Traded James Podsiadly (2010-2013)

SJ · Dec 15, 2009

2009 Rookie Draft selection no. 50 - Geelong

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=88159

Selection No. 50: James Podsiadly (Geelong, VFL)
DOB: 01/09/81, Height: 193cm, Weight: 102kg
Recruited from: Geelong
"James has been tremendous as a forward in the VFL in the last couple of years, and his body's feeling very good. His body is better than your normal 28-year-old."

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=88159

Pure_Ownage · Oct 15, 2011

Re: Like a phoenix from the ashes - Geelong Board player review is back!

Decided to do a 2010 review as well as an 11 one because I felt I owed the great premiership player for not writing one last year. Don't mind if it gets moved or scrapped or not included in the compendium because that should only be for this year's reviews anyway, but hey, it's a good trip down memory lane.

So here goes:
Part 1-2010, the Breakout Year

Turbo’s tracking of Moons inspired me to go back to the start for a bit. Initially as we all know, Pods came to the club in 2009 after finishing his sports science degree and being recommend for an interview on our fitness team by his good mate David Johnson (they played together at the Bombers reserves, way back when). As you do when you recruit the best player in the VFL, he was given the captaincy and mentored the young players, also kicking 68 goals in 17 games, no mean feat given how young the team was around him. Showed what we all knew, powerful man, fantastic mark, agile enough at ground level and just a real presence. Then the talk started. A spot? Really? Well the AFL did change the rules to allow mature age rookies, so it was now possible. We all discussed it here:
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=650683
Some of the best supporting quotes were:

witsend said:
I know it's unlikely but wouldn't it be a great story if Pods were to succeed at AFL level...eg 2-3 goals a game?

vinum coupe said:
In my mind there is no way (other than injury) that he won't play this year.
I know the draft was weak and there would have been a weighting towards "the draft is weak, lets get some insurance instead"

But I just can't see them putting him through all this mentally and financially without saying he will play.

And they can guarantee that with the round 11 upgrade.

GenW said:
Pods is clearly the best player in the VFL. He is so dominant in that competition it's ridiculous.

He deserves a shot at the big time even at 28.

Selective Retention said:
I'm open to it.

Pods provides another option and people are kidding themself if they think Brown can step right in off a season ending injury, he's probably behind where he was when drafted last year.

Cohzee said:
Can't see any real harm in trying.

OldStyle2007 said:
I reckon it's fantastic he'll get a chance. He's been clearly the best VFL player for a few years now and he well deserves his shot at the big time

Also should put the wind up Gamble

And the detractors:

Partridge said:
I would have thought that's a fairly important point.

Sorry I can't see any value in this at all. If he plays senior footy my guess is he'll be too slow, unable to keep up with the game, and probably unable to get a kick. He'll also be playing on far better defenders than he faces in the VFL.

Didn't we learn anything from the Gary Ayres era?

Sttew said:
Not a good move - has desperation written over it, if true. We have a FF, and we have other forward options.

rizzo said:
Pass. Would rather pump games into Mitch Brown.

CatmanForever said:
28 nahh get some young talent

pinion said:
it's a big call to think a guy who's never played AFL can step up to that level at his age. as a mature age key forward in the VFL he'd probably spend most of his time playing on under-sized oponents, and the step up to AFL level would be huge.

