Toast Josh Caddy

[vinum coupe]

I wouldn't call Caddy quick, and he certainly lacks some endurance at this early stage.
His running style / gait actually reminds me of Nathan in the first few steps. In that he seems to take a few steps to get going.

 

[Justified]

Caddy's still a kid, plenty of time to develop attributes like endurance and explosive speed. Strong young man, should be a contested beast ala Selwood in the not too distant future hopefully.

Selwood's like a hare, extremely quick over that first 20 metres from a standing start.

 

[ousitgarn]

I wouldn't call Caddy quick, and he certainly lacks some endurance at this early stage.
His running style / gait actually reminds me of Nathan in the first few steps. In that he seems to take a few steps to get going.

Even though he still has room to develop, endurance is already one of his strong points - his work rate against North was fantastic. He got to a lot of contests and kept running hard right until the end of the game. I reckon one of the reasons his set shot was a bit off was because of how hard he was running throughout the game. Also remember in the preseason training he was up there with Blicavs, Walker and Selwood in terms of endurance, so I'm not sure where you are coming from with that call.

 

[Selective Retention]

Because he was traded for a first round pick people are always going to judge him harshly, I wouldn't even bother with some of the comments I've seen on the main board. Effectively he has cost us roughly the same price as Smedts and Guthrie and those guys are going to get barely any public scrutiny. Going into their third years, I'd say all three have shown the raw materials to become good players and I would say their development is on track, but all will need another couple of years of solid improvement to turn into long term senior players.

I think Caddy has shown so far that he is a budding apprentice to fill the role that Bartel currently plays in the future. He is a good size, can take a strong grab and kick a goal. The disposal side of things needs some sharpening, at the moment I'm happy to put it down to decision making and that it will improve, after all I do recall Enright being erratic on occasions with disposal early on his career and that was ironed out with experience. My reservation so far, and even more so if the endurance comments above are correct, is that we were hoping he would come into the side and give Selwood a chop out in the middle, more of a 2007 style Bartel than a 2013 style Bartel. Now it is early days so far but we have barely seen him in the centre square at all. I didn't expect him to come in and play full time midfield, however to me it seems strange he has played almost exclusively as the high half forward. Can he win clearances? If he is one of the fittest at the club in the terms of endurance why hasn't he played more midfield minutes? That is what I will be looking for going forward with Caddy in 2013.

 

[ousitgarn]

Selective Retention alright... He played a lot in the midfield and won a few clearances in the North game. He is still learning his role but there was a lot more evidence in that last game that he is coming along nicely in both a midfield and forward role.

 

[footscore]

made 14.9 in the beep test, average is 13.7 while the record is 15.7, endurance shouldn't be any issue whatsoever.

I think what we need to also remember is he required shoulder surgery and was restricted to non-contact training for a period of time in the pre season, this could maybe explain why the match committee have been slowly easing him into the centre square in 2nd halves.
Still has plenty of tape on those shoulders so maybe still a short while away from fully trusting the body.

 

[Catswin12]

When you train with champions of the game day in day out I'm pretty sure this 20 year old will make it.

 

[cayze]

Feel as though he is reluctant at times trusting himself in pressure situations at the moment, his 2 useless handballs which put his teammates under the pump against North support this.

Has the tools to be an absolute star and when he truly belongs (hopefully by mid-year, certainly by next year) I think he can win a BnF.

 

[vinum coupe]

Even though he still has room to develop, endurance is already one of his strong points - his work rate against North was fantastic. He got to a lot of contests and kept running hard right until the end of the game. I reckon one of the reasons his set shot was a bit off was because of how hard he was running throughout the game. Also remember in the preseason training he was up there with Blicavs, Walker and Selwood in terms of endurance, so I'm not sure where you are coming from with that call.

Because I was watching him when he didnt have the ball on Sunday. i.e. when the ball was 50m away. He was taking plenty of breathers. And his top level pace slowly dropped away. That didnt happen for Motlop, Varcoe, or Duncan for example.
You are correct, he goes bloody hard when he is around the ball. But he is not getting to anywhere near as many contests as he will in 2 years.

Massive upside I reckon.

 

[meto]

Endurance and Speed are two very different things.

