View Full Version : Gumby - is he ready?
Bombers36
27 Mar 2010, 08:01
Based on last nights game I reckon Gumby needs a bit more time in the twos. Only 3 possies for the night and he seemed constantly to be led under the ball by his opponent Lonergan.
He hasnt played a lot of senior footy, but looked a little but lost out there, and IMO needs to go back to Bendigo & find some footy.
With Hille, Ryder, & Neagle all able to play forward & Laycock waiting in the wings we dont need him there right now so give him more time in the twos to get his confidence up i think..
Smyth94
27 Mar 2010, 08:23
Based on last nights game I reckon Gumby needs a bit more time in the twos. Only 3 possies for the night and he seemed constantly to be led under the ball by his opponent Lonergan.
He hasnt played a lot of senior footy, but looked a little but lost out there, and IMO needs to go back to Bendigo & find some footy.
With Hille, Ryder, & Neagle all able to play forward & Laycock waiting in the wings we dont need him there right now so give him more time in the twos to get his confidence up i think..
The problem is, Laycock is competing with Neagle for the FF position, if Gumby continues to struggle then Hurley would be the man to play CHF.
abers47
27 Mar 2010, 08:27
Any chance on Michael Still taking Neagle's place?
kelvin_sheedy
27 Mar 2010, 08:34
Darcy Daniher anyone?
He's shown a bit at VFL level and we could use his competitiveness.
I'd rather go in small then have Gumbleton out there. I reckon he needs a number of games at VFL level to get some confidence back.
Darealrath
27 Mar 2010, 08:38
If this were finals you'd drop him but he needs a few games in a row because it will be better for us in the long term.
He must have been nervous as hell last night. I reckon he'll show a bit next week.
stander
27 Mar 2010, 08:48
If this were finals you'd drop him but he needs a few games in a row because it will be better for us in the long term.
He must have been nervous as hell last night. I reckon he'll show a bit next week.
He was up against a fairly seasoned back line, he's worth a few more chances. That first attempt at a mark was a real hamstring tester. Lots of self admonishment going on too.
Skeeta Olly
27 Mar 2010, 08:55
Excellent points raised in a previous thread about how he should have just tried to blow up his opponent (fitness wise). Last night he tried to get into the game, but unfortunately Fletcher kicked it at his feet and a few others kicked it over his head and so on.
We've got Fremantle next week, it should be the perfect chance for him to get some possessions and a goal or two.
We've finally got a fit Gumbleton and he's playing AFL, why would you want to drop him. If we're having a go at forwards, I think the finger needs to be pointed at Williams. Yes he had Scarlett on him, but he still should have kicked a goal or two.
Mr Mosquito
27 Mar 2010, 10:00
I think the previous point about him having nerves is spot on. Must of been real nervous. Im his biggest fan, but yeh he did look out of it. However we have wanted this bloke to play for so long, there is no way he will be dropped after 1 week. He will be in the team at least til Hurls is back.
As for those wanting to drop neagle, apart from that dropped mark and the play on, he was a much improved player last night. Looked a lot fitter and worked well up the ground. Worth persisting with
Darcy Daniher anyone?
He's shown a bit at VFL level and we could use his competitiveness.
I'd rather go in small then have Gumbleton out there. I reckon he needs a number of games at VFL level to get some confidence back.
I wouldn't want to see him play too many more games like he did last night. There was an air of inevitability about last night, the first 5 or 6 times he was in the right position but the delivery was horrible or his timing was a bit out. There is pressure on Gumby because we all want him to live up to the billing (which means we basically expect Riewoldt mark II).
Maybe he just plays until Hurley is back and unless he is setting the world on fire he goes back to the VFL to run around and get some confidence.
Gumby need's time. We need to persist with him for at least another two weeks. He will be better next week - I'm sure of it.
Williams was well held but when he did touch the ball he was all class.
Our forward line will take time to develop without Llyod but we do have options. Next week will be a better inidicator.
Continuity is huge in any standard of football. Geelong know each others habits, strengths and weaknesses due to the amount of footy played with each other. We need to let these young blokes play as much footy together as we can.
Neagle tried hard last night and Gumby was as nervous as hell. But both will improve as the weeks go on. Gumby didnt run to the right spots at times and got ignored at other times. The delivery to him was rubbish, he is not strong enough yet to out body his opponant so he needs the footy put out in front of him so he can run hard onto it. Kicking at his ankles doeasnt help either.
