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Does Keys have a future with us?

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Ahern2Boof

Ahern2Boof

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran Shiny Penny
Aug 13, 2012
6,353
12,280
Waiting for Josh Kelly #2020
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Just wanna know people's opinions on Luke Delaney. Is he ever going to develop into the gorilla defender that we desperately need? He's had some poor games so far in his career, but hasn't every defender? For example, Ryan Schoenmakers, still gets a bag kicked on him every now and then, but he's developing nicely. Ben Reid is another one. I know these guys are totally different to Delaney, but do we keep pumping years into him, or wait for Grima, Thompson and another key defender (C Delaney possibly) to mature?
 
Honestly I cant see him developing into a Good Key Defender that can take down the best forwards.
 

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He hasn't had the games pumped into him that Hansen, Grima and Thompson have, but he has still had 5 years of development and plenty of VFL games. He has had virtually no injuries to speak of. Very hard to say how much improvement a 23 year old with 21 senior games behind him has in him. In a way he is lucky that Grima and Hansen have had so many injuries, because otherwise he would barely have got a game by now. Until those guys overcome their perennial injuries, he has a role to play as back-up. Or until guys like Kennedy and his brother overtake him. Enormous year for him next year.
 
We have just gone through an era where Luke would have been handy on J brown, fevola, Lloyd, mooney, hall, riewoldt etc. Reid Thompson talia Taylor grimes Richards mckenzie are the defenders suited to the game now. You don't need the heavier types Anymore. the knock on keys is that he's not creative when he hasn't got the ball and teams can't afford that in the back 6 nowadays.
Glass and rutten have trimmed down heavily to adapt.
 
Of course he does. Big, physically developed key backs are probably the rarest commodity in football. To throw away someone like Delaney, who we have put development into, would be an incredibly poor piece of list management.

His poor games are hugely overrated and his good ones not acknowledged enough.
 
He's not the best decision maker or as good a kick as his brother, but he's handy to have around, and he's physically big enough to take a Dawes, Brown or Kosi type.
Clearly struggles on the forwards with great aerobic capacity with his closing speed.
He always seems to get caught behind on the lead. He should've increased his endurance by now or perhaps its a positioning thing, but has improvement in him. Maybe this is harsh given he's only played 20 odd games.
 
Thewlis Dish said:
Of course he does. Big, physically developed key backs are probably the rarest commodity in football. To throw away someone like Delaney, who we have put development into, would be an incredibly poor piece of list management.

His poor games are hugely overrated and his good ones not acknowledged enough.
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What Dish said. He has a future with us. What he does with it, and how long it ends up being for, is up to him. I think he's a very handy relatively inexperienced KPB to have on the list. I can't wait to see how he responds once his bro Spare Keys is kicking arse off the halfback line.
 
Has poor closing speed which is exposed if his opponent gets a break on him.
 
skittler said:
Has poor closing speed which is exposed if his opponent gets a break on him.
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It helps when he has a midfield applying enormous pressure on the ball carrier about to deliver to Keys' opponent. Something we did at times but far too inconsistently, as is typical of a young midfield.
 
Twinkletoes said:
It helps when he has a midfield applying enormous pressure on the ball carrier about to deliver to Keys' opponent. Something we did at times but far too inconsistently, as is typical of a young midfield.
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Fair point but I just don't see him as being anything more than spare parts to cover injuries.
 
Yeah, not sure you can make it when you're that slow. Decent depth for 2013 but I doubt we'll see much of him after that.
 

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Spitta2Azza said:
Just wanna know people's opinions on Luke Delaney. Is he ever going to develop into the gorilla defender that we desperately need? He's had some poor games so far in his career, but hasn't every defender? For example, Ryan Schoenmakers, still gets a bag kicked on him every now and then, but he's developing nicely. Ben Reid is another one. I know these guys are totally different to Delaney, but do we keep pumping years into him, or wait for Grima, Thompson and another key defender (C Delaney possibly) to mature?
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I'd have thought he's well worth sticking with. And we're not waiting for Narni and Thompson "to mature" - they have plenty of years on Keys and are first choice defenders now.
 
Smirkin Dirk said:
No issues with Luke being able to stop a big power forward.

The issue is when Luke gets the ball. He is atrocious. And in the modern game, we can't carry these Mick Martyn types who are an automatic turnover.
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Not good enough a defender to make up for his disposal ineffeciency at the moment... at least mick offset his disposal by being an exceptional defender....

I personally think he is an OK depth player nothing more.... but you pretty much cant afford to have average defenders with average disposal these days unless your midfield is like the hawks...... hopefully he improves.....
 
How many clubs have weakness-free key backs just sitting in the twos?

We could have Alex Silvagni ready to come in next time Grima goes down. I'm sure that would end well.
 

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Of course Luke has a future with us. He has the tools to be a decent key defender and his kicking to a man is actually pretty good.

HOWEVER. He does overestimate his creative ability and evasiveness and needs to choose the simple option more often. But considering the limited amount of senior exposure he's had AND the fact his education takes place manning up 1st or 2nd key forward each week he's doing ok.

A developing Harper, Tarrant or Bastinac can hide in the midfield or up forward during a bad game and all they get are low stats. A developing Luke Delaney hasn't got that luxury and has to watch his direct opponent chalk up a bag in front of everyone. It's a harsh education.
 
If the game was just about spoiling the ball, he would be very good. In one on ones he is very capable.

Problem is, there is more to being an AFL player than that. I think he can have a future purely due to his spoiling ability and body size, but see these three as absolute must areas to improve;

- Disposal, especially decision making for picking the best option
- Stop spectating so much before and after a contest if not directly involved. Way too stationary, too often.
- Reading the play. He is a bit slow sure, but then slow players can still excel if they get into better positions than their opponent to limit that disadvantage by cutting down the angles on the lead etc.

So its a yes from me with some major improvement in a few areas.
 
Has anyone suggested the age old "maybe we should try him as a key forward/wingman/coach/any position he hasn't already played" yet?
 
Thewlis Dish said:
Has anyone suggested the age old "maybe we should try him as a key forward/wingman/coach/any position he hasn't already played" yet?
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Are YOU suggesting that TD?

*inb4DRanswersaquestionwithaquestion
 
Thewlis Dish said:
Has anyone suggested the age old "maybe we should try him as a key forward/wingman/coach/any position he hasn't already played" yet?
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Tagger?
 

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