Cameron Bruce - enough is enough

[DeeZee 7,445]

Bruce has been one our most consistent performers this year.

Cant believe the knockers on this site.

He has another 3 years in him for sure.

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

Stand up rank and file all the flogs calling for Bruce's head and appologise.

After that have a look at yourselves and slap yourself in the face twice then add an upper cut.

Bruce collected 30 posessions 80% effectiveness 8 contested posessions 6 tackles. He showed

class under pressure and was fantastic in horrid conditions.

I'm no bandwagoner of Bruce's but all you flogs calling for his head haven't got a clue.

Agree and appreciate the use of some verifiable facts when casting judgementsa round. Unless some of the commentariat are champion veteran coaches or players your subjective opinion is not very compelling.

[old55 23,687]

Bruce was great on Friday, but Grant ran past him in a ball chase like he was standing still at one stage.

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,806]

"

Bruce has been one our most consistent performers this year.

Cant believe the knockers on this site."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My My sentiments exactly, DEEZEE.

I read the vitriolic criticism of Cam Bruce on this forum, and I think..."am I deluding myself that he's a consistent contributor to our efforts?" So I watch him more closely the next game, and sure enough, he puts in, and is going as hard at the end as at the start. I think..."they won't knock him this week!" But the critics always come back. Sure, he doesn't shirtfront people, and his kicking's risky, but he runs all day,marks well, and is creative with his handball. What a great Demon he's been!

[Pates 9,660]

He was easily one of our best on Friday. He had many telling possessions and was always looking for something on the rebound. Disposal was better than most (ironic considering the conditions) and he had some handy marks in our defense.

He is highly rated by the coaching staff as someone that can be creative in the backline, but i've got to be honest i don't see it all that often, most of the times he just gives a looping handball the Grimes or a midfielder. Still, currently he is the right player for the position, by the end of the year i feel that will change.

[beelzebub 23,382]

He was easily one of our best on Friday. He had many telling possessions and was always looking for something on the rebound. Disposal was better than most (ironic considering the conditions) and he had some handy marks in our defense.

He is highly rated by the coaching staff as someone that can be creative in the backline, but i've got to be honest i don't see it all that often, most of the times he just gives a looping handball the Grimes or a midfielder. Still, currently he is the right player for the position, by the end of the year i feel that will change.

Probably sums up the Bruce situation quite succintly. For those that are unable to discern there is often a vast difference between observed critique and vitriol. For the most what many have seen of Bruce for an extended period quite frankly deserves to be written. Many are blind to the effect he has..not the effort, often two quite different things. Bruce for the most part has 2 out of the needed 3 areas of his game covered, its nearly always the disposal and onflow that raises the ire of many a demon supporter. dont let stats fool anyone.. apparently "effective " disposal can simply mean he got rid of it to someone else, this stat never qualifies the readiness of that player or the suitability of that decision, only that he successfully got rid of it. His output has indeed shone somewhat brighter in the last handful of games and most lkely the weather and conditions reduced most players disposal to mediocre, territory CB is frequently in anyway.That said he has seemd more productive of late.

There are many elements of Bruces games that commend him..and some that damn him. As noted above year end will see a re-evaluation of quite a few players in lights of the talent coming through and teh reality that some simply wont be around at the next major tilt and so their exit (earlier rather than later) may be expedited with that in mind.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I would keep Junior only if he thinks he can go another year... by the way he has played so far I would say he could go a couple more.

Absolutely, he's performing onfield but I hear he's even better leading by example around the club.

He looks like he could easily go around again, & I couldn't think of a better role model that our kids could look up to.

Junior McDonald = Age: 33yr 7mth Games: 242

[dee-luded 2,959]

He was easily one of our best on Friday. He had many telling possessions and was always looking for something on the rebound. Disposal was better than most (ironic considering the conditions) and he had some handy marks in our defense.

He is highly rated by the coaching staff as someone that can be creative in the backline, but i've got to be honest i don't see it all that often, most of the times he just gives a looping handball the Grimes or a midfielder. Still, currently he is the right player for the position, by the end of the year i feel that will change.

