Delisted Orren Stephenson (2012)

[tenderwarrior]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Orren will play games, but not because of lack of faith in the rucks we already have. Simpson will start as the number one number one, but he will need to be managed through out the year - I expect him to play 15 games, miss some through injury, but mostly 'general soreness'. West is ready to play the second ruck position for the majority of the year, but he too will need a few weeks off and will no doubt miss a game or two with injury. Pencil West in for 18 - 20 games.

That is our preferred ruck set up for mine. However, we still need another ruck who can come in for 15 games while on of Simpson or West is unavailable. It's called depth, we need an insurance. Orren is as plug and play as you can get. I expect him to play the number one role when Simpson is not there. Vardy and or Hawkins can pinch hit when West is not there. I say Hawkins as I wouldn't be surprised if Vardy is spared from rucking too much next year, especially early on as he gets over his hip.

Now thoughts turn to the rookie draft. I understand we have 4 selections this year? Two replacing Johnson and Weston, and two extra with GWS coming in this year?

I am very interested to see who we select!

 

[NEMINI]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

As we've seen the last few years, having a fresh ruck at the pointy end of the season is extremely important. We've mostly your kids and while I have confidence they can play, I wouldn't want to see them trying to play deep into the finals after playing 20+ games in the home and away season. The big O gives us flexibility to rotate and freshen up rucks throughout the season so they are in ripping form when it counts most.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

I think the initial plan will be for Stephenson to fulfil the exact same role they were trying to cajole Ottens into going round one more time to do, play between 12 and 15 games. Assuming we play 2 rucks each week there's another 29 games across the whole 22 round season to be split between the other three, West getting the most, then Dawson, then Vardy (assuming Vardy has a slow start coming back from injury). So, that's fine, and realistically, Orren's the best choice available (and they've done well to talk him into it). There's still two problems that I see for Dawson though. The first is that unless he improves in his forward play a lot over summer, he won't get games when Orren is in the side. But then again, given that they were planning for him (Daws) and Otto to job share next year, he may well already have been prepared to sit half the games out, so nothing may have changed in that regard. The second is that Orren is a very good ruckman, who is likely to play most of the games against the biggest and best ruckmen to shield the other guys. Because those guys are the ones we are likely to face in the finals, if Orren plays well, Daws will find it quite hard to get a look in come finals time. But hey, competition is good, and at least we've now gone from saying our ruck area is thin, to being considerably beefed up. That's good news I reckon, so I'm slowly warming to the decision we've made.

 

[samsong]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

His family certainly look pleased about the selection http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/geelong-drafts-rooster-ruckman-stephenson-in-shock-pick/2370225.aspx

 

[CatTricks]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Hey PO when is dawson signed up until?

Signed a 2 year extension a couple of months back.
I work with one of his family friends and got told a few months ago.

 

[manboob]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

His family certainly look pleased about the selection http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/geelong-drafts-rooster-ruckman-stephenson-in-shock-pick/2370225.aspx

Haha That's ace!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Signed a 2 year extension a couple of months back.
I work with one of his family friends and got told a few months ago.

Good news.

 

[randyzany]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Here's hoping drafting Orren replicates the Pods fairy tale along with a Grand Final victory to boot!

 

[S for September]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

His family certainly look pleased about the selection http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/geelong-drafts-rooster-ruckman-stephenson-in-shock-pick/2370225.aspx

He better grow back the beard!

 

[Vdubs]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

With more games next year and taking into account the way Chris rotates plus Stephenson's age -much tougher backing up week-after-week in the ones than the VFL - reckon Simpson will play 6 to 8 games performances permitting. His speed and mobility are impressive for a big man, giving us some added flexibility.

Has any other ruckman required such a long term initiation into the seniors? Blake, Mummy, West all younger than Simpson, even Vardy. What is this go-slowly all about? Dawson looks like a guy who's been ready for a long time to have more senior exposure. What am I missing? He is not particularly injury prone? and he is not unskilled. I would have thought Orrel is our backup man, IF West/Simpson are injured. Well that's what I would hope for. We can't keep Simpson on a meagre lure forever, or can we?

