that the game has gone past him in just one summer?
I will probably get shot down by every Ling lover for saying this, but I am finding hard to see wear Lingy fits in this modern day and age of football. There have been talks on this board for him to be our next captain. This is a real worry because at the moment I think his days in this game are numbered and he needs to reinvent himself for a second time.
Here are the facts about Cameron Ling
But this season he has really struggled. He looks super slow ! He has always looked slow, but with the style of game we are playing at the moment it looks even worse. He made a name for himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the comp. He could run with the best players but also hurt them going the other way. This year he has lined up on players that he has beaten in the past, and they have made him look slow, and he has chased tail all night. He might be carrying an injury that I don't know about, but I just think with the rule changes, draftees getting quicker etc etc, he is really getting showed up for how slow he is. He is one pace and one dimensional. Yes he can go all day at that same pace, but if players continue to run away from him, or pressure him because they run him down he no longer has a spot in the midfield. He doesn't have exceptional skills, he doesn't have pace, and he isn't a clearance king. If he can't keep up and play that defensive role, then what does he offer other than his big tank.
I don't often agree with Dermott Brereton but on Saturday night he gave Ling 3 votes in the Triple M WOG. Now people are going to say he had 32 possessions yadi yada, but Dermie put forward a strong case. Ling's stats were either loose ball gets, handball receives, clangers or short kicks. It took his total down to about 8 effective possessions for the night. His long kicks were all apparently clangers. Dermie's point was that Geelong's terrible stop start game plan at the moment was being worsened by players like Ling racking up useless stats, running past players clapping his hands for easy kicks, and presenting in poor parts of the ground. Whilst he wasn't our worst on Saturday night, I am concerned for his and our future if he is to remain our so called top line midfielder. He badly needs to find something else to his game. I just think he is too slow for a midfield role in this day and age, and his problems are heightned because he has no genuine line breaking pace around him. Can it be possible that somebody can become redundant in AFL in just 6 months?
I will probably get shot down by every Ling lover for saying this, but I am finding hard to see wear Lingy fits in this modern day and age of football. There have been talks on this board for him to be our next captain. This is a real worry because at the moment I think his days in this game are numbered and he needs to reinvent himself for a second time.
Here are the facts about Cameron Ling
- He tries hard and works his butt off for the club
- He can run all day and has great endurance
- Has leadership qualities
- Is a good role model for other players
But this season he has really struggled. He looks super slow ! He has always looked slow, but with the style of game we are playing at the moment it looks even worse. He made a name for himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the comp. He could run with the best players but also hurt them going the other way. This year he has lined up on players that he has beaten in the past, and they have made him look slow, and he has chased tail all night. He might be carrying an injury that I don't know about, but I just think with the rule changes, draftees getting quicker etc etc, he is really getting showed up for how slow he is. He is one pace and one dimensional. Yes he can go all day at that same pace, but if players continue to run away from him, or pressure him because they run him down he no longer has a spot in the midfield. He doesn't have exceptional skills, he doesn't have pace, and he isn't a clearance king. If he can't keep up and play that defensive role, then what does he offer other than his big tank.
I don't often agree with Dermott Brereton but on Saturday night he gave Ling 3 votes in the Triple M WOG. Now people are going to say he had 32 possessions yadi yada, but Dermie put forward a strong case. Ling's stats were either loose ball gets, handball receives, clangers or short kicks. It took his total down to about 8 effective possessions for the night. His long kicks were all apparently clangers. Dermie's point was that Geelong's terrible stop start game plan at the moment was being worsened by players like Ling racking up useless stats, running past players clapping his hands for easy kicks, and presenting in poor parts of the ground. Whilst he wasn't our worst on Saturday night, I am concerned for his and our future if he is to remain our so called top line midfielder. He badly needs to find something else to his game. I just think he is too slow for a midfield role in this day and age, and his problems are heightned because he has no genuine line breaking pace around him. Can it be possible that somebody can become redundant in AFL in just 6 months?
