So our new board whipping boy, George Burbury, is probably deserving of a thread of his own to take the copious posts out of the preview and review threads the same as Ballroom recently. The creation of the Blitz thread has cleaned up the other threads greatly, so i think Georgy deserves one too!
There is no question his return has been below what most posters expected from him, but it seems we latch onto a player to direct all our anger or disappointment, and this is often out of line with reality.
Lets remember, he is a recently elevated rookie from Tassie, who was a rower. He has demonstrated some great goal sense and defensive pressure in the VFL and as such, with so many injuries to our starting 22, he has been given a month or two to get the feel of the AFL standard and do his best in the absence of our first choice small forwards.
To direct such vitriol as we have seen towards a lad in his 7th game, as a small forward which is notoriously light on for gathering touches is too harsh. if you watch even just the first qtr you see him doing his job quite well.
a few highlights;
quick hands to selwood deep i50 from a throw in, when selwood loses it he is back in laying tackles
30 meter punch when out matched in a marking contest
constantly presenting about 70 from goal as a target for the rebound 50.
presented front and square a few times to hawkins, but the ball went over the back, hawk really should have been trying to bring that to ground where his teammate was.
macintosh and lonners both burned him when he was 40 out on his own, but he kept working after being ignored when it was turned over by lonners deep kick he was there tackling and eventually it came to him for a snap which was partially smothered...
i guess i just don't know what people are expecting.
he is constantly in the right spots, laying tackles, giving quick hands etc. he was fumbling a bit, but so was everyone, including selwood, it was very wet.
i don't think he is best 22, but certainly we should temper our criticism in line with his actual experience and effort.
I have been critical of Blitzs role in team as many of you know, but that is more a MC bashing than the player himself, i am quite keen on him being a 2nd ruck, and am critical when he turns in low numbers playing as a winger as i think others could be doing that role better. I was a fan of him in the last 2 games though as he played as a ruckman.
with burbs, the only real fit option in the 2s is Schroder, but he is really a mid, whereas burbs is actually a forward, be it in the VFL or AFL, and i am a fan of playing recruits in their position.
So what is the issue with his performance thus far? Yes he isn't chapman. but then, neither was chapman at the same stage in his career....
no he shouldn't be getting games with a fit list, but we have 11 guys in the injury list, so we have to embrace these kids getting a chance and hope they are better for the experience rather than just sling crap at them because they don't play like 100 gamers.
Yep he might not make it, but to make that call after 7 games is a bit rich.
There is no question his return has been below what most posters expected from him, but it seems we latch onto a player to direct all our anger or disappointment, and this is often out of line with reality.
Lets remember, he is a recently elevated rookie from Tassie, who was a rower. He has demonstrated some great goal sense and defensive pressure in the VFL and as such, with so many injuries to our starting 22, he has been given a month or two to get the feel of the AFL standard and do his best in the absence of our first choice small forwards.
To direct such vitriol as we have seen towards a lad in his 7th game, as a small forward which is notoriously light on for gathering touches is too harsh. if you watch even just the first qtr you see him doing his job quite well.
a few highlights;
quick hands to selwood deep i50 from a throw in, when selwood loses it he is back in laying tackles
30 meter punch when out matched in a marking contest
constantly presenting about 70 from goal as a target for the rebound 50.
presented front and square a few times to hawkins, but the ball went over the back, hawk really should have been trying to bring that to ground where his teammate was.
macintosh and lonners both burned him when he was 40 out on his own, but he kept working after being ignored when it was turned over by lonners deep kick he was there tackling and eventually it came to him for a snap which was partially smothered...
i guess i just don't know what people are expecting.
he is constantly in the right spots, laying tackles, giving quick hands etc. he was fumbling a bit, but so was everyone, including selwood, it was very wet.
i don't think he is best 22, but certainly we should temper our criticism in line with his actual experience and effort.
I have been critical of Blitzs role in team as many of you know, but that is more a MC bashing than the player himself, i am quite keen on him being a 2nd ruck, and am critical when he turns in low numbers playing as a winger as i think others could be doing that role better. I was a fan of him in the last 2 games though as he played as a ruckman.
with burbs, the only real fit option in the 2s is Schroder, but he is really a mid, whereas burbs is actually a forward, be it in the VFL or AFL, and i am a fan of playing recruits in their position.
So what is the issue with his performance thus far? Yes he isn't chapman. but then, neither was chapman at the same stage in his career....
no he shouldn't be getting games with a fit list, but we have 11 guys in the injury list, so we have to embrace these kids getting a chance and hope they are better for the experience rather than just sling crap at them because they don't play like 100 gamers.
Yep he might not make it, but to make that call after 7 games is a bit rich.
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