Yes, I know, there's probably dozens of Tex threads...but this is post-comeback. Now he's up and playing, is this the same old Tex? Is it a new improved Tex? Is it a diminished Tex?
I confess, I've had a little cold spot in the pit of my stomach every time someone has said, 'Just wait till Tex gets back, then we'll...etc, etc' I mean, sure, in a perfect world, he comes back as good as before, taking up where he left off. But what if he doesn't? Plenty don't ever fully recover from knee reconstructions. Especially big men. And Adelaide has plenty of examples in recent times. Poor old Trent Hentschel is a sad and painful memory for all of us. Even more recently, Andy Otten has struggled to return to the form he showed pre-injury. Plenty believe that Brodie Martin lost his standout physical characteristic to a terminal degree.
So, notwithstanding the promising signs in his SANFL appearance, I watched Tex nervously last night, looking for signs of...well, anything that suggested good or ill. And let's face it, he was R.U.S.T.Y. When I saw him misjudge the flight of the ball in the middle of the ground and end up awkwardly lunging for it, only to spill the mark, I gave up thinking that he was going to show us any magic. A couple of scrubbered kicks along the ground confirmed it. But, on the other hand, he moved well, showing plenty of tank and what looked like confidence in his agility. He also brought presence in spades, showing us just what we've been missing in that regard for the last twelve months, getting in players' faces, shoving his weight around...boy, how good was that?
So, I think I'm relieved, despite the rustiness. Physically, he looked solid and confident. What does everyone else think? Is he going to be the player he was? How long before we see the 60m goals, the imperious fend-offs? When can we truly say, 'He's back!'
EDIT: whoops, just saw the Captain Tex thread. Sorry.
I confess, I've had a little cold spot in the pit of my stomach every time someone has said, 'Just wait till Tex gets back, then we'll...etc, etc' I mean, sure, in a perfect world, he comes back as good as before, taking up where he left off. But what if he doesn't? Plenty don't ever fully recover from knee reconstructions. Especially big men. And Adelaide has plenty of examples in recent times. Poor old Trent Hentschel is a sad and painful memory for all of us. Even more recently, Andy Otten has struggled to return to the form he showed pre-injury. Plenty believe that Brodie Martin lost his standout physical characteristic to a terminal degree.
So, notwithstanding the promising signs in his SANFL appearance, I watched Tex nervously last night, looking for signs of...well, anything that suggested good or ill. And let's face it, he was R.U.S.T.Y. When I saw him misjudge the flight of the ball in the middle of the ground and end up awkwardly lunging for it, only to spill the mark, I gave up thinking that he was going to show us any magic. A couple of scrubbered kicks along the ground confirmed it. But, on the other hand, he moved well, showing plenty of tank and what looked like confidence in his agility. He also brought presence in spades, showing us just what we've been missing in that regard for the last twelve months, getting in players' faces, shoving his weight around...boy, how good was that?
So, I think I'm relieved, despite the rustiness. Physically, he looked solid and confident. What does everyone else think? Is he going to be the player he was? How long before we see the 60m goals, the imperious fend-offs? When can we truly say, 'He's back!'
EDIT: whoops, just saw the Captain Tex thread. Sorry.
