It's a shame it hasn't worked out for Bugg. He actually does get in some good chains and positions with many shots on goal sometimes, he's just a poor kick. I actually liked his nutty, pest ways. Sounds like he trained very well in the off season but I think there's no doubting the Mills incident has ruined his confidence a bit, he can't or won't play like he always did. Not getting any younger either to improve his kicking.

There is a role for him. 

He's playing it at Casey. 

I am not a fan but I actually think he is worth another contract as a depth player.

If Bugg is to tag then it's on a wing as it was under Roos where he shut out Sidebottom in one game. He's an elite runner, so out in space he can run with anyone.

I doubt he has the strength or explosive pace off the mark to restrict the best inside midfielders.

The half forward tag gets Melksham in to the game so he's got that role covered. And ANB has the hard running half forward spot. 

I thought in the preseason that Bugg had something to offer as another hard runner in the forward line and to be honest it worked for him in the North game, but he followed it up with some stinkers with the worst display of skills you'll ever see.

I wouldn't completely rule Bugg out this year for that tagging wingman role against one of the games best outside runners - Gaff (although plays more on ball now), Isaac Smith, Scully etc. But that's about it.

Well the players who many of you have mentioned are not those I had in mind. I like Hannan and what he offers for the future, but with the opponents we have for the rest of the year, I would very much like Bugg standing alongside some seriously good midfielders. I disagree about his pace and my recollection is that his kicking is only poor when he is shooting for goal. Particularly with the hardness of Viney lost for at least a month, I think Bugg could play a real role, whereas we have a bunch of forwards making Hannan's role more questionable 

  On 16/07/2018 at 15:02, A F said:

I don't rate Vanders either. His disposal is extremely hit and miss, and he's probably the worst handballer I've ever seen at AFL level.

But I suspect Vanders will get a game soon enough for his pressure acts and his ability to bob up with a goal or two.

Can't disagree with your thoughts Re. foot skills, I think Vanders offers more in the way of brute defensive pressure eg. Tackling machine when he tackles they stay tackled and he's a 80 meter player with burst speed, kicks like a mule, has a goal sense and can clear defensive walls with kicks out the back.

  On 16/07/2018 at 12:48, Petraccattack said:

James Harmes went on to MacRae after halftime last week and shut him down.  Theres your tagger. 

 We cant afford to carry Bugg, we are trying to make finals.  His skills are brutal.

Bugg is a far better option than JKH and arguably a better option than Stretch and Hannan. I'd have him in the side for JKH this week.

Reckon the Blues will have a sniff at Buggy come years end.

He wont stick around if he cant crack into the senior team.

  On 17/07/2018 at 01:35, DSP said:

Reckon the Blues will have a sniff at Buggy come years end.

He wont stick around if he cant crack into the senior team.

His name along with a few other MFC players including Stretch were thrown up last night by Roos on Fox. Was in reference to the Blues turning pick 1 into 5 or more players through multiple trades. I'd be okay with Bugg netting us a pick in the the second round but I'd prefer to keep as depth if any offer is lower than that.

  On 17/07/2018 at 01:28, Dr. Gonzo said:

Bugg is a far better option than JKH and arguably a better option than Stretch and Hannan. I'd have him in the side for JKH this week.

Definitely better than JKH IMO.

  On 16/07/2018 at 13:34, DeezNuts said:

Mate, unfair assessment on young guns like ANB, Harmes and Buggy. They’ve still got dozens of games to mature and fully develop. We carried OMAC, to an extent we also carried Salem, Hogan, Trac and Brayshaw. (Claret is the freakish anomaly here). 

Everyone develops at different rates, cultures change over time. I say give them all a run and see what they can produce collectively together.

ANB: 22

Harmes: 22

Bugg: 25

 

  On 16/07/2018 at 13:59, Rogue said:

How do you rate it vs Vince's stellar tagging jobs for us a couple of years back, where he was also getting a heap of the footy himself?

Bernie got 3  Brownlow votes 2 years in a row tagging Pendlebury.

He also did a great job on Danger during a win v. Adelaide at AO.

For some reason they don’t seem to use him as a tagged now.

  On 17/07/2018 at 05:16, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

Bernie got 3  Brownlow votes 2 years in a row tagging Pendlebury.

He also did a great job on Danger during a win v. Adelaide at AO.

For some reason they don’t seem to use him as a tagged now.

