Why do people even bother to post "dumb thread" . This is opinion .

*Gasp* And opinion on an internet forum?! What is the interwebs coming to!

And to repeat what so many have already stated... to get up to standard, a player (and possibly more so a ruckman) needs to get games into them. he has had just 4 years, much of which has been interrupted by injury, and he was improving and starting to show something just prior to his last injury, and at 22, he has a lot of time ahead of him to get up to standard.

No doubt you would have been one of the chorus line calling for Jamar's axing prior to him finding his feet? That's what I love about these forums... as soon as we put in a poor performance, too many are looking for scapegoats with a view to them being placed on the chopping block.

But my opinion is that Spencer doesn't have the tools to be developed into and AFL footballer. And I am not making him a scapegoat, this comment has very little to do with the weekend's result, but more of a discussion on a player who has in his 4th season at the club and is yet to show much. Hope he proves me wrong and makes the grade, but it is just my humble opinion that he won't.

Not sure what your remark about me calling for Jamar's selection has to do with this discussion, but no I didn't call for his axing, and in fact very rarely call for anyone's axing.

But my opinion is that Spencer doesn't have the tools to be developed into and AFL footballer. And I am not making him a scapegoat, this comment has very little to do with the weekend's result, but more of a discussion on a player who has in his 4th season at the club and is yet to show much. Hope he proves me wrong and makes the grade, but it is just my humble opinion that he won't.

Not sure what your remark about me calling for Jamar's selection has to do with this discussion, but no I didn't call for his axing, and in fact very rarely call for anyone's axing.

What is he supposed to show? Or are we about to get the Niknat again, who is a one off freak....suggest as somebody else has said, go to youtube look up Cox and Sandilands and have a look at their early games.....Cox nearly killed a spectator at training one day who was standing about 30 metres to the left and behind of the goal when Cox took a shot and nearly took his head off.

I also quote Ben McEvoy and Sam Jacobs, a year or so ago they were exactly like Spencer.....time time time...Jake has had a year out of the game

Edited July 2, 201213 yr by satyricon

Not sure what your remark about me calling for Jamar's selection has to do with this discussion, but no I didn't call for his axing, and in fact very rarely call for anyone's axing.

Well, maybe you weren't aware of it, but about 4 years into Jamar's career when he was showing very little, the forums were abuzz with calls for his delisting, trade etc etc... then all of a sudden, things seemed to click with him and in the space of about two years he gained All Australian selection.

What is he supposed to show? Or are we about to get the Niknat again, who is a one off freak....suggest as somebody else has said, go to youtube look up Cox and Sandilands and have a look at their early games.....Cox nearly killed a spectator at training one day who was standing about 30 metres to the left and behind of the goal when Cox took a shot and nearly took his head off.

I also quote Ben McEvoy and Sam Jacobs, a year or so ago they were exactly like Spencer.....time time time...Jake has had a year out of the game

I disagree that they were exactly the same as Spencer. McEvoy especially was rated very highly and clearly had a lot of attributes that would make him a decent AFL ruckman. And for every Ben McEvoy or Sam Jacobs there are numerous big men who are drafted and don't make the grade. If the football department think they can turn Jake Spencer into a serviceable ruckman, then all the power to them, but I personally don't see it. I still support him because he plays for the club and gives his all, but will that be enough for him to make it.

And the way football is going with less interchange, big guys who are solely ruckmen, and don't offer anything around the ground, are becoming harder to pick.

Well, maybe you weren't aware of it, but about 4 years into Jamar's career when he was showing very little, the forums were abuzz with calls for his delisting, trade etc etc... then all of a sudden, things seemed to click with him and in the space of about two years he gained All Australian selection.

Ahh, that makes sense. I thought you were referring to talks of dropping Jamar earlier in the season because he was out of form. But still no, I wasn't calling for his axing. As I said, I will support Spencer and hope he makes it as I like his attitude and I always have a soft spot for players from the northern states, but I've seen nothing to convince me that will be the case as yet.

No-one seems to have mentioned the physical side of Spencer's game.

He likes bumping people. Did anyone else see him shirtfront Bateman against Box Hill?. Did his a-c. joint, and I don't think he's played since. He showed a bit of physicality in his first games in the big league too.

How I'd love to see the Russian bump somebody!

I think Gawn might like throwing his weight around, too.

I think Gawn might like throwing his weight around, too.

Nah, he likes throwing other stuff around... just ask Scully.

Nah, he likes throwing other stuff around... just ask Scully.

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Supposedly (and this is just a rumour, so take it at face value) one reason T$ returned early from the Shanghai trip was that a certain lanky young ruckman threw up on him.

No-one seems to have mentioned the physical side of Spencer's game.

He likes bumping people. Did anyone else see him shirtfront Bateman against Box Hill?. Did his a-c. joint, and I don't think he's played since. He showed a bit of physicality in his first games in the big league too.

How I'd love to see the Russian bump somebody!

I think Gawn might like throwing his weight around, too.

Just got to hope opposition players have no awareness and are unlucky enough to run into him. I watched closely at the game on Sunday and his general agility is comparable to a witches hat.

I realise he is coming back from a knee op bit I saw nothing before his injury that would suggest it will get to something approaching acceptable for an AFL player.

As with Jamar and Martin- they big boys all look like they cant play until they hit 25 .

Would hate to see us train up a player and send him off to star for another mob

a la Scott Thompson, Darren Jolly ,and to a lesser extent Troy Simmonds.

