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

[dangerwood]

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.

Yeah he definitely looked out of sorts at times but im hoping it was just a lack of consistent game experience. I personally thought we stuffed him around a little bit and should've given him a decent run in the vfl for a while rather than playing a half here and there in the AFL.

He had no trouble finding the ball in the his jnr days. For an agile and quick runner he is by no means an outside player, he will need to bide his time before hes allowed to consistently play in the middle but I see him as a contested ball player who can also explode away.

I think as a recruit he lacked confidence to go get the ball himself and played a little outside last year but as he gets more confidence he will go and get his own ball. He tackles and plays with intent.

 

[dangerwood]

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.

My expectations would be around that for this season. I don't expect him to be getting upwards of 20 possies just yet.

From training it looks like he will be playing mostly forward which will limit his opportunities to get the ball and i also don't think its the right position for him.

He is a mid/back but he is competing with a pretty solid mid and half backline.

 

[dangerwood]

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.

Also the step from u/16 northern territory footy to AFL would be huge, he wouldn't of learnt the running patterns other jnrs who consistently played through the system would have. I think you may be right that he will take a while but I think his starting from a fair way back. Was definitely overhyped but I'm pretty confident.

My only negative on him is his kick, I dont like his ball drop. I think it will be mostly fine but with the odd costly turnover.

 

[James1970]

In five years time...out of Duncan, GHS and Blitz, with one of those being our next captain as well.

 

[Vdubs]

In five years time...out of Duncan, GHS and Blitz, with one of those being our next captain as well.

GHS is the tricky one, mainly because he has the least tricks, but could end up an Adrian Fletcher like player.

 

[Boxhead_31]

In 5 years time the mystery mid will be our most important player:

JAEGER O’Meara’s manager will meet with Gold Coast on Wednesday as he seriously considers a move to a Melbourne club next year.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...r/news-story/3ecee7d40ba71790eec0f5ac495dd619

 

[Seeds]

In five years time...out of Duncan, GHS and Blitz, with one of those being our next captain as well.

GHS. Wow. How about Billie Smedts as vice captain.

 

[Seeds]

In 5 years time the mystery mid will be our most important player:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...r/news-story/3ecee7d40ba71790eec0f5ac495dd619

We have nothing to trade for him. Can't trade our first round picks. Not happening.

 

[Seeds]

GHS is the tricky one, mainly because he has the least tricks, but could end up an Adrian Fletcher like player.

So dumped off to Brisbane then with Walker. Sounds like our future captain.

 

[Partridge]

So dumped off to Brisbane then with Walker. Sounds like our future captain.

It won't be for at least 3 years in any case.

 

[Mningasimisonda]

GHS. Wow. How about Billie Smedts as vice captain.

You joke, but once Billie gets over the injuries he has a lot of skill. All we need is Stephen Hawking to join the club as a brain training coach and we're set.

 

[Seeds]

You joke, but once Billie gets over the injuries he has a lot of skill. All we need is Stephen Hawking to join the club as a brain training coach and we're set.

A new set of shoulders probably required for Billy as well.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

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

Plus he was well below AFL fitness standard , well below
Let's see how he goes this season - I reckon he realised fitness held him back and has really worked in it
I think he'll be a jet this season

 

[Seeds]

Plus he was well below AFL fitness standard , well below
Let's see how he goes this season - I reckon he realised fitness held him back and has really worked in it
I think he'll be a jet this season

Plus he spent most of his games on the bench as sub. Bit hard to get possessions on the bench.

 

[00VicWard001]

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.

Stanley is such an athletic beast. I remember how highly the Saints valued him. He was the next coming of Nick. I really don't understand why they didn't keep him, he could be a linchpin in their side.

He does have the potential to be a dominant player, but the jury is out.

 

[00VicWard001]

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.

I remember Scott mentioning that with Cockatoo, they were were more interested in letting him play naturally and not try and drill structures into him too much. Just let him play. Hopefully after getting used to playing (his last game wasn't too bad) in the seniors, and a pre-season (sounds like he's killing it), he will be our version of Bontempelli this year.

 

[dangerwood]

Stanley is such an athletic beast. I remember how highly the Saints valued him. He was the next coming of Nick. I really don't understand why they didn't keep him, he could be a linchpin in their side.

He does have the potential to be a dominant player, but the jury is out.

I think they just wanted to start a rebuild again from scratch. Saints traded out quite a few players across a couple of years for higher draft picks.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Plus he spent most of his games on the bench as sub. Bit hard to get possessions on the bench.

Maybe fitness and time on bench were related?
If he plays >70% game time in 2016 I feel we will all be very , very happy - he has hurt factor written all over him

 

[manboob]

Maybe fitness and time on bench were related?
If he plays >70% game time in 2016 I feel we will all be very , very happy - he has hurt factor written all over him

What makes you say that?

