2024 Player Reviews: #2 Jacob van Rooyen

[58er 6,420]

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

The West Coast game at the MCG was the first time we've seen an MFC key forward take control of a game of footy since the Hogan halcyon days of 2016-2018. And McGovern and Barrass were playing that day so it wasn't as if he got hold of a bunch of mugs.

Good on him for cracking the 30 goal mark, and blokes like Harry Mckay and Curnow didn't manage 50 goals until their 4th or 5th AFL seasons.

Aside from a 3 goal performance against GC, he didn't end the season well taking only 10 marks in the final 5 games.

Perhaps he was tired or needed a run down back to change his attitude for a quarter or two.  It also we kicked only about 8 goals in 3 of those games we lost. 

[58er 6,420]

4 hours ago, old dee said:

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not sure how you judge him relishing playing second ruck. My observation  is he is average at best as a Ruckman. It just takes him away from his role as a  kpf. A role we need desperately. We need another good kpf not backmen trying to fill the role. 

There is no reason why Petty or Turner should not be given an opportunity to play and succeed up forward OD. You have also forgotten JVR played FB as a junior in WA in State and Under Age competitions. 
At least Goody has experimented and if you give them sometime it can be rewarding. 

As I have posted before you are too black and white with young players. Key positions are not as early successes as mids and need more time. 
The rewards are there after some time and patience is needed. 

Tmac took a while before he settled into CHB or FB and Gawny took 4/5 years to develop. It’s how a young player looks in developing and IMO Disco is showing very good potential and Although Petty was disappointing I believe his fitness was not up to scratch. This year might be his real outbreak year same with JVR. 
30/40 goals is good for a young player even 25 sometimes. 

You have written them off already and we know they have ability so it’s a matter of development in time or trying another position. 
And I Like JVR because he gives Everything a good red hit go and competes which you should recognise from your years of watching youngsters. 

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,806]

On 02/11/2024 at 17:13, Roost it far said:

Champion forward in the making. Can’t understand the doubters. 

Don't count me as one of the doubters, but I think impatience goes at least part of the way to explaining my own feelings on the Roo.

We got absolutely spoilt by Jessy Hogan being a contested marking beast and better than your average mature KPP from pretty much day dot and Jackson was similar.  We have also had a significant No. of somewhat overhyped false dawns with key position forwards like Watts and Weid.

Can definitely see the potential in Jacob to dominate games and give us a great focal point up forward.  His set shot goal kicking is already elite.  Personally I just want him to deliver on that potential right now, while realising that's a somewhat unrealistic expectation and that statistically he's already actually maturing at a rate that is up there with the best of some of the recent elites of the league.

 

Can't wait to hear more and even louder cries of ROOOOOOOO echo throughout the G in coming seasons.

[george_on_the_outer 7,590]

Just hope we don’t kill this kid, because we keep throwing him into the ruck, while expecting him to then perform at FF.

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,110]

On 04/11/2024 at 08:51, Ollie fan said:

I didn't say he was as good as Dermie. I said he REMINDS me of Dermie. But I believe that this coming year will be when he puts it all together, and that is when we will find out just how good he is which I think is: very very good.

For comparisons for Roo, another animal comes to mind: The Ox.

Can someone do a stats comparison of their first 2 or 3 years (allowing, somehow, for the mercurial nature of those years for Schwarz)?

Edited November 6 by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,806]

53 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

For comparisons for Roo, another animal comes to mind: The Ox.

Can someone do a stats comparison of their first 2 or 3 years (allowing, somehow, for the mercurial nature of those years for Schwarz)?

So very high level, in their respective second seasons:

                                  Roo      Ox

AFL Games Played   21        22

Goals                         30        20

Marks                        81         112

 

Loved Schwartz as a player and distinctly remember some of those early break-out games he played, including that massive final against Carlton.  Unfortunately, the below courtesy of Demonwiki pretty well summarises the fate of the Ox from his third season onwards (http://demonwiki.org/David+Schwarz):

Schwarz's first injury trouble came in 1993, when persistent groin issues and a hernia restricted him to nine games. He bounced back to kick 60 goals in 1994, including a career-best nine in the last home and away game. That year he and took more marks than Wayne Carey in a season where he stamped himself as a future star of the competition. At the end of that year, he ended speculation of a switch to the new Fremantle side by signing a contract extension to the end of 1998.

