I have a lot of time for Ben Howlett, but I think Kommer will take his spot when he's fit.
Howlett's gotta be a 22-25 player if we're gonna play finals.
Agree howlett also seems to be struggling. Howlett like Buddha is one of my favourites but both need to do more than be battering rams. Buddha is doing that. Benny needs to kick the occasional goal and needs to be a leader when the rest of the team is down. He has done this in the past. When playing well is a very important midfield rotation player. hard to find players who get their own ball.
C'mon Benny
I like em too , but I think if we are to ever get to be a consistent top 4 team , I'm not sure one or possibly both are going to be in tne best 22 ..we seem to have a lot of grunt , but we need a jet or two to compliment , It's coming with Jackson and gleeson and ashby seems to have something .The boss has said he wants and needs more mids who can go through half back .
Problems are less about the blokes involved and more about what's between the ears, whether it be experience or form or making the gameplan work. We've got the cattle to compete with the best, they're just a bit 'out to pasture' at the moment.
I want an inside mid with the pace to explode out of the pack...Judd had it, Ablett and Dangerfield have it.
Too bad Winder got those nasty injuries.
I hope the Merrets can develop into something like this, but will take a long time. Anyone else capable? Aylett?
Just on Ben Howlett, I get the feeling that he just doesn't have a specialty, and that kind of makes him expendable in most peoples minds.
Jobe - clearance king
Goddard - Experience, polish, inside & outside
Stanton - runs all day, always gets a hard tag and so frees up other players
Zaka - sublime foot skills, pacey, loves a goal, won a B&F (dont forget!)
Melksham - Tough nut and willing to take the game on, excellent disposal
Hocking - Best tagger
J. Merret - Excellent delivery, smart player, fleet footed, upside is limitless
Howlett... Hard worker... and...ummm... doesn't really seem to bring anything to the team the others don't. That seems to be the general feeling towards him. He doesn't really have any glaring holes in his game since he built up his endurance, but he doesn't really have any aces up his sleeve either.
How does everyone else see Benny?
I must say it was a magnificent effort that won the 2 on 1 contest that allowed Dempsey to goal in the last qtr against the dogs, we need more of that from him. Benny was looking very sharp in the pre-season and I thought he was up for his best year yet, but it just hasn't happened for him.
Maybe he will just always be a good honest footballer?
Just on Ben Howlett, I get the feeling that he just doesn't have a specialty, and that kind of makes him expendable in most peoples minds.
Jobe - clearance king
Goddard - Experience, polish, inside & outside
Stanton - runs all day, always gets a hard tag and so frees up other players
Zaka - sublime foot skills, pacey, loves a goal, won a B&F (dont forget!)
Melksham - Tough nut and willing to take the game on, excellent disposal
Hocking - Best tagger
J. Merret - Excellent delivery, smart player, fleet footed, upside is limitless
Howlett... Hard worker... and...ummm... doesn't really seem to bring anything to the team the others don't. That seems to be the general feeling towards him. He doesn't really have any glaring holes in his game since he built up his endurance, but he doesn't really have any aces up his sleeve either.
How does everyone else see Benny?
I must say it was a magnificent effort that won the 2 on 1 contest that allowed Dempsey to goal in the last qtr against the dogs, we need more of that from him. Benny was looking very sharp in the pre-season and I thought he was up for his best year yet, but it just hasn't happened for him.
Maybe he will just always be a good honest footballer?
Very good dividend from a pick thirty odd in a rookie draft.
there is one thing our midfield doesn't have - elite pace.
we don't really have it on the list either (and don't say dempsey becuase he will never have the work rate for a mid).
it is becoming a glaring problem with sides getting pretty good at tying us up in the midfield. Early on we were dominating contested ball and giving our self first use which gives you the opportunity to spread against a side that might not yet be set up defensively. we have come off significantly on our ball winning meaning we are more reliant on our defence to turn it over and move it from our defensive 50 against sides that have time to set up.
it would seem that the only options this year are to simply starting winning first use more or taking more risks with our ball movement and speeding it up.
in terms of trading in elite speed and ball carriers whats around and what might it cost?
it pains me to say this because i think he is a bit of squib and lacks polish under pressure but yarran might complement our midfield. what's more i'm not convinced he is a favourite of micks and we might have something on the list that they would be interested in - Pears
i have said for a couple of years we should have a real dip at Wells. how much toe does jed anderson have - seems to be struggling to get a game.
god i wish colyer could kick and was better and finding space.
