1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Yes, but it is a big if. 
he showed absolutely no improvement last year as the season progressed, that is a very big worry to me

Exactly. The next step for me is for Weid to be 'inconsistent' rather than non-existent, in that we want to see him have a handful of big games this year. Not expecting anything close to consistent output, nor should anyone else. I really hope these comments come back to bite me in the [censored] though.

Edited January 23, 20206 yr by John Demonic

I feel like Weid has had an interrupted career so far, which has impacted his opportunity for consistency, that said his start to last year was disappointing to say the very least. His first step in the right direction has to be to positively impact the play even if he's not getting a lot of the ball (sounds like I'm talking about a certain other high drafted forward!), impact aerial contests to bring the ball to ground and stay involved as long as possible.

He's shown bits and pieces of positive play (particularly at the end of 2018), now his challenge has to be regular output. I still believe in him, and with a bit more bulk to his body he should be better in the contested marking situations. Like many 2020 is a big year for him.

1 hour ago, John Demonic said:

Exactly. The next step for me is for Weid to be 'inconsistent' rather than non-existent, in that we want to see him have a handful of big games this year. Not expecting anything close to consistent output, nor should anyone else. I really hope these comments come back to bite me in the [censored] though.

Yes. I am not expecting 15-20 games of High Qual, but we need at least 5-10 where he is in the best players

 

2 hours ago, John Demonic said:

Exactly. The next step for me is for Weid to be 'inconsistent' rather than non-existent, in that we want to see him have a handful of big games this year. Not expecting anything close to consistent output, nor should anyone else. I really hope these comments come back to bite me in the [censored] though.

In 2019, 11 games for 11 goals, with at least 1 goal in 9 of them. Around 10 disposals per game. Average stats are very similar to his 2018. He has actually been quite consistent. 

He did struggle for form but he really struggled for a run at it. Played the first 6, then dropped to Casey where he kicked 2.3 and took 7 marks but got injured, came back through Casey where he kicked 3.1 and he was named in the best, promoted for 5 more games in the MFC before injury ended his season. 

Not great form but I think he deserves a solid run at it.

If he plays 22 games and has a 3 goal match once a month he'll finish with 30-35 goals. It's those 3 goal games he's been missing. 

 

Edit: tl;dr: he was poor this year in his interrupted year but still named to consistently kick a goal per week. It only takes an injury free season and 4 good games to turn a 25 goal a year forward into 35 goal a year forward, which is probably what we'd be content with right now. 

Edited January 23, 20206 yr by deanox

Not going to happen.   Put him at half back. 

The way some people carry on about Weideman on here you'd think he was the only one on the list who had a poor year and not 95% of them. 

I'm more inclined to cut developing players slack rather than put the boot into them though, because the club clearly stuffed up pre season and its not what the young guys need. They need linear progression year on year. 

At the end of 2018 Weideman was showing good improvement and 2019 was a total [censored] show from start to finish which wasn't his fault. im backing him in to go to new heights this year now he's fit again and has finally developed a footballers body under a new fitness regime. 

It's  also how the coach uses him.

He may be the key impact forward, crash and bash, take two opposition defenders out of it, create space .

or he may be the main target to kick goals while TMac takes the best defenders and Weid is freed up.

With Fritsch also able to play the loose tall forward, Trac Pruess, etcwe have an attractive array of options.

We may not play all of them every week so goal output may not be the only or best measure.

What will be important is what he does to secure the flag.

On 1/23/2020 at 4:20 PM, DeeSpencer said:

He doesn't have a particular athletic advantage - stamina, size, strength, speed are all average or below. But he's certainly moving more freely and looking more confident and involved on the training track. How was he meant to beat a man if everyone he played on had more strength and healthy hips? After this summer he should be on par for fitness and strength with his opponent and moving better.

He has the kicking (goal kicking a bit up and down but generally good, field kicking can be very good) and handballing skills (one of the best in the side at using both hands) to be a talent. Plus on the days where he lays a tackle he can get on a roll there. But it's a matter of whether he'll consistently find the ball and consistently hold his marks. He flies bravely at the ball but sometimes I think he's doing more to make a contest than to hold the marks.

Half a season more up forward to see if he finally can hold his marks and get involved more and if it fails then time to try him down back where his opponent will take him to contests.

Basically agree DS but signs are really promising from PS training reports of greater body strength involvement and skills.

Taking  marks is the most important towards skill snd subsequently kicking goals BUT competing all the time and bringing the ball to ground should not be underestimated.
I am bullish about Sam so here's hoping all out forwards take a step forward as a group but individually as well as we sorely need to forget the calamitous edition of 2019 which constantly shot itself in its proverbial foot.

35 goals an aim for the Weide.