2 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

They also laughed at Max in his early days. 

Max was as awkward looking as Preuss is currently. He just needs a couple of years to develop.

Disagree with your assessment of Max's early days there Neil.  I always thought he looked quite coordinated and footy smart for a guys his size.  I think it was more injuries, as well as a lack of endurance (physical and mental) to maintain the required level of intensity over whole games that kept Max from having the impact he is as a player now earlier in his career.

I was hoping for much better impact from big Preussy these last two games.  Part of the disappointment and the issue I think is that he isn't holding his marks as well as he did in his stints earlier in the season and even in the game against Carlton he took a handful of big strong grabs around the ground that he hasn't done the past two weeks.

For me I think it's two fold:

1. He's now being targeted and closer checked by defenders when he presents as a forward option as there isn't a T Mac or Weid to take the best two key backs;

2. As a result of 1. he's lost a bit of confidence in his marking ability and is fumbling his marks around the ground when he has more time space and body size advantage to clunk them.

 

Not a lost cause by any stretch to me and I think the more AFL games we can get into him over the next 5 games to develop, better pick up the pace and elivated intensity compared VFL the better he will be next year.

Edited July 22, 20195 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

Did anyone really expect that he would be an overnight fix?

Can do a decent job when needed to ruck.

Needs more time at Casey, when not needed to fill a role at MFC, especially to learn his forward work.

So I see him as both insurance against Max being inured, but also a 'project player' in the forward line not as a KPP but as a tall forward / ruck when a combo is needed.

15 hours ago, Cards13 said:

For mine the tackle was a response to the free given against Brayshaw earlier who a “dangerous tackle” and another Dee who got pinged just prior for holding the man. IE Pruess didn’t want to give away a free and after spinning him 360 he let up a touch and bang he let him slip through.

Not a fireable offence. He’s still learning people, let him grow.

yeah I agree. but if he can't differentiate between a sling/smash tackle and just holding on then I reckon he needs to learn/grow at VFL level.

and when in doubt Preussy, err on the side of a dangerous tackle, we need some grunt! 

let's face it,  he is extremely unco - arms and legs, each going in different directions. I'm not sure that will change.

These last 5 weeks is the perfect time to play him with Gawn to see if they can build a good partnership.

I'd also like to see Gawn wrapped in cotton wool and Pruess play out the season as our sole ruck.