Why Rusling could be our secret weapon come finals.

[Coin_Toss]

He's got genuine leg speed and he will chase down his opponent which forces him (his opponent) to kick the ball under pressure. Scarlett ran off Rocca too easily at the weekend, we can't afford that to happen again in the finals, so Rusling becomes important to our structure (which Mick alluded to at the start of the year).

Your thoughts?

 

[jimmy35]

Sounds okay in theory but can he fit in ? If Reid strikes any vein of form he offers something pretty exciting and hard to match up on . Can't see Travis , Rocca , Reid and Rus all fitting in the one forward line .

 

[jerry springer]

im not expecting anything at all out of Rus anymore,too injury prone.wont have any match fitness.

the best way to treat him if he comes good,its a nice bonus,but we should plan without him

 

[Didz_is_God_4]

Sounds okay in theory but can he fit in ? If Reid strikes any vein of form he offers something pretty exciting and hard to match up on . Can't see Travis , Rocca , Reid and Rus all fitting in the one forward line .

Me either, and Rocca will be the one to go if he doesn't pull his ass into gear.

 

[OneEyedPie7]

Would rather have buckley as the weapon up forward. The excitement with Rusling has faded now I think. Let him sink back out of the limelight and get his body right to play some good footy at Willy.

 

[Tank36]

He's got genuine leg speed and he will chase down his opponent which forces him (his opponent) to kick the ball under pressure. Scarlett ran off Rocca too easily at the weekend, we can't afford that to happen again in the finals, so Rusling becomes important to our structure (which Mick alluded to at the start of the year).

Your thoughts?

Enter the world of Lee Walker......
Injury prone with heaps of potential
Would like him to come back this year and show something so we
can get some value with an Adelaide trade, otherwise, about as useless
as Bits on a Tool

 

[Hells K1tch3n]

Would rather have both.

2 Quick Leading 6'2/ 6'4 forwards that can kick the ball accurately couldnt fit into the forward line? Surely we can fit both into the team if they are fit?

Rus, Rocca, Bux
Davis, Trav, Dids

Pendles, Obree, Daisy

Goldsack, Obrian, Heater
Clement, Presti, Rhyce

Josh, Swan, Lockyer

BJ, Clarke, Burns, Maxwell.

 

[rand corp]

Beautiful and strong mark on the lead, lovely STRAIGHT kick for goal.

Cruelled by shoulder injuries and big questions marks over how his shoulder holds up and how his confidence in his body holds up.

We now know that his shoulder was never 100% last time round but, to be honest, he played like he was protecting it, was a long way off his best and looked nowhere near AFL standard.

If he can come back confident in his shoulders and get back to his best he could be a real asset.

Not sure he would get up to speed this year, missed a heck of a lot of footy and its pretty hard to maintain strength, condition carrying a shoulder reco.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Gotchy would love to have him back for the finals.

Cant see him playing seniors this year, though.

 

[DWil6]

Heard through an AFL employee that even when drafted he was injured. Did attend draft camp but didn't go through his paces as he was 'injured'. There is a belief that it was a ploy by the powers at Magpie Land to nab him.

 

[hellfire]

Nathan Buckley and James Clement are our secret weapons coming into finals. Buckley at FF or FP, Clement destroying his opponent as usual and freeing up Heath Shaw.

 

[Tank36]

Nathan Buckley and James Clement are our secret weapons coming into finals. Buckley at FF or FP, Clement destroying his opponent as usual and freeing up Heath Shaw.

Don't underestimate the power that Malthouse will have over this unit
come finals time. He's the secret weapon.

No one gave us a chance 2002, apparently making up the number, until
we knocked Port over.

He has this knack of getting the team to follow strict team plays
and can close the contest down with a few moves.

Micky gets my vote - and he never gets injured !

 

[Buckley is my hero]

Rusling has missed so much football that even if he could make it back into the senior side before the finals, it would take 5 or 6 games to adjust to the pace of the game and by that time our finals race will be over. When he did his shoulder in the pre-season that wiped his season away. Look forward to seeing him in 2008.

 

[magpie#18]

He Will Be Delisted At The End Of Next Yr


Has Had Injuries...

He Is Quick..but The Boy Cant Play

 

[magpies42]

nope, hasnt enough senior games to have an impact especially coming off a serious injury! Burns was a bonus heading into the 2002 finals, rusling will be a liability unless he gets some games under his belt before the finals

 

[Bonuspoints]

Can't see Rusling doing much this year to be honest. Don't think we'll trade him just yet as I think him and Reid in the goal square is our future for Rocca's departure. But I reckon next year is probably gunna be it for him at the Pies.

 

[Chase the Ace]

Yeah, he's a huge secret

 

[Dundalis]

Don't think so. I think Chris Dawes is just as much a secret weapon. Neither will play seniors this year barring something extraordinary like all our forwards fall over dead.

 

[The Stick]

I saw Rusling train last week & he looks pretty fit. he did extra training at the end of the session with Dawes & made Dawes look very ordinary. I know that Dawes has had a knee reconstruction & is more of a key position player, but Rusling looked very fit & I wouldn't be surprised that if Buckley doesn't come up, come finals time Rusling will. He is quick & very hard to match up on. No way in the world we will get rid of him at the end of the year.

 

[bradrowe#32]

I like Rusling. He has a lot of potential, but I think he needs to do more when the ball hits the ground. To be honest, I'm not really sure where his best position is. That may become more evident with more game time. I think next year will see him come good, but unfortunately, I don't think we'll see too much of him this year.

 

[TorresIsGod]

We'll have the Rus at Carlton thanks

 

[HFF]

I think many have been quick to just give up on Rus because he is believed to have crook shoulders, however im sure Carey had shoulder recos, Judd was drafted with shoulder injury etc. Now i am not saying Rus is in the same class as a Carey or Judd, however i think that we should keep the faith in him and that shown by the club staff, as he has the ability to become anything. Too early to get rid of him especially since he has a 3yr contract. I, for one still believe he could become 'the great white hope'.

 

[nick_savo]

When is he due back?

Will he come straight in, or one or two games in the reserves?

 

[1eye]

Don't underestimate the power that Malthouse will have over this unit
come finals time. He's the secret weapon.

No one gave us a chance 2002, apparently making up the number, until
we knocked Port over.

He has this knack of getting the team to follow strict team plays
and can close the contest down with a few moves.

Micky gets my vote - and he never gets injured !

Totally agree with you tank36.

As long as we get in the top 4 with a fit list to choose from. This is why we would love to play Geelong or Hawthorn. Both coaches have no idea about coaching in finals (bomber thompson- let the cat out of the bag- by suggesting they secretly motivated themselves by playing in a finals like atmosphere at the MCG last week.

 

[mdc]

I can't believe how much love Rusling is still getting when Egan seems to have been written off (after showing much more than Rusling ever did). Rusling can run fast in a straight line and has a ridiculous vertical jump. He kicks ok for goal too. But he was easily our worst at ground level when he played (Rocca included), was poor defensively, terrible decision maker (think Medhurst) and needs to play FF with no CHF in front to be effective (see the PA game).