Past James Polkinghorne (2007-2014)

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Polkinghorne is an interesting player. He has plenty of potential yet I cannot see him becoming a 100 game player. He really needs to buckle down and work hard to get back into form before he will put himself on the chopping block.
 
Dylan12 said:
I'd go as far and say that Sherman was the better player of the two, but both are/were bloody gifted players that have taken their careers for granted.

Interestingly, Polks is in his sixth year, the same number that Sherman played and purely from a games/goals record, Sherman is some way in front (114 games / 85 goals) compared to Polks' 91 and 53.
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Not sure what evidence there is of that. In fact I would hazard a guess that Polkinghorne's charmed run at the selection table is because he's an excellent trainer.
 
Polks IMO, is twice the player Sherman was - right-side & left-side, over head and over the ball - sure worm would do him for pace but it ends there.
 

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Brisbane Lions’ vice-captain Daniel Rich and teammate James Polkinghorne were taken out of their comfort zone on Tuesday by some newborn Mater babies, as the Club announced a continuation of its partnership with The Mater Foundation for the next three years.

The normally confident Lions duo appeared slightly apprehensive when it came to nursing some very precious cargo, Mater Mothers babies. But both boys proved to be quite the naturals when it came to nursing and hopefully converting some future Lions members.
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AFL.com.au's snakes and ladders

COULD DO BETTER: James Polkinghorne is in his sixth season and has been dropped three times by Michael Voss. As he showed with an excellent four-game mid-season stretch, his best is very very good and adds significantly to the club's midfield. At 24, Polkinghorne is strong, clever and exactly the kind of player the Lions need to flourish to progress as a group. He just needs to recapture that form.
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PLAYERS TO WATCHWith arguably the Lions’ two best clearance winners (Brent Moloney and Simon Black) sidelined through injury, James Polkinghorne may be given further responsibility in the midfield.

Polkinghorne offers another big body to the Lions’ midfield, and has proven earlier this year that he is capable of performing the role.

He collected a career-best 30 disposals against Melbourne back in Round 5, and had six clearances against West Coast when he was thrust into the centre.
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Dylan12 said:
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This so highlights, highlights packages - a couple of strong contested marks, clearances/goal set-up passes off both the left and right foot and even kicks a goal himself - then a suggestion of James being asked to step-up and fill the roles of a Black or a Moloney with another 30 possession game...

Bring it on James!!!
 
blynd_freddie said:
This so highlights, highlights packages - a couple of strong contested marks, clearances/goal set-up passes off both the left and right foot and even kicks a goal himself - then a suggestion of James being asked to step-up and fill the roles of a Black or a Moloney with another 30 possession game...

Bring it on James!!!
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Still waiting. Don't like being negative, but last nite he was piss poor. Methinx his time has passed - we have too many good younger players to persist with him. Has not developed past being a bit player - an odd moment or game, but not enough, IMO.
 
After being consistently so-so for a long time Polks had a brief form surge earlier in the year but is now playing worse than ever. I can't think of anyone who has ever had such a charmed run at the selection table (even when he gets dropped the footy Gods usually injure another player to give a reprieve). It's disappointing he hasn't been able to take advantage of that, when others could really benefit from a run in the seniors. I wonder about: a) why the coaches have persisted with him - does he train a lot better than he plays, do they think he has qualities that will come good down the track, does he contribute in ways that aren't readily apparent to the viewers, do they think he has leadership qualities, or is it just a circumstance of what players have been available for the required roles; and b) whether Polks has now lost confidence in himself. Perhaps he feels an element of guilt for not pulling his weight. Or maybe some frustration/confusion that his training intensity doesn't translate into form in matches.

I think it's unfair to get angry at him or belittle him (it's not his fault he gets selected) but I definitely understand why people get frustrated and perplexed when he gets picked. One part of me says that surely he can't keep his spot after his game against North, but another part of me says that I have thought that before and been wrong.
 
Grimreepah said:
After being consistently so-so for a long time Polks had a brief form surge earlier in the year but is now playing worse than ever. I can't think of anyone who has ever had such a charmed run at the selection table (even when he gets dropped the footy Gods usually injure another player to give a reprieve). It's disappointing he hasn't been able to take advantage of that, when others could really benefit from a run in the seniors. I wonder about: a) why the coaches have persisted with him - does he train a lot better than he plays, do they think he has qualities that will come good down the track, does he contribute in ways that aren't readily apparent to the viewers, do they think he has leadership qualities, or is it just a circumstance of what players have been available for the required roles; and b) whether Polks has now lost confidence in himself. Perhaps he feels an element of guilt for not pulling his weight. Or maybe some frustration/confusion that his training intensity doesn't translate into form in matches.

