Des Headland - Gone - Welcome Caracella

[BrisGirl]

Caracella joins Lions
lions.com.au
9:31:59 AM Mon 28 October, 2002

Monday October 28th

CARACELLA JOINS LIONS
Gifted Essendon midfielder Blake Caracella will replace Des Headland in the Brisbane Lions engine room after a suitable trade deal was finally agreed to last night. Headland has got his wish to return to WA and will become a Fremantle Docker. The exchange also sees Docker Adam McPhee and Lion Damian Cupido move to Essendon, along with the Lions’ first-round selection, pick 17. The Lions get Caracella, 25, along with Fremantle's first two selections, picks 5 and 21. The Lions agreed to Caracella after Bombers teammate Chris Heffernan rejected their initial advances. Caracella then rejected a strong deal to join Geelong to play in Brisbane.



I am not sure how I feel, but I hope Caracella fits in and plays well for, not only us, but for himself.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

I posted some thoughts and stats on my own messageboard about this trade a little while ago - essentially I think we've not done too badly out of this deal but it'll really come down to how the draft picks turn out.

A nice big fat early draft pick like #5 is handy, as long as we put it to good use.

 

[Stocka]

I'm extremely happy to have Caracella on our list, as I reckon he is a very talented player. However, I still feel as though we've been thoroughly ripped off by giving away Cupido AND our #17 pick to Essendon. The deal would have been fair if we'd kept either Cupido or that pick. I am really ****ed off about it.

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Originally posted by Stocka
I'm extremely happy to have Caracella on our list, as I reckon he is a very talented player. However, I still feel as though we've been thoroughly ripped off by giving away Cupido AND our #17 pick to Essendon. The deal would have been fair if we'd kept either Cupido or that pick. I am really ****ed off about it.

this is not to be mean to damien but im unsure if he will play a full season (with those injuries) & you will get full sasons with blake

i have always liked blake as a player & he will add plenty to brisbane's team in 2003

 

[ian68]

Originally posted by Stocka
I'm extremely happy to have Caracella on our list, as I reckon he is a very talented player. However, I still feel as though we've been thoroughly ripped off by giving away Cupido AND our #17 pick to Essendon. The deal would have been fair if we'd kept either Cupido or that pick. I am really ****ed off about it.

A lot of people seem to rate Cupido by his potential rather than performance. In real term he has been injury prone and has exactly not set the world on fire when he hasn't been. I know alot of you love the Ressies but a Ressie star does not an AFL player make. Caracella is a 25 yr old seasoned Veteran and is worth more than Cupido on his best day for us.
Having said this, considering Melbourne swapped a Brownlow Medalist for a 1st rnd pick then a !st rnd pick + a player for a quality player does seem expensive. I would of thought a second round pick would of been better.

 

[Stocka]

Originally posted by ian68
A lot of people seem to rate Cupido by his potential rather than performance. In real term he has been injury prone and has exactly not set the world on fire when he hasn't been.

I disagree. When not suffering injury, Cupido displayed some sensational football in the seniors. Likewise, he was building his way back in the reserves before injury struck again.

Likewise, you also have to look to the future. Cupido at least had a foot in with the Lions, and had also begun to develop physically. It will take us a couple of years to once again develop a draft pick (who we don't even know who we'll select), whereas Cupido could possibly have stepped into the role with more certainty, and certainly with more potential. After all, I've never heard of potential being a bad thing.

Originally posted by ian68
I know alot of you love the Ressies but a Ressie star does not an AFL player make. Caracella is a 25 yr old seasoned Veteran and is worth more than Cupido on his best day for us.

I would say that at their best, they would currently be at a similar level. Considering that Cupido is still a developing player, I'd expect that he is capable of even more in future years.

Similarly, at times this season, Caracella would have been playing in the reserves, had he displayed his 2002 form with the Lions. Also, by the same logic, we could just as well have traded Bradshaw, Keating, and a few others who weren't up to scratch for extended periods in season 2002.

Originally posted by ian68
Having said this, considering Melbourne swapped a Brownlow Medalist for a 1st rnd pick then a !st rnd pick + a player for a quality player does seem expensive. I would of thought a second round pick would of been better.

Effectively, we have traded a star player who had a great season, as well as a promising youngster who could be anything, and a first round draft pick, in return for a good player who was seen as expendable by his club, and two draft picks (one of which sees us downgraded by 4 places). Essendon have ripped us off, IMO.

 

[Stocka]

Originally posted by roostersgal4eva
this is not to be mean to damien but im unsure if he will play a full season (with those injuries) & you will get full sasons with blake

If Cupido's shoulder is right (remembering he had corrective surgery this time to tighten the ligaments), there's no reason why good management of the injury won't see him playing when required.

A solid pre-season, and a bit of faith from Sheedy, and I reckon Cupido could just about make us look silly next season. In effect, we may have ended up giving away two players at least as good as Caracella.

 

[Denno]

Good to see everyone underestimate Cupido at their peril.

He will embarrass us.

Big deal - a (previously) stuffed shoulder. Judd had two of them. The specialist didn't get it right first time.
I'd rather keep him, and roll the dice that he plays 22, rather than let another club "gamble". If he does it again next year, I eat my words. I'm confident (?) he'll play, and star though. That's my worry.

Its good to have a great 22, but past that, who is ready to fire and contribute?

Cupido was next in line.

I don't reckon we've drafted THAT well over the last few years either. McLaren's ok, McGrath has barely got a run, Bolton's on his last legs, Morrison hasn't come on.

