I'm not worried for Gysberts in the slightest.

He did some nice things last weekend, but clearly has not yet built up the required fitness.

The only way he'll leave the club this year is by a trade where we come out the winners.

Agreed.

I think it's fine he's been dropped. If Neeld doubted his ability or potential, he probably would've given Jordy a run of consecutive games to prove himself ala Petterd, Bate.

I take it as a good sign Neeld rates him.

What else does your tealeaves tell you?

Agreed.

I think it's fine he's been dropped. If Neeld doubted his ability or potential, he probably would've given Jordy a run of consecutive games to prove himself ala Petterd, Bate.

I take it as a good sign Neeld rates him.

I don't.

I'm not worried for Gysberts in the slightest.

He did some nice things last weekend, but clearly has not yet built up the required fitness.

The only way he'll leave the club this year is by a trade where we come out the winners.

I am. The biggest question mark has got to be whether he actually can build up the required fitness, especially when he's spent so much of his career injured (bad lack of broken jaw notwithstanding). I reckon he's further behind schedule than you seem to think.

I think the difference is that I believe that fitness is something that can be fixed, relatively easily.

An inability to find and use the ball, I don't.

I've seen players transform themselves, provided they have the required desire, and I think Gysberts does - he just hasn't had the opportunity due to injury.

Jobe Watson and Tom Rockliff are 2 who immediately come to mind.

He also has an amazing ability to read the play, think steps ahead of others and make very good decisions.

His kicking issues are massively overrated by many.

He's actually quite a good short to medium distance kick.

If you've read today's article in the Age, Geelong are after him again, after being very keen for him in the draft.

As far as recruiters go, Stephen Wells would have to sit at the top of the pile.

And if he wants him, it's safe to say I want to keep him.

Unless we get a minidraft pick in return, or some deal equally lopsided.

I keep hearing that the majority of A graders are contested ball-winners.

If winning contested footy and making good decisions is king, then I can't fathom wanting to be rid of Gysberts.

Make no mistake, if he goes to Geelong, he'll be a star.

To see Gysberts spend most of his time working off Half forward last week highlights where the club rates his fitness. Any person that visited pre-season in Nov-Jan saw Gysberts a midfielder running in the last group. He has a huge pre-season in front of him he needs to be running in the first dozen to earn his spot in our midfield.

Highly unusual at this stage of the season to bring a young talented guy in for one week and drop him. My tea leaves tell me its either a massive rocket or Neeld's seen enough.

Agreed.

I think it's fine he's been dropped. If Neeld doubted his ability or potential, he probably would've given Jordy a run of consecutive games to prove himself ala Petterd, Bate.

I take it as a good sign Neeld rates him.

You're over-complicating it, Neeld clearly isn't happy with him. 97% gone.

The departure of Gysberts (pick 11, 2009) and Cook (pick 12, 2010) would put the underline and exclamation point on the utter disaster that was our recruiting under Barry Prendergast.

You just can't repeatedly drop gold down a drainpipe like that and expect to be any good as a footy club.

Edited August 10, 201212 yr by Range Rover

The departure of Gysberts (pick 11, 2009) and Cook (pick 12, 2010) would put the underline and exclamation point on the utter disaster that was ourrecruiting under Barry Prendergast.

That would be very hard to argue with.

Barry would be relying on them going on to successful careers elsewhere.

If winning contested footy and making good decisions is king, then I can't fathom wanting to be rid of Gysberts.

Make no mistake, if he goes to Geelong, he'll be a star.

Echoes of Freak with Scully.

Echoes of Freak with Scully.

Settle down - I'm not an anti-prophet!

I'm often correct with these things.

And it may only be a rumour, but how often do Geelong bring players into their system instead of developing their own?

I'd say it's a ringing endorsement.

If fitness is his problem, that can be solved.

And will with Misson and Craig on the case.

If fitness is his problem, that can be solved.

And will with Misson and Craig on the case.

I think you'll find that if he's traded they decided it can't.

Settle down - I'm not an anti-prophet!

I'm often correct with these things.

And it may only be a rumour, but how often do Geelong bring players into their system instead of developing their own?

I'd say it's a ringing endorsement.

