Training - Monday 23rd January, 2012

[gsmith12 491]

... but what's to say that he won't improve dramatically gsmith12?

He already has one weapon that his main competitors for the position don't have and that's his excellent disposal, particularly by foot.

Add to the fact that on my one visit to pre season training, he appeared to be the most improved in terms of physical development, that's a good start.

Give him time to regain his confidence after that break and lutz could prove to be right on the money.

One can only comment on what one has seen Jack and in this regard Strauss has been particularly disappointing. His defensive work has been timid and tentative, he does not get hold of the Sherrin often enough and I'm yet to see his much vaunted kicking skills at top level.

If you are seeking any confirmation, take a look at the Port game in Darwin prior to his injury and you will see that James was simply terrible in a winning side.

He will need to do a great deal more than prance around in peak condition during the pre season to change my view.

Mind you, should he improve dramatically and cement a place in the top side, I will be the first to post complimentary remarks.

[Deeoldfart 7,992]

Agree with you on LJ. He's the best kick at the club, in my opinion.

Agree GTG. We all know about his goal kicking, but who could ever forget this pin point pass to Brad Miller against StKilda in 2010:

http://youtu.be/80vT8N3pDCs

[H_T 3,032]

Sorry but I have read that everywhere and am yet to see the 'Luke Hodge laser left foot' of Strauss. In fact all I have seen is horrible mongrel drop punts from Strauss. I honestly reckon its an urban myth.

There is only one 'Luke Hodge laser left foot' in the comp jnr. If Strauss is capable up to 75% of what Hodge produces by foot, we'll be happy campers.

[savoydee 6]

Strauss showed great foot skills in the Under 18's running through the centre with ong penetrating kick, however, when it comes to the top grade he seems to be tremendously under pressure. His guts and determination in getting his body right, and his leg (in particular) I hope he gais the confidence to produce his skillsets in the top grade when he once again gains the opportunity.He hopes to be right to gain a game later in the NAB cup.

[Freak 100]

Goddard is easily the best kick in the comp. Hodge is great but ask any hawthorn supporter, he has butchered the ball in some big games.

[drdrake 3,117]

It's amazing that every training report turns into a player debate. As far as I concerned I'm taking the Mark Neeld clean slate stance on the all our players. They have all been under developed over the past 3 seasons we are going to learn a lot more about them this year.

[Bossdog 2,002]

It's amazing that every training report turns into a player debate. As far as I concerned I'm taking the Mark Neeld clean slate stance on the all our players. They have all been under developed over the past 3 seasons we are going to learn a lot more about them this year.

Hear Hear

[The Chazz 4,077]

Agree with you on LJ. He's the best kick at the club, in my opinion.

I don't share the same opinion GTG, I think Flash is a long way in front of the field, it's just that because of his 2011, a lot of people have dropped off him (which is warranted!).

Aussie was a beautiful kick of the ball, and LJ is easily our best set shot at goal.

[mordja 187]

It's amazing that every training report turns into a player debate. As far as I concerned I'm taking the Mark Neeld clean slate stance on the all our players. They have all been under developed over the past 3 seasons we are going to learn a lot more about them this year.

Sanity....here?

Get out.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Strauss showed great foot skills in the Under 18's running through the centre with ong penetrating kick, however, when it comes to the top grade he seems to be tremendously under pressure. His guts and determination in getting his body right, and his leg (in particular) I hope he gais the confidence to produce his skillsets in the top grade when he once again gains the opportunity.He hopes to be right to gain a game later in the NAB cup.

Has had a bit to do with our "game plan" I feel.

I think a number of our players with perfectly good disposal have been made to look average due to our tendency to be closed down by the better sides.

Even the best kick in the league needs a viable target.

[Whispering_Jack 29,157]

Goddard is easily the best kick in the comp. Hodge is great but ask any hawthorn supporter, he has butchered the ball in some big games.

The reality is that everybody "butchers" the ball at some time but some butcher more than others.

