View Full Version : How is John Meesen Going?
As a Crows supporter, and Norwood supporter (where he played in the SANFL), I'm interested to hear how Meesen is going in his new environment at Melbourne?
I'm not trying to troll, not asking about DT prospects, nor trying to re-open old wounds about the trading period.
I think it's a great pity he wasn't able to make it with Adelaide, yet another of our first round draft picks wasted.
I remember reading somewhere that he impressed in your early pre-season time trials. I also see that he did well in your Mickey Mouse Cup game against Geelong, albeit in a losing side. I see that most of you see him starting on the bench in R1, so he must be doing OK.
You've now had 3 pre-season games to see what he is capable of, so how is he going? Some players cope better with a different environment and it may well be that he is a happier (and more productive) player for Melbourne than he was for Adelaide. He certainly had his critics while in Adelaide, so I'm curious to see whether you guys have seen improvement since he arrived last November.
BTW, Meesen was one of the most frequently mis-spelled names on the AFC board. I've lost count of the number of variations I've seen. Congratulations to the members of your board, with almost every single reference to him spelled correctly.
demonfan9
3 Mar 2008, 11:53
BTW, Meesen was one of the most frequently mis-spelled names on the AFC board. I've lost count of the number of variations I've seen. Congratulations to the members of your board, with almost every single reference to him spelled correctly.
What do you expect from South Australians? :cool:
I've only seen 1 game so far, and he played mostly on the wing.So I can't really judge him yet.
CowboyFromHell
3 Mar 2008, 11:58
I'm not all that qualified to judge either, but from what I can gather he has been really good with his running capacity and his ability to get the pill around the ground, buthis ruckwork hasn't been all that flash. I'd like to see him play Round 1 but alot depends on our last practice game. Happy to have him at Melbourne though!
As a Crows supporter, and Norwood supporter (where he played in the SANFL), I'm interested to hear how Meesen is going in his new environment at Melbourne?
I'm not trying to troll, not asking about DT prospects, nor trying to re-open old wounds about the trading period.
I think it's a great pity he wasn't able to make it with Adelaide, yet another of our first round draft picks wasted.
I remember reading somewhere that he impressed in your early pre-season time trials. I also see that he did well in your Mickey Mouse Cup game against Geelong, albeit in a losing side. I see that most of you see him starting on the bench in R1, so he must be doing OK.
You've now had 3 pre-season games to see what he is capable of, so how is he going? Some players cope better with a different environment and it may well be that he is a happier (and more productive) player for Melbourne than he was for Adelaide. He certainly had his critics while in Adelaide, so I'm curious to see whether you guys have seen improvement since he arrived last November.
BTW, Meesen was one of the most frequently mis-spelled names on the AFC board. I've lost count of the number of variations I've seen. Congratulations to the members of your board, with almost every single reference to him spelled correctly.
You got Thomo of us, he was a first round pick for Melbourne in 01. I watched him towel up Hawthorn on Saturday. So you win some you lose some.
kamikaze krow
3 Mar 2008, 15:09
You got Thomo of us, he was a first round pick for Melbourne in 01. I watched him towel up Hawthorn on Saturday. So you win some you lose some.
yeah you lost that trade. What maloney doing atm?
Demons 21
3 Mar 2008, 15:12
Thommo was going anyway, moloney finally had a good pre-season so should have a big year
whelan=legend
3 Mar 2008, 15:32
yeah you lost that trade. What maloney doing atm?
Yeah we really wanted to let the mummys boy go:rolleyes:
You got Thomo of us, he was a first round pick for Melbourne in 01. I watched him towel up Hawthorn on Saturday. So you win some you lose some.
Yeah, we did get Thommo off of you guys, he is turning out to be one of our best midfielders.
My original comment was a reference to Adelaide's drafting, we have a long history of stuffing up our first round picks.
Picks which went wrong:
2005 Darren Pfeiffer - 0 games for AFC, now with Carlton
2004 John Meesen - 2 games for AFC, now with Melbourne
2003 Fergus Watts - 5 games for AFC, went to St Kilda, now delisted
2000 Laurence Angwin - 0 games for AFC, went to Carlton and we all remember what followed then
There are more shockers if you care to go back to 1998 and beyond, but I don't need to talk about Adelaide's recruiting on the Melbourne board.