i think there are better, safer options around

From the moment he was drafted there was talk he would play, Thompson fuelled it further when while being interviewed by KROCK on the back of a ute at a practice match against Richmond in Yea, he said he would play 10-12 games that year. But after the practice match series, only an emergency for round 1, the same for round 2. I went out to Vic Park that week’s Saturday to watch our practice match and saw that Stevie Motlop was not there, which meant that he would make his (what would turn out to be ill feted) debut 2 days later, meaning no spot for Pods. We were getting belted early, but Pods turned the tide in the second quarter, just marking stuff and killing people, we only had 8 inside 50’s for the quarter and he kicked 4 goals and set up two others, including one to the great man Maximus Rooke (I miss him). Down the tunnel he went to not return, PO was shattered, injury, surely not? As it turns out he was only permitted to play a half because he was on standby for the Hawks game. That was a great Easter Monday clash, sadly Motlop was winged, Scarlo hurt his back, and Moons belted someone, which opened the door for the great man. A debut at Freo with 11 marks later, some of the doubters began to see he could play. A few weeks later he had several bags of 5, culminating in his destroyal of Dustin Fletcher at the Dome in Round 12. Now we had few doubters and many believers, as can be seen here:
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=692756

thrillhouse said:
Nuff said, right?

Jimpson said:
Yeah you kind of expect a mature mature-age recruit to come in and perform.

And he did! Really well, great stuff

The Riddler said:
Jeez he's got some strong hands, great overhead mark. Just wish he had've kicked the couple easy ones.

Still, gets a tick from me.

meto said:
I'm just tryig to recollect when was the last time a Geelong forward took 11 marks in a game. Big Billy maybe?

Great debut Pods.

meto said:
Has to play next week, 11 marks in your first game, come on!!!

Apart from a couple of clangers could easily had 4-5 goals.
Anyway, gave off what he didn't get himself.

Ridiculous if he's not out there.

OldStyle2007 said:
What an awesome debut. I can't believe he hasn't played AFL before now

Makes you wonder where the J-Pod was when we were going through the great McCarthy/Playfair experiment!!!!!

Ammo Man said:
Big tick for Pods for his first effort in the hoops. 5 or 6 more like that and I might jump on the bandwagon.

meto said:
That would be really funny seeing heaps of supporters with the big 31 on their backs, talk about sending a message to the selection committee.

Partridge said:
Very, very happy to be proven wrong by the big fella. A couple of missed kicks at goal, but on the whole he couldn've have done much more.

But great debut by Podsiadly. Hope he keeps it up.

Selective Retention said:
I saw a guy wandering around uni today wearing the guernsey with #31 on the back. People have jumped on very quickly.

-I was vindicated for doing this! :thumbsu:

but anyway...

Turbocat said:
Just like Lou Richards one doesn't need an award to say what he is.

His marking ability is absolutely top draw. His conversion is better than average. His defensive pressure has the power of a mature body.

So what he is not a rising star , keep going like this he will be one.

Vegas. said:
Anyone else enjoy the jPod Shuffle up the Ford Stand end today when he brushed off a few defenders snapped truly?

darren forssman said:
hahaha...names up in lights:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/cat-fans-enthralled-by-the-j-pod-shuffle-20100503-u2ky.html

vinum coupe said:
Go to a game then.

Runs into gaps that others don't . pure forward.

Yes he jumps over / runs in front of people. Almost like a kid in a school yard. And I friggin love it because he has the ability to clunk them.

It makes footy fun .

InnocentBystandr said:
Can't believe I'm the first to bump the Pods toast tonight!

Another bag and this time not at KP! But more than the goals, I love his presence around the ground and defensive pressure.

And he wasn't 100% fit tonight either. What a gun. The week off will be good for him.

LongBomb said:
5 bags of 5 in his first nine games of football.
Awesome effort. Only 2 other players have done this.

Cat Attack08 said:
Another week and the man crush gets a little bigger.

This week as a one out tall forward Pod's dispelled some more rumours that he is only good because he gets the third best defender and he has other tall forwards around him to take the focus off of him.

What does the great man do? Just kicks a lazy five on the "Greatest Fullback in the Lloyd era" away from SS and just to add to the degree of difficulty does an ankle in the first few minutes to go with a sore groin

in jPod we trust

Turbocat said:
Best game for Geelong.

Geelong down 2 tall forwards and him wounded , he did the right thing for Geelong he played and then excelled. He should have kicked six , the mark taken off him in square was just a blatant error.

