Gumby

[clivenator26]

As a buddy of Gumby I thought I would create a thread and get people's views on, the Taberner thread has got me thinking, will Gumby get a contract in 2015, he has strung 4 consecutive WAFL games together (stats below) but has the ASADA stuff hanging over his head, I doubt many other clubs would keep him on the list but we obviously have a need for KPFs.

I've been a fan of his for a long time and really hope he gets 1-2 season of full AFL footy just to see how good he could be, with the injuries and setbacks he has had it is a bloody great effort he has kept persisting.

4 goals in his first 3 games but last week he kicked 0.4, hopefully he can kick 2-3 bags of 4 goals or more and put his hand up for a game later in the year to give us a look at him. 3 tackles would be a worry for Ross.

http://www.wafl.com.au/players/view/5754

 

[jackkkkk]

Didnt he do his hammy this year in a tackle? Might be a mental thing

 

[Okinakashi]

I'd love to see Gumby play a role for Freo.

He's not a top 10 Draft pick for nothing.

Besides he's been through so much cr@p over the years - it would be good to get him on the park for at least a couple. If not, then down at Peel helping out the younger players.

 

[malpaso]

Gumby could still get into the team this year as RTB wants that second tall marking forward and he's the only option we have. Right now we are settling for Sylvia in that role. Gumby and Pav could just rotate the CHF position each quarter, tough matchup for opposition backs.

 

[footyfix]

Essendon absolutely loved the guy and persisted with him for many years so if after all that they finally cut him loose you would have to say there really is not much hope of getting anything out of him. I hate to say it but realistically I never thought he was going to have an impact and unfortunately he hasn't.

 

[Ripper]

Any thing He contributes should be considered a bonus.

 

[malpaso]

Essendon absolutely loved the guy and persisted with him for many years so if after all that they finally cut him loose you would have to say there really is not much hope of getting anything out of him. I hate to say it but realistically I never thought he was going to have an impact and unfortunately he hasn't.

They didn't cut him loose, he chose to leave. He originally signed a 1 year deal with them out of loyalty the year before. It was a bit of a no-brainer leaving Essendon after last season...

 

[E Shed]

I have lost the faith. I reckon he practically needs a full pre-season and about half a season of WAFL uninterrupted to get some touch and feel for the game back. He doesn't look like much at this stage. Its possible they will back him in for one more year.

 

[ROYISHUNGRY]

The club had a punt and lost out, was worth a crack though.......Any news on the X-factor? will he make a comeback or is his career done and dusted??

 

[Swan Districts Kid]

Hoped he might be over his chronic back/hammies following the previous season / operation, but he obviously isn't.
Just when he starts to show some regular fitness & form - BAM! - he's injured again.
Makes it hard to plan team structures around a guy whose availability is always uncertain.
I personally would rather utilize his squad spot for someone else.

 

[Apeman]

I don't have high hopes, his body has just refused to give him an extended run at footy and I really feel for him it must be bloody tough mentally to do so much rehab but always break down before he gets a feel for the game again.

I think he should get another year though. We are in premiership mode and short of quality key forwards. If we can keep him on the park for a just a little while he could play an important role for us next year, even this year isn't completely written off for him but he'd need to get on a roll soon.

 

[Wigarus]

I have lost the faith. I reckon he practically needs a full pre-season and about half a season of WAFL uninterrupted to get some touch and feel for the game back. He doesn't look like much at this stage. Its possible they will back him in for one more year.

Lol, you have been banging on about Morabito for ages now and Gumby has had more football over the last couple of years than he has.

I still think he has some value but it's almost impossible to expect it, like Ripper says, anything we get is a bonus. The upside is potentially very big so is worth persisting with imo especially considering our other options or lack thereof.

 

[yakka man]

I have lost the faith. I reckon he practically needs a full pre-season and about half a season of WAFL uninterrupted to get some touch and feel for the game back. He doesn't look like much at this stage. Its possible they will back him in for one more year.

