Full forward skills

[Frodo]

I look at the likes of Lloyd, Dunstall etc and consider what attibutes a FF needs to have :-

Fast lead
Good marking skills
Good body to body work
Good at taking an opponent under the ball
Slick handball skills for lay off after a mark or pass
kicks straight 80%+ preferably
Can turn and score with a screw kick
Hard at the ball


Now I look at BB and ask myself how many of these attributes he has.

Marks out of 10

Fast lead 8
Good marking skills 6
Good body to body work 3
Good at taking an opponent under the ball 3
Slick handball skills for lay off after a mark or pass 2
kicks straight 80%+ preferably 3
Can turn and score with a screw kick 2
Hard at the ball 8 ( but sometimes like yesterday he was not!)
TOTAL 35

Then take a fit Scotty

Fast lead 7
Good marking skills 7
Good body to body work 7
Good at taking an opponent under the ball 6
Slick handball skills for lay off after a mark or pass 6
kicks straight 80%+ preferably 8
Can turn and score with a screw kick 6
Hard at the ball 5
TOTAL 52


I have enjoyed BB's passion at the ball, ability to clean a player up and his honest endeavour. In fact he has provided a lot of the rare exciting moments for the Eagles this year. However, I must conclude that he does not have the skills to make it as a top FF and at his age he really does not have a future with us.
I would keepy Scotty and elevate Buszan.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Well, we all can dream. Unfortunately, i don't think cummings will be with us next year, despite his and the coaches positive words.

I hope he does stay, but i doubt it. With a player review coming up and after a season like that he has very slim chances of staying.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Frodo, I know where you're coming from, but I'm not sure that I agree. In fact, I don't think I can make this call and just hope that there's someone in our club who is capable of making this important decision.

Troy Wilson in his first AFL season scored 40 goals in 17 games despite being benched by the (incompetent) coach bewilderingly often. Scott Cummings is either better or worse than that, depending on which Scott Cummings is there: The Good: Coleman medallist, star leading FF in his first season with Essendon (8 goals on debut), Port Adelaide and the Eagles. The Bad: second or third season Scotty, head down, injured, no second effort, 16 goals in 9 games, home town hero who goes missing when it gets tough.

In terms of skill, an on-form Scotty would probably be the second or third best FF in the competition. There is no question he is a much better (as in more reliable and accurate) kick for goal than Willo. But will he ever be on form again?

I don't think age matters at all. For what it's worth, Willo is almost exactly 2 years older (29 to 27). Because of the amount of footy played in the past (wear and tear) and the respective body conditioning and work ethic, I suggest that Willo is in that respect a BETTER bet than Scotty, despite being older. Either way, the time horizon is quite short in AFL terms - this is a short term decision for the next couple of years, not a next 5-7 year decision like it was for Essendon with the young Lloyd.

There's also team balance to consider. With a non-dominant midfield, I prefer Willo as he makes a contest and gives our crumbers a chance. If building a top side with a midfield that can hit targets, Scotty is probably the better bet.

I do agree that 2 into 3 doesn't go for specialist FFs, so unless one of them can play at CHF, you can't have TW, SC & Dean Buszan on the list (unless the list is bigger).

I hope we make the right decision. Whatever, I don't blame any of the FFs this year for much. It is impossible to play FF in a team that's been playing the way we have. Confidence is destroyed by pitiful delivery, no game plan and frequent benching.

 

[jod23]

Well i say keep both. I dont think Buzz will be ready for AFL action and at most may get 4 or 5 games nexy year. Scotty and Willow will provide competition for eachother allowing each guy to play harder. Scotty has had no peer in the team until now so he has to work for his place, that will make him a better player hopefully.

If i was making the decision and one had to go id stick with Scotty...just.

 

[Frodo]

Buszan is 21 this year and so is Kris Miller. Next year they will be 22. Both have had outstanding WAFL seasons.

I believe that both have to be elevated to the full list and play or we should let them go, they are getting too old for rookies.

 

[Mr Eagle]

I am loathe to judge either Willo or Fatty too much while the ball delivery they get is still very ordinary.

Any thoughts on Buszan as a CHF perhaps?

 

[Visro]

I was thinking last night, why not try Travis Gaspar down there. He's quick, tall, strong mark and a good kick. Smart player as well, what else do you need in a FF?

Vis

 

[Chris_6678]

JK really needs to work on his skills if he to be a better option than Kris Miller & Buszan.

 

[Big_Birdy]

I was racking my brain trying to work out who BB was.

Now I realise I had no chance. Genuinely never even heard of Buszan? Cant say I know who Kris Miller is either.

 

[ronpingwins]

I was racking my brain trying to work out who BB was.

Now I realise I had no chance. Genuinely never even heard of Buszan? Cant say I know who Kris Miller is either.

Isn't BB Bowling Ball?

 

[Big_Birdy]

Isn't BB Bowling Ball?

No idea, still not helping.

 

[Noctorniquet]

I was racking my brain trying to work out who BB was.

Now I realise I had no chance. Genuinely never even heard of Buszan? Cant say I know who Kris Miller is either.

Kris Miller, long time player and champion at South Freo, Buszan played at East Perth if I remember correctly. Both dominated WAFL but never made the next step.

 

[Big_Birdy]

Kris Miller, long time player and champion at South Freo, Buszan played at East Perth if I remember correctly. Both dominated WAFL but never made the next step.

Cheers, from Adelaide myself so yeah had no idea.

 

[squashface]

I was racking my brain trying to work out who BB was.

Now I realise I had no chance. Genuinely never even heard of Buszan? Cant say I know who Kris Miller is either.

The extra B is for BYOBB

 

[swannies]

Kris Miller, long time player and champion at South Freo, Buszan played at East Perth if I remember correctly. Both dominated WAFL but never made the next step.

Well, actually, Kris Miller first came through East Freo and then did a Paul Revere and defected to Souths. At the time he was on the Eagles list he would have been at East Freo.
Buszan first came through Peel's colts system and was a lump of a lad, before moving, some say abandoning Peel, to East Perth.
It pays to be old, sometimes.....

 

[Noctorniquet]

Well, actually, Kris Miller first came through East Freo and then did a Paul Revere and defected to Souths. At the time he was on the Eagles list he would have been at East Freo.
Buszan first came through Peel's colts system and was a lump of a lad, before moving, some say abandoning Peel, to East Perth.
It pays to be old, sometimes.....

Ahhh yep, forgot Miller started at East

 

[Chris_6678]

Didnt Miller play 300 games?

 

[2006_Eagles]

So this BB, who be he

 

[ronpingwins]

So this BB, who be he

Troy Wilson, aka the human bowling ball

 

[ronpingwins]

Or Blaine Boekhorst, I'm not sure when he was drafted.

 

[2006_Eagles]

Troy Wilson, aka the human bowling ball

When OP said

I would keepy Scotty and elevate Buszan

I was assuming Buszan was part of his name

 

[ronpingwins]

When OP said



I was assuming Buszan was part of his name

Well you assumed wrong

 

[2006_Eagles]

Well you assumed wrong

 

[Boohemian]

I can't wait for the Priddis thread to be excavated in 2030. WE'll all be so ashamed at ourselves for being so critical of Prime Minister Pridda.

 

[MWPP]

I can't wait for the Priddis thread to be excavated in 2030. WE'll all be so ashamed at ourselves for being so critical of Prime Minister Pridda.

Can't see the Anti-Priddis brigade ever admitting that they're wrong
The rest of us he'll have no reason to be ashamed