I'm no expert on trades but it would be great t oget some pace into the midfield.
How quick are the Merrett boys though? What about Gleeson, he seems pretty quick too. I'm sure some will come out and say pace is over rated but sometimes we just need someone who can take on the guy on the mark or burn off their opponent just to keep them guessing.
We were too predictable on Saturday night and we desperately needed Dempsey to break the game open but he just wasn't ready. He was more than handy in the 2nd half though which is surprising since he's meant to be unfit. Maybe he's got the confidence back in his hammy again, and there's nothing wrong with his tank.
i think the merrett's and gleeson both have a bit of speed but not their are only a handful of blokes in the league who are chance of catching me kinda speed. i'm thinking motlop, jetta, rioli. both hills, yarran, white, maybe dangerfield and griffen.
davey in his prime had it, ditto lovett.
maybe we just need to get dempsey back to full form and fitness.
one outside the box, sam blease has some serious jetts but is injury prone and suffers a little from colyer's ailment.
there is one thing our midfield doesn't have - elite pace.
we don't really have it on the list either (and don't say dempsey becuase he will never have the work rate for a mid).
it is becoming a glaring problem with sides getting pretty good at tying us up in the midfield. Early on we were dominating contested ball and giving our self first use which gives you the opportunity to spread against a side that might not yet be set up defensively. we have come off significantly on our ball winning meaning we are more reliant on our defence to turn it over and move it from our defensive 50 against sides that have time to set up.
it would seem that the only options this year are to simply starting winning first use more or taking more risks with our ball movement and speeding it up.
in terms of trading in elite speed and ball carriers whats around and what might it cost?
it pains me to say this because i think he is a bit of squib and lacks polish under pressure but yarran might complement our midfield. what's more i'm not convinced he is a favourite of micks and we might have something on the list that they would be interested in - Pears
i have said for a couple of years we should have a real dip at Wells. how much toe does jed anderson have - seems to be struggling to get a game.
god i wish colyer could kick and was better and finding space.
any other thoughts? what would lewis jetta cost ?
Has yarran got the tank to play midfield, similar to Dempsey ?
I hope Gleeson gets more of a go on a wing this year, he's got pace, evasiveness and a willingness to take people on.
Coyler is the interesting one. he gets playd prodominately forward, but could he use his pace more as a midfielder, to break the lines ? yes the kicking would still be the worry.
Maybe J Merrett needs to be groomed more into playing this role. Has got good ish pace, well compared to the rest of our side, just gotta learn to back himself more in tight traffic.
Just on Ben Howlett, I get the feeling that he just doesn't have a specialty, and that kind of makes him expendable in most peoples minds.
Jobe - clearance king
Goddard - Experience, polish, inside & outside
Stanton - runs all day, always gets a hard tag and so frees up other players
Zaka - sublime foot skills, pacey, loves a goal, won a B&F (dont forget!)
Melksham - Tough nut and willing to take the game on, excellent disposal
Hocking - Best tagger
J. Merret - Excellent delivery, smart player, fleet footed, upside is limitless
Howlett... Hard worker... and...ummm... doesn't really seem to bring anything to the team the others don't. That seems to be the general feeling towards him. He doesn't really have any glaring holes in his game since he built up his endurance, but he doesn't really have any aces up his sleeve either.
How does everyone else see Benny?
I must say it was a magnificent effort that won the 2 on 1 contest that allowed Dempsey to goal in the last qtr against the dogs, we need more of that from him. Benny was looking very sharp in the pre-season and I thought he was up for his best year yet, but it just hasn't happened for him.
Maybe he will just always be a good honest footballer?
Just on Ben Howlett, I get the feeling that he just doesn’t have a specialty, and that kind of makes him expendable in most peoples minds.
Jobe - clearance king
Goddard - Experience, polish, inside & outside
Stanton - runs all day, always gets a hard tag and so frees up other players
Zaka - sublime foot skills, pacey, loves a goal, won a B&F (dont forget!)
Melksham - Tough nut and willing to take the game on, excellent disposal
Hocking - Best tagger
J. Merret - Excellent delivery, smart player, fleet footed, upside is limitless
Howlett… Hard worker… and…ummm… doesn’t really seem to bring anything to the team the others don’t. That seems to be the general feeling towards him. He doesn’t really have any glaring holes in his game since he built up his endurance, but he doesn’t really have any aces up his sleeve either.
