Past #10: Ben Cunnington - will retire from the AFL after * game - 238 games/95+ goals/2x Syd Barker Medalist/Shinboner - thanks for everything Cunners

[Snake_Baker]

Agree on both counts. In the 1st half when we were actually in it, we inexplicably passed, switched or channeled back to the corridor under no immediate pressure to players in worse positions showing zero game sense from the culpable senior players.

Predictably this saw us kick-start a few offensive chains of play for them which then got their confidence and flow going.

It used to be only Scott Thompson who'd have a paddock in front of him and choose to run head-first into opponents and bounce handball into space to setup a turnover. Nowadays the whole team joins in on the fun.

Yep, yep, yep.

Re: "...inexplicably passed, switched or channeled back to the corridor under no immediate pressure to players in worse positions showing zero game sense from the culpable senior players."

All you have to add in is 40% poor skill execution, the obligatory hang time our blokes love to put on the ball and an opposition that lives and breathes from sitting 5 metres off their opponents to create turnovers, and there is last nights result summed up perfectly.

 

[tazaa]

How Ben Cunnington plays in a pre season game of any sort worries me not in the slightest as long as he is fit. In fact, I'd prefer if he didn't go in too hard. Same with Higgins and a few others. Part of the reason scoring is heavy in these comps IMO, defenders need to be willing to get hit to stop goals and to be honest, why would you bother unless fighting for that last spot.

My issue is what example is he setting for the rest of the mids who are younger and inexperienced.
Gives off a false sense that coasting will get you success.

 

[shintemaster]

My issue is what example is he setting for the rest of the mids who are younger and inexperienced.
Gives off a false sense that coasting will get you success.

I get you, but he has so much credit in the bank and gets it done every single game of every year consistently. Even yesterday in a game I think he was not going 100% he got more of the ball than pretty much everyone. Those younger less experienced mids should be looking at how he performs every H&A game and seeing the gulf that exists between his performances and their's (along with most of his teammates).

I don't even think he needs pre season games beyond match fitness.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

I get you, but he has so much credit in the bank and gets it done every single game of every year consistently. Even yesterday in a game I think he was not going 100% he got more of the ball than pretty much everyone. Those younger less experienced mids should be looking at how he performs every H&A game and seeing the gulf that exists between his performances and their's (along with most of his teammates).

I don't even think he needs pre season games beyond match fitness.

Gets it done every single game of the year? You’re kidding right?
Cunners plays some A Grade football but gee he stinks it up sometimes.
The frustrating thing is he could be an A Grade footballer, but his lack of defensive run/effort and lack of urgency have him stuck as a B Grader. But yeah, he’s one of our better players, but that ain’t saying much.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Literally hasn’t got a 2nd gear.

Needs a sprint coach to take his game to another level.

Josh Kennedy has added a little bit of speed across his career despite being slow as. That extra 3-5% allows him to do 3 things:
- impact more contests
- get back and help defence
- get more footy on the outside

He needs to find another gear to really become a consistent A-grader.

I see so many players across the game develop their tank but Cunners is still struggling to get his up to a decent standard.

 

[czero]

I think what we are all describing, and part of the problem with cunnington and the rest of them in that game, is a inability for players to feel empowered to do what is right. There is just no common sense.

Corridor is always high risk, and WILL ALWAYS BE high risk. You play the corridor when the team is feeling confident and hitting kicks, why the hell are the players expected to follow that same dodgy thinking when its not happening. For crying out load how is a player supposed to build confidence during the game by continuing to take high risk plays. You have to have a style of play that is there to re-build confidence and momentum, then you can go back to your mad corridor antics.

Morons coach out team, I swear.

 

[Benj7]

Bloody underrated play on the wing the agility strength and vision all on show *ing beast we just expect it from him fantastic player

 

[Snake_Baker]

Bloody underrated play on the wing the agility strength and vision all on show ruddy beast we just expect it from him fantastic player

It's a pity we have to utilise him for so much of the grunt work.

His displays of strength and ball handling were elite considering the conditions.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Zondor]

21 Disposals in those conditions was an awesome effort by this consistent Midfielder. :stern look

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Great highlight - but let's not forget we got smashed by GC in the contested ball count and clearances.

Those conditions should have suited our mids (compared to a lightening fast track) - but we got our arses handed to us on a plate.

I hope to see a better midfield performance by all this week.

 

[SheezNuts]

Good trade bait

 

[Zondor]

Good trade bait

Only for a Key Position player. Make it happen Joyces. :stern look

 

[Heaps of fun]

Casually ragdolls a 200cm CHB.

 

[King Corey]

Gun. What I thought Ziebell would be in terms of strong bodied midfield class.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Yesterday was an example of how good he can be when given a bit of space. His decision making top class.

 

[gustev]

Injury listed as a hip. Did they show any footage of it or talk about it after the game?

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Injury listed as a hip. Did they show any footage of it or talk about it after the game?

They showed it on the replay. About 10 min into the 3rd qtr, Ben took a Saints player down and there was some hard contact to his hip (the Saints player was laid out). He spent the rest of the qtr off the ground and looked hampered in the last.

But not too hampered to mark and kick a set shot goal from 50 right at the end

 

[muttley45]

Good onya Cunnners, clearly hampered by some ? hip issue but came back on, went forward, and contributed with some nice work, and a goal to boot

 

[ShiNoBi]

really need Cunner bull against Dees.
and bring Garner bull as well

 

[tazaa]

Doubt he’ll come up

 

[Le Grille]

Doubt he’ll come up

Bernie Vince breathes a sigh of relief

 

[andana]

Meanwhile, Scott was confident star midfielder Ben Cunnington would be fit to take on Melbourne at the MCG this Saturday.

Cunnington came off the ground with a hip complaint during the third quarter of North's win over St Kilda on Good Friday. He spent much of that term off the ground but returned in the last quarter, when he was stationed primarily in the Roos' forward line and kicked a goal.

"We were very, very cautious in terms of his return to play, but I think whenever a player returns and finishes out the game strongly it's always a good pointer to the next week," Scott said.

"We had eight days to recover from that game too, so that's going to help him."

 

[Heaps of fun]

Inb4 he doesn't play.

 

[Horizons_00]

No point of playing him if he is sore