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Skills can be worked on and if you don't believe me remember The Duke Earl Spalding. At Melbourne he couldn't hit the side of a super tanker by foot and yet at Carlton they actually taught him how to kick the bloody ball and he became a good CHF.

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Interesting comparison. I remember talk at the time was that carlton couldn't believe that we would be willing to trade Spalding as he was one of the few MFC players they rated as competitive and hard at it.

His game against Adelaide was sensational, kept doing that thing where he'd wheel out of the back of the pack with the pill and dispose forward - put it on Tapscott's head four or five times.

I'm sold.

I am a huge fan of Bail - he has the grunt, speed and competitiveness that we lack in many of our players. For a fair while I had him in my favourite current players. His run and carry could be really important to us.

But I can't turn a blind eye to his two glaring skill deficiencies. His kicking is horrible, especially on gthe run and this is where he needs to be at his best. He misses targets by huge margins like Grimes used to do - often when under no pressure. Also, his tackles get broken too easily and he needs a tackling re-format. Maybe Jordie could mentor him over the summer?

A keeper for mine. He has only played 30-40 games. Lets see what Neeld, Craig and Co. can do with him.

Definitely a keeper for mine. Currently makes a lot of skill errors (like many of his team mates) but he has too many attributes to be cast aside at this early stage of an injury plagued career. Would be amongst our top few each game for work rate, and if he can improve his disposal and awareness, he could imo, become a very important cog in our mid-field. I expect him to take some big steps forward over summer.

Will play every game in 2013 if he doesn't get injured.

i really rate him as a player. He has a fair bit of improvement in him that is needed but you can see the desire is there is he should definitely be capable of it. A must keep. By the way, what happened with him this year? was he injured?

Edited October 7, 201212 yr by young dee enthusiast

i really rate him as a player. He has a fair bit of improvement in him that is needed but you can see the desire is there is he should definitely be capable of it. A must keep. By the way, what happened with him this year? was he injured?

He played most games this year, but missed several with knee? or hammy? Either way, I think he'll be very important for our team (as a few have already mentioned.)

He played most games this year, but missed several with knee? or hammy? Either way, I think he'll be very important for our team (as a few have already mentioned.)

Missed several weeks with concussion IIRC.

I'm a fan, but I'm not sure he's being played to the best advantage. Given his running ability I'm surprised he's playing half forward flank. I'd rather see him on ball, playing half back flank or back pocket.

And I don't think his kicking is as bad as one would believe from reading the above posts. His tackling, on the other hand, needs refinement. He gives too many clumsy free kicks away by either tackling high or in the back. But at least he tackles.

As has been said above, he has all the grunt, desire and fitness. He just needs to work on his skills.

Everything I've just written above (except the bit about playing HFF) could have been written about Nathan Jones three years ago. And look where he is now.

Another with shoddy skills. Simply doesn't offer enough at AFL level.

You're still the worst poster on Demonland Range Rover

Missed several weeks with concussion IIRC.

That's right...thanks.

A definite keeper. Dayne Beams was atrocious with the ball when he 1st went to the filth. Now look at him. Also a Queenslander

Rohan Bail is not an AFL footballer. He is an average player in a very average side.

Can run and that's his strength as a footballer.

If we are going to get better as a side, we need to squeeze blokes like him out eventually. The only reason he plays is because our list is absolute rubbish.

Bail is one of those players who looks okay in a crap side because he generally has a crack. He will never be part of a decent side because he can't kick and makes bad decisions.

The number of games he plays each year will be a fair indication of where we are on the ladder at the time.

I think he's played about 30 odd games?

Some of them weren't so odd.

If he could kick he would be a Brad Sewell type and a gun.

Sadly he plays at Melbourne and couldn't hit a target if his life depended on it.

Missed several weeks with concussion IIRC.

Yes . I could be wrong , but I think he may have had 2 nasty concussions not far apart in the middle of the season . Took him a long time , but I thought his last games were excellent .

I reckon there's something to build on with Bail.

His disposal may not be up to standard but he hasn't even played 50 games yet.

Showed bright and dark patches this year but should stay on the list for 2013.

Lining up on grand final day...Paul Puopolo or Mitch Morton, one was going to be a premiership player. We need guys like Bail and top sides do to. However not only his kicking but his running to get the ball, his chasing, his marking all has to improved for the sake of the team. If we are a top 8 team and Bail is competing with more skilled players like Blease and Tapscott for a half forward spot then that will be a good day. Byrnes comes into the side this year for the exact reason to keep the competition tough for small forward with midfield rotation ability.

I'd like to see him get more time on the wing and the odd tagging role as well. Playing forward for Melbourne week in week out isn't an easy gig.

In some of the games this year where our supposed 'Tier 1' players like Frawley were dishing up pathetic efforts, Bail was throwing his body in and running his guts out for the team. If everyone showed as much interest then maybe he wouldn't be so stuffed that he can't hit a target. One game that springs to mind was Brad Greens last game where 90% of the team were an embarassment to the jumper. Bail was not one of them.

Bartram improved his kicking, Bail can too. Gets one more year to impress.

Edited October 9, 201212 yr by Buzzy

I worry that his poor kicking is terminal, and he gives away a lot of free kicks, though statistically he wasn't the worst this year (McKenzie won that dubious prize by a street). However Neeld's treatment of him post concussion - i.e. straight back in to the side even after missing three weeks, was instructive I thought. The coach is obviously a massive fan.

I worry that his poor kicking is terminal, and he gives away a lot of free kicks, though statistically he wasn't the worst this year (McKenzie won that dubious prize by a street). However Neeld's treatment of him post concussion - i.e. straight back in to the side even after missing three weeks, was instructive I thought. The coach is obviously a massive fan.

Yes Nasher the coach does appear to be a fan.

However at that point we did not have a lot of options

There was Bail or there was Bail but then again we could have had Bail.

I can't believe people actually think Bail's kicking might magically improve for next season.

The bloke's 24 and been on an afl list for 4 years.

If he can't kick now he will never be able to kick.

Some of them weren't so odd.

If he could kick he would be a Brad Sewell type and a gun.

Sadly he plays at Melbourne and couldn't hit a target if his life depended on it.

Yes, but this is all a technical skill. Brad Miller's kicking was terrible when arrived, but his kicking improved.

He's harder at the ball and the man than 95% of the players on our list.

Will stay and will become a gun.

can run, cant kick

can run, cant kick

JT sounds like a certain red headed bloke!