If anyone has any doubts after this game then they are dumb as a sack of hammers. The guy marks like he has Velcro on his hands , he kicks in a very reliable , repeatable style over 50M.On top of that he works hard, tackles and is a team player.He is a mature footballer close to physical peak. He has the game to rip apart sides in Sept , bring it on.

HMac said:
Just heard Steve Johnson on the footy show say that Pods is the fastest player over 20 metres in the team. No wonder his forward leads often look unstoppable.

cat on acid said:
Podsilovely!

Farmer2Goggin said:
I just love how humble he is and how he keeps his cool even though he must be over the moon knowing that he is a vital cog in the most incredible of teams.
Just amazing to have such a natural forward once again on our list - I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the coaches realised he was holding his own at training against the best , then rolled the dice and drafted him

TMS said:
As they say, hindsight is 20/20 - but there's some cringes, giggles and scarily accurate statements to be found in this thread from March.

vinum coupe said:
Ha ha. Awesome work TMS.

Gee there are some train wrecks in that thread.

meto said:
Would we had ever believed it possible, the creation of Geelong legend inside 10 games, I find it hard to believe, but that's what he's now become.

Premiers2007 said:
Did anyone else here Grant Thomas call him the G-Pod on Footy Classified. Had a laugh, nearly as bad as K-Rock calling him the the I-POD.

Looking at the old thread these people voted that he would never play a game.

0 - not a even close
Cat in the West, Hoops, iamjason, Partridge, Prissa2Hurley, Ricketts, sozza5, stevie20

I wasnt much better, I said "He is an insurance policy for Hawkins and Mooney only. He will play when they are injured or rested. Will probably play around 5 games."

vinum coupe said:
What the?

Of course it's a no brainer.
He is in the best 22. This 'potential' you mention isn't, and may well never be.

As you can see, he won over us all, and it was a wonderful year for the Pod. Alas no premiership as we were soundly beaten in the prelim, but Wells had done it again, we had found one. Fairytales indeed do come true, but a true fairytale needs a wonderful ending, but that required the ultimate prize didn't it, could he get there?

We shall see....

Pure_Ownage · Oct 15, 2011

Re: Like a phoenix from the ashes - Geelong Board player review is back!

2011
Anyway, onto 2011:
After having a modified pre season because of hip surgery, Pods was killing it early in our NAB Cup game against North, before breaking a bone in his hand attempting to punch the ball. This saw him miss the rest of the practice matches, and after missing the nailbiter against St Kilda in round 1, was rushed straight back in for the round 2 game at Subiaco, where he had only 2 possessions, clearly still underdone. But he would come good, kicking 2.3 against Port the next week. Then for the trip to Sydney in the wet he really hit form, with Hawkins out with injury and Mooney asked to pinch hit in the ruck to help Ottens he was the big banana up forward and in conditions where the ball was a cake of soap, he was clunking them and showed his class marking ability as well as splitting the packs for others. Unfortunately his radar was again off in front of goal, kicking 1.4, although he did kick the sealer in the last quarter. In the big Easter Monday clash against Hawthorn he started to really hit form, finding space inside 50 and taking 8 marks and being dominant, as well as having 15 disposals. Again he missed a couple of easy shots before kicking a beautiful banana from the boundary line on his wrong side in the last quarter to seal the game. After the bye in round 6 he was back on home turf for the ‘which one is which’ much hyped clash of the Scott brothers. While that part if confusing, on the field no doubt the Cats would have the upper hand and we did, and Pods was the best tall on the ground and in my opinion close to the best player on the ground with 16 disposals, 10 marks and 3.4. The goalkicking still needed improvement but you could see the big bear really starting to find it’s roar.

