Toast Hail King RAT

[Tex200]

Great on Thursday night, still don’t trust him or 10 others from there he 2017 GF loss. Reckon he will go missing again when it really counts.

That’s fair comment based on past performance.

The difficulty for a player like Rat is that he’s heavily reliant on what others produce. Watching him Thursday he really does make excellent position to be the outlet player when the giver is under pressure.

If that player isn’t winning the ball though then Rat has made position for nothing and is stranded.

If he’s in trying to win the ball then who is doing what he normally does?

In the old footy parlance he’s a receiver, no one really likes them but they are necessary.

 

[footy4ever]

Rat is as clever as he is erratic, but when he's on he can be freakish good. You never know what you're going to get though. Hope he brings it at the pointy end of the season.

 

[Thylacinus]

Almost every player in our side has miss tackles

As a team our tackling technique has been very ordinary for many years now

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While far from perfect we have improved heaps in this area. Our emphasis on contested footy and having so many physical beasts in the side has also helped. We have come a long way from the easily brushed off side of a number of years ago. Think CEY, Greenwood, Crouchx2, Walker, our three talls down back, the raging bull Kelly and Murphy, Betts, ROB, Laird, Sloane, Milera etc. We really have come a long way.

 

[cmndstab]

Great on Thursday night, still don’t trust him or 10 others from there he 2017 GF loss. Reckon he will go missing again when it really counts.

This is another thing that people often say about players like Atkins, as well as Lynch, Walker, etc that I don't agree with.

Those players have a role to play which relies on someone before them getting the ball and delivering it.

If the inside mids don't do their role, and the defenders don't win the ball back, then Atkins can't be effective.

If our running backs don't do their role, then someone like Lynch can't be effective.

If our transition from defence to forward isn't done properly, then Walker can't be effective.

Too often we blame people for "going missing when it counts" when in reality, what is happening is that the system is breaking down before it gets to their part of it. And it's not like Atkins can just say "**** it, it's never getting to me so I'm going to start going to the contest instead" because then when we do actually win the ball, we don't have an outside player anymore to give it to.

The measure of an outside player is not whether they go missing when the rest of the team fails to perform. It's how much value they provide when the rest of the team does perform.

 

[SugarShane]

He doesn't need to break a tackle, he has an excellent side step.

Tell that to all the holding the balls he gets done for.

 

[SydCrow]

Tell that to all the holding the balls he gets done for.

He always tries to take players on and most of the time gets away with it. He is excellent in traffic, see his weaving and kick I50 to set up Jenkins' last goal. As an attacking mid I'd rather he did that than always take the first option. Different story if he is in defence.

 

[jamesclean]

i love him, incredible player. takes the game on with his disposal as seen by the kick to CEY in the coach highlights. naturally - he NEVER takes the first option, but I think he is being coached into it with mixed results.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Very, very good in the last quarter.

 

[Barneythecrab]

That’s fair comment based on past performance.

The difficulty for a player like Rat is that he’s heavily reliant on what others produce. Watching him Thursday he really does make excellent position to be the outlet player when the giver is under pressure.

If that player isn’t winning the ball though then Rat has made position for nothing and is stranded.

If he’s in trying to win the ball then who is doing what he normally does?

In the old footy parlance he’s a receiver, no one really likes them but they are necessary.

I sometimes feel like we might have a player like mchenry who could do what Atkins does but more.

 

[Barneythecrab]

This is another thing that people often say about players like Atkins, as well as Lynch, Walker, etc that I don't agree with.

Those players have a role to play which relies on someone before them getting the ball and delivering it.

If the inside mids don't do their role, and the defenders don't win the ball back, then Atkins can't be effective.

If our running backs don't do their role, then someone like Lynch can't be effective.

If our transition from defence to forward isn't done properly, then Walker can't be effective.

Too often we blame people for "going missing when it counts" when in reality, what is happening is that the system is breaking down before it gets to their part of it. And it's not like Atkins can just say "**** it, it's never getting to me so I'm going to start going to the contest instead" because then when we do actually win the ball, we don't have an outside player anymore to give it to.

The measure of an outside player is not whether they go missing when the rest of the team fails to perform. It's how much value they provide when the rest of the team does perform.

They should not be pulling out of contests when the heat is on. Don’t care if they are outside or inside. I don’t trust Atkins to stand up when it counts in a finals situation. For example running hard after a player, insert film of him v west coast, think it was shuey.

 

[Golumless]

I sometimes feel like we might have a player like mchenry who could do what Atkins does but more.

Different players. McHenry will start small forward, but will end up in our inside midfield within a couple of years. Atkins is pretty much outside only.

Hamill is who I am excited about for an Atkins replacement in the long term. Seems to be something there, and Atkins is the most in danger out of our outside group.

 

[Golumless]

They should not be pulling out of contests when the heat is on. Don’t care if they are outside or inside. I don’t trust Atkins to stand up when it counts in a finals situation. For example running hard after a player, insert film of him v west coast, think it was shuey.

And yet Atkins was a key part why we ripped apart Geelong the week before. Tore them a new one in the first quarter.

When push comes to shove, if there is another Adelaide player around, Atkins should never be in the contest. That is a structural breaking **** up no matter how much you think of his bravery. This is something he actually does well is knowing when he shouldn't be in the contest, however, it's never a good look when he gets it wrong, and it is impossible to get it always right.


