Watched a replay of the Freo game during the week, sometimes you miss things at the game as I was. He did not want that kick at half time. Looked almost disappointed the 50 was paid and from the look on his face, was never going to kick that goal. Second year blues is not uncommon but I feel we have to find a position for him and let him develop there. Don’t care where that is but I think he needs that opportunity. If he needs freeing up, I’m not opposed to him being the ruck when Draper is resting (with Wright taking centre bounces). Maybe his aerobic capacity can be used to expose the opposing relief ruckman?
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but the thing is, he doesn’t have the body to play wing either. he got away with it early in the year cos of the mantra “he’s got some good skills for a big bloke”
and stewart supposedly does have the body and look how easily he is pushed out of the way.
and the fact is he’s body probably isn’t going to be able to dominate down back for awhile, and how is he meant to learn this skill not even practicing it at vfl level ?
yes he’d prolly get beaten down back, and so ? it was a development year was it not ? as is this year after the fact of course.
surely if you rate him as a backman and picked him up as a backman, you play him as a backman at either level to let him learn how to play their, esp without the body size, as as when you do have it, you have the skill set to back it up. not wait 3-5 years til you have a body to play the position, then try and learn the skillset required which could take another 3-5 years.
The obvious position is high half forward, continally leading up to the wing to provide an outlet and then turning his opponent back around Nick Reiwloldt style and catching his opponent under the footy as a high ball comes in.
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This is what I think too but Riewoldt did it with 300 games of experience and a everything I can do to win attitude
I actually think a CHF/CHB is the go. Nobody could go with his endurance. The problem is we have Jones who is just as talented, albeit injured at CHF. Reid as KPB, so maybe backline is the go for now.
He just doesn’t have the strength to go with Rucks and not sure he ever will.
So our 2024 backline might be.
B Ridley, Reid, Kelly
HB Laverde, Cox, McGrath
Really makes Hind, BZT, Stewart, Redman and a few others need to find more versatility. Although I do wonder if Redman could be a better wing than HBF.
Really shows how much our team 22s future is up in the air to be honest.
Feel like they are trying to get games into him for the sake of it. Saw one good defensive effort from him but other than that he is always trailing his man
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Agreed. Seems well off AFL standard at the moment.
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i said this with cox previously but there’s playing the kids, and destroying them. he’s in shocking form but we aren’t doing him any favours by playing him in the seniors atm
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Switch Cox and Guelfi
He’s running with Sidebottom today. Would like to see him actually play on him though, he might learn something
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For a guy who’s running capacity is constantly lauded, he always looks like he’s completely stuffed, even minutes into the game.
There’s just no energy or vitality about anything he does.
I’m not sure we or he are getting anything, at all out of him jogging around at the top level each week.
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Give him a spell for the love of god
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Best learning experience he can get. If he learns from it.
Non competitive currently
Does he actually know his role within the team?
Is 5 years away from being ready.
In body, speed and smarts.
Was consistently clocking up 15+ km for a while last year.
Looks nowhere near it at the moment.
Nowhere remotely close to writing him off, but it’s time for some sort of change
Simply doesn’t want it. Takes the easy option out. Didn’t go for the ball and let Moore get it. A cheap sideways pass to Martin in the third when he could have run in and had a good shot. And the handball off to Stringer in the last when it just wasn’t really on. Must be dropped.
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He’s been frightened since half way through last year.
Genuinely frightened. You can be out of form but going when it’s your time to go is a non negotiable and he consistently doesn’t do it.
The strange thing is he took very courageous marks in the U18’s so he can do it, he just won’t at the moment and it’s killing not just us but his potential
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but but, we drafted him cos he’s athletic and can run. he’ll be a super KP player cos you know he’s tall.