Cameron Ling

[vc_viking]

Maybe just send him to the forward line without the pulling off?

They tried this against the Lions, sat him in the goalsquare for the last quarter, and he didn't get a touch.

I'd be worried if someone was "pulling off" on the field

 

[Cats!!]

Just wait to round 4-5 to judge his performance.
He did have a sh-t year last year. But you can't judge this year already on one pre-season game. Also if your judging everyone on last weeks performance against Brisbane, why isn't everyone bagging the f'ck out of Scarlett.

 

[TheTimeCometh]

C. Ling - bringin' the best outta the Cats' board!!!!

 

[chapmanmagic35]

with all due respect mate, statistics means absolutely stuff all. You're only as good as your last game.

That's rubbish. Of course they mean something. Now, I'm not going into the Ling debate again, but of course stats mean something. And no, you are not as good as your last game.

 

[Gazzajr is god]

I think most opposition coaches have relised that 25 Ling posessions wont hurt you much so theres not the tight tag that a Bartel or Ablett would recieve. If 20 of Lings posses were going to hurt then I would think he would be tagged alot harder and would only end up with 15. You only have to put someone who can apply just a bit of pressure for him to turn the ball over.
Where Gaz or Bartel will hurt you with 20 posses. So they are more likely to get the 1st and second tags. Ling would get 5th or 6th best tag.

Id prefer to see someone who has the ability to hurt by hand or foot like Prismall in his spot. Even a Davenport.

 

[sarah.13]

If Ling is to maintain a spot in the side he has to re-invent himself to be of more value to the side.

One way would be to push forward and make himself a goal kicking option instead of lurking in the back 50 racking up cheap stats. That can be done by players such as Prismall who is far more creative and damaging with his disposals.
The other plus is that he is a good shot for goal,can take a mark and would force his man to play out of position.

 

[Go Hoops]

He's a tagger - pure and simple!

 

[sarah.13]

He's a tagger - pure and simple!

Well if that's the case his playing days are numbered. He transformed himself from a slow,fat full forward into an elite midfielder and now he needs to change his game in order to be of more value to the side.

 

[Go Hoops]

Sorry to disagree Sarah, but "elite" midfielders don't miss targets regularly, get caught regularly, kick sideways regularly et al. Lingy's most productive as a run with player as he can effectively cut-out opposition players and still get his hands on the ball. Judd, Cousins, Hird, Hodge, et al are "elite" midfileders. Lingy's a battler.

 

[sarah.13]

Sorry to disagree Sarah, but "elite" midfielders don't miss targets regularly, get caught regularly, kick sideways regularly et al. Lingy's most productive as a run with player as he can effectively cut-out opposition players and still get his hands on the ball. Judd, Cousins, Hird, Hodge, et al are "elite" midfileders. Lingy's a battler.

I stand corrected. What i was trying to show was that he was able to change his game once before and now needs to do it again.

 

[Boundary-Rider]

Ling is the best midfielder at th Cats just ask him.
He does chase tackle and leads the team. Just ask him

Unfortunatley to all others his disposal, decision making and now his severe lack of leg speed make him just one of the muddlers. He will not see this as he still believes that he is the best midfielder in Geelong.

Agree most coaches would be happy for him to have 25 - 30 possessions as they are not damaging.

The most importnat stat for all teams is did we score more than our opponents, thus we win, surley not how many stats I get regardless of the team.

He may be popular with his team mates so have many a player no longer playing the game but is he respected by his footy peers. probably not.


Way back when he played his first game against the Power with less than 10 seconds on the clock, he had the ball just alongside the goal square with scores tied, Geelong needed any score even a behind, he did not know what to do and tried to run around his defender, had his hands free so could have handballed the ball through for a score. Match drawn.

James Bartel last year fired a quick handball to force a behind unfortunalely just as the siren sounded at leat he was quick thinking and doing the team thing. nearly snatched a win but for half a second.

