Roast Mitch Duncan, time to step up

[iameviljez]

I'm loath to make denouncements based on two games, but they have been two very disappointing games after what was a breakout 2014. I'm not sure why Mitch has seen so little of the footy - if he's been kept predominantly up forward, please correct me - but what I do know is that he has had very little influence this year for a player who has just crossed the 100-game mark.

The measure of a good player is to play well, but the measure of a very good player is to play well when the rest of the team does not. The knock on Mitch has always been that he's a receiver rather than a ball winner in his own right, but I thought this had started to change last year. This year, we've had two games against extremely strong midfields, and he hasn't so much as fired a shot.

I get that he's not naturally a heavy-set tank like a Guthrie or a Caddy (who have been good so far), but neither was Joel Corey and if the ball's not coming your way you cannot wait for it to do so. In a midfield with so few players in that 26 to 29 age bracket, we need players like Duncan to turn the game to our advantage and this year it has been disappointing.

 

[abet]

I'm loath to make denouncements based on two games, but they have been two very disappointing games after what was a breakout 2014. I'm not sure why Mitch has seen so little of the footy - if he's been kept predominantly up forward, please correct me - but what I do know is that he has had very little influence this year for a player who has just crossed the 100-game mark.

The measure of a good player is to play well, but the measure of a very good player is to play well when the rest of the team does not. The knock on Mitch has always been that he's a receiver rather than a ball winner in his own right, but I thought this had started to change last year. This year, we've had two games against extremely strong midfields, and he hasn't so much as fired a shot.

I get that he's not naturally a heavy-set tank like a Guthrie or a Caddy (who have been good so far), but neither was Joel Corey and if the ball's not coming your way you cannot wait for it to do so. In a midfield with so few players in that 26 to 29 age bracket, we need players like Duncan to turn the game to our advantage and this year it has been disappointing.

get off your high horse mate, we have 22 players in that category why just single him out.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Try starting a thread on Chris Scott. Lyon, Clarkson and Longmire wouldn't stand for that crap. FWIW, Duncan wasn't that bad, its the way he's coached.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

get off your high horse mate, we have 22 players in that category why just single him out.

Because he's almost 24 years of age with 100 games of AFL experience. You can make excuses for the kids with limited experience and the veterans on their last legs for being poor. What excuse do you use for someone coming into the prime bracket in terms of age and experience for consistently going missing?

 

[catman54]

Because he's almost 24 years of age with 100 games of AFL experience. You can make excuses for the kids with limited experience and the veterans on their last legs for being poor. What excuse do you use for someone coming into the prime bracket in terms of age and experience for consistently going missing?

Why don't we just throw him into the guts, he has a mature body and ability so let him play his own game instead of tagging or filling holes.

 

[iameviljez]

get off your high horse mate, we have 22 players in that category why just single him out.

Because he's got 100 games of experience, is entering his prime as a footballer, but it's players like Guthrie, Blitz and Caddy who did far more to hold back Freo and Hawthorn. I can excuse Lang, Smedts, Cockatoo &etc. being anonymous in a game, but not a player like Duncan. Thirteen and twelve touches for a player who should be pushing into the top 100 players in the league isn't good enough - he needs to become a better-rounded player.

Also, we don't have 22 players in that category - I'd argue that SJ, Bartel, Caddy, Guthrie, Blitz, Harry, Lonergan, Motlop and (given such limited delivery up forward) Clark have been good. We were expected to lose going into both of these games, players prove their stripes by going against the flow of predictions.

 

[iameviljez]

Try starting a thread on Chris Scott. Lyon, Clarkson and Longmire wouldn't stand for that crap. FWIW, Duncan wasn't that bad, its the way he's coached.

Because nobody's done that on this board already...

Seriously, Chris Scott cannot play the game for Mitch Duncan. He can pick him or drop him, give him advice or direction or give him a bake. At the end of the day, Mitch Duncan is responsible for Mitch Duncan.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Because he's got 100 games of experience, is entering his prime as a footballer, but it's players like Guthrie, Blitz and Caddy who did far more to hold back Freo and Hawthorn. I can excuse Lang, Smedts, Cockatoo &etc. being anonymous in a game, but not a player like Duncan. Thirteen and twelve touches for a player who should be pushing into the top 100 players in the league isn't good enough - he needs to become a better-rounded player.

Lol. Play for the Hawks, where the simplest of players are made to look good. You're only as good as the plan and coach you're surrounded with... Most of Freo's players are hogwash... they are well coached.

