View Full Version : Damian Cupido
I'd like to seek the general opinion of the Brisbane fans here.
Were you generally dissapointed in losing Cupido?
Did you acknowledge his talent and future at the club?
Were you at all surprised in the season Damian had?
Did he over-ride expectations?
Just wondering...
...Cheers.
cjwalkley
21 Oct 2003, 10:32
Cupido is an immensely talented footballer who is yet to understand it is a team game. He is selfish and lazy, but with his sublime skills can cover that aspect of his game to a certain extent.
He did very well this year, and probably played up to his talent level, but I am definitely happy he is no longer at the Lions. He didn't work hard enough during a game and during training, was undisciplined and would have been a weak link in a formidable team.
Maybe Sheedy can keep him producing the goods, hopefully so for Essendon fans, but it will be interesting if the arrogance and bad habits hit back after one good year.
BrainOfMorbius
21 Oct 2003, 10:37
I think it would be fair to say that opinion amongst Lions supporters on Cupido is very mixed.
Personally I was a little sad to see him leave as it was clear that the guy had a great deal of talent, however he had a propensity for injury and lack of team play. I wasn't too disappointed with the trade that gained us Caracella.
If he can gain a little bit of maturity he'll do well for the Bombers with a long career, and good luck to him.
NathanD
21 Oct 2003, 10:37
The loss of Cupido certainly resulted in many heated debates here, so I expec that this thread will be no different.
Were you generally dissapointed in losing Cupido?
Yes and no - to lose players that were picks 1 and 6 and gain Caracella and Pick 3 seemed as if we were dudded.
He was unlucky with shoulder injuries, and seemed a tad selfish and not fully team oriented. An ego to rival Akermanis. Was never going to well under Matthews one suspects. Not even sure if the old trick of sending him into the backhalf would've made him a better (read team) player?
Did you acknowledge his talent and future at the club?
He had talent to burn, but his attitude stifled his future at the Lions.
Were you at all surprised in the season Damian had?
Not really. If he could be injury free and get plenty of game time he was always going to kick goals. In many of the games I saw he often went missing when the team needed to lift, and sometimes kicked a bag in junk time.
I wasn't surprised at all by the number of free kicks and 50 m penalties he gave a way.
Did he over-ride expectations?
Well he was a No 6 pick who took a few years to get going. I wish him well because he certainly wasn't going to flourish at the Lions under Matthews and was better off where he wanted to be.
If he can pull his head in as well as getting it over the ball, he'll do well for the Dons in the years to come.
BrainOfMorbius
21 Oct 2003, 10:40
Originally posted by NathanD
I wasn't surprised at all by the number of free kicks and 50 m penalties he gave a way. Not to mention the numerous clangers...
Originally posted by BrainOfMorbius
Not to mention the numerous clangers...
not to mention leading the goal assists tally at essendon
and
second only to matt lloyd in the goalkicking!
Thankyou very much Brisbane . .
cjwalkley
21 Oct 2003, 10:53
Originally posted by Hosko
not to mention leading the goal assists tally at essendon
and
second only to matt lloyd in the goalkicking!
Thankyou very much Brisbane . .
Very happy to pass off Cupido to a middle of the road organisation and have Caracella play a part in a Premiership side.
not disappointed at all. the boy can play but, only speculating here, he was probably the kid who won all the b & f`s throughout his junior career & expected to do the same against the big boys. has the odd flash of brilliance which will excite the fans but is too easily shut out to be a truly valuable contributor to a successful team.
all the best to sheeds though if anyone can get a kid back on track its surely him
cheers!
Very happy to pass off Cupido to a middle of the road organisation and have Caracella play a part in a Premiership side.
And what a huge part it was.
You can teach players a lot of things. Two things you cant is spped and ability and Damian has plenty of that. I spoke to him at a club function and from what i heard i was expecting him to be a tool but he was far from it. He was more than happy to have a laugh and a chat and seemed genuinly honoured to be at the club he had supported as a kid. Was a really nice young bloke. Arrogant on the field yes. But if you want to be a good footballer you need a bit of arrogance.
cjwalkley
21 Oct 2003, 11:18
Originally posted by marcuz
And what a huge part it was.
You can teach players a lot of things. Two things you cant is spped and ability and Damian has plenty of that. I spoke to him at a club function and from what i heard i was expecting him to be a tool but he was far from it. He was more than happy to have a laugh and a chat and seemed genuinly honoured to be at the club he had supported as a kid. Was a really nice young bloke. Arrogant on the field yes. But if you want to be a good footballer you need a bit of arrogance.
