Bye Bye Bate?

[Guest hangon007]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/76855/default.aspx

The rules have been changed ... look at the date on the article. "7:07 AM Fri 15 May, 2009"

They are the old set of criteria!!!! For player assessment & hence compensation.

[Red Sox 2]

?

Just don't agree with you that Bartram has more strings to his bow than Bate. Bartram extracts everything from himself into each contest, let alone each week and credit to him.

I think many forget that prior to the last couple of years and even during these past couple of years Bate has served MFC pretty well and deserves a bit more credit. IMO a win for MFC equated to a strong performance from Bate.

Was he the central figure in these wins? Probably not but he was a vital ingredient to them. He can and has altered the course of games, not sure Bartram will ever be that player?

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

I wish you'd get signed by the Gold Coast...

That's one thing we can agree on.

[rpfc 28,902]

?

I believe he/she is questioning your appraisal of Bate and Batram.

Batram, apart from his break out year in a very good team, has shown a lack of footy smarts, vision, and decision making skills. He has a sub-standard kick and, like the rest of his teammates, couldn't handpass to anything but shoelaces.

He has always had fight and tenacity, but to say he has had more upside than Bate is verging on the ridiculous or, at least, the self-indulgent re-writing of history.

Bate has a fantastic motor, excellent speed on a lead, good hands, kicks like a mule (in both length, accuracy, and style), and has vision and a decent footy IQ. His issues are his agility, his one-dimensional playing style, and his more often than occassional brainfade with the footy.

Batram and Bate play vastly different roles but the talented one is out of form and the grunt with heart is in career form - that's probably why you think they way you do.

Don't lose heart, a number of posters on here do...

Was that arrogant enough?

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

I believe he/she is questioning your appraisal of Bate and Batram.

Batram, apart from his break out year in a very good team, has shown a lack of footy smarts, vision, and decision making skills. He has a sub-standard kick and, like the rest of his teammates, couldn't handpass to anything but shoelaces.

He has always had fight and tenacity, but to say he has had more upside than Bate is verging on the ridiculous or, at least, the self-indulgent re-writing of history.

Bate has a fantastic motor, excellent speed on a lead, good hands, kicks like a mule (in both length, accuracy, and style), and has vision and a decent footy IQ. His issues are his agility, his one-dimensional playing style, and his more often than occassional brainfade with the footy.

Batram and Bate play vastly different roles but the talented one is out of form and the grunt with heart is in career form - that's probably why you think they way you do.

Don't lose heart, a number of posters on here do...

Was that arrogant enough?

Fair enough. Opinions, opinions.

I guess we will see what happens in the next 6 - 8 years.

[Harcourt 146]

Mark Fine (SEN) mentioned Bate's name two Sundays ago as a player that was signed up by the Gold Coast along with Campbell Brown, Armitage (StKilda), Harbrow and three others who I cant remember.

We shall see.....

[Deestroy All 14,266]

I'm a fan when he's on. And I reckon he'll kick 10 goals one day.

I was in the rooms after we flogged Brisbane at the G this year, Bate had to be helped off the ground and could hardly walk, Luke Ball style. There's definitely something wrong with him.

That said, if he's the only one we lose, I'd be over the moon.

Dunn has gone past Bate. Tapscott will get a hff, Petterd has to come in and can play lead up or close to goal.

We can afford to lost Bate.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 389]

Isn't everyone forgetting the most important thing here? With his complexion, Matthew Bate would fry to a crisp up North. Whatever extra money he would make at GC would surely be lost paying for sunscreen and those funny hats with a wide brim and flowing back.

Had a good chuckle at this one...As I fellow redhead I share his pain, although I spent 7 months in South Africa and survived that okay

[Carlos Danger 380]

Heard from a good source today that Matty Bate has signed a contract with the Gold Coast, and Bailey will not play him for the Dees for the rest of 2010. Personally I don't think it would be the biggest loss to MFC, but I'm interested to hear the response of other supporters if this were to be found true.

Obviously a lot of these posts end up being BS, but hey it's a forum and just thought I'd share what I heard.

You can't sign a deal with another club during the season, Gold Coast only have VERBAL agreements with players that will sign at season's end.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Mark Fine (SEN) mentioned Bate's name two Sundays ago as a player that was signed up by the Gold Coast along with Campbell Brown, Armitage (StKilda), Harbrow and three others who I cant remember.

We shall see.....

Well thats interesting, as Bater went back to Casey for the Collingwood game, Sunday 25th July. A week before your Fine report. Interesting.

[45HG 1,559]

So... You're telling me Mckenna's extra house WASN'T for Petterd?

[Lost Highway 31]

Morton and Bate are unsettled according to a couple of members of this board.

What do they have in common?

They SHARE the right physique for a good footy player.

Bate has bulked up too much, Morton not enough. But they average out to be just about right.

If Bate hadn't put on so much bulk he might have a touch more pace, a bit more lift off the ground, and a smaller turning circle.

It's not just 'form' with him.

As for Morton, I didn't think he deserved to get the drop after playing on Goodes, whose performance was boosted by the last 15 minutes of the match, and who was a bit over-rated on the day. Morton did some very constructive things and actually beat Goodes a few times. I don't blame him for being [censored] off, as he wasn't the weakest player on the day. However, his physique needs building up, and surely Bater is the one to show him how, before he goes north or whatever. Honestly, he won't really be missed in that forward line, which is being built on pace and marking overhead.

[Redleg 41,935]

You can't sign a deal with another club during the season, Gold Coast only have VERBAL agreements with players that will sign at season's end.

Who says? Why can't you sign a contract that starts at the end of your current one?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

So... You're telling me Mckenna's extra house WASN'T for Petterd?

