Hooker got given games straight from the start of his career in a developing team. Hartley was injured in his Collingwood days and then when he had his chance he had a very promising 2016. Since then he’s been on a list with 3 x All Australian KPP so there is literally only 1 spot available on any given week. Didn’t make it easier when Hooker went back either. Oh well doesn’t bother me, I think he’s fantastic depth. I really hope he can stay motivated at improving and take his chances when they come. He only has to look as far as Smack to see it’s possible.
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The mic’d up clip of Harts is a cracker. Seems like a top bloke and particularly liked the shout out to the classic Key and Peele “substitute teacher” clip with the A Aron (youtube if you don’t know it). No doubt it was blokes like Harts and Hepp keeping the mood up when things were pretty dire back in April. Hoping he has a cracking year and he can keep annoying Gown until that rat tail disappears.
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Dd he? I thought he came in right at the end of his first season.
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Yeah I agree with that. Has all the attributes but he just isn’t confident in the contest, gets lost looking for his man, bottles it and gives away frees. He looked great in 2016 when I think he played like he had nothing to lose. He gets another year, if he can find his mojo he has a career if not he is done. I like him though, he has what few KPD have and I’d love to see him succeed.
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This is where Ben Rutten will earn his cash, by turning a fringe player like Hartley into a bona fide best 22 player. Not much has been made of Rutten apart from a couple of mentions in training threads, but after Shiel l reckon he has been our biggest pick up this off season.
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Agreed.
Aside from being a very good defender himself the Tigers defenders positioning was seemingly always so good.
Also really helps when upfield pressure is high which again he will be assisting with.
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I know you can’t “lease” a player to another club, but it would be interesting and innovative to do something like…
Say GC, having lost May, wanted a mature ready to go KP defender like Hartley, and we thought, as some have expressed on here, that Hartley has all the tools but lacks confidence and might improve significantly with a prolonged run at it at AFL level, we could say to him something like…“We will send you to GC for 2yrs with the intention of bringing you back when Hooker retires, and we think it will help you to deveiop into the player we need”
then “trade” him with an agreement to trade him back in in 2yrs time.
Lots of warts on it eg GC put time and effort into a player they will only have for 2 yrs (but hey, they are used to that). You might overcome that by agreeing to favourable trade terms, maybe even pay part of his salary etc, if GC wanted to let a young 18yo KP defender develop for 2yrs instead of throwing him in the deep end.
Lots of other potential hiccups too I suppose, but food for thought?
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Could work, if you paid the entire salary.
Otherwise, I’d say gagf.
They picked up Collins who had a better year than Hartley in VFL, and led league for intercepts/contested marks IIRC
Loaning players out has been part of English football for years, but FIFA are clamping down. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/dec/13/fifa-rules-loan-premier-league-clubs-chelsea-manchester-city
Did Hooker get given games at start of his career? Depends on how technical you want to be but yeah I believe so. Only played the 2 last games of his first season but was given every opportunity to succeed from that point…which is very early for the majority of KPP. Hooker was given a very good amount of opportunity to become the club great he is today. Thank god we never traded him to GC or WC just as his form exploded.
efa
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I remember early days Hooker would try too much,and has become a more efficient player by focusing on his strengths and accepting his limitations.
Thing is,I haven’t seen Harts try too much,so I don’t know what else he can bring.
Great kick,good solid player.
Does he have another level?
Not sure.
If he improves his judgement on how to best negate his opponent when the ball is in the air, that might be his limit.
I remember a changeroom door interview with Hooker, maybe by BT, some fat annoying person anyway, and all I could think was jeez you don’t sound happy and what a great, big, overly serious and not very effective lump you are. We weren’t very good at the time. Is now a genuine powerhouse, leader and very funny, light hearted chap to boot. So happy he hid in the dunny.
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I thought Hartley took some serious steps in the VFL last year.
Reckon he finished the year a significantly better player than he started it.
Looking forward to seeing what happens this year.
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Thats great,I didn’t see much VFL.
Rutten could make a real difference to Harts
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I think Matthew Knights may have had a lot to do with him attempting too much and trying to play on at every opportunity
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I don’t, at all.
He probably started 2009 as 5th candidate (for the 3 backline spots).
Michael had (rightfully) been pensioned off, Ryder was needed in the ruck with Hille’s injury, Solly and McPhee had failed badly as stopgap CHBs (and both of them left at some point), Darcy daniher kept breaking down. Hurley was required at CHF as Lucas and Gumby kept breaking down.
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He used to get away wih it in his first 2-3 years, he started getting caught after his hammies slowed him down.