics praised his skills except an obstinate mule called Yze Magic who denigrates Bruce with his every post. The 7 goals you described against Carlton would be described by YM as "7 lucky goals in junk time") Some posters even described Cam's performance as sublime. My point is that if he can kick the ball well in this game then all the theories of shin problems go out of the window. Likewise the shoulder problem.

Thats what I think to 'Rogue'. He is also missing a lot of targets by hand as well.

You didn't watch his hand balling in the Port game? Pity!

The 7 goals you described against Carlton would be described by YM as "7 lucky goals in junk time") Some posters even described Cam's performance as sublime.

It was a good performance, but try and keep it in perspective.

We won the game by over 100 points against a pathetic Carlton team, and he was riding off the hard work of others.

Once the floodgates opened, anyone could have booted 7 goals, even Al Nicholson if he went forward.

It was a good performance, but try and keep it in perspective.

We won the game by over 100 points against a pathetic Carlton team, and he was riding off the hard work of others.

Once the floodgates opened, anyone could have booted 7 goals, even Al Nicholson if he went forward.

See what I mean 'Its a Grand Old Flag?' He always brings in a negative. Can't help himself. Sad.

See what I mean 'Its a Grand Old Flag?' Always brings in a negative. Sad.

I said it was a good performance?

I said it was a good performance?

Yeah, but what else did you say? Don't kid yourself!

Yeah, but what else did you say? Don't kid yourself!

I also remember Travis Johnstone having some great games while we were up and running as well.