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Delisted James Strauss

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Re: 47. James Strauss

I wouldnt even give Strauss a 1/10.

But, I will admit, he will be a player for us in the future,
just needs time.

I have high hopes for James.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

Big year for Blease and Strauss in 2011, we'll be hoping to get at least 5-10 AFL games out of both of them, particularly Strauss as he has a spot waiting for him.
 

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Re: 47. James Strauss

What's the go with this kid? Is he going to play at all this year?

Note - this isn't supercoach related (I don't do it) but more curiosity, I remember last year he copped a lot after his debut against us.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

buddy23 said:
What's the go with this kid? Is he going to play at all this year?

Note - this isn't supercoach related (I don't do it) but more curiosity, I remember last year he copped a lot after his debut against us.
Click to expand...

a dt question then? :p

i would say he is more than likely to get a chance at some stage during the year, if he plays well enough there is no reason he couldn't complete 10-12 games this year
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

Round 10 vs Essendon.

Player Review: 7/10

Opponents:

1. Leroy Jetta - 13 disposals 0 goals
2. David Zaharakis - 15 disposals 1 goal

Disposals: 20
Kicks: 13
Clangers: 4
Tackles: 3
Rebound 50's: 5

Strauss had a pretty good game tonight I thought, sure he made a couple of errors by foot, but for a 3rd gamer that surely is to be expected.

He provided some great run from defense, was rarely beaten in a one on one contest (bar the Ryder situation, which let's admit.. was a very tricky situation), his kicking was generally excellent as well.

He undoubtedly has a place in this team going forwards IMO, will need experience but if he keeps putting in solid performances like this he will get there.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

Round 11 vs Collingwood.

Player Review: 6/10

Opponents:

1. Jared Blair
2. Allan Didak
3. Alex Fasolo

Strauss did a decent job defensively, especially with the volume of I50's coming in, when he played on these guys, they didn't get away from him which was encouraging.

Disposals: 21
Kicks: 14
Clangers: 2
Tackles: 1
Rebound 50's: 6
CP/UP: 5/11 (Doesn't add up, maybe play on from kick outs?)

Strauss was again solid down back, making a couple of skill errors, but again for a 4th gamer that is to be expected. Provided some run and carry a couple of times which was pleasing, only to look up to a vacant forward 50...

He broke even with all of the players he was on at any given time IMO, he seems to have a good enough fitness base to run with most forwards.

Showed some signs with some excellent low trajectory delivery once or twice, I'm confident that once he gets some consistency and up to around 45-50 games we will have a player on our hands.

Does he keep his spot?

Definitely, our midfield is who has to be held accountable for our performance today, not our defenders, and certainly not Strauss.

With Tapscott potentially available I'm tipping we will see Strauss stay in defence and Tapscott moved onto the ball or onto a HFF.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

Round 12 vs Fremantle

Player Review: 6/10

Opponents:

(Didn't pay much attention to his opponent unfortunately, was a bit excited with how the game was progressing)

Disposals: 17
Kicks: 8
Clangers: 1
Tackles: 1
Rebound 50's: 3
CP/UP: 3/12

He had another solid game did James Strauss. He's ball use was again pretty good as shown by his efficiency of above 80%, defensively he was good and didn't lose a one on one iirc. There are undoubtedly things he needs to work on however. He only made the one turnover this week, his composure with the ball is improving.

Some things I would like to see him add to his game are his attacking capabilities, to try and take the game on a bit more, I feel while he is doing a solid job he is still playing within his shell slightly... specifically in regard to attacking capabilities.

Of course he is a 5 game player so he is understandably a bit cautious, as many 5 game players are, but nonetheless he has proven to be a weapon at VFL level IMO it's only a matter of time before we see evidence of this at AFL level.

He is an elite kick of the ball and anyone who has watched him at VFL level should agree with that.

Does he keep his spot?

Yes, IMO.

Tapscott will need a week or two at Casey, the Tigers have a more mobile and youthful forwardline than most... Mitch White comes to mind as a possible assignment for Strauss.

I do think when Tapscott comes back in he will find his way back to Casey eventually, but he has shown some encouraging signs nonetheless.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

Really starting to impress me is strauss. Not getting overly excited yet, but considering he's played a handful of games, I think he's starting to look like a genuine AFL footballer.

Competes hard, looks versatile, and obviously can kick the ball (this will improve even further you'd think as he gets more used to it)
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

He's getting under the radar atm but these are very important games for him and he's been ok. Invaluable for his confidence and looks to be filling out a little more, will become a power kicker (like a Josh Hunt) not just an accurate one.
 

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Re: 47. James Strauss

Round 14 vs Richmond

Player Review: 5.5/10

Opponents:

Mitch Farmer (10 disposals and 2 goals)
- played on Farmer for most of the game as far as I could tell and held him very well I thought, there was one contest he was out of position for and Farmer goaled from the consequent mark. The other goal came from a quick spread from a turnover, very difficult to defend against.

