2009 Player Review - # 32 Cameron Bruce

[Adelaide Demon 0]

probably our smartest player in terms of nous as well

Glad someone said this. His on-field intelligence is very high most of the time. When I have watched him closely, which has been often, I have continually been impressed with some of the little, mostly-unnoticed things he does, like taking up a certain position that other players wouldn't have seen, or having an awareness of his opponent that few others have. Love watching him when he's on.

[beelzebub 23,383]

Best and Fairest plus R/U Twice in seasons where we made the finals. There's the rub!!!

and we went so far says more about the state of the team , all in all. Still more seem to gloss over his faults in consideration of his efforts. Results are all that count after 4 qtrs !!

There is simply not much in the way of common ground with views towards Bruce.

Again give him a more negating role... just dont let him have to do anything with the ball !!

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

skills and better decision making...not too much for an AFL level player surely.. . How Im glad Im not ever on the end of his hospital passes. You can all go bury your collective heads in the sand.. but thats the kind of player Bruce is.,., Apllies himself ..for sure.. invariably 100% effort.. no argument.. results ?? ah..there's the rub !!

The same rub as the rest of the list.

I find it's the keyboard heroes that come on here and get stuck into players like Bruce that have their heads well and truly in the sand. Bruce was a good player when he had a mature and in some cases, elite forward line to kick to. He was always a bit of a frontrunner. We have a number of very good kicks in the side that are made to look woeful due to what they have to kick to. Smashing the ND game-plan out of their heads and replacing it with DB's modern day handball-heavy gameplan is one of the most painful things I've had to watch over the years, but it is in NO way Bruce's fault. He's led as much as he could... He's no Ablett/Judd... Some people on here need to come to terms with this. Those that KNEW he was always only a very very good footballer wouldn't have been surprised that all he's done is maintain his standing, play to his strengths, and retain his respect in the footy world.

Notice that in the absence of a certain long-time cancerous growth on this site, we have seen BARELY ANYTHING written about Bruce. Funny that.

I don't think he's been getting the best ouf of himself when it comes to his disposal in recent times.

So you're saying he could kick better? Perhaps... I would say that he's done well DESPITE this drawback. As I said above, he's played to his strengths, and I admire him a lot for how he's been a mainstay in the AFL given such humble beginnings.

For the record I have a WORLD of admiration for the "Vandenberg" types... JMac, Robbo, Bruce, Wheatley, Whelan... Green to an extent. These guys really only ever had a paycheck to look forward to over the last 3-5 years of their careers. They MUST know they're unlikely to play in a flag. That must really take the zing out of you at training, knowing that the kids you educate are the ones that will benefit.

Now I'm not saying a $200-400,000 annual salary is a booby prize... but all in all, I'm impressed that he still goes out and gets the pill 30 times a game. Love all of those mature guys.

[beelzebub 23,383]

ah..see heres the thing.. Im not necessarily blaming Bruce..I commend him for his efforts..its his results that speak for themselves.. He's an atrocious kick and a hospital handballer. Whether its particularly his game plan to do so is irrelevant as he's plainly incapable of executing it. So whilst the instruction may not be his , the actual 'doing so" is.

Seems funny how so many cant get passed this.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

solid player and a solid career from a solid bloke - but disposal problems stopped him becoming an A-grader. The notion that he would have been better in a batter side is very true IMO

[beelzebub 23,383]

solid player and a solid career from a solid bloke - but disposal problems stopped him becoming an A-grader. The notion that he would have been better in a batter side is very true IMO

This to me is always a furphy... a really good player is simply really good. A failry good player can be made to look far better if he has the support etc. If youre good youre good..if not..youre not. Judd would look good in any side.. Cousins still looks good at Richmond !! . Real quality is always there to be seen...other times its the appearance without substance...... otherwise known as an illusiion

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

This to me is always a furphy... a really good player is simply really good. A failry good player can be made to look far better if he has the support etc. If youre good youre good..if not..youre not. Judd would look good in any side.. Cousins still looks good at Richmond !! . Real quality is always there to be seen...other times its the appearance without substance...... otherwise known as an illusiion

side a is highly skilled and hence delivers you the ball with precision in time and space for you to move on. also the important positions are filled and B+ type players can go on the flanks, pockets etc

side b is a rabble who makes constant errors that keep everyone under constant pressure. B+ players are forced into the toughest and most important roles

some players suffer more than others as a result of being in side b

[realist 2]

This to me is always a furphy... a really good player is simply really good. A failry good player can be made to look far better if he has the support etc. If youre good youre good..if not..youre not. Judd would look good in any side.. Cousins still looks good at Richmond !! . Real quality is always there to be seen...other times its the appearance without substance...... otherwise known as an illusiion

You therefore must be the ultimate illusionist yourself.

