Brett Burton - What is expected in 2010?

[Vader]

Prior to his injury in 2008, Burton was one of our most dangerous forwards. Actually, he was one of only 2 forwards to look even vaguely close to being dangerous that year. He has always been one of the fittest players on our team list.

Fast forward to 2009 and he's a caricature of himself. The knee injury deprived him of his pre-season and as a result he had a very poor fitness base (by his standards). He was reduced to doing little more than leaping for the speccy marks, having next to no impact if/when he missed the ball and it hit the ground. His Mark of the Year (decade?) was a just reward for a career spent flying through the air, but realistically that was all he achieved in the 7 games he played in 2009.

We know he was short of fitness - that's an established fact. His return to AFL action was postponed by a week (from R15 to R16) when he failed to pull up after a heavy training session. This much was confirmed via an AFC press release.

His lack of fitness was there for all to see in the semi-final against Collingwood. To put it bluntly, he offered us nothing all night and proved to be a liability.

The big question now is what do we expect from him in 2010? Can he return to the form he showed pre-injury in 2008? Will he regain his legendary fitness? Will he be more than just a one-trick pony? How many games will he play? Will he be able to hold out the young turks in McKernan, Davis and Walker? Will he get a new contract for 2011?

 

[NTRabbit]

I think 95% of 2008, sans injury, is expected

 

[Ratto]

To have the ability to run out a game. Yes he has lots of athletic ability, but whether it can be used effectively for the club and so it doesn't harm us in crunch games is the most important part for me.

 

[sydney_crow]

If he could get his tank back to what it was in years past then I would actually be quite happy to see him playing up the ground...tall, strong-marking wingman who links up play and with ability to be dangerous closer to goal (ala Embley) would I think bring a different dimension to the team.

IMHO he would be a better bet than Symes on the wing (Mackay a gun and different style on the other wing) and would have the added bonus of ensuring that Taylor Walker would get plenty of air-time in the team up forward.

To answer the question I would hope expect that with full fitness he is capable of operating at 90-95% of 2008 form given passage of time.

 

[macca23]

I think 95% of 2008, sans injury, is expected

I think the Rabbit is no bunny.

Burton will be that 2 years older and recovering (recovered) from a knee re-construction, so 95% is probably a good estimate. He'll get his aerobic base back, which he didn't have in late 2009 and his muscles and tendons will be that much stronger after a good pre-season.

Having said that he won't want to be contesting a position with McKernan because he won't hold McKernan out, all being well. The club has a huge opinion of McKernan and will probably set out to play him every game in 2010 to fast track him, the way they did with Dangerfield, Otten and Mackay this year.

I see Walker in the same category as McKernan. If he is going to be the 200 game plus player Craig says he will be its time for his career to kick-start again in 2010 and get a heap of games under his belt.

Davis is slightly different to McKernan. He's a player who also had great SANFL form in his first year on the list but never cracked an AFL game. If he has a big pre-season and NAB Cup series, he may force them to pick him earlier rather than during the year which is the most likely IMO.

So Burton may well end up contesting positions with all 3 of the above-mentioned players - as will Hentschel.

The one advantage that Burton has over Hentschel is that even if all these young boys threaten and even displace him from the full forward line is that he can still play HFF or even wing. For this reason I expect Burton to play most games this year and play pretty well.

As for 2011, maybe. Macca and Edwards will probably go at the end of 2010, so Burton and Goody may go one more year after that.

Touch and go. Too close to call.

 

[tinman]

If he could get his tank back to what it was in years past then I would actually be quite happy to see him playing up the ground...tall, strong-marking wingman who links up play and with ability to be dangerous closer to goal (ala Embley) would I think bring a different dimension to the team.

IMHO he would be a better bet than Symes on the wing (Mackay a gun and different style on the other wing) and would have the added bonus of ensuring that Taylor Walker would get plenty of air-time in the team up forward.

To answer the question I would hope expect that with full fitness he is capable of operating at 90-95% of 2008 form given passage of time.

With a full pre-season Birdman will get back his fitness, and will be much better for it.

