Birdman close to a return!

[jackster83]

From the Messenger website:

CROWS high-flyer Brett Burton could make his return to football via Woodville-West Torrens as early as next week.

The ``Birdman’’ was spotted at Eagles training on Tuesday night as he continues to recover from a knee reconstruction.

Crows communications manager David Burtenshaw said Burton would not play for the Eagles against South Adelaide this Sunday, but could ``quite possibly’’ play the following week against Glenelg at Woodville Oval.

``He’s unbelievable,’’ Burtenshaw said.

``He’s had two weeks of full training and you’d hardly know which knee it was.’’

Burton, 31, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee against Collingwood in Round 15 last year.

Woodville-West Torrens football manager Kym Ireland said the club was yet to be told if or when Burton would be available for selection.

http://city-messenger.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/burton-close-to-sanfl-return/

Great news for the birdman, and hopefully he can get back to his best!

 

[Cap]

Its going to be interesting to see how the AFC handle this

 

[Damp Squarie]

Interesting to see who drops out for the Birds return.

When he does return (and he's in our best 22) I'd keep him out of the forward line first and foremost. No point in having him jump all the heads of Walker and Tippet. Hopefully they'll play him on a wing.

 

[Glenno23]

Interesting to see who drops out for the Birds return.

When he does return (and he's in our best 22) I'd keep him out of the forward line first and foremost. No point in having him jump all the heads of Walker and Tippet. Hopefully they'll play him on a wing.

This

I think Reilly would be most in danger of losing his spot

 

[Vader]

This

I think Reilly would be most in danger of losing his spot

Reilly is already dropping out with a blown hamstring, presumably replaced by Douglas, Johncock & Goodwin as they return from injury/illness.

If we take the R11 team as the baseline (noting R12 had an unusually high number of players missing short-term), then it becomes harder to call. My guess would be Symes, but that's probably because he's my favourite whipping boy. Love his hardness & courage, hate his disposal. Others would nominate Douglas for much the same reason.

The reality is that he's probably 3-4 weeks away (minimum) from returning to the big league. Odds are that injury will create a vacancy somewhere on the field in that time.

 

[crowsarethebest]

He should play on a HFF. Don't play him on a wing... his best football before he got injured was up forward. He was our most dangerous forward and was in career best form and was one of the most dangerous forwards as he could play tall and small. If he still has his leap he'll be very very dangerous. Porps, Birdman, Tippett, Walker, Knights and a rotating mid like Danger, Douglas etc... what a forward line.

 

[Glenno23]

Reilly is already dropping out with a blown hamstring, presumably replaced by Douglas, Johncock & Goodwin as they return from injury/illness.

If we take the R11 team as the baseline (noting R12 had an unusually high number of players missing short-term), then it becomes harder to call. My guess would be Symes, but that's probably because he's my favourite whipping boy. Love his hardness & courage, hate his disposal. Others would nominate Douglas for much the same reason.

The reality is that he's probably 3-4 weeks away (minimum) from returning to the big league. Odds are that injury will create a vacancy somewhere on the field in that time.

I meant Reilly might struggle to get a spot when he does resume from his injury

Might not be anywhere for him, seeing as he hasn't been great this year (a couple of good games here and htere)

 

[NTRabbit]

He should play on a HFF. Don't play him on a wing... his best football before he got injured was up forward. He was our most dangerous forward and was in career best form and was one of the most dangerous forwards as he could play tall and small. If he still has his leap he'll be very very dangerous. Porps, Birdman, Tippett, Walker, Knights and a rotating mid like Danger, Douglas etc... what a forward line.

He won't have the match fitness to play on a wing, he'll probably be rotated through the bench and forward line.

 

[Weekend of Bernie]

IMO -
WHEN THE BIRD FLIES BACK:

B: Johncock, Rutten, Otten
HB: McLeod, Bock, Goodwin
C: Vince, Doughty, Mackay
HF: Knights, Walker, Burton
F: Porplyzia, Tippett, Dangerfield
R: Maric, Edwards, Thompson
I/C: Moran, van Berlo, Douglas, Stevens

Out of 22: Reilly Symes Petrenko Shirley

This has size, presence and aerobic challenge to any defence. It is flexible, creative, powerful and great in the air, on the ground and around the goals. It would scare the pants of most opposition.