I think it's unfair to get angry at him or belittle him (it's not his fault he gets selected) but I definitely understand why people get frustrated and perplexed when he gets picked. One part of me says that surely he can't keep his spot after his game against North, but another part of me says that I have thought that before and been wrong.
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I don't think we can fully ignore the fact that he takes Voss's kids to school. I think to some degree there's a 'you scratched my back I'll scratch yours' old school type of mentality at work there. I can hear you say 'but its a professional environment, that sort of thing shouldn't happen.' And thats true. But at the same time has the Brisbane AFC actually been a professionally run organisation over the last few years? The answer is probably no. A truly profesisonally run club would never have signed Fevola to contract without a behavioural clause for example. And then there's the paddlepop lion issues... So while Voss could never get away with playing Polkinghorne at a club like Collingwood or Hawthorn at Brisbane he has been able to get away with it.

As for Polkinghorne I've thought for a while that his skills just aren't at AFL standard. But the thing I really noticed in the kangaroos game was the couple times Polkinghorne was the clear logicial option for recieving the football and his team-mates appeared to actively avoid giving it to him. Even to the point where they would go to a contest instead of a relatively free Polkinghorne. To me this says he's now lost the confidence of his teammates. And I'm not suprised. The frequency with which he turns the ball over is appalling. I think Polkinghorne knows he's lost that confidence as well from some of his body language. I think its a very long way back for Polkinghorne now. Can't see him playing again in the seniors baring a dramatic form reversal.

But like you say, we've been wrong before...
 

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I don't think team mates not kicking the ball to him means much. Most of the time we don't hit up the smaller guys who are in good position to kick it to the big targets, it's a problem of ours. Most players playing in the HF line seem to get sucked into a black hole, even Rocky when he plays there doesn't get near it as it gets kicked over their heads. Whilst this is certainly not an excuse, it is a factor as to why the players in that position sometimes have down games. Ash when not the leading target can go missing, Bewick and Zorko also. I'm not sure if it is because we now have better quality coming from behind and the wings with Hanley, Rich, Golby, Mayes, that we don't look for or hit up players like Bewick or Zorko at HF. These players get caught having to chase defensively, get ignored by team mates and probably due to structure can't come up the ground to get involved at the contest. You do end up with a few exceptions, like when Ash or Bewick have a good one and kick a few goals, but this seems to be when they are deeper forward and are playing a more leading target type role. Our default HF line seems to be very defensively minded, perhaps a structure thing to cut down opposition run from their HB line with us playing talls like Lisle and Brown who are nearly useless defensively.

Anyway, just some food for thought, and again, not a excuse for Polks. He is one of the more experienced players of gen next, and as I said earlier, I think he is starting to get overtaken and his spot is not set in concrete like it was in previous years.
 
Luke Kathutian said:
I don't think we can fully ignore the fact that he takes Voss's kids to school. I think to some degree there's a 'you scratched my back I'll scratch yours' old school type of mentality at work there. I can hear you say 'but its a professional environment, that sort of thing shouldn't happen.' And thats true. But at the same time has the Brisbane AFC actually been a professionally run organisation over the last few years? The answer is probably no. A truly profesisonally run club would never have signed Fevola to contract without a behavioural clause for example. And then there's the paddlepop lion issues... So while Voss could never get away with playing Polkinghorne at a club like Collingwood or Hawthorn at Brisbane he has been able to get away with it.
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*facepalm*
 
A number of factors working against James unfortunately. Limited footballer who got the best out of him self, from reports trained with diligence and was a solid citizen. However as the list has slowly improved he is falling away from the best 22. I understood the like for like selection but would be surprised if the selection panel doesn't look at other options in the future (eg release the Rhino into the mid field). James has sort of become this years Stiller.

No shame, no blame James. I reckon you have given the club good service and the club has given you a fair run.
 
To sum it up, Polks caused the whole Paddlepop travesty because Voss went over the boards head in regards to changing the jumper, all so Voss could sit back drinkin' sweet, sweet tang while his lawn was mown & his kids were dropped at school.
 
He has skill but lacks consistency - arguably he seems to be in a position no better than the one Stiller was this time last year with younger players now stepping up - Lester for one seems to be filling his void. So realistically on last Saturdays form he may well struggle to play another senior game this year - and this this would not bode well in a year where it is believed he falls out of contract.

Personally, I don't have his AFL career buried yet but concede his manager would have little leverage negotiating a conditional contract... if one was to be offered by the club.
 
Polky showed me why i don't want him playing for us, 0 impact and 3 possessions, he really needs to wisen up, because he won't be here much longer with form like that

I do hope that he improves, because i have seen what he is capable off, but i just don't see it happening
 
Brisbane2013 said:
Polky showed me why i don't want him playing for us, 0 impact and 3 possessions, he really needs to wisen up, because he won't be here much longer with form like that

I do hope that he improves, because i have seen what he is capable off, but i just don't see it happening
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I would suspect that 'what he is capable of', i.e. his 30 possession game against the Dees, is more the exception than the rule.

Days are very numbered at this stage.
 
Most of the whipping boys on Big footy end up departing the Lions ,unfortunately.

Feel sorry for them actually.

Trying to live the dream, but just not quite getting there.

Guess we can all relate to that at some stage in our lives.
 
Haso said:
I would suspect that 'what he is capable of', i.e. his 30 possession game against the Dees, is more the exception than the rule.

Days are very numbered at this stage.
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Well i wanted to say something else, but i decided to put it nicely ahaha
 
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