It's funny I get sh1tty when posters criticize McKenzie for his disposal or Watts for his effort and the list could go on. I see our players in a glass full kind of way.

We get a player who is a combination of Jonathan Brown and Wayne Carey and I am worried his kick isn't penetrating enough.

It's tough being a Melbourne supporter.

The penetration on his kick will improve enormously. I remember watching Hawkins in his first couple of seasons, Hawkins was limited to 35 - 40 meters. Now as a mature player Hawkins has no issues from 55.

Hogan will be dobbing them from long rang in no time.

Edited May 27, 201510 yr by Grand New Flag

He's already so strong, imagine when he gets more muscle definition in his chest/upper body. He's going to be an absolute beast.

He has such a great tank for a young KPP as well, he covers the ground extremely well.

He is the first player I've been genuinely excited about for some time, probably since 1994 Schwarz. Others like Farmer had X-Factor but this guy is the complete package.

He's already so strong, imagine when he gets more muscle definition in his chest/upper body. He's going to be an absolute beast.

He has such a great tank for a young KPP as well, he covers the ground extremely well.

He is the first player I've been genuinely excited about for some time, probably since 1994 Schwarz. Others like Farmer had X-Factor but this guy is the complete package.

totall agree, especially in regard to Shwarz. I remember watching a game with a young Ox, pre any knee injuries, at Victoria Park. He was simply awesome and a big factor in a famous wins (close to my favourite game i've attended: Schwarz and Jakovich at their best. Fantastic stuff)

totall agree, especially in regard to Shwarz. I remember watching a game with a young Ox, pre any knee injuries, at Victoria Park. He was simply awesome and a big factor in a famous wins (close to my favourite game i've attended: Schwarz and Jakovich at their best. Fantastic stuff)

It was a brilliant era when Schwarz and Neitz burst onto the scene. For a short time we had two Hogans, one at CHF and the other bookended at CHB. They were the two best young key position players in the country. Unfortunately the moment was fleeting

Fast forward twenty years and whilst McDonald doesn't have the talent of a young Neitz he may end up also becoming an All Australian CHB and Hogan, well, he could be anything. Just need a couple of Jesse quality young mids and the future will be bright

Agree with almost all of that also fndee. Exciting isn't it.

The only point I disagree with is I reckon tmac is every bit as good as neitz and may end up being better. Only 22 and huge upside given his desire to improve. Love that he has continued to attack and if his disposal continues to improve he will be even more damaging

What did he actually say? I didn't hear it on the replay

"I think he's sort of a marking goal kicker, I don't think he's a ground level creator as some of... you know the Brown's, the Reiwoldt's a lot of the big forwards are. I've got a feeling he's a finisher, most of his disposals have gotta be shots at goal."

He never said this, classic forum inaccuracy. You may want to watch it again and listen.

So yes, he did say that, just in a long winded and uneducated way.

21 possessions for a "finisher" is pretty good. Love to see how many he would get if he was an accumulator.

F!og

I'm with you MD

The last time everybody was going so crazy about a player it was Liam Jurrah

And Liam was indeed a very exciting player who drew crowds just to see him play

Had he not had his "issues", sadly starting when he had an injury that interrupted his normal routine at the club, then I suspect he would still be drawing crowds, and in tandem with Jessie would present an enormously exciting sight.

Agree with almost all of that also fndee. Exciting isn't it.

The only point I disagree with is I reckon tmac is every bit as good as neitz and may end up being better. Only 22 and huge upside given his desire to improve. Love that he has continued to attack and if his disposal continues to improve he will be even more damaging

I agree. In his AA CHB year Neitz was marking everything he went for in the same way as TMac. He wasn't particularly creative or mobile but rather, he was powerful and disciplined. He had great judgement of the flight of the ball like TMac but ran in straighter lines. I was very sceptical when ND pushed him forward. I didn't think he would have the creativity, in fact he didn't. He developed a very straight forward style. Attack the ball and get it. If you remember, his kicking for goal was a real problem and he used to wave the ball around like a school kid in his approach. He had to work hard to correct this but eventually became a super effective spearhead. But he was never brilliant, just a great footballer.

Schwarz was a beautiful kick. A bit ragged in his first year (complete with long hair and headband) but watch that footage of him in '94. Kicked them from everywhere. Later in his career when he was big, slow and anchored to the ground, he became a beautiful deliverer of bullet-like 40m passes to Robbo and Neitz. He was a creative architect at high half-forward. A really smart player

Hogan's kicking is a worry. He is fine from within 35m but watch the way he holds the ball and how his leg and foot are not at full extension. That's why he kicks low and not especially long. But he has a pretty good accuracy rate from his range so that's ok for now. His field kicking is better and more natural but again not particularly penetrating. I hope he can work on it because he is so good at the contest. If you watch that amazing footage of him skateboarding we can see that he does have great balance and coordination and that bodes well for his further development.