On we went for the much hyped ‘prelim rematch’ against Collingwood, and extra spice was added by the fact we were 1st and 2nd on the ladder. It turned out to be a great game, with the Cats dominating the first quarter and implementing our press like the Pies had done to us in that fateful clash. Unfortunately we didn’t make the most of our efforts, kicking 2.9 in the first quarter, which nearly came back to haunt us given we only won by 3 points. With no Mooney who was struggling with his knee, and Hawkins regrettably put in the ruck again, Pods was the key target and his game mirrored the team’s, taking 6 marks including a massive speccy at half back (which was a mark of the week contender) but kicking 1.2 including a couple of missed shots and an awful one where he kicked it out on the full from 30m straight in front. Again though, as with a lot of his games, in the last quarter with the game in the balance, he kicked straight at the crucial time for a crucial goal. Round 8 saw a heartstopper against Carlton at the Dome and Pods was solid without being outstanding, with 7 kicks, 6 marks, 3 tackles and a goal, and supported exciting youngster Nathan Vardy well in his debut. Up on the Coast the next week the Cats look flat and were led by the Suns up until half time, but after no doubt a Scotty rocket in the changerooms, we turned it on the second half. Pods was good all game, with 2 goals in the first quarter and finished with 14 disposals, 9 marks, 4 tackles and 4 goals 2, a very good return on a good defender in Nathan Bock. With Scotty’s pointed comments on Channel Ten after the game indicating Hawkins was on thin ice (he had been subbed at ¾ time), Pods was looming as the crucial figure in the middle part of our year.

And so it proved, the next week Mooney was again out with his troublesome knee and his future was in real question, while Hawkins had been dropped to play reserves at Box Hill. While Brad Ottens was the dominant figure against the Doggies with 5 goals in a ‘turn back the clock’ performance and young Nathan Vardy was impressing, Pods was dominant when the game was hot early and finished with 8 marks and 3 goals. The crucial Saturday night game against the Hawks followed, which was Pods breakout game. I knew he was on when he kicked a goal on his left foot from the boundary line early and in the second quarter was dominant, raggdolling both Shoenmakers and Gibson and taking some wonderful marks. You could see the effect such a powerful man has on defenders confidence as Shoey’s was shot by the time he fumbled the ball over the back to allow Pods to kick his 6th goal, we were only in the second quarter! After this he ran straight to the bench and the roar from the fans was something to behold, it was akin to that first home game he ever played where the whole premiership stand stood and applauded when he went to the bench, and our humble hero ‘thought Ablett must have been running off behind me’. Ah yes, it brought back the memories. Despite Pods dominance we were only 3 points up at half time with Franklin also going bananas up the other end. After half time the Hawks wisely put 3 defenders on him and we kept bombing it in there in a silly fashion, but the notice had been served, the Pod was on.

This middle part of the year was a challenge for Pods as he played as the lone key forward one out, and he played well again against St Kilda with 17 disposals 9 marks and 2 goals. After a solid performance in a Cats win against Adelaide next week where we had about 6 key players out injured, the Essendon game indicated to me Pods was a bit flat and while contributing, the workload was starting to take it’s toll. Although the trip across the nullarbor did him well and despite a ridiculous amount of illegal bear hugging from McKenzie he had 13 disposals and 3 goals in a narrow loss to the Eagles. Then the Cats went straight to Brisbane for a mid season training camp and the relax and the ride on the theme park roller coaster must have done Pods well, because he went on to destroy Brisbane, and specifically Matt Maguire, with 8 goals. In a game where the team seemed a bit flat and only had a narrow win, Pods was very much the matchwinner. This game showcased the best of Pods, it reminded of a post by vinum coupe once where he described that Pods just runs and jumps and hits packs and clunks them, and it makes footy fun. It’s this wonderful intersection of brutal power that you hear audibly when he crashes the pack, but such a lovely graceful leap and vice like hands. I almost watched this game in slow motion in my head, where you can just really appreciate how beautiful it is to watch such a natural marking footballer do his thing and enjoy it.

