Big Blokes take time to develop - be patient

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Look i'm not interested in arguing about your posts but have another look; one minute you say he screams class the next you say it's too early to tell. You say we will be saying WhoTF is Darling the next you say you rate him.

The last post in the ones you claim was actually posted by Freak; saying he will be better than Watts.

End of story now.

He does scream class.

And time will tell whether he can scream class in the AFL.

See the difference?

I don't think so..

I really don't like arguing with you Robbie, but you make it so easy. You just never give in. You're a stubborn one

[Dee Fan 3,247]

He does scream class.

And time will tell whether he can scream class in the AFL.

See the difference?

I don't think so..

I really don't like arguing with you Robbie, but you make it so easy. You just never give in. You're a stubborn one

Are you serious, have another read and stop posting contrary comments, then we'll have nothing to argue about.

If you keep poking the stick at someone you'll get a response, if you don't want to engage then stop provoking and stop responding; it's easy.

[Yoda 33]

Just on Darling ... I thought the second half of his season was quite ordinary. Either he tired or opposition coaches had him worked out, or a bit of both. Jury still out I think.

[demonglory 60]

I believe that your first pick in any draft should be the best player available and i simply don't think he was the best player available. I'm more than happy with MacDonald, and Howe is playing good football. Cook has a long way to go to convince me he was the best player available at selection 12 in that draft and I must confess I was shocked when his name was called out.

We will see what happens, but it's a long way from the Casey Seconds to the MCG.

I think we might be forgetting that Cook went to the seconds due to hip soreness and has had post season hip surgery.

Before that time I saw him play some very nice games for Casey as a first year tall player.

He looks quality to me and he was not selected at all Australian CFH in the U18's for nothing.

If he remains injury free he will be a quality fwd for the Dees for many years to come

[rhaz 342]

From all the reports i heard about Cook, the reason he struggled at times was purely because of his frame/confidence against bigger bodies. All the positive comments were about his natural skills and feel for the game - stuff you cant teach.

He'll be fine, and the problem we'll have of "who to fit" will be a good one.

[nutbean 8,837]

I believe that your first pick in any draft should be the best player available and i simply don't think he was the best player available. I'm more than happy with MacDonald, and Howe is playing good football. Cook has a long way to go to convince me he was the best player available at selection 12 in that draft and I must confess I was shocked when his name was called out.

We will see what happens, but it's a long way from the Casey Seconds to the MCG.

Cook was the AA CHF so he was well credentialled. But I suppose thats where the problem comes in. The young midfielders at TAC level are more than often further developed than the young Talls so you do have use a little more imagination to ascertain as to how good you think the talls will be. A few mids tear it up at TAC level and then produce decent football from day one at AFL but how many talls do that ?

It is so difficult as you are comparing something that can give you a return fairly quickly as opposed to something that will take maybe a year or two more. That is not to say over the journey the tall may not turn out to give a better return and be the better pick. So I disagree with your comment that you can tell that there were better picks available at no 12. The perfect often cited example is that there were heaps of better early draft picks options than Goddard as he took 5 years to come on.

The list at the top shows that talls develop more slowly - so if you want instant return then absolutely there were better options at pick 12. You draft for 10 years not 2 years.

Lets have this discussion when the boy is 22 - we should see he has to offer at that stage

[nutbean 8,837]

I think we might be forgetting that Cook went to the seconds due to hip soreness and has had post season hip surgery.

Before that time I saw him play some very nice games for Casey as a first year tall player.

He looks quality to me and he was not selected at all Australian CFH in the U18's for nothing.

If he remains injury free he will be a quality fwd for the Dees for many years to come

I still come from a more conservative camp - I dont write off U23 footballers quickly as they are learning their craft and developing harder bodies. By the same token - I dont make sweeping pronouncements on these young footballers "making it" as glimpses of talent may turning into nothing - Ryan Ferguson springs to mind. Cook may or may not make it.

From the glimpses I have seen the three that excite me ( in order) - Jeremy Howe - X factor, Tom McDonald in his two games looked to have time, Troy Davis - looks very solid and composed. Not to say any of these three will make it - just excited at what i have seen so far. ( and using some imagination !)