marcuz
Norm Smith Medallist
Player#2
Mark Mercuri 178 cms 78 kgs
Strengths:
Merc’s brain thinks as quickly as anybody on our list. His ability to read the play and sum up the situation is second to none. Never panics and likes to look for an option rather than blaze away. Has great evasive skills and can use dance moves to evade opponents that would make Fred Astaire proud. As a rule he has tremendous skills but like most of mercuri’s game they have declined markedly in the last few years.
Weaknesses:
As much as mercs thinks quickly out on the field his body just won’t allow him to do what he wants. The mind is willing but the body is not. He has lost a yard or two of pace which he used with devastating effect to evade and find space so he could use his terrific foot skills to either spot up a teamate in a better position or kick a goal. His skills have deteriorated to such an extent that he seems unwilling to kick the ball and instead looks to handball off more often than not. His goal kicking has become worse than his field kicking.
Prediction for 2004:
As much as part of my wishes he will get back to his 99 best and cause headaches for the opposition, logic says otherwise. Sheeds has stated publicly that he might try him off half back but I feel he will only get exploited more by opposition teams and that his skills aren’t of the quality they once were. As much as it pains me to say this about one of the best players to wear a bomber guernsey in the last 20 years, I just can’t see him playing much of a roll this year other than teach a few of the young boys some tricks for Bendigo.
Mark Mercuri 178 cms 78 kgs
Strengths:
Merc’s brain thinks as quickly as anybody on our list. His ability to read the play and sum up the situation is second to none. Never panics and likes to look for an option rather than blaze away. Has great evasive skills and can use dance moves to evade opponents that would make Fred Astaire proud. As a rule he has tremendous skills but like most of mercuri’s game they have declined markedly in the last few years.
Weaknesses:
As much as mercs thinks quickly out on the field his body just won’t allow him to do what he wants. The mind is willing but the body is not. He has lost a yard or two of pace which he used with devastating effect to evade and find space so he could use his terrific foot skills to either spot up a teamate in a better position or kick a goal. His skills have deteriorated to such an extent that he seems unwilling to kick the ball and instead looks to handball off more often than not. His goal kicking has become worse than his field kicking.
Prediction for 2004:
As much as part of my wishes he will get back to his 99 best and cause headaches for the opposition, logic says otherwise. Sheeds has stated publicly that he might try him off half back but I feel he will only get exploited more by opposition teams and that his skills aren’t of the quality they once were. As much as it pains me to say this about one of the best players to wear a bomber guernsey in the last 20 years, I just can’t see him playing much of a roll this year other than teach a few of the young boys some tricks for Bendigo.