Ling could fil a role and needs to do so soon or his career will be over at years end.


just my thoiughts

 

[Partridge]

Ling is the best midfielder at th Cats just ask him.
He does chase tackle and leads the team. Just ask him

Unfortunatley to all others his disposal, decision making and now his severe lack of leg speed make him just one of the muddlers. He will not see this as he still believes that he is the best midfielder in Geelong.

Agree most coaches would be happy for him to have 25 - 30 possessions as they are not damaging.

Spot on. Another little point. When we won the NAB Cup GF last year, a small but important factor was that Ling was injured and off the ground. Not coincidentally, we ran over the top of them and we had both Byrnes and Tenace on the park. As a result we looked fast and hungry. Neither get given much game time by Thompson and Ling is a permanent fixture. I know who I'd rather have.

What Geelong should do is "rest" Ling this week (as apparently he's the only player at Geelong who can't be dropped), and play all the younger, faster midfielders (That's all of them of course). Be very interesting to see how we look.

Apart from better of course.

 

[darren forssman]

What Geelong should do is "rest" Ling this week (as apparently he's the only player at Geelong who can't be dropped), and play all the younger, faster midfielders (That's all of them of course). Be very interesting to see how we look.

he was rested when we played port, and spent that time at torquay pub downing ales til at least midnight. he wasnt even watching the game.

he has obviously gone to the stevie johnson leadership school!!

 

[sarah.13]

he was rested when we played port, and spent that time at torquay pub downing ales til at least midnight. he wasnt even watching the game.

he has obviously gone to the stevie johnson leadership school!!

If this is true ( i don't doubt it ) he needs a reality check.
He needs to realize that his time in football is limited and needs an attitude change. Time to get the big stick out Moons

 

[Big Nasty]

I think I'ts an absolute joke having this guy as vice captain, Give It to Mooney.

 

[darren forssman]

If this is true ( i don't doubt it ) he needs a reality check.
He needs to realize that his time in football is limited and needs an attitude change. Time to get the big stick out Moons

a girl at work is a geelong fan and was down there for a family get together and swears black and blue that it was Lingy. he was there when she arrived at around 7pm and when she left at around 12.30am he was still there. no bull**** story.

 

[TheTimeCometh]

pics?

 

[sexyhunk]

seriously i too think Ling's days are numbered, he was a vital clog of our midfield couple of years ago when we had a great run at 04. But as a tagging midfileder surely someone like rooke is a more prefered option.

someone said put him on up forward?!!? hes too slow on the lead and too slow with his hands and legs for crumbing type.....he is a good mark but to me he lacks the penetration in his kicking espically on set shots to kick throguh the ball.

another option is back pocket type but that will probably mean any mistake he makes which no doubt will happen every game is going to cost us goals.....

i dont know, i really cant see him playing for too long but then again as long as thompson's coaching......

 

[ablett5]

AGREE HE NEEDS TO GO FORWARD ,or he will be a malakellis!!!!!!!

 

[thegerman]

Mainly because most journalists don't watch the game properly so they rely totally on statistics to base their reviews on.

Answer this question - what does he do with those 25-30 possessions exactly? They sure as hell don't go forward and they don't go to teammates. Friday night he had only 15 disposals for the night and his direct opponent was BOG. Was that Ling "keeping on" as you put it? Or was he just utter rubbish as usual?

Well Partridge I'll give you some homework. Next time Geelong play, see how many clangers he puts up. Also take note of when a hard ball needs to be gotten, he is taking the ball then backing into the tackle to ensure that he doesn't throw away a crap handball like others.

Usually there is a slight pause before he picks up the ball, soas to ensure he won't get a holding the ball decision against him. Other players, i.e. Mackie and some others try to be too slick with the ball and turn it over.

Ling will turn it over, he is human, and yeah most likley that turnover will look a bit bad, but for a player to get over 25 possies a game consistantly, is quite good.

Going by stats isn't the best option, but when listed against all other midfielders in the league, he ranks in the top 10. That is stats vs clangers, what more do you want ???

