In 5 years time, our most important player will be...

[manboob]

I agree that Kolo has very good attributes, but where's this "keen eye for goal" when he hasn't kicked a goal yet aha?

Maybe it comes from the same place where Mitch Brown is a good footballer?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Sorry I was referring to the VFL where he drifted forward in a couple of games and kicked a goal.



Not many will ever have the frame of Hawkins though.
Kolodjashnij is bigger than you think. Bigger frame than Lonergan. No issues about his size but you may be right, looks a talented key defender first and foremost.



Stanley is one I completely forgot about so you are right Vdubs. I have no faith whatsoever in Vardy or Clark though. You say they will be around for 3-5 years, Clark is already 28 and he just missed yet another season of football. Can we honestly count on both of those guys to play 40 games combined this season? Two, three, four consecutive seasons?
Henderson is also a defender, he's no different to Lonergan who was a good forward but a much better defender.
Kersten is still an unknown at this stage and the talls added to the list . . . . they will be no different to Bathie, Johnson, Grima, Brown, Walker or other tall forwards we tried over the years when taken at the bottom of the barrel in both drafts.

I'm still unsure why we traded away Walker to be honest. 23 years of age and had at least showed something at the top level. May not have become a star but he could have become a very serviceable Leigh Brown type of a player. Definitely a solid backup for when Vardy or Clark are missing games.

Come on now. You know the answer to Walker.

Out of contract.

 

[Partridge]

Henderson is also a defender, he's no different to Lonergan who was a good forward but a much better defender.Kersten is still an unknown at this stage and the talls added to the list . . . . they will be no different to Bathie, Johnson, Grima, Brown, Walker or other tall forwards we tried over the years when taken at the bottom of the barrel in both drafts.

Sorry Bob, but I reckon that's a stretch on Bathie and Grima. Neither played a senior game. Which Johnson are you referring to?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Ben Johnson?

 

[Whit3y]

has someone said varcoe yet?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

That does not change anything unless he was demanding s**t loads of cash like Mumford.
I heard he was comfortable in Geelong and chances are, he would taken anything had Geelong offered it. But we didn't.

Well that's news to me. Still speculation though isn't it.

All we do definitively know is he was out of contract. Walked or pushed will we ever know. Maybe not.

“Both players are looking to play regularly at AFL level and they feel this is most likely to happen at Brisbane,” said Geelong’s general manager of football Steve Hocking.

Not sure that it is definitive one way or the other. Seems to be conflicting accounts.

 

[Partridge]

Why is it a stretch?
They played VFL footy and stunk it up. They were later shown the door. Ben Johnson was drafted as a key forward.
I'm simply implying Buzza will be another similar type of a player.

Ok Ben Johnson. Thanks.

I honestly didn't see enough of Bathie, so I can't comment on how good he was at VFL level. Grima was a pretty useful VFL player though. At that level he definitely didn't stink it up. That leaves Walker and Brown, who did and have dominated VFL level.

 

[Stig_90]

Nothing wrong with that. He played good football for us in 2009, and looked very promising at that point.

But most important player ahead of the likes of Selwood, Hawkins, Taylor? I think that was wishful thinking.

 

[Partridge]

But most important player ahead of the likes of Selwood, Hawkins, Taylor? I think that was wishful thinking.

Maybe. Nominating Hawkins at that point would have been pretty speculative too, but to me he's comfortably our most important.

 

[Stig_90]

Maybe. Nominating Hawkins at that point would have been pretty speculative too, but to me he's comfortably our most important.

The difference is Hawkins was a best 22 player in 2010. Gillies never was.

 

[Partridge]

The difference is Hawkins was a best 22 player in 2010. Gillies never was.

Go back to threads from that year (and a good chunk of the year after) and I reckon you'll find that was very debatable.

 

[sauron256]

Go back to threads from that year (and a good chunk of the year after) and I reckon you'll find that was very debatable.

Wasn't he playing part time ruck at that point too?

I remember when he was dropped in mid 2011 I thought he wasn't going to make it at AFL level.

 

[Partridge]

Wasn't he playing part time ruck at that point too?

I remember when he was dropped in mid 2011 I thought he wasn't going to make it at AFL level.

Certainly was. In fact, he played two pretty games that year while helping out in the ruck - Round 8 v Brisbane and Round 10 v Melbourne (he also kicked 4 in each game). But after the Melbourne game he injured his foot and didn't come back until Round 18.

It took a long time for the collective penny to drop that he was a key forward and nothing else (which needed persistence by the match committee, and self-belief by Hawkins himself). If anyone wants to pretend it was certain he would be our most valuable player 5 years later, that's stretching it to put it mildly.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Stanley is one I completely forgot about so you are right Vdubs. I have no faith whatsoever in Vardy or Clark though. You say they will be around for 3-5 years, Clark is already 28 and he just missed yet another season of football. Can we honestly count on both of those guys to play 40 games combined this season? Two, three, four consecutive seasons?
Henderson is also a defender, he's no different to Lonergan who was a good forward but a much better defender.
Kersten is still an unknown at this stage and the talls added to the list . . . . they will be no different to Bathie, Johnson, Grima, Brown, Walker or other tall forwards we tried over the years when taken at the bottom of the barrel in both drafts.

