Opinion Bryce Gibbs - tagger, half back or midfielder?

[#BeNavy]

Or none of the above?

I know this topic has prob surfaced before, but I couldn't help but seek opinions RE Bryce.

I still don't know what player we want him to become and I seriously don't know whether he has the desire or will to become an A grade player, which is pretty disappointing for a no.1 pick whose been in the system for 7 yrs.

Mick said last week that he's categorically "untouchable". He definitely ain't playing like a player who is "untouchable".

I've always said he should just play midfield, and leave him there. But reality is, he hasn't taken any of these roles by the scruff of the neck and I just do not know what his best position is. Funnily enough, I think he has played a lot of his best football off half back.

I just don't think tagging is a role you assign to a no.1 pick. That should never happen. It's a negative role and takes away from your best assets. To be a good tagger, you need to have constant physical contact with your opponent and make it hard for him to get the ball. I also think you need to be good inside the stoppages. We all know that Bryce isn't the most physical player out there. He's not going to go in hard for a ball with his opponent and attempt to fight hard for the ball. He had the job of running with Ziebell on Friday night. Ziebell injured his leg/knee half way through the 2nd quarter and could hardly run. Yet, when he came back on the field, he still managed to have an impact on the game a lot more so than Bryce.


It's really frustrating because he is one of the players we need to take that next step to make us a better side. But we are still waiting for him to do it and it's becoming increasingly annoying. He is just bit-part player at the moment.

In order for him to become an elite player, I think we need to play him in one position and say to him "this is your opportunity to make this position your own", instead of changing his role around so often.

So I ask, what is his best position?

 

[Cazbah]

He reminds me so much of Goddard. Will become elite later in his career.

 

[#BeNavy]

He reminds me so much of Goddard. Will become elite later in his career.

So you think he will be a utility?

Goddard started showing signs of becoming an elite footballer a lot earlier in his career than Gibbs.

 

[HARKER]

Seems to me that Gibbs himself may not be doing enough to demand a starting midfield role.

Malthouse said he'd be playing him as a mid yet he's back to tagging players.
A job is a job but I wish that Ziebell was forced to tag Gibbs rather than the other way around.

 

[Cazbah]

So you think he will be a utility?

Goddard started showing signs of becoming an elite footballer a lot earlier in his career than Gibbs.

And Gibbs has showed signs too. Has played a few blinders (Round 1 this year rings a bell), has an elite kick too.

Utility describes him perfectly.

 

[MightyBlue]

Mick didn't seem too concerned when asked about his performance post game. Think his best work has been in the midfield, but definitely needs to work on his consistency. Played really well against quality opposition (Hawthorn, Sydney, Essendon) earlier in the year, but has dropped off in the last couple.

Whilst stats can be misleading, over his career Bryce is pretty much on par with Goddard:
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...id1=1719&tid2=6&pid2=371&type=A&fid1=C&fid2=C

 

[pinot]

two way mid 100%.. and our most effective midfielder this season by a long way.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Seems to me that Gibbs himself may not be doing enough to demand a starting midfield role.

Malthouse said he'd be playing him as a mid yet he's back to tagging players.
A job is a job but I wish that Ziebell was forced to tag Gibbs rather than the other way around.

Agree with this.

We have an immensely talented utility on our hands. By rights we should be able to use him where our greater need is at the time because he is so good everywhere. However sometimes .... sometimes, we use him in varying roles because he is not maintaining consistency in the roles we'd like him to play in. His own worst enemy unfortunately.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

two way mid 100%.. and our most effective midfielder this season by a long way.

Unfortunately that is not saying a lot. Our midfield has been down and we don't have a midfielder within cooey of an individual award or AA spot. If we are to spark over the next couple of months, this is where it has to come from.

 

[pinot]

Unfortunately that is not saying a lot. Our midfield has been down and we don't have a midfielder within cooey of an individual award or AA spot. If we are to spark over the next couple of months, this is where it has to come from.

