Luke Tapscott

[stuie 7,374]

Does anyone know what is happening with this guy? Not on the last injury list and not playing any level of VFL. Seems to have just disappeared and wondering if it's another case of Misson Impossible...

[chook fowler 18,462]

Hamstring i believe. No more detail than that

[Gipsy Danger 1,067]

Hamstring i believe. No more detail than that

Official Melbourne website has him down on the list with a hamstring - 1 week

[Chook 14,619]

Dean Kent ate him and then took his spot in our best 22.

[Demon Disciple 11,149]

Unfortunately, this bloke looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane. His best game for the club was his first, when he just about broke Rhyce Shaw in 2.

He's not even on the chopping bloke imo. He's already been place in the discard group come years end. An absolute BP special, just look at some of the player's that were available between Tapscott and our next pick in Gawn.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Hamstring i believe. No more detail than that

From the little information I have heard/read, it's more groin related.

[old dee 23,118]

Injury crock with not a lot of skill .

Other than the odd quarter what has he shown in five years on the list?

May seem brutal but he is gone for mine.

Only a miracle will save him at season's end

Edited April 15, 2014 by old dee

[Chook 14,619]

He's the one I wish we could take back. How he was drafted ahead of Nat Fyfe is beyond me. Everyone else we drafted that year was either universally rated high (Trengove, Scully) or in that special Melbourne category of "development player" (Jordan Gysberts). Luke Tapscott was neither; we knew what we were getting with him, and it wasn't all that much.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Chook

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

Was a big fan of this kid, still have hope for him.
Really thought he could potentially be our Paul Chapman type player, but it looks like Kent, who plays a similar role, has exceeded him in all areas and only been on our list for a year. Hmmm, the tough nature of professional AFL football ey.

[Bossdog 2,002]

Injury crock with not a lot of skill .

Other than the odd quarter what has he sown in five years on the list?

May seem brutal but he is gone for mine.

Only a miracle will save him at season's end

I believe that tappy will get his chance to improve under the new coaching reign as with everyone on the list

Lets not judge him on last years performance....If we do then none of the players would be playing next year.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Unfortunately, this bloke looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane.

One of the dumbest lines I have seen posted here.

Congrats.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

I think he plays his best footy in the backline. Neeld too often put him up forward, and he struggled.

If he's going to survive on the list, I think he will need to be played as a defender.

[old dee 23,118]

I believe that tappy will get his chance to improve under the new coaching reign as with everyone on the list

Lets not judge him on last years performance....If we do then none of the players would be playing next year.

Bossdog he is running out of year.

Contract ends in 18 games time

No chance he will play for Casey before round six starts then has to show enough ability to replace someone in the side.

Assuming he gets back playing in the next couple of weeks he is rapidly running out of time to put his case forward.

What is his role? I always struggle to see one.

[Akum 2,660]

I think he plays his best footy in the backline. Neeld too often put him up forward, and he struggled.

If he's going to survive on the list, I think he will need to be played as a defender.

Yeah, but playing in our forward line for the past two years would have killed anybody's career.

He was recruited as a hard-hitting forward, but came with an overdeveloped upper body and had hip & groin problems. For such a strong player he has good skills, but lacks both pace & height.

He's another, like Strauss & Jetta & Blease, who need to string at least 10 or 12 games together (either for Dees or Scorps) without injury, which none of them have been able to do for the past 4 years. If they can't, they're probably gone. If they can and they don't impress, they're definitely gone.

[John Crow Batty 8,337]

Unfortunately, this bloke looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane. His best game for the club was his first, when he just about broke Rhyce Shaw in 2.

He's not even on the chopping bloke imo. He's already been place in the discard group come years end. An absolute BP special, just look at some of the player's that were available between Tapscott and our next pick in Gawn.

I would say looks like Tarzan, plays like bone china. Looks good, hard, hurts when it hits you but shatters easily. He was one player along with Bleese that I was looking for long overdue development under Roos. May still happen but he could be on the nose as his fellow slug mate Trengove. Edited April 15, 2014 by america de cali

[old dee 23,118]

Yeah, but playing in our forward line for the past two years would have killed anybody's career.

He was recruited as a hard-hitting forward, but came with an overdeveloped upper body and had hip & groin problems. For such a strong player he has good skills, but lacks both pace & height.

He's another, like Strauss & Jetta & Blease, who need to string at least 10 or 12 games together (either for Dees or Scorps) without injury, which none of them have been able to do for the past 4 years. If they can't, they're probably gone. If they can and they don't impress, they're definitely gone.

Funny of that group of four the only one I would keep is Jetta and he is a rookie who cannot push his case at senior level at this stage.

There will need to be a minimum of five spots made available on the list at years end.