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Has any other ruckman required such a long term initiation into the seniors? Blake, Mummy, West all youger bthan Simpson, even Vardy. What is this go-slowly all about? Dawson looks like a guy who's been ready for a long time to have more senior exposure. What am I missing? He is not particularly injury prone? and he is not unskilled. I would have thought Orrel is our backup man, IF West/Simpson are injured. Well that's what I would hope for. We can't keep Simpson on a meagre lure forever, or can we?

Yes we can because he's contracted til end 2013. Is Gillies in a Hawthorn jumper? No.

West didn't play regularly until this year (6th) though I wanted him to play earlier so maybe that's the plan with Daws.

Look, it was always likely we were going to take another mature ruckman as they want to rotate and thought 20 games from Dawson was too big an ask just yet. It was just that most of us expected the mature ruckman to be a 23 or 24 year old. Clearly recruiting Orren who they feel is the best ruck outside the AFL, at 29, means they believe our premiership window is still well and truly open now. Orren won't have been promised the no1 spot nor would he expect to be, but realistically you don't pick a 29 year old triple premiership VFL player to play VFL-if that was the plan they would have offered him heaps of money to move from his longtime club to our VFL list as a player/coach (ala Gleeson)-the fact that he's on the AFL list at his age means he'll be given every opportunity to play a lot of seniors.

 

[TheYid]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Has any other ruckman required such a long term initiation into the seniors? Blake, Mummy, West all youger bthan Simpson, even Vardy. What is this go-slowly all about? Dawson looks like a guy who's been ready for a long time to have more senior exposure. What am I missing? He is not particularly injury prone? and he is not unskilled. I would have thought Orrel is our backup man, IF West/Simpson are injured. Well that's what I would hope for. We can't keep Simpson on a meagre lure forever, or can we?

I don't mean to sound negative, but Simpson really does struggle with his disposal. He had a game in the twos last year where he had well over 30 hit outs, and yet barely found a team mate with them and was woeful in accuracy around the ground.

Maybe the Big O will also help Simpson and the others get a few tips and lead the way a little, but out of that younger lot I'm not convinced West needs much more teaching- he's come of age and I think he should be our first ruck (if there is any such thing anymore- first and second rucks are interchangeable roles in the Geelong game). West has fantastic hit-out stats and will only get better in other departments as well. And who could forget the screamer against the Hawks?

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

As others have pointed out we are now seriously short of Rucks with Otto and Blake not there next Season. Makes perfect sense to recruit a mature , ready to go body and Orren was clearly that person. Still only leaves 1st Rucks at Simpson / Stephenson and 2nd Ruck at West and Vardy ( we will be cautious with him and may play him more of a Forward? ) so I think we will look at a Rookie slot for another Ruck .

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

I don't mean to sound negative, but Simpson really does struggle with his disposal. He had a game in the twos last year where he had well over 30 hit outs, and yet barely found a team mate with them and was woeful in accuracy around the ground.

Turning hit outs into hit outs-to-advantage is as much the responsibility of the on-ballers as it is of the ruckman. If your ruckman is controlling the taps, just tell him where you want it to be hit, get there and it will probably end up on your chest.

 

[winty]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

A few Hawks fans are trolling us in the Bay about us drafting him, so I guess in one way it's worked in our favour.

One said thread gave us the following pearler from HP in regards to Vardy:

AFL selection on its own is nothing to brag about.

 

[Grizzly_82]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

A few Hawks fans are trolling us in the Bay about us drafting him, so I guess in one way it's worked in our favour.

One said thread gave us the following pearler from HP in regards to Vardy:

My dislike for HP/who knows only grows, surely he can't believe that crap he writes.

Hopefully Orren provides the cover/protection for the young rucks, he should and will make the VFL team stronger as an extra bonus.

