Billings is still ■■■■. Got any other examples?
Once they’re picked it doesn’t really matter if they went 1st or 55th the number doesn’t really mean much other than in the world of BigFooty ■■■■■■■ contests.
1 Like
Fixed.
The sort of fp we need atm
Too small for a modern midfielder
Exactly.
An absolutely pointless excersise
We have somehow managed to break another young kid.
I’d be expecting Improvement. McCluggage and Taranto are now ahead of him due to some significant gains, McCluggage is the competitions best winger statistically!
If you’d said that would happen this year back at the end of 2017 you’d be very disappointed.
I like the guy, but the last few weeks, and last year to an extent, have raised eyebrows
2 Likes
He is being wasted on the wing, he never played the role at junior level and by all accounts was training at stoppages in the pre-season so why didn’t he spend any time at centre bounces? Either use him in the guts or just play him on the flanks, he was elite at that role in the 18s why go away from that?
3 Likes
I agree, but I can see why they are doing it.
He will be around for another 10-12 years, he clearly has some football smarts and appears to be someone eager to learn. Why not take advantage of that and try round him as a footballer during his initial seasons?
At absolute worst, we know he can play a defensive post (and play it extremely well), so there is nothing to lose (in the long term) by doing this.
2 Likes
He’s done fine.
He’s only been playing midfield for a dozen or so matches.
We know he is a gun half back, he just needs to learn the midfield craft at AFL level.
I’m happy we are giving him midfield time as I reckon that Sydney missed their chance with Mills and Heeney who spent far too long in the backline and forward line respectively and now they are struggling to become midfielders
1 Like
Shock horror: other top 3 picks are actually good at football. Shut the ■■■■■■■ place down.
Seriously, this is a heap of fuss about nothing. He has had two poor games, after being really good for a few weeks. He is 20 years old and it happens.
Wing is alright but we don’t really play to that playstle, we like to use the corridor and do it as fast as possible.
I can see why he doesn’t get permanent time in the middle because we have a strong on ball group but its the same with Parish.
I wish we would stop putting Stringer, tippa and Fanta in there and just throw in Andy and Darce more.
1 Like
Didn’t we get Stringer on the hope he’d become a midfield rotation?
Yes, he is to play mainly as a forward but with burst through the middle
yeah we did, and this isn’t a knock on stringer but he’s not doing anything remarkable at the centre square bounces. And again not a knock but Stringers running power is still highly lacking for a mid, I was at the game on Sunday and I noticed two efforts in particular in the 2nd Qtr where Stringer just couldn’t keep up with his man and one of them cost us a goal directly.
So the way I see it is why not just keep him where he is most dangerous (as a permanent Fwd) and give more time to Parish and Mcgrath who were both drafted as dominant midfielders.
I also Still hate that at every centre bounce to start a Qtr Stringer is attending it.
It should be our best starting Onball brigade. Shiel, Merrett and Heppel. No Arguments IMO.
2 Likes
Struggling with the pace of the game in the midfield, rushing his disposals and can’t find any space.
8 tackles on Sunday is promising, at least he is doing something when he doesn’t have the ball.
Had a good last quarter, but the sting was taken out of the game by then.
Needs to use his run & carry more.
1 Like
He is still a young kid and is playing well enough to justify his spot in the side. The more he play the more comfortable he’ll be in big games.
Some kids play the same in front of 10k as they do in front of 92k or 62k. Some kids take time. He is learning and progressing year to year.
I thought his breakout year would be 2019 but there are enough signs to say I’m confident it’ll be in 2020.
Like Lachie Neale?
McCluggage, McGrath or Taranto? Lion happy to be part of the debate
Hugh McCluggage, Andrew McGrath and Tim Taranto at the 2016 darft
IT IS a NAB AFL Draft debate that looks likely to last a decade: Andrew McGrath, Tim Taranto or Hugh McCluggage?
The top three picks from the 2016 intake are into their third AFL seasons and all have strong claims on being the best player from their pool.
McGrath, Essendon’s first No.1 selection, won the Rising Star award in his debut season, Taranto (pick two) is dominating for Greater Western Sydney’s midfield, and McCluggage is emerging into a star for the Lions.
McCluggage, the third selection, admits it’s a storyline hard to ignore.
“You look at them. Not because you want to compare yourself to them, but I roomed with Andy at the draft and Tim I’ve met a few times and know quite well,” he told AFL.com.au .
“I’m not looking at them thinking ‘They’re going better than me’, I really hope they go well. It’s something that creates a bit of talk and people like talking about it. I don’t look too much into it but it is cool to be a part of.”
McCluggage has done his bit this year to keep the discussion going. The midfielder is averaging nearly 22 disposals, but has also kicked 10 goals, going goalless only once so far.
It is an area the 21-year-old wanted to sharpen up in his third season at AFL level, having felt wasteful at stages in his first two years.
“You always want to add strings to your bow,” he said. “It was definitely something I knew I’d done poorly in the first two years in terms of my accuracy.”
More than that, McCluggage is now a part of one of the most exciting midfield units in the competition.
He is attending more centre bounces than in the past, having put on 10 kilograms since he got to the club, and is having more impact on games with his deft foot skills, evasive nature and ability to extract the ball and then get it going.
McCluggage has been a key part of the Lions’ rise – they have won five games, already as many as last season’s total – and said his third season had brought new responsibilities and expectations.
“Whether I was ready or not to play AFL footy I don’t really know, I was a pretty light body and my first year wasn’t great. I had moments where I played all right but it was quite inconsistent,” he said.
"I definitely went through moments where I thought ‘Am I up to this?’
"I was struggling to get near it and having no impact on the game and internally you do doubt yourself, it’s just a human thing.
“I went to the coaches after a quiet game and they said I’d put yourself in good positions and I was working hard. They constantly say ‘You could’ve done this better’ but they instill confidence that you’ll get there.”
It’s a belief that is spreading throughout the Lions. In McCluggage, Jarrod Berry, Harris Andrews, Alex Witherden and Cam Rayner, Brisbane has elite young talent on its list.
It has complemented that with the addition of star ex-Docker Lachie Neale, after adding Charlie Cameron last year, and can see a first finals appearance since 2009 on the horizon.
“We’ve had some tough times but I can see where we’re going and that’s pretty rewarding,” he said.