 

[Dietrite1943]

In regards to Nakia (and someone has already pointed this out) the thing to remember with him, the foot injury actually held him out of playing after the 2013 U18 Championships (still 16yo then) and he did not play again for either NT Thunder in the NEAFL comp nor his NTFL club, Southern Districts in the 2013/14 season. He did play two trials for the NT Thunder in around January 2014 and without wishing to sound unfair, they played against a couple of remote NT rep sides - Thunder one both games by some 15+ goals. It was then the injury to his foot flared up again (early medical advice led to rest being the best course of action initially) which lead to surgery after the then AIS Academy tour to Europe. This then held him out from playing until the AFL curtain raiser game in 2014 and of course he was taken by the Cats some 6-7 weeks later.

I think people who are questioning his lack of possession numbers, decision making and 'underwhelming' first season haven't really considered that he had played 3 low key games (and not really against men) for some 20 months before he fronted up against Gold Coast in Townsville last year.

Pretty much he went from being a 16yo kid from the NT playing with kids his age to then playing AFL football against professionals who have game plans, structures etc. No young player is going to just adapt in their first year. To expect that is plain foolish.

Does he have massive and yet untapped upside? Yes he does. Did he make a lot of mistakes last year and look out of depth a lot of the time? Too bloody right he did.

But he started to get the hang of it in the last few games, is developing and learning very quickly I think he will improve greatly in 2016. That doesn't meant he will make a few mistakes and have a few off games. Expect and accept that.

I think we will see him really hit his straps in 2017 or 2018 but I think he has potential to be best 22 in 2016 before then.

It will be an exciting year for a number of reasons for the Cats!

 

[Lana]

Maybe fitness and time on bench were related?
If he plays >70% game time in 2016 I feel we will all be very , very happy - he has hurt factor written all over him

It was more that somebody had to be the sub, he played 11 games, he was the sub 6 times and was subbed off once. The four games he wasn't the sub he averaged 78% game time. Without the sub rule he would have played more.

 

[David the Cat]

It could have something to do with the fact he was never in their starting 22 by 2014 and this was a guy who had already played 50 odd games.

Wrong!

Rhys Stanley played 19 senior games in 2014....and 18 games in 2013....

 

[David the Cat]

It could have something to do with the fact he was never in their starting 22 by 2014 and this was a guy who had already played 50 odd games.
.

Rhys Stanley was dropped to the VFL for a month in 2014

Quite a change there Bobby.....I think its called moving the goal posts once your argument is exposed as having no basis in fact.

Wrong!

You need to stop making out every Geelong player are some kind of football gods. We do have average players in the team David and that's alright as most teams have them too.

I dont. And you know I don't. We have sparred over the value of Josh Walker...I called Schroeder a spud way before he was delisted, and just recently you pulled me up over my reservations over Lincoln McCarthy just to name a few..

You need to stop making things up and manipulating facts to support your criticisms of Geelong players, as this example so clearly illustrates.

 

[00VicWard001]

It could have something to do with the fact he was never in their starting 22 by 2014 and this was a guy who had already played 50 odd games.
While he is an athletic beast, he's still very inconsistent. One wonders if he ever will put it all together and become a solid 200 gamer.
And besides, Josh Bruce kicked 50 goals for the Saints last year. They have one of the most promising key forwards in the country in Paddy McCartin and their rucks stocks via Hickey & Longer are certainly better rucks for the long-term.

I can see why they weren't too fussed to see Stanley leave, especially considering they received Hugh Goddard in exchange.

When we got Stanley, didn't we also get a Saints recruiter join our recruiting team as well? Maybe he had the inside scoop on Stanley.

Anyway, my comment was just a throwaway that Stanley has potential. The player that I think will breakout this year and end up as one of our most important players in the next few years is Duncan.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

It could have something to do with the fact he was never in their starting 22 by 2014 and this was a guy who had already played 50 odd games.
While he is an athletic beast, he's still very inconsistent. One wonders if he ever will put it all together and become a solid 200 gamer.
And besides, Josh Bruce kicked 50 goals for the Saints last year. They have one of the most promising key forwards in the country in Paddy McCartin and their rucks stocks via Hickey & Longer are certainly better rucks for the long-term.

I can see why they weren't too fussed to see Stanley leave, especially considering they received Hugh Goddard in exchange.

It's hard to compare players at this time though mate, McCartin or Goddard didnt exactly set the world on fire last year so its hard to accurately conclude who looses the deal. I mean Stanley has showed glimpses, theyve all showed glimpses but how many high draft picks become spuds while some bloke at pick 60+ is Swan or Parker. We can make these comparisons and conclude them in 10 years, for now all of the listed individuals are still young and ooze potential that's it.