I recently watched one of the games in the Foxtel Close Encounters series - round 1 of last year between Geelong and St. Kilda. The disposal of players on both sides was appalling, especially in the first half. Some of the players who were butchering the ball were players who are normally pretty precise with their kicking. Perhaps I got them on a bad day or they were nervous or rusty because it was round 1 but you would have gotten the impression from that game that even a Goddard was an ordinary kick.

That's obviously not the case in the long run and, from what I've seen of Strauss over the past four years, and that includes TAC Cup, VFL and AFL games, has been well above average.

[hardtack 10,400]

Agree with you on LJ. He's the best kick at the club, in my opinion.

Seems we have all forgotten about a young forward named Watts...his ability to pinpoint passes to team mates has for the most part been superlative.

[old55 22,758]

It's amazing that every training report turns into a player debate. As far as I concerned I'm taking the Mark Neeld clean slate stance on the all our players. They have all been under developed over the past 3 seasons we are going to learn a lot more about them this year.

If we had a separate sub-forum with a thread per player this wouldn't happen - conversation about particular players could be directed to that thread and we wouldn't have the 300 threads hi-jacked by yet another Morton analysis session. The other advantage is that it would keep all conversation about the player in one place so we'd be able to trace changing opinions and keep people honest - I'm as guilty as anyone. I've suggested this to the mods a few ttimes but it's gone nowhere - maybe if there is sufficient member groundswell we could get it to happen. The "Change Rooms" sub-forum under the Melbourne Demons forum on Big Footy is the idea.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

One can only comment on what one has seen Jack and in this regard Strauss has been particularly disappointing. His defensive work has been timid and tentative, he does not get hold of the Sherrin often enough and I'm yet to see his much vaunted kicking skills at top level.

If you are seeking any confirmation, take a look at the Port game in Darwin prior to his injury and you will see that James was simply terrible in a winning side.

He will need to do a great deal more than prance around in peak condition during the pre season to change my view.

Mind you, should he improve dramatically and cement a place in the top side, I will be the first to post complimentary remarks.

Another benefit of hindsight post perhaps, but I recall virtually every poster on 'land and 'ology who followed the prospective draftees at the time pencilled in Zaharakis for either pick 17 or 19 in the relevant draft. We then picked Strauss with pick 19, which was thought to be a rather left field selection.

I hope he turns out to be okay, particularly given that Zaharakis has already won a B&F with the Dons.

As they say, if you hear hooves beating, think horses, not zebras. Perhaps it would've paid off for us to have taken the obvious choice here rather than the left field one. Good luck to him, but not picking Zaharakis has always troubled me.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

If we had a separate sub-forum with a thread per player this wouldn't happen - conversation about particular players could be directed to that thread and we wouldn't have the 300 threads hi-jacked by yet another Morton analysis session. The other advantage is that it would keep all conversation about the player in one place so we'd be able to trace changing opinions and keep people honest - I'm as guilty as anyone. I've suggested this to the mods a few ttimes but it's gone nowhere - maybe if there is sufficient member groundswell we could get it to happen. The "Change Rooms" sub-forum under the Melbourne Demons forum on Big Footy is the idea.

There once was a seperate board with exactly this, maybe about three years ago from memory.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

If we had a separate sub-forum with a thread per player this wouldn't happen - conversation about particular players could be directed to that thread and we wouldn't have the 300 threads hi-jacked by yet another Morton analysis session. The other advantage is that it would keep all conversation about the player in one place so we'd be able to trace changing opinions and keep people honest - I'm as guilty as anyone. I've suggested this to the mods a few ttimes but it's gone nowhere - maybe if there is sufficient member groundswell we could get it to happen. The "Change Rooms" sub-forum under the Melbourne Demons forum on Big Footy is the idea.

why don't you just make a thread for each player on the list in the main board and bump them all on regular occasions. It's not spamming and it will force their hand in making a new board just to save this one

[Nasher 33,607]

If we had a separate sub-forum with a thread per player this wouldn't happen - conversation about particular players could be directed to that thread and we wouldn't have the 300 threads hi-jacked by yet another Morton analysis session. The other advantage is that it would keep all conversation about the player in one place so we'd be able to trace changing opinions and keep people honest - I'm as guilty as anyone. I've suggested this to the mods a few ttimes but it's gone nowhere - maybe if there is sufficient member groundswell we could get it to happen. The "Change Rooms" sub-forum under the Melbourne Demons forum on Big Footy is the idea.