How does everyone else see Benny?
I must say it was a magnificent effort that won the 2 on 1 contest that allowed Dempsey to goal in the last qtr against the dogs, we need more of that from him. Benny was looking very sharp in the pre-season and I thought he was up for his best year yet, but it just hasn’t happened for him.
Maybe he will just always be a good honest footballer?
I would say Howlett is as tough as anyone in our side, and has pretty good disposal too - certainly better than Melk. He’s propbably the best tackler at the club too. Pretty generous describing Melk’s disposal as “excellent”.
forget all the stuff about balance, player types etc. the single thing i take away from Bomber recently, and particularly his presser after the doggies game, is if you won't crack in and be ferocious to win the ball, you are of no use. The entire plan is built on being able to trust your mate to get in and get it so that you start moving to the next phase. at the moment, we aren't winning that footy and it's putting doubt in players minds as to who should be going in and who should be peeling off. It's been obvious with geelong for years - they know selwood, bartel etc are a good chance to win the contest or at least neutralise it and so the extra numbers aren't committed inside. suddenly they have "free" players and the ground opens up. They are not super quick with leg speed but their gamestyle allows them to keep opponents off balance because they can win it even when outnumbered. Hawthorn are quicker, but Geelong are never not in the game, and usually get them in the end.
If the players can get the mentality right and fix the balance around the contest, we will look damn quick with the ball movement too. The structure requirements and discipline of modern gameplans is intense but contested ball will still keep you in the frame. It will be great to have more run and speed, but that isn't the problem right now. Neither is outright talent.The players we have aren't doing it right, for whatever reason. If you get a playing list that does start doing it right, you can threaten for years.
My major knock on Howlett is he is not all that defensive. He doesn‘t seem to have an ability to tag which I believe is what the team would love him to be.
Jobe, Goddard, Heppell, Zaka, Myers & Stanton all get their own ball and very rarely play defensive roles. They just try to be accountable when they don‘t have the ball but they are in the team to win the ball and drive it forward effectively. Benny can do some great in close work at clearances but as soon as the ball spreads, he‘s in a bit of trouble. He isn‘t that defensive player we need in my opinion.
It‘s a shame because he has a dig, gives 100%, tackles well and can kick a goal but I do not feel he‘s as damaging as our major ball winning mids.
So when the team is down, the focus will shift to him if he isn‘t putting in performances like Round 1 2013 v the Crows.
Hocking is a great defensive midfielder and Melksham has learnt that part of the game. If Howlett could join them, he might be able to hold his spot in the team long term. If not, a young emerging mid will one day take his spot in the team.
Just on Ben Howlett, I get the feeling that he just doesn't have a specialty, and that kind of makes him expendable in most peoples minds.
Jobe - clearance king
Goddard - Experience, polish, inside & outside
Stanton - runs all day, always gets a hard tag and so frees up other players
Zaka - sublime foot skills, pacey, loves a goal, won a B&F (dont forget!)
Melksham - Tough nut and willing to take the game on, excellent disposal
Hocking - Best tagger
J. Merret - Excellent delivery, smart player, fleet footed, upside is limitless
Howlett... Hard worker... and...ummm... doesn't really seem to bring anything to the team the others don't. That seems to be the general feeling towards him. He doesn't really have any glaring holes in his game since he built up his endurance, but he doesn't really have any aces up his sleeve either.
How does everyone else see Benny?
I must say it was a magnificent effort that won the 2 on 1 contest that allowed Dempsey to goal in the last qtr against the dogs, we need more of that from him. Benny was looking very sharp in the pre-season and I thought he was up for his best year yet, but it just hasn't happened for him.
Maybe he will just always be a good honest footballer?
sorry, but if we're talking about honest...I honestly haven't seen any of these characteristics above re Zaharakis, for a very long time.
I watched from the ground very closely on Anzac Day - and I came away pretty disappointed.
Sublime kicking skills? 'Sub-par' is fairer. his field kicking was awful v Collingwood; and he hasn't 'loved a goal' for quite some time.
He certainly loves kicking behinds though.
Howlett has definitely given the team far more in previous weeks than Zaharakis. I'm surprised David hasn't been dropped.