Review Josh Fraser...

[Paddywhackers]

Josh Fraser played a very good game in the reserves. He is all class at that level. It might not be long before he is abck in the side. Although with Dawes and Cloke playing well, and Leigh Brown providing a great physical presence it might be hard to squeeze him in, any of these players have a niggle and Fraser is lurking. One or two more games like that and he might have to come in anyway.

Was copping abuse from some obese woman that was making a fool of herself, and moments later kicked a goal. Awseome stuff...

 

[Angelus512]

Josh is a git. Totally had enough of him.

 

[HFF]

Great to hear he responded well.

This is the kind of reaction you expect from a senior player wanting to be back in the firsts as quick as possible.

It's disappointing that Wood isn't responding to this extent.

Josh will be the second ruck option come September- despite what many believe. Leroy will be the most likely to make way. Up until then though, it will be a horses for courses management approach.

 

[Heater39]

Josh Fraser played a very good game in the reserves. He is all class at that level. It might not be long before he is abck in the side. Although with Dawes and Cloke playing well, and Leigh Brown providing a great physical presence it might be hard to squeeze him in, any of these players have a niggle and Fraser is lurking. One or two more games like that and he might have to come in anyway.

Was copping abuse from some obese woman that was making a fool of herself, and moments later kicked a goal. Awseome stuff... :thumbsu:

LOL was that the feral on the balcony? Total moron.

 

[jayceontaylor]

Was copping abuse from some obese woman that was making a fool of herself, and moments later kicked a goal. Awseome stuff...

She was ****ing disgusting

 

[Paddywhackers]

LOL was that the feral on the balcony? Total moron.

She was ****ing disgusting

Yep, she was vile.

 

[rose jam]

Josh needs to start jumping at ruck contests and covering the ground better than he has. When he's doing that he's back in. Leigh Brown won't do it September, Josh has been oustanding in every final he has played (except his first one though)

 

[Paddywhackers]

Rose Jam makes a good point about Josh's September history. He is being nursed through 2010. Regardless of form. So, therefore, i'd expect him to be relatively fresh come September. Last week was a matter of effort imo, clearly when September comes he has another gear.

 

[buzzbuzz]

Would love to see Josh lead the VFL team into September.

 

[Wooljay]

Josh Fraser played a very good game in the reserves. He is all class at that level. It might not be long before he is abck in the side.

199 games at AFL level, and he's still only 'all class' at VFL level? As far as I'm concerned, he needs to be 'all class' at VFL level for several weeks before he even gets a chance again.

 

[Paddywhackers]

He is a class player at AFL level when playing well. He was woeful last week. He was two or three levels above them today in the VFL.

 

[YouIdiot]

Fantastic news.

Another 8 or 9 of those and he'd be half a chance for the Joseph Wren Trophy?

 

[Zahki]

Fantastic news.

Another 8 or 9 of those and he'd be half a chance for the Joseph Wren Trophy?

Yep. Would be a fantastic note to end his career on.

 

[mattys123]

Fantastic news.

Another 8 or 9 of those and he'd be half a chance for the Joseph Wren Trophy?

No way, there's no chance of stealing that trophy off Jaxson Barham, and just to make sure, Barham will not play senior football again this year.

 

[Axl the great]

Look Fraser was good today but i would hardly call it a dominating day for him, the big worry is the pace and quality of todays game was that far off AFL standard its not funny.
He performed well because of this but i will admit his intensity did seem up compared to what we have seen.
The doubts are still massive IMO if and when he gets a recall.

 

[Paddywhackers]

I strongly disagree.

Jolly should have made Fraser's life easier. He should be far more fresher now than at the same stage last year or the previous year for that matter.

He dominated a game for Victoria in 08, a game where he was selected by experts, than did a pcl which has clearly hampered him since, but again being nursed through 2010 and kudos for him for that.

I can see Josh really tunring it around, and proving alot of people wrong!