If you want to be a good footballer you have to have discipline and play as part of a team, something Cupido has yet to do.
I'd have no idea what he was like off the field, only know that at this stage of his career, I wouldn't want him on my team.
OldLion
21 Oct 2003, 12:23
Originally posted by Hosko
Thankyou very much Brisbane . . Scoreboard, troll.
Originally posted by Nandoz
I'd like to seek the general opinion of the Brisbane fans here.
Were you generally dissapointed in losing Cupido?
Did you acknowledge his talent and future at the club?
Were you at all surprised in the season Damian had?
Did he over-ride expectations?
Just wondering...
...Cheers.
The general consensus amongst Lion supporters is that we were not disappointed to lose him and we all wished him well at his new club.
My disappointment was with the administrators who let go of effectively draft no 1 ( Headland) and no 6 (Cupido) for draft no 3 (Brennan) and Caracella. They totally stuffed it up. Fremantle at one point offered draft no's 3 and 5 (they got from North for Brown) for Headland alone. We didn’t even have to give up Cupido as he had one year of his contract to run. Instead somehow we got duped into including Cupido for Cracella.
The only reason this has not been a major issue is because we are still Premiers. However with pick 5 we could also have had at our club Steven Salopec. Beatson staffed it up.
Originally posted by marcuz
And what a huge part it was.
Which is better?
a) Being a team player in a Premiership side.
b) Being a shirt-lifting front-runner in an average side.
Originally posted by marcuz
You can teach players a lot of things. Two things you cant is spped and ability and Damian has plenty of that.
And at the moment, that is probably just about it, I'd say.
Originally posted by marcuz
Arrogant on the field yes. But if you want to be a good footballer you need a bit of arrogance.
I'd say that COURAGE is a bigger factor, actually. Someone like S.Hart is not arrogant, yet, he exhibits courage and a team ethos every time he goes out on the park. I'd wager that's why Hart's career will be historically better than Cupido's.
Originally posted by Hosko
not to mention leading the goal assists tally at essendon
and
second only to matt lloyd in the goalkicking!
Thankyou very much Brisbane . .
From memory, there was only one game this season where Cupido actually influenced the result of the match off his own efforts, as opposed to merely being a benefactor of the hard work of other players.
So overall i take it that Brisbane fans werent all that dis-pleased to lose him. Was just wondering.
Thanks.
Originally posted by irel
The general consensus amongst Lion supporters is that we were not disappointed to lose him and we all wished him well at his new club.
My disappointment was with the administrators who let go of effectively draft no 1 ( Headland) and no 6 (Cupido) for draft no 3 (Brennan) and Caracella. They totally stuffed it up. Fremantle at one point offered draft no's 3 and 5 (they got from North for Brown) for Headland alone. We didn’t even have to give up Cupido as he had one year of his contract to run. Instead somehow we got duped into including Cupido for Cracella.
The only reason this has not been a major issue is because we are still Premiers. However with pick 5 we could also have had at our club Steven Salopec. Beatson staffed it up.
Irel, I think you are using dodgy mathematics in your comparison of what we gained to what we lost.
In the first place, we didn't actually "let" Headland go.
Headland was going whether we liked it or not. He was so determined to get back to WA, he was even making statements that he would be prepared to be delisted and if not picked up by WCE or Freo in the draft, he would retire and play in the WAFL for free !!
Secondly, I don't believe it's valid to compare "positions" in drafts from PREVIOUS years (Headland and Cupido) to an established PREMIERSHIP player(Caracella) and an untried kid (Brennan)
Nor is it valid to compare draft positions from previous years(1 and 6) to "picks" 3 and 5 in an upcoming draft, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WHO YOU WANT, WON"T EVEN BE AROUND BY THE TIME YOU GET TO PICK 5, OR EVEN PICK 3.
You say we could have had Salopek at pick 5, but that's all with the benefit of hindsight.
Unless they had a crystal ball, how could the Lions have possibly have known Salopek was going to be available when pick 5 came around????
The way I see it, the Lions got Caracella and a high draft pick(#3)in exchange for Cupido and potentally nothing (Headland).
If you want to use hindsight as your primary method of analysis, I'd say that, with the benefit of hindsight, we did a couple of pretty smart trades.
SpecialBruce
21 Oct 2003, 20:47
I know 2 supporters who were ****ed off about trading Cupido.
Maverick and the one and only SpecialBruce.
How often did you watch Cupido play in the Lions reserves SB?
I still spew Cupido left.
I reckon he'll make us look silly in few years.
Originally posted by luthor
Irel, I think you are using dodgy mathematics in your comparison of what we gained to what we lost.
