Dale Thomas

[prized bitch]

First up, congratulations on such a fantastic game of football- I actually tipped Collingwood to win. Hope to see you at some stage in September.

Onto Dale Thomas, this kid will be a superstar. I've watched most his games thus far, and he really impressed me on the weekend. Maybe it's his hair.

Also, O'Brien looks the goods. What are your thoughts on him having to go back to the rookie list?

 

[sloth6]

Disappointing to see Harry back onto the rookie list, but they are the rules. He is in our best 22. Needs to work on his ground skills, seems to fumble a lot when under pressure.

If we delist Hall or Walker, can we promote Harry?

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Let's hope he is a superstar, but he is earning his spot and doing what he needs to be doing to keep us excited of this young talent.

In some people's minds, Pendlebury is better, imagine if he is.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

I rated Pendlebury better pre-draft - He's definitely more talented than Dale.

However, the one thing that can surprise everyone, and essentially makes Dale Thomas impossible to put a limit on, is his heart.

His heart is beyond what can be measured, and because of it, there is no telling how successful Daisy could become.

However, Pendlebury has all of the talent, class and ability to make it as a top line midfielder too.

I would love to see both of these kids end up All-Australian's one day - Be the kind of players that coaches toss up which one to put their best tagger on.

 

[Paracetamol Merchant]

i reckon they should do the same sort've thing they did with bucks with thomas. doubt his slight body will hold up for 22 weeks plus finals. so why not give the kid a rest for few weeks and play him at slower paced williamstown.

 

[goalpie]

i reckon they should do the same sort've thing they did with bucks with thomas. doubt his slight body will hold up for 22 weeks plus finals. so why not give the kid a rest for few weeks and play him at slower paced williamstown.

You are joking I hope.

 

[Murray]

i reckon they should do the same sort've thing they did with bucks with thomas. doubt his slight body will hold up for 22 weeks plus finals. so why not give the kid a rest for few weeks and play him at slower paced williamstown.

Funny, I suggested the same thing on another Collingwood site and got the shyte ripped out of me.
I agree, his young age and slight body will hurt him later in the year.
Give him a rest prior to the finals

 

[hotpie]

Poor kick at times. At other times its excellent. I think his erratic skills are just due to his physical size. He just is not strong enough in the body and especially in the legs. I can only think of further improvement in the years ahead for the boy. Big big future.

Having said that I'd be droppping him to the reserves some time in the next month, probably around the time of the bye, so he can have 2-3 weeks to freshen up. He wont last the season otherwise.

 

[Gets!]

Thomas can take a grab and look all pretty and would love to have in crows colours.

Needs a bit of work in the gym.

 

[Dundalis]

I don't think he needs to go to Williamstown. He can just have his minutes reduced for a few games to give him more rest. He doesn't get a huge amount of minutes anyway which he would if he were on a lesser team.

 

[understudy]

Action appears a bit akward.

Seems to overly guide the ball down onto the boot at times.

Its quiet a mixed bag, havent got a good read on it.

Has kicked some nice long goals from set shots but not on the run.

Recall a couple of nice long lace out hit ups into the f50 in the freo nab cup game but generally seems to have gone for short chip passes during h and a season.

Hoping and expecting him to work on it, develop it and turn his boot into a weapon.

 

[Jabso]

He needs to have a bit more composure in kicking, and develop a proper kicking action routine. He is very good at the 'trick kicks'. I.e. wrong foot (is dual-sided), smart kicks into space, off the side of the boot, over the top and when he gets it right he gets the shape of the pass right too.

 

[Nesian]

ahh well im sure he will, he is only young, though i dunno if u guys have noticed but i think he kicking deteriates the more time he has on the field, so tired legs i suppose. But when he comes on fresh he is pretty good. But I think thats because of his size, and the lack of endurance needed. But you really gotta love him, exciting just about everytime he gets the ball, apart from those kicks. Cant wait to see pendles play.

 

[hotpie]

I don't think he needs to go to Williamstown. .

Not yet. But he will need a run at Willy in about a months time.

