Matched up well? I was at the game in a pocket Darling was leading to and he got the raw end of a lot of umpiring decisions. Roberton played gallantly but wouldnt say he matched up well on him. Jack was always threatening.
This. Will be interesting to see how this works out. Could be another Gwilt situation though, where he bulks up to play key position, but ends up not really being good enough in that role and it becomes seemingly forgotten that he was really good in other roles before really bulking up.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-12-27/whos-ripping-it-up
Who's ripping it up? Which players are 'training the house down'
Jack Newnes has been a dominant performer on the track for the Saints this summer.
Defender Dylan Roberton is another who is impressing, with the former Fremantle backman adding size to his frame in a bid to fill more of a key position role next season after an ankle injury last pre-season affected the way his year panned out.
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Would be nearly top 5 at our club going forward if that's the case! Gilbert very stiff two years running to miss AA IMO. Is there a genuine belief he can be very good or just a bit of summer brewskie action?
Can't it be both.....?
I think it would have been mainly due to his ankle, which was meant to be a very serious injury. He apparently had to pretty much learn to walk and/or run again, after having had the ankle fused (whatever that means). Apparently Brock McLean had a similar injury/operation years ago and I dare say that was the thing that derailed his career to a fair extent and it's been said that he said it took him two years to get over the operation/injury and get close to or full mobility back, so I don't think we ought to underestimate how much it would have affected Dylan this year.
) and his form did drop off late in the 2013 season (probably due to the injury), yet in spite of that he still came top 10 in our B&F, from memory, so that shows us just how well he was going prior to his ankle evidently becoming an issue and his form dropping off a bit.
Yeah ankles or foot injuries can be so hard to manage and get right cant they. They cop an absolute flogging each week being the only two parts of the body with continuous contact to the ground.
)
Yep fair call. He cant make a career as just a running flanker. Needs to be able to also play on talls and hold down a key defensive post - espeically with Dempster and Fisher at the end. As you mention Savage, Webster, Wright all options running it out of defence. We have plenty there.
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Yeah, was at the open training at Moorabbin before the Carlton? Game in august
If I remember rightly, you could see that Robbo was visibly favouring that ankle for the last few games of the year in 2013, & I'm pretty sure he completely ****ed it again in the final round of the year (the great Kosi/Blake/Milne farewell game) against Freo, when he rolled the ankle & struggled to get off the ground unaided. He hasn't been right since that & also copping that bump to the head late in 2013 too. He seemed very Kosi-like at times last year IMO, ie: unsure of positioning, spacial awareness & peripheral vision was seriously lacking. The combined effects of that heavy bump to the head plus a chronic ankle injury is enough to knock anyone around for a while. I hope he comes back better than ever, and stays 100% fit so he can get back to that early-to-mid 2013 formI think it would have been mainly due to his ankle, which was meant to be a very serious injury. He apparently had to pretty much learn to walk and/or run again, after having had the ankle fused (whatever that means). Apparently Brock McLean had a similar injury/operation years ago and I dare say that was the thing that derailed his career to a fair extent and it's been said that he said it took him two years to get over the operation/injury and get close to or full mobility back, so I don't think we ought to underestimate how much it would have affected Dylan this year.
And Dylan was indeed very good in 2013. stkildathunda kept on telling us late in that season that he had an issue with his ankle (if only the club had done what he suggested and stopped playing him
If we were to have Robbo back in 2013 form, Gilbo, Fisher and Geary fit and firing, Dempster continuing to do his thing, Delaney continuing on as he did for most of this past year, Savage continuing to be as damaging as he was when playing back for us and the likes of Webster and Wright improving and getting fitter/stronger, you'd think it would make a massive difference to our team and competitiveness.
That could still be a genuinely good quality backline and one that of course has plenty of depth and competition for spots (the 9 I've named there are all legit first choice options and then you've got the likes of Newnes, Shenton, Bruce, Acres, Ray, Murdoch, Siposs, Mckenzie, Goddard and Simpkin as other potentially strong options there over the next couple of years).
Can't it be both.....?
I think he can play a similar role to the one Gilbert played under Richo this year where he maybe takes the more athletic forward or third tall and hurts them the other way when he can, but with better kicking. Might not push for AA in that role like Gilbert did in 09/10 but it will be extremely valuable to the team.
