Kane Lucas

[Silvagnis]

Just an observation that he seems to play better early as opposed to later in games. Could be wrong re: his endurance.

Was still running strong at the end of the game at Subi that is a longer ground.

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

Decision making will improve with more games because he was a clean player in his first season. It's there, but he's only played 27 games in four seasons. No different to your view that Casboult will improve his kicking. Has more ability than Armfield who is immune after a nothing game.

Mick wouldn't suffer fools and pick players who didn't have anything to offer.

Endurance, agility and speed at draft camp were there with the best and on par with Lewis Jetta.

The old irrelevant Armfield reference. Well played.

Sugar's decision making might well improve. Hopefully his disposal, toughness and tackling are ironed out along with it. Far too many deficiencies at the moment.

 

[mediumsizered]

A young Simpson hmm... i don't recall Simpson running away from a contest to get a handball receive every time.. or peeling off when he needs to be the one to win the ball or scared of body contact or scared to to tackle because he might break a nail. Amongst all those unacceptable traits his disposal is very very average.. So a high draft pick is not what we hoped but lets not insult one of our most consistent and tough players over the last 7 years in the process...

Do you remember Simpson not getting a disposal in his first 3 games, or only twice having 10 or more disposals in his first dozen games? Or not topping 20 disposals in his first 21 games (Lucas has only played 28 games, but it would be fair to suggest his first 28 games have been better than Simpson's first 28 games)?

I have seen posters on this board single out Carrazzo, Yarran, Hendo, among others, early in their careers, rather than showing a bit of patience & waiting until a player gets into the 50 - 100 games bracket before passing judgement on them. Let's be honest, even Gibbs was relatively underwhelming in his first 20 odd games.

 

[CrippsonBlue]

Lucas should be entering the 50 - 100 game bracket; there is a reason he isn't. This is his 4th year on the list.

 

[Silvagnis]

The old irrelevant Armfield reference. Well played.

Sugar's decision making might well improve. Hopefully his disposal, toughness and tackling are ironed out along with it. Far too many deficiencies at the moment.

Not irrelevant if you recall Armfield in his early years at Carlton. He has two seasons on Lucas who managed just ten games in his second and third seasons. Injuries have hurt his development in regards to getting senior games.

Ratten didn't take the right path with his handling of Lucas.

 

[Mister Carlton]

Had better days. I'll leave it at that.

 

[The Big Sticks]

Lucas should be entering the 50 - 100 game bracket; there is a reason he isn't. This is his 4th year on the list.

I'm not sure if you are having a go at Lucas or you are pointing out that he was injured for a long period of time.

 

[ESKIE]

Kane where's he at

 

[blues4flag]

Do you remember Simpson not getting a disposal in his first 3 games, or only twice having 10 or more disposals in his first dozen games? Or not topping 20 disposals in his first 21 games (Lucas has only played 28 games, but it would be fair to suggest his first 28 games have been better than Simpson's first 28 games)?

I don't mind the Simpson early days comparison - only with the caveat that Simpson never shirked it and has always had courage, didn't look hopelessly outpointed in a marking contest and could actually tackle.

I like where Lucas is heading. He's gone from being a player who couldn't find the footy to one who's starting to find it pretty regularly. His composure has improved (from an absymally poor base) however still has a long way to go. He needs continuity and confidence in his body and game to take the next step. I hope that Malthouse perserveres with him and doesn't make him the scapegoat for what was an insipid 50 minutes of football from the majority of the team.

 

[BlueBelle]

Lucas should be entering the 50 - 100 game bracket; there is a reason he isn't. This is his 4th year on the list.

He was injured for a lot of the time

 

[CrippsonBlue]

I'm not sure if you are having a go at Lucas or you are pointing out that he was injured for a long period of time.

Without adding it up, I would have thought he could still have been approaching 50 games with better form.

My point though was I don't like looking at games in isolation. A 28 game player in his forth year is not at the same stage as a 28 game player in his second year, so I believe criticism is more than warranted at this stage of his career. My actual opinion on Lucas is indifferent. His soft efforts make it hard.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Do you remember Simpson not getting a disposal in his first 3 games, or only twice having 10 or more disposals in his first dozen games? Or not topping 20 disposals in his first 21 games (Lucas has only played 28 games, but it would be fair to suggest his first 28 games have been better than Simpson's first 28 games)?

I have seen posters on this board single out Carrazzo, Yarran, Hendo, among others, early in their careers, rather than showing a bit of patience & waiting until a player gets into the 50 - 100 games bracket before passing judgement on them. Let's be honest, even Gibbs was relatively underwhelming in his first 20 odd games.

Please Mediumsizered, there is no place for sensible posting in this thread.

 

[The Real Deal]

I get a little nervous when he's got the ball in tight games. The missed goal was crucial. He's not a bad link player, but decision making and hardness at the ball has to be improved. My biggest issue with Lucas was the fact we saw him as valuable enough as a first rounder in the draft. I don't think he's that calibre.

