Junior Motlop

[Moti.com]

I am interested to hear peoples opinions on this guy. Having read some posts this week, some have been less than enthousiastic about his senior chances.
Have we all forgotten that he played his first game for the year, practice or otherwise, two weeks ago?
I have him as a definite for our starting 18 this year, but would not expect him to be ready until about round 8 or 9. The fact that he is in our best in his second week back is nothing short of amazing.
So, I would like to hear opinions based on last year, and this year, the teams needs and the type of player he is, and where he best fits.
Personally I think the half forward flank at the moment, as we need something up there.

 

[hurricane]

I'll have a shot, as I'm a big fan!

I didn't see him this week, but saw him last week and while he did some silly things it was pretty obvious that he was just short of match time - the idea was there, but he wasn't judging the pace of the game correctly.

Funnily enough, my first sight of him last year was fairly similar. It was about round nine and he was back from a collar bone injury. He was terribly out of sorts and I couldn't work out what all the hype was about.

I was lucky enough to see him for a few matches later in the season and the reasons were plain for all to see. He has pace to burn, is hard at the ball and fantastic skills. Most of all, he is an incredibly elusive ball carrier. I can't remember seeing him being tackled as he would run the ball out of the back half again and again.

Early reports suggested he was a very good mark, too, although I haven't seen much evidence of this - probably because he played most of last season as a running defender.

I'm pretty sure that he is marked down for the first 18 once he gets some match time under his belt. On his form late last season he was obviously a cut above the other VFL players. He also appears to have bulked up considerably in the off season.

Stand by for a big impact by about round ten!

 

[roofus]

Originally posted by Moti.com
I am interested to hear peoples opinions on this guy.

He has all the makings of being a champion.

He's young give him a chance.

A lot of people may have forgotten what Byron's first game was like......a lost sheep in a big paddock. It took until the following season for him to start to make his mark.

Junior looked great in the 2's last year, this year he's been out with OP, and watching him yesterday in the 2's he was a bit out of touch but he still showed all the signs that he's "got it".

Give him time....he's gonna be great for us down the track.

If you had of listened to last weeks 927, Paul Hamilton said that he's the one that everyone is excited about. For a coach to come out and say that means that where there is smoke there is fire.

 

[tashibatts]

Well, as u prob know- I am in love with teh guy, he as I said to Carlos (Very nice guy.. he pm'd me, and was extremely nice- and he knows his footy- as alot of u would have noticed in his posts) I cant wait for him to return- because I really want to watch him grow into an established AFL player, unlike some of you- I didnt get to watch Mick grow from a teenager to an established footballer- or Stevo or Archer etc.

And the young guys we picked up in the 2000 draft- are teh young guys who are the start of my chance to watch these youngsters, and of all- I have decided- that I am going to watch Jnr's career0 oh so carefully, and as much as I can.. I will watch him grow.

But to me- from what I have seen of him from his 2 games last year- and what I have read and heard about him- he is extremely talented..

His profile last year said "He has a freakish ability in front of goals" and that in itself got me hooked.. I love exciting players.. I love inspirational players and I love big hearted, brave players.. and thats why I love guys like Stevo,Mick and Archer.. also Pickett(Another incentive for Pickett is that he is the first Roo player I met.. or AFL player- forgetting the Geelong players I met bad experience meeting Cat players) I think that by 23/24 Jnr- will have grown into a cemented snr, and a new core- will be beginning to show in the Roos- and I think Jnr- will be a big part of that..

He has pace, skill,ability & agility- and with that ability, I think he can grow to his limits, and the sky is his limit. He I think has the ability to become one of the best HBFs or HFFs in hte AFL..
It will take a little time- as I have heard he has made some dingbat decisions in the 2s since returning- but I also heard he was in top form before he was struck down with OP..

I also think he should be played across the forward line- somewhere- anywhere, as long as he's near the goals..

And I would love him to turn into a player a bit like Winnie/Pickett- and from what I ahve heard of them the Krakouers (Altho I hear theres a Scott Krakouer somewhere, at Boxhill Hawks? But he needs a bit of time- before he gets drafted is something I also hear) or Che Cockatoo Collins, what I am trying to say- is one of those guys who is so utterly amazing, that they an run as fast as bullets- and can get away from any opponent, are as tough as nails and know where the goals are, like they know where there index finger is.. you know what I mean?

I think he has a big future- and hopefully he brother can reach his potential soon, and maybe, just maybe we'll have a dangerous pair of brothers(again, wish I had of seen the Krakouers, I saw one bit of footage of them last year on Channel 7s 45 years of Football, and it was amazing) .. Shannon Motlop is starting to step up.. I cant wait till Jnr does..

What I am saying is, he has alot of potential, and once he finds form in the 2s- and shows enough to be selected for he Snr side, then gets a couple more games under his belt, I think we are gonna have something big on our hands in a couple of years..

Course, here I am a bit bias.. but still

Go Roos

 

[speedy]

He will be in the seniors within a month or sooner.
There is no doubt he is being groomed for a half-back flank.

Clean hands, skillful (left and right), fast, evasive and good in the air (capable of pack marks).

He played deep in the backline on Sunday and was impressed the way he covered his opponent on the lead.

His only negative is sometimes he holds on to the ball for to long and gets himself into trouble.

But in a way I think thats why they are so keen on him. He makes things happen. He is a risk taker who has the ability to get away with it 95% of the time and they are willing to concede him stuffing up the other 5%.

 

[Carlos]

When i've seen Junior really turn it on, i think MIchael O'Laughlan. He is deceptively tall, but moves like silk.

I think he has a tendency to be a touch undisciplined, in that he might break team rules, but in some instances i think this is not actually a bad thing. Look at Choppy against the Bulldogs, launching torps off one step. Denis admitted it was against team rules, but how can you want to harness players who play outside the square and create thinsg out of nothing?

I think we will see him by mid year. Had he not been struck down with OP, i would have had $$ on him for the Norwich or whatever it is called now. Either way, its just a matter of fitness and match conditioning and he'll be playing seniors. No doubt.

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by Carlos
I think he has a tendency to be a touch undisciplined, in that he might break team rules, but in some instances i think this is not actually a bad thing. Look at Choppy against the Bulldogs, launching torps off one step. Denis admitted it was against team rules, but how can you want to harness players who play outside the square and create thinsg out of nothing?

Bomber Thompson said a a similar thing about Ronnie Burns...these players sometimes do things on instinct and can create something out of nothing. I get the feeling that you could Andrew McLeod to the list of players who would be allowed to break team rules.

The thing is that as long as we're moving from midfield and looking to attack, there should be nothing wrong with allowing any player to do something instinctively. Hell, there have been enough times when our players have followed team rules by bombing the ball forward where you'll find three players waiting for the ball - the only problem being that those three players are playing for the other team.

However, team rules should be followed strictly when playing in defence. When coming out of defence, the players need to know what the other is trying to do....if rules are broken, then players are immediately put out of position and the risk of conceding a goal increases.

 

[Aussie_Roo]

Originally posted by Carlos
When i've seen Junior really turn it on, i think MIchael O'Laughlan. He is deceptively tall, but moves like silk.

Me too and I've told everyone that even opens their mouths to bag our lack of youngsters coming through

I have no doubt that this kid is going to make an impact by the end of the season.