JR's game

[a1118374]

I thought russ was pretty good last night. Did well across half back as the game wore on and his field kicking has definitely improved, while still average at times.

I think he will continue to improve and would love him to stay in the team, but with grigg and walks to come back what do people think the chances are?

 

[SHC95]

If he kicked two goals, rather than one good snap and one shocker out of bounds, people wouldn't even consider dropping him. I thought he was solid without being brilliant.

 

[bLuEbOy1984]

yeah i thought he was good....did the team things well which i like... good work JR

 

[bigboyblue]

If he kicked two goals, rather than one good snap and one shocker out of bounds, people wouldn't even consider dropping him. I thought he was solid without being brilliant.

Agree wholeheartedly - thought he was solid all night, but when he missed everything on the run from 35, all the blues fans around me* started bitching about how hopeless he is.

Funnily enough, when Simmo and Wiggler missed easy set shots there was no such talk. Sadly for JR, the fact is until he cements his spot in the team with a series of really impressive performances, all his negative attributes will be highlighted and all his good work talked down. 'Fraid them's the breaks.

*I may or may not have joined in the bagging in a moment of peer-pressured weakness...

 

[Beloved]

This is something I've been meaning to bring up. Russell gave a fair effort last night and played four quarters of solid football. It made me laugh when our supporters tried to abuse him for kicks before seeing where they'd gone.

Of course, his kicking for goal remains shocking, but I'm loving the way that he's willing to take the opposition attackers on.

 

[jonoman89]

He played very well. Provided great link up play from the wing and was involved in the play. Solid effort.

Set shots still need work however!

 

[blueboy25]

I thought he played well and you can see he is very much a confidence player.

Once he had kicked his goal last night you could see his confidence had lifted and if you remember he made that great run from the wing, beat 1 or 2 richmond players and delivered inside 50.

I know we have given the boy plenty of time to come good but i think he will be a very handy player for us in the long run.

 

[Weiterbot23]

I love to say what I really thought of his game but apparently we are only allow to say good things about JR because people love him on BF more than the MC.

Please don't compare wiggins misses to russels, the Wigglers misses were from rediclous contested marks that russel would have never even jumped for. JRs miss came from a 35 meter running shot that he didn't even earn, missing a gift that 99% or ants players would drill.

*the wiggler is so.... WIGGLERLY!!!!!*

 

[a1118374]

Don't bitch and moan kruzering just say what you think.

Hes no superstar, but he did his job very well.

 

[Beloved]

Don't bitch and moan kruzering just say what you think.

Hes no superstar, but he did his job very well.

Well said.

There will always be those that are unable to admit whe they're wrong.

 

[Sam The Doc]

Funnily enough, when Simmo and Wiggler missed easy set shots there was no such talk. Sadly for JR, the fact is until he cements his spot in the team with a series of really impressive performances, all his negative attributes will be highlighted and all his good work talked down. 'Fraid them's the breaks.

Simpson is a shocking set shot kick at goal

 

[sherb]

Please don't compare wiggins misses to russels, the Wigglers misses were from rediclous contested marks that russel would have never even jumped for. JRs miss came from a 35 meter running shot that he didn't even earn, missing a gift that 99% or ants players would drill.

So because Wiggo took a great mark it is an excuse for him to miss the resultant set shot directly in front?

 

[Not My Real Name]

He will struggle to hold his spot when Grigg and Stevens come back in. Add Carrazza and their is just no room for him.

 

[Sam The Doc]

He will struggle to hold his spot when Grigg and Stevens come back in. Add Carrazza and their is just no room for him.

doubt it..johnson and joseph will probably be the unlucky ones..there will be injuries to players to consider as well.

 

[Weiterbot23]

So because Wiggo took a great mark it is an excuse for him to miss the resultant set shot directly in front?

Yes! They were horrible inside 50s and if he didnt out mark 6 players they would have easily cleared the ball.

Russel booted it on the full basically running into an open goal,

therefore wiggins miss is excusible because he created his own opportunity compared to russel who wasted everyone elses hard work.


I will be unhappy is he remains in the team when steven, grigg, walks and carrots return

 

[Warsaw]

Irrespective of how good/bad he was, I'd think he's spot would be one on the chopping blocks for this week.

 

[AVCO]

Jordan Russell is one classy player make no mistakes about it . ..he is an important cog in the 22 dont fool yourself otherwise .

 

[sherb]

Yes! They were horrible inside 50s and if he didnt out mark 6 players they would have easily cleared the ball.

Russel booted it on the full basically running into an open goal,

therefore wiggins miss is excusible because he created his own opportunity compared to russel who wasted everyone elses hard work.

