Ratings

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

Nathan Jones - started OK, doing some nice things and then fading from view for a quarter or two before being a primary factor in the last quarter rally. He has a few rough edges, but has the requisite hardness and ball winning ability - 5.5

Matthew Bate - I mentioned last week that Bater plays a lot smaller than he is - and his perfomance yesterday refreshes that view. At this stage, he is not performing to AFL standard, too many times he refused to contest aerially and on a couple of occasions he fumbled, predicting body contact. He runs out on to the field as an AFL player and so he must cop the criticism that he recieves this week and adjust his approach to the game - he did a couple of exciting things and gets a lot of the ball, but there was a lot to suggest he is not ready yet - 3.5

Brad Miller - really responded well, leading up and providing an option in centre field but also taking the odd contested mark and showing hitherto unseen composure in front of goal. One of the bright sparks in a dreary day - 7

David Neitz - started well before injury ruined his day - 2

Daniel Ward - I like Wardy, but there is little doubt he hurts the team too much by burning the football too much and he was quieter than usual yesterday - 4

Travis Johnstone - completely subdued by Sewell, Johnno had a miserable afternoon and spent most of the day chasing, laid seven tackles which boosts what was an otherwise dismal afternoon - 2

Chris Johnson - CJ started OK getting a few kicks and distrtibuting the ball well, unfotunately so far this season he has shown a complete inability to win his own footy and have a physical impact on the contest. He has the skills but similar to Bate looks like a kid playing a man's game - 2.5

Brad Green - Greeny's copping a fair bit of flak, but he is certainly trying, putting his body in and being accountable for his man. His lack of leg speed is a concern in the midfield, he just doesnt seem to get the space required to have an offensive impact - 4.5

Daniel Bell - I thought Bell was very ordinary in round one, but played a great deal better yesterday. He showed a bit more poise and certainly a willingness to be a bit more creative, which you need from your small to medium defenders. Thought he coped quite well with Williams, when swung onto him, which was positive - 5.5

Brent Moloney - certainly tried to stamp his mark, but at times was overzealous to the team's detriment. Did some good things but had no real bearing on the contest - 4.5

James McDonald - another honest game from Junior punctuated with a terrific last quarter that got us fleetingly back in the contest. 30 touches is a good return but it wasn't, in truth, a damaging 30-touch game -7

Russell Robertson - played with his usual zest and tried to conjure opportunities for himself from left field, but found the task beyond him. Missed chances he would normally have slotted before injury took hold - 4.5

Nathan Brown - put simply he is the archetypal 'can get it, but cant kick it' player. One peace of play summed him up in the last when he won critical contest using courage and pace, fed to a team-mate, worked his arse off to get it back and then gave it straight to the opposition. He does a lot of good things, but they are undone by poor distribution technique - 5.5.

Jared Rivers - had a good duel with Franklin who tried to run him and his suspect hammy around. Never looked like being a consummate Rivers game, but he was a solid contributor on a day when that puts you in or near the best - 5.5

Simon Godfrey - much to the chagrin, no doubt, of many, Godders earnt another by game by working hard, providing an option and finishing quite neatly as well. He is clearly a player that understands his limitations but is trying to improve - an attitute that hopefully spreads. Well done! - 6.5

Paul Wheatley - did one or two nice things but on the whole was very ordinary, bordering on anonymous. Carried a shoulder injury in the latter part of the game - 2

Cam Bruce - got a lot of the football and was one of the better players, but is wasteful and burns the football too much - 6.5

Jeff White - without being a bad player, he just didnt have the impact he should have had against the calibre of Campbell and Taylor - 4

Aaron Davey - just having no impact offensively at all. Chased and harrassed well, but more is expected, needed. Hobbling in the last quarter by lower leg pain - 3.5

Mark Jamar - an omission certainty were it not for a decent last quarter when he started to ruck well - two goals inflated his performance up forward, which was, in a word, abject. Has ability, but the sublety of an axe murderer - 3.5

Nathan Carroll - his opponent played well but Carroll was far better this week, doing some hard work and involving himself in some nice link play. Still prone to the odd calamitous mistake, though - 5

Matthew Whelan - played out of the square, he could neither contain Williams, nor provide his usual mop up and creativity. Seems out of form - 4

[Rampaging Demons 1]

Mark Jamar appeared to have concrete boots on for the first three quarters!!

