I'm not sure if we need Lever to pull or lift.

His unforced disposal errors are a definite concern.

Positioned himself against the roos in good marking territory and reads the play as good as anyone.

disposal wasnt great and clanged a couple of one on one contests .

He will get there , hasnt played much at the G or with this group , it will be turnaround soon . 

 

7 hours ago, Sylvia Saint said:

I actually thought he was good yesterday, gave away one of the worst frees I've ever seen paid on Goldstein, but was busy and got better as the game wore on.

Granted, for two first rounders and 800k a year, his first three games as a collective have been totally underwhelming. But it's way too early for the vultures to come out. 

Just watch, Lever will be BOG in a final one day and Kane Cornes types will write how "it was great for Lever to show up those who doubted him." That's the media for you.

I also thought Lever was good yesterday, after a bit of a slow start. As well as his intercepts, he’s great at getting himself out of trouble and into space once he takes possession.

On 04/04/2018 at 11:12 AM, praha said:

I'm all outta patience. 

I have plenty of angst, though. 

Yep paid overs and as result I want to see Superstar! So far he has been underwhelming!

Our defense looked a lot better with Frost, OMac & Lever as the 3 talls. 

Obviously Lever's kicking was poor but I don't think he has poor skills, I think he just had a bad day. His marking and reading of the play was good and we was able to kill a number of kicks into the backline.

I think our backline will get stronger as the season goes on.

I was quiet impressed with him on The AFL Sunday Footy Show today ! 

He was a lot better against North, although his kicking was ordinary early. I'm sure he'll find his Adelaide form sooner rather than later.

On 07/04/2018 at 7:36 AM, deanox said:

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?

Bluntly, if it were anyone else he would be dropped. There is no way he is worth a spoat present. If he does get it, he butchers it. Can't kick on the left foot at all

Lever has been a major disappointment to date. I never expected to get a quality lock down defender, because he was never that at Adelaide.

But his poor positioning, his lack of workrate / intensity and his inability to help out Oscar at any stage have been a damning indictment. 

As I've said before, I suspect the club significantly understated the impact of Daniel Talia as a reliable, intelligent footballer on the game of Lever. Perhaps Jake needs Jordan Lewis to be telling what to do and where to be at all times, just as Luke Hodge is doing at Brisbane.

Either way, Lever is underperforming himself, and he has thrown the entire defensive group out of sync. Something needs to change pronto, or we will be flogged this week.

I rewatched the game last night.

I thought Lever was prominant, but his disposal by foot wasn't great. But he was well and truly in the game.

Biggest thing on the reply I noted was not Hogan or Gawn ... they had great games.  But Salem and Jones were fantastic in and around the ball, Salem in particular was hard at the ball and good with his disposal. Which was great given we don't have Viney, and Oliver was tagged by Jacobs

because of his poor first half against the cats the narrative has become that he has been a disappointment

lever has been serviceable, but there's no doubt that his addition to our backline has completely changed our defensive structure

he's a super competent footballer, and will get better as he settles

he's only 21, and his reading of the play is second-to-none

very happy to have him

17 hours ago, CityDee said:

He will get there , hasnt played much at the G or with this group , it will be turnaround soon . 

 

I've read somewhere that Adelaide Oval has narrow pockets (ie when you're standing on the boundary to have a shot at goal the goal face is wider than at other grounds. This is the opposite of Subiaco which had deep pockets and made shots from there much harder). I wonder if this had an effect of making it easier to zone off in defence and get to contests quicker. Obviously being able to read the play is necessary as well but playing in a wider defensive 50 may be having an impact.

On 4/8/2018 at 3:45 AM, 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.

 

This is what i've been wondering ever since we entered into the contest of trying to win Levers signature.   2 x top 10 picks was too high.

But then we drafted Harrison Petty. Another key tall defender in the very same draft.  This makes me wonder.

Disgraceful disposal vs North

On 4/8/2018 at 8:05 AM, DeeZee said:

He looked good in the JLT , but seems to lack confidence, and it’s showing in his decision making.

Looks like a skinny kid at times.

He's now in a side with young tall players., and a relatively new defensive team, that is still transitioning in style/method.

 

On 4/8/2018 at 12:21 PM, Robbie57 said:

 A bit of common sense, the whole backline has been out of sorts. 

