Kade Simpson wing or bust!!

[Big Red is back]

Guys is it just me or did he play little or no time on the wing this year? My impression of him is he is clearly lost at HF and HB and must be played almost exclusively on the wing like he was in 06 and 07.

Personally if we are not planning on playing him say 75% on the wing then I would trade him as everywhere else on the field he seems to struggle to have any impact

 

[Pamam]

i think its time to cut our losses now before its too late and cant get anything for him

unfortunately didnt seem as desperate as he was when given the captaincy last year for a bit

not to mention.....the amount of running goals that he missed was quite annoying....these kinds of goals were his bread and butter back when he started breaking out for the blues!!

 

[HBF]

I agree that Simmo should be played on the wing for the majority of the time, but in 2008, players have to be adaptable, and play where the coach wants them to play.

Personally, I thought Simmo had an alright year. Who knows, he might have been carrying an injury.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

I think Simmo's over-rated by a lot of Blues fans. I know he's a super competitor but his disposal is not up to scratch, plain and simple.

Anybody remember Simon Tregenza who played for the Crows in the early 90s ? Used to get plenty of the ball but good luck getting it onto the chest of a team-mate or through the big sticks.

I'd be more than happy to see him traded.

 

[TheNumber4]

I would not want to see Kade leave the club. Over the past few years he has been one of the few bright lights playing for us and last year I think he showed true leadership qualities when he took on the Captaincy when Lance was out. If you remember the captaincy was supposed to be rotated amongst four players but Kade was so good and lead by example (leaders were something we didn't have a lot of at the time).

If anything he has probably not been as noticeable this year with the younger players improving. I remember when he was drafted his first few games were donuts on the stats sheets so he has come along way. He also does alot of the 1%'s...smother, blocks etc which I love to see.

I think he is still worth having on our list. Plus my daugther would be devastated if he left. She has his number on her jumper. Wing is best for him. He probably should've played on the wing last week against the Hawks instead of Stevo on Bateman.

 

[Bluebear]

We will see a number of guys who have had to be "top liners" for us, and are now second stringers, gradually shuffle down to be "depth players.

Get rid of him? Please.

Simmo is one of few mids in our side that regularly breaks the lines, consistently beats his man over head.

His kicking can run hot and cold, but he will always have value to us, if not only for depth.

Others in this boat who over the coming years will have to fight hard to get a game will be Carrazzo, Wiggins, Thornton, Bentick and Fisher. All (excpet Wiggo) rookies or late picks, all getting the most out of their talents, but all likely to be replaced eventually by better players.

The question is can they adapt and improve?

As for the wing........not sure it really exists anymore. Its just a spot a midfielder starts to run in from at the centre bounce.

 

[HBF]

I think Simmo's over-rated by a lot of Blues fans. I know he's a super competitor but his disposal is not up to scratch, plain and simple.

You need to watch more footy. Simmo's disposal is no worse than anyone else currently on our list.

 

[Bluebear]

You need to watch more footy. Simmo's disposal is no worse than anyone else currently on our list.

Correct.

Other than Judd, Houlihan and Gibbs I would put most of our other mids in the boat of, generally good, but prone to missing the target and occassionally can't hit the side of a barn.

Stevens and Scotland also both in this group along with Murphy, Simpson and Walker.

Bentick and Carrazzo maybe one step further below them.

 

[Jimthegreat]

I agree that Simmo should be played on the wing for the majority of the time, but in 2008, players have to be adaptable, and play where the coach wants them to play.

Personally, I thought Simmo had an alright year. Who knows, he might have been carrying an injury.

He'll have an adductor release at the end of the season.

 

[Jimthegreat]

I think Simmo's over-rated by a lot of Blues fans. I know he's a super competitor but his disposal is not up to scratch, plain and simple.

Anybody remember Simon Tregenza who played for the Crows in the early 90s ? Used to get plenty of the ball but good luck getting it onto the chest of a team-mate or through the big sticks.