In the situation of a game of footy with 36 bodies in a confined space over the course of the contest I'd say crap!
For the majority apart from your marking keys, it's an endurance contest and accuracy of ball movement that will determine the so called fastest team.
Individual acceleration from the contest over that first 5-10mtrs is the only difference.

 

[Mitt Romney]

Bumping this thread for an updated discussion on Caddy's merits.

Can't remember the last time he played in the seniors (seriously, was it two weeks ago? three? four??). He had a minor injury if I recall correctly, and has been in and out ever since. Reading some HS articles this morning, and whilst I am fully aware that it's not a real news paper in regards to the technical definition of "news", Caddy is being spoken about as the one or main blemish on an otherwise outstanding season by the Cats thus far.

Rest of the league, including it's "neutral observers" don't seem to rate him at all. I want to, but I feel he hasn't shown enough yet to earn the kind of hearty and over the top praise we love to bestow upon our youngsters.

Where is he at? How many games do you estimate he'll play in the rest of this year? If we play some big finals matches, ala Prelim and the game that comes after the Prelim, does he make the team?


Also, in his absence from the big team, has he been playing in the VFL? If so how's he been going?

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Bumping this thread for an updated discussion on Caddy's merits.

Can't remember the last time he played in the seniors (seriously, was it two weeks ago? three? four??). He had a minor injury if I recall correctly, and has been in and out ever since. Reading some HS articles this morning, and whilst I am fully aware that it's not a real news paper in regards to the technical definition of "news", Caddy is being spoken about as the one or main blemish on an otherwise outstanding season by the Cats thus far.

Rest of the league, including it's "neutral observers" don't seem to rate him at all. I want to, but I feel he hasn't shown enough yet to earn the kind of hearty and over the top praise we love to bestow upon our youngsters.

Where is he at? How many games do you estimate he'll play in the rest of this year? If we play some big finals matches, ala Prelim and the game that comes after the Prelim, does he make the team?


Also, in his absence from the big team, has he been playing in the VFL? If so how's he been going?

He's a 20 year old kid that has had shoulder surgery in the off season, he isn't a Mr fix it like so many expect him to be, rather he is a project for the future like GHS, Burbury, or any of our other kids.

I think a lot on this board have been unfair to him. Because people thought he would come and help Selwood by getting 30+ disposals a game, but you're dreaming if you think he ever could. You only have to see the love the Mitch Brown gets, when he hasn't done SFA in the seniors either. But never gets talked about the way Caddy does.

Caddy has been with us for what? 9 months. Played 1 season with GC and didn't really play the first year due to injury, I believe this was also his first full preseason also (correct me if I'm wrong) And people expect him to be the be all and end all.

He is not Boak or Dangerfield that people wanted. He is a kid that will become part of our midfield with game time, which he hasn't played full games there except against Pies. He is being played as a HFF which isn't his natural role.

Give him time and stop whinging, not just you Romney but everyone else. Not everyone is going to "show something" strait away . Stokes was a whipping boy until this year and so was Hawkins this time 2 years ago.

Give him a fair go.

 

[Mitt Romney]

He's a 20 year old kid that has had shoulder surgery in the off season, he isn't a Mr fix it like so many expect him to be, rather he is a project for the future like GHS, Burbury, or any of our other kids.

I think a lot on this board have been unfair to him. Because people thought he would come and help Selwood by getting 30+ disposals a game, but you're dreaming if you think he ever could. You only have to see the love the Mitch Brown gets, when he hasn't done SFA in the seniors either. But never gets talked about the way Caddy does.

Caddy has been with us for what? 9 months. Played 1 season with GC and didn't really play the first year due to injury, I believe this was also his first full preseason also (correct me if I'm wrong) And people expect him to be the be all and end all.

He is not Boak or Dangerfield that people wanted. He is a kid that will become part of our midfield with game time, which he hasn't played full games there except against Pies. He is being played as a HFF which isn't his natural role.

Give him time and stop whinging, not just you Romney but everyone else. Not everyone is going to "show something" strait away . Stokes was a whipping boy until this year and so was Hawkins this time 2 years ago.

Give him a fair go.