 

 

If he is getting north of $30k per game, i want much more from him than we have seen so far. On top of this was the price of 2 first rounders among others.

Many posters were in a lather when we got him, insisting he will make us a much better team. So far i dont think he has improved us at all structure wise.

Obviously he has only played 3 games, and may well explode from next week, but he can only be judged on his value thus far. That value is minimal and must improve dramatically.

Over to you Jake.

I still don't get where some are currently coming from. ( Albeit that might be as much me as them )...however Lever is an interception phenomenon. It's ultimately irrelevant who he's supposed to be on as his asset is derived from playing OFF them and using a very astute sense of ball reading to advantage.

Im not seeing alot of the atm. Im not seeing him deliver/place this game. Arguably its by directive from coaching and if so il astounded we would neuter such a talent. 

I dont see 'patience' as relevant either. He needs to be played to advantage. Surely that why we got him !! You dont buy a Porsche to deliver pizzas !!

27 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

I still don't get where some are currently coming from. ( Albeit that might be as much me as them )...however Lever is an interception phenomenon. It's ultimately irrelevant who he's supposed to be on as his asset is derived from playing OFF them and using a very astute sense of ball reading to advantage.

Im not seeing alot of the atm. Im not seeing him deliver/place this game. Arguably its by directive from coaching and if so il astounded we would neuter such a talent. 

I dont see 'patience' as relevant either. He needs to be played to advantage. Surely that why we got him !! You dont buy a Porsche to deliver pizzas !!

An 'interception phenomenon'. Hyperbole much.

51 minutes ago, binman said:

An 'interception phenomenon'. Hyperbole much.

Yes ..quite possibly ?

However he did lead the league in intercepts and also fisting ball away if required.

 

 

This bloke will be a gun.  He has the talent, work ethic and desire to be worth every penny (and draft pick).  I have zero doubt.  Staggered at the amount of criticism he has received after 3 games.  Can't wait for him to be able to say "how do you like me now?" to all of the doubters.

Might not be this week but very soon I suspect we will all be stoked we have him on our team.

4 minutes ago, BigFez said:

This bloke will be a gun.  He has the talent, work ethic and desire to be worth every penny (and draft pick).  I have zero doubt.  Staggered at the amount of criticism he has received after 3 games.  Can't wait for him to be able to say "how do you like me now?" to all of the doubters.

Might not be this week but very soon I suspect we will all be stoked we have him on our team.

Its not the 2018 1st Rnd draft pick that's on issue at all. 

Its the other draft pick,  last years P10,,, thats the issue.  we could have had Jack Higgins or others, Darcy Fogarty?

We could have used 2018 1st Rnd'r,,, + another from this draft, if necessary.

4 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Its not the 2018 1st Rnd draft pick that's on issue at all. 

Its the other draft pick,  last years P10,,, thats the issue.  we could have had Jack Higgins or others, Darcy Fogarty?

We could have used 2018 1st Rnd'r,,, + another from this draft, if necessary.

Always a tricky one when draft picks and future draft picks are involved.  Based on our recent form at the draft table the odds are we would have done very well, but we could have also drafted a dud, or who knows!  I agree we folded at the draft table, but he could be the final piece of the premiership puzzle and the list management team would not have wanted to risk losing that.

At this point in time I'm not saying we have paid overs, and I'm not saying we haven't either.  Have a look at Tom Boyd for the dogs.  He has played 3 good games in his AFL career and ask any Bulldogs supporter if they are unhappy with that trade and most will say no, because he played a big part in delivering them the 2016 flag.

Time will tell, but my view is we will  be happy with the trade once we are able to look back on it.

4 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Its not the 2018 1st Rnd draft pick that's on issue at all. 

Its the other draft pick,  last years P10,,, thats the issue.  we could have had Jack Higgins or others, Darcy Fogarty?

We could have used 2018 1st Rnd'r,,, + another from this draft, if necessary.

We did get pick 35 back in this draft. That's where I would've haggled for more but it was a mid first downgraded to a late 2nd. If you think you can find a good player with either of those picks and not miss a star at pick 10 then the deal is much better. Harry Petty was the pick and if he's a solid serviceable player and Lever gets it together the deal is looking good. I'd trade two mid first rounders for 1 gun and 1 serviceable player every year for sure.