Bower and Army

[HeziBarecket]

Bower played his best game today. Completely blanketed Buddy Boy. Terrific competitor, and his lanky style really messes up other teams forwards and his mopping-up improves each week. He tries his guts out, and does his role - he is everything Rusell should be..

Army has been a bit rusty this year, but this guy really competes, and the fact he looks like a real bogan gives us a grit and toughness away from the usual metrasexual style of modern footballer.

His clearance and kick to Fevola was fantastic, Wayne Harmes came to mind. Shame Fevola couldn't kick, the big Mario. He'll do it next time. It was his best game this year, so we can only expect improvement.

 

[blues4flag]

Bower's last three games have been brilliant after an average start. Someone has to tell him to back himself put the thing on his boot once in a while. Handballed it at every opportunity today but to his credit it did come of most times - even when he did put his teammates under pressure.

 

[Kahuna]

Looks like the faith we put in Bower is about to pay off with a solid defender for us. Still he will make the odd stuff up but he gives it his all.

Army did some good things today, throws his body at the ball which is very good. He should stay in the team, gives us some toughness around the ball.

 

[Warsaw]

Both impressive players. Both should be in our 22. Very impressed with Bower, yet, he can do a job like that on Buddy, but he can't do the same for a Bradshaw...

 

[kreuze_missile]

Bower is going to be an elite defender after a few more summers in the gymnasium. Great sign of things to come today

 

[BlueSnake]

Very impressed with Bower, yet, he can do a job like that on Buddy, but he can't do the same for a Bradshaw...

Heh, yeah I was thinking the same thing today.

I guess the difference is, Buddy gives him a bit more of a chance to spoil the ball whether Bradshaw with those goddamn massive arms was able to draw him into a true body contest and just got rid of him too easily.

Still, I was amazed at times at how Buddy couldn't get rid of him. Maybe he didn't respect Bower enough and just thought he'd be able to pluck the ball everytime. Regardless, Bower was fantastic and more than backed up his performance on the big dude last time.

I'd like to see Army in the team all the time, he can be unpolished and is still learning I guess but damn he can bring a lot to the side. It was because of him taking the Hawks on through the middle that Fev got that opportunity...
TBH I've been an Army fan from the day he made his impressive debut vs. Geelong last year.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Now that i am gay for Kruezer,
and the Emu has filled my groin with pulsation.


Seriously, Armfield is like an old '70s half backer, (can't work out who)
but he worked it out real quick, and delivers by hand instead of foot.

Stick with him.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Very impressed with Bower today. Buddy is no easy beat even though he is a bit down on form.

Kreuzer is also very impressive.

 

[no. 4]

An awesome game by Bower. He is starting to string a few good games together. Wouldn't be surprised if he has been one of the better vote getters for the Carlton B&F over the past month.

 

[Weiterbot23]

Bower was great yesterday, very dustin fletcher like.

Army is another one that we need in the team, his pressure is fantasic and he really plays his heart out. I love Gibbs, but if he showed half of armys desperation yesterday we would have won.

Army is the sort of player that doesn't shrink on the big stage, unlike some of our other players that do well when we are winning but make errors or go missing when the game is on the line against tough opposition.

 

[pgm87]

bower is great, i love the way he moves...always keeps you on the edge of your seat!!

army's run through the centre in the last quarter was great. imo we should be using him for his speed and creativeness rather than a stopping job. he wont lose his spot.

 

[Banga19]

I think Bower is a fair bit stronger than he looks. At least has far more core strength than I thought previously, and I really think he is out future CHB, as opposed to a rebounding 3rd tall, as many people automatically assume.

Hopefully he gets first crack at Pav next week. Has the pace, same height and more strength than I believed to go with him.

 

[HBF]

Like Betts and Murphy, both of these boys have improved since last year, and we are really starting to bear the fruits of developing our kids from the TAC Competition, and we are in for something pretty special over the next few years.

 

[Alpha1]

Army needs to stay in the 22 for the rest of the season, blood him. He is a hard nut and will improve with every game he plays. Bower was fantastic, after 2 down weeks he has bounced back very well.

 

[CarltonSocialClub]

Both played well.

Bower seems to handle Buddy better than most of the elite defenders in the comp! Did they grow up playing against eachother much in WA?

Army brings a lot of grunt to the team, needs to do less kicking and more handpassing though.

 

[gbatman]

Bower future all australian CHB.
Armfield, everything you want in a half back flanker.

