Rohan Bail - 50 games

[Nascent 8,805]

His alright but when he was darfted beams was available.

Beams was taken at pick 27

Bail was taken at pick 64.

Strauss and Blease are the ones you want to bemoan here. Or Breust and Suckling (re-rookied) making it to Hawthorn in the Rookie draft.

[Coup Cooper 610]

?

I thought it was the Collingwood game where he kicked it to Pettard in the dying stages. Lost by less than a goal.

That game sticks in my memory as his first. I could be and probably am completly wrong.

Didnt make the distance from 45.. Was gutted!

[Demon trucker 1,800]

Which one?

collingwood b&f

[Chook 15,001]

Beams was taken at pick 27

Bail was taken at pick 64.

Strauss and Blease are the ones you want to bemoan here. Or Breust and Suckling (re-rookied) making it to Hawthorn in the Rookie draft.

James Strauss is another one I just can't imagine anyone ever seeing anything in.

Out of all our early picks in recent years, Luke Tapscott, James Strauss, Addam Maric and Lucas Cook are the four I just scratch my head over.

The rest had so much upside or were so highly rated that I can understand us having picked them, but these four seemed to me to be total duds from day one.

[old dee 23,560]

James Strauss is another one I just can't imagine anyone ever seeing anything in.

Out of all our early picks in recent years, Luke Tapscott, James Strauss, Addam Maric and Lucas Cook are the four I just scratch my head over.

The rest had so much upside or were so highly rated that I can understand us having picked them, but these four seemed to me to be total duds from day one.

Agree Chook and they have not proved you wrong!

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

Ro was very good today. He ran all day as we know he can, was hard at the ball and his disposal was generally good.

21disposals, 9 contested possessions, 5 tackles and a goal. Probably his best game for the club

[Nasher 33,607]

Ro was very good today. He ran all day as we know he can, was hard at the ball and his disposal was generally good.

21disposals, 9 contested possessions, 5 tackles and a goal. Probably his best game for the club

Was very important early. Excellent game.

His last two weeks have been a microcosm of his whole career to date though; i.e. famine or feast. Hopefully he can find more games like that one.

[Maldonboy38 6,387]

If he stops those really bad decisions including the inside 50 mistakes, he will kill opposition teams. I haven't seen the game today but it sounds like although he did make a couple of errors that are Ro Bail specialties, he made a real positive impact on those plays which won us the game. And I reckon Roos loves him.

[Maldonboy38 6,387]

Was very important early. Excellent game.

His last two weeks have been a microcosm of his whole career to date though; i.e. famine or feast. Hopefully he can find more games like that one.

Yes, he needs to find more consistent form, rather than great game followed by poor game. Perhaps today was a step in the right direction.

[Dockett 32 1,238]

Might keep getting better with better blokes around him, to share the load a bit.

[Nasher 33,607]

Yes, he needs to find more consistent form, rather than great game followed by poor game. Perhaps today was a step in the right direction.

Crossing threads now, but he is probably one beneficiary of our coaching team's idea of keeping the side steady. Could easily have justified leaving him out this week, but I'm definitely glad we didn't.

[DeeSpencer 24,969]

Crossing threads now, but he is probably one beneficiary of our coaching team's idea of keeping the side steady. Could easily have justified leaving him out this week, but I'm definitely glad we didn't.

He's also a beneficiary of playing in the midfield instead of a defensive forward with incredibly poor supply.

Watts forward where he can hide his limitations and provide occasional brilliance and Bail in the midfield where his elite endurance and burst speed can be used is a much better result for the team.

Same with JKH spending time on the wing. And (hopefully) Salem as he adapts to the speed of AFL.

Loved Bail's game today. Important early and bobbed up late. Good stuff.

[dees189227 12,299]

liked the goal he kicked and loved his clearance at the end where he just booted it forward and took the time off the clock.

[Pirlo 813]

Bail has his use, that's for sure. They all get drafted for a reason, they can play and Roos unlocks the talent.

Probably the one to make way for Toumpas at some point. Could be a while away though.

