Delisted #12: Tom Cutler - Delisted, thank you for your service - 23/8

[Lore]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2022
Last Game Played: Round 13, 2022 (omit)
Injury Status: Should be available to play this weekend - 20/7
Quad strain, "standard" injury, will miss about 4 weeks - 29/6

My Boy Draft 2022: Pick 16, ghostdog

 

[Timryuken]

Don’t mind the pick up as it was cheap and he could take his game to the next level, but wouldn’t have minded us looking into Ellis-Yolman or Aiden Bonar.

Bonar could have huge upside and is more inclined to play inside and Yolman goes in pretty hard.

If we want Cutler to become an inside mid, couldn’t we have just recruited one that was available?

Refreshing to have a big unit running around though, he’s quick and has some height.


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[ghostdog]

Don’t mind the pick up as it was cheap and he could take his game to the next level, but wouldn’t have minded us looking into Ellis-Yolman or Aiden Bonar.

Bonar could have huge upside and is more inclined to play inside and Yolman goes in pretty hard.

If we want Cutler to become an inside mid, couldn’t we have just recruited one that was available?

Refreshing to have a big unit running around though, he’s quick and has some height.


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Why would we do something reasonable and logical like recruit an inside mid, when we can recruit a flanker and try to convert them? You clearly haven't seen the roaring success that is Kyle Langford.

This club.

 

[ant555]

Why would we do something reasonable and logical like recruit an inside mid, when we can recruit a flanker and try to convert them? You clearly haven't seen the roaring success that is Kyle Langford.

This club.

Pretty sure we recruited him more to play wing and to use his kicking skills. He may not be the inside bull but lets face it another area we lack is spread from the contest. Although he is not a centre bounce player he does provide a big body around the ground at stoppages.

 

[Timryuken]

Why would we do something reasonable and logical like recruit an inside mid, when we can recruit a flanker and try to convert them? You clearly haven't seen the roaring success that is Kyle Langford.

This club.

Hahaha yep.

I still hold out hope Langford will become something special in the midfield, but I think if anything he’s a good medium sized forward. We have to stop trying to convert players into something they’re not. Recruit smarter and let blokes play to their natural strengths.

Dodo is a great negotiator etc but as far as building a successful team (as opposed to landing talented individuals) he has failed based on where we’re at.

In saying that, if Dev Smith can get in the park next year it will be huge for us. Same with Joey, and hopefully we can create an environment good enough to retain him.


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[ghostdog]

Pretty sure we recruited him more to play wing and to use his kicking skills. He may not be the inside bull but lets face it another area we lack is spread from the contest. Although he is not a centre bounce player he does provide a big body around the ground at stoppages.

I agree that spread is something we lack but it's also something that can be taught and we can train for. We have both Redman and McKenna/McGrath who can play on a wing, and Zaharakis. I'm not sure how Cutler is an upgrade on any of those except that he can take a mark. Point of difference is that he's a big body. I hope I'm wrong and Dodoro has his eyes elsewhere and with other ideas but it kind of suggests more of the same, doesn't it?

 

[ghostdog]

Hahaha yep.

I still hold out hope Langford will become something special in the midfield, but I think if anything he’s a good medium sized forward. We have to stop trying to convert players into something they’re not. Recruit smarter and let blokes play to their natural strengths.

Dodo is a great negotiator etc but as far as building a successful team (as opposed to landing talented individuals) he has failed based on where we’re at.

In saying that, if Dev Smith can get in the park next year it will be huge for us. Same with Joey, and hopefully we can create an environment good enough to retain him.


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Agree wholeheartedly. It would be great if we had someone else identifying the talent and Dodo dealing for them.

I do have hope for Cutler, even if we do try to convert him. I'm impatient and probably a bit miffed about missing opportunities to fill needs, Jenkins and an inside mid among them.

 

[Timryuken]

I agree that spread is something we lack but it's also something that can be taught and we can train for. We have both Refman and McKenna/McGrath who can play on a wing, and Zaharakis. I'm not sure how Cutler is an upgrade on any of those except that he can take a mark. Point of difference is that he's a big body. I hope I'm srong and Dodoro has his eyes elsewhere and with other ideas but it kind of suggests more of the same, doesn't it?

Agreed. No disrespect to Cutler, but the fact that Brisbane started playing a hard combative brand of footy, which didn’t suit Cutler (who couldn’t make the 22), and the fact that the Lions finished second makes me think the brand we are trying to play and the player type we are recruiting are inconsistent with what gets the wins at the moment.