Anyway, back to Meesen.....
Vic Crow
3 Mar 2008, 16:12
yeah you lost that trade. What maloney doing atm?
Personally I am looking forward to a fit and firing Moloney running around this year. I had a soft spot for him when he was at the Cats but he hasn't been able to get it together at Melbourne just yet because of injury. He'll come good and it's not like Melbourne had a choice mate.
Deenamite
3 Mar 2008, 16:44
He's fighting for a place with Jamar and Paul Johnson so if he was any good he should be able to bump those 2 duds off. I think he's a really good athlete but doesn't have an influence on the game.
bloods01
3 Mar 2008, 17:01
He's fighting for a place with Jamar and Paul Johnson so if he was any good he should be able to bump those 2 duds off. I think he's a really good athlete but doesn't have an influence on the game.
Baily played him in a Chad Cornes type role against Geelong. He started in the centre square but not as a ruckman. Quite ambitious if you ask me. But as you said, I would definatley play him ahead of Jamar and Johnson.
Bartram_Class
3 Mar 2008, 17:53
Three games in and by my count we're no closer to finding this year's No. 2
Meesen was the best of the three (Jamar, PJ) against Geelong, but he played a lot of that game on the wing. I heard good things about PJ up in Cairns, then Jamar was killing it early on against the Doggies so it's anyone guess.
If Meesen continues to get played on a wing, Bailey might put White, Meesen and one of the two dinosaurs in the 22.
very early days but my impressions....
Great athlete, tidy skills for a big man, but lacks presence for a man of his size. I cant see him making it as a ruckman but may make it in another position. I think he can be used as a HFF or wing where he can run and be used as a link man thru the middle, should have height over opponent but have the athletic ability to play that role. Early days tho. Happy to have on the list for 3rd round pick.
Supermercado
3 Mar 2008, 20:18
Exactly. Hasn't set the world on fire but cost practically feck all so the bar isn't exactly sky high.
kamikaze krow
3 Mar 2008, 23:13
Personally I am looking forward to a fit and firing Moloney running around this year. I had a soft spot for him when he was at the Cats but he hasn't been able to get it together at Melbourne just yet because of injury. He'll come good and it's not like Melbourne had a choice mate.
Hes a toughish player but a bit too outside-ish if you know what i mean, hence i dont rate him.
kamikaze krow
3 Mar 2008, 23:17
Yeah we really wanted to let the mummys boy go:rolleyes:
You chose to trade the pick we gave you for him though. But if you look from pick 12 onwards theres not a lot there to get excited about, so maybe you did ok.
Adam Thomson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Thomson)
Danny Meyer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Meyer_%28footballer%29)
Matthew Bate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Bate)
Angus Monfries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_Monfries)
Lynden Dunn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynden_Dunn)
Also shows the importance of a A-grade medical room/ training facilities. Maloney wouldnt of had groin problems i think that has been troubling him if he were at the crows, just like thomo has come good with us.
CaptainDavey
3 Mar 2008, 23:22
Bate, Dunn and Monfries are all quality players and will be fantastic players in the near future...
Vic Crow
3 Mar 2008, 23:39
very early days but my impressions....
Great athlete, tidy skills for a big man, but lacks presence for a man of his size. I cant see him making it as a ruckman but may make it in another position. I think he can be used as a HFF or wing where he can run and be used as a link man thru the middle, should have height over opponent but have the athletic ability to play that role. Early days tho. Happy to have on the list for 3rd round pick.
For what it's worth, I don't see Meesen working in a position like the wing. As you said he's got tidy skills for a big man, but when compared to the sort of players he'd be up against on the field (and within the club in a battle for that wing spot) his skills wouldn't be polished enough.
For what it's worth, I don't see Meesen working in a position like the wing. As you said he's got tidy skills for a big man, but when compared to the sort of players he'd be up against on the field (and within the club in a battle for that wing spot) his skills wouldn't be polished enough.
Reckon you're spot on with that assessment. No chance he ends up a wingman unless he improves out of sight.
