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Craig Bird

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Swans120 said:
He started the year getting the biggest wraps and hype from players and coaches after working his arse off in the preseason and started the NAB Cup really well.

He should now get another full preseason on top of last year's and he should be primed and ready to really explode next year.
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explode? at 3km/h
not a modern player IMO, i cant see him cutting it in the latest generation of midfielders. He is just too slow.
 
CAS79 said:
Yep this Brett Kirk fella is too slow and cant kick, we got it Rocket Eade we got it.
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Difference is, we now have inside midfielders with pace and skills. Jack and Hanners have those spots sewn up for a decade.
 
I think there is still a spot for him. I wouldn't call Hanners a proper inside mid either. Kennedy is our only pure inside mid, Jack is an all rounder, Bolton might still have a year or two left in him. McVeigh, Goodes and Jetta are mainly receivers. So there is room for another inside mid imo and Bird could be that player.
 

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I still don't know how there is a discussion brewing about Bird.
He will mould directly into Kirk's position next year, he will play well he will make himself accountable and he well be back to playing good football.

If he couldn't play or couldn't be a part of our team structure then he would of never played under Roos.
 
AUSSIE GUN said:
I think there is still a spot for him. I wouldn't call Hanners a proper inside mid either. Kennedy is our only pure inside mid, Jack is an all rounder, Bolton might still have a year or two left in him. McVeigh, Goodes and Jetta are mainly receivers. So there is room for another inside mid imo and Bird could be that player.
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If you ever again call Goodes a receiver you will be on the end of my feather duster.
 
Midfield next year (inc. rotations)

R: Mumford - Jack - Kennedy

C: Goodes - Hannebery - McVeigh

Rotations: ROK, Bolton, McGlynn, Bird and Rohan.

Am I missing anyone?
 
indieswan96 said:
Midfield next year (inc. rotations)

R: Mumford - Jack - Kennedy

C: Goodes - Hannebery - McVeigh

Rotations: ROK, Bolton, McGlynn, Bird and Rohan.

Am I missing anyone?
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Hopefully #28
 
I have been critical of Bird for a while now. Most others seem to rate him highly.

Where is everyone seeing him now? So many young players have stepped up and gone past him, yet bird hasn't improved.

He made his debut over 3 years ago has played 30+ games yet i cant see much of an upside.

He seems too slow to play anywhere other than an inside mid, yet we have a wealth of talent in that area at the moment.

Is he fighting for his career this year? Is there a spot for him?
 
Definitely isn't fighting for his career. Last year was pretty much a write off with injury. Is fighting for his spot though and is in that group of players who has to perform each week to keep his spot.
 

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He tagged Embley tonight and did a very good job for someone that doesn't usually get the tagging duties. Embley finished with a reasonable 20 touches and a goal but compared to his previous week's 29 and 4 goals I think Longmire would be very happy with that outcome.

1st year was very much a learning year for him, he only managed about 60-65% TOG with a lot of it was in the forward line. Perhaps there was also a question about his fitness. In hist 2nd year he spent more time in the midfield but still struggled for TOG averaging about the same as the 1st year. Last year he had 2 separate occurences of the foot injury, which he reportedly is still struggling with. He probably started the year fighting JPK for an inside midfield spot only to watch Josh sail past him while he had to struggle in the recovery room. The fact he spent the whole time in the midfield tonight means they are beginning to trust him to run out games. Although why he wasn't in the Round 1 side is still a mystery wrapped in a conundrum. He looked fine tonight.

He has shown a lot of glimpses of brilliance in close but of course this can go unnoticed unless you concentrate real hard. He's not a flashy, fast or big player (a nice sidestep aside) so he won't get as much notice as a Jack or a Kennedy. However I do agree he does need to take the step up as he has yet to really put together a full 4 quarter game.
 

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Similar to Nick Smith in relation to his decision making. I don't worry when either of them have the ball as they will make a good decision and more often than not hit a target.
 

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