Demonland wouldn't be the same if we didn't have threads bagging our young blokes the year before they break out .

My tip this week-Bate to get BOG and Dunn close to it .

We would be completely rooted without Jack Watts holding the fort and delivering "lace out " every time.

Watch Tappy crack heads and get heaps of kicks this week.

We really do have the most irritating supporters in the whole comp.

Carlton are about to implode-can we not just sit back and enjoy the head-kicking happen there after the Premiership talk in March ?

It really really upsets me that of all the experienced, highly paid players at our club, who have all had absolutely woeful games/seasons/careers, supporters choose to single out and humiliate Spencer.

He is a child, he hasn't play in 2 years, and he is coming back from a knee reconstruction.

Newsflash: he isn't our problem.

Well said.

No-one seems to have mentioned the physical side of Spencer's game.

He likes bumping people. Did anyone else see him shirtfront Bateman against Box Hill?. Did his a-c. joint, and I don't think he's played since. He showed a bit of physicality in his first games in the big league too.

How I'd love to see the Russian bump somebody!

I think Gawn might like throwing his weight around, too.

Watched the game again last night and I must say Spencer laid an absolute ripper of a tackle on Johno Brown. Brown had come up the field to assist in the lions launch from half back and was looking to soak pressure and release for yet another attack. Spencil said NO and, using the one hand he was able to latch on with, swung and wrenched a determined Brown to the ground.

Those arguing that Sellar and/or Dunn should have shared the ruck duties with Martin are forgetting that they, too, are looking to find a spot in the side. I've been no fan of Dunn for years, but have been more impressed with him playing off HBF for the last two weeks than any of the other myriad of positions he's been played in previously. To take him from there to pinch hit in the ruck would once again stall any possible development left in him. I think he should stay at HBF until his form doesn't warrant. If he manages to secure his place there we've gained a defender and freed up Garland or Rivers to play forward. Similarly, when Sellar played ruck earlier in the year he looked like a fish out of water. But in the last few weeks playing as a defender, he's looked OK. So I wouldn't want him moved back to the ruck, either. Which means someone else needed to help Martin out.

One thing I've noticed about Neeld is that he's not that keen to move a player around during game day but quite prepared to do so before a game begins. I like that during this development phase. Players are learning to play a role for the whole game. And Neeld is learning what they're capable of.

Supposedly (and this is just a rumour, so take it at face value) one reason T$ returned early from the Shanghai trip was that a certain lanky young ruckman threw up on him.

Thanks for enlightening me.

Those arguing that Sellar and/or Dunn should have shared the ruck duties with Martin are forgetting that they, too, are looking to find a spot in the side. I've been no fan of Dunn for years, but have been more impressed with him playing off HBF for the last two weeks than any of the other myriad of positions he's been played in previously. To take him from there to pinch hit in the ruck would once again stall any possible development left in him. I think he should stay at HBF until his form doesn't warrant. If he manages to secure his place there we've gained a defender and freed up Garland or Rivers to play forward. Similarly, when Sellar played ruck earlier in the year he looked like a fish out of water. But in the last few weeks playing as a defender, he's looked OK. So I wouldn't want him moved back to the ruck, either. Which means someone else needed to help Martin out.

One thing I've noticed about Neeld is that he's not that keen to move a player around during game day but quite prepared to do so before a game begins. I like that during this development phase. Players are learning to play a role for the whole game. And Neeld is learning what they're capable of.

I reckon Sellar is improving with each game down back.

Dunn worries me. Occasionally he doesn't "take his turn". This can cost goals in the back line.

I reckon Sellar is improving with each game down back.

Dunn worries me. Occasionally he doesn't "take his turn". This can cost goals in the back line.

Dunn doesn't worry me at all, I worked out that he was just filler years ago. What worries me is that we haven't managed to find a better player than him yet.

I agree this man has. the kicking skill of a two year old what about that shot in the goal sq, whould have kept as in the game at that stage, he cant kick.,

He does not know how to kick the footy, he can't drop the ball to hisl foot, if he has not leant that now he never will.

He does not know how to kick the footy, he can't drop the ball to hisl foot, if he has not leant that now he never will.

I refer you to post no. 72 on this thread, from "Bossdog".

I refer you to post no. 72 on this thread, from "Bossdog".

You can add Jamar to the list... many were calling for him to be traded/delisted and just a couple of seasons later he is AA as well. I will keep repeating it...despite what people are saying here, Spencil was starting to show something good before he was struck down and went under the knife, and there is no reason why he won't do so again.... then again, patience has never been much of a virtue with quite a few on these forums.

You can add Jamar to the list... many were calling for him to be traded/delisted and just a couple of seasons later he is AA as well. I will keep repeating it...despite what people are saying here, Spencil was starting to show something good before he was struck down and went under the knife, and there is no reason why he won't do so again.... then again, patience has never been much of a virtue with quite a few on these forums.

TL;DR.

Edited July 5, 201213 yr by rpfc

TL;DR.

I have no idea what "TL;DR." means. But I'm fascinated that with only four letters and two punctuation marks you still needed to edit what you wrote!

I have no idea what "TL;DR." means. But I'm fascinated that with only four letters and two punctuation marks you still needed to edit what you wrote!

I am only quoting you to compliment you on your username, assume it is a reference to the allegory that is supporting MFC at the moment, God being represented by the image of the Premiership cup, which we haven't won since, it seems like, the 14th century