Ablett Jnr needs to modify his game

[smelly cat]

I'm really surprised that everyone has been saying how 2005 was Gary Ablett's best year at the club. I think he really struggled at times during the year, but at other times he was magnificent!!

Of course this was because he was often tagged into oblivion. This is a credit to him because it is now widely recognised that he will carve up any team if he is given enough room. The coaches have reacted to this. Gary still hasn't really worked out how to beat the tag yet.

I think Gary's biggest weakness is that he doesn't have the fittness to run a tagger off his feet. Cousins developed it, so did Crawford. If Gary is to consistently play midfield (where he is most damaging) he really needs to work on this.

 

[smelly cat]

What do you guys think?

 

[ablett factor]

yeah i agree but he is also the sort of player that can still break a game open with a player right on his back as he is so good in close. Fitness would probably help him get clear more often but IMO he is still able to do magical things with several other players around him

 

[skywalk750]

I'm really surprised that everyone has been saying how 2005 was Gary Ablett's best year at the club. I think he really struggled at times during the year, but at other times he was magnificent!!

Of course this was because he was often tagged into oblivion. This is a credit to him because it is now widely recognised that he will carve up any team if he is given enough room. The coaches have reacted to this. Gary still hasn't really worked out how to beat the tag yet.

I think Gary's biggest weakness is that he doesn't have the fittness to run a tagger off his feet. Cousins developed it, so did Crawford. If Gary is to consistently play midfield (where he is most damaging) he really needs to work on this.

He isnt a true midfielder yet so that fitness wont be there until he enters that arena.

 

[WestCat]

It would be good if he could run all day, but he does play a different role to Cousins who is a receiver. Gaz gets his own ball and I think he'll benefit most from guys like Kelly, Bartel and Tenace becoming more consistent footballers. Kelly was our top midfielder when he broke his leg and only started to get back to form in the finals where he was very good. If others can step up and take some of the attention then obviously this will make life easier for Gaz. Just look at Cousins' form before Judd and with Judd, he is a far better player now because he doesn't have nearly as much pressure on him.

 

[Turbocat]

Looking at the title of this , I was ready to give a full barrels serve to yet another thread bagging this kid.

This perpetual knocking of him by some, never seems to end.Just today I was listen to SEN, they were talking about rating players( elete, A,B,C ) and at one stage a comment made previously by Mathew Campbell realting to GAJ was brought up. Something in the "he would never be better than a B grade player" or something to that sort. I mean do these guys watch the way he gets clobered by the other team, they know that if he gets the ball its a highly creative situation for us will occur.

Anyway once I read the the thread by Smelly , Id say that I think he really struggled at times during the year, but at other times he was magnificent!! was a pretty fair comment and smoother a bit.

Yes, he really struggled at time to shake the "hard" tag at times, just like Judd.The thing is Judd has Cousins,Fletcher and the rest, guys with pace to worry other sides.Although our guys like The Jimmy, General Ling and Kelly are quality, they dont break line so are less likely to get the full shut down treatment.When it happens to them,say Bartel in Brisbane they struggled to cope as well. Liddle Gazza just cops it all the time because of our structure.Strong but not particlularly quick. I believe if he was in the WC side he would be proclaimed with far more reverance. The other thing is if they clamp down on the really negative tags he will be far better off in 06

So he did struggle at times,but he played reasonable footy as the B&F showed but when Nathan came into the side boy did he explode.
Like Moondog his game against Melbourne was topdraw.If he could produce that, boy would he stick it to those smary gits then.

The better we get , the better he will get and boy I cant wait.

 

[scottydeewah]

He is 21. If you look at 21 year old players he is in the top 5 I would think. He will probably never be a possesion machine like a Harvey or Cousins BUT it is his game breaking ability that makes him so dangerous. As far as game breaking midfielders go he is up there, and he can be moved forward and will beat 99% of the competition in a one on one contest.

When you think that he could play for another 10+ years, I reckon he will go down as a ********ing gun.

 

[chapmanmagic35]

He will get fitter as his career progresses, and as he makes a transition into the midfield group permanently.

 

[CattersforPremiers]

I hope he doesnt spend too much time in the midfield, it will mean that he is tagged even more than he currently is. We have enough players that can play midfield (Ling, Bartel, Corey, Enright, Tenace, Kelly, Chapman, etc...). Why not keep him where he plays hes best footy and where he is the most dangerous..... the forward line. We all know he has the ability to very a dominant forward, its in hes blood, and if he lines up in the forward line in the coming years with Nathan Ablett, just imagine the damage they could do to teams just between themselves