In the first place, we didn't actually "let" Headland go.
Headland was going whether we liked it or not. He was so determined to get back to WA, he was even making statements that he would be prepared to be delisted and if not picked up by WCE or Freo in the draft, he would retire and play in the WAFL for free !!
Secondly, I don't believe it's valid to compare "positions" in drafts from PREVIOUS years (Headland and Cupido) to an established PREMIERSHIP player(Caracella) and an untried kid (Brennan)
Nor is it valid to compare draft positions from previous years(1 and 6) to "picks" 3 and 5 in an upcoming draft, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WHO YOU WANT, WON"T EVEN BE AROUND BY THE TIME YOU GET TO PICK 5, OR EVEN PICK 3.
You say we could have had Salopek at pick 5, but that's all with the benefit of hindsight.
Unless they had a crystal ball, how could the Lions have possibly have known Salopek was going to be available when pick 5 came around????
If not Salopek it would have been some other talented player.
The way I see it, the Lions got Caracella and a high draft pick(#3)in exchange for Cupido and potentally nothing (Headland).
If you want to use hindsight as your primary method of analysis, I'd say that, with the benefit of hindsight, we did a couple of pretty smart trades.
No hindsight used at all. I was very ****ed off last year with the deal that the club generated. (I was not posting on BF last year)
It may sound like hindsight, but my contention last year prior to trading Cupido was, “ let him finish his contract and trade him possibly this year”. Headland may have been going anyway but to get only draft no. 3 for him and nothing else was extremely poor whichever way you look at it.
All I know, at one stage Fremantle offered draft 3 and draft no 5 which they got from North in exchange for Brown. Somehow we ended in a deal involving Cupido with Essendon. What I am saying, we should not have recruited Caracella. We did not require him. We already had Cupido to slot in Headland's position.
Anyhow no use crying over spilt milk we should look forward to the future. My only concern is that this year we have repeated the same mistake. We released Gram at 19 years of age. As far as I can ascertain there is no logical reason to do so. And losing two talented young players in consecutive years as a result of bad management is reason to speak out.
Gram asked to go home to Victoria. When Chris Johnson asked, we did not let him and look how things turned around. I remember reading an article, where Cupido said that he wanted to stay but somehow felt that he was not wanted and under those circumstances it was best to leave.
I know people will say what are you complaining about you've just won three in a row. Just because we won three in a row it does not mean we can relax and not be constructive in our assessment when the club makes decisions that I feel are to the detriment of the future of our club.
SpecialBruce
21 Oct 2003, 21:28
Originally posted by luthor
How often did you watch Cupido play in the Lions reserves SB?
I don't care if Bubba happened to be a one person player in the reserves.
Fact! He did a shoulder putting his body hard on the line. He went in hard for the ball, got the injury. Bubba was one of our best players in the lead up to that game. When he was playing he wasn't doing the one person stuff. He put his body on the line for his team mates. Is that not team play?
We then got a stronger team so Bubba tried to get into the team. I don't blame him for being a one person player. He tried his best to get back into the team.
The fact is that Leigh never liked Bubba. Leigh had a choice, to develop Bubba into a player, or to let him go. He didn't bother to develop Bubba into a player. He let him go. I know that might be a big statement but think about it. Bubba had talent. Why didn't Leigh and the other coach's try to fix his attitude up? If they did, he would have played and wouldn't have been traded. Leigh said Bubba wouldn't play unless he changed. The role of a coach and assistants is to get the best out of their players they can and to try and fix up players ability, tell them where they are going wrong, how to improve, what they can do to improve etc. Why didn't Leigh try and change Bubba? Reason, because he didn't like him.
I hope Bubba terrorises us next year and kicks a bag against us or kicks a winning goal against us. Then you will all be thinking "Why did we let this guy go?"
Against Collingwood in the anzac day clash, Bubba had a brilliant game. That was probably his best game for the year.
I'm sure I have back-up on what I just said.
Origianally posted by Stocka
Which is better?
a) Being a team player in a Premiership side.
b) Being a shirt-lifting front-runner in an average side.
Brisbane didnt make the GF on the back of caracella's year thats for sure. Get a tape of round 1 and watch cupido take chris johnson to the cleaners in a side that got belted. We have seen the best of caracella. We havent even scratched the surface of what cupido can do.
And at the moment, that is probably just about it, I'd say.
Speed and ability...what else would you want...we cant all be in and under types. There needs to be someone to finish off the hard work.