 

[Selective Retention]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

My dislike for HP/who knows only grows, surely he can't believe that crap he writes.

It's like playing tennis up against a brick wall, fun to wind him up for a while, then it just gets pointless.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

As others have pointed out we are now seriously short of Rucks with Otto and Blake not there next Season. Makes perfect sense to recruit a mature , ready to go body and Orren was clearly that person. Still only leaves 1st Rucks at Simpson / Stephenson and 2nd Ruck at West and Vardy ( we will be cautious with him and may play him more of a Forward? ) so I think we will look at a Rookie slot for another Ruck .

Agree, ?? Ryan Bathie.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

It's like playing tennis up against a brick wall, fun to wind him up for a while, then it just gets pointless.

That was my favourite "sport"! Agree with your point though.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

As others have pointed out we are now seriously short of Rucks with Otto and Blake not there next Season. Makes perfect sense to recruit a mature , ready to go body and Orren was clearly that person. Still only leaves 1st Rucks at Simpson / Stephenson and 2nd Ruck at West and Vardy ( we will be cautious with him and may play him more of a Forward? ) so I think we will look at a Rookie slot for another Ruck .

We'll take another ruck as a rookie but it'll be a development prospect. We've now got enough ready to go guys.

 

[Turbocat]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

I dont pretend to understand baseball but I'm getting the feeling we are heading towards a rotation similar to they use for their Pitichers.We have a minimum of 44 games that we need rucks to play , hopefully more.
The last thing we want is to be like Collingwood this year in the GF having to play a Ruckman because they had little faith or little else.

The aim hopefully is to split the games up. Assuming Vardy plays as a forward most of the time when he is fit , the 12-14 games between 3 would be plenty for Dawson i would think.

Whether we take another ruck or not , we have gone reasonably tall so far and I would like to have see a couple of mids added. Crisp or someone like that. I think it will depend on the chance to draft talent in the next year or two.

OS should be resilient and capable of playing a role. And just maybe , he can surprise and be another pods and be more than just backup.

 

[tvc_hot]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

There is also this interview and video

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/af...ke-more-history/story-fnb7bkh3-1226206652618#

 

[catswhiskers]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

I dont pretend to understand baseball but I'm getting the feeling we are heading towards a rotation similar to they use for their Pitichers.We have a minimum of 44 games that we need rucks to play , hopefully more.
The aim hopefully is to split the games up. Assuming Vardy plays as a forward most of the time when he is fit , the 12-14 games between 3 would be plenty for Dawson i would think.
OS should be resilient and capable of playing a role. And just maybe , he can surprise and be another pods and be more than just backup.

Thats about it.

Geelong have shown other clubs that you can't limp into the finals. Vardy doing much less than one quarter of the work is a good assumption. 12-14 for the big three follows from that. If a 6-8 week injury happens to one the fit guys will play 16-18. Thats plenty, and then the club decides who to take into finals (if we get there of course).

 

[The rabbi]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

Clearly recruiting Orren who they feel is the best ruck outside the AFL, at 29, means they believe our premiership window is still well and truly open now.

P.O. this is exactly the thought that came to my mind when we drafted him.

Although we have lost a lot of experience in Ling and Ottens (as well as Milburn and Mooney, who could not force their way into the GF side), the Club still believes that they have the personnel required to have another tilt at the premiership in 2012.

 

[Belisarius]

Re: 2011 National Draft selection No. 78 - Orren Stephenson

As I was reading the posts - I was thinking the same.

GFC still sees that a Premiership is up for grabs in 2012 and we are truly in the mix to win it.

The pick makes complete sense to me - as we have seen how important it is to have a good ruckman in the finals thanks to Ottens.

It gives us choices come finals time - and hence a good selection - especially if this guy is as good/competitive as some have stated here.

Just have to ask - Did anyone pick any of Well's selections in the draft ?

It is so hard to judge who Wells will pick and I had heard of none on these guys. Excepting Smedts last year that seems to be the case for me and Well's selections.