The AFL Media Guide for 1995 described Schwarz as "a genuine AFL star centre half-forward. High-leaping, aggressive and mobile", but he was soon struck down with a serious knee injury during an intra-club match. He returned just 16 weeks after surgery, in Round 9, 1995, but the knee collapsed under him in the first quarter of the next game, requiring another reconstruction. Returning in the 1996 pre-season he broke down again in a Reserves practice match and missed the entire year.

 

Yes he certainly went on to play some solid footy after that, but I think those couple of seasons would be regarded as the most spectacular highs and lows of his career and my most vivid recollection of his playing days.  If only players like him, Gary Lyon, Alan Jackovic and Sean Charles stayed uninjured and Martin Pike had kept his act together, I have little doubt we would have won multiple premierships in that era.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,806]

1 hour ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

For comparisons for Roo, another animal comes to mind: The Ox.

Can someone do a stats comparison of their first 2 or 3 years (allowing, somehow, for the mercurial nature of those years for Schwarz)?

Just to throw in the other point of reference I mentioned, in his second season Jesse Hogan played 21 games, kicked 41 goals and took 149 marks in a side that was still rebuilding - what a beast.  Still spewing we didn't get him back after his stint at Freo.

[58er 6,420]

4 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Just hope we don’t kill this kid, because we keep throwing him into the ruck, while expecting him to then perform at FF.

I think if Rooy was a horse he would need and like a few runs per campaign. He is a competitive beast and relishes the contest I believe. 

Thats why I don’t have any qualms about “killing him” on the contrary he accepts the contest as part of skill in his armoury.

Needing another one or two real talents/goal kickers to accompany him hopefully Harry Disco plus Jeffo or a draft choice in future will help Rooy become a player of genuine excitement on the AFL scene. 

[layzie 33,791]

Don't bust the merchandise. That's the bottom line.

I'm sure he's happy to pinch hit ruck but he's also still in the phase where his thirst for the game is clouding long term judgement. I think the Ox comparison is good in the way that if he's going to ruck I'd like him to be a forward line ruck specialist. I don't need him taking 30% of centre bounces.

 

[leave it to deever 17,511]

On 04/11/2024 at 16:47, 58er said:

There is no reason why Petty or Turner should not be given an opportunity to play and succeed up forward OD. You have also forgotten JVR played FB as a junior in WA in State and Under Age competitions. 
At least Goody has experimented and if you give them sometime it can be rewarding. 

As I have posted before you are too black and white with young players. Key positions are not as early successes as mids and need more time. 
The rewards are there after some time and patience is needed. 

Tmac took a while before he settled into CHB or FB and Gawny took 4/5 years to develop. It’s how a young player looks in developing and IMO Disco is showing very good potential and Although Petty was disappointing I believe his fitness was not up to scratch. This year might be his real outbreak year same with JVR. 
30/40 goals is good for a young player even 25 sometimes. 

You have written them off already and we know they have ability so it’s a matter of development in time or trying another position. 
And I Like JVR because he gives Everything a good red hit go and competes which you should recognise from your years of watching youngsters. 

I feel most have been more than patient with Petty up fwd.

He's clearly more suited down back where he has proven himself a very good defender.

Has shown a couple of strong games fwd but for the most part either through lack of confidence or skill or both, the jury is in for me.

Not a forward. Case closed I hope.

Genuine flag contenders go into a season knowing they have proven players in key positions and the experimenting has stopped.

 

Edited November 6 by leave it to deever

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,495]

Have seen exponential improvement with JVR each year he has been on the list - it's hard to believe its only his second year of senior football.
I'm expecting big things!

[old dee 23,786]

On 04/11/2024 at 13:12, MrFreeze said:

Can see him becoming the Hawkins style tank who just toses skinnier ruckman and snaps goals when he is older.

No!

[Bang Na Demon 167]

To go with the sticky hands his foot skills are elite