I expect them to be much better next week against the dockers.
Wahooti Fandango
27 Mar 2010, 10:31
Keep him in the team for another 3-4 weeks and if no improvement then drop him to Bendigo.
Well we're going to play him, so it's a moot point anyway.
He's confidence will grow and we will start seeing signs, don't worry.
threeleggedgoat
27 Mar 2010, 10:59
I haven't seen much of Gumby play (obviously) but I'm wondering about his kicking for goal/field kicking? I know the kicks he had last night were really just long bombs hoping for a mark but his ball drop looked terrible. Can anyone comment on how he went in this aspect during juniors/the few other games he's had for us?
BomberTime
27 Mar 2010, 11:07
They will play him in every game regardless of form-guarantee. He will not learn anything playing at bendigo, we picked him to play afl football and so put him at chf and let him start learning the pace of the game and the tactics used by opposition teams as opposed to 2 years ago. Geelongs defence had him covered and he didnt really work too hard up the ground and lead to the right places but the main thing he got through the game, cant wait to see how he goes against freo at the dome next week, his confidence will grow and he will start plucking marks.
Will be interesting in rd 4 when hurley is back, can a forward line of neagle gumby and hurley work...i dont think so.
On another note really liked hooker and pears game last night, we have found two great players there :thumbsu:
Yep, I'm just pleased he made it through the entire game. Not expecting much for a few weeks. Any game is a bonus at this stage; remember it was only 6 weeks ago many of us feared he was gone.. again.
gPhonque
27 Mar 2010, 11:36
Why the bloody hell would you drop him?
He needs AFL game time... not VFL game time.
You say he needs confidence? Well, dropping him back to the VFL after ONE game when he's finally fit is hardly going to give him confidence!
Leave him in the side. Let him get a feel for AFL. He's not going to get that playing for Bendigo.
Keep playing him I say. I felt as if he got into some good spots last night just unfortunatly the delivery wasn't at its best and he couldn't get his hands on it. We should be thankful that his body is in reasonable nick at the moment and he actually got through a game.
stugots
27 Mar 2010, 11:47
provided he can show gradual improvement week by week he stays in & i think we will see a more relaxed/confident player next week
after-all it was round 1 & geelong last night
We need to get this guy upto 40 ASAP, dropping him won't help at all!!
Valve Bounce
27 Mar 2010, 11:59
Based on last nights game I reckon Gumby needs a bit more time in the twos. Only 3 possies for the night and he seemed constantly to be led under the ball by his opponent Lonergan.
He hasnt played a lot of senior footy, but looked a little but lost out there, and IMO needs to go back to Bendigo & find some footy.
With Hille, Ryder, & Neagle all able to play forward & Laycock waiting in the wings we dont need him there right now so give him more time in the twos to get his confidence up i think..
Bigtall guy, probably needs a few games under his belt. Bendigo sounds good, but don't count on Hille to be available just yet. He might get a short holiday.
I was at the game on friday and unforetunately Gumby looked a long way off the mark. He seemed to be able to get to a lot of contests and a lot of times he would get both hands to the ball but his hands turned to jelly as soon as he touched it. Some credit must go to Lonergan and Mackey who played very well on Gumby, but I felt that I was watching a man that was devoid of all confidence.
Body language was very poor at times and really dropped his head and became very frustrated with himself for not being able to get into the game. To be fair he hasn't played a senior game for two seasons and with game time and experience, im sure will come touch. To his credit he continued to present despite being very well held by the Geelong defenders and im sure that with some more game time whether its at Bendigo or in the seniors we will see a vast improvement from Gumby as the season rolls on.
Ludwig van Bertstare
27 Mar 2010, 23:35
He made it to plenty of contests but he would constantly run/get pushed under the ball and when it hit the deck he had poor hands. In the end, I'm just happy he played the whole game and didn't come up with any problems (knock on wood)
bombre-boy
28 Mar 2010, 02:12
Taking the number of possessions out of the equation -
positives
he was prepared to get in front,
he ran to the right places,
Second efforts were OK.
Negatives
Couldnt grasp the ball in one take.