He did not jump at the centre square and that effort on Danny Jacobs in the first quarter was embarrassing!!

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,817]

Matthew Whelan - Seems out of form - 4

He's got a lot of friends in that department

Good summary.

[Guest dee'viator]

Mark Jamar appeared to have concrete boots on for the first three quarters!!

He did not jump at the centre square and that effort on Danny Jacobs in the first quarter was embarrassing!!

Gazza Lyon said the 3 in the worst form on monday were aaron davey, jeff white & travis johnstone.

[Lord Travis 10,728]

Not sure about White, he was OK. But Davey and Travis were certainly in poor form. No point dropping them though. We've got bad injury problems at the moment, and they're both too important to drop quite frankly. Poor start to the season

[Demon15 0]

Brad Miller - really responded well, leading up and providing an option in centre field but also taking the odd contested mark and showing hitherto unseen composure in front of goal. One of the bright sparks in a dreary day - 7

I don't buy any of this positive stuff about Miller at CHF . Your'e kidding yourselves.

His first goal in the first quarter was a miskick.

Dropped marks, showed no around the ground awareness when he needed to shepherd teammates

Took one contested mark - great.

Fumbled a slick handball during a foray in the final quarter

Dropped a chest mark.

Took a few marks upfield, took an age to then turn around and assess options - by that time the Hawks had flooded.

looked to pass off frequently.

He is the best option only due to depletion of stocks.

Please don't start talkimg him up on yesterdays effort.

I don't think I ever saw the Ox or Lyon make as many unthinking errors in their entire careers as I saw yesterday.

[Choko 493]

Fair go.

Yes, he makes mistakes. You remember those perfectly. What about his 3rd goal - was that a miskick? Was that in junk time? NO. And how many contested marks did other demons take? Miller's deficiencies fill this forum every time a whingeing supporter wants to come on and bag him. His strengths are that he bleeds red and blue (more than some others), has some physical presence and some size about him, will run and present all day and seems open to learning and development.

[Demon15 0]

[quote name='Choko' date='Apr 10 2007, 08:41 PM' post='65194]

Fair go.

Yes, he makes mistakes. You remember those perfectly. What about his 3rd goal - was that a miskick? Was that in junk time? NO. And how many contested marks did other demons take? Miller's deficiencies fill this forum every time a whingeing supporter wants to come on and bag him. His strengths are that he bleeds red and blue (more than some others), has some physical presence and some size about him, will run and present all day and seems open to learning and development.

[Choko 493]

But you bagged him. Not him in that position.

[Jaded No More 68,903]

I don't buy any of this positive stuff about Miller at CHF . You're kidding yourselves.

For the love of god, just give it up already!

This blatant bias towards Milsy, and the negative mind set of so many supporters is disgusting.

No, he isn't Jonathan Brown or Wayne Carey, but he works himself into the ground, and continuously presents. He is one of only two players in the side who gets thrown around the ground to fill gaps, and he does his absolute best to help the team. He doesn't throw tantrums, and he never has his head down. I wish we could say the same for some of his teammates.

The way people are carrying on about him, you'd think he was going out there and committing some sort of crime.

As it stands, he's had a good finals series in 06, and a reasonable start to 07. Absolutely no reason to attack him this way.

I just hope he doesn't read this crap!

[Old Man Rivers 326]

Mark Jamar appeared to have concrete boots on for the first three quarters!!

He did not jump at the centre square and that effort on Danny Jacobs in the first quarter was embarrassing!!

If Danny Jacobs is stitching you up the writing is well & truly on the wall.

Jamar is not up to AFL standard.

End Of Story.