Grant Birchall returns after 2 years out...

[Dewnior]

No. He'd be second picked in that backline behind Stratts

Third. You forgot about Silk

 

[Dr.J]

The Caveat on "Birch is a certain starter in our best backline" must be the Birch of two plus seasons ago.
Everything else is pure speculation.

No body really knows if he'll return to full fitness.
No body really knows the effect that two years of limited game time will have.
No body really knows if age is having any effect upon his ability to play at a high level.

Sure it's a fun debate but no place for the definitive statement.
Put simply we're all just guessing

 

[OnTheRocks]

The game has changed a lot but I agree, if he comes back and has all the tools and athletic abilities he had when he was 27-28 then we are likely to get a very very good defender who has the ability to be general and quarterback, his ability to penetrate and sling shot out of defence is an asset. In saying that, I think it's unlikely we will get the same Birch we used to know, I hope we do but I struggle to see it.

Yup! The game has changed a lot. Birch is a champion and champions don't forget how to play. I do agree the end is closer than when he 1st started tho. Back him in and wish him well.

 

[tige19]

The Caveat on "Birch is a certain starter in our best backline" must be the Birch of two plus seasons ago.
Everything else is pure speculation.

No body really knows if he'll return to full fitness.
No body really knows the effect that two years of limited game time will have.
No body really knows if age is having any effect upon his ability to play at a high level.

Sure it's a fun debate but no place for the definitive statement.
Put simply we're all just guessing

The assumptions from those that consider their opinions of greater value is that he is a lock to come back and be the Birch we all know and love because........ well they say so and they know best. It's bewildering and comical that anyone can say with great confidence he is going to be playing footy at all in 2019 let alone be one of the first picked, his whole injury journey has been abnormally bizarre.

 

[tige19]

Yup! The game has changed a lot. Birch is a champion and champions don't forget how to play. I do agree the end is closer than when he 1st started tho. Back him in and wish him well.

Well from where I sit (generally, that's planet earth) there is growing doubt that he will get back to any sort of elite level, this is not because he hasn't got the talent but simply his body won't allow him. There is no denying his "champion" status at the footy club, but there is nothing to suggest he is on this grand comeback trail where he will be the old Birch of 27/28.

 

[MrPremiership]

The assumptions from those that consider their opinions of greater value is that he is a lock to come back and be the Birch we all know and love because........ well they say so and they know best. It's bewildering and comical that anyone can say with great confidence he is going to be playing footy at all in 2019 let alone be one of the first picked, his whole injury journey has been abnormally bizarre.

Same sort of bewilderment when people who have zero idea about his body want him to have been retired 12 months ago, and now writing him off in February.

He may not get back up to the level, let's just see.

 

[FisherHawk]

How about we just leave it up to the medical staff and Grant, and wish him the best to get back to somewhere near his best. As a contracted premiership player, I'm sure he and the club know what's best in the long run.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Well from where I sit (generally, that's planet earth) there is growing doubt that he will get back to any sort of elite level, this is not because he hasn't got the talent but simply his body won't allow him. There is no denying his "champion" status at the footy club, but there is nothing to suggest he is on this grand comeback trail where he will be the old Birch of 27/28.

Greetings Earthling,
There would be an element of doubt for any player after an injury, be they a champion or not. Just a given IMO
I'd rather our club let Birch 'take up 600k+' with the view that he can be worth it, rather than flush the money down the gurgler on a spud like Vickery ever again.
The obvious counter opinion to the top 4 last year without him is top 3 or better with him?
I doubt him but I definitely don't dismiss him.

 

[tige19]

Same sort of bewilderment when people who have zero idea about his body want him to have been retired 12 months ago, and now writing him off in February.

He may not get back up to the level, let's just see.

I must have missed the part where this is a discussion around Birch’s injury woes, would you kindly point me in the right direction?

 

[tige19]

Greetings Earthling,
There would be an element of doubt for any player after an injury, be they a champion or not. Just a given IMO
I'd rather our club let Birch 'take up 600k+' with the view that he can be worth it, rather than flush the money down the gurgler on a spud like Vickery ever again.
The obvious counter opinion to the top 4 last year without him is top 3 or better with him?
I doubt him but I definitely don't dismiss him.

Fair points mate, no doubt. I personally would have preferred to use that money on being more aggressive in the FA market.

 

[MrPremiership]

Fair points mate, no doubt. I personally would have preferred to use that money on being more aggressive in the FA market.

More aggressive? How?

Didn't we offer Lynch the most money and he still chose elsewhere?

Didn't we sign Wingard, Scully and Scrimshaw?


What would you have liked us to do?

 

[Carl Spackler]

More aggressive? How?

Didn't we offer Lynch the most money and he still chose elsewhere?

Didn't we sign Wingard, Scully and Scrimshaw?


What would you have liked us to do?

I’m not writing him off. To be clear, I’m merely saying that he’s been out long enough that the team has been able to develop an effective playing chemistry without him. Plus there are some pretty athletic new guys that may be able to balance against his smarts and experience in the footy value equation. As such, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Birch with an edge role like sewel’s at the end of his career.