Got pushed under the ball a few times
Ran out of puff
things out of his control were some of the delivery to him.
I reckon it is a confidence thing. His touch will come and he should not be dropped for at least the first 3 rounds.
Knight Ryders
28 Mar 2010, 06:57
I say let's see what he has learnt on Friday night. The coaching staff will be giving him a fair bit of feedback this week and hopefully we see an improved performance in round 2. I also have the feeling that our movement into the forward line has got some way to go also - in the past we've had two very dominant forwards in Lucas and Lloyd. We need to learn to spread that through 5 or 6 players. That is what is going to take time and Gumby needs to learn these patterns as well.
...and, Gumby, Hurley and Neagle can play in the same team. In fact, I hope they do it. Hurley would be a very tough match up for a third tall defender.
I say let's see what he has learnt on Friday night. The coaching staff will be giving him a fair bit of feedback this week and hopefully we see an improved performance in round 2. I also have the feeling that our movement into the forward line has got some way to go also - in the past we've had two very dominant forwards in Lucas and Lloyd. We need to learn to spread that through 5 or 6 players. That is what is going to take time and Gumby needs to learn these patterns as well.
...and, Gumby, Hurley and Neagle can play in the same team. In fact, I hope they do it. Hurley would be a very tough match up for a third tall defender.
i dont think hurley will be getting the 3rd tall over gumby at this stage!
morebeer
28 Mar 2010, 07:32
I don't understand this idea that Gumby can get nothing out of playing reserves footy. He would seem to be a prime example of someone who needs some confidence in a less pressured environment.
What he desparately needs is gametime but it does not matter where he gets it. He has played a few practice games in the last 2 years and he should be treated as a new recruit. He may even need to have a run around in the ruck for Bendigo for a bit or even down back.
People bleet on about him being the great saviour at CHF and therefore he must only play there. Underage footy watchers will tell you he also played in the ruck and down back. Its the Essendon fans that have talked themselves into a frenzy about him being our version of Nick Reiwaldt, which he is not.
Bombers36
28 Mar 2010, 09:46
agree entirely - why should he get a run just on draft pick or reputation? Has he really earnt it - I mean really? correct me if Im wrong but I always thought players should earn their games, and I see no reason why he shouldn't be dropped to Bendigo until he earns his spot. 3 possies is not enough, doesn't matter who your playing against.
i've followed gumby's career quite closely so feel i can make an informed judgement:
It was his first afl match for 2 years against the competitions best, at the MCG at night in front of a big crowd. I think he was overwhelmed by the occasion a bit in the end.
However the first quarter didn't help him - the delivery to him was pathetic. He should have had 4 or 5 marks by quarter time but each pass fell short - they certainly tested out his hamys making him go low. Given this his confidence was reducing and he was getting frustrated as he was keen to impress.
He was then outpositioned by Mackie in a one-on-one which he wasn't happy with. Over the years Franklin and Riewoldt have also been beaten by Mackie on occasions so I wouldn't be overly worried about that.
Gumby should be playing up close to the wing - given his back woes he has not spent much time developing his upper body to increase his strength in a marking contest. He is not ready to play a key forward role but certainly adds value to the team as a mobile marking target up the ground. I feel Knights didn't play him wisely.
Gumby needs time and confidence - certainly should be kept in AFL team to develop.
Pevers-Legend
28 Mar 2010, 10:17
How many big forwards (who aren't in the top echelon) play well against the cats?
And it was his first AFL game in how long?
Felt sorry for him that he ran into Geelong first up. Freo should be abetter task as we should move the ball better (won't be under as much pressure).
He needs games so his confidence can grow (or shrink -> VFL).
Glad he didn't look like getting injured.
Boucks09
28 Mar 2010, 10:30
I agree with efcboy's post. Had the delivery to him early been of a better standard then I think he would've gained much more confidence.
His workrate was great so you can't question him there. I don't think any other player would have placed as much pressure on themselves as Gumby would. He probably feels that he owes the club so much and would be desperate to impress. I really felt for the guy on Friday but I think he will do much better next Sunday under the roof.
His game reminded me of our current captain's debut...and he turned out ok.
morebeer
28 Mar 2010, 10:34
Our captain played a fair bit of reserves footy. He came back into the team when his body and mind were ready to compete with the big boys.