The way footy is played with players going back into a zone and then running into space once the ball is turned over means that Burton can make use of his fitness as a forward. That type of game gets tougher as you get older, but if anyone can do it, he can. The bloke is a freak.

 

[Charliie82]

The one advantage that Burton has over Hentschel is that even if all these young boys threaten and even displace him from the full forward line is that he can still play HFF or even wing. For this reason I expect Burton to play most games this year and play pretty well.

I think it has to be remembered that Hentschel has an even bigger advantage, i.e. that he can play down back. This might save him.

Also, I think Stevens is in this battle.

It will be Hentschel, Bird, Stevens, Davis, McKernan and Walker going for 3 spots. Maybe McKernan could replace Sellar as the back-up ruckman, but from what I've seen, Sellar is a safer bet and I would love for him to get more games into him, I think we all underestimate Sellar and how good he may become. Unfortunately I think Craig likes Moran and he may pip both of them.

 

[macca23]

I think it has to be remembered that Hentschel has an even bigger advantage, i.e. that he can play down back. This might save him.

Also, I think Stevens is in this battle.

It will be Hentschel, Bird, Stevens, Davis, McKernan and Walker going for 3 spots. Maybe McKernan could replace Sellar as the back-up ruckman, but from what I've seen, Sellar is a safer bet and I would love for him to get more games into him, I think we all underestimate Sellar and how good he may become. Unfortunately I think Craig likes Moran and he may pip both of them.

Can't argue with anything you've said there, although Hentschel's one drawback is a lack of foot speed. His big asset is that he can play KPP at either end or loose in defence. Off memory Burton has played some good games as the loose man in defence (or was he on the wing ) as well.

Yes, I did mean to mention Stevens. He's been a good honest foot soldier for us in the last 2 or 3 years at both end of the ground.

However, he is definitely one of those genuinely threatened by the rise of the young bucks - no question.

It will be an interesting battle for positions . Bring it on!!

 

[Charliie82]

Can't argue with anything you've said there, although Hentschel's one drawback is a lack of foot speed. His big asset is that he can play KPP at either end or loose in defence. Off memory Burton has played some good games as the loose man in defence (or was he on the wing ) as well.

Yes, I did mean to mention Stevens. He's been a good honest foot soldier for us in the last 2 or 3 years at both end of the ground.

However, he is definitely one of those genuinely threatened by the rise of the young bucks - no question.

It will be an interesting battle for positions . Bring it on!!

I don't recall Burton playing down back (he might have though), but I recall the times when he was a wingman. I remember once when Bird and Mattner were playing on each wing that a Victorian commentator (maybe Tony Shaw) said that they would have to be the best wingman combination in the league (seems like a long time ago now). They were good because they were both powerful runners who could push back and get dangerous forward.

I have my doubts that Bird can play as a wingman now given his age and knee issue, although it would be great if he could because it may open spots up for our other key position players (although he would then be fighting with our many young up-and-coming midfielders/wingmen). Having said this, Richo showed that it can be done.

 

[birdmanptr]

To be fit and ready to go if the injury list gets to high or Walker dont make the grade which i suspect is the only reason he stayed on the list

 

[Charliie82]

To be fit and ready to go if the injury list gets to high or Walker dont make the grade which i suspect is the only reason he stayed on the list

Bit tough on someone it appears you have dedicated your profile username to.

 

[Riggy1]

We know he was short of fitness

I actually disagree with this.
He didnt look quite rite but I beleive it was because he had a lack of game time and had forgotten how to play (well) and lacked the knowledge of the new gameplan because all he did was run instead of work on skills/gameplan during his comeback from injury

all the running pre-season would of maintained and perhaps even improved his fitness

look at Hentschel, he didnt lose any of his fitness but with the extended gap out he hadnt kept up with the speed of the game

 

[Vader]

I actually disagree with this.
He didnt look quite rite but I beleive it was because he had a lack of game time and had forgotten how to play (well) and lacked the knowledge of the new gameplan because all he did was run instead of work on skills/gameplan during his comeback from injury

all the running pre-season would of maintained and perhaps even improved his fitness

look at Hentschel, he didnt lose any of his fitness but with the extended gap out he hadnt kept up with the speed of the game

Hentschel had a reasonable pre-season. Let's not forget that he played a large part of 2008 in the SANFL (in between soft tissue injuries). The Birdman had no pre-season to speak of because he was still recovering from surgery.