Many words but not much quality!!!!

Edited October 13, 2009 by realist

[beelzebub 23,383]

You therefore must be the ultimate illusionist yourself.

Many words but not much quality!!!!

strange though you dont attempt to refute..only make vaccuous coment.

Try debating the content ..go on

[realist 2]

strange though you dont attempt to refute..only make vaccuous coment.

Try debating the content ..go on

Why debate when in your own words as an illusion you are not really there!!!

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

strange though you dont attempt to refute..only make vaccuous coment.

Try debating the content ..go on

I guess you didn't notice my direct rebuttal huh

[beelzebub 23,383]

side a is highly skilled and hence delivers you the ball with precision in time and space for you to move on. also the important positions are filled and B+ type players can go on the flanks, pockets etc

side b is a rabble who makes constant errors that keep everyone under constant pressure. B+ players are forced into the toughest and most important roles

some players suffer more than others as a result of being in side b

yep.. the better ones dont.. thats the whole point. Whilst he surrounded by options that anyone can provide to yo look really good.. When faced with lesser choices the poorer thinkers commit the greatest mistakes. This essentially is exactly whay plays out with Bruce. His limitations are highlighted when he cant get away with murder.

[sylvias dukes 9]

Steady on, he's never deserved to be AA.

Campbell Brown has made the team twice i think and Cam is a better footballer. He has been super consistant throughout his career and has finished in the top ten of our best and fairest every year except for this first season. All this people that are having a crack at his disposal obviously didnt see him play this year. He used the ball well this year. Last year though he had shin splints which effected his kicking hence why he had so many handballs. He is much better then a solid player and and has had a good career

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

I'm impressed that he still goes out and gets the pill 30 times a game. Love all of those mature guys.

You mean he receives the pill 25-30 times and gets HIS OWN about 5 times. You did after all say he's a front runner....

I don't understand your logic Dappa. Bruce's kicking has nothing to do with our game plan... It's not about who is in the forward line. Have you seen him kick to a player or kick for goal lately?

Bruce, as a player, has definitely lost what he once had. Being drafted around the 60's in 99 or 00, (whenever it was), he has been more than serviceable for our club. In fact, he got to a stage one season where he was favorite for the brownlow after the first few games. Back then he was doing everything right and it was until he was smashed into the turf at the Telstra Dome by Brent Guerra of the Saints that he became a different player. One with less confidence in himself and sadly he has never recaptured that electrifying form he once displayed.

I am happy to have Bruce on the list but only for his mentoring/leadership qualities. None of us truly know what he is like as a trainer, but we have heard that he is a professional of the highest calibre, and that can only be a positive for our young, developing group.

Bruce is no longer a good afl player. He is okay. I couldn't give a rats if you were Craig Motram, could run all day and get the ball over 30 times if you struggle to do the basics on a REGULAR BASIS. (i.e. Kicking to a player, handballing to a player). Bruce has lost confidence and the ability to execute these basics of AFL on a regular basis as I have said. Anyone who says otherwise clearly does not watch what he does when he has the ball or has very little understanding of how this game is played.

I wish him all the best in the year 2010 and onwards. I hope some of his old "class" can be unearthed....

Edited October 13, 2009 by stevethemanjordan

[sylvias dukes 9]

You mean he receives the pill 25-30 times and gets HIS OWN about 5 times. You did after all say he's a front runner....

I don't understand your logic Dappa. Bruce's kicking has nothing to do with our game plan... It's not about who is in the forward line. Have you seen him kick to a player or kick for goal lately?

Bruce, as a player, has definitely lost what he once had. Being drafted around the 60's in 99 or 00, (whenever it was), he has been more than serviceable for our club. In fact, he got to a stage one season where he was favorite for the brownlow after the first few games. Back then he was doing everything right and it was until he was smashed into the turf at the Telstra Dome by Brent Guerra of the Saints that he became a different player. One with less confidence in himself and sadly he has never recaptured that electrifying form he once displayed.