I'd be more than happy to see him traded.

No wonder I laugh at people. You don't have to struggle long, if he did struggle, to be on the trade table. A few games is enough for inpatient supporters. Don't worry about last year when he was so outstanding as a fill-in captain.

It is to laugh. Trade..hahahaha.

 

[BlueYoss]

I would not want to see Kade leave the club. Over the past few years he has been one of the few bright lights playing for us and last year I think he showed true leadership qualities when he took on the Captaincy when Lance was out. If you remember the captaincy was supposed to be rotated amongst four players but Kade was so good and lead by example (leaders were something we didn't have a lot of at the time).

If you remember the captaincy was supposed to be rotated amongst four players but in the first week when Waite was acting captain against Freo Fev had a major dummy spit and was told by the club to go away for a week and think about whether or not he really wanted to play football for the Carlton Football Club. Simmo was acting captain the next week and after that they could not continue with the rotation because Fev was one of the four players in the rotation so it was left with Simmo. From memory, there was no official word from the club on who the acting captain officialy was after Simmo's first week in the role.

Others in this boat who over the coming years will have to fight hard to get a game will be Carrazzo, Wiggins, Thornton, Bentick and Fisher. All (excpet Wiggo) rookies or late picks, all getting the most out of their talents, but all likely to be replaced eventually by better players.

The question is can they adapt and improve?

The general philosophy in sports is that when you compete against better opponents it makes you better and when you compete against lesser opponents your confidence improves.

I would extend this to the group that a player trains with, as they would spend more time 'competing' with players in their own team at training more than any other players. As the talent on our list improves and the younger players continue to develop, the general group skill level at training improves which would cause the skills of all the players on the list to improve

We often talk about average to good players being flattered by their playing in such a good side, IMO a lot of this is to do with the high level of skill demanded at training, which these players ultimately step up to or find a new team.

 

[Bluebear]

He'll have an adductor release at the end of the season.

Not again.

If this is the case WTF are we waiting for?

Should have been in weeks ago after we lost to the Roos and finals were off the radar.

 

[Beloved]

Correct.

Other than Judd, Houlihan and Gibbs I would put most of our other mids in the boat of, generally good, but prone to missing the target and occassionally can't hit the side of a barn.

Stevens and Scotland also both in this group along with Murphy, Simpson and Walker.

Bentick and Carrazzo maybe one step further below them.

Spot on post.

Simmo's doing his job on each Flank well, and we've got better blokes to fill the void left on the Wing.

It's worth a try, placing Simmo on the Wing during the pre-season though.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

You need to watch more footy. Simmo's disposal is no worse than anyone else currently on our list.

I watch plenty of footy thanks HBF.

Are you sure you don't want your bolded comment back ? Judd, Stevo, Houla, Gibbs and Cloke can regularly hit Fev on the lead. They are A-Grade ball users. Simmo can't.

If you look at someone like Nathan Eagleton, he regularly streams into the F50 and then lets fly with a bomb that drills the sticks. Simmo generally kicks points in the exact same situations.

Now i'm not saying Simmo's a complete dud. I love his work ethic and his competitive spirit, and he's a very strong mark for a player his size. As long as he's a Carlton player I'll support him and focus on his good points, but I'm also a realist. He's not a very valuable player because he can't do damage with the ball often enough. IMO, If we traded him for a player that had better kicking skills we'd be a better side.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

No wonder I laugh at people. You don't have to struggle long, if he did struggle, to be on the trade table. A few games is enough for inpatient supporters. Don't worry about last year when he was so outstanding as a fill-in captain.

It is to laugh. Trade..hahahaha.

Laugh your head off Jim. Then see if you can find any flaw in my comments.

He's no worse now than he has been in his entire time at Carlton, but holding your spot in a side that finishes 15th and 16th is a different thing to holding your spot in a side that's pushing for a finals berth.

We will struggle to do much damage in September as long as we've got blokes that turn the pill over as regularly as Simmo does. We'd be a stronger side if he was traded for another bloke who could hit leading targets more often than Simmo does. No doubt.

