Rookie 44. Matt Owies

Aug 26, 2004
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Nov 8, 2007
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Melbourne
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Carlton
Fyfe is often criticized for his kicking, but Fyfe makes up for it in other ways. You are doing exactly what I said, pontificating about a perceived "shortcoming", when there is plenty more on offer and your opinion on 'field kicking' is just that, an opinion, a prejudice in fact, based on no hard evidence. Regardless, No one is perfect in all aspects of the game. Results, NOT opinions are what matters, but they are overlooked by "experts" and their ingrained prejudices. So many peoples careers have been ruined by "experts" like John Kennedy at Hawthorn telling Gary Ablett he wasn't good enough and to go play in the country. Based on the same premise, empty expert analysis. Ablett's case proves the point, writ large.
I dont disagree necessarily but wonder what is your connection here?

You seen incredibly invested and knowledgeable of the skills and career arc of a carlton fringe player.
 

Bill O Really

Draftee
Jul 19, 2020
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I dont disagree necessarily but wonder what is your connection here?

You seen incredibly invested and knowledgeable of the skills and career arc of a carlton fringe player.

I call it as I see it. I have met him, but only once, that is all, and he seemed a pleasant fellow. However I think he is victim of presumptions. I don't know why a club would bring a bloke back from the US, and not give him a go. My own experience is with an offspring whom an NBL coach told me exactly what would happen if a move was made to another state. He said that state already had it's mind made up regarding the positions in the state team, and no amount of effort or brilliance would make them change their mind for a new interloper, no matter how high the credentials were. Everything he said turned out true, almost verbatim. People made excuses for lack of game time, or game, period. I encouraged offspring to stick with an individual sport after that where the results are unarguable, and it paid off really well. You couldn't argue with the results. I think Owies is in a similar situation, but having seen some of his basketball, he has the "vision thing", that spatial awareness of sports situations that excellent athletes have, I think he is being overlooked because he is a quiet, polite guy, well that is how he seemed to be, not given to big noting himself, or being a "rambunctious" footy player. Don't understand why he is being overlooked, considering how the Blues are travelling and he is scoring and playing so consistently.
 
It seems like Owies and Crocker work together really well at VFL level. Owies makes opportunities for others even if he doesn't kick goals himself. Had a relatively quiet day yesterday, but was still involved and harassed defenders.

Speaking of which, you can see why two clubs have tried Crocker. He's a jet at this level.
 
Oct 12, 2008
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Carlton
I doubted his speed off the mark and he had a great game against a quick team on the biggest field.

I was wro wro wro... Eyy!

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Watch his basketball highlights, he's very quick and powerful. He looked more controlled yesterday but he has the pace to be great defensively if he can get in that mindset of Betts or Armfield.
 
Reading this thread back a week or so and we have an opposition supporter going hard in defending a Carlton player against Carlton supporters. Upside down world.
 
Jul 14, 2005
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Just finds little pockets of space to work into, and has a nice simple set shot routine when he gets opportunities in front of goal. Some very good cameos yesterday, and certainly doesn't mind throwing his weight around a bit. Neat player going forward.
 
Nov 11, 2005
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I like the way the club have handled the development of Owies. It's been a patient approach, allowing him to become a footballer again & build confidence in the VFL. He became a consistent goalkicker in 2019 & continued this through this year's pre-season & into Round 1 of the VFL season.

I think he could prove hard to shift out of the team.
 
May 1, 2016
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As someone who doubted him - and, to an extent, I still do - he played very well yesterday.

My concern is, still, that the goals he kicked were mark-set shot goals; ie, not small forward goals. Sure, Betts, Breust, Elliot etc need to be able to kick the set shot, but it can't be your entire game as a small forward. You need to be able to kick a goal in general play, and you need to show a bit of evasive nous as well as knowing when and where to be to rove the ball off a pack and to get clear in general play. I buy him as a small lead-up target, not a small forward.

Now, the question becomes: does it matter how he kicks the goals? My answer is, a bit. See, it's one thing for Harry to kick a goal in general play or from being a chip scab - small forward opportunist goals - because he's exceptional overhead and has the height/size to trouble every player in the comp in a marking contest. It's quite another for Owies to be unable to get into the positions to kick those goals, because he cannot compete with a KPD or a true medium defender overhead.

I'll be honest, I've not seen overmuch of him play. I've watched games of VFL and highlights, and so my observations should come as the armchair expert I am. But he kicks an awful lot of goals from a set shot, and we have Charlie, Harry, Gov, Kennedy, Cuningham, JSOS, Fisher, Fogarty who can do that whilst providing either superior size, marking power, speed, flexibility or ground ball play.

We need an opportunistic goalsneak. If he can make that position his own, terrific, and I hope he can continue to make his case this year.
 
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