I'd like to make a distinction between my post and those who "thought he would come and help Selwood by getting 30+ disposals a game". I don't think anybody at the Cats thought that. What a lot of us did think, and perhaps rightly so, is that he'd show the same kind of potential and improvement that Smedts and Horlin-Smith have shown this year (when they've played), among others. I assumed that by the seasons midpoint he'd have shown that he could hold down a spot in our best 22. Remember he was given a spot in Round 1 against Hawthorn, arguably our most important game of the year. I have also been surprised by the number of times he's been subbed.

For me, I hoped that he'd have the same kind of season Duncan/ Christensen did in 2011. That being a promising one. But as you say, in time he might.

I'd love for him to develop into a great, maybe even an elite, midfielder as much as you or any other Geelong BF poster would. But I can't help but think that he's fallen behind a few others his age who he is competing for a spot with. He needs to be ahead of them if that's to happen. And given that he did miss his entire first season, I'd think it would be crucial he gets as much exposure to the game at its highest level as possible, which says to me that he's not rated as highly by the coach and selection panel as some of the other youngsters are. Either that or he's battling injuries.

I apologise if my post led you into believing I thought he was going to arrive and set the world on fire and am whinging because he has not. But I was just seeking some clarification as to where others think he's at.

 

[JUBJUB]

Bumping this thread for an updated discussion on Caddy's merits.

Can't remember the last time he played in the seniors (seriously, was it two weeks ago? three? four??). He had a minor injury if I recall correctly, and has been in and out ever since.


Also, in his absence from the big team, has he been playing in the VFL? If so how's he been going?

He missed 2 weeks but returned on the weekend and played 3 qtrs in the VFL

 

[Mitt Romney]

He missed 2 weeks but returned on the weekend and played 3 qtrs in the VFL

How'd he go?

 

[Senatorguesty]

How'd he go?

Close to BOG I was told.

Also a lot of people need to realise that at the GC he never did anything close to what the Cats would consider a "full pre-season" so fitness wise he is far behind the 8 ball.
I would use the analogy of Duncan/Bundys 2011 NEXT year when he gets a decent pre-season into him and a good run with injuries.
He will become a very very good player for many years for the Cats, some people just expected it far too soon.
Footscores video highlights his strengths fantastically, his strengths are exactly what we need.

He will come good.
Give him time.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I'd like to make a distinction between my post and those who "thought he would come and help Selwood by getting 30+ disposals a game". I don't think anybody at the Cats thought that. What a lot of us did think, and perhaps rightly so, is that he'd show the same kind of potential and improvement that Smedts and Horlin-Smith have shown this year (when they've played), among others. I assumed that by the seasons midpoint he'd have shown that he could hold down a spot in our best 22. Remember he was given a spot in Round 1 against Hawthorn, arguably our most important game of the year. I have also been surprised by the number of times he's been subbed.

For me, I hoped that he'd have the same kind of season Duncan/ Christensen did in 2011. That being a promising one. But as you say, in time he might.

I'd love for him to develop into a great, maybe even an elite, midfielder as much as you or any other Geelong BF poster would. But I can't help but think that he's fallen behind a few others his age who he is competing for a spot with. He needs to be ahead of them if that's to happen. And given that he did miss his entire first season, I'd think it would be crucial he gets as much exposure to the game at its highest level as possible, which says to me that he's not rated as highly by the coach and selection panel as some of the other youngsters are. Either that or he's battling injuries.

I apologise if my post led you into believing I thought he was going to arrive and set the world on fire and am whinging because he has not. But I was just seeking some clarification as to where others think he's at.

He doesn't get improvement, because he is not being played on ball, which is what we traded him for. Try GHS in the forward line and see how he goes. People where questioning Smetds a few rounds ago too.

He's played 6 whole games for us and is obviously still finding his feet, he hasn't played in Geelong VFL for long either so he doesn't know the "Geelong way" that our VFL players do. Which is one or strengths, Our VFL are supposed to replicate what the seniors do. So they can slot in better when they get the call up.

I also don't think he has the tank to run out full games, with one preseason and a lot of injury. Which is why he isn't playing more midfield time and has been sub.

I don't know "what you want him to show" but he looks as good as any other of our kids bar GHS who again is playing in his natural position in the mids.

He won't have a break out year for another season or two.

