Toast Welcome to Carlton Liam Jones

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Can anyone see Liam turning it around?

When you do our best 22, there is a clear spot up for grabs in the forward line.

For some strange reason i havent given up on him yet.
 
As much as I love Carlton and I don't like to bag players I just don't see Liam being in our top 22 to start next year and I'm not sure whether he can even make it back into the team. For his sake I hope he can improve dramatically and get a call up to the side. But as it is now, he won't get a game and that's for sure.
 

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If his endurance and work rate is still an issue this year then he really leaves us with no choice he has the perfect opportunity to cement a spot, he's playing in the bottom side with a nonexistent forward line its literally just up to him to make things click. If he doesn't I would say he'll be delisted come end of the season. I highly doubt any other club would pick him up even in the psd for free and usually that's a good indication that they shouldn't be on your list for long.

Also I can understand the decision in picking him up to play as the 3rd tall in our forward line, it made sense and he was cheap. If everything went to plan it should have worked however we forgot that our 1st and 2nd forward targets just weren't that good either. Cas,hendo,jones all probably should be 2nd-3rd options. Hopefully McKay has a hogan like year.......
 
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The good thing for Liam is that there will be zero focus on him this year with all the other new faces. Might be able to sneak up unannounced and offer positive contribution, otherwise the next phase of his journey will be looming large.
 
I think we all though that was the plan when we got him. Our poor ball use didn't help Cas or Henderson kick many, so Jones was never in the running. Doesn't help when you go missing so much though.

Mick's game plan didn't help either - resulted in heaps of slow scrappy bal being bombed into the forward line. I'm hoping a new game plan and cleaner ball inside 50 will play to Jones' strengths a bit.
 
Not sure how many remember last years pre-season where we ran it forward through the middle on every opportunity. Collingwood game?? That kind of delivery puts heaps more pressure on tall backs and Jones looked good. Everett I think excelled too. Jones missed a couple near side that he shouldn't have, but he didn't look that bad. It's when the season started and we went wider and slower he was eaten up by the floating back. I hold hope Bolton uses a similar game plan of quick ball movement and we can utilise his leading speed rather than his pack marking which isn't his strong suit.
 
Not to say there is no chance, but Jones is a very limited footballer. Can see him playing a "few" good games next year ("few" more than than this year) but will remain a burst type of player.

If he is still at the club at the start of the 2017 season, he either turned things around dramatically or we are deparate and on our knees
 

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Is it as simple as Liam lacking running capacity and after so many years in AFL system - still hasn't got an AFL 'tank'?

He has (imo obv) a mental issue. I've never seen him train but by all accounts he's excellent in his role when the heat is off.

Having watched him a bit for the Footscray VFL team before the trade you can see when he puts it together he can be a dangerous stay-at-home forward, then a total mess, often in the same quarter.

Another issue is he uses his body and leap well, gets into a great position to mark then waits for the ball on to his chest, allowing a competent defender spoil. If he could remember to put his arms up in front he'd be a much more damaging mark taker, in the same way Waite jumps early, sticks his bum into the defender and marks the ball at arms length in front.
 
Clunked some terrific marks hitting the ball on Wednesday.......with arms outstretched.
Not only was he marking them in front of his face but with with arms outstretched to the left and the right of his body...........but it is training.

I'm sure I've put it here before but Barry Hall said something like: "If Jones could play the way he trains he'd be a Brownlow medalist". ( I think it was Brownlow Medalist but if not, it was very high acclaim)
I understand those sentiments but even the most faithful loses hope after a while......Bolton is his last chance.

Could be a pet project for Bolts...!

Interesting 6 weeks ahead for these 2...
;)
 
I really hope he does find his potential. He copped a lot of flack from supporters. We should give him hope and get behind him this year, not push him down. Same goes for all players. We all know how bad the team performed this year, and how rudderless it was under malthouse.
Wholeheartedly agree and I wish all fans could do it, but unfortunately there are too many who either take a players bad performances as a personal insult or are too detached to even care. They won't ever support a guy once they've decided he is a dud or some such.
 
I would love to see them put 12mths into making him a defender - a fresh start. He has the athletic requirements and IMO training him to fullfill a negating role would be no more of a gamble than believing that he will make it as a complete forward
 
Wholeheartedly agree and I wish all fans could do it, but unfortunately there are too many who either take a players bad performances as a personal insult or are too detached to even care. They won't ever support a guy once they've decided he is a dud or some such.
Does he have it in him though Shan. I think he might be one of those guys who'll be remembered as a talent but didn't work hard enough.
 
My understanding is Jones is flat footed (lower arches in his feet). which is probably a reason he struggles to find good running endurance, also why he jumps low. If you remember Malthouse was trying to get him to jump higher to take marks at his highest point, he still seems to jump forward which is more easy to defend.
 
Does he have it in him though Shan. I think he might be one of those guys who'll be remembered as a talent but didn't work hard enough.

i dont even think he is a talent. big and athletic but not afl smart. go play local leagues and he will be a star. looks okay on the training track but doesnt have the skills for this level. if not for ridiculous contract he would of been cut
 
i dont even think he is a talent. big and athletic but not afl smart. go play local leagues and he will be a star. looks okay on the training track but doesnt have the skills for this level. if not for ridiculous contract he would of been cut
This is exactly why I would keep it simple for him - become a close checking backman to have a chance of staying on a list
 
i dont even think he is a talent. big and athletic but not afl smart. go play local leagues and he will be a star. looks okay on the training track but doesnt have the skills for this level. if not for ridiculous contract he would of been cut
There was talk we were going to include his next two years contract next year and tell him to hit the road.
 
Does he have it in him though Shan. I think he might be one of those guys who'll be remembered as a talent but didn't work hard enough.
Honestly I don't think so. But its kinda not the point. I would rather be positive and encouraging from 'the sidelines'.




Until he fluffs up on game day and I break the BF swear filter....
 

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