4 hours ago, Danelska said:

I think the issue is less with Lever - and more with opposition coaches isolating him - and therefore the coaching staff of Melbourne being about to work through the tactical challenges of the isolation and getting him back to the 3rd man up role. 

Kinda like, don't shoot the messenger - he's doing his role, and perhaps Goodwin et al could give the bloke a chop out.

He's not here to mind Gorilla's, yet has been isolated in round 1 (granted Esava was a first gamer... but can seriously play).

He'll be worth the coin.. and just like every 10 years, we look back a go - [censored] me, that wasn't actually a lot of money compared to now... kinda like houses on the coast

So you mean-- if he plays against no-one he will look pretty good? Not only did a first gamer outmark him but so did Menzel who is a good deal shorter

12 minutes ago, Watts the matter said:

I enjoyed it, but it was clearly a free kick.

Yeah but he didn't punch him in the head, he missed a spoil and got him high

I am not stupid enough to get too down on a bloke that has had 2 average games; or get too up when a bloke has had 2 good ones in a row.

But I will stick with my original view in Oct/Nov that the MFC blinked unnecessarily and sold the farm in a super-draft year.  Even if he finishes top 5 B&F for 5 years running, I won' t change my opinion.  He was going nowhere bar Melbourne; and we bid as if we were 4th in-line.

 

Jason Cloke amazed the footy world in 2002 by playing the intercept loose in defence.  Food for thought.

 

Chris Scott alerted the footy world to force Lever to be accountable deep.  My guess is brother Brad has had the run-down, and will use Waite and Brown to keep Lever deep.

15 minutes ago, Watts the matter said:

Your exact words were "Don't think Lever did a thing wrong against Brisbane."

Now that is nonsense if I have ever heard it.

It's not just about mistakes, he is giving us nothing more than a fringe player would have this far.

Our whole defence minus Oscar has been average. Lever is def giving more than a Wagner or other fringe players.

Sorry for exaggerating his influence, but he is nowhere near as bad as people claim.

2 hours ago, John Lord said:

I have watched Jake since primary school

Not sure if slightly creepy or not

Edited April 4, 20187 yr by Ethan Tremblay

I've got no payshance with this thread. I want results !

16 hours ago, dl4e said:

I think it will take him close to a season to get used to playing with us.

If it takes the whole season to adjust he will be playing in the 2's and I'll be wanting my 2 first round picks back

I certainly  think that there is a minority of haters as there was for Watts over time. Lever is an AA and there is always some excuse for a high profile player that arrives and doesn't produce the goods at an instant.  Supporters  are somewhat impatient and they want their team to play well and win games.  l am one that wants to see the kid play well and produce and there should not be IMO any reason Lever not showing some of the ability at the minute what he is capable of.   Maybe he is carrying  injuries that the club has kept quiet?  However twice he was beaten by a first gamer leading to the ball against the Cats, caught almost 2 metres behind.  Dropped a chest mark when virtually on his own the last man in defence. There are a few other instances.

A player of his calibre  isn't picked up to play just the one position, However he has leadership material based on the  inner sanctum.

Well if that is the case then lets hope that he shows something this week against our hoodoo side in North and really helps us win this game. I believe he is the key player down back this week.      No we are not a one man side although  IMO he is the key.

On 04/04/2018 at 10:29 PM, TGR said:

Chris Scott alerted the footy world to force Lever to be accountable deep.  My guess is brother Brad has had the run-down, and will use Waite and Brown to keep Lever deep.

Seems like a pretty easy thing to stop. Play McDonald and Frost deep and Lever can do what we want him to do. That's kind of the whole point of defenders. They get to decide where to be. Forwards have literally no say in it.

Has he played frwd b4? 

Can he?

It would certainly be stupid to HATE something so prematurely that you have paid such a high price for!

It is plain lazy for those that promoted the Lever at any cost argument to call those that wanted him, but not at the cost of ruling us out of a first round pick for 2 years, haters. 

At the rumoured $800,000 a year i'd  like to see a little return on that even at this early stage

Maybe its just me judging south Australians too hard

Apologies to Todd Viney !

We all know he can do the third tall intercept thing at elite level but at 22 he hasn't had the chance to develop his one on one, key position game yet.

 

Does nobody else think that this is all part of development and growing as a team?

3 hours ago, puntkick said:

At the rumoured $800,000 a year i'd  like to see a little return on that even at this early stage

Maybe its just me judging south Australians too hard

Apologies to Todd Viney !

Jake's Victorian

Reminds me of a big recruit from SA in the early 70's who came to the club on big $$ and big wraps!!

Grew into the game today. He struggled in the first half. It looked like nerves, but I'd say it's just about still getting used to  the new system he's playing and playing with his new team mates.

By the end of the game, he was solid and provided good rebound.

Almost reached a pass mark... nearly

Still not impressed. Where has all his nouse gone ?? 

as the game went he seemed to get better 

maybe getting used to out game play ? 

still a long way to go 

need him at his best for the finals .....

He would make a gun forward. with his marking ability, reading of the play and kicking ability.

We wont get value for money if hes just going to play as an intercept defender who cant defend 1 on 1.

 

1 hour ago, Petraccattack said:

He would make a gun forward. with his marking ability, reading of the play and kicking ability.

We wont get value for money if hes just going to play as an intercept defender who cant defend 1 on 1.

Certainly worth a try. He appears (with some justification) to lack confidence in his fellow backmen. Has he ever played forward?

I know he will get his marking going, but my main concern is some of his horrible kicks out of defence. Reminds me of some of TMac's shanks.

11 minutes ago, Forest Demon said:

I know he will get his marking going, but my main concern is some of his horrible kicks out of defence. Reminds me of some of TMac's shanks.

I think lever has a thumping proactive kick on him like hibberd. Trying to set up offensive passages. Tmac was more poor ball drops that result in toe poke lobb kicks in d, never saw him kick as attacking as Lever was with todays shanks. Confident Lever will get used to the mcg and some kicking rhythm pretty quickly.

Edited April 7, 20187 yr by Doodle Dee

I’m not overly worried about levers positioning etc, but his kicking is horrendous, and he panics when he shouldn’t and strolls along when he should panic.

I liked when the reporter asked Goodwin how we could set-up best for Lever and Goodwin would have none of it and said we need to set-up best for Melbourne.

We have probably paid overs for Lever but now he is at Melbourne he is just another cog in the wheel and we need to see him as that. We've moved on from the single player saviour days.

56 minutes ago, Doodle Dee said:

I think lever has a thumping proactive kick on him like hibberd. Trying to set up offensive passages. Tmac was more poor ball drops that result in toe poke lobb kicks in d, never saw him kick as attacking as Lever was with todays shanks. Confident Lever will get used to the mcg and some kicking rhythm pretty quickly.

I think rhythm is the word.   He looks out of sync and it's affected his confidence.  

He is however not a key defender, so I think there is a spot up for grabs in the future.