The Donners
28 Mar 2010, 10:45
Gumbleton should be played in every senior match this year.
morebeer
28 Mar 2010, 11:11
Agree Donners that he should every game but just until Hurley comes back. Or until another of our young talls shows something. He has no higher standing than any other young tall on the list.
Son of Whispy
28 Mar 2010, 11:15
Excellent points raised in a previous thread about how he should have just tried to blow up his opponent (fitness wise). Last night he tried to get into the game, but unfortunately Fletcher kicked it at his feet and a few others kicked it over his head and so on.
We've got Fremantle next week, it should be the perfect chance for him to get some possessions and a goal or two.
We've finally got a fit Gumbleton and he's playing AFL, why would you want to drop him. If we're having a go at forwards, I think the finger needs to be pointed at Williams. Yes he had Scarlett on him, but he still should have kicked a goal or two.
I think that's being a bit harsh on Shotgun. I think he did his job more than fair. He took there best defender out of the game and Scarlett had little to no influence. Remember he has dined out on Essendon for a decade.
I don't think you can drop Gumby as yet. We need as much footy into him as we can get. He just looked like a player who hasn't played for a couple of years. It won't take him long to get some confidence back.
machina
28 Mar 2010, 11:20
Needs a few weeks to get into it and see what his actual deficiencies are as he was too nervy to get a good look. If they are bad enough then drop him back Bendigo to work on them.
Mad Bomber Sean
28 Mar 2010, 11:23
Although not in our best 22 he has enough upside to keep playing him. He will get better each week if his body holds up. I dont expect him to play more than 15 - 16 games though, an excellent return given his past.
Lance Uppercut
28 Mar 2010, 11:52
Excellent points raised in a previous thread about how he should have just tried to blow up his opponent (fitness wise).
he should have been tearing up and down the flanks all night. I'd play him on the wing for the next half dozen games if I were Knights.
I reckon that would take take the goal pressure off him, and mean that he is less likely to get into a body-on-body contest, for which he is plainly not ready. The guy has put on some bulk, but clearly needs more core strength.
Playing him on the wing would mean he's expected to run, & that's what I want to see from him for now. It would mean he can get more of a feel for the game, run to the right spots & then, once he has his confidence up, unleash him in the forward line.
The guy was obviously nervous as **** though - as evidenced by his shocking kicking. I've seen him kick some awesome ball in the past, so it's not a structural problem - purely a nerves one.
Maybe we need to wait until Hurley is back, but I reckon let the guy roam free without the pressure of being the big guy on campus in the forward line
So we finally have some pressure on players to keep their spot... but that doesn't apply to Gumby... I don't get it. We have DD consistently performing well up forward in the VFL, yet isn't getting a game. I agree keep him in for Freo, but if he performance isn't significantly better, then he needs to be dropped.
threeleggedgoat
28 Mar 2010, 12:20
The guy was obviously nervous as **** though - as evidenced by his shocking kicking. I've seen him kick some awesome ball in the past, so it's not a structural problem - purely a nerves one.
really hope this is the case, there anybody who saw a lot of him throughout juniors that can ease any worries about his kicking?
Lance Uppercut
28 Mar 2010, 12:25
really hope this is the case, there anybody who saw a lot of him throughout juniors that can ease any worries about his kicking?
his kicking is fine, don't worry. Not many number 2 draft picks have dodgy kicking skills, unless you're a 10 foot tall Fijian.
I seem to recall Gumby kicking a couple of nice long goals in his short career so far. It's just hard to remember that long back!
Skeeta Olly
28 Mar 2010, 12:34
I knew this would happen. People expecting 20 possession, 2 goals, 8 mark game, it's not realistic and now we have people calling for him to be dropped. Give the kid some time, best defensive in the league, poor delivery all night etc, he'll come into his own the more AFL games he plays.
Next week we have Fremantle. They may have some good tall defenders, but we should have better delivery from the mids. 10 possessions, a few marks and a goal would be great for him.
threeleggedgoat
28 Mar 2010, 12:36
It's just hard to remember that long back!
trying to remember gumby's last few games is harder for me than trying to remember mercuri and long's last few :o
Skeeta Olly
28 Mar 2010, 12:40
By the way people, statistically, Gumbleton has played his best games against Fremantle and Carlton. Can't wait until we verse those two..
