Preview Changes: R2 v Richmond

[Bicks]

I think it's his path into our side, but eventually Gooch will settle into a midfielder role within a couple of seasons.

I really see him as what Douglas should have been as a player.

You're kidding right..."what Douglas should have been as a player".....at this point in time I'd happily accept he has a career as good as Richard Douglas. To date Gallucci has been somewhat underwhelming for a 1st round pick that came to us in very good physical shape from the get go.

 

[Vader]

So you say, unfortunately for you that's not backed up by your past observations and actions.

I'm not making a "career over" call on a 2nd year player who I have barely seen. I've never made that kind of call on anyone. Those I've made that call on have all been in the system for a lot longer than that.

I've seen enough of him in the JLT series, and in the few SANFL games which were broadcast here last year, to know that he's not ready for AFL right now. That is all that I have written about him, and I don't see you disagreeing with that call.

 

[Sanders]

Bedwetters everywhere

* this s**t.

We’ll win by about 6-7 goals

 

[Jack is Back]

I'm not making a "career over" call on a 2nd year player who I have barely seen. .

WHAT????????

I thought that was your strong suit Vader .

 

[PasswordisTaco]

View attachment 476286

Bedwetters everywhere

**** this s**t.

We’ll win by about 6-7 goals

Gotta say I've been loving your work lately Colonel.

 

[the universal]

I didn't think you cared about footy this year?

For better or worse, it's hard to rescind the personal attachment to this whole thing within a short time. I haven't watched a non-Crows game this year but still feel a pull to watching the Crows as disillusioned as I am. It's just how it is right now.

 

[Alwaysacrow]

You may very well be right, but Bicks does have a valid point in suggesting that I haven't seen enough of him to make that call. Unfortunately for Bicks, that wasn't the call I was actually making.

I've only seen him play live once and admittedly it was only the internal trial game Crows had in pre-season. Obviously I didn't care who won so I concentrated my efforts in viewing as many fringe players as I could. The white shirt teams numbers were very hard to read but Sigs hair stood out clearly so I watched him closely. From my perspective he just ran around madly like a chook with it's head cut off achieving absolutely nothing. It seemed to me he had no idea where to be at any given time, no awareness at all, totally the opposite of a champion like M. Crouch who is a pure ball magnet. That's what I saw anyway, other people may have a different opinion.
On a side note watch out for Patrick Wilson. Tall MF type in the mold of Henderson, but better I think. I hope he gets a chance this year, he looks like a very handy pick up.

 

[Slippery Pete]

I liked Blight’s response last night when Kornes asked if one of the Crows ins was underdone (pretty sure it was Milera).

“Some players can just play.”

Also, anyone who thinks a player isn’t ready for AFL action solely from what they’ve seen the player do in the SANFL or J Lo Flo Rida TLJ Jay Z whatever the * that pre-season comp is called, is full of s**t. There are intangibles related to selection that have nothing to do with Mickey Mouse league form.

Some players can just play.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

I've only seen him play live once and admittedly it was only the internal trial game Crows had in pre-season. Obviously I didn't care who won so I concentrated my efforts in viewing as many fringe players as I could. The white shirt teams numbers were very hard to read but Sigs hair stood out clearly so I watched him closely. From my perspective he just ran around madly like a chook with it's head cut off achieving absolutely nothing. It seemed to me he had no idea where to be at any given time, no awareness at all, totally the opposite of a champion like M. Crouch who is a pure ball magnet. That's what I saw anyway, other people may have a different opinion.
On a side note watch out for Patrick Wilson. Tall MF type in the mold of Henderson, but better I think. I hope he gets a chance this year, he looks like a very handy pick up.

I'm very keen to see what he can offer.

Great size, can play mid/wing/half back, has both skill and toughness...an overall combination in very short supply atm.

More skill than Gibson, Kelly, CEY.
Tougher than Atkins, Seedsman, Milera (though he needs to play also and has a chance to prove himself starting tonight)
Bigger than Knight, Galluci, Murphy, Mackay.

 

[Vader]

WHAT????????

I thought that was your strong suit Vader .

I give them a bit longer than that before making that kind of call. If a player isn't showing signs by the end of their 3rd year, that's when I start getting really concerned.

 

[Slippery Pete]

I give them a bit longer than that before making that kind of call. If a player isn't showing signs by the end of their 3rd year, that's when I start getting really concerned.

How’d you go with Luke Hodge?

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

J Lo Flo Rida TLJ Jay Z whatever the **** that pre-season comp is called

I vote that this be the new name of the pre-season comp!

 

[Vader]

How’d you go with Luke Hodge?

WTF?

 

[Slippery Pete]

WTF?

