Barry Prendergast on SEN @12.15

[beelzebub 22,586]

Just had a listen and to reinforce what HT alluded to I think Barry is looking at football ability as being the the number 1 , 2, and 3 aspects with all else as a indicator if appropriate.

Im not really interested in whether a Melbourne player can feed the world, write an essay or wax lyrical about life goals etc etc.. I just want him to be able to kick a ball, that would be nice.

[Rogue 585]

Just had a listen and to reinforce what HT alluded to I think Barry is looking at football ability as being the the number 1 , 2, and 3 aspects with all else as a indicator if appropriate.

Im not really interested in whether a Melbourne player can feed the world, write an essay or wax lyrical about life goals etc etc.. I just want him to be able to kick a ball, that would be nice.

How about having the drive to turn up to preseason training in top condition, the confidence to bounce back after a torrid quarter, or the ability to withstand the pressure of a shot for goal after the siren to win a game?

PS. No one's saying footy ability isn't the primary indicator so a reply along those lines doesn't take anything away from the argument that interviews are worth doing.

[beelzebub 22,586]

How about having the drive to turn up to preseason training in top condition, the confidence to bounce back after a torrid quarter, or the ability to withstand the pressure of a shot for goal after the siren to win a game?

PS. No one's saying footy ability isn't the primary indicator so a reply along those lines doesn't take anything away from the argument that interviews are worth doing.

Youre very good at taking things out of context.. and the trend continues.

Strangely the elements you ascribe as being important ( and they are) are all things whcih are PART of actually playing the game. These will have in all relaity already been noted or not as the spies do their job.

Some of the qualities you seek may well show themsleves ininterviews and I didnt say they were useless.. but its the ability to play footy that was Barry's priority. Did you perchance LISTEn to it ?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

While character is no doubt important, successful groups are made up of a mixture of characters - leaders, followers, extroverts, introverts, inside players, rough diamonds etc etc - can't help but feel we focus overly on solid citizens and are a little quick to pass over thise who may create a challenge - the most obvious case being Juhn Butcher - just hope this new regime under MN has enough balls to back themselves to create an environment which caters to the best mix we can put together, not just the nicest.

I dont think that changes at all . Its not about getting the "nicest" personalities. What all clubs are trying to avoid or revalue in the pecking order are:

1. Serial ratbags: Fevola, Angwin - Avoid at all costs.

2. Immature players who will never have the strength of character to fully utilise the abiility - Travis Johnston, Michael Gardiner - I doubt under today's assessment they would be No 1 draft picks.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Bail, McKenzie and Jetta are as hard as nails. Blease is brave, Tapscott stupidly so. Trengove has never taken a short step and while Howe, Davis and McDonald have not been fully tested I've seen nothing to worry about.

Picking players with character means they'll go when it's their turn and in footy that is gold. BP has done that very well I would have thought.

I think people are confusing issues here.

Exactly. People are definitely confusing issues. I am glad that people like BP dont.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,534]

You Know I do not care if their fathers is a member of "hells Angles" I just want someone who is tough and can play well.

I have a vision of geometry teachers in leather jackets and a beard

[old dee 23,122]

I have a vision of geometry teachers in leather jackets and a beard

I have a vision of a mean bastard bursting open a pack to mark in the goal square.

Goes back and kicks the winning goal.

Then gives the bird to the Pies fans.

Fined $5000 but says "who cares we just won the flag".

Well I can dream can't I?

[Guest johnjones]

^^^ lol

[hardtack 10,186]

So we give them the wake up call by rejecting them because they have a mowhawk and threw eggs at a house one day. Awesome, I'm glad we've woken them up for the next team to take advantage of their talent and renewed outlook on life.

Not sure what you were reading DA, but there is absolutely nothing in my post that alludes to anything like you seem to be suggesting I'm talking about. I was talking about their view of themselves in a purely footballing sense. I couldn't give a rat's about what they look like or what they get up to in their spare time (well, within reason).

[Bang Na Demon 132]

Would James McDonald have been drafted/rookie'd under todays stringent analysing at draft camps? From all reports he was a shy and retiring country kid.

Football skills have to come before any personality traits when selecting a kid.

For every Steve Johnson there is a Rod Owen, players with freakish abilities that may or not apply themselves and succeed at league level. I gues sometimes

clubs have to take a punt as West Coast did with Darling. If he messes up this off-season and ends up in jail there will be a lot of people who say 'I knew this

would happen', or he could go on to have a trouble free, premiership playing, leading goalkicker award career. Risk vs Reward.