Birch may come in and play top footy every game as well. I would be more surprised by that than at seeing him in a sewel type equation, though. My judgement may be farked, I suppose, which is too bad for me.

 

[tige19]

More aggressive? How?

Didn't we offer Lynch the most money and he still chose elsewhere?

Didn't we sign Wingard, Scully and Scrimshaw?


What would you have liked us to do?

If we offered Lynch 300k more you still think he signs with the Tigers? Do you genuinely think that having an extra 600k wouldn't have helped us? Am I really needing to justify that? I am almost face planting writing this reply.

 

[MrPremiership]

If we offered Lynch 300k more you still think he signs with the Tigers? Do you genuinely think that having an extra 600k wouldn't have helped us? Am I really needing to justify that? I am almost face planting writing this reply.

Do you seriously think IF the Club wanted to offer Lynch $300k more that they wouldn't have been able to? Really?

You don't seriously think the club is so poorly managed that IF they wanted to offer $300k more they couldn't have found a way, even to the point of pushing Birchall out?

I'd suggest the Club offered Lynch the most they wanted to offer. I have no doubt they could have offered more if they wanted to.

Facepalm. What a ridiculous view.

 

[KermitJagger]

If we offered Lynch 300k more you still think he signs with the Tigers? Do you genuinely think that having an extra 600k wouldn't have helped us? Am I really needing to justify that? I am almost face planting writing this reply.

I do think he would, yes. Money clearly wasn't his keenest motivator as he could have just stayed at Gold Coast for more than any Vic club could offer, as well as ambassador payments and whatever other under the table dealings could be had.

We were already offering the largest deal out of all potential suitors, he was set on Richmond. Even if we had the extra money and he did choose us, we would have sold out the future of the club and compromised our ability to get our other pieces in.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Lynch and Birchall both have PCLs... and we know how that has affected Birchall who had been very durable for 250 games.

i would be a bit nervous if I was a Tiger supporter.

 

[Snakelilbandit]

Should have put him down in 2017 the first time he was injured, letting players heal rather than just shooting them is a terrible idea. Would really free up some salary cap space and give some of the kids a better run at it.

Sent from my RNE-L02 using Tapatalk

 

[kazzooka]

More aggressive? How?

Didn't we offer Lynch the most money and he still chose elsewhere?

Didn't we sign Wingard, Scully and Scrimshaw?


What would you have liked us to do?

Just to confirm regarding Lynch, Collingwood was the best offer he got in terms of dollars and years. Not sure what ours was but only really Collingwood and Richmond were serious contenders. My source on this is has never been wrong on a Gold Coast player and is closest to Lynch of all players that were there.

But your point is correct that we were very keen and did all we could. I think it will come out that Scully and Scrimshaw were both worth far more than the picks we game up. It was our salary cap space for both that had them land with us.

 

[kazzooka]

Lynch and Birchall both have PCLs... and we know how that has affected Birchall who had been very durable for 250 games.

i would be a bit nervous if I was a Tiger supporter.

Stratton did his pcl in 2011 or 12... Turned out okay.

 

[Brant]

Fair points mate, no doubt. I personally would have preferred to use that money on being more aggressive in the FA market.

That’s kinda retrospective thinking though, realTige.

For us to have had that money available, Birchall would have had to retire, but of course he wouldn’t have retired because there’s no way he would think that a PCL was an 18+ month injury.

If he/we’d thought the PCL was a career-ending injury, we’d probably have played it differently, but we/he obviously didn’t & still don’t.

*money wasn’t the issue with Lynch. He wanted to go to the 9’ers more than he wanted to come to us. It’s just that simple.

 

[TylerDurden]

That’s kinda retrospective thinking though, realTige.

For us to have had that money available, Birchall would have had to retire, but of course he wouldn’t have retired because there’s no way he would think that a PCL was an 18+ month injury.

If he/we’d thought the PCL was a career-ending injury, we’d probably have played it differently, but we/he obviously didn’t & still don’t.

*money wasn’t the issue with Lynch. He wanted to go to the 9’ers more than he wanted to come to us. It’s just that simple.

Agree on Lynch.

Hoping it’s the same with Cogs and us. He’s going to get massive offers from all angles.

 

[tige19]

Agree on Lynch.

Hoping it’s the same with Cogs and us. He’s going to get massive offers from all angles.

Well if Birch plays one last season and retires and we get Cog then I’ll be happy

 

[The German Hunter]

Should have put him down in 2017 the first time he was injured, letting players heal rather than just shooting them is a terrible idea. Would really free up some salary cap space and give some of the kids a better run at it.

Sent from my RNE-L02 using Tapatalk

Finally someone speaking sense. Bolt guns are terribly underrated these days

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Birch still indefinite, be interesting to see if he ever gets back on the park again.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Birch still indefinite, be interesting to see if he ever gets back on the park again.

Cooked. Mid year retirement.