 

[Glenno23]

IMO -
WHEN THE BIRD FLIES BACK:

B: Johncock, Rutten, Otten
HB: McLeod, Bock, Goodwin
C: Vince, Doughty, Mackay
HF: Knights, Walker, Burton
F: Porplyzia, Tippett, Dangerfield
R: Maric, Edwards, Thompson
I/C: Moran, van Berlo, Douglas, Stevens

Out of 22: Reilly Symes Petrenko Shirley

This has size, presence and aerobic challenge to any defence. It is flexible, creative, powerful and great in the air, on the ground and around the goals. It would scare the pants of most opposition.

I still think we need Symes hardness at the ball

He burns it sometimes, but he just has no regard for his body and we will need that hardness IF we make the finals....

 

[Macjoe]

I don't like thinking about this. The Birdman is a good Whyalla boy, saw him here in April for the Melbourne game (he didn't think that game was up to much, either). Have loved him like a son for years - from afar, not trying to say I am a mate or anything.

BUT... He was born in '78, Tippett in '87. When Brett was our saviour, we had Burton, a very over-rated Welsh, sometimes an injured Roo, the occasional Biglands and later an uncertain Gill and a wounded Porps.

Now we have Tippett, Walker, a very fit and capable Porps, Knights, Danger and a host waiting in the wings. Why would we drop someone for Brett? I think he will get back in our starting 22, and probably (but dare I say it - not certainly) stay on the list next year, but even if he is better than the up and comers at the moment, they are our future, so he has to make way for them and be a spare parts player in his last year or 2.

While the idea that Brett has had his time is a bitch, it's also the case.

(Unless we make the top four this year, which suddenly seems possible, in which case his experience and desire will be invaluable).

 

[Rise_up_Stiffy]

Birdman must come back in. He will add so much to our already impressive forward line.

 

[Weekend of Bernie]

Symes is the player I have most difficulty dropping from the 22 precisely because of his hardness, but somebody has to be dropped to make way for the Birdman. The others in contention are Douglas or Mcleod. Symes is the least flexible or creative of these. Of course this great-to-have headache may just pass with an injury or 2. All I know is that the Birdman would be a first choice in any AFL team and, when added to our own excellent bunch of juniors, could cause something of a riot.

 

[NTRabbit]

Mcleod.

No he isn't. He's still so damaging that he wears the hardest tag in the game every week, and still manages to contribute 15 or so touches, in the knowledge that it allows another midfielder to do serious damage while preventing the opposition coach from reacting with a switch of opponent.

Symes is the one on the outer as far as the coaching staff is concerned, given that the only thing that has changed since the word coming out when Reilly was dropped is that Knights has become a goal scoring machine, and Douglas has picked up his rating a little.

 

[WALL-e]

Lets worry about who goes out, when/if Birdman is ready for selection.

We may well have a couple of injuries at that time or a couple of players badly down on form.

But a fully fit and firering Bird man walks into the 18.

 

[cmndstab]

Interesting thoughts about whether or not he'd be fit enough to play the wing. He's obviously lost a fair bit of weight and hasn't been able to run for the whole preseason, but he's such a naturally fit guy I wonder if he's still got enough to play wing/bench?

 

[tinman]

Lets worry about who goes out, when/if Birdman is ready for selection.

We may well have a couple of injuries at that time or a couple of players badly down on form.

But a fully fit and firing Bird man walks into the 18.

Can't wait to see him back in. He is a freak, and I think that he will lack little in terms of fitness.

He is a nightmare for opponents to match up on and Birdman was easily our best forward when he got injured.

 

[Jars458]

No he isn't. He's still so damaging that he wears the hardest tag in the game every week, and still manages to contribute 15 or so touches,

Would say Thompson gets the hardest tag but your point is valid.