...oh wait.
Spot on, Olly.
It's easy for people to forget that this is effectively Gumby's 2nd year. KPP are nearly always given 4 years to develop before things are expected, so people need to think of him as effectively a 19 year-old, 2nd year CHF.
He's not going to become Riewoldt, or even Travis Cloke, this year. Every game he plays this year is a massive bonus for me.
16 FLAGS
28 Mar 2010, 18:40
The disposle of the ball to him was horrible, at morwell you really saw what he can do.
Spot on, Olly.
It's easy for people to forget that this is effectively Gumby's 2nd year. KPP are nearly always given 4 years to develop before things are expected, so people need to think of him as effectively a 19 year-old, 2nd year CHF.
He's not going to become Riewoldt, or even Travis Cloke, this year. Every game he plays this year is a massive bonus for me.
he'll be better than travis cloke after we play freo.. :)
Skeeta Olly
28 Mar 2010, 21:26
Hardly. Has only had about 1 full(ish) preseason.
Is just funny to see peoples responses.
So many people calling for him to play as soon as he is fit! now he is and is not a world beater, people calling for his head?
Shame on you..
people remember Jobe Watson's first game? one very ordinary handball right on the 50 meter arc, 80 - odd games later and he is now captain of one of the two most successful clubs in the AFL.
Just wait people, just wait!!
**NOTE: any people want to come forward and put their hand up and say they were someone calling for him to play, and now calling for him to be dropped because of one bad game against one of the greatest teams of all time??**
im gonna stand by my statement from just above...hehe
AJ_2000
29 Mar 2010, 11:49
The Geelong defense is not the best one to judge performance against, and the delievery in to the forward line was abysmal at best.
We will never know if Gumby can play if they keep on passing the ball to him like that.
Happy to give him plenty of time to settle in.
FandangoDingo
29 Mar 2010, 12:51
Un-Freakin-Believable! Some people here live in fairy land! :thumbsd:
Just play the boy. Get as many games as possible into him this year, almost completely regardless of form. If he's fit, he should at least play the first half of the season, even if we only get what we got from him on Friday.
I'm just rapt he got through the match unscathed. :thumbsu:
Patience people... FFS!
mitch-wa
29 Mar 2010, 20:09
Un-Freakin-Believable! Some people here live in fairy land! :thumbsd:
Just play the boy. Get as many games as possible into him this year, almost completely regardless of form. If he's fit, he should at least play the first half of the season, even if we only get what we got from him on Friday.
I'm just rapt he got through the match unscathed. :thumbsu:
Patience people... FFS!
a little bit of Ford Fairlane Rock n Roll detective? Glad Gumby made it through and look forward to seeing him play next week
EVERLAST
29 Mar 2010, 23:20
I think he's ready. He's basically a new recruit for us and should be regarded as one in his both his skill set and in match fitness.
If you're going to turn the blowtorch on anyone, Neagle should be placed under the spotlight. Not a fan of his at this point and the hype surrounding him is unjustified.
Gumby should be given until 2013 before we get to assess his output.
We do need to manage him mentally as well as physically.
Can you imagine the pressure and weight of expectation that he carries. The best thing to do is come out and say that we are giving him 8 weeks before "resting him". If he is killing it and can cope then we can simply change our minds but we have the get out clause if we need it.
Gumby should be treated as a first or second year player but the reality is that we have built up our expectations and so has he.
thebigboy
30 Mar 2010, 09:24
He simply needs to be playing consistently and given some confidence by the fans and coaching staff.
Guarantee that he will be 10x better on Sunday. He looked quite tense during the game, probably from putting too much pressure on himself.
He'll be a lot better mentally for the run.
Hopefully his coming out game is against the Blues in Rd.3. :D
rhysman
30 Mar 2010, 10:46
Give the guy a break. He was #2 draft pick with a massive boom on him and through no fault of his own has missed 2 years of footy. His return game ends up being against the reigning premiers so is there any suprise he struggled to get a kick? He would have been as nervous as all fk and carrying the weight of expectations of all Essendon supporters. We should be glad he simply got through the game. Only way forward is for the coaching panel to back him in and build his confidence by continue to play him. He is sure to get better than what he was on Friday night.