I'd say that COURAGE is a bigger factor, actually. Someone like S.Hart is not arrogant, yet, he exhibits courage and a team ethos every time he goes out on the park. I'd wager that's why Hart's career will be historically better than Cupido's.
18 Shaun Harts in your side wont win you a flag. As i said b4 you need a mixture of brilliant players and hard ball winners. Ramanuaskas is very much in the cupido mould, He mashed shaun Hart when they meet at the dome. S.Hart is an honest goer nothing more. He has his limitations, cupido does not. Cupido doesnt work nearly as hard as shaun hart. But he has more talent in his left nut than hart has in his whole body. If sheeds gets this kid focused..look out!
SpecialBruce
21 Oct 2003, 21:32
Originally posted by Denno
I still spew Cupido left.
I reckon he'll make us look silly in few years.
I agree. I hope he does make us look silly in a few years. We should never have let him go. He has rare talent.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by SpecialBruce
[B]I don't care if Bubba happened to be a one person player in the reserves.
I hope Bubba terrorises us next year and kicks a bag against us or kicks a winning goal against us. Then you will all be thinking "Why did we let this guy go?"
Why would you make such an immature statement?
No matter how much I think the club made a wrong decision I would never wish ill on MY CLUB
I would expect a retraction SB
Originally posted by irel
I know people will say what are you complaining about you've just won three in a row. Just because we won three in a row it does not mean we can relax and not be constructive in our assessment when the club makes decisions that I feel are to the detriment of the future of our club.
Fully agree.
If you don't agree with trades, selections or anything else the club does, that's your right.
However, I think you sometimes have to look at the bigger picture, rather than trying to disect the pros and cons.
As for your assertion that we didn't need Caracella because Cupido was "ready" to slot in for Headland, I just can't fathom how you could possibly argue that.
Cupido is and always was a low-possession half-forward, forward pocket type player who could do the brilliant as well as the totally absurd.
Headland WAS (in his time with the Lions) a half forward flanker type who regularly rotated through the midfield and REGULARLY got his 15-20 possessions and 2 or 3 goals in the process.
Caracella?
Well he's his own player ......but certainly plays the role of a "Headland" type player more than Cupido ever did or is ever likely to.
SpecialBruce
21 Oct 2003, 22:01
The club had contacted me and asked me for advice about whether they should keep Cupido or not and what strategies they could put in place. Also, a "high ranking" person from the club had a heart-to-heart discussion with me about the issues at hand, and that I was disappointed they didn't take my advice. And I now think that I have been proven correct.
Originally posted by SpecialBruce
I don't care if Bubba happened to be a one person player in the reserves.
Neither do I
What I care about, is how often YOU saw him play in the reserves
Fact! He did a shoulder putting his body hard on the line. He went in hard for the ball, got the injury. Bubba was one of our best players in the lead up to that game. When he was playing he wasn't doing the one person stuff. He put his body on the line for his team mates. Is that not team play?
Big deal.
Everyone else in our side puts his body on the line all game, every game. Lots of our guys have got injured doing so. So he got injured. Bad luck.....rehabilitate the injury and get back into it....like Voss, Leppitsch, Hart, Brown, Lappin, Shattock......etc.
Getiing a serious injury from one act of courage doesn't give you a free ride back into the side later. Ask Tim Notting.
We then got a stronger team so Bubba tried to get into the team. I don't blame him for being a one person player. He tried his best to get back into the team.
You don't have to be a "one person" player to get back into the team.
The fact is that Leigh never liked Bubba. Leigh had a choice, to develop Bubba into a player, or to let him go. He didn't bother to develop Bubba into a player. He let him go. I know that might be a big statement but think about it. Bubba had talent. Why didn't Leigh and the other coach's try to fix his attitude up?
Leigh never "liked" Cupido?
Where did you get this SB?
Did he tell you this himself?
Why didn't Cupido fix his attitude himself?
If they did, he would have played and wouldn't have been traded. Leigh said Bubba wouldn't play unless he changed. The role of a coach and assistants is to get the best out of their players they can and to try and fix up players ability, tell them where they are going wrong, how to improve, what they can do to improve etc. Why didn't Leigh try and change Bubba? Reason, because he didn't like him.
Why didn't Bubba try and change Bubba? Personal responsibility goes a long way in Footy, as it does in life.
I hope Bubba terrorises us next year and kicks a bag against us or kicks a winning goal against us. Then you will all be thinking "Why did we let this guy go?"
I hope he plays like a dog, gives away five 50 metre penalties, gets reported, stubs his toe trying to launch a big bomb and makes a huge clanger that costs his side the game!!!