I will be unhappy is he remains in the team when steven, grigg, walks and carrots return

I am not defending Russell's miss, it was awful, especially missing the lot.

But just because Wiggo took great mark to earn his shot at goal doesn't make the miss any more defensible.

A missed easy shot at goal is just that, irrespective of how you got the ball.

 

[matt decat]

Yes! They were horrible inside 50s and if he didnt out mark 6 players they would have easily cleared the ball.

Russel booted it on the full basically running into an open goal,

therefore wiggins miss is excusible because he created his own opportunity compared to russel who wasted everyone elses hard work.


I will be unhappy is he remains in the team when steven, grigg, walks and carrots return

okay, because JR missed that one shot he played a bad game?

what about wiggins shot at goal in the last quater, uncontested mark after a pass from hoops 30m out right it front, he missed it

face it, JR played a solid game without being a star, he reminds me of a younger wiggins, far from a star player but still gives it ago and puts his body on the line. however now wiggins has taken his game to another level and hopefully JR can do so too. lets face it, there is enough competition for spots now so if JR isnt upto it he would be right out of the team

 

[Dustyjackman]

Some blokes pick up the tempo of AFL footy in a heartbeat, others, like Wiggins, take a bit longer. Russell is in the same mold, it's taking him awhile to really click.
You can see that he is a real confidence player, after he snagged that shot from the boundary he looked as though he had grown an extra dick.

All up, a serviceable game.

 

[Sublime]

Its amazing how people can pull one mistake from an otherwise very solid match. He did his work very efficiently and without fuss. Got his hands on the ball plenty of time, did plenty of good team things and you can't really fault him. Good work and keep it up, you're an important part of our team.

 

[celtic_pride]

FWIW the only reason I would drop JR right now isn't because of his form, but because we have a few more important players to come back into the squad in the next few weeks, IE Tex, Fish, Stevo, Carrots etc ..

It's actually a nice luxury to have now where we have actually built up a decent core group of players that we can call from the bullants in case of injury/supension etc ...
ANy time the past 8 years or so we missed 5 or 6 of our best 22 out, we would have SFA chance of winning, but what pleases me is that we have even a few more players that i think will get plenty more games IE Steven Browne, Dennis Armfield, and of course Yazzle Dazzle.
Wayne Hughes really deserves a massive pat on the back now this club is in a great position to contend for years to come, cause we have DEPTH !!!
BTW Wish JR all the best against Brisbane, got a feeling he might play a cracker against them jus quietly.

 

[ParaBellum]

I saw a couple of clear opportunities where Russel failed to lay an effective tackle. His tackling is something he really needs to work on, he either doesn't go hard enough or goes too hard and gives away a clumsy free kick.

 

[celtic_pride]

I saw a couple of clear opportunities where Russel failed to lay an effective tackle. His tackling is something he really needs to work on, he either doesn't go hard enough or goes too hard and gives away a clumsy free kick.

To be fair (and I didn't know this till i read the footy record at the game) JR laid 69 tackles last season to be the fourth highest tackler at the club, so I don't think that part of his game can be questioned.

He is still only 22 though, and really though, I think that he'll be one of those players whose form and ability will improve as the club develops and wins more games, and away from the toxic culture a couple of years ago with that negative, cyincal DEN DEN ..

I jsut sometimes get really annoyed with the way he sometimes just turns the ball over far too casually which in previous games has been very costly.

Lets get one thing straight, he will never be an elite player in the Judd/Gibbs mould, and it's ridiculous to judge him really on the basis of his top 10 draft pick selection now, I recall Melbourne Drafted Luke Molan back in the super draft back in 2001 and he was an complete and utter fizzer ...
If he can develop more conistency, confidence, and improve his kicking skills and 'football awareness' on the field, he could be a pretty solid player for us.

Anyhow I'd much rather have JR at Carlton then the Jordan who plays for Richmond (Mcmahon LMAO, what an absolute dud he is )

 

[a1118374]

Two good posts celtic and i know what you mean about the 'more important players' but team balance has to come first. The main thing i enjoyed about last night game was that we had enough tryers (hadley, wiggo, russ, jacobs, cloke, eddie, joseph) diving on the ball and scrapping to make every single contest as we did the flair players. Normally it seems we have too many not making these desperate attempts to stop the opposition.

It may have been caused by the big stage, or we happened to be 'on' last night but i think the balance was just right. Garlett out for one of the prime movers you mentioned would be my move, if any, but even then it takes away from the superb forward pressure we had last night.

Its likely that injuries will come sooner rather than later (hopefully not of course) and this problem will be solved in that way.


PS: Yes, quite the dud