 

[leons magic]

Doubt it Paddywhackers. Josh will only disappoint. Wow he was 3rd best for collingwood in the VFL side. I am totally over people thinking that his form if promoted to the AFL side will do a complete 360. Fraser needs maximum game time to show us anything and clearly that is not going to happen with Jolly now at Collingwood. Josh has never been one to impose himself in a ruck contest and relied on his ability around the ground to rack up numbers and be a vital link up player. As a back up option he will get next to nothing in hitouts and wont get near enough to the possesions around the ground because his body these days is shot.

To those bagging Wood, it looks like hes not travelling well at the moment but i would have thought Fraser played maximum game time in the VFL and Wood was back up to him (feel free to correct me if i am wrong those who attended the game).

I personally think Josh Fraser is finished, if Wood is not going to be played as backup, then Jolly should ruck alone with Leigh Brown pinch hitting when need be. Gave the side more mobility against the swans. As one of Micks favourites i have no doubt Fraser will be back in the side sooner rather than later, especially coming up on 200 games he will probably be back this week.

Does Josh deserve to be play his 200th, no doubt as he has been a loyal servant to the club. Does he deserve to play many games after that? I would think not. The game has passed him by, as his main attribute being his ability around the ground is non existant anymore and he is not a better tap ruckman than Wood, Brown and probably Dawes for that matter!

 

[Paddywhackers]

Doubt it Paddywhackers. Josh will only disappoint. Wow he was 3rd best for collingwood in the VFL side. I am totally over people thinking that his form if promoted to the AFL side will do a complete 360. Fraser needs maximum game time to show us anything and clearly that is not going to happen with Jolly now at Collingwood.!

I went to the game. Anthony who is a proven AFL player absolutely domionated at CHB. And a young talent Josh Thomas, who I didn't notice near as much probably cause I didn't know who he was, was second best, according to the wrap up, and Josh Fraser third best.

I'd say, Fraser did just about everything right today. He was all class, he was fantastic. Not much more could have been asked. The third quarter, you could not have asked for anything more. He couldn't have done more given the opportunities.

Fact is, he is miles above VFL level, two years ago he dominated a state game ffs, he has played some bloody good finals games, and he should be playing AFL. He isn't because he has played some footy way below what he is capable of.

Yes he had a stinker against the dees, sure he was a number one draft pick who's body never filed out therefore has never dominated in the ruck, but we have Jolly for that business now, and going by the way he played in the VFL, he could be a bloody good pinch hitter, and a floating forward.

Question is, is there any need at the moment with Leigh Bron filling his role, offering us a lot like he did against the Swans.

If he keeps going the way he is going, he'll push his way in anyway.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

So many people get there balls in a knot over nothing in these threads. Why do those of you slagging off Fraser feel the need to write him off forever, even in the face of his good performances such as today? OK he has looked wimpish at times, but he is playing in the VFL now and is outside my immediate focus of criticism. My hope is that he will recapture his old sparkle and actually be around come finals time for once!

Things are not as finite as some people on this forum want them to be. Fraser is not finished anymore than say Goodes or Davis, and unlike Davis, Fraser is a proven finals player. Some people make comments forgetting that a human being is the subject of them.

 

[doppleganger]

To those bagging Wood, it looks like hes not travelling well at the moment but i would have thought Fraser played maximum game time in the VFL and Wood was back up to him (feel free to correct me if i am wrong those who attended the game).

One bloke played well and had a dip for the VFL team.....Fraser. He kicked 3 goals also, to again highlight his versatility. A few more weeks like that Josh and he may force his way back into the team based on form.

One bloke who again seems to have made little impact at VFL level.....Wood. Not to worry as form is irrelevant with Wood. He probably wasn't suited to the conditions, didn't get to spend much time on the ground, was up against some really good opposition....or some other excuse and should be played next week anyway as he is the future.

 

[Paddywhackers]

. Some people make comments forgetting that a human being is the subject of them.

This is a very good point. Great post.

 

[domus]

Did he take contested marks or were his goals as a result of a dinky chip over the top? Stats can be very misleading. Josh kicked 3 goals in the 2002 Prelim-one from a fifty metre penalty and another from a pass from leon which found him all alone in the goal square. His third was a beauty, but that was about all he did for the day.