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=7316
“I’ve always said that we need to get eight to 10 games under his belt before he starts to flourish and I still truly believe that. We’ve got a lot of faith in him and believe he will come through.” Knights said
ready or not hes staying..
footywhereever
30 Mar 2010, 11:02
from what i saw of Gumby (before injuries) at bendigo a couple of years ago the guy is a gun
Give him some timeto get settled
remember dempsey was very injury prone and was given time to settle once his body was 100%
Neagle is the one under the pump as his reputation far exceeds his abillity
TheDon35
30 Mar 2010, 11:38
Unbelievable...
First game in 2 years and back to the two's... Incredible.
Firstly, Gumbleton needs time exposed to AFL speed, style and culture. There is a world between the VFL and AFL.
Secondly, In terms of his game technically, he was ok. Better delivery and a bit more time getting used to the flow of play and he could have had 10 marks. Presented well, was just a couple of steps off where he needed to be.
Looked tentative below his knees which was a bit of a worry but honestly, there is some serious heat on in any game against the cats but first game up in 2 years playng as the primary CHF in a side who weren't feeding the ball well... honestly.
Unbelievable...
First game in 2 years and back to the two's... Incredible.
Firstly, Gumbleton needs time exposed to AFL speed, style and culture. There is a world between the VFL and AFL.
Secondly, In terms of his game technically, he was ok. Better delivery and a bit more time getting used to the flow of play and he could have had 10 marks. Presented well, was just a couple of steps off where he needed to be.
Looked tentative below his knees which was a bit of a worry but honestly, there is some serious heat on in any game against the cats but first game up in 2 years playng as the primary CHF in a side who weren't feeding the ball well... honestly.
yup, cant really blame him, Alwyn was the same after coming back from the ACL last season, and hes 4foot 5 or something...
DonMoore
1 Apr 2010, 13:11
what sort of output by Gumby against Freo would make you walk away from the game satisified? Personally i would be happy if he picked up 10 possesions and took a couple of contested marks. goals would be a bonus.
what sort of output by Gumby against Freo would make you walk away from the game satisified? Personally i would be happy if he picked up 10 possesions and took a couple of contested marks. goals would be a bonus.Last week walking in to the ground I said "**** I hope Gumby makes it through the game; I don't care if he barely touches it, I just want him to last an entire senior game."
This week I'm pretty much of the same thought. Hopefully he'd hold on to one or two of the marks he dropped, but not expecting much more.
Round 3 I'd expect him to have found some more touch; that game I'd be hoping for 10 possessions, 5 marks, 1 goal.
I don't remember feeling this nervous about a player in my life. It literally is "one week at a time" for my perspective.
Bombers36
1 Apr 2010, 15:30
I hope he does well this week. hes got to atleast show something. just didnt do much at all last week and seems people are making excuses for his 3 possesion game. In reality thats what it was - a 3 possesion game. He needs to get more possesions than that - maybe playing him at CHF is the prob. Put him in a pocket next to Willow, and Neagle out to CHF and I reckon he will do better. Cant play a guy that has missed so much footy at CHF and just wait for him to find his feet. ....We need to win this week and I hope to God hes not our CHF but seems like he will be :(
Lance Uppercut
1 Apr 2010, 16:24
I hope he does well this week. hes got to atleast show something. just didnt do much at all last week and seems people are making excuses for his 3 possesion game. In reality thats what it was - a 3 possesion game.
in reality, after Sunday he'll have played two games in 3 years.
It's not an excuse, it's a fact. Give the guy at least a few games before you start demanding results, thanks
Rocky_Star_Pro
1 Apr 2010, 16:53
I just want Gumby to get through the game unscathed, and along the way chip in with a goal or two and a few nice highlights. We should really start judging him after 6-10 games, when he has a bit of experience under his belt
morebeer
1 Apr 2010, 17:00
There is no reason fans should not expect results from those players picked in the senior team. A few games or not.
We sit here and speculate on everyone else, its open slather, except for Gumby. I don't think anyone is calling him a dud but some, such as myself, are of the opinion that he would be better off doing some early development in the reserves. It is critical we get a contest at the very least from CHF.
Now I would have thought there were a few rational queries on his place in the team which somehow get construed as "writing the kid off after 1 game" or "geez thats harsh, give the guy a chance".