But seriously SB, are you an "badly-done-by-former-Lions player" supporter or a Brisbane Lions supporter?
Against Collingwood in the anzac day clash, Bubba had a brilliant game. That was probably his best game for the year.
Against Collingwood in the GRAND FINAL, the Lions had 3 or 4 players who had their best games for the year. Bubba was watching the GF on TV.
I'm sure I have back-up on what I just said.
I think this is one of your silliest posts of all time SB
And I really don't care how much back up I have.
Originally posted by marcuz
Brisbane didnt make the GF on the back of caracella's year thats for sure.
That is not an answer to the question. If you can't answer the question, then either it's because you don't want to, or because you can't. Perhaps a shot at answering the question again, and then get back to us . . .
Originally posted by marcuz
Get a tape of round 1 and watch cupido take chris johnson to the cleaners in a side that got belted.
I don't need to get the tape, as I saw it the first time.
You reckon Cupido took Johnson to the cleaners in that game? If so, you're a poor judge of what happens out on the field. Cupido had a reasonable game, but by no-means did he give anyone a bath. Likewise, despite the fact that he did a few nice things that night, he still shirked the physical contests.
Originally posted by marcuz
We have seen the best of caracella. We havent even scratched the surface of what cupido can do.
Arguable at best. At any rate, that statement doesn't take note of the standards at which either player is participating.
Similarly, what would you rather?
a) A player who displays his best and actually puts out on the field.
b) A player who teases you with glimpses of his best, but never puts out what he arguably might be capable of.
Originally posted by marcuz
Speed and ability...what else would you want...we cant all be in and under types. There needs to be someone to finish off the hard work.
What else would you want? How about courage, toughness, team-orientation, stamina, committment, discipline?
Originally posted by marcuz
18 Shaun Harts in your side wont win you a flag. As i said b4 you need a mixture of brilliant players and hard ball winners. Ramanuaskas is very much in the cupido mould, He mashed shaun Hart when they meet at the dome.
So? S.Hart mashed Essendon in the 2001 GF. Norm Smith Medallist from memory.
Originally posted by marcuz
S.Hart is an honest goer nothing more. He has his limitations, cupido does not.
Every player has limitations. Stop kidding yourself with wild statements which do nothing to justify or prove your theory.
Originally posted by marcuz
Cupido doesnt work nearly as hard as shaun hart.
But he has more talent in his left nut than hart has in his whole body.
Disagree. You are vastly under-rating S.Hart as a talented footballer.
Originally posted by marcuz
If sheeds gets this kid focused..look out!
If anything, Cupido's weaknesses have been further noted this season under Sheedy. I was actually surprised at how undisciplined and uncommitted he looked at times.
Originally posted by Stocka
footballer.
If anything, Cupido's weaknesses have been further noted this season under Sheedy. I was actually surprised at how undisciplined and uncommitted he looked at times.
I wasn't.
Sheedy once again has shown the capacity and patience to draft another younsgter. He has a fantastic eye for talent, and hopefully the gamble will pay off. 39 goals in a reasonable team, with an inconsistant season. Imagine the possibilities if he gets some consistancy. He is potentially our future game-breaker, like Long was for us.
Very exciting talent, and im very excited to see what the next few years hold for Damian and the Bombers.
Originally posted by Nandoz
Sheedy once again has shown the capacity and patience to draft another younsgter. He has a fantastic eye for talent, and hopefully the gamble will pay off. 39 goals in a reasonable team, with an inconsistant season. Imagine the possibilities if he gets some consistancy. He is potentially our future game-breaker, like Long was for us.
Very exciting talent, and im very excited to see what the next few years hold for Damian and the Bombers.
That's a fair enough perspective from a Bombers supporter.
In all sincerity, I hope he turns out to be all you hope for.
I do get irritated though when so-called Lions"supporters" go on with this crap about losing him being the end of life as we know it, express their desire for him to make us look silly, cut us up and cause us great embarrassment and distress in the future.
Originally posted by luthor
That's a fair enough perspective from a Bombers supporter.
In all sincerity, I hope he turns out to be all you hope for.
I do get irritated though when so-called Lions"supporters" go on with this crap about losing him being the end of life as we know it, express their desire for him to make us look silly, cut us up and cause us great embarrassment and distress in the future.
I agree completely. We all know from this year alone how much of a b*tch trading can be, the loss of one player, as much potential as he had, is sometimes inevidable. Coaches have to make the hard decisions, and they move on, and whether or not the supporters have it in them to move on is a different story. But from a Brisbane supporters point of view, hoping Cupido cuts your own team up is an irrational point of view, and in general, a very silly thing to say.