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[ghostdog]

Agreed. No disrespect to Cutler, but the fact that Brisbane started playing a hard combative brand of footy, which didn’t suit Cutler (who couldn’t make the 22), and the fact that the Lions finished second makes me think the brand we are trying to play and the player type we are recruiting are inconsistent with what gets the wins at the moment.


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It's interesting that in his 'welcome' vid he made a point of ensuring we're aware that he runs both ways. I wonder if his issues with defending are more around positioning as part of his line or in his space to ensure that attacking options are closed down. One thing to chase and tackle, which is always important, but another to play as part of a system and force errors.

 

[Timryuken]

It's interesting that in his 'welcome' vid he made a point of ensuring we're aware that he runs both ways. I wonder if his issues with defending are more around positioning as part of his line or in his space to ensure that attacking options are closed down. One thing to chase and tackle, which is always important, but another to play as part of a system and force errors.

If we’re going to be any good the majority of our players need to lift in terms of playing in a system and two way running. You’d flip a coin in 2019 as to whether the team would look like it or not. The GPS data often shows most teams run about the same amount, it’s just where they’re spending it.

Hopefully Rutten and Caracalla have an influence. If they do, and the new performance guy goes well we might just win some games and retain Joey.


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[ghostdog]

If we’re going to be any good the majority of our players need to lift in terms of playing in a system and two way running. You’d flip a coin in 2019 as to whether the team would look like it or not. The GPS data often shows most teams run about the same amount, it’s just where they’re spending it.

Hopefully Rutten and Caracalla have an influence. If they do, and the new performance guy goes well we might just win some games and retain Joey.


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Looking forward to it, and especially the long kicks. If he's as accurate as some say he is that will prove a real weapon. I don't think we've had a pinpoint long kick since Fletch? Hurley was once but he fell off a bit.

 

[BrunoV]

Wait, we struggle with spread from the contest?

What is our midfield if it isn't a pack of front runners?

 

[Bjchan13]

Wait, we struggle with spread from the contest?

What is our midfield if it isn't a pack of front runners?

We get caught out of position and ball watching way too much

 

[brutus76]

So, if he's as good as you say, how is it that he doesn't get a game with Brisbane. Robbo must be a superstar who runs his backside off even more, has an even bigger kick, and absolutely exceptional pressure and rebound/i50 numbers that make our players look like absolute chumps. Or Cutler, from the team we beat, isn't that good at all.

Wasn't picked for JLT (interrupted pre-season) and Robbo took his spot and he couldn't get into a winning team.
Better than a lot of our downhill skiers
His kicking for goal needs improving but can't fault his endurance. speed, pressure and defensive efforts.
Mitch Robbo had a career best year since 2011 and McCluggage made the AA squad. Didnt some ppl say the same thing about Lincoln McCarthy? Is Cutler elite? No. But damn better than some of the way one plodders we have.

 

[Vindicater]

Wait, we struggle with spread from the contest?

What is our midfield if it isn't a pack of front runners?

We only spread in one direction.

 

[Kakkle]

We only spread in one direction.

We don't even spread. That's just how we take the field at the start of the game!

 

[ant555]

I agree that spread is something we lack but it's also something that can be taught and we can train for. We have both Redman and McKenna/McGrath who can play on a wing, and Zaharakis. I'm not sure how Cutler is an upgrade on any of those except that he can take a mark. Point of difference is that he's a big body. I hope I'm wrong and Dodoro has his eyes elsewhere and with other ideas but it kind of suggests more of the same, doesn't it?

Averages 5 marks a game. He is not the same. How many 192cm wingers do we have who can kick the ball 50 plus meters, take 5 or 6 marks a game and kept running all day ? How many times in games have we kicked the ball to a smaller player on the wing that gets out marked ? Not saying he is a star or even totally best 22 but he is different to what we have and his cost was minimal.

 

[ant555]

Wait, we struggle with spread from the contest?

What is our midfield if it isn't a pack of front runners?

So when we have the ball at half back and are forced to kick to a contest you are happy with that when it happens over and over because our blokes are just meandering around like old cows ?

