I was enjoying this thread until I read your comment Lutz.

No offence but James will need to improve dramatically on previous efforts to hold down any position in the top side.

I'm going to call it now: Strauss will become our first choice lockdown small defender.

Boom.

That is a big call Lutz.

Do you mean this year? From the start or by "..will become.." do you mean over the next year or two.

In the few games I have seen him play his defence was his weakest aspect. Will need a lot of work there.

It wouldn't be a big call, it would be a ginormous one were it from the start of 2012, given his injury.

Every other time I have watched Cook train post Xmas he has been on a modified program. Today he did everything with main group, including some extra goalkicking with Dunn after training. He was fumbly and dropped some marks, but moved well and got through what was a solid 2 hour session.

Thanks.

What is the injury from which he is recovering?

Thanks.

What is the injury from which he is recovering?

beanpolitis i think

beanpolitis i think

Very good 8.5 score

I'll counter the big call earlier and say Bennell will be our first choice lock down defender for crumbers but in a year or so Strauss will be a very capable and versatile defender who can defensively or offensively, just needs a lot more time now due to injury.

................

-Loved the amount of physical stuff going on. Plenty of body contact and pressure during the drills. Players were sheparding for each other and looking to make space, basic stuff but we've been horrible at it the last few years. Late in the session Frawley and Clark had a bit of a wrestle. Clark had been killing Sellars in a drill where they'd burst from the goalsquare while one of the coaches kicked it in from CHF. Sellars took a knock and went off for a bit and Chippa moved onto Clark and started to bump him off the ball. After one or two Clark responded and before long they had each other by the scruff of the neck and were going at it about as hard as you can in modern footy. By the end of it a shredded orange vest lay on the ground but I couldn't remember who had been wearing it. Loved this from our big bloke bookends, neither will take a backward step.

........................

It warms my heart to read that the competitive juices are already on show and its only January. Great stuff, and a positive sign for the future! I can't remember when it last happened at Melbourne.

It warms my heart to read that the competitive juices are already on show and its only January. Great stuff, and a positive sign for the future! I can't remember when it last happened at Melbourne.

ditto!

-Loved the amount of physical stuff going on. Plenty of body contact and pressure during the drills. Players were sheparding for each other and looking to make space, basic stuff but we've been horrible at it the last few years.

hell yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

answer me this - 80 min game. if you get 30 touches, you may have the ball for say 2 seconds each possession - thats a minute out of 80. so what do you do for the other 79 mins? you run your guts out, support the bloke with the ball, you man up and you defend like your life depends on it!

edit: ok so my question was rhetorical.

Edited January 23, 201213 yr by Benno

I was enjoying this thread until I read your comment Lutz.

No offence but James will need to improve dramatically on previous efforts to hold down any position in the top side.

... 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.

Thanks.

What is the injury from which he is recovering?

Hip replacement, he had No style. He now wears plaid with check shirts a beret & a cravat.

Hip replacement, he had No style. He now wears plaid with check shirts a beret & a cravat.

Hip replacement or hip operation?

I don't know what surgery he had but a replacement for a teenager sounds a bit radical.

... 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.

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.

jnrmac, I agree (to a point)... Strauss has not got the kicking skills of Tapscott, for instance... he can kick it a fair way but hitting targets without giving it too much hang time is another thing. Strauss is developing and he could win back his place during the season, which would be a fantastic achievement after his shocking injury.

I can't believe the ignorance of Strauss' immaculate disposal skills.

He is the best kick at the club after Davey and maybe Jurrah.

Better than Tapscott.

Edited January 23, 201213 yr by Lutz

I can't believe the ignorance of Strauss' immaculate disposal skills.

He is the best kick at the club after Davey and maybe Jurrah.

Better than Tapscott.

now thats a big call.

I can't believe the ignorance of Strauss' immaculate disposal skills.

He is the best kick at the club after Davey and maybe Jurrah.

Better than Tapscott.

Sometimes I wonder if you're a Richmond supporter in disguise, Lutz.

I agree with Lutz up to a point in that he has the ability to become a very good player. Before his injury he was just starting to show us what he's got. Hopefully his injury has made him realize how quickly a footy career can be ended, and now he'll take his opportunities and work his rear off to become what he has the ability to be.

I think he has yet to prove that he will be a part of the best 22 every week though. He has quite a way to go in this regard.

Better than Tapscott.

His kicking has potential to be good (in game situations it has been average) but he is no where near as good as Tapscott.

His kicking has potential to be good (in game situations it has been average) but he is no where near as good as Tapscott.

He may not have the depth of kick that Tapscott has but the kid can kick. I went to the $ Casey game last year where Strauss' kicking was a feature and one of the primary reasons he got back into the senior side. Sometimes his decision making at senior level is not great but he has only played 11 games.

His kicking has potential to be good (in game situations it has been average) but he is no where near as good as Tapscott.

This is where I like to debate. I'm not making an example of you here CB but one thing that frustrates me is the continual idea of Tapscott being the best kick in the team. Just because he is the longest doesn't relate to being the best in my opinion. I watched alot of his early kick outs last year that missed a heap of short targets and when he is trying to pinpoint again I question the elite aspect. Fantastic at releasing a big bomb but just not for me in terms of our best kick. Id way prefer a Jimmy Bartel in the centre circle to find a leading forward than Luke.

That said he is only 20..

I can't believe the ignorance of Strauss' immaculate disposal skills.

He is the best kick at the club after Davey and maybe Jurrah.

Better than Tapscott.

It's amazing how much Strauss has improved since he got injured. He is yet to play one decent AFL game.

Bartrum will continue to be the number one lockdown small defender. Stauss, if he does improve as much as you believe he has, will be a running half back flanker.

This is where I like to debate. I'm not making an example of you here CB but one thing that frustrates me is the continual idea of Tapscott being the best kick in the team. Just because he is the longest doesn't relate to being the best in my opinion. I watched alot of his early kick outs last year that missed a heap of short targets and when he is trying to pinpoint again I question the elite aspect. Fantastic at releasing a big bomb but just not for me in terms of our best kick. Id way prefer a Jimmy Bartel in the centre circle to find a leading forward than Luke.

That said he is only 20..

Who do you propose as the best kick on the team?

You would have to pencil Aaron Davey in as the bloke who you'd like to be pin pointing passes out of defence wouldn't you?

As for best kick on set shot goal I'd have to say LJ or even Greeny ( as long as the games not on the line )

You would have to pencil Aaron Davey in as the bloke who you'd like to be pin pointing passes out of defence wouldn't you?

As for best kick on set shot goal I'd have to say LJ or even Greeny ( as long as the games not on the line )

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