Was our lowest rated player on the ground according to the AFL player ratings thingo that I don’t understand.
I thought he was one of our best from an attitude perspective!
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Love his intensity, 1%ers, and farks given.
His kicking, however, is often terrible.
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He’s a gun his kicking just struggles because he’s constantly under the pump due to our team being ■■■■. The amount of times he got given the ball when he was flat footed is ridiculous.
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Yes his kicking can be hit and miss but it’s accentuated by our structure.
Often last night he would look up and see nothing ahead. No obvious outlet options. So he’s forced to try and create something.
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Still should have taken McCluggage. Ah crap, wrong thread.
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Yeah it’s easy to say skills are the problem, and it’s been said about Clarke too (and others)
But I think their skills are fine.
They just don’t get to show it atm because we are a rabble.
There are certainly some players whose skills are not up to standard though.
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Has a very McGrath/Zerrett ability to mop up the ground ball better than most around him. Has some real class about him and is showing a lot for a 2nd year player. More consistency with his adventurous kicking along with regular defensive scalps would see him become elite. Time will tell.
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He is giving me future coach vibes
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I think his disposal is a real problem. I love the way he goes about it, but he’s going to have to be a back pocket tackling and handballing it off rather than on the half back line and kicking it back to them.
I can’t think of many/any examples when a player went from being a dud kick to a good one.
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This is what I observed. He’s often our designated distributor even if he’s under severe pressure.
I he’ll get his kicking right, both with more pre seasons, but more importantly when our structure and game plan allow for more instinctive or repeatible modes of ball movement. Not kicking in 1:1s every kick.
I really enjoyed his game on Thursday. Almost always playing on older bigger opponents and matching them 1:1
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I’d love another half dozen of this type of bloke in the team.
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I think the issues with his kicking are overstated, but there is clear room for improvement. The good news is that I don’t think it’s a technical issue. When he fails, it seems to be for one of two reasons.
Particularly with his shorter kicks, he gets lazy and casual and will miss the mark because he hasn’t taken sufficient care. Needs to tighten his attitude and give every kick the required concentration. It’s these mindshifts that can elevate a player from good to elite. Every action counts.
The other issue is decision-making. I don’t mind him taking the game on, but sometimes the obvious kick is the best option. There was an occasion, last quarter, I think, when he had a clear player on short and a one-on-one contest a little longer. He went for the contest; it was spoiled, and we lost possession. This is pretty typical. Unless it breaks the game open, the risk/reward isn’t justified by an extra 10 metres.
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Remember that one- l was actually thinking he can kick it pretty well when he lets go and gives the ball some air.
Going to a contest longer isn’t always a bad thing if you have confidence in your team mate winning the one on one.
It’s about weighing up the options. In that case, there was no clear advantage - it wasnt a big on small - so the better option was to secure possession to go forward than lose possession for the sake of a few extra metres.
Often, it’s better to go shorter to a clear player who can play on immediately than go 45 metres and a contested mark that slows down the play. We want flow and dynamism.
I’m not against bold decision making - I think we’re too timid - but intelligently, and within a game plan that supports it. I wonder sometimes if players are taught how to think on the field and make quick assessments. The good teams do it well. We don’t.
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Nup:
Murphy Reid
Levi Ashcroft
Dan Curtin
Are top 3 IMO.
Roberts is too vanilla and doesnt kick goals which is a shame as Roberts torches them but doesn’t get the limelight.
He has 18 for the year? Which is more than Ashcroft and Curtin together
Meant Roberts sorry.
He isn’t a dud kick. He has always been regarded as a good kick - and technically he is strong.
His issue at the moment is decision making which is compounded by a lack of options/movement up field so he is having to try to thread the needle which doesn’t always come off.
Heck, Zach Merrett can barely hit a target at the moment. Nic Martin was missing targets for fun when he played off half back.
I’d have Harvey Langford in that mix too.
He’s dropped off a bit, but his best football this year has been excellent. He’s going to be an absolute jet.
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