 

[abet]

Because nobody's done that on this board already...

Seriously, Chris Scott cannot play the game for Mitch Duncan. He can pick him or drop him, give him advice or direction or give him a bake. At the end of the day, Mitch Duncan is responsible for Mitch Duncan.

Chris Scott can play him out of position, which he is doing

 

[iameviljez]

Lol. Play for the Hawks, where the simplest of players are made to look good. You're only as good as the plan and coach you're surrounded with... Most of Freo's players are hogwash... they are well coached.

Surely there's another two Chris Scott threads you can lay into on this board without creating a third?

 

[geelong_crazy26]

get off your high horse mate, we have 22 players in that category why just single him out.

he is at a point in his career that given his age and games played where he should be making an impact. I was expecting him to be one of the games top 50 players this year

 

[abet]

Problem with some people on this board is that when we have a s**t game they can't help but picking on someone and this time it just happens to be Duncan.

 

[STP18]

He's been disappointing but playing him outside on players with elite speed who are just running him up and down the wing all day is such a waste of a player he who is arguably the best kick on the team. We need him delivering the ball inside F50, not playing chasey with elite sprinters.

 

[abet]

he is at a point in his career that given his age and games played where he should be making an impact. I was expecting him to be one of the games top 50 players this year

yes but so is George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Murdoch, Billie Smedts so why just pick on Duncan?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Surely there's another two Chris Scott threads you can lay into on this board without creating a third?

There was one... started by myself. It got deleted by our precious, ignorant and soft mods.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

yes but so is George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Murdoch, Billie Smedts so why just pick on Duncan?

GHS has played 32 games. Murdoch has played 42. Smedts 35.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Problem with some people on this board is that when we have a s**t game they can't help but picking on someone and this time it just happens to be Duncan.

How about Simpson.

Blake was better and that's an understatement.

 

[THE CAT WRANGLER]

Poor effort by whole team no accountability simple mistakes poor worth ethic.
Duncan wasn't good , why was he left out of leadership group

 

[geelong_crazy26]

yes but so is George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Murdoch, Billie Smedts so why just pick on Duncan?

No its not just his fault I agree ,but he has lots of talent and has played more than twice as many games as those 3 players you mentioned. He needs a foot up the ____ big time .

 

[year of the cat]

Problem with some people on this board is that when we have a s**t game they can't help but picking on someone and this time it just happens to be Duncan.

He was pathetic today. No heart. 12 possessions for a midfielder is a disgrace. He wasn't on his Pat Malone but even so why shouldn't he wear some heat? The guy is paid a s**t load of money to at least show a bit of ticker.

 

[iameviljez]

yes but so is George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Murdoch, Billie Smedts so why just pick on Duncan?

They're three seasons behind Duncan in terms of experience.

Problem with some people on this board is that when we have a s**t game they can't help but picking on someone and this time it just happens to be Duncan.

Pointing out that someone is performing below expectations isn't the same as a dummy-spit reaction to a lost game. I didn't expect us to win going into either game so far this year, overall I'm one of the few not disappointed in the club as a whole, but Duncan's performance has left a bit to be desired. I'm not exactly being unfair in asking for more than a dozen touches per game from a player who averages over 20 when the side goes well.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Guys stop protecting him , he has played 100 games and has the ability. He just doesn't work hard enough on the field and most likely off the field.

He shouldn't be able to hide behind the coach or other players

 

[iameviljez]

How about Simpson.

Blake was better and that's an understatement.

I don't have the same expectations of Simpson than I do of Duncan. Injury-prone thirty-game ruckmen get a lot more latitude than a player who polled 12 Brownlow votes last year and went top-three in the Best and Fairest.

 

[Daniel McL]

Think this is very tough on him.
Both Round 1 & Round 2 he was asked to mostly run with Brad Hill then Stephen Hill...

Ball usage at 75% efficiency today which is fine compared to most others.
Gave away 3 frees which is easily fixed of course.

But coaches should be letting him play his natural outside game.
Stephen Hill finished with like 30 touches & a goal or two anyway so let Duncan loose & see what damage he can do for us.

 

[Whit3y]

He was pathetic today. No heart. 12 possessions for a midfielder is a disgrace. He wasn't on his Pat Malone so why shouldn't he wear some heat? The guy is paid a s**t load of money to at least show a bit of ticker.

the man should be entering the stage where his one of the best midfielders in the league, like fyfe hannebery

12 possessions is varcoe like