At this stage, I wouldn't mind seeing him tried at CHF. He'd be a difficult matchup due to his height and tank and he's a reliable set shot at goal from the looks of things. Would free up Bate to either push up on to a wing or play off a flank and free up Miller to play down back (shudder) if that's what Bailey has in mind for him.
master bate
4 Mar 2008, 11:30
Also shows the importance of a A-grade medical room/ training facilities. Maloney wouldnt of had groin problems i think that has been troubling him if he were at the crows, just like thomo has come good with us.
Don't really want to have this debate but that statement is a load of bull. Maloney has had serious OP and last time I checked no club can 100% fix it overnight. If Adelaide had a miracle medical department I'm sure we'd know about it by now. West Coast would have poached them to fix Judd.
Also Scott Thompson has not come good for you, he was a talented first round draft pick who was developing pretty well, in 2004 he averaged 16 disposals, 5 marks and 4 tackles a game and was becoming a valuable member of our midfield. The facts are that we got the best deal we could considering he was always leaving.
Meesen could end up being another Kepler Bradley. Has the physique of a ruckman/Kpp, but plays like an outside midfielder.
If he's not a ruckman, we should have traded pick 37 to the Kangas for Brad Moran, or pick swapped TJ for Cameron Wood.
Vic Crow
4 Mar 2008, 12:05
Reckon you're spot on with that assessment. No chance he ends up a wingman unless he improves out of sight.
At this stage, I wouldn't mind seeing him tried at CHF. He'd be a difficult matchup due to his height and tank and he's a reliable set shot at goal from the looks of things. Would free up Bate to either push up on to a wing or play off a flank and free up Miller to play down back (shudder) if that's what Bailey has in mind for him.
From what I've seen of him up forward (I concede that this was only a few times, but it was backed up by others that saw him more often) he doesn't seem like a natural forward. He lacks the basic sense that makes someone a decent forward option. That's not to say he can't develop it, but I'd be sceptical. You're right in the sense that he's both athletic and big enough to do it though.
TBH, given your big man woes you can probably afford to throw him around in a few different positions in between rucking stints (I believe you've done this a bit with PJ and to a lesser extent Jamar) to see what works, what doesn't and how he develops around the ground.
kamikaze krow
4 Mar 2008, 15:46
Don't really want to have this debate but that statement is a load of bull. Maloney has had serious OP and last time I checked no club can 100% fix it overnight. If Adelaide had a miracle medical department I'm sure we'd know about it by now. West Coast would have poached them to fix Judd.
Also Scott Thompson has not come good for you, he was a talented first round draft pick who was developing pretty well, in 2004 he averaged 16 disposals, 5 marks and 4 tackles a game and was becoming a valuable member of our midfield. The facts are that we got the best deal we could considering he was always leaving.
OP is all to do with incorrect strengthening of muscles around the pelvic region if i'm not mistaken. I honestly cant remember the last crow to have OP. Sellar is maybe the only one to have 'groin soreness' last year but as you can see we got on top of that pretty quickly.
I know all of thomo's injuries he had with you were not preventable, but its remarkable how durable hes been with us since hes come over from you guys.
kamikaze krow
4 Mar 2008, 15:47
Bate, Dunn and Monfries are all quality players and will be fantastic players in the near future...
dunno still a lot of question marks over them. I think if you guys had another pick you would of went for Wood who slipped through. Basically maloney if he gets on the track doesnt look like being any worse than the guys that went 12-16ish in that 2004 draft
master bate
4 Mar 2008, 17:10
Bate, Dunn and Monfries are all quality players and will be fantastic players in the near future...
Monfries is shit, proved it even more last Friday night. Agree about Bate and Dunn though, but Moloney at his best (05) still has done more than those two might do.
demonfan9
4 Mar 2008, 20:49
Three games in and by my count we're no closer to finding this year's No. 2
Cos Bailey insisted on playing Jeff White in 2/3 of the games. Why? He doesn't need to prove himself in the pre-season. He should be eased into the season. We should've give him a break to allow us to determine our #2. Instead, we play him, forcing Meesen to play as an onballer and Johnson to play as a defender.