Been down to a few sessions in the last few weeks, and have been glad to

See my boy Tapscott following Nathan jones like a bad smell.

I thought jones last year seemed to be the biggest improver and this appeared to be based on his attitude

Towards our new training mentality. He got on board neelds train and the benefits where there for all to see.

So I was wondering, with a massive pre season and guidance from our best player, does anyone else see the possibility of Tapscott having his break out year and turning into a dominant player for the dees?

Been down to a few sessions in the last few weeks, and have been glad to

See my boy Tapscott following Nathan jones like a bad smell.

I thought jones last year seemed to be the biggest improver and this appeared to be based on his attitude

Towards our new training mentality. He got on board neelds train and the benefits where there for all to see.

So I was wondering, with a massive pre season and guidance from our best player, does anyone else see the possibility of Tapscott having his break out year and turning into a dominant player for the dees?

Not sure about dominant but i could definitely see him take a big step up, particularly if he can improve his running and aerobic capacity as he has been a bit of a one paced plodder. A bigger tank could mean him playing through the mid field - Jones, Viney, WInes and Tappy in the middle might be a litlle slow perhaps but it would be pretty ferocious.

It should be remembered that if he does have a thorough complete pre season it would just about be his first. he has had terrible luck with injuries impacting on his pre seasons, and IIRC they have been related to his hip and back which would have also really impacted on his capacity to get miles in the legs and do running work

If Tapscott could be half the player that Jones was this year then that would be a huge win for the dees.

I reckon Tappy has shown a lot of promise in the early part of his career and just needs to string a few games together this year and get more of the pill.

Been down to a few sessions in the last few weeks, and have been glad to

See my boy Tapscott following Nathan jones like a bad smell.

I thought jones last year seemed to be the biggest improver and this appeared to be based on his attitude

Towards our new training mentality. He got on board neelds train and the benefits where there for all to see.

So I was wondering, with a massive pre season and guidance from our best player, does anyone else see the possibility of Tapscott having his break out year and turning into a dominant player for the dees?

Tapscott is one I have earmarked to step up. It goes without saying how important an uninterrupted solid pre-season can be for a player. It's important he gets one under his belt.

If that happens, I'm bristling with confidence that Luke can be a big improver and solid contributor for the side next year.

Neeld is building a team of absolute units, if we can get more of the ball into tappys hands, our forwards will benefit from his exceptional delivery.

Neeld is building a team of absolute units, if we can get more of the ball into tappys hands, our forwards will benefit from his exceptional delivery.

The jury is well and truely still out for me.

I know he has had a bad run with injuries but I just don't see anything that suggests more than Average Player.

I have only ever seen a quarter here and there.

Where do you suggest is his position?

He will need to show a lot more in 2013 or could be following Morton and Gysberts IMO

The jury is well and truely still out for me.

I know he has had a bad run with injuries but I just don't see anything that suggests more than Average Player.

I have only ever seen a quarter here and there.

Where do you suggest is his position?

He will need to show a lot more in 2013 or could be following Morton and Gysberts IMO

Would be in our top 5 for disposal, top 5 for aggression, and has a lot of mongrel in him.has never had a pre season so had no fitness. I beleive could play hbf going through the middle. Should never ever be mentioned in the same

Breath as courageous cale! Has done more demon-like acts in 5 minutes then Cale

Did in his whole time at the club!

Where do you suggest is his position?

The Paul Chapman role - slightly outside, playing around a HFF but running through the middle and either hitting a forward on the chest or kicking it themselves.

Where do you suggest is his position?

I think that with Watts, Garland, Strauss and Nicholson all potentially back there, our backline is very timid. They are 4 blokes that the opposition would target physically. I'd have Tapscott competing with Joel MacDonald as that tough half back flank that the opposition forwards have in the back of their minds as they're standing underneath the high ball. I see Tapscott as a bit like a Campbell Brown wrecking ball.

I also think that with Watts, Tapscott and Nicholson back there we'd at least have 2 lovely kicks and one real line breaker. The days of Bartram and Rivers hatching the ball bringing it out of the backline would be long gone.

The Paul Chapman role - slightly outside, playing around a HFF but running through the middle and either hitting a forward on the chest or kicking it themselves.

^ This sums it up really.

Only question I have re being Jones' shadow, is that true or is he just in the same rehab group as NJ?

The jury is well and truely still out for me.

I know he has had a bad run with injuries but I just don't see anything that suggests more than Average Player.

I have only ever seen a quarter here and there.

Where do you suggest is his position?

He will need to show a lot more in 2013 or could be following Morton and Gysberts IMO

Tappy has several key attributes that will make him a better than average player, his agression, his hunger for physical contact and the ball, and his penetrating kick.

I though he came to the club too big, too solid, at the cost of his engine and ability to spread and run. Injuries hampered addressing his fitness base early on. However, this year they seemed to be working on building his engine (even at the temporary cost of reducing the punch in his kick) and thus addressing this imbalance.By teaming him with Jones they evidently intend to continue to get this balance right, i.e. trimming him down and increasing his ability to run all day.

I suspect it may be easier to trim a solid player (Tapscott) down to the optimal for a modern midfielder, than it is to bulk a slender player (Gysberts) up to the same optimal.

At training on Monday he was also with Jones every step of the way. Rodan made up the trio. The fact that he asble to keep up ith these two blokes is a good indication of his intent, and a further good indication of how the coaches see him developing. With Jones, Viney and maybe Tappy in the middle it gives us grunt and force in there. Tappy has definitely not made it yet but if he can get through a full preseason unscathed he will be a huge improver in 2013.