 

[TheNumber4]

If you remember the captaincy was supposed to be rotated amongst four players but in the first week when Waite was acting captain against Freo Fev had a major dummy spit and was told by the club to go away for a week and think about whether or not he really wanted to play football for the Carlton Football Club. Simmo was acting captain the next week and after that they could not continue with the rotation because Fev was one of the four players in the rotation so it was left with Simmo. From memory, there was no official word from the club on who the acting captain officialy was after Simmo's first week in the role.

Agree somewhat. I remember Fev's dummy spit and I also remember that Scotland was in that rotation group but in the end they left it with Kade. In the last 6 games Ratts was always commending Kade on how he had taken on the respsonsibility of captain so well.

Any talk of trading Kade is nonsense.

 

[BlueYoss]

Any talk of trading Kade is nonsense.

Any talk of not considering a good trade for any players other than our handful of 'untouchables' is nonsense.

I guess the only question is, does Kade qualify as 'untouchable'.

For mine, he doesn't.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

Any talk of not considering a good trade for any players other than our handful of 'untouchables' is nonsense.

I guess the only question is, does Kade qualify as 'untouchable'.

For mine, he doesn't.

Spot on Yossie.

 

[Bluebear]

Any talk of not considering a good trade for any players other than our handful of 'untouchables' is nonsense.

I guess the only question is, does Kade qualify as 'untouchable'.

For mine, he doesn't.

Sure, but in reality what types of players actually get traded?

 

[BlueYoss]

Sure, but in reality what types of players actually get traded?

The types who fill enough of a need at another club to attract a trade that represents good value to their current club?

Doesn't happen often.

Go home factor/out of favour/disgruntled over not getting games players: more often.

I'm not suggesting that Kade will attract sufficient interest from other clubs to make a decent enough offer for his services, I'm just saying that he is be no means untouchable.

 

[TheNumber4]

The types who fill enough of a need at another club to attract a trade that represents good value to their current club?

Doesn't happen often.

Go home factor/out of favour/disgruntled over not getting games players: more often.

I'm not suggesting that Kade will attract sufficient interest from other clubs to make a decent enough offer for his services, I'm just saying that he is be no means untouchable.

Agree, not many are untouchable. IMO there are others who could be looked at and as far as leadership goes, Kade has stepped up and leads by example whereas others have not. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. Nothing would surprise me in football anymore.

Maybe I'm more worried about my six year olds tears if this happened

 

[Bluebear]

I'm not suggesting that Kade will attract sufficient interest from other clubs to make a decent enough offer for his services, I'm just saying that he is be no means untouchable.

Agreed.

I find this time of year is funny........trade Blackwell for Warnock.......trade Bentick....Simmo...Fisher.....

guys that are struggling at our club and generally won't have much value anywhere else (other than Freo.....but you need to be ex-Dons as a pre-requisite).

Would be great to get the deal done.......and screw Freo or whoever, but in reality these deals don't get done, unless these guys are being offloaded for salary cap relief (C Gardiner, King, Schneider, Dempster) or they are not getting a run......in which case PSD is the more likely option (Pfeiffer, Cartledge)

 

[BlueYoss]

guys that are struggling at our club and generally won't have much value anywhere else (other than Freo.....but you need to be ex-Dons as a pre-requisite).

So then we should trade a fringe/aging player or 2 to Essendon who will in turn ontrade them to Freo in a year or 2 for Warnock?

 

[MBIB]

Agreed.

I find this time of year is funny........trade Blackwell for Warnock.......trade Bentick....Simmo...Fisher.....

You just now reminded me we still have him

 

[HBF]

Pretty harsh on Kade here. He's been one of our best performing mids for the past couple of years now, and as soon as he has a few off games, we are calling for him to be traded. Fact is, our midfield depth isn't that deep, and he also has leg speed, another quality some of our other mids don't have.

Not a chance I would be trading him.