2017 Player Reviews: # 32 Tomas Bugg

[Demonland 72,212]

ONE PUNCH

There was a stage during the season when Tom Bugg's in your face demeanor became a feature of a team going forward. His face was on murals painted in city lanes and he was unsettling the opposition with his hardness. All that came unstuck with one stupid punch that earned him a six match suspension after the Swans game and changed him from a hero to a villain in the eyes of much of the football world.

Date of Birth: 5 April, 1993

Height: 184cm

Weight: 82kg

Games MFC 2017: 10

Career Total: 93

Goals MFC 2017: 7

Career Total: 30

CDFC Games 2017: 5

CDFC Goals 2017: 10

 

Season 2017 AFL Statistics

Kicks: 70

Handballs: 69

Disposals: 139

Marks: 29

Scores: 7 goals 12 behinds

Goal Assists: 8

Tackles: 31

Hitouts: 0

Clearances: 10

Clangers: 23

Inside 50s: 17

Rebound 50s: 4

Frees For: 11

Frees Against: 7

[jnrmac 20,089]

I like Bugg. Think he was treated poorly by the club over his brain fade. From all reports he has been contrite and has worked hard to regain 'trust' among the playing group. Could be a vital part of our future if he focuses on the right things.

Kicked 7 g 12b and I suspect if he kicked 15 goals we would be talking about him differently.

 

[Cranky Franky 2,061]

If he wants to stay on our list he must improve his kicking.  Even 30m out on a 45 deg angle he cannot be relied on.

[Yossarian 1,820]

I still love Buggy and I hope he doesn't lose his brashness in trying to redeem himself.

[Demon SeaMan 108]

Buggs awesome.  Definitely in our best 22 for

mine.  Much maligned player don’t know why.   Perhaps should read the last 10,000posts about him

cant lose his toughness we need it.  Him, Hibb, Jetta, Viney, Tmac something else they bring that is unlike MFC of recent times that we can’t lose now

[old dee 23,792]

Average player who cannot hit the side of a barn from 30 metres.

Doubt he will be around in 2019

[Jibroni 5,004]

His first half of the year was not bad but after the bye he season went pair shape (or got hit for 6!).

Can def be in our best 22 if he wants to be.

[puntkick 325]

Get a haircut like Goody, best 22 !

[whatwhat say what 22,770]

he has several factors in his favour - his speed, his demeanour, his brashness, his ability to hit the scoreboard

he has several factors going against him - his lack of discipline, his ability to hit targets by foot, his propensity for doing stupid things

he's one of those classic not quite best 22 / probably too good for the vfl players

he'll need to lift in 2017 to command a spot in the mfc side, but he is capable of doing so

i actually thought he should have been in for the final round against the pies ahead of the poster / whipping boy watts, as his combative attitude was exactly what we needed

[old dee 23,792]

2 hours ago, DemonAndrew said:

he has several factors in his favour - his speed, his demeanour, his brashness, his ability to hit the scoreboard

he has several factors going against him - his lack of discipline, his ability to hit targets by foot, his propensity for doing stupid things

he's one of those classic not quite best 22 / probably too good for the vfl players

he'll need to lift in 2017 to command a spot in the mfc side, but he is capable of doing so

i actually thought he should have been in for the final round against the pies ahead of the poster / whipping boy watts, as his combative attitude was exactly what we needed

Constantly kicking points loses games DA.

Not for me I am afraid, reasonable fill in player when injuries happen.

[whatwhat say what 22,770]

9 minutes ago, old dee said:

Constantly kicking points loses games DA.

Not for me I am afraid, reasonable fill in player when injuries happen.

i always prefer small negating forwards who can at least show the ability to be in the position to score

i think the fact that he's under contract and not quite best 22 / too good for vfl will see him in the same position in 2018, and then it's a matter of - as you say - injuries giving him opportunity, and if he can make the most of them

across his 10 games, he kicked no score once, 0.1 three times, 0.3 once, 0.4 once, 1.0 once, 2.0 once, 2.1 twice for 7.12

turn those zip goals into 1.0 twice, 2.1 and 3.2 and all of a sudden he's really contributing to the side

he gets to the right spots; he doesn't make the most of his opportunities

Edited October 10, 2017 by DemonAndrew

[poita 3,902]

Fringe player at best. Would much prefer to see him being a pain in the midfield, rather than playing faux-tough guy in the forward line and spraying shots at goal. 

He can claim that his hit on Mills was out of character, but it was a weak and pathetic act which significantly hurt the team. He has a lot of work to do to regain respect from inside and outside the club. Maybe this will end up being the making of him.