Agree with Striker above - he could fill a Paul Chapman role. I haven't seen him in many marking contests so he well below chappy in that regard at the same time of his career, but you never know.

Would be in our top 5 for disposal, top 5 for aggression, and has a lot of mongrel in him.has never had a pre season so had no fitness. I beleive could play hbf going through the middle. Should never ever be mentioned in the same

Breath as courageous cale! Has done more demon-like acts in 5 minutes then Cale

Did in his whole time at the club!

I think that we get a little bit blinded by his size and percieved aggression. He has a long, long way to go.

He definitely isn't in our top five for disposal at this stage (either in quantity or quality). He will have to improve his mobility dramatically to get more of the ball.

I really hope that he improves this year. Fingers crossed that he has an injury free run so that he can show us what he is capable of.

I disagree with the previous poster. Tapscott is the best kick at the club along with Watts.

He needs to get more of the ball, but that comes with games and confidence. I like him as a prospect. That said, we've invested heavily in Blease, Strauss and Tapscott for a very poor return. We need to develop these guys into seriously good players. It's very important to the club's fortunes.

Been down to a few sessions in the last few weeks, and have been glad to

See my boy Tapscott following Nathan jones like a bad smell.

I thought jones last year seemed to be the biggest improver and this appeared to be based on his attitude

Towards our new training mentality. He got on board neelds train and the benefits where there for all to see.

So I was wondering, with a massive pre season and guidance from our best player, does anyone else see the possibility of Tapscott having his break out year and turning into a dominant player for the dees?

Sort of off-topic. But what should I be thinking about your name, Tappysquads? Are you more 'Tappy Squads' which sounds like an under age group of Tapscott supporting footballers or are you channelling his inner body as "Tappy's Quads"?

All the important questions get asked on this forum.

He definitely isn't in our top five for disposal at this stage (either in quantity or quality). .

OK, I'll bite. Who exactly are the top five for disposal in quality?

I disagree with the previous poster. Tapscott is the best kick at the club along with Watts.

He needs to get more of the ball, but that comes with games and confidence. I like him as a prospect. That said, we've invested heavily in Blease, Strauss and Tapscott for a very poor return. We need to develop these guys into seriously good players. It's very important to the club's fortunes.

Totally agree with this.

I would seriously question if we can develop anyone if we can't develop these types of players to at least play a role well.

The Paul Chapman role - slightly outside, playing around a HFF but running through the middle and either hitting a forward on the chest or kicking it themselves.

agree 100%

Love tappy but wouldn't have him as top 5 for quality desposals.

I'd have: Watts, Davey, Sylvia, Clarke and Jones.

Love tappy but wouldn't have him as top 5 for quality desposals.

I'd have: Watts, Davey, Sylvia, Clarke and Jones.

And Dunne is our straightest kick for goal

I disagree with the previous poster. Tapscott is the best kick at the club along with Watts.

He needs to get more of the ball, but that comes with games and confidence. I like him as a prospect. That said, we've invested heavily in Blease, Strauss and Tapscott for a very poor return. We need to develop these guys into seriously good players. It's very important to the club's fortunes.

Disposal efficiency at MFC:

Watts is ranked #2 (80.94%)

Tapscott is ranked #19 (68.59%)

Disposal efficiency stats always favour defenders, but there appears to be a rather large gap between these two this year. I think Tapscott's kicking is currently over-rated but I hope it improves. As I wrote previously, I hope that he has an injury-free run so that he can show us what he is truly capable of.

The jury is well and truely still out for me.

I know he has had a bad run with injuries but I just don't see anything that suggests more than Average Player.

I have only ever seen a quarter here and there.

Where do you suggest is his position?

He will need to show a lot more in 2013 or could be following Morton and Gysberts IMO

That's a good question Old Dee. Is he a possibility to take Barty's spot in the back pocket? I'm not convinced (at this stage anyway) that he has the endurance or burst speed to be a genuine mid., but his hardness and kicking could be assets on the FB line. How is his discipline (?) and can he play tight enough(?) I guess these are the questions for me. I guess that if he's shadowing Jonesy on the track, it may suggest that he is seen as a potential mid.

Sort of off-topic. But what should I be thinking about your name, Tappysquads? Are you more 'Tappy Squads' which sounds like an under age group of Tapscott supporting footballers or are you channelling his inner body as "Tappy's Quads"?

All the important questions get asked on this forum.

Have u seen the kids quads?

Agree with Striker above - he could fill a Paul Chapman role. I haven't seen him in many marking contests so he well below chappy in that regard at the same time of his career, but you never know.

Not sure of your point here mate.

Chappy played very few games in his first few years. 2000 : 4 , 2001 : 9 for a total of 22 marks in two seasons.

Luke has played 29 games (2011 : 15, 2012 : 14) for 102 marks (source is footywire).

Now, granted I dont remember Chappies first 22 marks but unless they were half back with the flight and Tappy has been solely getting the loose ball, then I think you may well be generalising when looking solely at the first two years of there careers (which was your comparison). Given Chapman has been around a decade longer it may be too early for comparisons.

Tappy has been to big imo since he got here, lacks aerobic capacity to really step it up, he looks to have trimmed down but is still solid, if he can now learn to run he has the skill to hurt teams, could be a good year, has done nothing as yet even if he is a good kick, no more than Strauss has imo and not much more than Tynan and Taggert all three could step up this year lets hope. and Strauss.