He played well, no doubt but I think the conditions slowed the tackling team of both sides on the night. This would give the ball player more time to handle the ball cleanly. The downside of course is the slipperiness of the ball, but the conditions improved through periods of the 2nd half.

[Jrod 0]

I am still seething about the umpires uniforms and decisions during that game. They should have made the umpires run around with no shirts on!! Cost us the game in my opinion.

Bruce played okay. You can't afford to look at it week by week tho. Its a matter of principal in where the club wants to head. Do you want one of your most senior players and leaders to be someone who continually has poor disposal by hand. How [censored] hard is it to handball??? I cannot for the life of me understand why he handballs like that? It is the worst i have seen in the league!!!

He is too old, and there is just no bang for you buck with him, in terms of experience vs effectiveness. His place in the side should be given to someone who is younger that can be developed. He is hardly a crucial piece to our back line which revolves around Frawley, Warnock, Grimes and Garland when he is there.

In a perfect worl morton would take bruces spot, but in the mean time we should be rotating other young players through to try and find a piece that fits for the next 5 years, rather than running Bruce in every week! Lets face it leaving him out of a side isn't going to decide a match, neither is including him. Even if it did we are not going to make finals this year so why waste 22 games of a "developement season" playing a subpar 31 year old???

I boggles my mind how people think this is a good idea? He is not even a leader at the club. I would agree to leave him in if he provided leadership by example on the field, but he is soft, panics, has poor disposal and gets far too much of the ball for someone who does the first three things so well.

[H_T 3,049]

He has another 3 years in him for sure.

Another 3 years ? Plllease.

With the likes of Strauss, Blease, Tapscott, Gysberts and Morton, he won't be holding any of them up.

[old55 23,687]

Bruce and Junior are both on the vets list and there's no one qualified to replace them in 2011 - Green qualifies in 2012. So retiring doesn't free space on the list. We'll have plenty of space for rookies in 2010 draft thru promotions and delists. While they're contribting and in the best 22 we should keep them. Finding 5 delists primary list delists for 2 draft picks and 3 rookie promotions will be a challenge

[Adzman 2,154]

Bruce will be back on another 2 year contract- if the price is right. The development of the list has been great, but with so many kids yet to show they can run with the best we need to hold onto some of the vets who know how to play on the big stage.

Bruce has been playing like a true champ lately. You never know, his off field leadership could be one of he reasons our kids are turning the corner. You just never know the full worth of a player!!

[Carlos Danger 380]

I have great respect for Bruce and what he has given the club, in a year where we aren't pushing for the flag it doesn't seem right to banish him to the seconds. And as far as I can tell, it's not like he isn't a solid contributor. Lay off the Bruce.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Bruce has been one our most consistent performers this year.

Cant believe the knockers on this site.

He has another 3 years in him for sure.

If he has, It must be in Queensland with the GC-17.

There's No place for him here for 3 years Nor 2. I'd rookie him for one though if it were allowed..

Edited May 10, 2010 by dee-luded

[Felix 92]

Absolutely, he's performing onfield but I hear he's even better leading by example around the club.

He looks like he could easily go around again, & I couldn't think of a better role model that our kids could look up to.

Junior McDonald = Age: 33yr 7mth Games: 242

spot on, the young kids can learn so much from Junior. He is such an asset to the club despite his age, mind you I think he has forgotten how old he is!

It also seems he has picked up an extra spring in his step this season, Junior = IronMan... (Gawn has the superman cape)

[Rogue 585]

Bruce will be back on another 2 year contract- if the price is right.

Why would we choose to commit to a two year deal? Unless you cared about losing him you wouldn't give more than one year, and I'm pretty sure that's not very likely (nor would it be very damaging).

As HT has pointed out, there are a heap of guys likely to overtake him sooner rather than later. I don't mind your posts but I think you've got it really wrong on this one - a two year deal is madness.