I am happy to have Bruce on the list but only for his mentoring/leadership qualities. None of us truly know what he is like as a trainer, but we have heard that he is a professional of the highest calibre, and that can only be a positive for our young, developing group.

Bruce is no longer a good afl player. He is okay. I couldn't give a rats if you were Craig Motram, could run all day and get the ball over 30 times if you struggle to do the basics on a REGULAR BASIS. (i.e. Kicking to a player, handballing to a player). Bruce has lost confidence and the ability to execute these basics of AFL on a regular basis as I have said. Anyone who says otherwise clearly does not watch what he does when he has the ball or has very little understanding of how this game is played.

I wish him all the best in the year 2010 and onwards. I hope some of his old "class" can be unearthed....

I stopped reading from there on. Clearly you have no idea

[Keyser Söze 0]

Campbell Brown has made the team twice i think and Cam is a better footballer. He has been super consistant throughout his career and has finished in the top ten of our best and fairest every year except for this first season. All this people that are having a crack at his disposal obviously didnt see him play this year. He used the ball well this year. Last year though he had shin splints which effected his kicking hence why he had so many handballs. He is much better then a solid player and and has had a good career

I don't think so, and certainly not in those years specifically.

I do agree that his disposal improved this season just gone, but its still not at the standard I'd like from him.

I think this is the crux of the matter - Bruce doesn't quite deliver on what a lot of us expect from him.

Doesn't mean he's not a good player, but he is judged harshly by some because of it.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I see Bruce as the ideal flanker, hard to match up on because of his height and stamina.

I just don't see him as a midfielder and as younger players come through hopefully he can cement a spot on a flank.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

I stopped reading from there on. Clearly you have no idea

Loose ball gets or possessions from another player make up the majority of ball he gets. Do you see him win contested ball often? Recently I mean? He may get the odd few but definitely nowhere near enough. This is not the argument anyway Sylvias dukes. I was correcting another poster by saying he doesn't actually get his own ball as often as people think. It would be fine with me if he were a receiver and front runner if he could use the ball to effect more than 50% of the time which isn't hard to ask from a senior player who was once known for his class. Read the rest of the post mate. Won't do you any harm.

[Rogue 585]

So you're saying he could kick better? Perhaps... I would say that he's done well DESPITE this drawback. As I said above, he's played to his strengths, and I admire him a lot for how he's been a mainstay in the AFL given such humble beginnings.

I'm disputing your assertion that he's got the best out of himself recently. For whatever reason, he hasn't got the best out of himself when it comes to his kicking. I'm not saying he could kick better, I'm saying he has kicked better.

[realist 2]

Loose ball gets or possessions from another player make up the majority of ball he gets. Do you see him win contested ball often? Recently I mean? He may get the odd few but definitely nowhere near enough. This is not the argument anyway Sylvias dukes. I was correcting another poster by saying he doesn't actually get his own ball as often as people think. It would be fine with me if he were a receiver and front runner if he could use the ball to effect more than 50% of the time which isn't hard to ask from a senior player who was once known for his class. Read the rest of the post mate. Won't do you any harm.

It amazes me!

Never let the truth get in the way of a good lie!

Perhaps as you were only ten when Bruce played his first game with Melbourne you are an example of group who says what they think without knowing the facts!

Look at the Melbourne web site.

Look at the stats from this year. They are there for all to see!

Bruce averaged 78.79 % disposal efficiency over his 19 games!

That makes your claim more than 50% wrong.

With a little more maturity you would hope you would not put your foot in your mouth so quickly!

Have a nice day!!

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

It amazes me!

Never let the truth get in the way of a good lie!

Perhaps as you were only ten when Bruce played his first game with Melbourne you are an example of group who says what they think without knowing the facts!

Look at the Melbourne web site.

Look at the stats from this year. They are there for all to see!

Bruce averaged 78.79 % disposal efficiency over his 19 games!

That makes your claim more than 50% wrong.

With a little more maturity you would hope you would not put your foot in your mouth so quickly!

Have a nice day!!

Good on you Realist! You are spot on. There are too many ignorant sheep I'm afraid.

[Gippy Dee 48]

Surprised we haven't heard anything from Yze Magic...

Gippy

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

I'm not sure why some people are so hard on Cam. He would have been in the first 6 picked over the last decade. He works hard, gets lots of it and uses it better than he is given credit for. A good, reliable player.