Tom Hislop (16 and 0)
- spent a little time on Hislop, who didn't seem too dangerous.

Disposals: 10
Kicks: 5
Clangers: 1
DE%: 100 (although the 1 clanger confuses me)
Tackles: 3
Rebound50's: 2
CP/UP: 5/5

Strauss was a little quiet this week I thought, but he still did a very solid defensive job. That was only his 6th game, so inconsistency is to be expected. One moment which pleased me was when he left his man to spoil a Rivers vs. Vickery marking contest, was a good show of courage and a good example of the kind of team play you want from a defender.

He committed a bit too much to a defensive role IMO and did attempt to be a 'playmaker' and recieve handballs in defence. This should happen with confidence.

Does he keep his spot?

Yes, IMO. He wasn't bad, just quiet, and every young player will have some quiet days. He still did a solid defensive job and didn't waste a possession. Get's another chance on the big stage.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

Round 15 vs Bulldogs

Player Review: 6.75/10

Opponents:

Luke Dahlhaus (12 disposals and 2 goals)
Andrew Hooper (14 and 0)
- Strauss did a good defensive job on both of these players IMO, Dahlhaus was dangerous later in the game but I believe that Strauss was not his direct opponent then. A couple of his defensive efforts were fantastic.

Disposals: 21
Kicks: 8
Clangers: 1
DE%: 81
Tackles: 2
Rebound50's: 0
CP/UP: 3/18

Strauss was very solid yet again, and he added a bit more run and carry to his game as well. A few of his defensive efforts were first class and his delivery up the ground was, in general, very good.

I would like him to get win some more contested ball however and use his pace to more of an advantage, but that's just nitpicking (he is a rebounding defender after all, high contested ball may be asking a bit much).

Does he keep his spot?
IMO, yes. Regardless of who is coming back into the side (ie. Macdonald and Tapscott). Strauss has shown to be developing very nicely in the senior side and he should not exit it until Davey becomes available (and maybe not even then ... hopefully Davey is used up forward).

Bennell and Morton are both in front of him in terms of defenders being left out.
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

# 47 – James Strauss

Expectations for season 2011:

James was a very interesting proposition at the start of this season; I know that many of the Demon faithful were losing confidence in the lad ... and rapidly losing it at that.

I still had a lot of faith in him, it was blatantly obvious that the current tactical climate (ie. the forward press) provided a baptism of fire for young rebounding defenders (especially those who are 'project' players); and this was evident in James' AFL games in 2010, he struggled with the pace and physicality of the game.

I wrote in my season preview for Strauss that I expected him to step up and play somewhere between 10 and 15 AFL games this season, and barring injury there's no doubt he would have accomplished that.

Key Statistics:

Season (keep in mind these are affected by the 1 disposal he had before he broke his leg in his 9th game of 2011)
- Disposals = 12.9
- Rebound 50's = 2.1
- Marks = 2.0
- Tackles = 2.9
- DT/SC = 49.9/52.4
- Disp eff (average) = 83.34%

Overall Performance:

Strauss had a good season of development. He put on considerable size over the pre-season and has become a fairly powerful unit (standing at 6'2" as well). He hit some excellent form in the VFL competition with some highlights including his performance in a round 9 defeat at Williamstown where his fantastic footskills were on display.

He came back into the senior team in round 11 for the Friday night game against Essendon and performed admirably; he was given roles on David Zaharakis and Leroy Jetta and was excellent in his one on one defensive efforts as well as providing good ball use. He had further encouraging games against Collingwood, Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs.

His form dropped off a little towards the end of his season, however this was also a period where Melbourne played up in Darwin and then got routinely thumped by some of the competition's best sides. Strauss' defensive intent was consistent throughout the season and was a really prominent feature of his game.

His season ended shockingly and abruptly when he broke his leg in an awkward landing during the Demons second encounter with Carlton, the worst was immediately feared.

However... he seems to have healed very well from this injury, he's been out of the moon-boot for over a month (according to eye-witness reports... my eyes) and it seems likely he'll be able to complete between 40 and 50% of the pre-season workload.

I would rate his season as a 6/10 season; a good development season and one he should be able to draw a lot of confidence from.

Where to go??

Unfortunately his injury has set him back, if he had been able to get a full pre-season under his belt I would have no doubt that he'd be looking at securing a best 22 spot for the majority of the 2012 season (15+) games.

As it is; I would hope for a similar exposure to AFL football to 2011 - at least 10 AFL games and working towards becoming a regular in 2013 onwards.

As for where I see his career ultimately heading; I'm unsure.