Originally posted by Stocka
Which is better?
a) Being a team player in a Premiership side.
b) Being a shirt-lifting front-runner in an average side.
I'd rather play in a premiership...But that isnt cupido's fault that he is in an average team. And what that has to do with the thread at hand has got me stuffed.
I don't need to get the tape, as I saw it the first time.
You reckon Cupido took Johnson to the cleaners in that game? If so, you're a poor judge of what happens out on the field. Cupido had a reasonable game, but by no-means did he give anyone a bath. Likewise, despite the fact that he did a few nice things that night, he still shirked the physical contests.
Cupido beat johnson that night...That there is no doubt. Shirked the contest...you make me laugh..The kid may not be glenn archer or Jason Johnson. He doesnt have to be.
Arguable at best. At any rate, that statement doesn't take note of the standards at which either player is participating.
Similarly, what would you rather?
a) A player who displays his best and actually puts out on the field.
b) A player who teases you with glimpses of his best, but never puts out what he arguably might be capable of.
Going on this year give me B...Caracella did **** all...Cupido was essendon's second highest goalkicker and the second player in goal assists..yes second in assists..not bad for a guy that supposedly is not a "team player". Lets not forget the kid is only 20 and hasnt had the ground time to show what he can do. We have seen cara's best.
Caracella is overated..he needs to be out in a heap of space on his own to do anything. He is a flanker with a terrific football brain but he will not win you games of football...he is the cream on the cake..on the other hand cupido must be watched at all times as he has that unique ability to tear a team a new arse and win the game for his team.
What else would you want? How about courage, toughness, team-orientation, stamina, committment, discipline?
There you go with courage and toughness again.. he is a forward pocket flanker...eventually a wingman. Bewick, Farmer, Akermanis, Burns, Burgoyne bros..all brilliant footballers..how many were tough and hard.
Discipline can be taught...i saw my brother go to the army as a problem 18 yo and come back hardened and disciplined as they come.
Stamina...He has had interupted pre-seasons not to mention hardly any ground time up untill this year..that will improve no doubt in the coming years.
Every player has limitations. Stop kidding yourself with wild statements which do nothing to justify or prove your theory.
You said you prefered someone like hart over cupido. Like comparing apples and oranges.
Disagree. You are vastly under-rating S.Hart as a talented footballer.
Cupido..faster..better kick..jumps higher..better skills left and right. Better balanced, strong although so is hart. James Hird said this year that Damian Cupido has more talent in his left thumb than most players have in their whole body. Big compliment from a guy who doesnt lack in talent. Not underating hart at all. But hart turned himself into a footballer with sheer hard work. Cupido breezed through junior football due to the fact he was that much better than everyone else.
If anything, Cupido's weaknesses have been further noted this season under Sheedy. I was actually surprised at how undisciplined and uncommitted he looked at times.
How many bomber games did you attend again?....Sometimes he doesnt chase enough..but he gets a rocket and he responds..eg. West coast game when he ran down cousins and won the game for us. He has blossomed under sheeds and is playing his best footy. At 20-21 he has time on his side to learn what sheeds wants him to do. He has more of a licence to do what he likes than some other players..thats because he can do things most guys cant.
As much as I hear it, and as much as I hear it from the Lions fans here about how un-disciplined Cupido is, we know from past events he has it in him to learn from his mistakes, and think on the next occasion.
Think back to Elimination Finals. Cupido gives up the fifty metre penalty, is frustrated and very undisciplined. Hird straigtens him up, and then Damian comes out like a house on fire.
Alot of people have called it magnificent captaincy, which it was, but things like these do not work out without input from both parties. We saw that Damian had the capability to listen, and take onboard what was said to him.
If we can get him to do this more often, it will be a huge step on the way towards making him a consistant footballer.
OldLion
21 Oct 2003, 23:09
Was pretty disappointed that Cupido left - but was more disappointed about Headland who had a cracking season ( his PF v Port was stellar ). So we lost some great young talent and got some return. With a cup in the cabinet, I guess it worked out but these players don't grow on trees.
Not happy.
Originally posted by marcuz
I'd rather play in a premiership...But that isnt cupido's fault that he is in an average team.
Would Cupido have played any greater role than Caracella, had he been with the Lions this season?
Originally posted by marcuz
And what that has to do with the thread at hand has got me stuffed.
Well you have obviously not been paying too much attention, then. The question came as a result of your claim regarding Caracella's input to the Lions Premiership campaign this season, which was:
And what a huge part it was.
To which I posed the question, which you still have avoided answering accurately.