I agree. I had overlooked Bernie as he hasn't been playing the tagging  role. But can he now match the pace of the good on ballers?

when Pendles, Sidebottom, Treloar and de Goey were slaughtering us I was missing Bugg. He would have handled one of them

Wouldn't mind Bugg in this week...just to niggle and harass Joel Selwood

I'd play him! Hannan was poor for much of last week and JKH plays like a frightened rabbit.

Bugg is capable of being a link in the chain like he was against North kicking four goals. He can run and mark overhead. His problem is he turns it over by foot and isn't a particularly strong tackler.

 

I would love to See Tomas back in the side, come September. He is an in your face player, but he has to work his ass off. 

Dean Chiron i always thought was a similar player. Not pretty, but did a job

With Viney out, bug can go to duckwood, would also love Vanders in, if not this week then next week.

  On 17/07/2018 at 01:42, McQueen said:

His name along with a few other MFC players including Stretch were thrown up last night by Roos on Fox. Was in reference to the Blues turning pick 1 into 5 or more players through multiple trades. I'd be okay with Bugg netting us a pick in the the second round but I'd prefer to keep as depth if any offer is lower than that.

Doesn't our 1st round pick go to Adelaide. What would be the point of giving away the likes of Bugg,Frost etc to Carlton when their pick becomes a freebie to Adelaide.

  On 17/07/2018 at 08:11, dl4e said:

Doesn't our 1st round pick go to Adelaide. What would be the point of giving away the likes of Bugg,Frost etc to Carlton when their pick becomes a freebie to Adelaide.

It's a bit more complex than that. Here's the clip from OTC where Roos discusses it. Starts talking trades around the 2 min mark.

Roosy's blueprint for Carlton

I would keep him on the list on one condition... he comes in for grand final day and does a repeat of his Sydney game on the oppositions best player in minute 1 of the game. Glory ensues. Retirement. Lives happily ever after selling beach cushions. 

Should never play again end of story, I think I'll be saying the same thing about JKH after the Geelong game.

He did a massive job on Sidebottom on Queen's Birthday 2016, kept him to one kick in the second quarter after he threatened to wreck us in the first. Not sure you're going to drag that out every week but he's got some form.

  On 16/07/2018 at 15:02, A F said:

I don't rate Vanders either. His disposal is extremely hit and miss, and he's probably the worst handballer I've ever seen at AFL level.

But I suspect Vanders will get a game soon enough for his pressure acts and his ability to bob up with a goal or two.

I haven’t had the opportunity to see if he has improved his handballduring his long layoff : certainly would have had plenty of time to work on it.  But he is a hard tough player who can kick a long ball.  If he gets up to pace he would not be the sort of type one would want to be tagged by.  More on the positive side IMO than Bugg.

  On 17/07/2018 at 09:57, Supermercado said:

He did a massive job on Sidebottom on Queen's Birthday 2016, kept him to one kick in the second quarter after he threatened to wreck us in the first. Not sure you're going to drag that out every week but he's got some form.

Brad Miller did a massive job on Barry Hall once, and Brent Grgic as I recall may have even had two good games. Watts too.  One swallow doth not a summer make  

What we need are players who can reliably play well, with the great games as bonuses. 

When the only reason people want you to be picked is because you have "mongrel", you're clearly not that much chop.

IMO Bugg's weaknesses (terrible skills, no confidence when we're attacking) outweigh his strengths (strong two-way running, good defensive pressure, the aforementioned "mongrel").

Of course, if he is able to improve his skills and become a better player when we're attacking, those strengths he's already displayed become even more valuable (and we know the FD loves two-way running and defensive pressure). So whilst I'm not prepared to say he's got no hope at all, right now he's not best 22, nor do I think he's that close to it.

  On 17/07/2018 at 00:05, poita said:

The coach is clearly a Vandenberg fan, but he has the same issues as Bugg. He is not particularly young, he has gone backwards from his first season (even before his injury), he is slow and his skills are well below AFL standard. 

How can you possibly say this given AVB hasn't played for two years? Are you rating his 2016 form compared to his 2015 form? How is that relevant to what AVB might be capable of now?

Your negativity seriously knows no bounds.

  On 17/07/2018 at 13:16, titan_uranus said:

How can you possibly say this given AVB hasn't played for two years? Are you rating his 2016 form compared to his 2015 form? How is that relevant to what AVB might be capable of now?

Your negativity seriously knows no bounds.

AVB definitely backwards in his second year IMO. And then got injured.