 

[Willo_]

Hard to judge a player who has been sub a lot, and injured. He is a kid, learning a new game plan in a new environment...it's going to take a bit of time.

Has something though, against the pies (I think) there was a moment when he got the ball in the middle of the ground evaded the traffic and on his opposite foot hit Smedts up lace out... I remember thinking at the time that he clearly has something after seeing that.

 

[Partridge]

I'd like to make a distinction between my post and those who "thought he would come and help Selwood by getting 30+ disposals a game". I don't think anybody at the Cats thought that. What a lot of us did think, and perhaps rightly so, is that he'd show the same kind of potential and improvement that Smedts and Horlin-Smith have shown this year (when they've played), among others. I assumed that by the seasons midpoint he'd have shown that he could hold down a spot in our best 22. Remember he was given a spot in Round 1 against Hawthorn, arguably our most important game of the year. I have also been surprised by the number of times he's been subbed.

Disagree with that. The consensus view around here as soon as he arrived was that he was automatically and instantly in our best 22. He was lauded as being instantly superior to at least Horlin-Smith and Guthrie, and probably Smedts too.

People get brainwashed. The media have been telling everyone for 3 years that Gold Coast have the greatest collection of young players ever. He was a high draft pick. The obvious conclusion is that he's a superstar.

But in reality he's a promising young player like any other. He's had chances this year but hasn't done a hell of a lot. Horlin-Smith came in against Sydney and was far better. He'll get there but the expectations need to be far more realistic.

Just like Horlin-Smith, and Murdoch, and Stringer and others, they can't all fit. So it will be interesting to see how many games he does get. I'm far from convinced he's in our best 22 yet. There are too many ahead of him.

 

[GHS33]

I remember watching him in the Under 18 Nationals and wishing he could somehow miraculously slide down to our pick. Was rapt to get him in the trade period last year. Make no mistake, he will be a gun in time.

 

[Hoffy95]

All of you.

 

[year of the cat]

People seem to be getting immediate expectations confused with future expectations with Caddy. Like GHS33, I was very pleased we landed him based on what we saw of him in the U18 Champs and some senior games in 2012, including one against us. It would have been great if he could have come in and formed part of our regular midfield from day 1 - that hasn't happened - but it's no reason to doubt the decision to trade for him. He has a great attitude and heaps of ability which should ensure he becomes a very good player in time.

 

[dazbroncos]

How'd he go?

Was BOG behind Gleeson per VFL Radio. Was prolific in being called in the 1st 1/2. Was there in the 3rd and off in the 4th.

Kicked a few goals too.

Will be in the running for Brisbane game im sure.

Was coming back from a quad issue i believe.

And for those wanting full games and 30 touches... need to remember that this is his 1st full real preseason. Was on the GCS board before the game we played and in talking to their Mod over there - most of the GCS players (the kids not the vets) sre still only doing an 80% training load as they build their bodies and fitness. Caddy came here and whilst being managed was probably also given some restrictions.

I will hold my judgement for a year or 2 for sure until expecting bigger things.

Go Catters

 

[bulletproof]

Caddy is going to be a top class player. I have a lot more confidence in him than most.


He is a power athlete with a real thirst for hard work. He is very strong mark and classy around the goal.

His form has not been great but by no means disastrous. Bigger bodied midfielders just take longer because their game in juniors was built on power and they just don't have that advantage at the highest level. He needs to re-learn his game and adapt to Geelong style.

I have a sneaky feeling he'll have a big impact in second half of the year, I think he might even get into the finals team.

 

[Mitt Romney]

I have a sneaky feeling he'll have a big impact in second half of the year, I think he might even get into the finals team.

I hope so too. I feel as tho he probably should have played against GC and the Giants (if he were fit) given that he would likely have matched up against an opponent of his own calibre. Could have been a good mental springboard into the second half of the season for him. Nonetheless if he gets the call up for the game at the Gabba, that'd be great. Hard to see him playing against Freo or Hawks given so much will be on the line and we won't have played for a while.

Was BOG behind Gleeson per VFL Radio. Was prolific in being called in the 1st 1/2. Was there in the 3rd and off in the 4th.

Kicked a few goals too.

Will be in the running for Brisbane game im sure.

Was coming back from a quad issue i believe.

Go Catters

Will he play this weekend?