 

[thylacine60]

Have a look at Army's guts, determination and skill in getting that ball to Fev in the dying moments. This bloke is already playing for the jumper. Toughest little concreter going round.

 

[Blues_FC]

Armfield's shrugged tackle and perfectly weighted kick to Fev near the end was awesome to watch. His class under pressure was amazing. If only Carlton could have used the ball like that in the dying moments of the Essendon game... In that match, we fumbled and f*cked around and looked like we were shitting our pants when the pressure was on and the siren was about to go.

Armfield's poise and clear-headedness was fantastic yesterday. He certainly won a lot of respect from me with that effort.

Pity Fev hit the post, but what can you do? Poor guy will be far more pissed of with himself than we are.

 

[Desmodromico]

Both played well.

Bower seems to handle Buddy better than most of the elite defenders in the comp! Did they grow up playing against eachother much in WA?

Army brings a lot of grunt to the team, needs to do less kicking and more handpassing though.

Nah, Bower was from Peel Thunder which is in Mandurah. Mandurah is about an hour drive south of Perth.

Buddy was drafted from Perth Footy Club after playing less than 10 minutes of footy for Perth FC. Buddy played all of his footy for Dowerin, which is about two and a half hours east/north/east of Perth. Also, Buddy is a year older than Bower.

I agree, Bower has improved a lot this year. He is a lot more confident and is developing into a very reliable backman.

Army is one of my favourite players. He is all heart and I love the way he goes about his game.


PS. Next week drop Bentley and bring in S.Browne.

 

[fnm_just a man]

These boys are 2 of my favourites.

Bower cracks me up every week. Always appears to be completely lost and has most supporter's on the edge of their seat but where I used to be one of those supporter's I've learned that although he looks completely out of control, he never gets caught and rarely stuffs up. . Pisser to watch though. And the way he is always directing play but looking like he has no idea what's going on. He has a lot more idea than he shows. I actually think he is a great reader of the play.

As for ARMY, I'm surprised more supporter's aren't calling for him to be given more freedom to run and create. He is very good at what he does atm, but he would better serve the team to run and create. Breaking the lines, doing unconventional things to create. Remember the dribbling ball that he did (against Geelong??) where he was one on one, dribbled it past his opponent so that he could run past without being tackled and then picked it up again and continued on? That's the kind of Army I like to see. Less stopper, more attacking. He is just about our fastest and is appears very strong now, really should be one of our line breakers. His kicking is better than people give him credit for too and his ball handling (marking and on the ground) is excellent. The message should be: RUN, BREAK LINES, CREATE !! He is one of those types. Love him!

 

[one eyed bluey]

Finally we have a solid defender we can rely upon!! How long have we waited!? (Maybe against the massive FF's he'll struggle, but we have Jammo for that anyway)

Armfield, im not sure of. Anyone seen his ball drop when he kicks? Awkard to say the least. Almost like his kicking for touch in rugby or something, however it seems to hit the target more often then not. He'll be a great team player for the club.

A few pieces of the puzzle coming together...

 

[thylacine60]

Finally we have a solid defender we can rely upon!! How long have we waited!? (Maybe against the massive FF's he'll struggle, but we have Jammo for that anyway)

Armfield, im not sure of. Anyone seen his ball drop when he kicks? Awkard to say the least. Almost like his kicking for touch in rugby or something, however it seems to hit the target more often then not. He'll be a great team player for the club.

A few pieces of the puzzle coming together...

You probably already know he has a rugby background and now you mention it, his kicking style does resemble a full-back looking for touch.

 

[TheNumber4]

My opinion of Bower has changed dramatically. He has really developed into an excellent young player and now he is a must have in the team. I still sit on the edge of my seat when he is in possession of the ball but find that he rarely stuffs it. I think the opposition are fooled by him as well.

When we secured Judd, I was devastated that we traded Josh instead of Paul Bower. Now I can see that this decision was the right one. I loved JK but he has had so many injuries and has hardly played, the decision to keep Bower is a very good one.

As for Army, if Fev had've kicked the goal, we all would have been talking up Army taking on the 4 hawks players and getting the ball to Fev. The hawks supporter next to me said "Who the bloody hell was that?" I thought of 1999 prelim and those final seconds with Wallis and Fraser Brown.

I really like Dangles' dash and attack on the ball. He just needs to learn how to stand on the mark.

 

[blotto]

I was but a wee lad when he was playing, so my memory isnt great, but is there a bit of Michael Sexton in Bower? I remember Sexton being a quick not overly muscular CHB that could hurt is opposing player with spoils and his ability to run off