VFL Past #54: Nick O'Brien - returning to play for Essendon VFL in 2017!

[Doss]

Hence, neat. Didn't say great.

 

[Phone]

you calling him a big potato bro?

 

[yaco55]

Watched the replay and was playing a more outside role, which is not his strong suit.

 

[yodellinhank]

Its nice having ex-senior players in the twos. Like old days.

 

[Doss]

Its nice having ex-senior players in the twos. Like old days.

From a sentimental point of view and also from the point of view of leading the kids. You do need that experience to help them come along.

 

[Doss]

Got 40 possessions last week.

Michael Gleeson reckons he should even have been in line for senior selection this week.

 

[Beerfish]

I think it might've been raised in DP already actually.

 

[Doss]

It was so funny it needed raising here too.

 

[Jade]

Got 40 possessions last week.

Michael Gleeson reckons he should even have been in line for senior selection this week.

Derp.

 

[Zach Package]

BRING HIM IN

 

[Beerfish]

How this guy doesn't get a crack when we keep playing spuds like Langford Green Colyer Laverde I'll never know. Sack Worstfold.

 

[Donakebab]

Got 40 possessions last week.

Michael Gleeson reckons he should even have been in line for senior selection this week.

40 disposals but no tackles? Delist.

 

[Phone]

How's he actually going in the VFL. I was never particularly satisfied with the arguments that supported his delisting

 

[Zach Package]

How's he actually going in the VFL. I was never particularly satisfied with the arguments that supported his delisting

They pushed him out onto a flank in the two games I watched in the middle part of the year and he really struggled to get around it. Now he's seemingly back to just ball hunting and he's had 2 really good games in a row and starting to stamp himself when it looked like he was vulnerable to getting dropped at one stage. He's still only 24 too, feels like he's been around forever

 

[Doss]

How's he actually going in the VFL. I was never particularly satisfied with the arguments that supported his delisting

Eh, he never established himself and in the few games he did play, he didn't exactly set the world ablaze.

Ala Kavanagh, there might be a granule of truth to the argument that part of why he didn't make was because he wasn't given the opportunities. But I think it really is pretty simple with Nob - he's a solid footballer, but is too slow and without enough tricks to make it at senior level.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Not having a go at him and did his best but there's a good reasons no other club picked him up.

 

[Phone]

Eh, I personally feel if you can touch the ball 30 times a game you've got something more than useful going on for you. Kavanagh, as I recall, never really did anything. It's not end of the world stuff, but I'm just sceptical when people say a player's too slow, he's great at this level but he can't step up, every team also passed on him so surely they're right, etc etc. At the end of the day, for midfielders, actually getting the damn ball is one of the most important things and Nick had shown something to indicate he was better than average at it imo. Him being delisted while Pears, Hams, etc, stayed on the list always seemed a bit of a waste.

 

[Doss]

Eh, I personally feel if you can touch the ball 30 times a game you've got something more than useful going on for you. Kavanagh, as I recall, never really did anything. It's not end of the world stuff, but I'm just sceptical when people say a player's too slow, he's great at this level but he can't step up, every team also passed on him so surely they're right, etc etc. At the end of the day, for midfielders, actually getting the damn ball is one of the most important things and Nick had shown something to indicate he was better than average at it imo. Him being delisted while Pears, Hams, etc, stayed on the list always seemed a bit of a waste.

I must say looking at his 2015 stats left me slightly surprised. 195 possessions in nine games is an average of 21 a game and there were two 30-plus efforts in there as well.

I think the fact remains though, he was probably just too slow. Like, he really was very slow, but that doesn't damage him as much at VFL level.

Could he have been given more of a go? Yes, for sure, especially given how bad we were in 2015.

 

[Yoda_]

Potentially on the move into the Essendon District Football League.


Disappointing if it does eventuate