Bartram Blanket Man

[Choko 493]

Thats a very good starting point for the foundation of hard work.

Unfortunately, his kicking and handballs are too often ineffective, or worse, he turns it over. You can't get a game in a good side if you can't deliver the ball, especially when you don't have other party tricks.

I don't think Barts would get a game at any other club.

[Arsene Wenger 72]

Your right 'AW', but what better way to see the backlines weaknesses & fix them as we build the new defence.

And the Mids are forced to be exposed, showing who's doing IT & who aren't. Transparency.

A good way for all to see the reality.

And a good way to start to work harder to win our own ball, instead of many relying on a few, to do the hard responsible things, whilst others simply do as they choose.

One step back to take 2 steps forward.

I'm perplexed by those that expected an already bad side, learning a gameplan that is almost the polar opposite to the previous one, to just turn it on from Round 1 and be able to implement it effectively.

History shows that such drastic changes sometimes work, but they always take a significant amount of time to integrate into the playing list.

As Neeld has pointed out, some players who thought they were firmly entrenched in the squad, will either make significant adjustments or find themselves looking for another club (probably in another league).

It'll take time.

But I don't think it will take as long to turn this around as some think.

[dpositive 1,669]

I hope it doesnt take too much time

But there are still occaisons for a tagger and if we have someone with that skill we should use them

Thats the coaches job I thought Get the best out of what you have- add to it- exploit opposition weakenesses but to rigidly apply a structure that doesnt work with tools that dont work doesnt seem sensible to me.

Maybe the coach has learnt plenty from this match and has much to tell the players. I hope so

and I hope this means instant improvement

[Range Rover 1,935]

Tagging would be the only way to keep Bartram in the side. As a defender he is finished at AFL level. He's been serving up slops in terms of horrible turnovers for years. At some stage it has to stop.

This is a guy in the leadership group who can run, has good speed and can tackle well. Save his career and give him 10 weeks in the guts or get rid of him.

Agree. It's tag or die for Bartram. He has no other value.

[Biffen 12,944]

I think the dedicated tagging role is his only hope-at least it takes him into the action and gives him a chance to learn off some of the best .

Barty the butcher really does have offal disposal .

[beelzebub 23,380]

Barty was , and often is just this side of useless. The end

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Tagging would be the only way to keep Bartram in the side. As a defender he is finished at AFL level. He's been serving up slops in terms of horrible turnovers for years. At some stage it has to stop.

This is a guy in the leadership group who can run, has good speed and can tackle well. Save his career and give him 10 weeks in the guts or get rid of him.

Spot on. Only problem is, if he gets a clearance or receives one, he tends to butcher it no matter where he is on the field. But i'd still like him to be given a chance through the middle. Not sure about 10 weeks lol. Maybe 6 max. But couldn't do much worse than Sylvia or Beamer through there at this point.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Im not sure ol Barty has in within him to be cleverer than his opponents and best them. Tagging needs a player to understand which way they will zig or zag and cover them. Saturday was a classic example of how he is constantly outplayed. I dont suggest he lacks endeavour, just smarts/ability.

[Akum 2,660]

I think your partly onto it monoccular. IMO Neeld is going to try to get us to win the majority of the stoppages ourselves and leave us exposed to the Guns of the opposition deliberately exposing us to the Footy elements. The pressure of the oppositions ball winning, will put our defenders and leadership under constant pressure, casing IMO a mini 'Uprising' within, & some calling spades a spade situation. Bringing much of our weak culture to a head inside the club. I think this can Bear Fruit. causing much needed change.

This was what I was banking on, more out of hope than anything - that Neeld made no moves when we were getting smashed, in order to expose us to the harsh glare of reality etc.

But then Neeld said he was surprised that we lost so badly. So ... er, no, he just did nothing about it.

One of my criticisms of Bailey was that he never made any moves to stem the flow at the critical time when the game was starting to slip away from us. And others at that time gave a similar explanation - it's because he wants to teach them to work it out for themselves etc. But we know now that it was because he wasn't capable of making any moves when they need to be made.

And Neeld? Well, all I can say is that I hope it doesn't take us the best part of 4 years to find out whether he can make the right move at the right time or not. It's a basic part of a coach's job.

Edited April 2, 2012 by Akum

[rpfc 28,542]

There is a reason Batram is in the LG.

I don't think he will be cast aside so easily.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

I wouldn't mind seeing Bartram playing as a small forward, alla Denis armfield played like for Carlton. Sure his disposal is not great, but his fitness and his defensive pressure would be a real asset in our forward line which struggles to apply defensive pressure. This could mean we could put blease on the wing meaning weave some cleaner disposal coming into our forward line through blease who Is a genuine outside player, and then bennell into a back pocket, where again the class disposal and his run can come in handy, it would give us two outside options with cleaner disposal into our fwd 50. Justa thought

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

I think tribute should be paid to Bartram for the incredibly gutsy mark he took in front of the Members' Stand in ? Q3. As brave as anything J. Brown or Reiwoldt has done. Was punch-drunk for 15 min after it. I know we continued to play poorly after it, but it should have been an inspiration to the team from a member of the leadership group.

[Arsene Wenger 72]

There is a reason Batram is in the LG.

I don't think he will be cast aside so easily.

It's clearly not for his disposal or decision making...

[beelzebub 23,380]

There is a reason Batram is in the LG.

I don't think he will be cast aside so easily.

I for one wouldnt mind knowing what is is. Damned if I saw anything to rave about on Sat. He wasnt aone but he was costly.

[rpfc 28,542]

I for one wouldnt mind knowing what is is. Damned if I saw anything to rave about on Sat. He wasnt aone but he was costly.

I think that mark he took while Frawley 'protected him' gives an insight.

He has faultless courage, and I want him to be given a chance to become a role player with a singular focus - if Steven Baker can play in a GF side. Batram can.

[Guest Dr Who]

Well Priddis killed us, clean & precise around clearances.

Hope its not 3 in a row - we must kill Cotchin

[monoccular 17,438]

Spot on. Only problem is, if he gets a clearance or receives one, he tends to butcher it no matter where he is on the field. But i'd still like him to be given a chance through the middle. Not sure about 10 weeks lol. Maybe 6 max. But couldn't do much worse than Sylvia or Beamer through there at this point.

?.......especially as Sylvia, and apparently Moloney when he owns up to it, are injured at this point.

[jnrmac 20,109]

My 'Clint meter' has gone from 7 (useful but with flaws) to 0 (flaws totally outweigh any positives he might have).

As for leadership, I am not sure what Neeld saw but I ca't see it either.