Luke Tapscott - Another one of BP's Specials?

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,443]

Disagree with the negative slant about Tappy in the title of this thread. We waited until late last year to see an injury free Blease and he is a mouth watering prospect for this year - even if he has another minor injury.

I want Tappy to be given (earn) 8 - 10 games, in the forward line playing a Chappy-type role. We have bemoaned our kicking skills for 4-5 years or more, and this bloke is a seriously good kick. With him, Strauss, Dunn, Watts, Clark and now also Toumpas we have kicking ability. Don't just look at Tappy's muscles and expect him to be Rod Grinter. Watch his football when he is injury free, hoping that he can be some time soon.

At this stage he is probably not in our best 22 but I would like him to be.

Is Tapscott a good kick or a long kick? Where is his role? Is he capable of playing midfield as is required of most non key positions these days. Aside from body size is he above average in endurance or speed or agility.

Needs a clear run at it but I struggle to work out where he fits or if he has a tool that will get him above others.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

I hate Deeland sometimes. The OP is posing the question on where Tapscott is at heading into this season based on past output, a legitimate question, and certain posters have this compulsive need to belittle and sound clever. Pull your heads in. Or out, as the case may be.

Agreed. I asked the exact same question of Tappy about a week ago and got similar treatment.. isn't this a football discussion site? Bewildering

Anyway, It is abundantly clear that the kid has shown very little to date and the clock is ticking - he is only 3 months younger than Watts, who has faced 10x the scrutiny but contributed 10x as much

[daisycutter 28,722]

Is this the same at all clubs, dc, or are we just terrible at developing highly rated juniors? I wonder where some of these guys might be at if they were picked up by Coll or Haw or Geelong.

its a good question and i don't know the answer

[Nasher 33,246]

I love Tappy, but my gut feel is that he won't make it. I expect his small tank and lack of natural instinct will be too limiting. Can't see which position has his name on it either. Happy to see him hurt a few blokes in the meantime.

[deeflog 679]

I don't see Chappy in Tapscott. Chappy is a natural ball winner, smart and could easily play as a mid. Tapscott isn't.

Like Strauss, a player I'm hoping rather then knowing.

i may be wrong but i think chappy started his career as a mid-small forward with a small tank.....i see plenty of chappy in tappy

[Maldonboy38 6,093]

Is Tapscott a good kick or a long kick? Where is his role? Is he capable of playing midfield as is required of most non key positions these days. Aside from body size is he above average in endurance or speed or agility.

Needs a clear run at it but I struggle to work out where he fits or if he has a tool that will get him above others.

These are really good questions, but I maintain the view that they can only be answered through fitness and a good look over a number of weeks. His long kicking for mine means half forward or on the wing, but he has never demonstrated the engine to be a wingman. My one worry is his marking ability - for the life of me I can't remember one overhead mark, whereas Trengove, Jones, Howe, Grimes have all demonstrated this at varying levels.

[Moonshadow 16,572]

These are really good questions, but I maintain the view that they can only be answered through fitness and a good look over a number of weeks. His long kicking for mine means half forward or on the wing, but he has never demonstrated the engine to be a wingman. My one worry is his marking ability - for the life of me I can't remember one overhead mark, whereas Trengove, Jones, Howe, Grimes have all demonstrated this at varying levels.

Good point you make MB about his fitness. He needs a good, injury free preseason (which he has never had on our list) and a lot of consecutive senior games to get his mo going.

I thought his overhead marking was quite good. I remember him taking a very courageous mark at the G where he got absolutely pummelled. At CHB. Thought it was overhead, could be wrong.

[old dee 23,256]

Is this the same at all clubs, dc, or are we just terrible at developing highly rated juniors? I wonder where some of these guys might be at if they were picked up by Coll or Haw or Geelong.

At "Coll or Haw or Geelong" MS!

Sorry I could not help myself.

I have an opinion on Tapscott but I am waiting till July to see if I am correct or not.

Nothing to do with Tapscott MS but I am over this we cannot develop players line.

As it has panned out I am more inclined to thing we just chose poorly.

Before the start of 2012 when we were all up following the appointment of Neeld and Company

I heard three commentators say The MFC young players are nowhere as good as some people think.

Turns out they were correct.

I think through the DB era 80% of who we picked were just not the right body shape, speculations or just short of the required skills particularly kicking.

IMO Neeld arrived and very quickly discovered he had a group of young player the majority of which were well below the required level

Hence the loss of a number at the end of 2012 and I expect more to leave at the end of this year.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,786]

Just reckon the combination of saying he's "another one of BP's specials" and "Trenners may be at risk of losing his mate" is making it clear what the OP thinks in regards to cutting him.

Mate it clearly had a question mark and the OP was posting it as a point if discussion on this, a discussion forum. Just chill the [censored] out and don't take everything so seriously. No wonder this site is going to the dogs anyone who dares put up something for discussion which is outside the 15-20 regulars "status quo" is immediately ridiculed and bullied. Just take it for what it is and if you disagree say so but don't attack people just because you read things into people's comments that aren't there. Whether the OP was clumsily written or not the guy has since clarified his opinion so why the need to beat it into the ground?

[jabberwocky 2,301]

I love Tappy, but my gut feel is that he won't make it. I expect his small tank and lack of natural instinct will be too limiting. Can't see which position has his name on it either. Happy to see him hurt a few blokes in the meantime.

This is my concern and a theme of BPs drafting unfortunately.

[Tatu 416]

There was a huge push to get wines during the drafting period.... I can't see how he's any better than Tappscott.....

Looks like Tappscott is the new wiping boy..... If you like him then say your good bye's to him now, because the mobs about to smash him until we think his name is Cale.....