After being concussed against Richmond the next week Pods missed the utter destroyal of Melbourne with general soreness (which was listed as ‘facial soreness’ which gave me a good laugh), he would have been filthy as Moons later said, would have kicked 10 that day. He played well from here in the run home, with 21 disposals 8 marks and 5 goals against the Gold Coast, playing I thought even better against Adelaide the next week even though he only kicked 2 goals, with 22 disposals and 9 marks he paid a real significant part in a narrow win.

Fast forward to the qualifying final against the Hawks, crucial game, the winner goes straight through to a prelim and a good passage to the GF, the loser probably ends up with a prelim against Collingwood if they get that far. And Pods was a crucial part of a crucial win, along with Ottens (and also Hawkins and West) he got hold of Hawthorn in the second and third quarters, kicking 3 goals and helping setup the matchwinning lead. After another good performance with 15 disposals, 6 marks and 3.3, the dream was right here, Pods was finally going to play in an AFL grand final.

Alas it was not the fairytale day for him, after a quiet start, not helped by Tarrant elbowing him in the kidneys the whole first quarter every time the ball was 100m away, Pods went up for a mark in the second quarter and was down. We were somewhat used to that, with the speed and power with which he hits the packs, sometimes it takes he, and all those he’s just flattened, a few seconds to get up, but alas this time he did not get up, and PO knew his hero was in big trouble. Stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder, his day was done. But dreams do come true, and after a wonderful performance from a class Cats outfit, he would finally, finally, become a premiership player. To watch him, with a beaming smile, hugging Scotty on the bench with a minute or two to go was fantastic, and showed for all that footy is fun to him, it means a lot too.

All in all Pods had a great year, averaging 8.2 kicks and 4 handballs a game, most importantly averaged 5.7 marks a game, 2 tackles a game and kicking 52 goals 38 behinds, in the process becoming our leading goalkicker for the year and also kicking his 100th career goal, and finishing top 10 in the B&F, no mean feat given the caliber of our side, and shows that he had a great consistent year and the coaches really rate the crucial structural role he plays for the team.

To think that a couple of years ago the guy was the weights supervisor, and now he’s a premiership player, and a humble one at that. Despite his comments that he owes the other blokes for this, and Hawkins wonderful performance in the GF, let’s not forget to pay due homage to Pods for helping us get there. When you look at the struggles Cam had throughout the year, and Tom through the middle part, Pods was crucial and heroic at times in how much he gave himself to splitting packs for the team, and in the washup it was crucial. He might have been a rookie 2 years ago, but he’s an integral part of the year now. My fiancee loves the Disney movies, we watch them all the time, in fact we watched the beauty and the beast again the other night, and where we are now with the JPOD reminds me of that, played like a beast, but always unloved, given pre seasons, then no rookie list spot, ok he wasn't as ugly as a beast, although some thought he looked as old as one

but all it took was a chance, an opportunity, finally, for him to hop, skip, jump, clunk them, and people could see the beauty in the footballer he was and is and what he can do. Just shows you that sometimes you focus too much on trying to work out what a footballer can't do, rather than just opening your eyes and seeing what's in front of you and what they can do. Glad Wellsy did that. The best thing is he's loved now, all the rejection was worth it, the fairytale has been achieved, but it isn't the end, this might be the chapter that means the most to all of us, but there's still more chapters to be written.

Let’s hope that he recovers well in the off season from his shoulder surgery and has another great year in 2012, and we see him in the hoops for a few more years yet. Well done on a great year Pods. :thumbsu:

Pure_Ownage · Oct 28, 2011

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/GeelongNews/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/newsid/109269/default.aspx

The rise of J-Pod was one of the stories of 2010, captivating the football world as the 28-year-old rookie defied tradition by becoming one of the best forwards in the competition kicking 49 goals from 19 games.