Edit: weird wording, but I am mentally fried right now.

 

[Barneythecrab]

And yet Atkins was a key part why we ripped apart Geelong the week before. Tore them a new one in the first quarter.

When push comes to shove, if there is another Adelaide player around, Atkins should never be in the contest. That is a structural breaking **** up no matter how much you think of his bravery. This is something he actually does well is knowing when he shouldn't be in the contest, however, it's never a good look when he gets it wrong, and it is impossible to not get it always wrong.

I agree with you, but if an opposition player marks the ball near Atkins, plays on and Atkins chooses not to chance and apply tackle/pressure, not sheparding and not tackling when the opportunity comes, which all have occurred on many occasions with Atkins, then I just do not trust him in high stakes, high intensity games.

 

[Golumless]

I agree with you, but if an opposition player marks the ball near Atkins, plays on and Atkins chooses not to chance and apply tackle/pressure, not sheparding and not tackling when the opportunity comes, which all have occurred on many occasions with Atkins, then I just do not trust him in high stakes, high intensity games.

Atkins is no pariah there, everyone in the league has been guilty of it at one point or another (and quite likely, everyone is guilty of it in every game). Not thinking you could impact a contest, or getting lost between should be attacking a player or holding to structures etc.

I agree you shouldn't trust Atkins in those games, however, the reason you don't trust him is that he is a person who is truly reliant on others. You cannot trust him to perform because if something else breaks before him then Atkins is made useless. He is a high risk, high reward piece in the back end of our squad. Someone who could truly make a difference in the 17-22 slots in our line up or well, could be dead weight.

 

[Paladin]

I have been a critic but Rat was supurb on Thursday. His marking and hardness was much improved and had his normal good ball use. The angles he gives us as a left footer are invaluable. If he can get close to that standard every week he makes us a much better team.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Can be great, unfortunately has a touch of the Brent Reillys where he always thinks he has 2 more seconds than he does and grossly overestimates his ability to break a tackle.

Good game last night though, need more of that.

Three part problem

1. He has absolutely no right foot
2. Gets himself into trouble by not going with the first option that presents itself. When he think, he ****s up
3. Handballs as the absolutely last resort which with combination of 1 gets him into trouble.

 

[Tex200]

Three part problem

1. He has absolutely no right foot
2. Gets himself into trouble by not going with the first option that presents itself. When he think, he ****s up
3. Handballs as the absolutely last resort

This is a positive thread created for those who want appreciate some of the good he can bring.

If you can’t find anything positive to say - especially after the game he played Thursday, then I suggest you go to any number of other threads he’s being rubbished in

 

[Golumless]

Three part problem

1. He has absolutely no right foot
2. Gets himself into trouble by not going with the first option that presents itself. When he think, he ****s up
3. Handballs as the absolutely last resort

This comes to how you'd rather Atkins play.

I'd rather him risk the holding the ball looking for a good option then to take the first one that presents itself. Holding the ball is always an ok result providing the ball has not been knocked out of Atkins hands, as at least you've been able to get your defense into a good position. I also disagree, Atkins looking for a good option usually works, but naturally, any time you **** up it looks bad.

 

[Stiffy_18]

This is a positive thread created for those who want appreciate some of the good he can bring.

If you can’t find anything positive to say - especially after the game he played Thursday, then I suggest you go to any number of other threads he’s being rubbished in

Don’t have a problem with Rat. He is in our best 22. Like all outside players, can be inconsistent. Its part and parcel of being an outside player.

Simply pointing out what needs to be addressed for him to take his game to the next level which is a more consistent and damaging player.

He was certainly one of our best against Richmond.

 

[Linekers Ears]

He’d had such a good game last night, but when he was camped under that high ball on the outer side at an important time in the last quarter, I thought, please take this mark or it’s all for nought.

Was happy he stood under it, took the strong mark and the whack in the face that went with it.

Did anybody else think he got shirty about the whack he copped?

Seemed like played angry the next few minutes and was comparatively much harder - more agressive.

Please Mr Rat, can i have some more?

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[dogs105]

I sometimes feel like we might have a player like mchenry who could do what Atkins does but more.

Probably not yet

 

[Geoffa32]

I said at the start if the year this will be his break out year.

Undecided if that has been the case, but he has certainly taken on a more senior role in the side.

Just wish he was less panicked under pressure.

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[Stiffy_18]

I said at the start if the year this will be his break out year.

Undecided if that has been the case, but he has certainly taken on a more senior role in the side.

Just wish he was less panicked under pressure.

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Should just go with the first instinct and he will be fine. Its when he starts second guessing his instinct that he gets himself into trouble!

 

[John Who]

I've noticed a general pattern - Rat usually plays best in the last quarters. Does anyone else observe similar?

And if so, why is this?

Glad to see him play into some form leading into the bye. Hope he can do more of what he does with the tough marking and traffic weaving. Whenever Rat plays well, we generally win!

 

[Geoffa32]

I've noticed a general pattern - Rat usually plays best in the last quarters. Does anyone else observe similar?

And if so, why is this?

Glad to see him play into some form leading into the bye. Hope he can do more of what he does with the tough marking and traffic weaving. Whenever Rat plays well, we generally win!

Not the Melbourne game. He was poor in the last quarter.

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