Opinion Butcher

[Tibbs]

Agreed, Butch appears considerably lighter than last year, he looks to have lost at least 3 or 4 kilos to me, and I doubt he is anywhere near the 94 kgs he is listed as on the club site ( see REH's explanation), and with his hip problems a couple of extra kg's is probably all his frame could handle.

In the first half of yesterday's game he was jostled and moved off the ball a number of times by the south fullback, and that player's body pressure cost him at least 3 marks in the 1st qtr.

I remember a few years ago people talking about how skinny the Hoff was ... how he was too light ... getting pushed off the ball ... get rid of him!! etc etc. Now look at him! Perfect weight at 94kgs. I reckon that Burgess has made Butch shed a few kgs to take the pressure off his hips as he gets his body healthy, Get a full season playing footy, then get another preseason into him ... then unleash him in the AFL in 2015. Please everyone remember he is still only 22 years old!!!

 

[Powerstufff]

.... Please everyone remember he is still only 22 years old!!!

That point has been multiple times in this thread, there comes a time when reposting it is of little value.

 

[raman]

That point has been multiple times in this thread, there comes a time when reposting it is of little value.

That could go for pretty much any point being made in this thread, to be fair.

 

[1954]

That point has been multiple times in this thread, there comes a time when reposting it is of little value.

Absolutely, not to mention he is only a gnat's appendage off turning 23, but I did say not to mention that. lol

Being serious for a moment, I doubt any of Butch's well documented problems have anything to do with his age anyway ( particularly his hips ), if that is a genetic problem then unfortunately he is stuck with it, and it could quite probably effect his longevity in the game.

Mitch Harvey eg is at least 4 years younger than Butch, and he has a very good kicking technique, during warms ups in front of the Quinn stand yesterday he put 4 on the trot straight through the comic cuts from about 45 metres out, Butch on the other hand def missed 3 from a similar distance, and the 4th may have faded to the left as well.

 

[yepits2020]

Interestingly, the club's website gave Butcher 4th best.

portadelaidefc.com.au’s best: Moore, Heath, Summerton, Butcher, Neade, Flynn

Not that I am an expert, but I concur that Butcher was in the best three or four (stated it previously I think) as compared to what the Advertiser had listed. Just needs to impact the game a bit more (maybe the confidence in kicking) and he'll be fine.

 

[*PAF]

If he had been on our list for as long as he has with little or no injuries, no operations and multiple pre seasons then yeah a number of posts would have merit.
He hasn't and they haven't.

 

[Power Pete]

Watch out Butchy.... Mitch Harvey's flying up forward.

 

[crafty_bernardo]

Watch out Butchy.... Mitch Harvey's flying up forward.

Well from what I've read on this board, Butcher had the better game yesterday.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Watch out Butchy.... Mitch Harvey's flying up forward.

The few posters on here who are still saying that Harvey is playing better than Butcher are the absolutely perfect example of Butcher being a victim of being held to a higher standard than everybody else by some people on this board. Butcher has kicked 18 goals in 6 games. Harvey has kicked 13 in 7. Butcher had 8 marks, 5 tackles and 3 goals yesterday, Harvey barely touched the ball and went scoreless. In no way, shape or form is Harvey currently playing better than Butcher. He might be performing better compared to expectations than Butcher, but that's only because Butcher's expectations are so much higher.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

The influence of all those drugs didn't dim the perception of The Eagles

They will never forget you
til somebody new comes along

 

[Hellgood]

Watch out Butchy.... Mitch Harvey's flying up forward.

Now as I live in WA I obviously did not attend or watch the Magpies game yesterday, but on face value thats an utterly ridiculous call given Mitch had the mighty game of 7 disposals, 1 mark, zero tackles for a return of 0.1 (Butcher had 10 disposals, 8 marks, 5 tackles for 3.3). Harvey certainly has impressed in the SANFL, but his performances have not been better than Butcher's. Schulzenfest put it perfectly.

Throughout pre-season there were people putting Mason Shaw in our best 22, saying that he'd overtaken Butcher. I am a big fan of Mason's but he looked a very long way off AFL standard in the NAB Challenge as was Harvey for that matter. People just like new and shiny things.

 

[I Dont Care]

The influence of all those drugs didn't dim the perception of The Eagles

They will never forget you
til somebody new comes along

Classic song...classic truth

 

[I Dont Care]

I'm starting to think that that flurry of goals Butch kicked in the AFL late in the 2011 season has done more damage to him than his injuries, well confidence wise anyway

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

if he wasnt a top 10 pick he'd be treated the same as stewart

 

[Schulzenfest]

if he wasnt a top 10 pick he'd be treated the same as stewart

No, if he wasn't a top 10 pick he'd be treated as a promising young key forward playing good football in the SANFL after his first ever full pre-season but who needs to work on his inconsistent set shot conversion. As a top 10 pick, he has certain posters on this website who think he should be traded or delisted because he's not dominating the AFL at 22 years old.

 

[PJ Power]

I'm starting to think that that flurry of goals Butch kicked in the AFL late in the 2011 season has done more damage to him than his injuries, well confidence wise anyway

Don't know about that. I'd suggest that it was that flurry that has many of us still holding out hope that he can amount to something special at AFL level.
What he needs to do now is to have a couple of 10+ mark, 15+ possession games at SANFL level, with 4+ goals.
If he can put together that sort of form in two out of three weeks, then I think Hinkley will have him back in the Power side.
Yesterday, statistically at least was an improvement in that he took 8 marks, and the couple highlighted on the club's youtube page were nice high overhead marks amidst other players.
The goal conversion is going to be hit and miss. He could kick 4.1 in four consecutive matches at SANFL, and will be just as likely to kick 1.4 from the same number of shots in his fifth game. What we need to see is that his marking both on the lead and in the contest is back up to scratch, and that he is working offensively and defensively hard enough to stay in matches for four quarters, not these five minute bursts just before half- and full-time.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I'm starting to think that that flurry of goals Butch kicked in the AFL late in the 2011 season has done more damage to him than his injuries, well confidence wise anyway

Nope those games showed what he is capable of given time and space and a sound body.