Originally posted by marcuz
Cupido beat johnson that night... That there is no doubt.
Yeah, whatever you reckon mate. Considering you spent most of the second half of the year posting on BigFooty that the Lions were a spent force, and that "Dad's army were finished", I have my doubts that your judgement of the situation is a reliable one.
Originally posted by marcuz
Shirked the contest...you make me laugh..
So you were laughing before or after B.Scott buried him?
Originally posted by marcuz
The kid may not be glenn archer or Jason Johnson. He doesnt have to be.
No he doesn't. But the least you could expect is that he would run straight at the football when there's a contest. I'd imagine that's what L.Matthews would have expected as well.
Originally posted by marcuz
Going on this year give me B...Caracella did **** all...Cupido was essendon's second highest goalkicker and the second player in goal assists..yes second in assists..not bad for a guy that supposedly is not a "team player". Lets not forget the kid is only 20 and hasnt had the ground time to show what he can do. We have seen cara's best.
Would Cupido have played any greater role than Caracella, had he been with the Lions this season?
Originally posted by marcuz
Caracella is overated..he needs to be out in a heap of space on his own to do anything. He is a flanker with a terrific football brain but he will not win you games of football...he is the cream on the cake..
Perhaps a fair enough appraisal. I agree with some, but not all of it, but it's also worth mentioning that much of the same could also be argued for Cupido.
Originally posted by marcuz
on the other hand cupido must be watched at all times as he has that unique ability to tear a team a new arse and win the game for his team.
A very optimistic view, eminating from red and black tinged glasses to say the very least!
Originally posted by marcuz
There you go with courage and toughness again.. he is a forward pocket flanker...eventually a wingman. Bewick, Farmer, Akermanis, Burns, Burgoyne bros..all brilliant footballers..how many were tough and hard.
If all you aspire to be is a R.Burns or J.Farmer, then it isn't saying much, is it? It's no secret that these guys, along with the Burgoynes, have all failed when the heat has been on the finals. In fact, they're just glorified versions of L.Davis, come finals time!
As for Akermanis, he did his time in defense, and did the hard yards, learning how to play a team game and put his body on the line, and contribute one-percenters.
Bewick is another story. Sheedy got away with murder by playing him in the forward pocket, in the shadows of the light-towers as a 19th player on the field. I was one of only a few people who picked up on this. ;)
Originally posted by marcuz
Discipline can be taught...i saw my brother go to the army as a problem 18 yo and come back hardened and disciplined as they come.
Well Sheedy had better get cracking then, hadn't he?
Originally posted by marcuz
Stamina...He has had interupted pre-seasons not to mention hardly any ground time up untill this year..that will improve no doubt in the coming years.
Most likely.
Originally posted by marcuz
You said you prefered someone like hart over cupido. Like comparing apples and oranges.
Mainly because one is a better player, that's why.
Originally posted by marcuz
Cupido..faster..better kick..jumps higher..better skills left and right. Better balanced, strong although so is hart.
Most of that is purely arguable.
Originally posted by marcuz
James Hird said this year that Damian Cupido has more talent in his left thumb than most players have in their whole body. Big compliment from a guy who doesnt lack in talent.
Well, if you're happy to believe your own publicity then fair enough.
Originally posted by marcuz
Not underating hart at all. But hart turned himself into a footballer with sheer hard work.
And no talent?
Originally posted by marcuz
Cupido breezed through junior football due to the fact he was that much better than everyone else.
Source? I happened to play at a number of clubs in
I'd wager that MOST AFL players breezed through junior football at any rate.
Originally posted by marcuz
How many bomber games did you attend again?....
Does that really matter? I saw enough to validate my judgements, if that's what you're asking.
Originally posted by marcuz
Sometimes he doesnt chase enough..but he gets a rocket and he responds..eg. West coast game when he ran down cousins and won the game for us.
It is more than the fact that he doesn't chase. It is also the fact that he gives away 50m penalties, makes numerous errors eminating from over-confidence (and a lack of team orientation), and various other faults.
While Cupido is only 21 or so, and there is still plenty of room and time for improvement, these areas of concern DO exist in his game at the moment.
Originally posted by marcuz
He has blossomed under sheeds and is playing his best footy.
I thought you said earlier that we hadn't seen the best of him? It seems as though you forfeit consistency in your argument to suit your own cause. This brings the validity of your claims into question.
Originally posted by marcuz
At 20-21 he has time on his side to learn what sheeds wants him to do. He has more of a licence to do what he likes than some other players..thats because he can do things most guys cant.
That might be true, but unless Sheedy turns him into more than a glorified forward pocket, his talent will go to waste.
