Retired #22: Matthew Leuenberger - offered a new deal but chose to retire - 24/10

[Blind Turn]

Showed some of his capabilities at times last night but at his best is much better than that. In a good side he can really get himself involved in general play and he can dominate the taps. Needs to have more presence in a marking capacity or at least in making an aerial contest down the line.

I've mentioned this before, but minus the development delays during his career he could've been at Goldstein levels of good. Hopefully that is still in him.

 

[yaco55]

I can't remember Leunberger being so active at ground level - This part of his game has reached a new level.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

I can't remember Leunberger being so active at ground level - This part of his game has reached a new level.

You should watch his 2015 round 14 game against Sandilands, he was incredible and showed what he's capable of as the #1 ruck.

 

[Yoda_]

Would comfortably sit inside our top 10 if the Chricton were counted now.

 

[Darealrath]

Would comfortably sit inside our top 10 if the Chricton were counted now.

He might only be behind Z. Merrett, Zaha and Kelly.

 

[MightyDons4]

Would comfortably sit inside our top 10 if the Chricton were counted now.

Top 5 I reckon. Maybe even top 3.

 

[Lore]

Leuenberger played out last week’s match against West Coast but was severely hampered by a knee problem.

The former Brisbane Lions player was sent in for scans, but the results have been positive.

“Matthew Leuenberger took a knock to his knee in the game – the knock came from the outside,” Crow said.

“Obviously at the time he was able to get through the game but we were quite concerned afterwards about his knee so we had it scanned.

“Fortunately for Matthew, he’s been cleared of any major structural damage.

“He has some bone bruising in his knee which will put him in doubt for this week.

“The physios are throwing everything at him at the moment to try and get him up but we’d say the most likely scenario is Matthew would be pushing for the week afterwards.”

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2016-07-05/injury-update-july-5

 

[Paul_Barnard]

Anyone else at the game think he got completely bullied in the ruck and around the ground yesterday?
Martin absolutely gave him a sponge bath for tap work and movement around the ground...
He also cannot mark, which is a huge problem..
He's been serviceable this season, but has some glaring deficiencies..

 

[eth-dog]

Anyone else at the game think he got completely bullied in the ruck and around the ground yesterday?
Martin absolutely gave him a sponge bath for tap work and movement around the ground...
He also cannot mark, which is a huge problem..
He's been serviceable this season, but has some glaring deficiencies..

He won the hitouts and was serviceable around the ground, but Martin was one of the best so yeah, it's fair to say he lost.

 

[patfootball04]

Leuy has been great most of the year in terms of tap work, however he doesn't fit the mould of a current-day ruckman. If you look at the best in the league- Gawn, Goldy, Nic Nat, Martin etc. they all have the ability to run, take marks, rove and play as a 4th on-baller essentially. To me, Leuy doesn't have the athleticism or coordination to match it with these blokes. Love his heart, just have question marks on him around the ground.

Thoughts?

 

[BrunoV]

Anyone else at the game think he got completely bullied in the ruck and around the ground yesterday?
Martin absolutely gave him a sponge bath for tap work and movement around the ground...
He also cannot mark, which is a huge problem..
He's been serviceable this season, but has some glaring deficiencies..

It's a weird one. In the first 10 rounds he was throwing his weight around and having a real impact at stoppages. That part of his play has been non-existent since his return from injury.

It he can find the footy like he did yesterday, win the hit outs (which he generally does) and be a presence around the ball it's enough.

Having said that, there will be an opportunity to take a developing number 1 ruck, Witts is the best example because he is a clear number 3 at his club, who has the tools to be one of the premier ruckmen in the game, and I am not sure that we should miss the opportunity just because we signed Leuenberger up for 3 years.

It's true that you probably don't need elite ruckmen to be a really good side, but the best ruckmen are hugely influential. Given that in many respects we are still building a list with an eye to the future we should make getting an elite ruck as much of a priority as any other position.

 

[BrunoV]

Leuy has been great most of the year in terms of tap work, however he doesn't fit the mould of a current-day ruckman. If you look at the best in the league- Gawn, Goldy, Nic Nat, Martin etc. they all have the ability to run, take marks, rove and play as a 4th on-baller essentially. To me, Leuy doesn't have the athleticism or coordination to match it with these blokes. Love his heart, just have question marks on him around the ground.

Thoughts?

Definitely has the athleticism to be an extra mid. He is gas for a big bloke.

He has not found a lot of easy ball so far and it's not helped by his ball use (which has been horrid in the last month). Noticed a few times yesterday that he was ignored by team mates when he was in a good position.

 

[patfootball04]

Definitely has the athleticism to be an extra mid. He is gas for a big bloke.

He has not found a lot of easy ball so far and it's not helped by his ball use (which has been horrid in the last month). Noticed a few times yesterday that he was ignored by team mates when he was in a good position.

To be fair he often looks slow and isn't the most agile, maybe it's an illusion.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Don't think any of his taps went to an Essendon player always to a lose Lions player where the * were our mids.

 

[Andronicus]

Don't think any of his taps went to an Essendon player always to a lose Lions player where the **** were our mids.

Did you read that on BF while you were at the game?

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Did you read that on BF while you were at the game?

No.

 

[Rack Watts]

Don't think any of his taps went to an Essendon player always to a lose Lions player where the **** were our mids.

Even it it were true (it isn't), wouldn't it be more so to do with the inexperience of our current midfield?

 

[Zach Package]

Brisbane's midfield has spent more time with Luenberger than ours has at this point.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Brisbane's midfield has spent more time with Luenberger than ours has at this point.

That's exactly what it was like.

 

[bombreys]

Needs to stop thinking he's a rover.

Kick-handball ratio should be 1-4, as it should be with most ruckmen.

Also needs to be smarter. The set shot he took from the boundary - how often is he converting that? 1 in 20? Send it to the top of the square.

 

[EnolaGay]

Needs to stop thinking he's a rover.

Kick-handball ratio should be 1-4, as it should be with most ruckmen.

Also needs to be smarter. The set shot he took from the boundary - how often is he converting that? 1 in 20? Send it to the top of the square.

So we can miss it from there!

 

[bombreys]

So we can miss it from there!

Dammit, good point.

 

[Andronicus]

Be accountable I say.

If anyone has a set shot inside 50, own it and have a crack. If you miss, own that as well.

 

[eth-dog]

Didn't see the game, but given the hitout numbers, I assume Jacobs was injured for the majority of the game? Is he okay?

 

[Beerfish]

Didn't see the game, but given the hitout numbers, I assume Jacobs was injured for the majority of the game? Is he okay?

Went off in the first or early in the second I think. Ankle. Scans etc.