He has been down past three weeks - was given a specific accountability role friday, his season stats are good...his tackle count, contested pos, inside 50 he is a different footballer this year. great to watch very closely - more importantly loves the big games and playing on big name players through the middle. he has had big scalps this year hodge, josh kennedy, cotchin, keep it up brycey https://www.dropbox.com/s/flkzoep7rumie5f/gibbs.PNG

 

[Big_Luch]

leave him in the midfield for a season and see how he goes. un-fair giving him a handful of games and expecting him to be scott pendlebury.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

He has been down past three weeks - was given a specific accountability role friday, his season stats are good...his tackle count, contested pos, inside 50 he is a different footballer this year. great to watch very closely - more importantly loves the big games and playing on big name players through the middle. he has had big scalps this year hodge, josh kennedy, cotchin, keep it up brycey https://www.dropbox.com/s/flkzoep7rumie5f/gibbs.PNG

Yep and he is best 22 every game, all season. He also shouldn't be judged based on his original draft pick. That's ancient history. However, we do know what gifts the footballing gods have bestowed on him. We just do not see them consistently enough to help lift our team to another level. Would love to see more intensity from Bryce.

I've never been a knocker, have defended him multiple times but there is no more learning curve, no more development, no more excuses. He simply needs to be a leader now and be at his best most weeks. Your Hodge types will have 18 out of 22 very good games and 5-6 where they absolutely carve up. This is where Gibbs should be, not because of his draft pick, but because we have seen him do it and set what should be a minimum standard for himself.

 

[De Iulio2Wiggins]

I've always thought floating defensive half forward. Use his tagging skills to shut down the opposition's best rebounding defender, use his smarts and kicking to send in 6-8 super precise F50 entries a game (which helps our blue collar forward talls actually get hands to it), hopefully jag a goal or two a game himself from 50m handoffs.

If he or Walker are having a shit day at the office, try swapping Walker forward and Gibbs back to restore their confidence.

 

[Seen5]

Yep and he is best 22 every game, all season. He also shouldn't be judged based on his original draft pick. That's ancient history. However, we do know what gifts the footballing gods have bestowed on him. We just do not see them consistently enough to help lift our team to another level. Would love to see more intensity from Bryce.

I've never been a knocker, have defended him multiple times but there is no more learning curve, no more development, no more excuses. He simply needs to be a leader now and be at his best most weeks. Your Hodge types will have 18 out of 22 very good games and 5-6 where they absolutely carve up. This is where Gibbs should be, not because of his draft pick, but because we have seen him do it and set what should be a minimum standard for himself.

I think he's worked inside quite a bit this year. First time i've ever seen him do this. I reckon this is still part of a learning curve. He has quite a few knockers but, like Judd this year, he's done a fair bit off the ball that other can't do.

I agree with the carve it up 5-6 games a season. This would be a big move forward to take the next step.

 

[pinot]

career player comparison gibbs, cotchin, kennedy & hodge.. no point head to head on career just select 2013
http://finalsiren.com/PlayerCompare...yerName4=&SelectedPlayers=1716,528,1851,1845,

 

[Claypigeon]

Yep and he is best 22 every game, all season. He also shouldn't be judged based on his original draft pick. That's ancient history. However, we do know what gifts the footballing gods have bestowed on him. We just do not see them consistently enough to help lift our team to another level. Would love to see more intensity from Bryce.

This. ..

If his best asset to the team is to play an offensive (two-way) run-with player than that is the position he should play. .. Never understand this: "you don't make a No. 1 into a tagger" business. .. His draft selection means nothing now except to judge our recruiters. .. WE praise Carrazzo for playing this role, why not Gibbs. .. Agree, he needs more consistency but he is best 22 each and every week and that is enough for me not to knock him. ..

 

[The Blue Baggers]

to be fair to ratten he tried gibbs in a number of positions. always felt as an elite mid-fielder he did not win enough of his own ball or provide enough run and carry as an outside mid

seems to do very well when given a run with role or plays across half back in a quarter back type role.

he is a very good footballer but you always think he can do more

 

[HARKER]

leave him in the midfield for a season and see how he goes. un-fair giving him a handful of games and expecting him to be scott pendlebury.

Mick doesn't play games.
He's given Lucas a role and Lucas has been given the time to build into that role even when at times one could have lost the faith.

I reckon that Mick has afforded Gibbs even more leverage but something just isn't working to plan.
Gibbs has the talent to be more than just a role player. He should be the one that opposition coaches have head-aches planning to tag but that just isn't the case yet.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I think he's worked inside quite a bit this year. First time i've ever seen him do this. I reckon this is still part of a learning curve. He has quite a few knockers but, like Judd this year, he's done a fair bit off the ball that other can't do.

Yep, I have given him much credit for his improved inside game. In some of those early close loses, he was still trying to rip the ball out from stoppages when teammates had fallen away. I am sure I mentioned it a couple of times in the podcast.

