Opinion Ben Lennon 2015 game time

[Tiger71]

Lennon is already way too good for VFL. He was just struggling to adjust to the speed and aggression of AFL level, hopefully with a big preseason he knows what to expect.

Also if my memory is right. Lennon last year had a nasty ankle/foot injury which impacted his pre season. You could really see in the VFL in the last half of the year, he really started to come on and play some outstanding games.

 

[theflea]

Lennon is already way too good for VFL. He was just struggling to adjust to the speed and aggression of AFL level, hopefully with a big preseason he knows what to expect.

exactly.

 

[THE_GUN]

Needs to build a tank this year, Constantly seen him blow up in the VFL games i watched

 

[THE THIN MAN]

Tigers set to hasten slowly with Lennon

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-02-02/easy-tiger

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

He has to do the best thing for the team and wait till Chris Newman retires after 300 games before he gets a run.

 

[Groupie_]

Newy, Pettard and Grigg

 

[TigerTime88]

Thing is when he is given games he cant be played sub. The Adelaide game Hardwick brought him on for 5 minutes.

Needs to start and if he is cooked them sub him off for someone like Foley.

 

[CHIMP MAGNET]

is this fat campaigner still on the list?

 

[bananatigz]

is this fat campaigner still on the list?

I wish i was as fat as him

 

[CHIMP MAGNET]

I wish i was as fat as him

blob lennon

 

[TJTIGER]

blob lennon

....your such a Chimp Magnet

 

[CHIMP MAGNET]

....your such a Chimp Magnet

CAPITALS K THX TJ

 

[Hank Heavenly]

I think he'll play about 8-10 games. The side is now harder for younger players/draftees to break into. A few years ago I would have said 14-16 games for a first round pick entering the second season.

I disagree with this statement 100%...

Its teams who are good enough to leave out a Newman, Grigg, Pettard, Thomas etc to play/develop a kid are the successful ones. Team simply wont improve enough to challenge for a premiership when you are relying on these types of blokes. so while Lennon may not have the immediate output Newman does (which last year was minimal to average at best), he has a greater room for improvement and therefor greater impact later in the season... The development can only go so far in the 2's.... Kids dont bash down the door in the 2's very often, thats what older tried players have to do to get a spot back.

Best example is Sewell at Hawthorn last year, would be in most sides week in week out, but missed for the Langfords, Hills, Durea types

When teams are struggling, thats usually when coached save their hide and play Newman Grigg Thomas Pettard etc to try and hide dificienies in their side with so so players rather than give a kid a shot.

 

[NZ_Tiger]

I disagree with this statement 100%...

Its teams who are good enough to leave out a Newman, Grigg, Pettard, Thomas etc to play/develop a kid are the successful ones. Team simply wont improve enough to challenge for a premiership when you are relying on these types of blokes. so while Lennon may not have the immediate output Newman does (which last year was minimal to average at best), he has a greater room for improvement and therefor greater impact later in the season... The development can only go so far in the 2's.... Kids dont bash down the door in the 2's very often, thats what older tried players have to do to get a spot back.

Best example is Sewell at Hawthorn last year, would be in most sides week in week out, but missed for the Langfords, Hills, Durea types

When teams are struggling, thats usually when coached save their hide and play Newman Grigg Thomas Pettard etc to try and hide dificienies in their side with so so players rather than give a kid a shot.

How many years did Langford, Savage, Durea, wait before they got their chance? A * load longer than one year. Same with Whitecross, Bruest, and even Shiel got dropped for a long period after being a regular. Couldn't pick a worse example than hawthorn.

 

[Hank Heavenly]

My example was NOT based on the length of time a kid has to wait, it was based on giving a kid a game over an experienced and proven player...

Also given Hawthorns trading/drafting the last few years, none of their kids have been high draft picks compared to ours, so expectation is different.

I just hate the statement that "we are a better side no so its harder for kids to get a game", i think it is untrue as better sides can afford the luxury of playing a kid knowing the rest of the side will ease the pressure on the young fella!

 

[NZ_Tiger]

My example was NOT based on the length of time a kid has to wait, it was based on giving a kid a game over an experienced and proven player...

Also given Hawthorns trading/drafting the last few years, none of their kids have been high draft picks compared to ours, so expectation is different.

I just hate the statement that "we are a better side no so its harder for kids to get a game", i think it is untrue as better sides can afford the luxury of playing a kid knowing the rest of the side will ease the pressure on the young fella!

Langford had to wait until he pushed Sewell out through injury and loss of form. Complete opposite of what your advocating.

