Prediction Garthy vs Balta

[Dusty0004]

One of my memories of Garth is of him plodding in Jeremy Cameron's wake in a match against GWS. I don't know whether he was coping with injuries at the time but Cameron burst away like Warnie wanting the last jar of peanut butter. Garth seems like a great team man but with limited skills, moderate height and speed issues, I can't see him going any further.

Was that round 2 or 3 last year when he was forced to play under done?

 

[Schlurp]

Was that round 2 or 3 last year when he was forced to play under done?

It might well have been. If he was under done, the match committee did him no favours that day. That said, I've still to see Garth play a game at AFL level where he looks as though he fits in seamlessly. Broad gets heaps of criticism but even when he's not getting ball he never looks out of place.

 

[Cdog71]

One of my memories of Garth is of him plodding in Jeremy Cameron's wake in a match against GWS. I don't know whether he was coping with injuries at the time but Cameron burst away like Warnie wanting the last jar of peanut butter. Garth seems like a great team man but with limited skills, moderate height and speed issues, I can't see him going any further.

I remember that too. Cameron does do a lot of that running back to the goals type of leading and he’s fast, it looked like Garth blew up trying to go with him. He’s shorter than Grimes unfortunately but plays like a spoiler.
I think you might be right.

 

[JR82]

Garth 9 games in 3 years is not a good sign, make or break in 2020

Bit hard to break into the #1 backline in the last few yrs.

 

[SunshineBoy]

Garth won’t make it

 

[Marcel Proust]

Was that round 2 or 3 last year when he was forced to play under done?

Cameron won the coleman and is top class

Garth will get better (hopefully) with another preseason

 

[Phar Ace]

I remember that too. Cameron does do a lot of that running back to the goals type of leading and he’s fast, it looked like Garth blew up trying to go with him. He’s shorter than Grimes unfortunately but plays like a spoiler.
I think you might be right.

I wouldn't write Garthy off (I don't think you are). I recall Grimes being a bit of slow burn, adding to his skill and speed over time. I think he has more limitations than Grimes though, which is sad, just makes him more determined I guess. He is a Grimes replacement in the short to medium term IF REQUIRED, I just hope we find someone else while Grimes is about, to pass on that winning edge.

 

[Cdog71]

I wouldn't write Garthy off (I don't think you are). I recall Grimes being a bit of slow burn, adding to his skill and speed over time. I think he has more limitations than Grimes though, which is sad, just makes him more determined I guess. He is a Grimes replacement in the short to medium term IF REQUIRED, I just hope we find someone else while Grimes is about to pass on that edge.

I wouldn't write Garthy off (I don't think you are). I recall Grimes being a bit of slow burn, adding to his skill and speed over time. I think he has more limitations than Grimes though, which is sad, just makes him more determined I guess. He is a Grimes replacement in the short to medium term IF REQUIRED, I just hope we find someone else while Grimes is about to pass on that edge.

He was named as an emergency for the Granny, which shows he is pretty much next in line as a tall defender I spose

 

[Phar Ace]

It might well have been. If he was under done, the match committee did him no favours that day. That said, I've still to see Garth play a game at AFL level where he looks as though he fits in seamlessly. Broad gets heaps of criticism but even when he's not getting ball he never looks out of place.

No big issue, would have had a list of things to go back and work on is all, and that's exactly what he did, coming back 5 games later for six games in a row! Lost his place to Astbury after the Bye, no surprises there. His body of work was OK for that bank of six, his last against the Crows was ironically one his better games with 13d 5m 4T and 3R50's. Adelaide won after waking up after half time.

 

[Phar Ace]

He was named as an emergency for the Granny, which shows he is pretty much next in line as a tall defender I spose

Probably named in case Astbury went out for dinner to the same restaurant as past year...................

 

[Schlurp]

Probably named in case Astbury went out for dinner to the same restaurant as last year...................

Yeah, and that's another red flag for me where Garth's future is concerned. I drove down from Canberra for the 2018 Prelim Final and watched Garth sprint off the ground before the game started after the match committee went with Astbury. It showed me the degree of confidence they had in Garth given that a player, albeit a proven essential tall back, who spent time in hospital on a drip that week was preferred over a fully fit tall. It's probably the subject of an entirely different conversation but I think the match committee made a number of mistakes that night concerning the selection of under fit and injured players. To their credit, their response the following year was outstanding, culminating in the selection of an unproven Marlion Pickett in the grand final. I wish Garth well and also hope he makes it as a regular AFL player at Richmond. I just have serious reservations based on the quality/potential of other players on our list and the absence of any edge qualities to Garth's portfolio.

