2012 Player Review - # 10 Cale Morton

[Demonland 73,161]

Cale Morton broke into the AFL side and played eight games this year.  He put together a real block of consistency, playing as an inside mid around Rounds 4, 5 and 6, and showed some real glimpses that he could develop into an inside midfielder.  His ability to run and spread, and to get out in space, is as good as any player on our list, and Cale just needs to continue to develop his contested areas.  Unfortunately he sustained a shoulder injury against Gold Coast, which interrupted the end part of his season, but Cale will have a strong summer, working on getting his strength back and getting his body ready again for an AFL season in 2013.  Cale played a number of roles in the VFL - back, midfield, as a tagger - and again, just showed his versatility. Cale just needs to keep developing that consistency in his game. - Aaron Greaves (midfield development coach)

melbournefc.com.au

Games MFC 2012 9 MFC Total 73 Goals MFC 2012 2 MFC Total 33

Games CSFC 2012 7 Goals CSFC 2012 4

MFC 91 kicks 57 handballs 148 disposals 35 marks 20 tackles 

Keith "Bluey" Truscott Memorial Trophy 97 votes

[Elwood 3184 1,338]

Needs to produce some consistent football week in week out instead of one or twice a year or he's gone at the end of next season (if not sooner)

[jnrmac 20,189]

My mum always said of you can't say anything nice about someone don't say anything at all.

I didn't listen to my Mum to often.

I am over Cale. DOesn't try hard enough. Has no appetite for a contest. His defensive skills are atrocious. His kicking skills are deplorable. Apparently has endurance but what's the point if you don't use it to damage the opposition?

My guess is he is only being persevered with because he is on contract for 2013. What genius did that?

[Guest neeldstherealdeal]

The less said the better.

[dpositive 1,692]

Cale represents the challenge that is within the club.

The challenge for Cale to develop the aspects of play that the coach requires and the challenge of the coaching staff to utilise the attributes that Cale has to gain the most effective results.

Cale like most of the list needs to take that improvement path to get the victories that are needed. They need the self belief and the belief in their teammates to start to beat other players and other sides. They need to follow a strategy that exploits their strengths and the weaknesses of their opponents and they need to impose themselves on the contest as required and exhaust themselves in their efforts.

I'm sure its all a little "motherhood" but we saw the beginning with Cale I look forward to the continuance.

[deelicious_9 3]

wants heard a great quote on 3AW radio . " if i hade the oppurtunity, every time i put on a melbourne jumper i would put my heart and soul in trying to win the ball. I Just don't beleive players such as cale morton are doing that." It's not only Morton, plenty more.

[Harrisonrules 273]

I still see great hope for the future in Cale. Many have closed their mind with in my opinion little sound analysis. Cale has had a bad run of injuries at crucial times in his career which hasn't helped. He is an excellent runner both with endurance and good speed. Plays both the small and tall game. One of the better long kicks in the team ( regularly 60 mtrs plus}. In a team with miserable possession count, in his eight games this year ranged between 14 and 22 disposals - for an average of 18 per game. This puts 3/4 of our team to shame. The emotional rant toward him by so many on this forum says more about the lack of football know how by supporters than his ability.

Neelds Collingwood game outburst toward him this year was one of the behaviours that revealed how he is still just a rookie coach with a lot to learn. To publicly chose one player for a mistake in a team riddled by them week in week out made no sense. Mature coaches don't berate players in public.

[beelzebub 23,383]

I'm just bemused that it suggested he's an inside mid. He neither has the body nor the wherewithal to be such.

Morton concerns me but maybe not as much as this Greaves bloke if theyre his thoughts on Cale !!

[Biffen 12,947]

I still see great hope for the future in Cale. Many have closed their mind with in my opinion little sound analysis. Cale has had a bad run of injuries at crucial times in his career which hasn't helped. He is an excellent runner both with endurance and good speed. Plays both the small and tall game. One of the better long kicks in the team ( regularly 60 mtrs plus}. In a team with miserable possession count, in his eight games this year ranged between 14 and 22 disposals - for an average of 18 per game. This puts 3/4 of our team to shame. The emotional rant toward him by so many on this forum says more about the lack of football know how by supporters than his ability.