But then you get the unreadable 300 page mega-threads like on Punt Road End. That's almost worse than the odd thread hijack, IMO. You can effectively moderate real thread hijacks out, but there's nothing you can do to make a mega-thread interesting to read.

[Nasher 33,607]

There once was a seperate board with exactly this, maybe about three years ago from memory.

Try six years ago - we had when we first cut over to the new software back in 2005, but abandoned it quickly because it sucked.

[old dee 23,482]

Another benefit of hindsight post perhaps, but I recall virtually every poster on 'land and 'ology who followed the prospective draftees at the time pencilled in Zaharakis for either pick 17 or 19 in the relevant draft. We then picked Strauss with pick 19, which was thought to be a rather left field selection.

I hope he turns out to be okay, particularly given that Zaharakis has already won a B&F with the Dons.

As they say, if you hear hooves beating, think horses, not zebras. Perhaps it would've paid off for us to have taken the obvious choice here rather than the left field one. Good luck to him, but not picking Zaharakis has always troubled me.

You know it is probably only going to get worse (Your worry that is )

Strauss has a very long way to go before he wins the MFC B & F.

To start with he has to get over a shockingly bad leg break.

That might make 2012 an average year on it's own.

In my wildest dreams I do not see him winning one before 2013 if ever.

Suffer on with me Ron B

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

no need to sugar coat it big guy

[old dee 23,482]

no need to sugar coat it big guy

Glad to see you are back with a better avatar SM!

[Robbie57 2,001]

As they say, if you hear hooves beating, think horses, not zebras.

Unless you are in the Serengeti.

[old55 22,758]

But then you get the unreadable 300 page mega-threads like on Punt Road End. That's almost worse than the odd thread hijack, IMO. You can effectively moderate real thread hijacks out, but there's nothing you can do to make a mega-thread interesting to read.

You can read the parts you want to - just the recent stuff or just the stuff from posters that interest you - at least everything is in one place. I don't see the problem.

IMO there is a problem now with 30 threads on Morton's development that didn't start out on that topic.

[H_T 3,032]

Another benefit of hindsight post perhaps, but I recall virtually every poster on 'land and 'ology who followed the prospective draftees at the time pencilled in Zaharakis for either pick 17 or 19 in the relevant draft. We then picked Strauss with pick 19, which was thought to be a rather left field selection.

I hope he turns out to be okay, particularly given that Zaharakis has already won a B&F with the Dons.

As they say, if you hear hooves beating, think horses, not zebras. Perhaps it would've paid off for us to have taken the obvious choice here rather than the left field one. Good luck to him, but not picking Zaharakis has always troubled me.

I've read your take on Zaharakis a couple of times Ron. I thought I'd add my two bob.

At the time I was keen on him, but I was also keen on Blease. During the TAC Cup games, they both performed well and both had similar traits in burning off opponents, breaking lines etc. IIRC Blease was considered to go a little earlier than pick 17 in a few of the 'experts' analysis or what we call phantom drafts. When we landed Blease I was pleased. The Strauss pick wasn't that surprising for me, because he had been mentioned on D'land leading into the draft. Somewhat positive. Like you, I have thought about it and without knowing the inner sanctum thoughts, maybe they saw similarities in Blease and Zaharakis and saw someone who might take the small defender role or half back role with a decent kick - like Strauss ?

[jayceebee31 697]

Has had a bit to do with our "game plan" I feel.

I think a number of our players with perfectly good disposal have been made to look average due to our tendency to be closed down by the better sides.

Even the best kick in the league needs a viable target.

With respect,I ask"What game plan"- I feel all players would have been at a loss in knowing what do do- what was required.However.James definitely requires confidence and he has struggled with the pace of the game IMO.I hope the injury has not affected his pace any more than before.

Edited January 24, 2012 by jayceebee31