 

[Phar Ace]

Yeah, and that's another red flag for me where Garth's future is concerned. I drove down from Canberra for the 2018 Prelim Final and watched Garth sprint off the ground before the game started after the match committee went with Astbury. It showed me the degree of confidence they had in Garth given that a player, albeit a proven essential tall back, who spent time in hospital on a drip that week was preferred over a fully fit tall. It's probably the subject of an entirely different conversation but I think the match committee made a number of mistakes that night concerning the selection of under fit and injured players. To their credit, their response the following year was outstanding, culminating in the selection of an unproven Marlion Pickett in the grand final. I wish Garth well and also hope he makes it as a regular AFL player at Richmond. I just have serious reservations based on the quality/potential of other players on our list and the absence of any edge qualities to Garth's portfolio.

You are tough marker Slurpy - poor ol Garth had two games under his belt at that stage, massive difference between playing him and someone like Pickett who the previous week almost single handedly won the VFL Grand Final and for mine was a lay down to play in the GF the way his form had run in the VFL over the six to seven weeks previously.

Only Astbury really knew how crook he really was, and to be fair, how crook was probably more evident even to him after the game got started. Do we beat Collingwood if we play Garth? Probably makes not a skerrick of difference, doesn't change no one went Sidebottom, doesn't change Grimes to DeGoey way to late, might have changed someone courageously filling the hole in from of BigCox, who knows, but that was lost for more reasons than Astbury unfit and a 2 gamer we will never know if he might of made any difference at all.

 

[db26]

Was way underdone early on ,but we needed him we were depleted. Couple of those games he was playing on monster forwards to and didn't have the luxury of Dave,Grimes or Rance to chop out to help. Still confident in him.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Balta has further to go, Garth is currently more ready and reliable amd safe, but if Balta does get to his potential he far exceeds Garthwaite, so if we are in a good position to carry Balta and prepared to take the bad with the good, he is the closest thing to being able to become an AA quality KPD and if it works, theres our CHB for the next decade.

Unless he also finds JW.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Garth won’t make it

AA 2020.
...Garth.....
....Waite...

 

[Bojangles17]

One of my memories of Garth is of him plodding in Jeremy Cameron's wake in a match against GWS. I don't know whether he was coping with injuries at the time but Cameron burst away like Warnie wanting the last jar of peanut butter. Garth seems like a great team man but with limited skills, moderate height and speed issues, I can't see him going any further.

From memory we had both rancey and grimes out that day , my point earlier he’s only ever played when we re 2 key defenders down . Make that one down and he just might go ok

 

[Schlurp]

You are tough marker Slurpy - poor ol Garth had two games under his belt at that stage, massive difference between playing him and someone like Pickett who the previous week almost single handedly won the VFL Grand Final and for mine was a lay down to play in the GF the way his form had run in the VFL over the six to seven weeks previously.

Only Astbury really knew how crook he really was, and to be fair, how crook was probably more evident even to him after the game got started. Do we beat Collingwood if we play Garth? Probably makes not a skerrick of difference, doesn't change no one went Sidebottom, doesn't change Grimes to DeGoey way to late, might have changed someone courageously filling the hole in from of BigCox, who knows, but that was lost for more reasons than Astbury unfit and a 2 gamer we will never know if he might of made any difference at all.

Perhaps I am Phar Ace and I genuinely hope Garth stamps his authority on the game this year. I agree playing Garth instead of Astbury would not have changed the outcome. There were far too many other variables at play that night. My point was that the match committee thought a semi fit Astbury was a safer option than a fully fit Garth. I'm not walking both sides of the street here and I want every player on our list to succeed at what they've chosen to do. Garth remains on our list and where he goes from here is all up to him. And I believe the Club will give him all the support possible to be the best player he can be - as it does for every other player on our list.

 

[Charlie Pannam]

Hope Balta fulfills his huge potential he’ll bring fans through the turnstiles. I’m hoping a Kouta clone.

Garth seems to be a great team man and very popular amongst the playing group but reckon he might continue to struggle at the top level.

 

[Jozzy]

Just on Garth I don’t think he is the type of defender the club needs right now.

I feel Garth would be best suited playing as a third tall along two genuine key position defenders. Because we’re already playing with Grimes and Broad I just don’t see how we can play with three players in that 190cm -193cm bracket. I feel Garth is yet to develop the ability to play on the small and medium forwards, if he can improve his versatility it’ll go a long way to him breaking his way into our squad.

It’s a real shame he’s not another four or fiver centimetres taller. However, I still think he can make it as a good AFL player. He’s incredibly well disciplined, a very intelligent player and reads the play really well.

Balta is my replacement for Rance, I’d have Garthwaite come in if Grimes wasn’t playing.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Just on Garth I don’t think he is the type of defender the club needs right now.