[old dee 23,792]

1 hour ago, poita said:

Fringe player at best. Would much prefer to see him being a pain in the midfield, rather than playing faux-tough guy in the forward line and spraying shots at goal. 

He can claim that his hit on Mills was out of character, but it was a weak and pathetic act which significantly hurt the team. He has a lot of work to do to regain respect from inside and outside the club. Maybe this will end up being the making of him.

Hope you are right but I just don't see the talent.

He looks to me to be one of those players that is very good in the  VFL but just not good enough at senior level.

[praha 11,240]

"Tomas"? I've been spelling it Thomas.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

Bugg being rehabilitated? As anything to do with this club, I”ll  believe it when I see it.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/head-down-for-tomas-bugg-as-he-rebuilds-trust-of-melbourne-teammates-and-coaches-20180104-h0ds4c.html

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Nothing article - the journo seems to have taken some snippets off Goodwin’s player reviews on the club’s website.

That said, I rate Bugg. He brought much needed mongrel, defensive pressure and hardness to the team. He seemed always to do the inglorious stuff. We really missed him after his suspension.

The punch was bad. But it was clearly a brain fade - he displayed genuine contrition and remorse after it, and I think he has been unfairly castigated for the incident ever since.

I want to see him have a really big 2018. I like what he brings to the team.

 

[Deemania since 56 6,640]

Buggy has attitude - a factor often missing in the Demons' team. Poor behaviours can be eliminated and at this stage, should have been eliminated as it 'cost us' a great deal. We truly missed his focus and drive for the ball, and team progress. He is one who would have stood his ground against Collingwood in our final match last season. He does fit within our best  - but our best is now almost 30 players wide. We have a potent team for 2018 with many alternatives and even these can be activated in any one game. Perhaps we need to make better use of coaching on game days, with more effective use of opposition scrutiny on that day(s) and responsive bench rotations to suit. 

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,654]

Cant say I have much time for faux tough guys who dive.

 

if only his kicking was as accurate as his punching...

[Deemented Are Go! 3,677]

5 hours ago, Rod Grinter Riot Squad said:

Cant say I have much time for faux tough guys who dive.

 

if only his kicking was as accurate as his punching...

Interesting comment from someone with your particular choice of pseudonym ?

[old dee 23,792]

10 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Buggy has attitude - a factor often missing in the Demons' team. Poor behaviours can be eliminated and at this stage, should have been eliminated as it 'cost us' a great deal. We truly missed his focus and drive for the ball, and team progress. He is one who would have stood his ground against Collingwood in our final match last season. He does fit within our best  - but our best is now almost 30 players wide. We have a potent team for 2018 with many alternatives and even these can be activated in any one game. Perhaps we need to make better use of coaching on game days, with more effective use of opposition scrutiny on that day(s) and responsive bench rotations to suit. 

Bugg is an average player who could not hit the side of barn to save himself.

add his Poor temperament and you don't have much.

Depth player at best IMO.

Edited January 8, 2018 by old dee

[Diamond_Jim 12,590]

12 minutes ago, old dee said:

Bugg is an average player who could not hit the side of barn to save himself.

add his Poor temperament and you don't have much.

Depth player at best IMO.

you're probably right but if we could improve the accuracy he would make a useful addition.

Definitely on trial for 2018 but I suspect the modern unstructured game might suit him in the sense that at least he can find the ball unlike JKH and others

[old dee 23,792]

6 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

you're probably right but if we could improve the accuracy he would make a useful addition.

Definitely on trial for 2018 but I suspect the modern unstructured game might suit him in the sense that at least he can find the ball unlike JKH and others

He is not the worst on our list DJ and I hope you are right. If he had kicked reasonably in his games last year we play finals.

My experience is that players who are poor kicks seldom change.

[Willmoy1947 4,090]

Barring injury, stick my neck out and say he will play half the season. Nothing to lose for this bloke and he's a goer too.

[old dee 23,792]

6 minutes ago, willmoy said:

Barring injury, stick my neck out and say he will play half the season. Nothing to lose for this bloke and he's a goer too.

Half the season and he will be gone at year end willmoy.

IMO a player who is at his second club coming off his 2017 disaster and can only manage 10- 11 games is on the brink.

There had better be some really good  ones among that 10. 

Edited January 8, 2018 by old dee

[Willmoy1947 4,090]

11 minutes ago, old dee said:

Half the season and he will be gone at year end willmoy.

IMO a player who is at his second club coming off his 2017 disaster and can only manage 10- 11 games is on the brink.

There had better be some really good  ones among that 10. 

If he's playing in Finals that could be 13. I'll take it.