If fitness is his problem, that can be solved.

And will with Misson and Craig on the case.

It's a pretty flimsy thing to base your view off though. I work in a trading office, and if our blokes traded purely on the back of what their rivals said - well, I wouldn't have a trading office to work at anymore. What would happen to your view if the chief recruiter at Sydney then piped up and goes "no way, we wouldn't touch him with a barge pole"?

We (the club) form our own view of Gysberts, and we're better positioned than any other club to do so because we watch him at training, we have all his test results and measurements, and we initimately know what he can do. My gut feel is that the club will close the door on him, but that's just gut feel - the club will know whether it can solve Gysberts problems or not. I'm not sure why you have taken it as a given that his fitness problem can be solved; there's the possibility it can't and it's not remote.

What I do know though is that it will not pay one iota of attention to whatever noises Stephen Wells makes.

Edited August 10, 201212 yr by Nasher
Post didn't make sense

Settle down - I'm not an anti-prophet!

I'm often correct with these things.

And it may only be a rumour, but how often do Geelong bring players into their system instead of developing their own?

I'd say it's a ringing endorsement.

If fitness is his problem, that can be solved.

And will with Misson and Craig on the case.

I'm dubious as to whether fitness issues are so easily solved. And you'd think Misson would be in the best position to judge this after a solid year casting his eye over Gysberts.

I get the feeling the issue is less about this anyway and more about attitude and work ethic. If you want to be taken seriously as a top line AFL midfielder these days you've got be an animal in both your preparation and approach to the game.

Anything remotely half-assed gets found it mighty quick.

Edited August 10, 201212 yr by Range Rover

Highly unusual at this stage of the season to bring a young talented guy in for one week and drop him. My tea leaves tell me its either a massive rocket or Neeld's seen enough.

Or our injury list was unusually huge, and Gysberts was best-placed to fill the spot that created.

Needs to have a massive preseason, but I tend to agree that the fact he's NOT playing this week isn't as big of a deal as some posters imagine.

It's not just his fitness. By the size of his chest and arms it looks like he has an aversion to weight training. It could be that his loads with regards to weights have been carefully managed. I'm the first to admit that I'm in no position to know. Or he may just be half dedicated and lazy.

I'm going to give Jordy a copy of eckhart tolle's 'A new earth'.

From my perspective, he walked into the MFC not really knowing or understanding the physical requirements and work that needs to be done to make it as an AFL footballer. Like many young players.

Unless the flick switches in his egotistical head over the break and he comes back to pre-season ready to work, I don't want him on the list.

Jordy cruised through the Vic metro carnival, got drafted at pick 11, had 20+ possies in each or his first few games and thought, 'this gig is pretty easy'. And, of course, demonland goes crazy and the comparisons to Scott Pendlebury begin!

Yes Jose, fitness can be solved, but players like Jordy need first develop the desire and will for it. He needs to want to get the best out of himself and not just cruise through. So far, injuries aside, he has not shown the application and his other attributes aren't nearly good enough to give him a game even without the required fitness base. Look at Jeremy Howe for instance. Obviously marking is his best attribute, so even without having an elite level midfielder's fitness base, he still plays every week, mostly in the midfield. He tackles, blocks, marks and kicks well. Jordy on the other hand does not have a standout attribute apart from his ability to win the ball in close but we already have too many guys who hold that attribute themselves and are miles ahead of Jordy in terms of fitness.

I don't rate Jordy nearly as highly as some on here, including you Jose. He hasn't and doesn't show anything other than being able to win the ball in close. He is still not strong enough one on one and at the moment he is pretty much useless when the ball spreads.

I want natural hard working AFL players. I want players who have great skills and a desire to work hard to get the best out of themselves. Neeld shares this mantra, and I can't wait for the offseason to begin.

Edited August 10, 201212 yr by stevethemanjordan

I'm going to give Jordy a copy of eckhart tolle's 'A new earth'.

From my perspective, he walked into the MFC not really knowing or understanding the physical requirements and work that needs to be done to make it as an AFL footballer. Like many young players.

Unless the flick switches in his egotistical head over the break and he comes back to pre-season ready to work, I don't want him on the list.

