- Joined
- Jan 30, 2013
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- Port Adelaide
Mate I think you need to update your signature!
How did Butcher go yesterday? I wasn't able to watch the game, and I don't think I'll get a chance to see the replay unless I'm really keen (which I'm not
)
How did Butcher go yesterday? I wasn't able to watch the game, and I don't think I'll get a chance to see the replay unless I'm really keen (which I'm not
But just in case you don't.
I think his game was a little bit below average (in the literal sense). He really tried hard, there wasn't a single contest I recall where he didn't impose himself. To be honest the sight of someone able to do this in our forwardline was borderline nostalgic. He even managed to hurt a few opposition players and even made Haynes shit his pants when he was running at him in the last after a few contests with him earlier in the game. He got his hands to many incoming balls without ever really getting a piece of most of them. Which probably is an apt way of explaining how he was below his knees too, many sort of bobbled around without being able to one grab them. He did however take a couple crackers, not one grabbers but real strong contested marks with defenders mauling him. His leading was poor, too often not providing dummy leads and also dragging his player towards a teammate attempting a mark. He tackled well, and generally moved very well to attacking positions once the ball was on the ground. He had a free kick in the first which resulted in a bad miss from then he continued to just work and hit packs until the late in the game, where surprisingly to me he wasn't subbed off which was basically my favourite coaching move of the day. His second half was good, he didn't disappear as he had in previous seasons. He was the main player in basically the most memorable play this year where he had 3 involvements including two marks, hard running, a neat pass and tight angle clutch goal which was the turning point. He later had a strong mark and failed to make the distance. He did some of the hard and invaluable things so well yet still had his poor kicking and a few times he maybe could have clunked the grab (that's marking him harshly).
From a 25 game key forward it was a beyond acceptable game and on it alone, he should be selected for the season remainder. He showed all his promise as well as his downfalls in a single game. Probably his best game in his last 20. He has much to learn but that was never debated, he did as well as anyone could have asked for.