[Deecisive 1,669]

New year, new training regime lets hope he makes something of it.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,443]

There was a huge push to get wines during the drafting period.... I can't see how he's any better than Tappscott.....

Looks like Tappscott is the new wiping boy..... If you like him then say your good bye's to him now, because the mobs about to smash him until we think his name is Cale.....

Wines is a tall bullish mid with a good tank. I can't understand your comparison. I don't see Tapscott as a whipping boy as I am not seeing criticism of his endeavour or courage purely that his output may not fit the pick we chose to use on him.

[Axis of Bob 10,479]

Tappy has a lot to like. I feel that the key will be whether he can run well enough for AFL. If he does enough work to run in an AFL style, then he can make it.

If he can't.......

[bing181 8,355]

Just chill the [censored] out ....

Who's doing the bullying?

The OPer was deliberately provocative, as he usually is. The OP didn't invite a discussion re Tapscott at all, it invited a discussion around whether or not Tapscott was a(nother) dud. Very different.

And polarising.

[tonatopia 278]

Tappy needs to get out and play. Tough as fcuk, he needs to get his swagger on. Too good to waste.

I hope neeld can develope him, get him to chase like viney.

[Moonshadow 16,572]

At "Coll or Haw or Geelong" MS!

Sorry I could not help myself.

I have an opinion on Tapscott but I am waiting till July to see if I am correct or not.

Nothing to do with Tapscott MS but I am over this we cannot develop players line.

As it has panned out I am more inclined to thing we just chose poorly.

Before the start of 2012 when we were all up following the appointment of Neeld and Company

I heard three commentators say The MFC young players are nowhere as good as some people think.

Turns out they were correct.

I think through the DB era 80% of who we picked were just not the right body shape, speculations or just short of the required skills particularly kicking.

IMO Neeld arrived and very quickly discovered he had a group of young player the majority of which were well below the required level

Hence the loss of a number at the end of 2012 and I expect more to leave at the end of this year.

You may be correct OD, partly at least. I think we may have chosen poorly on some and underdeveloped on others. In Tappy's case he has the right body size and he is a good kick and he's hard at the contest. However, there is no doubt that inadequate player development has played a significant part in our lack of progress. Many of our selections in the last 6 yrs were also highly sought after by most other clubs. Much to the endless laughter of many on here, other clubs have taken great delight in picking up our discards for next to nothing, discards that they have openly said they wanted when they were in the draft pool, eg, Bennell and Morton at WCE

Of course, now we are all eagerly waiting for July to see if your undisclosed opinion on Tappy is correct or not. Sorry, I could not help myself (as you would say)

[deeko 937]

I thought he showed some good signs as a back pocket where a couple times he courageously jumped back into a pack flying for a grab.

This is what I loved about him, not those bumps that anyone can do when the opposition player has already disposed of it. Anyone can do that and it's an act of thuggery not courage. Not sure what was going through Tappy's head when he did that.

Other than that his aggression at the pill and when he tackles his great.

I thought his best spot was in the back pocket using his leg as an advantage. He could have been our Guerra or Shannon Hurn like player but now that Dunn and Watts are back there we probably need a more agile player for the small forwards.

I think this thread should be re-opened round 24 when we all have more of an idea

[ThreeOneSix 953]

I would've chose Tappy in the top ten that year.

His goal sense was Stevie-J like and his around the ground work was encouraging, I certainly couldn't fault him.

He kicked bags of 4 and 5 in the nationals and had an absolute thumping boot on him.

He was built like a bull even back then and his hardness at the ball was fierce, there was no kinks in Tapscott.

I thought it was a bargain pick up at the time and still do.

On appearances, one could assume Tappy is one-dimensional, but I think he is one of the more versatile players on our list.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

There was a huge push to get wines during the drafting period.... I can't see how he's any better than Tappscott.....

Looks like Tappscott is the new wiping boy..... If you like him then say your good bye's to him now, because the mobs about to smash him until we think his name is Cale.....

Well obviously people that bagged Cale have been proven completely correct, so that's a horrible example

[My TD 156]

Injury free I have no doubt Tapscott could make it.
Just not sure his body can stand his take no-prisoner gameplan.

[Biffen 12,523]

I want to see him lay players out.

I like it when the opponents can't get up off the ground by themselves .

I'm old fashioned like that.

Fairness doesn't really interest me.

Fair doesn't exist anymore.

As long as he is around most weeks to do it-he's in.

[dazzledavey36 49,739]

This is from the championships back in under 18s

[pitmaster 3,146]

I am upbeat about this bloke. Having seen him at training he looks to be in great nick.

Excellent kick, physically strong - I am a bit optimistic about him breaking out in 2013.

Just needs a consistent run at it.

[binman 39,469]

What's the go with the criticism of Osilik over his OP and subsequent posts? Poor form - and i notice H_T whilst you haven't sunk the boots in per se you certainly seems to be supporting those posters having a shot at him - strange behaviour from a moderator.

Wondering where Tappy is at is totally reasonable and is a good question. Like many others i believe this is a make or break year for him. To be fair he has really struggled with injury and IIRC all his injuries have impacted his mobility and ability to get his endurance up and he is yet to have a proper pre season (has this years also been interrupted?).

I agree with the posters who favour him playing up forward in a role similar Chapman. He gets found out a bit down back and is too one paced but as a high half forward could be a damaging player as he could snag goals from outside 50 and also be able to hit the other forwards lace out. Really he should also be able to spend some time in the middle, again like Chapman does.

I thought i read in a training report that he has been training with the forwards? Can a regular training watcher confirm that? If so Neeld may be thinking the same things in terms of his best spot.

In a team with so few quality kicks he has a real advantage with his lazer boot. Like others i love his physicality. I really hope he makes it.

Edited March 1, 2013 by binman