Edited May 28, 201510 yr by btdemon

"I think he's sort of a marking goal kicker, I don't think he's a ground level creator as some of... you know the Brown's, the Reiwoldt's a lot of the big forwards are. I've got a feeling he's a finisher, most of his disposals have gotta be shots at goal."

So yes, he did say that, just in a long winded and uneducated way.

Matthews is an idiot.

Hogan's kicking is a worry. He is fine from within 35m but watch the way he holds the ball and how his leg and foot are not at full extension. That's why he kicks low and not especially long. But he has a pretty good accuracy rate from his range so that's ok for now. His field kicking is better and more natural but again not particularly penetrating. I hope he can work on it because he is so good at the contest. If you watch that amazing footage of him skateboarding we can see that he does have great balance and coordination and that bodes well for his further development.

You are kidding yourself. Yeah lets get rid of him. FMD

You are kidding yourself. Yeah lets get rid of him. FMD

come on mate that is clearly not what he said

I think about the Boyd contract and shake my head.

To me it is all about exposed form.

To offer the millions they have given to Boyd - you want to see something in his first season to suggest that he will be a major player of the future - and i have yet to see it. That is not to say he wont make it but I would have wanted to see snippets in his first season to justify that sort of contract.

Joe Daniher in his first season is far away from being a complete player but you can see the glimpses to suggest that he will be very good.

Would you offer Hogan huge money ? In a heartbeat - his Casey season and what we have seen in his first few matches strongly suggest that the only stopping him being a "great" is injury.

Matthews:

"I think he's sort of a marking goal kicker, I don't think he's a ground level creator as some of... you know the Brown's, the Reiwoldt's a lot of the big forwards are. I've got a feeling he's a finisher, most of his disposals have gotta be shots at goal."

Initial reaction has so much to do with the jumper the player is wearing. Jed Anderson was apparently a superstar after a pretty limited showing in a hand full of games this year.

Hogan already touches the ball 4 more times a game than the much-lauded J.Cameron (that's taking this years career best avg). Matthews is just lazy - remember the comments re: Clark? He's not providing a comment on the players quality, but analysis that has no basis in any reality.

Most of his disposals have to be shots at goal... He had 21 disposals on the weekend so if they're all shots at goal I'm totally fine with that

He is very good.

I tempt fate to propose he could improve anything but at 100kg I'd like him to plant some decent hip and shoulder action protecting jeffy and generally intimidating the defense

Legal brutality protecting the ball carrier

Spread fear

I think about the Boyd contract and shake my head.

To me it is all about exposed form.

To offer the millions they have given to Boyd - you want to see something in his first season to suggest that he will be a major player of the future - and i have yet to see it. That is not to say he wont make it but I would have wanted to see snippets in his first season to justify that sort of contract.

Joe Daniher in his first season is far away from being a complete player but you can see the glimpses to suggest that he will be very good.

Would you offer Hogan huge money ? In a heartbeat - his Casey season and what we have seen in his first few matches strongly suggest that the only stopping him being a "great" is injury.

Agree. Hogan had exposed form in the VFL (best league below the AFL). Tom Boyd had only reasonable form in the NEAFL - a sub par, second tier football league.

I don't know what the Bulldogs were thinking. So far, Boyd has performed to my expectations of him. On performance, he isn't the player that he is hyped to be.

Hogan on the other hand was marking everything that came to him in Casey, and won the B&F as a kid.

If you watch that amazing footage of him skateboarding we can see that he does have great balance and coordination and that bodes well for his further development.

Got a link to this by any chance?

I can't wait to see Hogan play on Saturday.

come on mate that is clearly not what he said

No, I get that but seriously, the guy is 20 and his kicking is fine. It's not Nathan Buckley-esq but not many people are. I'll tell you what his kicking is - its very effective. If he has limits, it would appear that he is well aware of them.

I think about the Boyd contract and shake my head.

To me it is all about exposed form.

To offer the millions they have given to Boyd - you want to see something in his first season to suggest that he will be a major player of the future - and i have yet to see it. That is not to say he wont make it but I would have wanted to see snippets in his first season to justify that sort of contract.

Joe Daniher in his first season is far away from being a complete player but you can see the glimpses to suggest that he will be very good.

Would you offer Hogan huge money ? In a heartbeat - his Casey season and what we have seen in his first few matches strongly suggest that the only stopping him being a "great" is injury.

Its also why the Saints went for McCartin over Petracca. The price of a key/power forward has skyrocketed since the Buddy deal......

I can't wait to see Hogan play on Saturday.

Me in a nutshell...

I can't wait to see Hogan play on Saturday.

Said every Melbourne supporter

Must admit I've been to more games than usual due to the Hulkster,he good for the club all round.