Personally, I would think that Cupido could be moulded into an exceptional half-back, but I also think this sort of role would require EARLY intervention in his career, in order to iron-out his weaknesses, in order to make him suitable for such a role.
Im all argued out stocka..lets just agree to disagree...I must admit i am disturbed by this comment though.
Yeah, whatever you reckon mate. Considering you spent most of the second half of the year posting on BigFooty that the Lions were a spent force, and that "Dad's army were finished", I have my doubts that your judgement of the situation is a reliable one.
How many times do i need to hear this from every bloody lions supporter on this site..Who am i Robert Walls...Yes i got it wrong..i wasnt the only person to write them off...I didnt pick last years cup winner either...but i didnt hear Johnny Tapp tell me what a **** judge of the horses i was....
Lets get back to this argument in 5 years when cupes is at his peak and cara has pulled up stumps and brisbane has won their eighth premiership in a row:p
Well, you did ask for it, marcuz . . . ;)
I also think this is interesting:
Originally posted by SpecialBruce
The club had contacted me and asked me for advice about whether they should keep Cupido or not and what strategies they could put in place. Also, a "high ranking" person from the club had a heart-to-heart discussion with me about the issues at hand, and that I was disappointed they didn't take my advice. And I now think that I have been proven correct.
keatings_gal
22 Oct 2003, 12:02
nice one stocka.....good points you put forward there....
& to that last post.... Yeah good onya Special....
keatings_gal
22 Oct 2003, 12:05
maybe we should be channeling our Jimmy James for Rookie list message to you instead of the club since you have such a big imput in the make up of the team....
funghoul
22 Oct 2003, 19:06
i only miss him for the terrific back rubs he use to give,,but then again you need some form of arrogance to be a great back rubber
rchowell
23 Oct 2003, 21:13
Originally posted by marcuz
How many times do i need to hear this from every bloody lions supporter on this site..Who am i Robert Walls...Yes i got it wrong..i wasnt the only person to write them off...I didnt pick last years cup winner either...but i didnt hear Johnny Tapp tell me what a **** judge of the horses i was....Agree 100%. You weren't the only bloke to be wrong this season - we all got things wrong this year. We got tips wrong every week (except week one of the finals when I picked 4/4 :D ), and at the midseason break I said Essendon were finished. So I was just as wrong. And Mike Sheahan kept jumping off the Brisbane bandwagon and the next week he'd be back on it! Then they'd lose again and he'd jump off again... Anyway, at least you're not like Collingwood supporters or all the trolls on the main site who are always wrong but refuse to admit it (like Chris Judd blaming Collingwood for being dishonest over Chris Tarrant playing in the Grand Final).
Anyway on the topic I think that if a bloke like Cupido is ever going to prosper in the AFL, it'll be at Essendon, or more particularly, under Kevin Sheedy? Why? Because one thing about Sheeds is that he doesn't try to stifle individual creativity - as far as I can tell he's always encouraged his players to go out and enjoy their footy and express themselves. And as a result, when the Bombers are firing, they are great to watch (although this may be a by product of playing underneath a roof - the only thing that might hold them back from a flag in 2005).
At the other end of the spectrum is Matthews, Pagan and Malthouse. Matthews didn't work for Cupido, and Cupido didn't work out for Brisbane. I don't think Malthouse would either. I reckon he'd go well though under Pagan. He'd love a paddock setup where he could run to the hotspot and just read the play and crumb off the pack all day. But in saying that, Sheedy might just be the tonic. Hope he has an even better season, just not against Brisbane!
Originally posted by rchowell
Agree 100%. You weren't the only bloke to be wrong this season - we all got things wrong this year. We got tips wrong every week (except week one of the finals when I picked 4/4 ), and at the midseason break I said Essendon were finished. So I was just as wrong. And Mike Sheahan kept jumping off the Brisbane bandwagon and the next week he'd be back on it! Then they'd lose again and he'd jump off again... Anyway, at least you're not like Collingwood supporters or all the trolls on the main site who are always wrong but refuse to admit it (like Chris Judd blaming Collingwood for being dishonest over Chris Tarrant playing in the Grand Final).
Cheers mate!..i was one of the first people on these boards congratulating the lions. Im usually the fist to admit when i am wrong...and i was wrong in a big way...so much so that Broadbridge_20 is now $100 richer thanks to my tipping against the lions. I wouldnt mind meeting the lions in next years gf for some payback..unfortunately we are a couple of years off that. So ill settle for another win at the dome untill then with cupido the matchwinner with 6 goals.:D