Neelds Collingwood game outburst toward him this year was one of the behaviours that revealed how he is still just a rookie coach with a lot to learn. To publicly chose one player for a mistake in a team riddled by them week in week out made no sense. Mature coaches don't berate players in public.

That was nuthin mate.

If he cant cop that after another turnover goal then go play bowls.

What are his stats on turnovers leading directly to goals ,missed tackles ,handballs directly to opponents etc.

Not pretty I bet.

[Deecisive 1,709]

Cale has shown glimpses of real talent, but has had some issues over the last couple of years by the look of it, while there have been injuries I suspect it is more attitude related. Maybe he needs to get a mentor who can help him out, given we have so many young players maybe we need to get a few older/retired players to help mentor some of our newer recruits and help them deal with AFL football at senior level and the demands placed on them by coach, club and fans.

[jnrmac 20,189]

I still see great hope for the future in Cale. Many have closed their mind with in my opinion little sound analysis. Cale has had a bad run of injuries at crucial times in his career which hasn't helped.

Gee 73 gifted games isn't enough to base an opinion on? What is fair 300? FFS.

He would be well out of here if he wasn't in contract. As for the injury stuff. Just stop being silly. Hurt his pinky last year in the pre-season and your saying this has upset his career? I'd say his inability to win his own contested ball or play defensive football would have a bigger bearing. Watch him more closely and you'll be surprised how little work he does when we don't have the ball

[bandicoot 1,395]

Found this in the archives...

Interesting comments all round in hindsight

http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NABAFLDraftBlogwithMattBurgan/BlogArticle/tabid/8123/Default.aspx?newsId=53419

[bandicoot 1,395]

Grimes to hawthorn and dangerfield to Melbourne ;-)

Funny how Tony notte went to west coast at pick 20... Good luck collingwood

[demon-4-life 467]

Forever will be my fondest memory of Cale.

[monoccular 17,575]

Forever will be my fondest memory of Cale.

is that what folk mean when they mention he is an elite outside runner. :-(((((...

In fairness may look worse than it is. They may have been running to where the ball was headed.

Edited October 24, 2012 by monoccular

[Little Richard 6,265]

Haha I really feel for Cale, that video obviously doesn't show that he's running to the ball but still a bit of a laugh.

[Chook 15,022]

After the QB game against Collingwood this year, Cale was pounded from pillar to post by everyone on this board. I honestly thought his game was really not that bad. Regardless, the coaches chose not to play him the next week, or the next, or the next. Then he got injured and didn't play again, even for Casey.

I was shown to be out of sync with what the FD thought, but I did notice a new problem that just happened to arise after Morton went out of the team. We were slow, slow, slow, and had absolutely no spread from the contest. Coincidence? I don't think so, but clearly I'm on a different page than most of you (and the FD, for what it's worth) when it comes to Cale Morton.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Chook

[Deecisive 1,709]

Cale may rise to the occasion if he is playing in a better side, confidence in himself and his team mates can make a huge difference to his and the rest of the teams performance.

[pantaloons 2,019]

That is what everyone else in the country agreed with at the time, so blaming prendergast for the fact Morton hasn't come on as a player has got to be one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. Some guys just don't come on, and the job their club does in developing them after they are drafted is obviously very important. It is a lot simpler to say we had a bad recruiting manager but it is downright stupid.

Demonland's own Craig Cameron drafted Morton.

[garyh007 112]

Once read an article by Stevie Wonder and even he said he could see Morton was not in our best 38.

[Eugene23 8]

Take out of this what you will, I'm sure some people will struggle to believe that this is fact, or shoot me down. Bring it on!!!!

My brother flew to Thailand today via Perth and told me that Cale Morton was on his flight. He grew up there, although his folks moved to Vic to be closer to he and his brothers (stay with me, I'm getting to the point)....!

I thought nothing of it until a guy I follow on Twitter, who's handle is @benno_76 posted a photo of Morton 200ms from Eagles HQ.

He heard him on the phone saying "It went well, I guess. We'll see what happens"

For what it's worth, I still think he'll be on our list next year. I'm not a huge fan, but I do think he has talent (that dreaded word again), and if he grows a pair his best could be very good.