Everywhere he went people wanted a piece of Geelong's new cult hero.
"I didn't deal with it too well early, it was pretty surreal," "I just kept saying to myself it is part of what has happened and you have to deal with it, you can't ignore it.

"I was going into cafes and getting recognised, that sort of stuff completely took me aback. I was a little bit funny internally because people were always looking at me or asking me stuff.

"But now it's fine, I'm comfortable with it and I know this is all a dream come true and that is part and parcel of the whole thing. I don't want to be anywhere else."

The J-Pod took a season best 11 marks in his first two games and finished third in the AFL with 51 contested marks.

"You're now a target like the other forwards so it motivates you to train and learn more things. But you've also got to keep doing the simple things that helped you and keep doing them well.

"It was an awesome year and I never expected to achieve what I achieved but the novelty is over and now it's the pressure of not being a one-hit wonder."

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/GeelongNews/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/newsid/109269/default.aspx

Pure_Ownage · Oct 28, 2011

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/GeelongNews/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/newsid/112073/default.aspx

HAVING struggled for touch during the first two rounds of Geelong's home and away campaign, key forward James Podsiadly believes he has turned the corner after an impressive display against Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night.

The 29-year-old's pre-season was interrupted by a broken hand, which he suffered on the opening weekend of the NAB Cup.

His clean ball-handling in driving rain was the most impressive aspect of his performance.

"When you're a tall forward in those conditions it is a bit harder, but you've just got to try and get to as many contests as you can," Podsiadly said.

If not for some inaccurate kicking at goal (he finished with 1.4), Podsiadly would also have made a big impact on the scoreboard.

"It was pleasing that we won, really, and that I could contribute to it as well," he added.

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/GeelongNews/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/newsid/112073/default.aspx

Pure_Ownage · Oct 28, 2011

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/GeelongNews/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/newsid/118768/default.aspx

JAMES Podsiadly kicked a career-best AFL tally of eight goals in his side's win against the Brisbane Lions but all he wanted to talk about was fellow forward Tom Hawkins.

The forwards kicked a combined five goals in the last quarter, with Geelong winning the match by about that margin.

"He was sensational, I had the biggest smile on my face when he was taking those grabs and kicking goals," Podsiadly said.

"I was just so happy, not just for him but for the club, he is really a key player for us."

"He was one-grabbing them today as well, which is really good for his confidence."

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/GeelongNews/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/newsid/118768/default.aspx

Pure_Ownage · Oct 28, 2011

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...-podsiadlys-ears/story-e6frf9jf-1226155333929

SIDELINED Geelong forward James Podsiadly paid tribute to his teammates for winning him a premiership medal while he sat injured on the bench.

Podsiadly dislocated his shoulder after landing heavily in a marking contest in the second term and was taken from the ground on a motorised cart.

"I am on cloud nine," he said. "It was quite easy to watch in the second half because we were playing so well.

"It was a speed bump today, but I will forever be grateful that the other 21 guys made me a premiership player today.

"I am friends for life with those players."

Podsiadly was almost 29 when he made his AFL debut after being rejected by several clubs.

He said he had used the motivation of a premiership medal as a constant source of inspiration.
"I can't even explain it in words," he said. "It's the best feeling in the world.

"It's why I worked hard and why I am here today. It means the world."

He kicked 52 goals in an exceptional year for a player who was drafted by the club when he dominated training as a warm-up supervisor.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...-podsiadlys-ears/story-e6frf9jf-1226155333929

Pure_Ownage · Oct 28, 2011

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/geelongnews/newsarticle/tabid/3933/newsid/125407/default.aspx

Premiership heroes Paul Chapman and James Podsiadly have undergone successful post-season surgery.

Podsiadly had surgery a week after the grand final after dislocating his shoulder in the second quarter of the decider.

“He had shoulder as soon as we could get him in, and he will be fine," Cats footy manager Neil Balme said.

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/geelongnews/newsarticle/tabid/3933/newsid/125407/default.aspx

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