Past #16: Scott Thompson - to retire end of 2019 season - thanks Scott

Apr 24, 2013
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Well well well well...

Well...

Shush!

Apologies.

Resuming normal transmission

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Apr 7, 2013
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In context remember Ben was v young when drafted and will be 21 all next season. Patience dear grasshopper. Reckon Benny will play every game next year just could see players in different roles at different times. Maj running off a half back flank and time in the ruck don’t forget. Could easily see Maj, Benny and Robbie even spending time forward. Also by some of Loaders comments was almost like they want to play Benny forward but have been playing him back to teach him defense.
I dont need to be convinced, but I'm tipping a bloke that's been in the bests as often as Ben has is needing it at the minute.

Judging on Ben's last video, I'm not sure he wants to be anywhere near the forward line. Reckon he feels at home at FB and his confidence is very high at the moment. Was very reluctant to agree with interviewer about going forward anyway.

Didnt we initiate the vfl team so blokes could play 2s and once elevated could transition seamlessly? Wtf would we play McKay at fb for 2 years and then swing him forward in the 1s? Doesnt make sense.

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KiwiRoo

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They'll got them...they just turn them to s**t. Brother McKay hardly gets a look in and weitering is struggling.


maybe they would have benefited from some more time at VFL level to get some experience and for these big blokes to grow into their bodies.

I think Scott has been smart with Mackay. He's 20 years old which is like a premature birth in KP terms.
Plenty of time. No need to rush him in. Let him get an AFL body first
 

Passmore

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I dont need to be convinced, but I'm tipping a bloke that's been in the bests as often as Ben has is needing it at the minute.

Judging on Ben's last video, I'm not sure he wants to be anywhere near the forward line. Reckon he feels at home at FB and his confidence is very high at the moment. Was very reluctant to agree with interviewer about going forward anyway.

Didnt we initiate the vfl team so blokes could play 2s and once elevated could transition seamlessly? Wtf would we play McKay at fb for 2 years and then swing him forward in the 1s? Doesnt make sense.

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I reckon if he was told his way into the team was up forward he'd take it. Looked bloody good there late on Saturday. Collins is highly rated as a VFL defender and Ben pulled his pants down.

He knows how to play both ends now which should be good fir him.

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Pykie

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He deserves it.

At any other club I'd be all for it.

However, this is slightly worrying when it comes to McKay. Ben has a higher ceiling than Tarrant imo, he needs games, we could have a legitimately elite tall defender when we get him to 100 games.


When it comes to Brad the only way to clear the way for a young player is dead set delisting the player in his way, he simply refuses to rotate the side and he isn't going to change this mantra in a side that may have added Gaff and Polec.

I get Durdin and Nielson could be gone and we need depth, so I'm hoping Thommo is now considered the depth rather than McKay, but I doubt it.

The fact Ben wasn't played at all this year despite his VFL year this year pisses me off to no end. He will be out the door if it happens again in 2019.
 
He deserves it.

At any other club I'd be all for it.

However, this is slightly worrying when it comes to McKay. Ben has a higher ceiling than Tarrant imo, he needs games, we could have a legitimately elite tall defender when we get him to 100 games.


When it comes to Brad the only way to clear the way for a young player is dead set delisting the player in his way, he simply refuses to rotate the side and he isn't going to change this mantra in a side that may have added Gaff and Polec.

I get Durdin and Nielson could be gone and we need depth, so I'm hoping Thommo is now considered the depth rather than McKay, but I doubt it.

The fact Ben wasn't played at all this year despite his VFL year this year pisses me off to no end. He will be out the door if it happens again in 2019.

I get where you’re coming from. However, I’m sure the strong expectation within the club is that we’re finally going to land our “big fish” now. That means we should be well and truly in the mix for a strong charge next season. If Thommo plays really well, McKay is going to have to break the door down to get into the team. While we can all argue the toss over which direction is the best to handle this situation, the bottom line is that it’s a good problem to have. If Thommo drops off next year, he’ll be out of the team.


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Pykie

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I get where you’re coming from. However, I’m sure the strong expectation within the club is that we’re finally going to land our “big fish” now. That means we should be well and truly in the mix for a strong charge next season. If Thommo plays really well, McKay is going to have to break the door down to get into the team. While we can all argue the toss over which direction is the best to handle this situation, the bottom line is that it’s a good problem to have. If Thommo drops off next year, he’ll be out of the team.


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Evidence would suggest that is extremely unlikely in any circumstance.
 