 

[Cotcho]

i just hope he isn't sub for 3 weeks in a row then dropped.
I'd like to see him play 5 full games in the first half of the year and see how he goes.
We don't need to rush his development

Yer. Killed his confidence last year by being a sub. Especially in some of the times that he came in.

Some players use running ability or quickly accumulate possessions and are good as subs. Lennon is not....he is a player that uses the ball terrifically and has good skills but needs most of the match to impact with his 20 or so possies. I see him as a player like Goddard...and he would be s**t as a sub too IMO.

 

[Hank Heavenly]

Sewell was fit and well at the back end of last year, finals most of the midrange clubs like us, would have put sewell back in, Hawthorn didnt.

The premise is of course tho, that the kid in question has to be ready and able to play his role in the side, and given the comments, most here agree Lennon was in that position in the back end of last season, so benefit goes to him that he will be more than capable this year.

Clearly any argument is null and void if the kid in question isnt good enough right?

If Lennon isn't good enough, my example wouldn't be applied to him in that case.

Im not saying just chuck kids in that arent ready and deserving, just if what you get from Lennon is what you get from Grigg, good sides play the kid, bottom sides often play Grigg.

 

[sregit]

I disagree with this statement 100%...

Its teams who are good enough to leave out a Newman, Grigg, Pettard, Thomas etc to play/develop a kid are the successful ones. Team simply wont improve enough to challenge for a premiership when you are relying on these types of blokes. so while Lennon may not have the immediate output Newman does (which last year was minimal to average at best), he has a greater room for improvement and therefor greater impact later in the season... The development can only go so far in the 2's.... Kids dont bash down the door in the 2's very often, thats what older tried players have to do to get a spot back.

Best example is Sewell at Hawthorn last year, would be in most sides week in week out, but missed for the Langfords, Hills, Durea types

When teams are struggling, thats usually when coached save their hide and play Newman Grigg Thomas Pettard etc to try and hide dificienies in their side with so so players rather than give a kid a shot.

This is very good assessment on how to develope your kids. If your side has improved you should be able to carry kids long enough for them to develope at a faster rate in th senior team. It's bulllshit this talk about letting them develope in the 2s. I am not saying that you have to play them every week but surely you can see the advantages of more senior games pumped into the youth. Ellis, Vlastuin played enough senior games in there first 2 years and we are now seeing the value being returned. Vlastuin was ordinary for a number games last year and quite easily could have been dropped. Ellis likewise the year before. Both are now ready to reward us big time.
It takes close to 50 games of senior experience before a young player begins to give you consistent performance.We need to apply the same principle to Lennon and other recruits with obvious talent that we have to Ellis and Vlastuin. Remember Lennon was the same pick as Ellis and has talent. Playing Grigg and other fringe players before youth will see us stagnate. We have to be developing 1 or 2 of our youth through the senior team. I believe that besides Lennon the best of our recent draft choices should be perserveered with for at least 6 or 7 games and not always the sub.

 

[TigerMoz1973]

I disagree with this statement 100%...
When teams are struggling, thats usually when coached save their hide and play Newman Grigg Thomas Pettard etc to try and hide dificienies in their side with so so players rather than give a kid a shot.

Hardwick has never struck me as a 'save my hide' type of coach. If he believes Lennon needs to be played then that's what he will do. I hope he gets a very good crack at it. Same as some of the other recently drafted players. McD being one of them.

 

[SumTingWong]

And I quote: "Training the house down"

 

[Wacky Tiger]

If Hunt can play the lockdown role then get Lennon in for Grigg ASAP. Griggs time is up now Ivan has help in the ruck but seriously if Grigg is still in the side come rd 22 then the likes of Lennon / C.Ellis haven't come on anywhere near enough

 

[Nallad]

If Hunt can play the lockdown role then get Lennon in for Grigg ASAP. Griggs time is up now Ivan has help in the ruck but seriously if Grigg is still in the side come rd 22 then the likes of Lennon / C.Ellis haven't come on anywhere near enough

Does anyone else have absolutely no expectations of C.Ellis this season? Completely forgot we drafted him.

 

[Wacky Tiger]

Does anyone else have absolutely no expectations of C.Ellis this season? Completely forgot we drafted him.

Id like to see him play say 4-5 games towards the end of the season injury permitting

 

[Bobby Sands]

Menadue appears more likely to get a game based on his pre-season than Ellis who is still on light duties.

Back on topic however, Lennon just looks so classy. He just needs game time. Throw him in.

Batchelor was saying in one of those videos that he thinks Lennon will start Round 1 on the HBL.