 

[WALL-e]

Can't wait to see him back in. He is a freak, and I think that he will lack little in terms of fitness.

He is a nightmare for opponents to match up on and Birdman was easily our best forward when he got injured.

Dale Morris and Jones from the Eagles are the only 2 players I've seen beat the bird man, because of the aerobic capacity and markin ability, he is a horrid match up.

 

[jackster83]

Dale Morris and Jones from the Eagles are the only 2 players I've seen beat the bird man, because of the aerobic capacity and markin ability, he is a horrid match up.

Joel Patfull touched him up during our usual dismal Gabba effort last year.

IMO when he comes back, he will take over Dangerfield's role in the forward line as the mobile, mid-sized, leading forward. Dangerfield could then go into the midfield although this will create selection dilemmas as to whose spot he takes (assuming no injuries). He could possibly take over the inside mid role that Douglas has played of late.

It really is time Reilly got his sh!t together, and makes a position his own. I'd like to see him take ownership of the wing and take over Symes' role (no disrespect to Symes).

 

[maccas_no1]

Cant say Im over the moon about Burton coming back, I feel its going to 'throw a spanner in the works' Burton is just unpredictable, you never know what he is going to do and it could be more harmful than most realise.

 

[cmndstab]

Cant say Im over the moon about Burton coming back, I feel its going to 'throw a spanner in the works' Burton is just unpredictable, you never know what he is going to do and it could be more harmful than most realise.

I don't follow this line of logic. I can see this creating problems for the opposition but why our own team?

I assume you're saying it will be detrimental to his teammates as opposed to saying that his game will be directly negative to the team.

 

[maccas_no1]

I don't follow this line of logic. I can see this creating problems for the opposition but why our own team?

I assume you're saying it will be detrimental to his teammates as opposed to saying that his game will be directly negative to the team.

Yes detrimental to his teammates and their development, I mean ultimately the first issue arises who drops out for Burton??? Burton is known for taking hangars at any chance he gets and more often than not spoils his own team mates causing turnovers, on the wing he has 'brain fades' or 'Wild Donkey Syndrome' as I like to call it and in unpredictable and usually ends up turning over the ball he has never had the abilty to be a good deliverer of the ball to a leading forward rather a 'bomber', should have been delisted last year IMO.

 

[cmndstab]

Yes detrimental to his teammates and their development, I mean ultimately the first issue arises who drops out for Burton??? Burton is known for taking hangars at any chance he gets and more often than not spoils his own team mates causing turnovers, on the wing he has 'brain fades' or 'Wild Donkey Syndrome' as I like to call it and in unpredictable and usually ends up turning over the ball he has never had the abilty to be a good deliverer of the ball to a leading forward rather a 'bomber', should have been delisted last year IMO.

Last year was his career best year, before injury obviously. He was playing brilliantly.

The development argument I agree with, it would be a pity to displace a young forward for a year or two in a time we're unlikely to win a premiership anyway, particularly as our forward line is actually functioning for the first time in God only knows how long, but Burton's direct influence on the game is surely beyond question. The only issue there will be if his body can still stand up to the rigours of AFL.

 

[maccas_no1]

Last year was his career best year, before injury obviously. He was playing brilliantly.

The development argument I agree with, it would be a pity to displace a young forward for a year or two in a time we're unlikely to win a premiership anyway, particularly as our forward line is actually functioning for the first time in God only knows how long, but Burton's direct influence on the game is surely beyond question. The only issue there will be if his body can still stand up to the rigours of AFL.

Burtons influence on the game could unsettle what we have, so once again I ask Burton is ready to play at AFL level who do you drop for him to play??? Whta positive aspects going forward do the AFC gain by having him back playing over what we have now??? My thought is none there are no advantages to him playing at the moment all it is going to do is justify the AFC's descion to give him a one year contact, all it will do is disrupt the development of our future sucess, I mean lets be honest here the likes of Shirley and Rielly are struggling to get a kick because their roles are being filled by better younger quality players, I think the AFC need to rid themselves of Rielly and Burton last season and I did make that call.