The hardest thing to accept is that he actually did have a full pre-season and was looking good.

 

[Docker82]

Can't help but think ASADA may have sealed his fate which is a shame as I was expecting him to be a gun off limited game time as he has been throughout his career. If he's borderline any ban/potential ban from ASADA would make him a less attractive option to keep on the list. I wouldn't mind seeing him on the rookie list next year tbh. If he gets a sixth month ban from ASADA no one will pick him up anyway (if they even would've in the first place).

 

[yoong]

Thinking outside the box, I am wondering if Freo can just say voluntarily "suspend" him starting now for 6 months, and just worked on his recovery and conditioning. Then when the cheats and asada finally worked something out Gumby will be all ready to start in march.

 

[Wee Jessies]

I think the plan will be delist with a view to redrafting to rookie list or main list if we don't rate anyone higher in the draft with our 3rd pick.

Can't see us being too active in the draft probably just the two live picks and redraft a delisted player with final pick.

 

[theGav56]

I guess I would prefer to see development games going into Apeness next season. For Gumbleton he may play a role if our fearless leader misses for whatever reason this year, but he would need to be putting up some irresistible form to force a change to us playing 2 talls forward.

 

[PapaJ]

Thinking outside the box, I am wondering if Freo can just say voluntarily "suspend" him starting now for 6 months, and just worked on his recovery and conditioning. Then when the cheats and asada finally worked something out Gumby will be all ready to start in march.

It doesn't quite work like that, but in a way, if Gumby had told his Essendope mates and the AFLPA association to go and get ****ed with their stupid and pointless delay tactics and just went to ASADA and got the process out of the way quickly, something like what you're saying would work. Unfortunately, he seems duty bound by the AFLPA and Little and his 'power lawyers' to make this drag out making him, as others have said, an even less attractive player to have on a list.

 

[PapaJ]

To answer OP, think we should stick with him for now despite what I just said.

His upside is massive and Bombers where well aware of that too and where not happy to let him go, I can tell you that from the horses mouth. If we had a gun KPF locked away in the list about to break out, then maybe, but we don't - he's worth keeping for now IMHO.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

I'd love to see Gumby play a role for Freo.

He's not a top 10 Draft pick for nothing.

Besides he's been through so much cr@p over the years - it would be good to get him on the park for at least a couple. If not, then down at Peel helping out the younger players.

He's got guys like Mora and Barlow around him for great support - guys who have had long stints out and the club had faith in them. Will give him lots of hope of getting a selection you'd think - especially when RTB said he was very impressed with Gumby and how he went about his pre-season (especially in contrast to poor old Col)

 

[Tazmania]

Thinking outside the box, I am wondering if Freo can just say voluntarily "suspend" him starting now for 6 months, and just worked on his recovery and conditioning. Then when the cheats and asada finally worked something out Gumby will be all ready to start in march.

For all we know he has already done so

 

[Purple Suit]

Can't help but think ASADA may have sealed his fate which is a shame as I was expecting him to be a gun off limited game time as he has been throughout his career. If he's borderline any ban/potential ban from ASADA would make him a less attractive option to keep on the list. I wouldn't mind seeing him on the rookie list next year tbh. If he gets a sixth month ban from ASADA no one will pick him up anyway (if they even would've in the first place).

I agree with this. Maybe a Rookie spot if we have any but we can't afford to keep him on the main list with the ban hanging over his head, especially in premiership mode.

I think we should flag it publicly as the reason we won't give him another year if that happens. He will then have a case to sue Essendon for big dollars, everybody wins.

 

[sij1981]

Hoped he might be over his chronic back/hammies following the previous season / operation, but he obviously isn't.
Just when he starts to show some regular fitness & form - BAM! - he's injured again.
Makes it hard to plan team structures around a guy whose availability is always uncertain.
I personally would rather utilize his squad spot for someone else.

apeness i reckon