 

[FIGJAM]

He needs to have a bit more composure in kicking, and develop a proper kicking action routine. He is very good at the 'trick kicks'. I.e. wrong foot (is dual-sided), smart kicks into space, off the side of the boot, over the top and when he gets it right he gets the shape of the pass right too.

Agreed, and remembering that he'd have to put on about 5 kilos to be built like a well-cooked piece of asparagus!

Strength is actually a bonus in being able to muscle learn kicking, and kick with more purpose. Both Rowe and Thomas struggle a bit due to their gumby build, as their action flails a bit, and some control is lost.

 

[hotpie]

I wouldnt be worrying about upper body strength too much over summer for Thomas. But he will have a lot of leg presses ahead of him!!!

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Action appears a bit akward.

Seems to overly guide the ball down onto the boot at times.

Its quiet a mixed bag, havent got a good read on it.

I agree with that. He seems to have a very late, low release at times. Hunches over and almost puts the ball on his boot.

Yet despite one or two miskicks most games, he has managed to hit-up leading players very well on occasions.

I don't think he'll ever be a silky kick, but I doubt it'll be a major weakness.

 

[FIGJAM]

I wouldnt be worrying about upper body strength too much over summer for Thomas. But he will have a lot of leg presses ahead of him!!!

It may help, but I reckon kicking is 90% in the arms, wrists and body allignment.

 

[MarkT]

It may help, but I reckon kicking is 90% in the arms, wrists and body allignment.

Why hasn’t wheelchair footy taken off?

 

[ekzistenz]

Because of the other 10%

 

[FIGJAM]

Why hasn’t wheelchair footy taken off?

It's like playing golf without clubs!

Still, we all know the intricacies about a golf swing, and despite the club being somewhat important, Tiger Woods would get about 200 yards more out of a carbon fibre Big Bertha than I friggen would, and probably be so arrogant as to actually hit a fairway! Might have something to do with technique.

Practice. Muscle learn. Then practice some more.

 

[MarkT]

I'd rather watch golf without clubs than wheelchair footy.

In all seriousness if you want to know how much quality kicking depends on technique go get a Peter Daicos highlight tape. Short skinny legs no real muscle power anywhere on his body (in a footy relative context) yet he could sink a torp from the middle of Vic Park or jag half a dozen in an afternoon from the front row of the social club stand while having a beer and a *** with the boys. It was all in the balance and timing. Oh, and the tongue.

I actually think we should recruit player based on their tongues.

 

[hotpie]

It may help, but I reckon kicking is 90% in the arms, wrists and body allignment.

His technique is good. His kicking suffers later in the game when fatigue sets in and his legs dont have the same power, and he starts looking like Mick McGuane after a jab in the leg.

 

[FIGJAM]

In all seriousness if you want to know how much quality kicking depends on technique go get a Peter Daicos highlight tape. Short skinny legs no real muscle power anywhere on his body (in a footy relative context) yet he could sink a torp from the middle of Vic Park or jag half a dozen in an afternoon from the front row of the social club stand while having a beer and a *** with the boys. It was all in the balance and timing. Oh, and the tongue.

Same with Didak.

Balance and timing are crucial. These relate back to correct body allignment, and in the end the combination of hand / foot coordination.

What at least as important to structure, is the ball drop. You can kick a footy to yourself all day, and you'll find the primary reason for miskicks is because you've skewed the ball drop.

Buckley is a superfreak, and I love his "wrap guiding hand around ball" technique, as it is his solution to the key

Benny Johnson looks like a wheelchair footy aspirant when kicking, but he is doing what he has to to not incorrectly drop the ball, and has found his own unique balance and structure.

Daisy at this stage looks as loose as a Rex Hunt mistress in his style, and I see some strength issues, combined with the fact that whatever strength he does have is often weakened by relentless chases of the opposition. Technique wise, I think he's on the right track, but loosens up when tiring.

Eitherway, we're paying Alan Richardson to keep an eye on this sort of stuff. Hopefully he's got systems in place.

 

[Jabso]

Didak has pretty big legs for his size though.