We may have a good 25 or so, and a few early picks, but we need some middle-rung players to really step up and become accustomed to senior footy. We get a decent injury list, and we are in trouble.

I can hear the alarm bells in the distance.

 

[Danni]

Or we could have lost one player for absolutely nothing in return.

Caracella has just as much a chance of making Essendon look silly for trading him, as Cupido does for Brisbane trading him.

I'm more than happy with the trades.

1) I think Headland is more of a 'receiving' type player than an 'initiating' type player and has the possibility to struggle at Freo. If his ego gets any where near as his reported paycheque then he has every chance (and a performance/attitude history) of becoming complacent and wanting others to do the work while he takes the glory.

2) Caracella WANTS to come here, which is fantastic. It isn't like he agreed cause it was Brisbane or bust. He didn't take offence at being 2nd choice behind Heffernan, and he is willing to move lock stock and barrel at short notice.

3) a 'curently #5' draft pick is possibly more than we could have hoped for in the wake of back to back premierships whilst still keeping all bar one player out of 2 premierships players.

4) Cupido. I really don't think he was every going to be a superstar here. Sure he showed the potential for it. But it still came down to the attitude he showed as well. Nice bloke, talented young player, but never appeared to be a team player, and never showed he wanted to change that either. He may very well flourish under Sheedy, injury permitting. When you listen to both Matthews and Sheedy as public speakers, they are both extremely motivational, but both in different ways. Sheedy comes from a success experienced -we are the best, let me show you how you can be the best - gee em up make em believe the hype, style. It's like he gets them in by appealing to their ego, and inflating their ego, while managing to tie each player to each other at the same time. This I think will suit Cupido down to a T.

Matthews on the other hand does an extrememly practical, these are the the basics, learn them, make sure you know them, don't preach but teach them, and remember you are no better than anyone else in your team but only as good as your team is as a whole approach, which didn't appear to have an impact on Cupido. He as opposed to Sheedy, seems to dispense of egos and build a group with group goals and group wins and group losses. What works for some, doesn't for others, and I think that if he succeeds it will be because of the pure motiviational differences.

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Originally posted by Danni
Or we could have lost one player for absolutely nothing in return.

Caracella has just as much a chance of making Essendon look silly for trading him, as Cupido does for Brisbane trading him.

I'm more than happy with the trades.

2) Caracella WANTS to come here, which is fantastic. It isn't like he agreed cause it was Brisbane or bust. He didn't take offence at being 2nd choice behind Heffernan, and he is willing to move lock stock and barrel at short notice.

He as opposed to Sheedy, seems to dispense of egos and build a group with group goals and group wins and group losses. What works for some, doesn't for others, and I think that if he succeeds it will be because of the pure motiviational differences.

100% spot on Danni - unlike headland, blake wanted to come & he will be better for briz than desi was IMHO

WELCOME BLAKE!

 

[BrisGirl]

Originally posted by Danni
2) Caracella WANTS to come here, which is fantastic. It isn't like he agreed cause it was Brisbane or bust. He didn't take offence at being 2nd choice behind Heffernan, and he is willing to move lock stock and barrel at short notice

Agreed with everything you said about Headland and Cupido, Danni.

.....and would like to add that I welcome anyone with open arms to the Lions that want to play for the Club and jumper.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Agree entirely with Stocka and Denno.

Caracella may be a good aquisition for us, but probably only has 5 to 7 years left in him and is unlikely to ever be a top ten player for us.

Cupido doesn't turn 21 until next year and has the talent to become an out and out superstar of the competition. No hyperbole.

Bubba may be a risk to Essendon in the attitude/injury departments, but there's no guarantee Caracella's going to be able to turnaround his career either.

 

[Denno]

Originally posted by Danni
4) Cupido. I really don't think he was every going to be a superstar here. Sure he showed the potential for it. But it still came down to the attitude he showed as well. Nice bloke, talented young player, but never appeared to be a team player, and never showed he wanted to change that either. He may very well flourish under Sheedy, injury permitting. When you listen to both Matthews and Sheedy as public speakers, they are both extremely motivational, but both in different ways. Sheedy comes from a success experienced -we are the best, let me show you how you can be the best - gee em up make em believe the hype, style. It's like he gets them in by appealing to their ego, and inflating their ego, while managing to tie each player to each other at the same time. This I think will suit Cupido down to a T.

Matthews on the other hand does an extrememly practical, these are the the basics, learn them, make sure you know them, don't preach but teach them, and remember you are no better than anyone else in your team but only as good as your team is as a whole approach, which didn't appear to have an impact on Cupido. He as opposed to Sheedy, seems to dispense of egos and build a group with group goals and group wins and group losses. What works for some, doesn't for others, and I think that if he succeeds it will be because of the pure motiviational differences.

Thats fine and well comparing Matthews and Sheedy, and who may suit Cupido better. That's your view.

The Lions, before this season, psychologically profiled each and every player, to see how they responded to different approaches. That way, if player "A" responds better to criticism, they blow the **** out of him. If player "B" responds to better to nurturing and positive re-inforcement, they take that approach.

Matthews (and the rest of the staff) would have known how to get the best out of him. Unfortunately, he never really got to show it off. He'll be doing it for Essendon from now on.

Yes, I'm bitter about the trade, if you can't already tell.

 

[keatings_gal]

hey denno mate... how's it going... apart from this???????