 

[ghostdog]

Averages 5 marks a game. He is not the same. How many 192cm wingers do we have who can kick the ball 50 plus meters, take 5 or 6 marks a game and kept running all day ? How many times in games have we kicked the ball to a smaller player on the wing that gets out marked ? Not saying he is a star or even totally best 22 but he is different to what we have and his cost was minimal.

I did say he can take a mark. He averages five. So does Zaharakis who gives away 12cm to Cutler. We had a mid in Myers who had a 50m+ peg and with Cutler we've replaced that. Difference is he'll play on a wing. What I'm saying is we have a player who can do that in Mason Redman. We're crowded for options in the backline and Redman's quality by foot would be valuable. Presumably that means Cutler's point of difference is his height, especially over McGrath, who incidentally has a similar disposal average because he runs all day. If he gets a game on the wing I won't be unhappy, and I realise his height is a point of difference for us, hopefully to our advantage. That aside, not much changes does it? ...unless he can develop his inside game. Tall big bodied inside mid. That would be different for us (Myers notwithstanding).

 

[yodellinhank]

View attachment 767161

Wouldn't look out of place in a high vis shirt, drinking Dare Iced Coffee and putting BBQ sauce all over his bacon and eggs.

 

[ghostdog]

Wasn't picked for JLT (interrupted pre-season) and Robbo took his spot and he couldn't get into a winning team.
Better than a lot of our downhill skiers
His kicking for goal needs improving but can't fault his endurance. speed, pressure and defensive efforts.
Mitch Robbo had a career best year since 2011 and McCluggage made the AA squad. Didnt some ppl say the same thing about Lincoln McCarthy? Is Cutler elite? No. But damn better than some of the way one plodders we have.

I can't fault his pressure or defensive efforts either. The question mark I put on him (and i ncidentally, your contention) is that so many Lions supporters do find fault with that aspect of his game. Interested to know who you think he's better than in that regard because, for example, Redman, Zaharakis and even Myers average more tackles than Cutler. McGrath only marginally less. Even I average more tackles than Zaharakis. He will be a fringe player for us, but I hope he isn't. His size could be an immense benefit.

 

[eDPS]

Averages 5 marks a game. He is not the same. How many 192cm wingers do we have who can kick the ball 50 plus meters, take 5 or 6 marks a game and kept running all day ? How many times in games have we kicked the ball to a smaller player on the wing that gets out marked ? Not saying he is a star or even totally best 22 but he is different to what we have and his cost was minimal.

He wants to learn the Essendon way so watch him start to drop those marks

 

[Yoda_]

I agree that spread is something we lack but it's also something that can be taught and we can train for. We have both Redman and McKenna/McGrath who can play on a wing, and Zaharakis. I'm not sure how Cutler is an upgrade on any of those except that he can take a mark. Point of difference is that he's a big body. I hope I'm wrong and Dodoro has his eyes elsewhere and with other ideas but it kind of suggests more of the same, doesn't it?

Cutler isn’t an upgrade per se but a depth option with AFL experience who has played some ok football at the top level in a position we were found wanting later in the season. See Tom Jok on a wing running around loosely, see Ham running around with minimal success.

I don’t mind the recruitment, we were forced to even use Heppell on a wing at times. Getting Cutler for pittance is a smart piece of business.


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[Yoda_]

Agree wholeheartedly. It would be great if we had someone else identifying the talent and Dodo dealing for them.

I do have hope for Cutler, even if we do try to convert him. I'm impatient and probably a bit miffed about missing opportunities to fill needs, Jenkins and an inside mid among them.

Jenkins was only an option if Joe was let go whilst the inside midfield options available (bar SPP), were all underwhelming or not good enough to improve our list.

 

[ghostdog]

Cutler isn’t an upgrade per se but a depth option with AFL experience who has played some ok football at the top level in a position we were found wanting later in the season. See Tom Jok on a wing running around loosely, see Ham running around with minimal success.

I don’t mind the recruitment, we were forced to even use Heppell on a wing at times. Getting Cutler for pittance is a smart piece of business.


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I especially like the 'getting Cutler for a pittance' part.

 

[ghostdog]

Jenkins was only an option if Joe was let go whilst the inside midfield options available (bar SPP), were all underwhelming or not good enough to improve our list.

I actually disagree with this. Jenkins didn't only have to be an option if Joe was traded. Jenkins would have been an upgrade on Brown. A forwardline with both Jenkins and Daniher looks much more potent IMO.
I also think Bonar would have improved us in the long run. Que sera.