Damien Peverill...

[Longy413]

How do we see him in 2006?

Personally I thought his 2005 was ordinary, although he wasn't the only one there.

Does the recruitment of Heff and the improvement of Slattery mean the end for him? Or will the pressure see him take his game to another level?

Pev is a hard man to leave out of the side. Obviously he is well liked, he bleeds for the club, works hard and is committed.

However, I have serious doubts over his future. I'd hate to write off a player on one season (we have all learnt lessons from MJ), but to me Slattery is the one that will take his spot.

Too many times he failed to take the first option in 2005. The amount of times a better skilled player would run past him and Pev would ignore it became highly frustrating. The defensive side of his game also started to go backwards.

I'd love nothing more than to be proven wrong, but I expect to see Pev at Bendigo come mid-season.

Thoughts?

 

[Daytripper]

Longy,
I think you're right.

Besides Heff and Slattery playing for the same negating role, I would expect Rama to be amongst the mix for this position as well.

Thats four players all going for the one spot and Pev unfortunately is probably behind all three as far as ability goes. Actually I'll rephrase that, not probably, is.

That being said, if Slattery still needs more time and Heffenen's form remains the same as it was at Melbourne (which I don't expect) then there still may be a spot for him most weeks.

Love him as a player as tries his guts out.
I hope I'm wrong and he has a brilliant year.

 

[Philzsay]

I think he was a good player for us when our midfield was weak due to not having much depth there. We had Jason and Mark Johnson both hard working types and then Pev which was part of the reason our midfield was considered slow. Now that we added more pace, with the likes of Stanton, Dyson, Lovett plus the return of Rama, i also think that Pev's days are numbered. Also the addition of Campo will more pressure on sopts in the midfield.

Part of Pev's problem is that he can only really play in the midfield, he would rarely play on a half back or forward flank, and we now have a lot more options for his position. Essendon without Pev in the seniors is not a problem, it just means Essendon has become a better team with better players.

 

[ant555]

I thought he played a few good games in the last half of the year when the young blokes provided a bit of run. I tend to agree with you Longy he is at the cross roads as overall his 2005 was average. If he cant find his form as a tagger who can also get 15 to 20 posessions like he was doing he wont have much future as the next spot he is suited to is the backilne and the backline is one area where we are not short of running smaller players.
Could be a big chance to win a Liston .

 

[Pevers-Legend]

How dare though say anything bad against the Pevers!!!

In all seriousness, 2005 was the first time I questioned Pevers in the team. I reckon with more attacking kids coming on, his spot as a more defensive player will become more predominant again. I think he and Heff can co exist in the smae team, but they both have to play well for that to be so.

Pevers second half of 2005 was much better. I reckon he is the type of guy ala Barney and Wally you have in your team, if but for team morale. I would love for him to go back to being a pure stopper because he gets the job done. they tried to make a player who is a natural tagger with poor skills become an offenisve player. stooopid. He is a tagger and the best we have.

i can't see slats playing more than a handful of games either. Which is fine as he needs time for his body to develop.

 

[Karlostj]

I think that Pev, was played in a different role to normal last season - an attacking midfielder, due to the lack of alternative options. I believe he is much better as a tagging midfielder, and perhaps with the addition of Campo and the improvement of the younger players he will be switched back to this role...

However, having said that, while is endevour can't be doubted, his skills are not finely tuned enough to really hurt an opponent on the rebound. Will be interesting to see if he can cement a spot in the side, and what role he plays.

 

[Darealrath]

I think he's our best stopper and if played in that role will be in our best 22.

Heff and Slattery would give us more going forward i suspect, so like everyone else seems to be saying i think he has little choice but to go back to being a pure stopper.

Heff and Slattery still have a lot to prove though to be picked ahead of Pev at this stage. Heff hasn't done anything since 2000 and Slattery needs to prove he's ready for AFL footy every week.

 

[keepzitreal]

I agree totally. His disposal is very ordinary and has cost us plenty of times. He wouldnt be in my starting team including emergencies. We have a lot of midfielders in need of game time who can contribute more to the team.

McVeigh is another one who could also play the negating role, though he has had trouble in the past, you would think the experience would lead to improvement

 

[windyhill]

Battler, ugly kick, just does enough to get by, will not be a part of our next Premiership side.

 

[VANDA]

The crossroads are fast approaching for Pev.

Is too difficult to say his place in the side has become obsolete.
I would expect to see him in & out of the side a bit more this year but will always depend upon two things 1) the opposition midfield - take a Eagles or Saints midfield & you would still happily give Pev a blanketing role & 2) fitness & availability of others like Slattery, Rama, Johnsons etc.

It may well be the challenge for Pev to reinvent himself somewhat as either a more regular 'bench-player' or a full-time halfback flanker.

I still think there is a place for such a blanketing type player such as Pev but the security of his position in the side may well be a reflection of our teams need to 'get on the offensive'!

 

[foj1]

Pev like a lot of others didnt have a great year. I would like to see him moved to the back pocket. I would prefer him there rather than McVeigh. Granted he may lack a little pace but he has shown that he can be defensively minded and he is deceptively tall. When we have been at our best we have had a settled back six. I could see him in the bp for the next couple of years.
Pev's also our best trainer. I think Rama will struggle in his comeback- hope Im wrong, Hef has been very ordinary since 2001, Slattery hasnt proved he can stay on the park and McVeigh is still unconvincing to me. Jay Nash may be slated to play a BP role eventually and everytime I watch the bombers train the more I think Ben Jolley will be a good "ordinary" player in the future.