Give Charlie a break!!!

[ANT JESS]

Not sure if im going to get to much support here.... But I think it is time for alot of Geelong supporters on this Board to give Charlie Gardiner a break. Allthough the boy currently lacks the sublime skill-levels that are needed to be a good foward in the AFL, his attack and application on the footy is second to none.
Anyone else share my thoughts?

Enough with the Charlie Bashing!

 

[tayls]

Not sure if im going to get to much support here.

I think your right there.

 

[Unwritten_Law]

Until pre-season?

 

[della]

yep a break in the stands for mine, just doesn't do enough for my liking

 

[thehoff]

Not sure if im going to get to much support here.... But I think it is time for alot of Geelong supporters on this Board to give Charlie Gardiner a break.

Enough with the Charlie Bashing!

Incorrect. You'll get no support. Charlie is a hack!

 

[Dasher39]

I actually like Charlie, and every now and then see something in him that I just know he will be a good player. However he needs to get a BIG pre-season in the gym under him and continue to chip away at it. Next year is probably his last year so he needs to give it everything!

I am with ANT JESS on this one!

 

[catempire]

Charlie's certainly not the worst on our list. There's a spot for him if he improves himself in terms of his disposal and his ability to contest and take contested grabs. I've seen glimpses of this but also too many mistakes. The jury's still out on him but I'm not yet ready to write him off.

 

[ANT JESS]

I actually like Charlie, and every now and then see something in him that I just know he will be a good player. However he needs to get a BIG pre-season in the gym under him and continue to chip away at it. Next year is probably his last year so he needs to give it everything!

I am with ANT JESS on this one!

Thanks Dasher39, was starting to think I was going to be on my own here. Hey im not saying he is going to be a superstar footballer either, just that he does not deserve to be singled out the way he is by many people on this forum. I know what you mean when you say, he does somthing every now and again that makes you stand up and have a look at him. Ie. Prelim against the lions last year. Or have we all forgotten that allready? It seams that many of us forget the good Charlie moments, yet are all prepared to shoot him down when he makes a blunder. Not sure what the future holds for Charlie, but I hope it is many more good games in the blue and white hoops!

 

[tusk]

I watched charlie's first chance to get his hands on the ball on Saturday in the forward line and his attack was pathetic which lead to one of the few rebounds out of our forward line and up the ground.

Sure his skills aren't tip top but either are his attack on the ball. If he is still around next year and judging by the amount of game time this season he will be. He had better turn around just about every aspect of his game.

 

[JUBJUB]

Charlie's biggest problem on saturday was his disposal.
Also,he's a forward,so if he's 40-50 out from goal then he should take the set shot.On saturday he gave off a dumb pass and turned it over.Mackie kicked a goal later from the same spot.

 

[jmain14]

you have my support on this one too jessy!! I have been saying for a long time on here that charlie will make it, and I seem to be on my lonesome more often than not. he definatley does not deserve the amount of critisism he receives from you guys. that said, I acknowledge that there are parts of his game that need improving - improvements that he needs to make to ensure he's in our 22 - atm he isn't quite there. I also acknowledge that he needs to make way this week for a chappy/boris/dj.

 

[ablett factor]

yeah im with ANT JESS the charlie bagging is abit monotonous on this board and to be honest i dont take any notice.
he makes mistakes, yes so does everyone else, but do we need to hear over and over about how bad he is?
FWIW i rate him, he just needs some tidying up.

 

[Tenacious Kane]

he makes mistakes, yes so does everyone else, but do we need to hear over and over about how bad he is?

Because he has rarely ever earned his spot.

Last week is the perfect example of why people criticise him. He'd missed 4-5 weeks with injury then played 1-2 ordinary VFL games and suddenly gets a senior recall out of the blue.

He did nothing to justify a game before someone like Haynes who has actually got some good form behind him.

 

[Unwritten_Law]

Haynes? Chambers should not have been dropped in the first place, we were lucky a) King was carving up White and b) White went off injured and King didn't have to ruck all game.

I thought Gardiner was okay on the weekend but he should be the first one to make way and not be seen again until he has earned his spot next year.

 

[Partridge]

Haynes? Chambers should not have been dropped in the first place, we were lucky a) King was carving up White and b) White went off injured and King didn't have to ruck all game.

I thought Gardiner was okay on the weekend but he should be the first one to make way and not be seen again until he has earned his spot next year.

I have to say - luck had nothing to do with it. King was killing White all game because he was superior on the day. No fortune involved at all. Gardiner certainly took a couple of good marks and was presenting, but his disposal is still deplorable. What frustrates us the most is that he has had many, many chances and still hasn't remotely delivered.

 

[YOTC]

I'll give him a break, in his leg. Just to make sure Bomber does not pick him this friday!

 

[patdman]

OK, I'll try put my view of Charlie in perspective...

When he first started I thought he was crap. Simply, plainly, unfortunately, crap.
He's tall-ish, athletic, and could be a very versatile player if he could play football.
A lot of people (myself included) thought he may have silenced his doubters in last year's prelim against Brisbane when he kicked 2 very crucial goals. But he hasn't shown that form again once in this whole season. So what's that? 2 years of potential, then 1 very good game, and then crap for another season.
It's not like he has had the run of Henry Playfair, constantly moving between different positions (back, fwd, ruck), and the VFL until this year...Charlie has been given a similar role all the time, and still hasn't come good.
Sorry Charlie, but I think we should trade you for anything we can possibly get.
Maybe, he could come good under another coach, I'm sure Bomber hasn't got his head up his arse, and obviosuly sees something that we supporters don't, but he has failed, IMHO...miserably.

