Life as a fringe AFL player can suck

[freoextra]

I was just reflecting on Max Duffy's situation and it occurred that this guy may never get the chance to show he is AFL quality.

He was supposedly recruited after RTB watched a few of his games for East Fremantle and was impressed by his almost freakish talent around goals. I use the term freak in the best possible way, he had something different and just believed that he could convert the impossible. After a disastrous first year when repeated hamstring injuries destroyed his year he was off all our radars (I think the training loads must have also been a shock). But after a solid pre- season he was up and about, fit and getting pre- season games and performing. In the first Peel game he was on and doing the ridiculous around goal, I genuinely think with our injury list he was a chance to make his debut. Then he gets a shoulder injury and a major one at that and is again a long long way behind.

Unfortunately, you get a very limited time to show your ability, is time running out for the other Duff? Hope not, every team needs a player who can just do the impossible.

 

[estibador]

I've been pretty impressed with what he's shown this year and I'd give him another year, even if it meant we had to move him sideways onto the rookie list.

Never thought I'd be saying that a year ago. I couldn't see what RTB saw in him, but he's looked a different player this year.

 

[Leatherpoizoned]

My First thought when reading the thread title was watching Tom Vandeluer (I think) trying to convince the people at the Gate during the Bombers game that he did in fact play for the club. They asked for his ID, he rifled around for it, very sheepishly. Life as a fringe AFL player can suck.

 

[Seppo]

I've been pretty impressed with what he's shown this year and I'd give him another year, even if it meant we had to move him sideways onto the rookie list.

Never thought I'd be saying that a year ago. I couldn't see what RTB saw in him, but he's looked a different player this year.

I would too shift him to the rookie list, but as you scroll through our full list of senior players, without retirements and trades, Duffy may be on the list of those to cull.

He may suffer the same fate as Crichton; a solid player that could have made it at AFL level but was cut from a competitive team that needed to rejuvenate it's list with new talent from the draft.

 

[scon]

He may suffer the same fate as Crichton; a Tasmanian bogan whose talent was limited to guzzling rum and playing bit parts in Wolf Creek.

EFA

 

[Seppo]

EFA

I resent that Edit For Accuracy.

 

[pokerspiv]

It seems to me that Duffy's biggest obstacle is how many players we have on the list who are capable of playing the same role. He plays as a small forward and we've already got guys like Ballas, Walters, Crozier, Simpson and Neale who play that same role. Seems to me he's going to suffer the same fate as Mellington unless he can turn himself into a genuine mid.

 

[scon]

I resent that Edit For Accuracy.

Edit for Annoyance

 

[manpurple]

I would too shift him to the rookie list, but as you scroll through our full list of senior players, without retirements and trades, Duffy may be on the list of those to cull.

He may suffer the same fate as Crichton; a solid player that could have made it at AFL level but was cut from a competitive team that needed to rejuvenate it's list with new talent from the draft.

No he's not quite in the same category as Crytown. Crytown was a nuggety inside mid with little else to offer and little pace. Crytown was never going to push Fyfe, Mundy or Barlow out of the side.
On the other hand Duffy is a genuinely quick (top 5 for short distance pace at the club I would think) forward pocket who goes nicely on the wing. I agree that he is going to find it tough to get past Crozier and Simpson for a match. But I suspect that Simpson is going to end up playing a role similar to Hill and Pearce. Whilst Crozier and Duffy I imagine will be aiming for the pocket when either Ballas or Walters is not around.

All that said we need three slots for the draft and he and Kep are least likely to stay at this stage. We might trade one or so away but I hope if that happens he makes the rookie list. On the rookie list Menegola really needs to show something this year I would think. I know he is injured but he has been there for three years and it's getting tough to keep him on the list.

 

[strobe00]

It seems to me that Duffy's biggest obstacle is how many players we have on the list who are capable of playing the same role. He plays as a small forward and we've already got guys like Ballas, Walters, Crozier, Simpson and Neale who play that same role. Seems to me he's going to suffer the same fate as Mellington unless he can turn himself into a genuine mid.

Presumably he can play as a high half forward, half forward and forward pocket. So it's not as though he's only competing for two spots. There are quite a few blokes that can play the high HFF and FF spots though. Neale is a midfielder that has had to play a small forward role on a couple of occasions. There are definitely a few guys that are able to play similar roles as Duffy, and with the bad luck he's had with injury he might be a little worried come the end of the year.

