View Full Version : Vossy....time to bite the bullet?
Vossy looked great in the opening minutes of the game but was a virtual passenger for the rest of the match.
Apparantly, his knee was as good as it's been in the days before the game but he jarred it in the first quarter........and goodnight nurse.
Bad luck?
No......the point is, in the physicality and intensity of Finals footy, the probability of him being incapacitated has got to be very high.
Champoin that he is, he's not much use to us warming the bench.
The knee is dodgy and has been for months. It needs a permanent fix.
Let's face it.....we face an uphill battle from here to even make the GF, much less win it, Voss or no Voss.
Wouldn't it be better to send Vossy off for that op NOW and have him back next season in all his glory, rather than see him forlornly sitting on the sidelines for large sections of our remaining Finals games, however many that may be?
And in the meantime bring in a young and fully fit player like Hadley or Gram
He would undoubtedly be the first to resist such a suggestion but his own longer term future as well as that of our side is at stake here.
"Blooding" an inexperienced midfielder in Finals Footy may be risky but so is continuing to play a 25% fit Michael Voss.
Thoughts anyone?
LionHeart20
7 Sep 2003, 12:15
To be honest i think Leigh should rest him for the rest of the season and yes as you said we need to blood new players in the squad.
Wasn't it his ankle he also hurt lastnight? :confused:
understudy
7 Sep 2003, 12:31
whats that time to give him a bullet ;)
The biggest problem Brisbane have at the moment is with a lack of on-field leadership. harsh as this may sound there is a serious problem whenever Voss becomes injured or is off the field for extended periods of time.
You'd think that after 2 flags and with the senior players we have some of them would step up to bat and take on the role of the on-fielder leader. Unfortunately players like Lappin, Aker, Ash, Hart, Lepper all avoid it like the plague and we have to sort it out quickly if we are to salvage our season next week against the Crows.
The other concern I have is this.
We keep hearing how he "won't" or "can't" do any more damage to the injury by continuing to play with it.
I'm not a medical expert, but I find this an amazing assessment.
Over the years, there have been numerous AFL players from many clubs who have continued to play with specific injuries and ended up doing serious damage to that injury as a result....................ESPECIALLY KNEES.
How would it be if Vossy badly injures the knee and ends up having to have a total reconstruction?
Goodbye 2003 and probably most of 2004.
There's a good argument that continuing to play him is a bigger risk than not.
SpecialBruce
7 Sep 2003, 13:53
Voss will play this weekend unless Shattock, B Scott or McRae are available.
Bringing in Hadley or Gram would mean Leigh would have to change what he's done all year. For the last 23 games, he has been playing injured players. Akermanis for 6 - 8 rounds was one of them. It's finals, I can't see him changing it. As I've been complaining about all year about Leigh Matthews coaching is his failure to rest players who need rest. Who cares if we bring in a first gamer in a final. A FIT RUNNING PLAYER IS BETTER THAN A BENCH WARMING MICHAEL VOSS.
The leadership is the thing that has been touched on by Slax. IMO, if Voss is rested this week and for the rest of the year, Jonathan Brown, Luke Power or Shaun Hart should be captain. Brown is a leader from CHF, suitable captain replacement. Hart is well respected and fails to have a poor game. Luke Power has been sensational all year. All these 3 players are capable of producing something special, which in turn will effect the team in a positive way. Brown should take the captaincy. If he lifts, the whole team will lift.
Regarding Vossy's knee, he needs it to be rested. Luthor, you are right. He can do more damage to it and serious damage aswell. The knee keeps jarring on him, so he has an unstable knee at the present time. My guess is he's got huge cartilage tear within the knee and an operation would keep him out for 4- 6 weeks. Not knowing what the exact problem is, his knee is unstable whether or not it's cartilage or Medial, Lateral or Posterior Cruciate tear, who knows. It seems to be one of them. But if he keeps playing full games with this unstable knee, he's going to put added pressure on the ACL and it's highly possible that he can do damage to that, which will see him out for most of next year.
It's a tough situation for the club to be in. He shouldn't train this week, he should take this week off and then be ready for Port Adelaide or Sydney if we make it that far because we will need him. If Sydney wins today, we won't need to play Voss in the prelim final I wouldn't think.
We can beat Adelaide without Vossy. Their midfield is strong, but to make ours strong, we need a fit player in there.
It's time we rest him for at least a week. It won't fix him up, but it will give us a win.
rchowell
8 Sep 2003, 16:31
It's fairly simple really. If Voss doesn't play Brisbane won't win. What is amazing is the fact that a team that has won two premierships is still so reliant on one individual. It's as though they lose all sense of purpose, direction and initiative when he's not there. Jonathan Brown has to realise that games of football (particularly finals) are not won on one off individual acts of brilliance, but they are won on the sweat of the brow - a consistent four quarter effort. It seems to me as though he's been reading too much of his own press, of the know it all media types comparing him to Wayne Carey, well I tell you he is nowhere near Carey yet. He's gotta pull his head in because otherwise people will start comparing him to Matthew Richardson. You can look at the way he charged into that centre bounce, knocking over blokes left right and centre, got the footy, had the awareness to duck under a tackle coming from behind, get a kick into the forward line resulting in a goal I think to McGrath. But then there's the kick out on the full in the second quarter, which had he kicked that along with Notting nailing his shot on the run from 30 metres, would have given Brisbane a 5 goal lead and in a low scoring game that could have been decisive. Would Carey have kicked it out on the full? Would Carey have kicked that ball into the man on the mark? Good players perform under pressure, and like in the Sydney game, when he was needed him most it was too hot in the kitchen for him. HAVING SAID THAT, on Friday night, the score starts 0-0, there's 18 blokes on the field, the other mob's got 18 blokes on the field, and I want to see Jonathan Brown made captain of Brisbane if Michael Voss doesn't play. If that doesn't bring out the best in him, nothing will.