Very witty

[e25 5]

You can't sign a deal with another club during the season, Gold Coast only have VERBAL agreements with players that will sign at season's end.

Maybe you forget that there was a window open before this season commenced where GC17 were said to use a loophole to sign some existing AFL players whose contracts ended this year.

Whether they used it or not, it is accepted that the loophole exists and could even be used by GWS at the completion of this season, with an eye to 2012.

[Al`s DEMONS 0]

I'm not.

Source or GTFO indeed. That's a horrible rumour to spread about one of our players, if it's not true, because as much as I don't think our future is going to be damaged by his departure, I'd be pretty [censored] if any of our players basically "walked-out" mid season. It would bethe highest form of disloyalty.

remember last year someone broke the brock rumour. lets wait and see. only three weeks to go

[Eth 4]

remember last year someone broke the brock rumour. lets wait and see. only four weeks to go

EFA

[Guest Jack Jack Jack Jack]

I'll admit I probably shouldn't have posted when I don't know if it's true. As i said I'm just reporting what I've heard, thought others may have been interested.

Just keen to hear other supporters thoughts if he WAS to go.

[Eth 4]

I'll admit I probably shouldn't have posted when I don't know if it's true. As i said I'm just reporting what I've heard, thought others may have been interested.

Just keen to hear other supporters thoughts if he WAS to go.

You were probably better off posting something like 'I heard Matthew Bate may have signed with GCFC, what do you guys think?'

[jabberwocky 2,301]

I would like to comment but I have been overcome by the strong waft of faecal matter from a male bovine.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

Who says? Why can't you sign a contract that starts at the end of your current one?

Something to do with inducement i believe.

Bottom line, about all they could legally sign i believe is a 'letter of intent' which is a fancy way of saying, i'm interested but can't/don't want to commit yet.

There has been so much of this crap flying around (a la Dean Cox who has just come out to squash all the rumours about him) that unless you can quote the actual source, your post is meaningless.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I have never rated Bate as much as most seem to here at demonland.

I think you'll find the regular posters don't always warm to him.

Must improve other parts of his game if he wants to play one's, but he has never really looked like a natural footballer.

??? He's kicked bags, and has won games off his own boot enough to make that statement a bit off. And while he doesn't look silky smooth as a mover, does it really matter when you can kick as straight as he does over 60+ metres, and can run as fast as he does in a straight line? The end result is the important thing, and he has those results.

I will say it again... He is not good enough to be a full forward type like Fev or Bradshaw and he is not good enough as a half forward

flanker because he doesn't have the agility and mobility to play that role.

He's not good enough as a FF because he's not a FF. As a half forward he would get a gig in all but the Cats and Collingwood lineups. He's dominated games over and over as a mobile CHF. He's a sensational lead-up target and link-man. Mobility is precisely what makes him a good player. Not sure who you're watching. Agility? You may have a point there. He's a bigger lad than most realise. You can't expect him to be as zippy as Davey when he's that tall and that heavy. Not sure why people mark him so harshly on his "turning circle." Many of the best KP fowards aroud have the same problem.

I'm sure he would have been a great player a decade ago but the game has evolved and now needs fast, agile and skillful players.

Fast? - Check. Skilled? - Check. Agile? - Maybe not. But it's not so bad it can't be worked on.

My two cents.

With all due respect mate, I always feel like slitting my wrists after reading your posts.

On the Bartram issue. He has always had more strings to his bow if you are comparing the guy to Bate.

Not in a million years. You couldn't be less right. The only things Bartram does better than Bate are, defensive matchups including spoiling and tagging (Barts is superb in this), and agility as above. Neither of which Bate is expected to excel in majorly as a HF. Bate has a 60 metre kick on him, an engine that goes all day, pace in a straight line to burn, marking prowess, though not through the air. A massive body that can withstand all but the hardest hits... Oh... And red hair.

To put it in perspective, if you were asking another club for, say, pick 25-ish in a regular draft, and you said Bate... they'd jump at it as he's a KP forward, or large HF with what must be nearing 100 games, and a lot of good footy on his resume. If you said Bartram, you'd be laughed at. No disrespect to Barts, but hard working pacey defenders with bad delivery aren't as hard to find.

Bate on the other hand has little going for him it seems. He can be a great kick from 40 +. He can take a good chest mark occasionally. But there is nothing else.

Open your eyes, STMJ. Bate is a super AFL footballer when he's on. He's done it over and over. No-ones asking for a leap of faith here, or for you to look at his potential. He has the runs on the board.

Pressure off the ball, awareness, second and third efforts, ability to take a solid grab in a contest. As you have pointed out already rpfc, if he can't start imposing himself

as a big bustling forward who is capable of taking big contested marks and kicking big bags of goals then he needs to work on other areas and shed some kegs.

Who says he needs to do this? He's played some very good footy as a rangey HF. Why do you suddenly insist he has to be the next Fev? Unfortunately due to Jack looking so damn impressive as a HF link-up man, we now have 3 very good HF targets, but no big bodies inside fifty. This isn't Bate's fault.

We can afford to lost Bate.

Famous last words. The minute we have a crisis in the forward line (you know, like the one we were having up until 3 weeks ago?), these boards will be begging for a Matty Bate target.

[Al`s DEMONS 0]

EFA

no idea what that means

[Chook 15,023]

no idea what that means

Edited for accuracy. Hope that explains it.

[sylvinator 96]

Mark Fine (SEN) mentioned Bate's name two Sundays ago as a player that was signed up by the Gold Coast along with Campbell Brown, Armitage (StKilda), Harbrow and three others who I cant remember.

We shall see.....

That's just plainly not true.

I heard that interview, and the 7 players were: Gablett, Habrow, Campbell Brown, Armitage, Brennan, Grigg and Nathan Krakour