But there are other guys on the list that'll likely be looked at when freeing up the three spots on the main list that we need to turn over with draftees (e.g. Silva, Kep, Gumby). Possibly even someone like Suban. Hopefully Croz and Shero are planning to stick around, but if any of them decided they wanted to go back to Melbourne, then a spot could open up there. There's also the fact that we'll likely want to bring in another free agent if we can. A lot can happen in a season though.

I'm sure that if Duffy wasn't able to secure a spot on the main list, then there'd very likely be a spot on the rookie list for him if he wanted it.

 

[JunglistPosse]

It must be tough as a Fringe Player...poor Colin.

 

[Bender571]

There's also the fact that we'll likely want to bring in another free agent if we can. A lot can happen in a season though.

I can't see us getting a free agent unless MacPharlin retires, meaning on of Frawley, Reid or maybe Jamison

 

[strobe00]

I can't see us getting a free agent unless MacPharlin retires, meaning on of Frawley, Reid or maybe Jamison

Has reid been around long enough to qualify for free agency?

But the point is the same I guess... psd, trade or FA, they all take the same spot on the list.

 

[Bender571]

Has reid been around long enough to qualify for free agency?

Yeah, but I just checked and he has re-signed with the pies so no longer a free agent.

But the point is the same I guess... psd, trade or FA, they all take the same spot on the list.

I think it's unlikely we'll take anyone via those avenues unless McPharlin retires or one of Fyfe and Mundy leave. I think we'll be pretty quite and just use our minimum 3 draft picks. But like you said, a lot can happen in a season.

 

[Righteo]

I resent that Edit For Accuracy.

Agree, thought that description was better suited to former fan favourite Creighteyne. NFI who this "Crichton" bloke is.

 

[Bicco]

it probably doesn't suck as much as being a fringe WAFL player, they need to do all of the pre season and hold a full time job. I get the point though, mentally it must be excruciating knowing that you have an injury that could quite easily cost you your job. The flip side is though, that when he is up and running, I'm pretty sure you will be seeing some great effort from the young man.. As Elvis once said "It's now or never".

 

[scon]

Gumby and Mora have had pretty rugged roads.

 

[E Shed]

Early days for Duffy. I didn't like what I saw my first few looks but his most recent form for Peel was very encouraging.
I'd imagine he will get given more time to prove himself.

 

[ritz]

It seems to me that Duffy's biggest obstacle is how many players we have on the list who are capable of playing the same role. He plays as a small forward and we've already got guys like Ballas, Walters, Crozier, Simpson and Neale who play that same role. Seems to me he's going to suffer the same fate as Mellington unless he can turn himself into a genuine mid.

Why do people say Neale is a small forward, is it cos he looks like Ballas?

 

[scon]

You mean there's two of them??

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Why do people say Neale is a small forward, is it cos he looks like Ballas?

Probably because he creates and kicks goals.

 

[ritz]

Probably because he creates and kicks goals.

So has Spurr.
Neale is a mid

 

[Fred Ziffel]

So has Spurr.
Neale is a mid

lach has kicked 14 goals in 26 games with most of those games coming on as sub.
I know we play him on ball and forward when he comes on and 14 goals is a pretty good strike rate. If that is his impact as a non forward , imagine
what he could do if he was a forward. A good argument is to suggest we are under utilising him.
I think he did some damage in the SANFL final with some great marking too ?

 

[PapaJ]

Why do people say Neale is a small forward, is it cos he looks like Ballas?

Probably because he creates and kicks goals.

Yeah, he has a nose for goals when in those packs, no doubt about it. He's been used as a small forward for us more than once. I'm pretty sure he's played at least some of his junior footy as a HFF too, though he got noticed at SANFL and U-18's running through the middle. That's what I seem to recall anyway.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Yeah, he has a nose for goals when in those packs, no doubt about it. He's been used as a small forward for us more than once. I'm pretty sure he's played at least some of his junior footy as a HFF too, though he got noticed at SANFL and U-18's running through the middle. That's what I seem to recall anyway.

Delighted he is on our list and we have the obvious flexibility of lachie , to fill several roles until we settle him.