What I mean is he has shown he can do it, shown he has the will, shown he can roll up his sleeves. There's the bar. He doesn't have to learn to extract the ball, he has shown he knows how to do it. He has now had a taste of each role he can be realistically be expected to play in. Now he just needs to apply his skill and intensity to each and every role he is asked to do each week.

I get frustrated by all of our players when the corral an opposition player and wave their arms around as a token effort, all the while giving them enough time to get a kick away 40 metres down the field and make it somebody else's problem. In tight games, territory is paramount. It is probably my major criticism of Gibbs this year. Just little drops in application and consistency that a very good player in his prime shouldn't be having anymore.

I recognise his skills, but it's a good thing to recognise where he needs to improve as well. He's certainly not the only one though.

 

[pinot]

Anyone remember Bryce's last 10 games of 2011 before he got injured round 22? Should have won B & F that year.

 

[MightyBlue]

What I mean is he has shown he can do it, shown he has the will, shown he can roll up his sleeves. There's the bar. He doesn't have to learn to extract the ball, he has shown he knows how to do it. He has now had a taste of each role he can be realistically be expected to play in. Now he just needs to apply his skill and intensity to each and every role he is asked to do each week.

This
Needs to perform up to the standard we know he's capeable of more often than not. I'm a huge fan, and am backing Mick to get the consistency required out of him.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Anyone remember Bryce's last 10 games of 2011 before he got injured round 22? Should have won B & F that year.

I think you feel you have to defend Gibbs. It is precisely his positive exposed form that has us wanting to see it more often. To be considered a gun, you have to perform to that level the majority of the time. He has the game, and has the ability, he just needs to have the desire.

 

[pinot]

I think you feel you have to defend Gibbs. It is precisely his positive exposed form that has us wanting to see it more often. To be considered a gun, you have to perform to that level the majority of the time. He has the game, and has the ability, he just needs to have the desire.

His season & talent questioned on three below average games is unfair - he will not get to the Ablett, Swan and Pendelbury class. But that's ok these guys are super elite. Playing to the class of Cotchin, Hodge, Kennedy, Selwood, Watson - he is already there in terms of output and consistency.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Saw him line up at chf at one stage on Friday night, can we throw that in??

It's not a question of wether he deserves a spot in the midfield, it is where he is most effective on the day, and he does plenty out there. Looks like can he tackle now as well.

He never gets any credit, last week he put Murphy's tagger Steven out of the game for 25 minutes with a beautiful hip and shoulder in the middle, if it was Mitch Robinson we'd all be jumping about saying how tough he is........Bryce does it, don't hear a peep.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

His season & talent questioned on three below average games is unfair - he will not get to the Ablett, Swan and Pendelbury class. But that's ok these guys are super elite. Playing to the class of Cotchin, Hodge, Kennedy, Selwood, Watson - he is already there in terms of output and consistency.

No point in quoting me in regards to his talent and season being questioned. It wasn't a point I made. I believe he doesn't have a consistency in desire or application but does have all the skill in the world. Statistically he might compare favourably to some of the players you mentioned, but I am not quite sure about the consistency and he trails them all in intensity.

Put it this way, Gibbs now adds plenty to the side but he is not a standout leader and he needs to be. He doesn't need to be an enforcer, doesn't need to be at the bottom of every pack. He does need to go when it is absolutely necessary though, and we can look no further than Kade Simpson and the way he does not hesitate to put himself on the line when the situation is tense. On top of that he shows the calmness experience brings.

It does annoy me that Gibbs gets very little credit in the AFL community, and is not a media favourite. It does his reputation no favours whilst others gets overrated. I guess it is because we don't see him ripping through a pack, and see only isolated incidents of a physical presence (that people will refer back to numerous times to remind others, because it isn't instantly self evident).

He's a laconic type of player and has always had the reputation of being on his own time, in his own space, right back to his SANFL days. All I know is that I want to see that fervour, that desperation more often, and I want to see him demand the attention that others get. I want people to talk about how they have to watch Gibbs, not just Judd or Murphy. He's a walk up start every week, but he should be a gun every week, and if he has a down game, it should stand out and be commented on, because it is a rarity. That is where he should be. Again, not because he is a number one draft pick, but because that is how much talent he has and how high he has set his own bar. Less distance in between best and worst as much as possible.

Not sure why this wouldn't be seen as a balanced and constructive opinion.