Morton and Bate

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

These two are now far from best 22 players.

Morton needs at add significant muscle, some of his efforts were just plain lazy and he became a liability with the ball.

Bate is the worst tackler in the league, I don't understand how he is so bad at it and he very rarely wins a one-on-one contest.

I hate to finish a positive season on a downer but they were just so painful to watch today.

[Jerry Lundergard 380]

Morton seems like a player who is constantly over thinking when he has the ball. He looks scared about taking a risk and have it be the wrong option, but this indecision usually leads to errors anyway.

[Sir Why You Little 34,429]

These two are now far from best 22 players.

Morton needs at add significant muscle, some of his efforts were just plain lazy and he became a liability with the ball.

Bate is the worst tackler in the league, I don't understand how he is so bad at it and he very rarely wins a one-on-one contest.

I hate to finish a positive season on a downer but they were just so painful to watch today.

I agree with you on Morton. A liability.

Michael Newton played a better game than Morton tonight, He tried real hard close in with some good handball gives.

[Old Gregg 1]

Morton took some fantastic contested marks...

[PeterJames 46]

Bate is just to slow. Is big but not a strong mark. Is quite soft for a guy of his size, has the turning circle of a truck. To reliant on his left foot.

Morton has more upside, again a little soft. But can take a mark. Needs to find some intensity. His skills are so up and down.

[jayceebee31 666]

Bate is just to slow. Is big but not a strong mark. Is quite soft for a guy of his size, has the turning circle of a truck. To reliant on his left foot.

Morton has more upside, again a little soft. But can take a mark. Needs to find some intensity. His skills are so up and down.

I also felt the players had lost confidence in these two- a huge pre season for both or out the door they go.

[waynewussell 4,081]

Morton took some fantastic contested marks...

Exactly!!!!! Not to mention the one close to goal which he converted when we had to have a goal. His kicking is a weakness, but he can kick 55 - 60m He can run better than most his height. He will put on a few kilos and he is UNTOUCHABLE!!!!!!! I've heard all the bull about a small ticker... FRUCK!!!! he missed the first third of the season because he backed into a pack v Bombers at Draft Cheat Park in the pre-season. He needs to be given more time! Anyone with any footy nouse what-so-ever would know that his positives outweigh his negatives. GIVE THE MORTON BASHING A REST MORONS!!!!!

Edited August 29, 2010 by waynewussell

[timD 994]

Wayne, I thought that morton was the only bloke that looied to create run off halfback in the first quarter when we looked stagnant. Bate needs a good hard look at a trade table. Wonna would have been more use selling pies today. I think that we did well given how poor our hands were around the contest and how often we were out thought or out positioned at stop-plays.

[hrob 2]

yes morton butchered the ball today but he took some great contested marks n to say he is far from our best 22 is the biggest over reaction.

bate however seems to be at the cross roads in his career, its seems he isn't really a key position forward, maybe his better suited as a midfielder but is there enough room?

[Neita3000 37]

Morton isn't as bad as people make him out to be.

I've got plenty of time for Cale. He did a bad turn over in the last because our forwards were stagnant.

[waynewussell 4,081]

Wayne, I thought that morton was the only bloke that looied to create run off halfback in the first quarter when we looked stagnant. Bate needs a good hard look at a trade table. Wonna would have been more use selling pies today. I think that we did well given how poor our hands were around the contest and how often we were out thought or out positioned at stop-plays.

Hi Tim, Wonna did create forward pressure but, yes, he didn't get enough of it. Bate is not improving. We need to find a replacement... on this we agree! Today we couldn't shut down a few of their running players. In the end a bloke who retired and a bloke who has played 300 (and isn't far from retirement) beat us. The future looks good!

Edited August 29, 2010 by waynewussell

[Grandson of a gun 276]

I agree with you on Morton. A liability.

Michael Newton played a better game than Morton tonight, He tried real hard close in with some good handball gives.

What. Newton was terrible and was the liability, every time he went into the ruck North got a run on. He is a spud.

Exactly!!!!! Not to mention the one close to goal which he converted when we had to have a goal. His kicking is a weakness, but he can kick 55 - 60m He can run better than most his height. He will put on a few kilos and he is UNTOUCHABLE!!!!!!! I've heard all the bull about a small ticker... FRUCK!!!! he missed the first third of the season because he backed into a pack v Bombers at Draft Cheat Park in the pre-season. He needs to be given more time! Anyone with any footy nouse what-so-ever would know that his positives outweigh his negatives. GIVE THE MORTON BASHING A REST MORONS!!!!!

Spot on Wayne. Morton just needs to keep working hard in the pre-season and get an injury free run and i reckon he will be back to his best.

Wayne, I thought that morton was the only bloke that looied to create run off halfback in the first quarter when we looked stagnant. Bate needs a good hard look at a trade table. Wonna would have been more use selling pies today. I think that we did well given how poor our hands were around the contest and how often we were out thought or out positioned at stop-plays.

Agree Wona didn't get much of the ball but he chased and tackled like the devil possessed all day today and it resulted in a couple of goals. We just needed him to get more of the spilt ball in the forward line himself.

North simply used the ball better. We turned it over too often and undid all our good work.

[Deeoldfart 7,713]

Morton seems like a player who is constantly over thinking when he has the ball. He looks scared about taking a risk and have it be the wrong option, but this indecision usually leads to errors anyway.