Jordy cruised through the Vic metro carnival, got drafted at pick 11, had 20+ possies in each or his first few games and thought, 'this gig is pretty easy'. And, of course, demonland goes crazy and the comparisons to Scott Pendlebury begin!

Yes Jose, fitness can be solved, but players like Jordy need first develop the desire and will for it. He needs to want to get the best out of himself and not just cruise through. So far, injuries aside, he has not shown the application and his other attributes aren't nearly good enough

to give him a game even without the required fitness base. Look at Jeremy Howe for instance. Obviously marking is his best attribute, so even without having an elite level midfielder's fitness bass, he still plays every week, mostly in the midfield. He tackles, blocks, marks and kicks well.

Jordy on the other hand does not have a standout attribute apart from his ability to win the ball in close but we already have too many guys who hold that attribute themselves and are miles ahead of Jordy in terms of fitness.

I don't rate Jordy nearly as highly as some on here, including you Jose. He hasn't and doesn't show anything other than being able to win the ball in close. He is still not strong enough one on one and at the moment he is pretty much useless when the ball spreads.

I want natural hard working AFL players. I want players who have great skills and a desire to work hard to get the best out of themselves. Neeld shares this mantra, and I can't wait for the offseason to begin.

Well said STMJ. I share the same view, and I admire you coming out with such a post.

I will, however, enjoy sitting back and watching the "majority" have their way with you!!!

Well I disagree with many of the opinions here, but we shall see.

I rate his talent, and think his fitness inadequacies can be fixed with time.

The Geelong thing only gives my opinion a little bit more weight.

Well, probably none in reality, but I like to believe it does.

But in the end, as long as we improve our list I'll be happy.

I just don't think that involves getting rid of Gysberts.

I'm going to give Jordy a copy of eckhart tolle's 'A new earth'.

Lance Armstrong's "It's not about the bike" would also be a good one to mysteriously appear in his locker.

Pick 13 & Gysberts for Dayne Beams

I'm going to give Jordy a copy of eckhart tolle's 'A new earth'.

From my perspective, he walked into the MFC not really knowing or understanding the physical requirements and work that needs to be done to make it as an AFL footballer. Like many young players.

Unless the flick switches in his egotistical head over the break and he comes back to pre-season ready to work, I don't want him on the list.

Jordy cruised through the Vic metro carnival, got drafted at pick 11, had 20+ possies in each or his first few games and thought, 'this gig is pretty easy'. And, of course, demonland goes crazy and the comparisons to Scott Pendlebury begin!

Yes Jose, fitness can be solved, but players like Jordy need first develop the desire and will for it. He needs to want to get the best out of himself and not just cruise through. So far, injuries aside, he has not shown the application and his other attributes aren't nearly good enough to give him a game even without the required fitness base. Look at Jeremy Howe for instance. Obviously marking is his best attribute, so even without having an elite level midfielder's fitness base, he still plays every week, mostly in the midfield. He tackles, blocks, marks and kicks well. Jordy on the other hand does not have a standout attribute apart from his ability to win the ball in close but we already have too many guys who hold that attribute themselves and are miles ahead of Jordy in terms of fitness.

I don't rate Jordy nearly as highly as some on here, including you Jose. He hasn't and doesn't show anything other than being able to win the ball in close. He is still not strong enough one on one and at the moment he is pretty much useless when the ball spreads.

I want natural hard working AFL players. I want players who have great skills and a desire to work hard to get the best out of themselves. Neeld shares this mantra, and I can't wait for the offseason to begin.

Actually he started the Pendlebury comparison himself, he was interviewed just after he was selected and they asked him who he was similar to and he said Pendlebury played like he did. So I guess it is the other way around and it's Pendles who should be thankful to the Gyz.

The departure of Gysberts (pick 11, 2009) and Cook (pick 12, 2010) would put the underline and exclamation point on the utter disaster that was our recruiting under Barry Prendergast.

You just can't repeatedly drop gold down a drainpipe like that and expect to be any good as a footy club.

It would be an interesting thread; which one, Cameron or Prendegast did more damage to Melbourne.

You can be super fit and able to win the hard ball but what use is it

if your disposal is second rate.