Being shy and retiring doesn't have to mean to you lack self belief. For that exact reason I'm sure the recruiting staff are switched on enough to look for other clues beyond the obvious that give you an idea of the kid's character and make up in regards to being an afl player

[biggestred 4,409]

Hopefully Barry has worked out how to pick the

wheat from the chaff especially when it comes to

money hungry mercenaries.

Depends how big their nose is

[Fork 'em 6,608]

I'd rather have a kid on the list that had an opinion of himself, over inflated or otherwise, than one who was shy and retiring and lacked confidence.

Knocking the confidence out of a kid can had a detrimental effect on his football career.

I'd like healthy dose of aggression in any new drafts picks also .

A coulple more who like to play on the edge .

Look for white line fever .

Edited October 6, 2011 by Fork 'em

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I'd like healthy dose of aggression in any new drafts picks also .

A coulple more who like to play on the edge .

Look for white line fever .

Can you name the MFC draft picks in the past 2 or 3 years that dont have that? If you chose to examine closely Fan's assessment of new players is spot on. While its not you there is an impression we have only recruited "lilywhites" and its so far from the truth its laughable.

I want players that can make sound decisions under pressure in traffic (eg Geelong midfielders and defenders).

You can skip with "white line fever" stuff. Its unnecessary.

[pitchfork 181]

Depends how big their nose is

Huh?

[hardtack 10,186]

Huh?

Never read Pinnochio as a child? :-)

[Steamin Demon 370]

I agree Robbie it is a lot easier to modify an over confident kid than it is to build one up when it is low.

I have said this often before but the MFC could use a couple of brash ready to go next year types.

You Know I do not care if their fathers is a member of "hells Angles" I just want someone who is tough and can play well.

Case in point, Buddy Franklins father.

[Kento80 83]

I have a vision of a mean bastard bursting open a pack to mark in the goal square.

Goes back and kicks the winning goal.

Then gives the bird to the Pies fans.

Fined $5000 but says "who cares we just won the flag".

Well I can dream can't I?

Haha, love it OD! I don't want a team full of em, but one beast would be nice. I want players who are well behaved in life, but on the field I really couldn't give a brass rhazoo. As long as they aren't doing a Barry Hall (on Staker) impression then as far as I'm concerned the more unsociable on field the better.

[dee-luded 2,958]

What worries me most about this stuff is the apparent significance placed on the "interview process" which seems to cover off things like family, schooling etc as well as football skill, talent, aspirations ..

While character is no doubt important, successful groups are made up of a mixture of characters - leaders, followers, extroverts, introverts, inside players, rough diamonds etc etc - can't help but feel we focus overly on solid citizens and are a little quick to pass over thise who may create a challenge - the most obvious case being Juhn Butcher - just hope this new regime under MN has enough balls to back themselves to create an environment which caters to the best mix we can put together, not just the nicest.

Yeah but, commitment comes from fully buying into the program. If X player is becoming defensive about the demands of AFL, it opens the door to maybe he hasn't the dedication or willingness.

Hard work ethic is first, second, third, and tenth. Then comes talent to take you to the top.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Yes....but. There was a fairly seductive draft pick a couple of years ago who espoused strong family values, one - club player, blah, blah blah.

Methinks there was forked tongue there....

Ah, but was there Loyalty & Selflessness,,, Or Self???

[BAMF 3,812]

Haha, love it OD! I don't want a team full of em, but one beast would be nice.

Edited October 6, 2011 by UTAH

[dee-luded 2,958]

Yeah!

[Kento80 83]

Fair call UTAH. He can be as unsociable as anyone. Big fan

[Theo 263]

Mick Turner said on the radio last night that they would prefer kids that are extroverted and have confidence in their ability.. He said that it is hard to turn an introverted kid into an extrovert.

[hardtack 10,186]

Mick Turner said on the radio last night that they would prefer kids that are extroverted and have confidence in their ability.. He said that it is hard to turn an introverted kid into an extrovert.

I would argue that yes, you cannot just tell an introverted kid to change, but an introverted kid may well come out of himself as he grows more confident in his abilities. I've watched it with my own youngest son who has always been very shy, but this year as he realised he has some good footy skills and was doing well in his Auskick sessions against bigger kids, he has started to be much more outgoing and as a result has more belief in his own ability, resulting in his skills improving at a more rapid rate.

As I said before, I think the kids that may be more problematic are those who have an over-inflated view of their abilities and don't want to listen to advice.

Edited October 6, 2011 by hardtack

[robbiefrom13 877]

Robbie Flower, anyone?