How did Paul Johnson go at Hawthorn? Or even Cam Bruce for that matter? Cheney was a decent servant but he never played in crunch time.

The Hawks likely want Fitzpatrick as they need a mature tall to replace Hale and Lake and Fitzpatrick can be an emergency option at either end.

If Hawthorn teach him how to kick properly and can get him with a proper AFL looking body, heck even teach him how to run without looking like a baby giraffe then maybe he might make it. But he wasn't going to make it at Melbourne.

Our judgement call on players is usually based on potential. Many players seem to have potential but are not able to translate that into consistent good form at Casey or at AFL level.

They get dropped back to Casey but are not able to dominate at that level. It is hard to justify a return to the AFL without consistent good form at VFL level or outstanding form on the training track. I reckon 5 or 6 years is long enough to gauge if a person is worth persisting with. After 5 or 6 years, the football club can hardly be said to be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

While not a great player by any means, I thought Fitzy was still developing and showed some good potential. He's a neat mark out in front, fast on the lead, can often create scoring shots out of nothing, over 200cm and this year added defensive skills to his game. Aware he's been on the list for a number of years, but big guys often peak around 25/26/27yrs. Was starting to put on size but didn't throw his weight around. I thought he was worth hanging onto, maybe as a rookie, certainly for depth. However, I believe the tunnel ball incident marked him (Roos singled it out in the after game presser) and we didn't see much of him after that. Got to trust Roos and Goodwin on this one, I guess. No biggie either way.

While not a great player by any means, I thought Fitzy was still developing and showed some good potential. He's a neat mark out in front, fast on the lead, can often create scoring shots out of nothing, over 200cm and this year added defensive skills to his game. Aware he's been on the list for a number of years, but big guys often peak around 25/26/27yrs. Was starting to put on size but didn't throw his weight around. I thought he was worth hanging onto, maybe as a rookie, certainly for depth. However, I believe the tunnel ball incident marked him (Roos singled it out in the after game presser) and we didn't see much of him after that. Got to trust Roos and Goodwin on this one, I guess. No biggie either way.

dunno about moty but that must have gone darn close to handball oty

I think we did the right thing letting him go, I just question the timing.

I would think we could have waited until after trade week to delist him. He may have netted us nothing, or he could have been a deal sweetener for a club. Now we'll never know.

Still, I wish him the best and hope he gets another chance somewhere.

Are Hawthorn starting a tunnel ball team?

"Were we too hasty in delisting Fitzy?"

No.

/thread.

Agree with OP, and think he could go on and make us pay. Think we ear-marked him down back a year ago with Hogan, Dawes, Pedersen, Frost pushing for spots up forward from round 1, but when Hogan was the only one left standing for some games, I think we should've pushed him forward again. Would've been better than playing Spencer at centre half forward no doubt...

Think he kicked 3 against the Dogs a year or two ago? Could ruck if needed, was athletic, think he could've played that 3rd tall / ruck role we are still looking for. Frost may well be the man, but think he should've got a couple of more chances last year when we were missing our other key forwards that he wasn't given.

Agree with OP, and think he could go on and make us pay. Think we ear-marked him down back a year ago with Hogan, Dawes, Pedersen, Frost pushing for spots up forward from round 1, but when Hogan was the only one left standing for some games, I think we should've pushed him forward again. Would've been better than playing Spencer at centre half forward no doubt...

Think he kicked 3 against the Dogs a year or two ago? Could ruck if needed, was athletic, think he could've played that 3rd tall / ruck role we are still looking for. Frost may well be the man, but think he should've got a couple of more chances last year when we were missing our other key forwards that he wasn't given.

let it go

quite a few of us saw something in fitzy, but in the end it was more what he lacked than what he had

he got 6 years and fell short

There is no way any club would have traded for him, his only hope of being picked up was if he was a DFA. With that said, I wouldn't object to Melbourne picking him up as a rookie, but I very much doubt that will happen. A change of scenery will hopefully be good for him. Seems like a cracking guy and has overcome some huge obstacles to get this far into his career.

I hope the Hawks take a gamble on him, and I hope he does well. I don't think it was going to happen for him here.

Perhaps we were.

But that's the chance you take.

Unless you have a perfectly-functioning crystal ball ...

NO

There's nothing wrong with the timing of the delisting, because it has given other clubs a chance to look at him properly. The reality is that he has no trade value, so we haven't lost anything by moving early.

Having said that, our ruck / key position stocks are wafer thin at present. You can pretty much guarantee that Gawn will be injured at some point next yearand Frost hasn't played since April. I think we might regret not keeping another tall on the list for an emergency situation.

NO

Only two keys working on your typewriter picket?

No, he'll be a good Player for Box Hill

In regards to Fitzpatrick, I thought we should've pulled the trigger earlier. He isn't very coordinated and has poor skills, I think he done well to remain on the list for this long. Most clubs would've cut him after a couple of years.

In regards to Fitzpatrick, I thought we should've pulled the trigger earlier. He isn't very coordinated and has poor skills, I think he done well to remain on the list for this long. Most clubs would've cut him after a couple of years.

Not necessarily disagreeing with you KDA, but are his skills and co odrdination any worse than Spencil, Jamar or Dawes? I think the main difference is they use their size to impose on the contest, which is important for a big man.

I would have been comfortable having Fitzy for another year, but I can certainly see why he was cut. (Plus: tunnel ball.)

Tunnel ball competition is looking for players! Lol

I would have kept him BUT those in the know said otherwise

Hawks could use him for a backup/depth player

Hawks are in a far better list position that us

Great for Fitzy if he gets another opportunity

I would have been comfortable having Fitzy for another year, but I can certainly see why he was cut. (Plus: tunnel ball.)

That tunnel ball killed him, there was never any coming back from that.

That tunnel ball killed him, there was never any coming back from that.

I was there that day and it just looked ...well ........ stupid beyond belief!

Fitzy was just ahead of his time, tunnel ball will catch on.

I was there that day and it just looked ...well ........ stupid beyond belief!

That Spencer fresh air kick wasn't much better. We seem to attract hilariously skilled footballers!

NO

Thought you were done here?