 

[WALL-e]

To teach our young forwards.

 

[-CG-]

I think Burton's back/buttock injury nearing the end of the season didn't help his game come finals time. Not only did he initially gain the injury by falling heavily after going up for a mark, but he also re-injured it at training a week or two later. Perhaps it was still bothering him in the last few games?

I reckon he'll be fine and be back to his energetic self. As Riggy said he'll also have a greater knowledge of game plans and the like which should only help him going forward.

 

[drdave]

BV reckons that the birdman is "absolutely flying" during recent fitness tests. 3km 1km etc.

http://kgandthegeneral.com.au/kg/Episodes/p255.aspx at 2:42:00

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

He was reduced to doing little more than leaping for the speccy marks, having next to no impact if/when he missed the ball and it hit the ground. His Mark of the Year (decade?) was a just reward for a career spent flying through the air, but realistically that was all he achieved in the 7 games he played in 2009.

His 4 goals vs Geelong at the Cattery showed me that he can still have an impact.

He's also got to make the transition from being the star of the Forward 50 in 2008 to being a cog in the machine and having less of the footy heading his way.

A 44 goal season for mine. And one hanger in the goal square where he plays on, runs in to an open goal and gets caught holding the ball.

 

[Jetwa5h]

His 4 goals vs Geelong at the Cattery showed me that he can still have an impact.

He's also got to make the transition from being the star of the Forward 50 in 2008 to being a cog in the machine and having less of the footy heading his way.

A 44 goal season for mine. And one hanger in the goal square where he plays on, runs in to an open goal and gets caught holding the ball.

This must happen at least ounce a year the inevitable patented Burton Brainfade

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

there is no doubt the birdman will have a big pre-season and get back to the fitness base prior to his knee injury

I can see the club managing Birdman's work load throughout the season as at times he seems to get leg weary so I would not be surprised if he is rested on 2-3 occassions during the year

I would expect Birdman to play a hard running HF role pushing up the ground to create space for our key forwards and trying to expose the opposition with his hard 2 way running

 

[pjcrows]

30 goals in a more upfield role would do fine.

 

[BigBadCam]

You just need him to take the odd screamer out of the goal square. No team will ever take him fir granted. Even just having him out there to draw a defender from the likes of Tippett will be ebough to help you get over the line against a lot of teams. Supply will be no problem.

 

[footy4ever]

In 09 he kicked 15 goals in 7 games. His average of 2.1 goals per game is 0.2 goals less than Tippett and Porps, and only 0.1 goals less than Knights. And this off a knee reco with no pre-season.

Birdman will be a pain in the arse for all opposition coaches. They will always have to be covering his every move.

I'm looking forward to 40+ goals, 2 MOTY contenders, 1 screamer per game to get the team fired up, and another 4 goals when we beat Geelong.

 

[beartoo]

I may be wrong here, but it seems to me that Burton's alleged 'brainfades' are the greatest cliche on the Adelaide board. He made a few clangers as a young footballer, but I can't remember too many as he has matured.
I'm happy to be corrected. Examples from say 2005 on?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I may be wrong here, but it seems to me that Burton's alleged 'brainfades' are the greatest cliche on the Adelaide board. He made a few clangers as a young footballer, but I can't remember too many as he has matured.
I'm happy to be corrected. Examples from say 2005 on?

His brain fades have improved as he has gotten older. He doesn't play on after taking a mark every single time anymore like he did initially. The run up measuring that he does now seems to have done the trick here.

But he still flies against Tippett for marks; never spoils, brings the ball to ground or does the disciplined thing when he is out of position; and flies ridiculously early on some occasions giving away free kicks.

Would you have him any other way though? Where would the fun come from?