I'm still unsure why we traded away Walker to be honest. 23 years of age and had at least showed something at the top level. May not have become a star but he could have become a very serviceable Leigh Brown type of a player. Definitely a solid backup for when Vardy or Clark are missing games.

Agree with you mate and I think I made my point pretty clear about Walker. The most disappointing thing of all was the trade. A third round draft pick in a packaged deal with another serviceable player.

This was a power forward on thr cusp and for Joshs sake I hope it comes round and bites us in the a*s. Lack of respect for him from a lot of fans when we even had him playing ruck for half the season. Was super sad to see him go.

 

[dangerwood]

I think Cockatoo will be our most important in 5 years. Id say Stanley if I was confident hed stay fit.

 

[manboob]

has someone said varcoe yet?

A bunch on the first few pages. Around 2010 (?)when he blew up and was on fire for a few rounds.

 

[manboob]

I think Cockatoo will be our most important in 5 years.

I hope so. It's such a cliche but he could be anything. My biggest concern is that he doesn't accumulate enough ball yet, he'd wanna turn that around quickly if he wants to be elite. None of this "good" 14 possessions crap please.

 

[barmy44]

I hope so. It's such a cliche but he could be anything. My biggest concern is that he doesn't accumulate enough ball yet, he'd wanna turn that around quickly if he wants to be elite. None of this "good" 14 possessions crap please.

accumulate enough 'yet'? he has played 11 games in 1 season, and he is 19...

 

[dangerwood]

accumulate enough 'yet'? he has played 11 games in 1 season, and he is 19...

His played about 11 qtrs I reckon, lot of bench time. Im not concerned about his ball winning ability, hes very competitive and he gets his own ball, he just needs a decent crack at playing some football. He only played 1 game in the 12months before arriving at the cats and then we stuffed him around last year by only playing him for a qtr here and there. He just needs to play consistent games and then he'll be right.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

Not many players are our MVP 6 years consecutively, but he is special!

He sure is mate.

 

[Bobby_]

I think Cockatoo will be our most important in 5 years. Id say Stanley if I was confident hed stay fit.

No offense but why would you suggest Stanley?
I know in glimpses he has shown enormous potential but when you consider his age (25), recent foot injury and his inability to play any kind of consistent football for short period of time, it seems more likely he will be overtaken by a younger player in the next 5 years opposed to cementing his spot in the team and then actually surpassing a Guthrie, Blicavs or Thurlow.

 

[Vdubs]

No offense but why would you suggest Stanley?
I know in glimpses he has shown enormous potential but when you consider his age (25), recent foot injury and his inability to play any kind of consistent football for short period of time, it seems more likely he will be overtaken by a younger player in the next 5 years opposed to cementing his spot in the team and then actually surpassing a Guthrie, Blicavs or Thurlow.

Good points there Bobby.
Stanley is a talent, but... all those issues would be a detraction.
In 5 years, Kolo, IF we can keep him, would be my pick.
I love Blic, and if he keeps improving- is that even possible? - he will be our best ever.
Thurlow- again, sheer class and excitement.
All these guys are great potentially, and Guthrie is all class and I could see him captain us too.

 

[dangerwood]

No offense but why would you suggest Stanley?
I know in glimpses he has shown enormous potential but when you consider his age (25), recent foot injury and his inability to play any kind of consistent football for short period of time, it seems more likely he will be overtaken by a younger player in the next 5 years opposed to cementing his spot in the team and then actually surpassing a Guthrie, Blicavs or Thurlow.

Thats why I said if I was confident in his body. I think he is a huge talent and the only thing that has held him back is playing regular football. I have zero confidence in his body so thats why I'm not nominating him.

My opinion/guess though is if he played a full season of uninterrupted football he would be quite a player. 25 for ruckman is still quite young. I very much like guthrie, thurlow etc but if we are going to be any good I dont think we will want them to be our most important players.

Im not confident stanley will make it, have very little confidence in fact, but i believe if he does he won't just be an average player, he will be a star.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

I think Cockatoo will be our most important in 5 years. Id say Stanley if I was confident hed stay fit.

God I hope so to mate on Cockatoo.

I think most people would agree Cockys first season was a little underwhelming although I mostly blame the media for hyping him up beyond belief.

What do we all think on Cockatoo? No doubt the kid has enourmous talent and missing a year of footy in 2014 didnt help his case. But I think hes going to be a slow learner and no doubt become something fierce in years to come.

I think this year he probably lacked a bit of knowledge of where to run, I'd often notice him at times slipping in and out of play and drifting to the opposite side of the wing the ball was on. He seemed to run aimlessly when he didnt need to be. Also perhaps he backed his own ability ahead of where he is at at times. I myself dont think we'll see dramatic improvement from him for a few years.

I challenge the young fella to prove me wrong though, he does have time on his side afterall.

 

[manboob]

accumulate enough 'yet'? he has played 11 games in 1 season, and he is 19...

Yeah and only 52% of game time. For 8 possessions per game. I just don't want that stat to become 80% of game time for 14 possession next year.