These guys must be close to the front of the queue

[Machsy 2,858]

He's the one I wish we could take back. How he was drafted ahead of Nat Fyfe is beyond me. Everyone else we drafted that year was either universally rated high (Trengove, Scully) or in that special Melbourne category of "development player" (Jordan Gysberts). Luke Tapscott was neither; we knew what we were getting with him, and it wasn't all that much.

Now that is revisionist if I ever saw it.

A lot of people, maybe misguidedly, rate Tapscott ahead of the draft.

He was strong, hard and a booming accurate kick.

Comparisons with Chapman, while laughable, were plentiful.

I didn't see it, but can still see some of his value.

I think the biggest reason we chose him was the Trengove connection.

BP really was a BigFooty standard recruiter.

Post-draft there was a lot of buzz amongst our supporters about him also.

Even after his first year or 2.

I recall advocating Tapscott being trade bait if we were to entertain trading for Dangerfield.

The possibility was roundly show down.

I still think if we can get his body right, and he can improve his agility and endurance, he can contribute.

I don't think his time is up.

[nutbean 8,837]

I still think if we can get his body right, and he can improve his agility and endurance, he can contribute.

I don't think his time is up.

Getting his body right is his issue.

Contract up at years end - I have given everyone a clean slate under the Roos regime but he just needs to get out and play football and prove he is worthy of a place on the list or he is in big trouble.

BTW - to the others advocating we don't take skinny footballers but footballers that are ready to go - he was considered ready to go. ( such a nonsense argument - take footballers that the recruiters think will be good footballers regardless if they are skinny or built like Tapscott.)

Edited April 15, 2014 by nutbean

[jumbo returns 6,596]

Funny of that group of four the only one I would keep is Jetta and he is a rookie who cannot push his case at senior level at this stage.

There will need to be a minimum of five spots made available on the list at years end.

These guys must be close to the front of the queue

OD, is there something you know that I don't know about Jetta?

I cannot remember a game he's impacted.....slow, poor kick and dodgy below his knees.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Now that is revisionist if I ever saw it.

A lot of people, maybe misguidedly, rate Tapscott ahead of the draft.

He was strong, hard and a booming accurate kick.

Comparisons with Chapman, while laughable, were plentiful.

I didn't see it, but can still see some of his value.

I think the biggest reason we chose him was the Trengove connection.

BP really was a BigFooty standard recruiter.

Post-draft there was a lot of buzz amongst our supporters about him also.

Even after his first year or 2.

I recall advocating Tapscott being trade bait if we were to entertain trading for Dangerfield.

The possibility was roundly show down.

I still think if we can get his body right, and he can improve his agility and endurance, he can contribute.

I don't think his time is up.

I agree with most of that but he has Matty Bate level agility.

A very limited footballer, and I don't think he is AFL standard.

[spirit of norm smith 13,528]

Thumping kick. Goes in hard. Needs to learn about his role. Get it and thump it. His decision making can be simplified.

Tapscott has huge upside. Dont give up on the kid.

(I did hear swap for Jarryd Lyons was mooted at end of 2013).

[Damo 3,030]

I have always considered Tapscott and Gawn to be unlikely to be regular players at AFL level.

If they do get fit enough to be regular I will be happy and surprised. Not sure if other clubs rue missing out on them.

[DeeSpencer 23,564]

Thumping kick. Goes in hard. Needs to learn about his role. Get it and thump it. His decision making can be simplified.

Tapscott has huge upside. Dont give up on the kid.

(I did hear swap for Jarryd Lyons was mooted at end of 2013).

That would be a tremendous swap. Adelaide would laugh at the idea.

Long kicks are great. But there's only a time for long kicks and I'd rather a guy who can kick accurately from 15 to 45m than a guy who can kick 60+ but can't due to either lack of touch or decision making make the accurate short kick.

I think half the problem is Tapscott's never had the AFL fitness, hence why he was ok as a defender (although I think he's too slow to make it long term as a defender) but couldn't get near the ball as a forward. However with consecutive injuries he'll never get fit.

I'm pretty sure we tried to flick him and couldn't last year.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

But you guys all told me he was going to turn into Paul Chapman . . . .

[old dee 23,118]

OD, is there something you know that I don't know about Jetta?

I cannot remember a game he's impacted.....slow, poor kick and dodgy below his knees.

Right now he is the only one on the park with the exception of Blease.

Blease was not in the top five at windy hill.

IMO Jetta was the best scorpion that day and literally won the game off his own boot.

Was again in the top three last weekend.

Of the listed four only Blease has played what I consider a top three game at Senior level.

That was one game I remember when he kicked five goals I think against St Kilda, other wise the odd good quarter.

All four of them are out of contract this year.

Jetta is playing and has been in Casey's top three in both games.

Strauss and Tapscott are doing their normal sit in the outer with us.

Right now Jetta is the one with the results on the board.

After four matches he is so far in front he cannot hear the band IMO.

Edited April 15, 2014 by old dee