I don't doubt he'll be a 100+ game player for Melbourne, but for me he could very well turn into a fantastic midfield weapon; he has the size, speed and delivery which could see him becoming 'Nick Dal Santo mk 2' in my opinion... add to that the fact that he has a textbook kicking action and a very similar running style to NDS!

At the least he'll be a powerful play-making defender, not unlike a Shaw (either really) type.
__________________
 
Re: 47. James Strauss

James Strauss 2011 Review:
Todd Viney said:
James was exciting. He played a bit of senior footy as a rebounding defender. He’s a very good kick and showed some good signs. His offensive and defensive mix improved and he showed he will be a good player. Unfortunately, James broke his leg, which was really disappointing, but already he is showing good signs in his recovery.
Click to expand...
http://www.melbournefc.com.au/tabid/7415/default.aspx?newsid=125946
 
I'll be following Strauss this year. Probably a slow start to the year as he recovers from that broken leg but I'm hopeful he may lock down a spot in the backline later in the year.

Full preview to follow later.
 

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James Strauss 2012 Preview

Last year: see above for an excellent summary by TPM which I agree with entirely. He played 9 games last year and improved greatly before copping an ugly broken leg. When he first was called up I recall him being somewhat of a whipping boy for the Melbourne fans, who would pick out anything he did wrong. In fact I remember hearing some old farts in front of me (in the MCC of course) commenting "who's that no. 47? He's no good." Rage.
But he stuck at it and performed admirably given the trying circumstances. Gone was the skinny kid who was rumoured to be soft as butter and got carved up in his first 2 games (early 2010); replaced by a guy who had put on a decent amount of weight and now had some size about him. Potentially lethal kicking skills, but he's still learning the game and finding composure and time at the highest level so those skills will come out as he plays more and more.

Expectations for 2012: it won't be an easy one for Strauss. First he has to shake off the leg injury completely - he's been training with the main group for most of pre-season AFAIK, so fitness won't be an issue but I would think he'd be short of match conditioning and physical training at this stage. Hopefully he returns for Casey early in the season, from which point it will be a matter of rebuilding all the good work he did last year. There might be a bit of a backlog for small defensive roles with the likes of Bartram, Grimes, Nicholson, Blease and Tapscott all expected to play through there at times. Strauss can't expect to come in for the now-leader Bartram again (IIRC that's what happened last year, may have been Tapscott injury though).
Look for him to play a more attacking role at Casey - his games for Melbourne last year were generally good defensively (except for a couple of times when he was caught on Cloke or someone) but it was clear he was still trying to find the balance between being accountable and creating some drive out of the backline. The latter will be his main job going forward, his skills being hopefully a major asset a la Lindsay Gilbee a few years back.
Ideally he would force his way back in to the team some time before the bye in Round 12, but who knows what may happen.
In any case, the main aim would be to play a full season and avoid further injury. He suffered multiple setbacks during his first 2 years at the club and was unlucky last year, so let's hope he can play out a full season and hopefully be ready to really step it up in 2013.
Optimistic: 15 games
Realistic: 8-10 games

I look forward to following James' progress in 2012.
 
Frustrating year so far for Strauss, who seems to be struggling with ongoing leg issues and I think has only played 1 or 2 games at Casey. Hopefully he can get on the park soon, because lord knows we need more quality kickers in the back half. Still optimistic after what we saw last year, but you'd want to see him play a few games late in the year for the future's sake.
 
Well it was great to finally see him get on the park this weekend against the Dockers, and I thought he held his own quite well considering almost a year having passed since he last played in the red and blue. Came on earlier than the coaches probably would have wanted after being a late inclusion to start with. Didn't get huge amounts of the ball, but his defensive work looked pretty good and, without having watched the game super-closely, he held his own against opponents such as Walters and Ballantyne (not sure exactly). The weight of ball getting down there late in the game made it harder obviously.
Used his excellent footskills a couple of times, would like to see him release into space more often to make the most of them though. That will come with game time. Composure under pressure is still an area that needs work, but hey, he's played 12 AFL games or something.

Not keen on giving /10 ratings, but all in all I thought it was a solid comeback. Hopefully he can string games together for the rest of the season.
 
Didn't see the Port game, so can't comment on that (thankfully)...

Round 18 - Melbourne v North
Strauss was used as the sub again, so he didn't really get into the game much. Played about a quarter and a half and didn't see much of the ball. Meh. Would like to see him get a full game now, and with Jetta likely to be suspended I guess that may happen this week. Strange if it didn't.

Edit: 5 touches and 2 marks.
 
Round 19 - Melbourne v GC
Straussy finally got a full game in, and I thought he played pretty well. Of course it means slightly less against a disgraceful and injured GC team who apply less pressure than most, but his disposal was really good and defensive efforts were solid too. Goal assist in the third, long ball down to Green about 20m out, was particularly delicious.
 

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Delisted James Strauss

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