A need for speed

[cairo tiger]

Early days yes but I am not sure if we have addressed this need completely and we were exposed a few times last year. any thoughts welcome.

 

[DustinsGuns]

I agree. I raised this at the end of last year but got shutdown.

We don't have any electric/breakneck players except for Lids.

 

[cairo tiger]

I agree. I raised this at the end of last year but got shutdown.

We don't have any electric/breakneck players except for Lids.

agree. no explosives. carlton exposed us last year.

 

[RunningBounce]

Yep, we're gunna miss Matty White, IMO.

But speed can be a bit over-rated.

Think premiership year Hawks and / or Cats. Not too many players from those teams had scary foot pace, but both teams moved the ball from one end to the other faster than any backline could cope with. A decent game plan can make up for lack of foot pace.

 

[tunksy]

umm first game of the preseason, no one is gonna go full tilt trying to break records.. its not an overly bad thing we must address it. we get exposed at times by it by bad play not some player going omg burn 3 bounces i50 goal boom.

 

[El Tigre]

Having some players who are significantly faster than their direct opponents is nice, but... Good team set-up overcomes the lack of speed. Good individual reading of play makes up for lack of individual speed.

 

[theflea]

I think we are ok for speed, but more of it can certainly help.

 

[bananatigz]

Gordon could end up playing a bit of footy if he performs I reckon

 

[kozi]

Don't think we have an issue with speed. Youngsters coming through that can play inside (think Miles, Arnott) will allow our speedier types (Lids, Foley, Ellis etc) to play more on the outside and get battered a bit less which will improve overall speed.

However, speed (and accuracy) of ball use is much more important than leg speed.

 

[Mr Magic]

Can't agree, ability is more important than speed for us.

Clearly we need more players with more ability.

Wouldn't be too concerned anyway, hoping we boost our speed stocks along with an ability boost in the next 2-3 years.

 

[tugga]

JON was quick. Just sayin'.

 

[theflea]

JON was quick. Just sayin'.

This is a good point. Speed in and of itself is good, but the player who has it must still be able to play. In other words, pace is the cherry on top.

 

[tugga]

This is a good point. Speed in and of itself is good, but the player who has it must still be able to play. In other words, pace is the cherry on top.

I have often thought over the past few years that players are chosen as athletes first and footballers second. Which is wrong (IMO). Greg Wlliams, Paul Broderick and Sam Mitchell (to name a few) were/are as slow as treacle, but they had/have footy smarts.
Our record of drafting tall basketball types (Elton, Astbury, Griffiths) hasn't exactly been a success.
Give me a footballer any day. Lance Whitnall would not get drafted today, but he had everything above the shoulders that made him such a good player.


PS: the chick sitting next to McKenna in the Gold Coast coaches box is smokin'.

 

[theflea]

I have often thought over the past few years that players are chosen as athletes first and footballers second. Which is wrong (IMO). Greg Wlliams, Paul Broderick and Sam Mitchell (to name a few) were/are as slow as treacle, but they had/have footy smarts.
Our record of drafting tall basketball types (Elton, Astbury, Griffiths) hasn't exactly been a success.
Give me a footballer any day. Lance Whitnall would not get drafted today, but he had everything above the shoulders that made him such a good player.


PS: the chick sitting next to McKenna in the Gold Coast coaches box is smokin'.

Haha the chick I noticed was Huddo!! I will check again. I don't think Griff and Astbury were those B'Ball types but I could be wrong. maybe there just junk!!

 

[RichoLedio]

How fast is Gordon? I've heard people bring him up when mentioning speedy players but is he right up there?

 

[Heisenberg_]

Fast legs doesn't win flags, strong bodies and quick precise ball movement does.

 

[living_in_syd]

Still helps to have the line breaker. Or at least not get overrun by Carlton again.

 

[Groupie_]

Matt White

 

[WALDENPOND]

Matt White

Did he play for Port yesterday?

 

[Groupie_]

Did he play for Port yesterday?

Yep

Did not watch

 

[caroma]

Matt White

14 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 1 goal


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[tigs2010]

White did nothing in the bits I saw. The stats would say he was pretty ordinary too looking at it.

 

[johnno77]

I certainly don't think more pace would hurt. Those saying Geelong didn't have any pace are forgetting guys like Varcoe, Stokes, Christensen and Wojcinski. I don't know how they compare to other players for pace but guys like Ablett, Chapman, Kelly and Mackie didn't exactly look slow in their prime either. The fact that they are all gun players certainly help.

The Hawks identified a lack of pace and got Isaac Smith and Brad Hill in recent drafts (who both played in last years flag and played their part) to add to Cyril Rioli. The Swans grabbed Jetta and Rohan.

I agree that they need to be footballers first because if their brains can't keep up with their legs, they are usually useless. Problem is, those type of players are either very high draft picks ie Deledio, O'Meara,Rioli, Jetta etc or they take years to develop. That was the most disappointing thing about White. It seemed his brain finally caught up to his legs last year and then he buggered off for more money and a longer contract without ever playing a final for the Tigers. I get why he did it but at the same time he probably should have stayed another year and bedded down the gains he made. He's placed a lot of pressure on himself this year by going to another club for more money/longer contract when he only produced one good season out of eight with the Tigers.

Short story long, I hope another player or two emerges this year who can break the lines or we go looking for one in the draft/trade period at the end of the year.

 

[sante]

We look slow cause we keep bringing in those inside mids with average skills instead of class around the footy...

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Yep, we're gunna miss Matty White, IMO.

But speed can be a bit over-rated.

Think premiership year Hawks and / or Cats. Not too many players from those teams had scary foot pace, but both teams moved the ball from one end to the other faster than any backline could cope with. A decent game plan can make up for lack of foot pace.

yep, its ball movement speed, not foot speed, that matters