Whilst I do have a bit of a chuckle when he tries to kick with his opposite foot and turns it over, he is a very good player for the squad. He also ranked in the top 5 of the B&F.

How can you bag that ??

 

[martyk]

Going by stats isn't the best option, but when listed against all other midfielders in the league, he ranks in the top 10. That is stats vs clangers, what more do you want ???

That is a poor argument. I wouldn't expect a guy who kicks so many small, sideways, backwards kicks to unmarked players to kick clangers anyway. We need players who kick effective kicks to our forwards... not gather as many touches as he possibly can to keep his ugly mug in the team, and his name in the paper each week...

 

[winty]

Well Partridge I'll give you some homework. Next time Geelong play, see how many clangers he puts up. Also take note of when a hard ball needs to be gotten, he is taking the ball then backing into the tackle to ensure that he doesn't throw away a crap handball like others.

Usually there is a slight pause before he picks up the ball, soas to ensure he won't get a holding the ball decision against him. Other players, i.e. Mackie and some others try to be too slick with the ball and turn it over.

Ling will turn it over, he is human, and yeah most likley that turnover will look a bit bad, but for a player to get over 25 possies a game consistantly, is quite good.

Going by stats isn't the best option, but when listed against all other midfielders in the league, he ranks in the top 10. That is stats vs clangers, what more do you want ???

Whilst I do have a bit of a chuckle when he tries to kick with his opposite foot and turns it over, he is a very good player for the squad. He also ranked in the top 5 of the B&F.

How can you bag that ??

Here's some homework for you. Next time Ling plays (so this Saturday), count how many times he kicks or handballs laterally as opposed to kicking 50m down the line to our advantage. Count how many times he spears a pass into the forward line as opposed to just a high bomb to the top of the square?

There is a difference between a clanger and a possession that simply isn't damaging to the opposition. Ling might get 25 possessions a game, but give me a player who can get 15-20 possessions and be damaging with 10-15 of them, than a player who gets 25 and takes the soft and easy non threatening option with 20 of them.

 

[Partridge]

Well Partridge I'll give you some homework. Next time Geelong play, see how many clangers he puts up. Also take note of when a hard ball needs to be gotten, he is taking the ball then backing into the tackle to ensure that he doesn't throw away a crap handball like others.

Whilst I do have a bit of a chuckle when he tries to kick with his opposite foot and turns it over, he is a very good player for the squad. He also ranked in the top 5 of the B&F.

When you say clanger you mean like against Richmond when he kicked the ball backwards across ground costing us a goal? That was pretty good on the clanger scale I would think.

If Ling returns to good form - getting 25-30 effective touches, and nullifying good players - then I'll shut up. I'll send him flowers if you like. But it won't happen. I'm glad you have a chuckle when he turns the ball over, because some supporters like me consider that not good enough for professional players, and not the standard we need at Geelong. If he can't use the ball properly find someone else who can.

To reciprocate, I'll give you some homework - watch how often he stands in space alone pointing at an opponent and yelling for someone else to pick him up. Generally because he can't catch them. Funnily enough as a tagger I thought minding an opponent was his main job. Evidently I'm wrong.

 

[darren forssman]

Whilst I do have a bit of a chuckle when he tries to kick with his opposite foot and turns it over, he is a very good player for the squad. He also ranked in the top 5 of the B&F.

our last season was terrible and even tristan lynch would have looked good.

 

[cat_fanatic]

I watched the replay of the 2nd and 3rd quarters of the Brisbane game (since they are the only ones worth watching) paying particular attention to Ling. Not sure if any one else picked this up but only ONE of his disposals actually landed in another Geelong players hands for the entirety of both quarters. I was astounded! I wasn’t particularly impressed last year with his continuous lateral kicking but at least he was hitting targets regularly and tagging efficiently.

I’m hoping the Brisbane game was a one off and he finds some good form by the start of the real season but his speed, disposal and tagging efforts in that game were horrifying.