I must be looking at a different game to you Rusty but.....

Jurrah in the middle does not address the midfield problems. He lacks fitness, contested ball winning skills and accountability. Jurrah's class is in finishing and one on one contests not contested scraps.

Although I recognise that our midfield lacks class at times, and we also need one player with super pace, our problem is not in the players on the park. Look at Sydney's 22 and man-by-man we match them. It is the team football we play. Our forward spread and teamwork around stoppages is sub-par. If and when we start to get this right we will beat sides like Sydney, Richmond, Bulldogs etc...

RR you're looking at the response i made to Maldon boy without looking at what i highlighted in red with regard to me selecting particular aspects of comments Maldon was making when responding to him. Please see Maldon Boy's comments that i was referring to in red highlighted above which relate to HIS mention of us needing pace, run and spread. That's what i was pointing to in terms of Jurrah being added to the mid as an outside mid. Not an inside mid that you're claiming is the role i'm claiming he should be playing. Definitely wasn't saying he should be going in and under for scraps. Some contested stuff sure as you would expect when it's any player's turn to go hopefully he'll go and that he seems to be built a little stronger than i recall at the contest. Doesn't mean i'd want him under the packs all day.

I agree he probably isn't match fit to last a whole AFL game atm. So we're in agreement on that (See bolded section from my earlier post below). So not sure why the contrary nature of your thread on that. I also agree he's a much needed finisher. Both when bringing the ball into our forward line, and using it when i50.

....."Jurrah into the middle goes some way towards solving this once he's fully (AFL) match fit and may help solve it this week for say half a match or a little longer at least. Stronger at the contest and bigger than when i last saw him but still has the sublime skills and pace. Occasionaly pushing up forward for the odd assist and crumb."

Cheers

Edited May 18, 201213 yr by Rusty Nails

Having both Bennell and Blease will maximise foot speed but they will have to win the ball.

Agree re foot speed for Blease & Bennell. Blease might win a bit of the ball. I doubt Bennell will get very far on getting it himself though. Hasn't shown he has that in him so far and no pressure going the other way that i've seen. Haven't seen enough of Blease to say whether he'll bring it. TIme will tell i guess.

Martin for Garland is crazy. Garland has been very good this year in a warzone. Martin cant play back or forward and cant hold marks.

We'll agree to disagree. All i can say is look a little closer. Garland's form/confidence/decision making/finish (when to go 3rd man up/when not to go etc) is well down atm. He might find something, not saying he's finished. Took a good look close up at Martin last week. Seemed to be running alot harder, more power through the legs and hips? Much cleaner than i've seen in a while. Good run, good evasive skills, nice finish. Something i haven't seen in Garland consistently other than when downhill skiing when the team's been winning in a canter. And i'm not suggesting Martin to replace him here as a permanent CHB for Garland. Just for the time being until we uncover someone who can or Garland is given time to find his form downstairs for a while . My personal view is that Martin is worth persevering with as a ruckman (2nd to Jamar) for now. Don't see him as remaining as a backman or forward at this point and he might not make it at all, even in the ruck. He did do a reasonable job last year as a temporary replacement for Jamar and IMO probably not much worse in terms of tapping to advantage, albeit Jamar may have him well covered in total number of hit outs. To be expected at this point given where they're at in their development/experience i would have thought though.

And although Dunn had 20+ possessions in the VFL he did not get selected. Given he has been in and out of the side this year, it would seem his candle of hope for his AFL career is flickering out. 8th season and he should be delisted at y/e. Dunn for Watts is backward step. And as you have claimed Watts has it and should be selected.

Agree that Dunn might not make it. Lets hope he can find something during the year to step up a level or so. However, at this point, he adds as much value at the contest as Watts IMO. So what i'm saying is....use Dunn as it's a neutral outcome for us return wise for this week or a few weeks at least until Watts has demonstrated he's got some mongrel for the contest/is willing to be accountable for his man (not leave him run amok when we don't have the ball). This is WATT bugs me about Watts. A seemingly scant disregard to do the hard work when he doesn't have the ball. Give Watts a little more taste of the VFL...might sound crazy but i reckon he needs to fully understand that he needs to step up in this regards in a big way before he just waltzes back in as if he's an auto return, it was just a matter of spending a little time down there. No biggy (attempt at younger generation's view of things lol). IMO this might be the difference and go SOME way towards helping to turn him from a solid developing attacking player only, to an all round solid player. Tackling, pressuring, blocking defensive work (etc) as well as all the classy offensive spread, run and lead up work (etc).

Not many more weeks. Maybe 2. Then up into the seniors to play defensive role on the game's best FFs for 6 to 8 weeks. A view i've expressed many times at length in the past.

But arrogant?? Watts is more crash and bash than arrogant. He isnt crash and bash

Arrogant, cocky, call it what you will. We'll agree to disagree. Watch very carefully. He has that sort of strut about him that suggests (in my mind) the old line someone bandied out on here infamously "Don't worry, i've got this....get outta my way boys". Hope he always has this attitude. Unfortunately he doesn't have the big frame/power thru the bod (yet) and all out attack (defensively/offensively) that say a Clark brings at this point to go with the attitude. Hopefully he'll take that side to a much higher level in the next 12 months or so. Fingers crossed and looking forward to seeing him come on and prove all the critics wrong.

Edited May 18, 201213 yr by Rusty Nails