View Full Version : Licuria was forced out a year too early
PieLebo87
24 Apr 2008, 17:52
I don't care how many of you believe that our midfield is/was too slow and ineffective. We have literally no in and under midfielders that provide hardness in packs.
Paul Licuria would've provided more positives then negatives in our midfield these first 5 games, especially against the Lions in the wet. Some might argue that he has bad displosals but Ill argue that we NEED a Licuria in our stoppages at the moment, and its really showing.
Alright, his kicking wasnt 100%, but neither is anyone elses at the moment. But Licuria COULD get those 15-20 handballs out which would be pivital in the clearances and around the ground chain work.
Also, finally, his experience would have been invaluable to the rest of the boys out there, might have even been given the VC role.
Who here believes that he was forced to retire one year too early?
possibly could have been , least its highlighted now that we need some good young in and under mids desperately.
also shows the fact obree is on his way out aswell. i know he gets the clearances people, but at what cost? blind kick forward to a defender hurts just as much as a direct centre clearance to the opposition midfielder.
The Royal Sampler
24 Apr 2008, 17:58
Darren Gaspar was in Richmond's best 22 when he was told after round 5 that he would no longer get a game.
That was a dumb move, but the idea behind it was right. Essentially, you're moving forward or you're not moving at all. Richmond should have made that decision at season's end like we did with Licuria, but in both cases the respective clubs wanted to give greater opportunities to the youngsters they saw as being the future.
hawk-boy
24 Apr 2008, 18:01
i really liked Licuria i do belive you guys miss him ALOT
bradrowe#32
24 Apr 2008, 18:04
Strongly disagree.
Licuria was gone as a valuable player.
Clokey34
24 Apr 2008, 18:07
I love/d Licca. Unfortunately from the games I saw of him last year he was highly ineffective!
We have enough experience in the middle; we must blood new faces and continue to redevelop it.
Although our clearance work was better last week, there are still serious problems there. Having quick midfielders will allow us to stream the ball the the corridor faster and with more confidence.
He would have been exactly like Holland right now, but if i had to pick one i would take Licuria!
jerry springer
24 Apr 2008, 18:51
Short term loss for long term gain
Licca was just too slow for the modern game unfortunatly.Couldnt even do a tagging job last year
I don't care how many of you believe that our midfield is/was too slow and ineffective. We have literally no in and under midfielders that provide hardness in packs.
Paul Licuria would've provided more positives then negatives in our midfield these first 5 games, especially against the Lions in the wet. Some might argue that he has bad displosals but Ill argue that we NEED a Licuria in our stoppages at the moment, and its really showing.
Alright, his kicking wasnt 100%, but neither is anyone elses at the moment. But Licuria COULD get those 15-20 handballs out which would be pivital in the clearances and around the ground chain work.
Also, finally, his experience would have been invaluable to the rest of the boys out there, might have even been given the VC role.
Who here believes that he was forced to retire one year too early?
Licuria, even at his best, wasn't a specialist clearance player. He relied on his endurance. Last year even that wasn't there, his speed was awful and his disposal gradually deteriorating. He was very lucky to play as many games as he did last year.
Palmer Stoat
24 Apr 2008, 19:10
Last couple of years, I don't reckon Lica was getting much footy in the packs anyway. I think he'd changed his game a little to become more of a linkman, which I don't think really suited his skillset.
Loved Lica to bits, but his time was up. (It was great seeing him lap the G in the car and get a good ovation. Well deserved.)
And I don't reckon we've been that bad around the packs this year. We were beaten in clearances by Richmond, but I reckon we've held our own against everyone else.
Does anyone have access to ProStats? It'd be interesting to know what the stats say.
Marklar_33
24 Apr 2008, 19:12
He would have been exactly like Holland right now, but if i had to pick one i would take Licuria!
Id rather pick neither, the game has passed them by :thumbsd:
Bay Pie
24 Apr 2008, 19:16
And I don't reckon we've been that bad around the packs this year. We were beaten in clearances by Richmond, but I reckon we've held our own against everyone else.
Does anyone have access to ProStats? It'd be interesting to know what the stats say.
I'm sure you're right. Richmond is the only game that we have been beaten in the clearances.
We beat Brisbane (a very good clearance team) 25-45 in clearances.
I just think our intensity and tenacity at the footy is where we have dropped off, especially in the F50 with the ball rebounding far to easily.
I love Licca, but he was terrible last year. Way too slow, unfortunately the game passed him by.