His first three years were pretty average.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I would, if we're talking value to the team and not bringing age into the equation.

Me too but overall no

 

[Jeffcrowe]

And? For the tools Douglas has, he should have been a better player over his career. Not someone who had 1-2 seasons where he plaued exceptional then regressed.

Galluci won't have a career as decorated as Douglas

Much too big a gap in class level

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I’m pumped for this game now and feeling more positive than I was in the days after the Bombers game.

I’m worried about Milera’s ability to run out a full game but I think he’s in our preferred XXII on the half back line so we’ve put him in there as fast as we can.

Ignoring Smith, this is pretty much just three down from our best team [missing B.Crouch, Douglas & Lynch]. Knight is probably in there but not not a major issue.

Tex needs to stand up despite his limited pre-season and run his ass off to providing a link and hit some packs hard along the way.

Eddie, mate, we need you. Kick 6 please.

Talia - shut Riewoldt down completely and keep it simple, short and sharp with your kicking.

I want Sauce, Sloane, Crouch and Gibbs to ******* dominate - 2 goals a piece thank you.

Lose this and it’s a bloody tough ask to make top 4.

Season almost on the line tomorrow night.

Let’s get it done, boys. Fire up.

#weflyasone

Knight is a major issue mainly due to a lack of depth in that position

 

[MarcusP2]

His first three years were pretty average.

Hodge was a #1 pick who by the end of his 3rd season had played 45 games and collected 9 Brownlow votes (4 in his last 4 games). I think that would count as 'showing signs' which is all Vader said the player needed to be doing.

 

[Slippery Pete]

Hodge was a #1 pick who by the end of his 3rd season had played 45 games and collected 9 Brownlow votes (4 in his last 4 games). I think that would count as 'showing signs' which is all Vader said the player needed to be doing.

He was a slow starter for a kid with such big wraps.

As you rightly point out, Hawthorn played him 45 times during that period. He didn’t select himself...

 

[Vader]

His first three years were pretty average.

Maybe for a #1 draft pick, but he still played 45 AFL games in those first 3 seasons. That's a far cry from a player who is struggling to break into an AFL team after 3 years, which is the kind of player I'm usually guilty of writing off.

 

[conVINCEd]

Knight is a major issue mainly due to a lack of depth in that position

I like him but he cops so many damn injuries he doesn’t feel like a settled member of the first choice side.

 

[Vader]

He was a slow starter for a kid with such big wraps.

As you rightly point out, Hawthorn played him 45 times during that period. He didn’t select himself...

I probably wouldn't have predicted that he'd go on to be one of Hawthorn's great players, achieving everything that he has. I wouldn't have been calling for him to be delisted, and predicting that he'd never make it at AFL level.

Most of the time I get those predictions right - think Petrenko, LJ, Grigg, and Martin. Occasionally, a player comes along and makes a fool out of me - Laird & Mrouch being the current obvious examples.

 

[conVINCEd]

I've only seen him play live once and admittedly it was only the internal trial game Crows had in pre-season. Obviously I didn't care who won so I concentrated my efforts in viewing as many fringe players as I could. The white shirt teams numbers were very hard to read but Sigs hair stood out clearly so I watched him closely. From my perspective he just ran around madly like a chook with it's head cut off achieving absolutely nothing. It seemed to me he had no idea where to be at any given time, no awareness at all, totally the opposite of a champion like M. Crouch who is a pure ball magnet. That's what I saw anyway, other people may have a different opinion.
On a side note watch out for Patrick Wilson. Tall MF type in the mold of Henderson, but better I think. I hope he gets a chance this year, he looks like a very handy pick up.

Signorello gives me similar vibes to Myke Cook. Looks lively but doesn’t do much and has a terrible kick. Hopefully I’m wrong.

 

[jo172]

Signorello gives me similar vibes to Myke Cook. Looks lively but doesn’t do much and has a terrible kick. Hopefully I’m wrong.

Indeed, except Signorello strikes me as a bit cleaner than Cook ever was with his hands.

Still, if you can't kick can't play footy.

 

[Mismatched]

Maybe for a #1 draft pick, but he still played 45 AFL games in those first 3 seasons. That's a far cry from a player who is struggling to break into an AFL team after 3 years, which is the kind of player I'm usually guilty of writing off.

Generally speaking, if a mid sized player is struggling for a best 22 spot after 3 years, they’re unlikely to make much of themselves. Even after 2 years they’re in trouble. There will be exceptions of course and often mitigating factors (ie Doedee with 2x ruined preseasons in a GF challenging side), however for the most part, it ain’t happening.

I think key position and ruck types often warrant a little more leeway, but the guns generally will force early games as well.