Sorry Charlie, but you are the weakest link. Goodbye!

 

[cats2rise]

Everyone was more upset with Charlie last week because of how he got his recall; playing footy that wasnt even to a decent VFL level. That re-call was redicules. I said after the game i wasnt happy with him being in the team, but on saturday he did show some creativity when he had the ball but his disposal was very very ordinary

 

[Scarlett Fever]

Charlie is an interesting one because he is an academic genius by all reports and it is obvious to me his problems are largely between his ears. 2 things to understand about highly intelligent people.
1. They take longer to make decisions.
2. They are more aware of their limitations.

Both are not good attributes for a footballer. Phat has touched on this before with Charlie. Charlie looks to me like he tries too hard and the mind and body just don't seem to be in sync. His decision making is poor (maybe trying to assess too much criteria when he doesn't have the time) and he lacks confidence (maybe a little too aware of his limitations). I think Charlie may need a totally different mental approach to the game than what his peers have. I am not sure of the answer but I would start his preseason somewhere in the himalayan hills where the powers of meditation are well understood. If he gets it right his natural assets may end up a huge asset for the club.

 

[Lingsface]

pretty decent guns under that long sleeve shirt, start getting a balance between body work and using pure athleticism please charlie?

 

[WestCat]

My main criticism of Charlie is his goal kicking. As a forward he should be able to convert 60% of the time, Charlie would struggle for 50%. He lacks consisntecy, but I think this is still a case of maturity rather than anything else. At 22 and with 43 games to his credit I think he's not far away, perhaps next season he'll start to deliver, but a lot of the time flankers like him can take some time to discover that they aren't a tall or a small. Andrew Embley took until he was 22 or 23 to discover the talent he had, he is a simliar player to Charlie, although a bit skinnier.

Charlie is a great platform on which to build a footballer, he's got pretty good pace for a 190cm guys, he's got great hands and is not lost when the ball goes to ground. His disposal on Saturday was a worry, but he is usually better than that. I think he's worth persisting with for another year, the coaches obviously rate him and he's shown glimpses of what he could be. I just hope that he discovers his hidden talent sooner rather than later.

 

[Turbocat]

My main criticism of Charlie is his goal kicking. As a forward he should be able to convert 60% of the time, Charlie would struggle for 50%. He lacks consisntecy, but I think this is still a case of maturity rather than anything else. At 22 and with 43 games to his credit I think he's not far away, perhaps next season he'll start to deliver, but a lot of the time flankers like him can take some time to discover that they aren't a tall or a small. Andrew Embley took until he was 22 or 23 to discover the talent he had, he is a simliar player to Charlie, although a bit skinnier.

Charlie is a great platform on which to build a footballer, he's got pretty good pace for a 190cm guys, he's got great hands and is not lost when the ball goes to ground. His disposal on Saturday was a worry, but he is usually better than that. I think he's worth persisting with for another year, the coaches obviously rate him and he's shown glimpses of what he could be. I just hope that he discovers his hidden talent sooner rather than later.

Really? What is it with our recruiters, why do we always seem pickup guys who are hack kicks. Gardiner has had enough games for me to say he is no better kick than KK and that is saying something.He is not big enough for pack marks and struggles to place the ball to position in field play.One of these better change if he plans to be on our list long term

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

why be a footballer if you can't kick? Kent has crappy accuracy, but he backs himself. Gardiner doesn't even do that. I'm sick of seeing him get a mark, and then spend the next 30 seconds caught in two minds about what he is going to do.

 

[WestCat]

Really? What is it with our recruiters, why do we always seem pickup guys who are hack kicks. Gardiner has had enough games for me to say he is no better kick than KK and that is saying something.He is not big enough for pack marks and struggles to place the ball to position in field play.One of these better change if he plans to be on our list long term

His around the ground kicking is generally pretty good, it's his goal kicking which lets him down. I haven't watched his kicking for goal closely, but perhaps he stabs at the ball like Kingsley. This sort of kicking works around the ground, but can let you down in front of goal.

 

[Turbocat]

His around the ground kicking is generally pretty good, it's his goal kicking which lets him down. I haven't watched his kicking for goal closely, but perhaps he stabs at the ball like Kingsley. This sort of kicking works around the ground, but can let you down in front of goal.

Disagree Westy, he has shanked the ball more than any player I can think of recently in our side. It just comes of the boot shoody. Do kids kick to kick any more?It got me beat how anyone could be that ordinary around the ground? He is supposed to be a brainiac, has he ever gone over his own action.Has he grabbed sombody like Mackie and tried to see what they do.
He has to work out where his future lay.If its mid field he has to learn to put the ball to advatage and not just lob it or slaughter it
If he is tall marking forward option, then he has to step it up.I really, reallly anyoys me that guys who are in the side basically as forwards dont take the responsiblity for shots at goals because they are unsure of their own accuracy.It would be like Andrew Gaze always looking to pass from the 3 point line. Its your job buddy, do it.
The Brisbane game last year he played well but if I remember he missed at least a couple shots that if he kicked as well as young Nathan or Mackie etc. we may well have won the game. Ok fair enough, I'll live with that but he we are 12 months later and he has made zero progress. Its just a waste.
Bottom line,after all the effort, after the training, after the weight room, after the injuries,after all the tackling,after gutsing it out and winning hard balls if you cant finish off the hard work you lose