I feel Garth would be best suited playing as a third tall along two genuine key position defenders. Because we’re already playing with Grimes and Broad I just don’t see how we can play with three players in that 190cm -193cm bracket. I feel Garth is yet to develop the ability to play on the small and medium forwards, if he can improve his versatility it’ll go a long way to him breaking his way into our squad.

It’s a real shame he’s not another four or fiver centimetres taller. However, I still think he can make it as a good AFL player. He’s incredibly well disciplined, a very intelligent player and reads the play really well.

Balta is my replacement for Rance, I’d have Garthwaite come in if Grimes wasn’t playing.

Lets see how he goes over time. Garth certainly was not up to a monster KPF in 2019. He can do good job on a 'normal' KPF though. Right now he's more like less swift young Grimes. Hopefully he can follow a similar path.

The comparison to Balta is unfair for one simple reason - Balta is much larger and faster. But if we get Garth and Balta playing to AFL standard then we have an excellent basis for a good defense. One guy to take the bigger guys, one a lead up forward.

We have to develop these guys now because Dave is heading toward the end (30+), and we've lost Rance. There is not a single spot awaiting our young guys, there are multiple spots over the next few years.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Yeah, and that's another red flag for me where Garth's future is concerned. I drove down from Canberra for the 2018 Prelim Final and watched Garth sprint off the ground before the game started after the match committee went with Astbury. It showed me the degree of confidence they had in Garth given that a player, albeit a proven essential tall back, who spent time in hospital on a drip that week was preferred over a fully fit tall. It's probably the subject of an entirely different conversation but I think the match committee made a number of mistakes that night concerning the selection of under fit and injured players. To their credit, their response the following year was outstanding, culminating in the selection of an unproven Marlion Pickett in the grand final. I wish Garth well and also hope he makes it as a regular AFL player at Richmond. I just have serious reservations based on the quality/potential of other players on our list and the absence of any edge qualities to Garth's portfolio.

Disagree with the unproven tag for MP...best on ground VFL GF...had played the previous weeks in the VFL demonstrating that he was completely comfortable in such an environment!

 

[tiger_tough]

Garth 9 games in 3 years is not a good sign, make or break in 2020

Not really. We've won 2 flags in that time and we've got the best back line in the comp.

I still have high hopes for Garth.

I agree with the sentiment that Balta could be anything but there have been plenty athletic freaks in the past that had the same potential and go on to play 20-30 odd games then disappear into the wilderness. Hopefully he can develop his consistency this year.

 

[Andyy]

Garthwaite
PRO: work rate, professionalism, natural defending ability
CON: height, size, speed, kicking

Balta
PRO: height, physique, speed, running & kicking
CON: alleged professionalism/work rate, natural ability


Personally I like Balta as the most likely Rance replacement, but to be honest I think his best position might be on the wing/midfield. Maybe he could be a swingman and play back when required depending on the opponent.

Balta is to explosive to be limited as a key back. Him being pigeon holed there is pretty disappointing in my opinion!

On Mi 9T using BigFooty.com mobile app

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Meteoric Rise]

I would be pretty surprised if Garthwaite doesn’t carve out a 100+ AFL game career somewhere, whether it be at Richmond or at a combination of clubs. The minimum career I would expect barring injuries interfering would be along the lines of Kyle Cheney who was listed at three separate clubs over 11 seasons, playing 85 matches and never quite making it as a first choice player. You would presume he only cost about $200-250k per season, and filled a useful role at both Hawks and Crows. I would expect no worse than that for Garthwaite and quite possibly a lot more. This season will tell us a lot and I think he will have made a very positive impression by the end of it. He seems to judge the ball in the air exceptionally well, and is a highly committed player. Can also go forward and take a good grab. You just forget any disappointment from last season as he was badly underdone and refer back to how he was tracking beforehand.

Balta you would think at some point everything will line up for him, he will mature and develop, an opportunity will open up, and the selectors will identify the right role in the team. I think we are going to have a lot of fun watching him over the years. He appeals as a rare type, where there isn’t really a clear precedent in living memory in AFL ranks. Well beaten into a creditable third by Ben King and Sam Frost in the GF sprint shows he is mortal physically and if you watch it his running technique looks less efficient than the other runners, hinged forward at the hips and over-striding a bit. So even athletically he can tidy himself up in areas.



His mixture of speed, leap, strength and power, combined with aggressive instinct should amount to him being a star AFL player, I am confident of that. This is assuming a level of dedication to match his physical attributes of course...

 

[Schlurp]

Disagree with the unproven tag for MP...best on ground VFL GF...had played the previous weeks in the VFL demonstrating that he was completely comfortable in such an environment!

Just a quick clarification before I exit this conversation. What I meant by unproven was unproven at AFL level - not unproven as a talented footballer. Garth clearly has admirers who see things that I either don't or haven't seen yet. Let's see what 2020 brings.