Houlihan

The Real Deal · Mar 30, 2008

Interested to get peoples opinions on where he's at. I've always wondered how hard he works when he doesn't have the ball and is he accountable when playing in the backline. As one of the senior players I would want him showing the way more to the younger players.

So, is he the type of guy you can see in the next premiership team?

MBIB · Mar 30, 2008

I'm in a minority but I've always been a big Houla fan. He can play both ends and has a great kick.

I think the youngsters will/do look up to him. He may not get it a whole some weeks lot but he's level-headed and can snap a goal like last night or run it out of defense.

Isn't he the the longest serving member of this team??

Beloved · Mar 30, 2008

I definately think we should hold onto Houla. He's such a smart lad, and his experience is invaluable.

Oh, and he's also a great footballer :thumbsu:

.

MBIB · Mar 30, 2008

EddieBettsIsAChamp said:
I definately think we should hold onto Houla. He's such a smart lad, and his experience is invaluable.

Oh, and he's also a great footballer.

You must be on cloud nine EBIAC, that eddie goal was freakishly sensational!!

GPW1 · Mar 30, 2008

for the love of god, please just leave on a forward flank for the rest of the year. his creativity would be invaluable up forward.

ericpascoe · Mar 30, 2008

The Real Deal said:
So, is he the type of guy you can see in the next premiership team?

Nope

The Old Dark Navy's · Mar 30, 2008

Why do we insist on putting him in defence? He is not a defender. He continually gets pinged for hands in the back, or in the perverse world of umpiring a cellar dweller who is expected to lose anyway, pushing in the bloody arm! That's another story though.

Leave Houla in the attacking half and be done with it.

thylacine60 · Mar 30, 2008

The Old Dark Navy's said:
Why do we insist on putting him in defence? He is not a defender. He continually gets pinged for hands in the back, or in the perverse world of umpiring a cellar dweller who is expected to lose anyway, pushing in the bloody arm! That's another story though.

Leave Houla in the attacking half and be done with it.

Be grouse to think this was the final, enduring comment on this bloke. No-one can argue against it so why bother?

Beloved · Mar 30, 2008

MyBloodIsBlue said:
You must be on cloud nine EBIAC, that eddie goal was freakishly sensational!!

Ashley Hanson, eat your heart out.

It's pretty sad that I was smilling after a loss!

MBIB · Mar 30, 2008

The Old Dark Navy's said:
Why do we insist on putting him in defence? He is not a defender. He continually gets pinged for hands in the back, or in the perverse world of umpiring a cellar dweller who is expected to lose anyway, pushing in the bloody arm! That's another story though.

Leave Houla in the attacking half and be done with it.

I prefer him in the forward line, he's much more damaging there but if we're to put him back I don't mind him running loose coming out of defense.
You're right, he does get pinged for hands in the back so he shouldn't be one on one. He's good at cleaning up though.

Still prefer him up forward! :thumbsu:

BlueBelle · Mar 30, 2008

Hoops' skills speak for themself. It's just unfortunate he is as soft as butter.

Leave him up forward.

The Old Dark Navy's · Mar 30, 2008

You can change your sig BG, Blues2008 came out of the closet but then upset admin over something else and has been banned forever.

Salt Lake Cities · Mar 30, 2008

The Old Dark Navy's said:
Why do we insist on putting him in defence? He is not a defender. He continually gets pinged for hands in the back, or in the perverse world of umpiring a cellar dweller who is expected to lose anyway, pushing in the bloody arm! That's another story though.

Leave Houla in the attacking half and be done with it.

Couldn't be more spot on ODN if you thought about that for years, both with Houla and umpiring. Why do umps insist on making it even harder for the struggling teams but as you said that's another story. Houla's left foot snap in the last quarter combined with being one of our few players that can hit a leading target means one thing. Forward flank for him on a permanent basis, please Ratts!

BlueBelle · Mar 30, 2008

The Old Dark Navy's said:
You can change your sig BG, Blues2008 came out of the closet but then upset admin over something else and has been banned forever.

So he is gay too?

HBF · Mar 30, 2008

Houlihan has never been, and never will be a defender. FFS Carlton MC, play him up forward, where he can hurt opposition clubs. Give him some bursts in the midfield if you like, but please o please, play him up forward.

The Old Dark Navy's · Mar 30, 2008

Salt Lake Cities said:
Couldn't be more spot on ODN if you thought about that for years

I started working on the draft for that post back in 2001. Got caught up in the great amateur writers strike of 2002 and lost my train of thought.

Salt Lake Cities · Mar 30, 2008

The Old Dark Navy's said:
I started working on the draft for that post back in 2001. Got caught up in the great amateur writers strike of 2002 and lost my train of thought.

Glad to see you're back on track now, can't have that talent going to waste :thumbsu:

. Actually going back that far think i remember hoops playing in a final for us (maybe against brisbane??) and snagging 2 or 3 big ones as an 18 year old. Who's dumb idea was it to send him down back? Don't want to blame the usual suspect but a bloke by the name of Pagan comes to mind..

TheBlueblood · Mar 30, 2008

id love to see hoops have a permanent spot at fwd flank/fwd pocket , at most maybe wing hes a waste in the backline imo

Jock · Mar 30, 2008

The Real Deal said:
Interested to get peoples opinions on where he's at. I've always wondered how hard he works when he doesn't have the ball and is he accountable when playing in the backline. As one of the senior players I would want him showing the way more to the younger players.

So, is he the type of guy you can see in the next premiership team?

No, I'll know we are on the up when he isn't selected in our best team. Until then we will be so so.

Tony Lynn 15 · Mar 30, 2008

The interesting part is for all the criticism of this guy he is on track to play 300 games at the current rate. Now that would be ironic! For the record I think he is a valuable part of our current side.

thylacine60 · Mar 30, 2008

Tony Lynn 15 said:
The interesting part is for all the criticism of this guy he is on track to play 300 games at the current rate. Now that would be ironic! For the record I think he is a valuable part of our current side.

You realize someone's bound to say if he does play 300 for Carlton it will mean we will be in the wilderness for the next 7 - 10 years.

thylacine60 · Mar 30, 2008

Not me of course.

blues4flag · Mar 30, 2008

Has been a good servant for the club and has been much maligned about his hardness - which, IMO, has been exaggerated. Super classy player, but expecting him to be accountable on a classy forward is idiotic - he does not have the defensive abilities to play that role, especially in a one on one marking contest (though that said, he has done a few good tagging jobs in his career). Don't know why he's been played in defense for so long, as clearly he is much more suited in the attacking half of the ground.

Thrawn · Mar 30, 2008

Looks like they still haven't learned their lesson from last year.

Houlihan always was and will be a half forward player. He has good skills and is a good set shot most of the time... he has no defensive bone in his body.

Tony Lynn 15 · Mar 30, 2008

thylacine60 said:
You realize someone's bound to say if he does play 300 for Carlton it will mean we will be in the wilderness for the next 7 - 10 years.

I am pretty sure that will be the least of the of the comments that will come this way!

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