But it was no fluke that a big bodied Jarred Rivers game him nothing at the AO gave v Melbourne in August 2011. But then again, Rivers gave Schulz nothing a few weeks ago against Geelong.

 

[I Dont Care]

Those 2011 games got him 'The Future' nickname, and great expectations...some people can't handle such weight with any confidence...and from what I can perceive(I don't get to see Butcher much), confidence is his problem

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

No, if he wasn't a top 10 pick he'd be treated as a promising young key forward playing good football in the SANFL after his first ever full pre-season but who needs to work on his inconsistent set shot conversion. As a top 10 pick, he has certain posters on this website who think he should be traded or delisted because he's not dominating the AFL at 22 years old.

Some posters on here and TPFP wanted Boak traded because he wasn't producing a top 10 performance and never dominated a game. Some of those and others wanted Hartlett traded because he didn't dominate games and was always injured. Others wanted Gray traded because he was always injured. Carlile to fat and slow - trade him. Jacko - can't run properly and has an awkward kick - trade him.


There are a lot of 24/7 pants wetters who don't have any patience and live the disposal lifestyle. Thankfully our recruiters, list managers and coaches don't all think that way.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Those 2011 games got him 'The Future' nickname, and great expectations...some people can't handle such weight with any confidence...and from what I can perceive(I don't get to see Butcher much), confidence is his problem

No his body is his issue. It hasn't functioned properly and that has affected his confidence not the weight of expectations.

 

[I Dont Care]

No his body is his issue. It hasn't functioned properly and that has affected his confidence not the weight of expectations.

It may be a combination of both REH

 

[Ford Fairlane]

The one thing I've realised from all this discussion is that two weeks between games is too long!

 

[Ford Fairlane]

No his body is his issue. It hasn't functioned properly and that has affected his confidence not the weight of expectations.

Mentally he's a mess with a set shot in front of goals. I know people will quote his accuracy at sanfl level but there are a lot of gimmes, soccers off the ground and weird gaelic hook kicks among that tally. That's not his body, that's his head and Port should be working on him with that. I've seen some guys with an awful flat mongrel punt helicopter kick that could split the middle.

Whether that's a psychologist's job, or a set shot kicking coach or a combination of both needs to be worked out by the club. I know Kenny says he's a bit of a WYSIWYG player but that set shot anxiety will ruin his game.

It's not a matter of hardening up or whatever macho shit spin people want to put on it, people get anxious - clinically anxious - about all sorts of things others consider an everyday item. Gephyrophobia is one I heard about recently ... who'da thunk it?

If he can get that part of his game right, a lot of other parts will fall into place says Dr Ford.

I don't disagree his body is an issue (having been there for that chat as you noted) and he needs more pre-seasons under Burgo's and McKeown's expert tutelage for a bit of a rebuild.

 

[Rexie J]

It's really hard to tell unless you went to a game like a professional recruiter and decided to just watch Butcher all day.

When he is in a contest no one works harder. If he overruns a ball or spills a mark he is straight back into it like a pit bull after a kid on a bike. If he is close enough to effect some sort of pressure he will be in there. He never quits.

The trouble is he can utterly disappear from a game and you quite literally forget he is out there. Where is he during these times? Abducted by aliens, having burgers with Elvis? I don't know, hence the need for a specialised Butcher-watch.

As JimmyBeerCans and Macca19 previously have acknowledged he leads himself under the ball way too much, like he has the depth perception of a 90 year old. Then he's taking himself out of contests.

In the Magpies he might have Harvey with him up forward, Bruggemann, Shaw to come and he could be trying to do the team thing and not get in the way of the other tall forwards. It can be a frustrating life as the tall forward, offering leads that are basically decoys. He might actually be working too hard to give space to team mates and dragging himself out of the contest.

Mentally he's a mess with a set shot in front of goals. I know people will quote his accuracy at sanfl level but there are a lot of gimmes, soccers off the ground and weird gaelic hook kicks among that tally. That's not his body, that's his head and Port should be working on him with that. I've seen some guys with an awful flat mongrel punt helicopter kick that could split the middle.

Whether that's a psychologist's job, or a set shot kicking coach or a combination of both needs to be worked out by the club. I know Kenny says he's a bit of a WYSIWYG player but that set shot anxiety will ruin his game.

It's not a matter of hardening up or whatever macho shit spin people want to put on it, people get anxious - clinically anxious - about all sorts of things others consider an everyday item. Gephyrophobia is one I heard about recently ... who'da thunk it?

If he can get that part of his game right, a lot of other parts will fall into place says Dr Ford.

I don't disagree his body is an issue (having been there for that chat as you noted) and he needs more pre-seasons under Burgo's and McKeown's expert tutelage for a bit of a rebuild.

Heartily agree Ford.......................but still mortified you had to (earlier) drag 90 year olds into this discussion......way tooooo close......

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Heartily agree Ford.......................but still mortified you had to (earlier) drag 90 year olds into this discussion......way tooooo close......

Hand up your driver's licence Rexie, you're biologically a menace.