Something else I've never forgotten was the night we knocked off Port in 2002 qualifying final when we were given no hope. Josh had been under huge pressure because of poor form in the weeks leading up to the final. He didn't touch the pill that night and when Leon kicked the sealer to put us into the prelim and players were jumping all over him and pumping their fists, you could see vision of Josh in the background with the most sour expression on his face. It really had an impact on me-of course he was worried about his place in the team but surely a "leader" could have shown some joy for the team, long suffering supporters and his mates. Check the DVD sometime.

I'm reliably informed by a person who has known him since he was a boy that he is a wonderful human being. That is irrelevant when it comes to the business of winning premierships. There's no need for the nasty, personal posts but I just don't see what Josh has to offer any more.

 

[leons magic]

People get so defensive over Fraser. Whatever i have said about him is only my opinion feel free to have your own. He is a class above VFL level, that is something i would expect for a 199 game veteran, unfortunately for him i believe his time at (AFL level) which what we are talking about is over. Clearly im not the one who makes the calls though and as i mentioned in my previous post i acknowledge that his career is definetly not over and he will play his 200 and possibly many more, my point though is - i think he should not be persisted with in the future after reaching this milestone.

Sometimes in football you have to make the hard calls, yes Fraser has been a loyal servant to the Pies, yes he has played great games for the club, and yes i do agree that he is probably too good for the VFL level. Fact of the matter is at AFL level this season he has shown absolutely nothing, he has been shocking in fact and i believe he is no longer up to it and is not in our best 22. Last year he was showing signs of vulnerability but his numbers were okay due to rucking solo, from the 22 games plus finals i saw he was nothing but average with the occasional good game. The Collingwood football club saw this and invested in Darren Jolly, which is something they should have done many seasons ago. I will give the club the benefit of the doubt as they invested alot in Josh Fraser, ruckman are slow to mature and they possibly thought he would develop his slight frame and eventually have more of an attack on the ball, something which clearly hasn't happened.

Fraser this season at AFL level has been second ruck and has offered nothing in the hitouts and nothing going forward as he has failed to kick goals (which was a role pre season i thought he could play). Im happy to go into games with Jolly rucking solo and Brown pinch hitting. If we are to play the two rucks i would prefer Wood as he could possibly offer something for the future, his output at AFL level this season as second ruck has been of Frasers standard, which i know is nothing to write home about but Wood obviously having the scope for improvement due to his age and the fact that ruckmen are late developers is what gives me some hope with him.

Either way on what i have seen Fraser when on the ground at AFL level as a second ruck/forward which is the only role he can play, gives the team no more value than Brown or Wood. I have just stated my opinions on Wood and with Brown, im no huge admirer of his talents but noone can question his attack/intensity/heart. These are things that Fraser clearly lacks. In the past he has never had any of these characteristics but relied on talent and the fact that we had noone else to play his role. Now we do and the game has also passed him by (due to injury toll on the body/playing lone ruck for so many years) which afew people are struggling to understand thinking that he is going to come in and rip apart games and finals. This is my opinion feel free to disagree. Im here to see the club progress and win premierships and i no longer think Josh Fraser is good enough to be apart of that quest, which im sure is the opinion of most realistic Collingwood supporters and the majority of opposition fans.

 

[eddiesmith]

If you want one player who should be in the VFL for the rest of this year and off to another club next year it is Leon Davis, Josh has shown alot more than Leon ever has and yet he often escapes the critics because his flashy games every 2 months have GOTY contenders, although Josh has atleast played some good finals

The club ****ed him up, he is a great bloke and does care despite what everyone thinks, probably just gets pissed off when they manage him so badly

 

[doppleganger]

People get so defensive over Fraser.

Perhaps because the overwhelming majority of people tend to write him off and in the process tend to write offensive and vulgar things when writing him off. Not directed at you personally mate, but I cant stomach pies fans tearing shreds off a pies player and telling em to feck off etc.

Whatever i have said about him is only my opinion feel free to have your own.

Indeed.

He is a class above VFL level

Yep.

The players know it too, ask Swan or Maxwell.

According to the players, a fit and firing Josh is an important member of the pies best 22.....im happy to bow to their judgement.