Hard to disagree Jerry. Seems totally bereft of confidence at the moment, and he hasn't progressed as we would have hoped / expected. Hopefully, with a full pre-season, and no extended injury setbacks, he can develop the level self-belief that will be needed for him to hold down a regular spot in our team in 2011.

[PeterJames 46]

And Morton os only 20? I think he will become a very good player. SO versatile, just needs a big preseason.

Wona is a worry, we actually need a small forward badly. Bennel is not the answer and based on his form today if the season went on any longer he would be in the VFL 2's. MAric got a bit of it but sprayed it far to much.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Bate's a good player, but we all know when coming off injury niggles and droppings, he takes time to get going again.

Odd choice to play him this week. But then, so was playing Juice... and Miller not playing...

[DeeSpencer 23,061]

Morton is badly lacking a position at the moment. I wouldn't call him soft because he is still 193cm and built like a rake so he has awkward moments, but he doesn't have the intensity. It's that more than plane lack of courage. I wonder if we will see him off half back again, moved to CHF or continued in this tall wingman role.

Bate is a worry. He needs to come back from preseason with massively increased speed and second effort. I wonder whether either the injury in preseason and a desire to bulk him up has backfired. Dunn , Jurrah, Green, Petterd are much better medium sized forwards on current form. This season he has still played some very good games but his second half of the year has been very disappointing and in a way I'm glad his season is over. I'm sure he knows what he needs to do before next year.

[Sir Why You Little 34,429]

What. Newton was terrible and was the liability, every time he went into the ruck North got a run on. He is a spud.

When has Newton ever been a Ruckmen in the side?? We need to work on our Ruckmen over Summer BIG TIME. Jamar needs support.

Morton can take a mark yes, but his use with the ball is pretty ordinary-even my old man said that tonight. Morton Gotta go he said!!

[sylvinator 96]

I have faith Morton will make it.

He has elite running ability, ability to find space, terrific overhead marking and rare ability to find the ball.

2 things holding him back

- some poor decision making which i think is being exacerbated by his low confidence.

- he needs to develop his body so that he can exert more physical pressure on every contest

If it clicks with Cale, he could be one of our best players. I hope its next year. People forget very quickly that last year he was a shining light in an otherwise depressing season.

He has the ability, he just needs to work on his game and put it all together

[Grandson of a gun 276]

When has Newton ever been a Ruckmen in the side?? We need to work on our Ruckmen over Summer BIG TIME. Jamar needs support.

Morton can take a mark yes, but his use with the ball is pretty ordinary-even my old man said that tonight. Morton Gotta go he said!!

He's never been a player. Period. He gave us nothing as a forward and nothing in the ruck.

I agree Jamar needs support but Juice ain't the answer.

I have faith Morton will make it.

He has elite running ability, ability to find space, terrific overhead marking and rare ability to find the ball.

2 things holding him back

- some poor decision making which i think is being exacerbated by his low confidence.

- he needs to develop his body so that he can exert more physical pressure on every contest

If it clicks with Cale, he could be one of our best players. I hope its next year. People forget very quickly that last year he was a shining light in an otherwise depressing season.

He has the ability, he just needs to work on his game and put it all together

Spot on Sylvinator.

[bush demon 1,875]

I agree with you on Morton. A liability.

Michael Newton played a better game than Morton tonight, He tried real hard close in with some good handball gives.

What? Morton was one guy who has taking big overhead marks in the second half of the game. I thought his marking game was a breakthrough for him.

[Red&BlueBlood 61]

People gotta give Cale some time and remember he had a pretty serious knee injury in the pre season.

IS being grromed to take the Cam Bruce role in the team, similar players except Cale is better due to running capacity and distance of kicking. 1 thing i dont agree with is that Bruce started his career as a FWD, Cale has played back for most... I think with his marking ability he would be a good FWD or HFF...?

For those who think Bate is in the best 22 just ask yourself who would you leave out if Pettard was fit all year to fit Bate in also? Wouldnt be Watts, and Bate cant be a small FWD... Sadly for Matty Bate(if he isnt off the the GC) he has become a depth player at Melbourne.

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

Morton just needs to work on his kicking. Give him 10 kgs (may not happen, though) and some self belief and he could easily kick 40+ a year.

Bate was just horrible today. I've always been a fan but he seems like he won't make it in our uninjured best 22. Excuse the pun but trade bate maybe?

[Sir Why You Little 34,429]

What? Morton was one guy who has taking big overhead marks in the second half of the game. I thought his marking game was a breakthrough for him.

sure but what did he do with the ball once he had taken those marks?

I want the team to play in september next year....is Cale going to be good enough to do that?

[Sir Why You Little 34,429]

He's never been a player. Period. He gave us nothing as a forward and nothing in the ruck.

I agree Jamar needs support but Juice ain't the answer.

I never said juice was Jamars 2 I C. he did some pretty good things around Centre Half Forward tonight Newton, whether it will save his career i am not sure, but Newton cops a bagging & i thought Tonight he wasn't too bad.

[Jaded No More 57,730]

Morton is all class. He took some great contested marks today and made very good runs for us.

Bate is struggling. He can't keep his feet and is slow so when he doesn't win the ball we have lost the contest.

Oh and whoever said Newton was better than Morton today needs to get off the crack.