Sep 11, 2014
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While i have banged on about the only issue i have with Thommo extending until end of 2019 is that he may prevent the opportunity of players like Mckay to get a look in and therefore blunting their development

On the other hand Thommo played seriously incredible footy before the bye. Almost career best form, so it would be silly to say no to keep him on

Wish Brad was not so stubborn though. Maybe we can find a different spot for McKay etc but i seriously hope he doesn't leave as i fear 2019 may be Thommos last year
 

Rockstar6

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Have changed my mind a little. Happy for him to stay on but aslong as it doesn't hinder Ben McKay playing regular games
 

The Dingrel

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I dont need to be convinced, but I'm tipping a bloke that's been in the bests as often as Ben has is needing it at the minute.

Judging on Ben's last video, I'm not sure he wants to be anywhere near the forward line. Reckon he feels at home at FB and his confidence is very high at the moment. Was very reluctant to agree with interviewer about going forward anyway.

Didnt we initiate the vfl team so blokes could play 2s and once elevated could transition seamlessly? Wtf would we play McKay at fb for 2 years and then swing him forward in the 1s? Doesnt make sense.

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dont disagree, but just commenting on a something Loader said. End of the day, think Nielsen's undoing was that he's a bit 1 dimensional...a guy who can play both ends of the ground (although BS has been reluctant to swing players) is ultimately more valuable.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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I get the impression that some folks think the premiership cup is eternally out of reach and that we need to constantly promote youth for a train that will never arrive at its destination.

Thompson plays next year because he's an AFL premiership quality defender..........................next year.
 

arden station

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Thompson is outstanding for his size partly because he's still very agile and quick over 5-10 metres with his short stride - more so than our medium sized defenders except for Williams. He reads the play as well as anyone and so takes stacks of timely intercept marks and uses his body very well.

He also kicked it as well as any of our other defenders in 2018 and was prepared to take on high risk/reward kicks more so than the others.

We have high quality tall backs in Thompson, Tarrant, Daw and McKay on our list.

It's our medium size defenders who weaken our side and as a group lack agility, speed, endurance and turn it over. Glad the club realises Scott Thompson is not responsible for their weaknesses and will give him another year.
 
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I get the impression that some folks think the premiership cup is eternally out of reach and that we need to constantly promote youth for a train that will never arrive at its destination.

Thompson plays next year because he's an AFL premiership quality defender..........................next year.

original_798d60d8257b82769d357c0df57a36e9.jpg


This man - gets it.
 
I don't think Scotty is holding back McKay or Durdin as he is more suited to playing on a medium sized player, he can play on talls and do well, it just is far more prone to not working well. The issue we have has largely to do with MacMillan, Wright, McDonald and EVW who typically mind similar forward targets. We were able to bring Daw into the side mid season so the issue wasn't Thompson.

Hopefully Tarrant can address whatever hindered him this year because his defensive work was really poor by his standards.

Assuming there are no changed to the back half spots, I would assume our best back 6 are:
Williams Tarrant Wright
EVW Daw Thompson

Wright also needs a big pre-season, i know the bad leg problems have restricted him for the last few years but he was looking mighty slow out there at times this year.

What is perplexing is that MacMillian is always in our back half and McDonald is typically back there as well which means we quite often have opposition players running around without a man in or near the middle of the ground and when we can't slow the ball movement we just can't cover the loose players and they do too much damage.

I think we need to get back to a more traditional defensive setup, there aren't any contenders in this year's top 8 that allow the opposition to run amok in the middle.

Our midfield problems stems from a lack of personnel but our defensive issues imo are more structural and game plan related.
 

Roo Beauty

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I don't think Scotty is holding back McKay or Durdin as he is more suited to playing on a medium sized player, he can play on talls and do well, it just is far more prone to not working well. The issue we have has largely to do with MacMillan, Wright, McDonald and EVW who typically mind similar forward targets. We were able to bring Daw into the side mid season so the issue wasn't Thompson.

Hopefully Tarrant can address whatever hindered him this year because his defensive work was really poor by his standards.

Assuming there are no changed to the back half spots, I would assume our best back 6 are:
Williams Tarrant Wright
EVW Daw Thompson

Wright also needs a big pre-season, i know the bad leg problems have restricted him for the last few years but he was looking mighty slow out there at times this year.

What is perplexing is that MacMillian is always in our back half and McDonald is typically back there as well which means we quite often have opposition players running around without a man in or near the middle of the ground and when we can't slow the ball movement we just can't cover the loose players and they do too much damage.

I think we need to get back to a more traditional defensive setup, there aren't any contenders in this year's top 8 that allow the opposition to run amok in the middle.

Our midfield problems stems from a lack of personnel but our defensive issues imo are more structural and game plan related.
A new defensive coach in Rhys Shaw who played in a premiership as a part of a stingy Sydney defence may help this.
 
A new defensive coach in Rhys Shaw who played in a premiership as a part of a stingy Sydney defence may help this.

I hope so.

Once we get more legitimate A grade midfielders, the music is going to stop playing and I think a number of players are going to be left without a chair. ATM it has been easy for us to dump a lot of flankers on the pine and other places because we have been very thin on the midfield front.
 
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