We did the right thing by getting rid of him, i am just glad we kept him around the club in some capacity though.
magpies42
24 Apr 2008, 19:18
we were never going to win a premiership with lica in the side. so he would effectively been hindering others development...
Tarkyn_24
24 Apr 2008, 19:38
Id rather pick neither, the game has passed them by :thumbsd:
Holland's career's gone because of Collingwood surplus of small forwards. He'd still be OK at that role if we'd needed him to play in it.
I'd almost say a year too late. And thats not to demean him either.
PIES_MAGIC
24 Apr 2008, 19:41
agreed, force retirment no doubt
Axl the great
24 Apr 2008, 21:26
I don't care how many of you believe that our midfield is/was too slow and ineffective. We have literally no in and under midfielders that provide hardness in packs.
Paul Licuria would've provided more positives then negatives in our midfield these first 5 games, especially against the Lions in the wet. Some might argue that he has bad displosals but Ill argue that we NEED a Licuria in our stoppages at the moment, and its really showing.
Alright, his kicking wasnt 100%, but neither is anyone elses at the moment. But Licuria COULD get those 15-20 handballs out which would be pivital in the clearances and around the ground chain work.
Also, finally, his experience would have been invaluable to the rest of the boys out there, might have even been given the VC role.
Who here believes that he was forced to retire one year too early?
Yeah possibly but this was Licurias decision (i know this first hand) But what about a young extractor and ex anzac medalist Mark Mcgough? Couldnt kick that well and axed while some guys who are outside mids with worse disposal are still around. Got to feel for the guy i reckon.
Dundalis
24 Apr 2008, 21:42
I don't care how many of you believe that our midfield is/was too slow and ineffective. We have literally no in and under midfielders that provide hardness in packs.
Paul Licuria would've provided more positives then negatives in our midfield these first 5 games, especially against the Lions in the wet. Some might argue that he has bad displosals but Ill argue that we NEED a Licuria in our stoppages at the moment, and its really showing.
Alright, his kicking wasnt 100%, but neither is anyone elses at the moment. But Licuria COULD get those 15-20 handballs out which would be pivital in the clearances and around the ground chain work.
Also, finally, his experience would have been invaluable to the rest of the boys out there, might have even been given the VC role.
Who here believes that he was forced to retire one year too early?
What is the point of getting more clearances when we just turn the ball over? If we get players with better skill levels then we wouldn't need volume clearances in order to beat the opposition. Silly thread. Always quality over quantity, what we need are players with better kicking ability.
Parallel Andy
24 Apr 2008, 22:00
I don't care how many of you believe that our midfield is/was too slow and ineffective. We have literally no in and under midfielders that provide hardness in packs.
Paul Licuria would've provided more positives then negatives in our midfield these first 5 games, especially against the Lions in the wet. Some might argue that he has bad displosals but Ill argue that we NEED a Licuria in our stoppages at the moment, and its really showing.
Alright, his kicking wasnt 100%, but neither is anyone elses at the moment. But Licuria COULD get those 15-20 handballs out which would be pivital in the clearances and around the ground chain work.
Also, finally, his experience would have been invaluable to the rest of the boys out there, might have even been given the VC role.
Who here believes that he was forced to retire one year too early?
At the end of last year I was relieved to see him retire.
I do however think short term keeping him may have been a bonus.
I will however say Holland will prove vital in the in and under role later in the season and we still have burnsy to come back.
The Dawes
25 Apr 2008, 00:09
I'd almost say a year too late. And thats not to demean him either.
Totally agree.
A great servant of the club but it became apparent early on last year that then game had passed him by.
Paul Licuria is Collingwood personified.
He hated playing for Willy... and killed it when he did. He wanted the Black and White stripes only. He will be a part of our next premiership... just in a different way.
No one will ever forget how much he hurt in '02... he showed how we all felt.
PieLebo87
25 Apr 2008, 04:27
What is the point of getting more clearances when we just turn the ball over? If we get players with better skill levels then we wouldn't need volume clearances in order to beat the opposition. Silly thread. Always quality over quantity, what we need are players with better kicking ability.
But this is my point that everyone is missing, we DONT HAVE players with better kicking skills. I'd rather still have Licuria in our midfield for the experience and hardness, even if its just for this year, because we lost alot of experience.
But this is my point that everyone is missing, we DONT HAVE players with better kicking skills. I'd rather still have Licuria in our midfield for the experience and hardness, even if its just for this year, because we lost alot of experience.
All about speed now... sad for Licca, but true. Thats why he's gone.