I really am just struggling with the concept that people believe you cannot develop players in the reserves. What does this mean for Still, Carlisle and Daniher. Should they be offended that they are not being developed in the senior team?
We all hope like anything that Gumby comes through but he has missed out on the critical development stage of his career and aswell as his much publicised injury issues he also has some technical issues to work on. These include his contest ability in the air and on the ground. He gets pushed under the ball very easily and goes to ground too often. Not just last week but every game I have seen him play.
stay true
1 Apr 2010, 17:15
I think it lies in the middle of the 2 extremes. We can't give him a free pass but we can't have the same expectation we place on regulars. But we have to give him 4-5 games to prove himself and if he is still struggling after that we send him to Bendigo.
Too much kneejerkage on BF.
SirJimi05
3 Apr 2010, 08:14
Of course he is not ready! He will need an extended run of atleast 15+ games before he is even close. What did people expect?
lemon chicken
3 Apr 2010, 09:29
Watched the match again last night and the number of times the ball was kicked at his feet or metres in front of him was not good enough. Hopefully his team mates give him a better chance this week.
SirJimi05
3 Apr 2010, 09:53
Watched the match again last night and the number of times the ball was kicked at his feet or metres in front of him was not good enough. Hopefully his team mates give him a better chance this week.
Totally agree with this and was going to mention it in my last post.
His teamates did him no favours at all last week.
reallysmart
3 Apr 2010, 10:23
Any chance on Michael Still taking Neagle's place?
i think u should give neagle more time his better then still
reallysmart
3 Apr 2010, 10:32
Watched the match again last night and the number of times the ball was kicked at his feet or metres in front of him was not good enough. Hopefully his team mates give him a better chance this week.
dont worry bout gumby give him enough game time and he will be a good player
reallysmart
3 Apr 2010, 10:39
if gumby gets a few poses i will be satisfied
Rocky_Star_Pro
3 Apr 2010, 10:41
dont worry bout gumby give him enough game time and he will be a good player
Exactly :thumbsu:
reallysmart
3 Apr 2010, 10:43
Last week walking in to the ground I said "**** I hope Gumby makes it through the game; I don't care if he barely touches it, I just want him to last an entire senior game."
This week I'm pretty much of the same thought. Hopefully he'd hold on to one or two of the marks he dropped, but not expecting much more.
Round 3 I'd expect him to have found some more touch; that game I'd be hoping for 10 possessions, 5 marks, 1 goal.
I don't remember feeling this nervous about a player in my life. It literally is "one week at a time" for my perspective.
gumby is ready for afl just needs the game time so there
Bombers36
4 Apr 2010, 06:58
I hope to God that they dont ask Gumby to play CHF today! Put him in a forward pocket next to Willow. Put Paddy at CHF - Gumby simply not ready for CHF yet. The kid needs time to build his confidence and learn his trade before playing CHF, and if they are not going to drop him to Bendigo then play him in a pocket or on a wing or something NOT at CHF!
Gumby will play CHF today with Willo playing deep. He'll be better for the run last week, and i dare say he'll find himself more space than what was afforded to him last week.
loopy_cam
4 Apr 2010, 12:41
Gumby to kick three goals one today and take seven marks.
Gumbleton to kick 5 today with Willams and Zaka kicking 4 each.
The other 10 goals to be shared among the team.
Essendon to win by 60
macbeth7
4 Apr 2010, 21:37
Gumbleton to kick 5 today with Willams and Zaka kicking 4 each.
The other 10 goals to be shared among the team.
Essendon to win by 60
hahaha
Wahooti Fandango
4 Apr 2010, 21:40
hahaha
Enjoy the card, dipshit.
Kudos to Gumby today.
He just seemed a lot more confident and stronger over the ball and with the ball.
Gumby ran well to position and definitly took a step in the right direction today. He was really the only positive to come out of a horrendous display.
markfarmer
4 Apr 2010, 21:55
Thought he improved 100% from the Cats game... maybe ran out of gas the second half today. .....that was a dominating contested first mark..And he looked a lot more confident today and dangerous when he got around it..
Great signs for him..:thumbsu:
macbeth7
5 Apr 2010, 17:54
Enjoy the card, dipshit.
hahaha oh no please dont.
grow up child.
cop it sweet next week tip rat.