[watchtheeyes 1,417]

For the Bail knockers this is an interesting comment:

MELBOURNE: Rohan Bail

Bail fills a very specific role for Melbourne. The Demons love his pressure and his ability to cause turnovers, highlighted by the fact he heads the list of pressure acts (159) at the club. Daniel Cross' determination is a given and his club-leading tackle count of 50 should come as little surprise. Bail is second on that table with 47 for the year,bumped up by the 10 he laid against Carlton in his club's first win of the year in round four. That day, the Demons out-tackled the Blues 84-65 and Bail was clearly among his side's best. – Ben Guthrie

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-05-14/kings-of-pressure

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,664]

I've been a Bail fan for a while but one of his deficiencies up until this year was a propensity to give away too many free kicks when tackling. Generally these were from over-enthusiastic grabs which became head high tackles. This year he seems to have improved his technique. (He may also be a beneficiary of umpiring generally being more lenient and not paying free kicks for innocuous 'touches' on the shoulder as was being paid in previous years).

[Machsy 2,858]

Bail's kicking (along with Matt Jones') has tidied up exponentially in the last 4 or so rounds.

He is hitting targets I've never seen him come close to in the past, and with some consistency.

Very pleasing.

[old dee 23,560]

Still average IMO, would struggle to make it onto any other AFL list.

[Machsy 2,858]

Still average IMO, would struggle to make it onto any other AFL list.

Very effective for an average player.

I can think of plenty of teams that could use him.

[old dee 23,560]

Very effective for an average player.

I can think of plenty of teams that could use him.

I am serious

Who?

[Machsy 2,858]

Richmond, Brisbane, Essendon, Adelaide, North, Carlton could use him.

I think Ross Lyon would like him at Freo.

He can play a role, and his exceptional running ability makes him of value.

That's not to say he'd be best 22.

[old dee 23,560]

Richmond, Brisbane, Essendon, Adelaide, North, Carlton could use him.

I think Ross Lyon would like him at Freo.

He can play a role, and his exceptional running ability makes him of value.

That's not to say he'd be best 22.

I agree he would not be best 22 at any of the above.

When he is not best 22 at the Dees we will definitely know we have improved.

I agree he has improved this year but IMO still not good enough to make a team who sit above the bottom five sides.

We have a few like Bail who have improved in 2014 but not enough to enable us to beat teams, even ones in a similar ladder position to ourselves let alone the good sides.

Of the players in a similar position to him I would probably give him another contract but he will only ever be average IMO

Edited May 14, 2014 by old dee

[nutbean 8,838]

I agree he would not be best 22 at any of the above.

When he is not best 22 at the Dees we will definitely know we have improved.

I agree he has improved this year but IMO still not good enough to make a team who sit above the bottom five sides.

We have a few like Bail who have improved in 2014 but not enough to enable us to beat teams, even ones in a similar ladder position to ourselves let alone the good sides.

I am a little more optimistic. I see this year as ground zero and wiped all that went before.

I have seen improvement in various forms from many and I don't put a ceiling on it. I am sure Roos and co will decide at the end of the year who is "done" and who isn't.

My non logical self tells me that the likes of Bail do something that looks "elite" - once a game or every two games. So my non logic self asks - can the likes of Roos and co bring this out 4 time a game - 10 times a game - a complete half ? the whole game ? every game ? The realistic answer is - whole games ? every week ? no... but I am willing to give every player time to prove me wrong until Roos says "sorry lad - your done and dusted".

[Webber 10,442]

This kind of stat, which gives us an insight into what the coaches look for, who they value and why, is a perfect foil for the superficial judgements we make on players here on Demonland. Like it or not, the things the selectors value in building a better player and better team just fly by most of us on here. (Matt Jones, Shannon Byrnes, Cam Pederson, etc, etc)

I'm not a fan of Rohan Bail, never have been, but I fully admit that I have NFI really when it comes to appreciating his real value as seen by the coaches.

Basically, we should all be thankful that none of us here are responsible for team selection!

[old dee 23,560]

I am a little more optimistic. I see this year as ground zero and wiped all that went before.

I have seen improvement in various forms from many and I don't put a ceiling on it. I am sure Roos and co will decide at the end of the year who is "done" and who isn't.

My non logical self tells me that the likes of Bail do something that looks "elite" - once a game or every two games. So my non logic self asks - can the likes of Roos and co bring this out 4 time a game - 10 times a game - a complete half ? the whole game ? every game ? The realistic answer is - whole games ? every week ? no... but I am willing to give every player time to prove me wrong until Roos says "sorry lad - your done and dusted".

The problem for the likes of Bail and a number of others nutbean is they are out of contract this year.

We have to delist probably five this year.

How long do you go on waiting for them to progress?

Now I think Bail may escape the cut if he keeps the form of the last couple of weeks going.

But some of the others who are only average at Casey look to be in trouble IMO.