Originally posted by rchowell
Would Carey have kicked it out on the full?
No, I think Carey would have kicked a behind ;) (I'm assuming you remember the last quarter of the 98 GF)
I think you're being a tad harsh on Browny, I realise he made some mistakes, crucial ones, against the Swans and the Pies on Saturday night, but IMO I don't think it was due to pressure, he just made some blues. He's generally a bloke that thrives on pressure, from what I can tell anyway.
I'm expecting a beauty from J. Brown on Friday night.
Voss is out so let's see what sort of character the Lions really have, and who is willing to step up and take on the on-field leadership role.
wickedwitch
9 Sep 2003, 08:15
with regard to on-field leadership, i think Pikey always shows it. he's pretty vocal, always very encouraging of the younger ones and keeps a cool head in a pressure situation. I agree though with comments on some of the vice-captains. Two of the most humiliating losses I can remember in the past 2 seasons were when Leppitsch was acting skipper. Nigel is way too intense (and introspective?) to be captain. And C Scott? I'd hate to see a sense of responsibility for the whole team inhibit his muscle-flexing. Love them all as players, but they don't seem to have it in on-field leadership. Browny will probably mature into a leader, but Luke Power, as one of the younger players, is one i'd like to see nurtured in a leadership role. It's a hard job and not everyone can do it. Vossies don't grow on trees, you know!
Aker is now my choice for on-ball leader. The added responsibility will help him keep his head in. It will help him with consistency and when he has his flashes of brilliance it will really lift the team. Voss must rest. If we don't have him next year due to his knee it will be a very sad time.
I think we could win on Friday without Voss. It will be tough but as long as Crackers comes up we could still get there.
I've just got back from the Gabba, and training was on at 12.30 today - didn't see it myself, but my mum was watching. Not sure how reliable her account is but she reckons Vossy was out there, kicking, flexing his legs and doing some of the training with the rest of the group.
Just had a phone call. Vossy won't be playing this week even though he's training. They don't want to risk it.
SpecialBruce
9 Sep 2003, 16:35
Originally posted by kimp
Just had a phone call. Vossy won't be playing this week even though he's training. They don't want to risk it.
Good! We can win without him. It may be tough, but we can win without him and shut those doubters up who say, "No Voss, No Brisbane" Extra incentive to win now.
Beausgirl43
9 Sep 2003, 17:59
The only training Voss did today was walking out on the field and some handball drills with Shatts, who I can gladly say is off the crutches this week.
McDonald definately out for the rest of the year (straight from the horses mouth).
McRae and Brennan still only doing running drills with the doc.
Crackers didn't do any training bar a slow stroll out to the centre of the ground.
Hadley, Gram and McLaren all trained with the senior side.
Raines back training, so that could be good news.
No training for Selwood or Merrett what so ever.
Morrison and Notting not present at all today.
Fingers crossed things improve on Thursday.
cheers ... Kaz
SpecialBruce
9 Sep 2003, 18:18
Originally posted by Beausgirl43
The only training Voss did today was walking out on the field and some handball drills with Shatts, who I can gladly say is off the crutches this week.
McDonald definately out for the rest of the year (straight from the horses mouth).
McRae and Brennan still only doing running drills with the doc.
Crackers didn't do any training bar a slow stroll out to the centre of the ground.
Hadley, Gram and McLaren all trained with the senior side.
Raines back training, so that could be good news.
No training for Selwood or Merrett what so ever.
Morrison and Notting not present at all today.
Fingers crossed things improve on Thursday.
cheers ... Kaz
I don't know about anyone else, but I want Keating to be rested this week. If we have a fully fit Keating and a fully fit Charman in against Sydney next week, our chances of our midfield getting first use of the ball is increased. If there is any doubt over Keating, he shouldn't play. He is too valuable to us to get injured more and miss more games if we do win this week. We can't take that risk.
The Jamie Charman/Dylan McLaren combo has won us games many times before. No reason why it can't win us a game this week. If Clark can play, I hope he is played, but if his shoulder is still giving him crap, we can't risk him.
I sense that Hadley or Gram or both will play this week. McRae seems he isn't going to play this week, so one of them will replace Voss. And if Notting is suspended tonight, the other will replace him. That's probably why Notting may not have been at training. Could be in Melbourne ready for tonight.
Originally posted by SpecialBruce
I don't know about anyone else, but I want Keating to be rested this week. If we have a fully fit Keating and a fully fit Charman in against Sydney next week, our chances of our midfield getting first use of the ball is increased. If there is any doubt over Keating, he shouldn't play. He is too valuable to us to get injured more and miss more games if we do win this week. We can't take that risk.
The Jamie Charman/Dylan McLaren combo has won us games many times before. No reason why it can't win us a game this week. If Clark can play, I hope he is played, but if his shoulder is still giving him crap, we can't risk him.
I sense that Hadley or Gram or both will play this week. McRae seems he isn't going to play this week, so one of them will replace Voss. And if Notting is suspended tonight, the other will replace him. That's probably why Notting may not have been at training. Could be in Melbourne ready for tonight.
Firstly, I believe McLaren has injury problems of his own, so if Keating doesn't come up, our ruck stakes will be in the desperation category.
Secondly, it was reported this morning that Notting will be going to the tribunal in person to fight the charge (rather than by video link-up) so that's probably the explanation for his non-appearance at training.
Crackers is definately playing as back up to Charman. he'll be drugged up but we have no alternative.
I now have a feeling that Vossy could be playing. They'd play him off the bench maybe even only to the forwards but more than anything they need his leadership (really who are the serious alternatives).