Players that took a long time to come good

[100action]

I think this exercise stir a few lines of thought, mainly:

- How long / How many chances should an under performing player get?
- How many / Which players do you think have been prematurely delisted?
- The fortune some players are bestowed by long-sighted management/coaching staff. A luxury afforded to very few players.
- Which players that are or have been on your list, you think have been given far too long?

I'll give some examples from my club:

Brain Leak: I thought he showed jack all up until 2007, racked up numbers in 2005-2006 but seemingly had no redeeming qualities to think he had any kind of long term AFL career. Was a prime candidate for delisting IMO.

Will Minson: Was severely underperforming and the laughing stock of the league for 10 years and should have been delisted, broke out in 2012 when he topped the league for hitouts and won AA honours in 2013.

On a side note:

Peter Street had a 10 year career with us. Whenever I hear recruiters say "he'll be a 10 year player" as if it is some sort of holy grail, i laugh and think of Peter Street.

Ayce Cordy (although shocking run with injuries) is entering his 7th year on our list with very very little to show for it. I cant help but think that position on the list could have been used to give someone else a shot.

 

[kenneje]

I think this exercise stir a few lines of thought, mainly:

- How long / How many chances should an under performing player get?
- How many / Which players do you think have been prematurely delisted?
- The fortune some players are bestowed by long-sighted management/coaching staff. A luxury afforded to very few players.
- Which players that are or have been on your list, you think have been given far too long?

I'll give some examples from my club:

Brain Leak: I thought he showed jack all up until 2007, racked up numbers in 2005-2006 but seemingly had no redeeming qualities to think he had any kind of long term AFL career. Was a prime candidate for delisting IMO.

Will Minson: Was severely underperforming and the laughing stock of the league for 10 years and should have been delisted, broke out in 2012 when he topped the league for hitouts and won AA honours in 2013.

On a side note:

Peter Street had a 10 year career with us. Whenever I hear recruiters say "he'll be a 10 year player" as if it is some sort of holy grail, i laugh and think of Peter Street.

Ayce Cordy (although shocking run with injuries) is entering his 7th year on our list with very very little to show for it. I cant help but think that position on the list could have been used to give someone else a shot.

Who in the * is brain leak?

 

[ManOfClay]

Who in the **** is brain leak?

He's the guy who throttled Petrie. Not to be confused with the norm smith medal-winning Brian Lake

 

[ManWithNoName]

Brain Leak is clearly a child that's been named by his father.

 

[100action]

Brain Leak is clearly a child that's been named by his father.

brain leak is no name and certainly not one given by a father, it is more a state of mind, one which afflicted kennje's father when he went the rawdog.

 

[Forward Press]

Who in the **** is brain leak?

You know...he plays with teammates like Puke Lodge and Been Strutting.

 

[Demon 16]

Mostly taller players.

Mark Jamar was a genuine delist candidate for about 8 years before he started to show something at Melbourne.

I'm still holding onto faint hope that Watts may be a player that comes into his own at around 25 or 26 years old.

 

[EskiBro]

Luke Lowden's six year career for a grand total of one game so far springs to mind as someone that's been very lucky to continue to remain in the AFL system.

On the other hand, one that's come good after 8 years and 3 clubs is Andrejs Everitt. Finally started to show a bit this year I thought.

 

[chunkylover53]

Bryce Gibbs has taken his sweet time.

Was not done any favours in the past though by being used as Mr Fix It since he was 18.

Tagger, lock down defender, loose HBF..

 

[master bate]

Bryce Gibbs has taken his sweet time.

Was not done any favours in the past though by being used as Mr Fix It since he was 18.

Tagger, lock down defender, loose HBF..

Or all those positional moves helped him become the player he is now? He's been a serviceable player for a long time. The type who'd get a game in most sides. But his transformation into an A grader over the last 1-2 years surprised me even if he was a number 1 pick.

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

Tom Hawkins is the obvious one for me, his 2011 finals series was a turning point and he has been in the top echelon of forwards ever since.

 

[BlueWaterHawk]

Who in the **** is brain leak?

It rhymes with reek. *flayed man emoticon*

 

[mike91]

Daniel Wells

 

[King_Steele]

Brendon Goddard comes to mind as someone who took longer to come on as that A grader, although his acl injury in 07 didn't help. In 2009-10 he became elite IMO.

 

[Haso]

Akermanis actually took quite a while to come good. Took a season in the back pocket for whatever needed to click to click.

Bradshaw wasnt a superstar from day one either.

 

[saintkildaman]

David Armitage only started playing consistent footy in 2012. Sean Dempster also peaked very late.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Lindsay Gilbee blossomed into a great player when he was about 23/24... Coincided with the arrival of Eade. Before that was unsighted
A new coach that believes in the player is vital for a turnaround I reckon.

 

[Bobby_]

Mundy & Sandilands took years to become elite footballers

 

[KGBeast]

Roger Merrett took a while. For a long time it looked like he'd never make it out of the twos. Chris Daniher was another although he never starred.

 

[Scotland]

Jack Watts.

Maybe.

 

[WeAreGeelong]

On a side note:

Peter Street had a 10 year career with us. Whenever I hear recruiters say "he'll be a 10 year player" as if it is some sort of holy grail, i laugh and think of Peter Street.

Didn't sound right to me, so I had a quick look and it appears it was only 5 years for Streety at the Bulldogs. 3 seasons at the Cats though, so 8 years in total.

 

[wingardfreak]

Justin Westhoff
blistering first season in 2007, but then didnt get any real consistency until 2012 or last year.

 

[Scotland]

Mitch Brown has been on our list since 2006 and this was the first year (perhaps last year, maybe) I thought he looked like a capable key defender at AFL level.

Most of the guys I remember from West Coast who took a while to get going only really took a couple of years at best. Cox looked hopeless when he started out, but was our number one ruckman in his 4th season and the AA ruckman in his 5th.

 

[copthat]

Shane Edwards would probably be one for us. On our list 8 years now I think, and was in career best form in the second half of the season which saw him finish 4th in the B&F. Obviously not really near the elite category but if he keeps up that great form I can see him nudging the A-, A grade type of player.

 

[I Dont Care]

Daniel Wells

I think of Daniel Wells as taking time to realise he's better off half the time taking the game on himself instead of trying to do the team thing too often