 

[mediumsizered]

Without adding it up, I would have thought he could still have been approaching 50 games with better form.

My point though was I don't like looking at games in isolation. A 28 game player in his forth year is not at the same stage as a 28 game player in his second year, so I believe criticism is more than warranted at this stage of his career. My actual opinion on Lucas is indifferent. His soft efforts make it hard.

You don't gain AFL experience on the training track, you can only get it in the heat of an AFL game. 4 seasons on a list means nothing if you spend a significant amount of time injured or playing in the VFL.

28 games = 28 games, whether it is over 2 seasons or 4 seasons.

 

[mediumsizered]

I get a little nervous when he's got the ball in tight games. The missed goal was crucial. He's not a bad link player, but decision making and hardness at the ball has to be improved. My biggest issue with Lucas was the fact we saw him as valuable enough as a first rounder in the draft. I don't think he's that calibre.

I am not going to defend Lucas' missed shot on goal, which was disappointing, but there were several missed goals which were crucial, not just his. 4.7 in the second half, with most of the misses being gettable, tells a story of missed opportunities. The game could have been put away several times. Even Waite's decision in the last quarter to try to spot up a target, in what was a one-on-one contest, instead of having a shot for goal (he was able to play-on, therefore he was in a position to get the momentum up to have a long shot at goal) was costly.

I just think it is wrong for some to try & blame Lucas for our loss when there were others who also let us down at various stages of the game.

 

[CrippsonBlue]

28 games = 28 games, whether it is over 2 seasons or 4 seasons

Mature recruits don't come into a team with the same expectations as a young recruit just because neither have senior AFL experience. In that example, two extra pre-seasons, and two extra years with the resources available at the top level to improve your game is not nothing. He is a forth year player, and some of his deficiencies are inexcusable after that many years on a senior list.

 

[GoBlues!]

Careful OP, you may just have upset a fair chunk of the forum!

I think that when we are going well, Lucas goes well. But in games where there are pressure situations... close games that is, his name tends to come up as one that cracks.

Oh you mean like 2 weeks ago against Brisbane, when he kicked 2 of his 3 goals in the first quarter to help us set up a 13 point win and was clearly one of our best players.

 

[blues4flag]

Mature recruits don't come into a team with the same expectations as a young recruit just because neither have senior AFL experience. In that example, two extra pre-seasons, and two extra years with the resources available at the top level to improve your game is not nothing. He is a forth year player, and some of his deficiencies are inexcusable after that many years on a senior list.

By the same token, numerous injuries and no continuity in his game rids a player of confidence and form. Walker was a shadow of the player he's become in the games he managed in between his shoulder injuries and even in the season after finally overcoming the shoulder.

It wasn't until he was fully comfortable with his shoulder and had had a solid, injury free preseason did he blossom. Frequent injuries, especially for a player so early into his career, are incredibly demoralising. To be fair to Kane, he's shown significant improvement this year. He's not the same player who languished in the VFL last year and is starting to find the footy pretty significantly.

The fact that he seems to be on a pretty steady upwards curve (with the occasional hipcup like Friday was, having kicked 20 touches and 3 goals in his previous game) is a pretty solid indication that he should be judged as any other 28 gamer. Certainly sitting on the sidelines injured at 20 isn't going to give him any advantage over an 18 year old with no injuries to speak of.

If only he'd learn how to stick a bloody tackle...

 

[Silvagnis]

Imagine the hate if Heppell bumped Lucas to the ground too easily and then found Carlisle on the fifty with a good long kick. Wait, that was Lucas knocking over Heppell and winning the ball in the midfield to find Waite.

Sack Brock who dropped a mark in our half by spending it before he had it. Ball rebounded like Sugar's miss. Silly to focus on Lucas who wasn't our worst.

 

[The Flying Doormat]

Do you remember Simpson not getting a disposal in his first 3 games, or only twice having 10 or more disposals in his first dozen games? Or not topping 20 disposals in his first 21 games (Lucas has only played 28 games, but it would be fair to suggest his first 28 games have been better than Simpson's first 28 games)?

I have seen posters on this board single out Carrazzo, Yarran, Hendo, among others, early in their careers, rather than showing a bit of patience & waiting until a player gets into the 50 - 100 games bracket before passing judgement on them. Let's be honest, even Gibbs was relatively underwhelming in his first 20 odd games.

Gibbs was still getting shitcanned last year (including yours truly).

 

[Silvagnis]

If only he'd learn how to stick a bloody tackle...

Wasn't alone there with the Bombers opening up the corridor after breaking consecutive tackles starting at CHB and forcing the ball forward. Need to work on our tackling and one per centers.

Lucas runs hard after he pushed back from CHB to mark the switch inside their forwardline and release the ball.

 

[pinot]

Lucas and Yarran on the trade table would likely hurt us more than not as we need outside silk. Lucas made a few serious blunders but a few others did too. Robinson had by far the worst game.

 

[HARKER]

Lucas should be entering the 50 - 100 game bracket; there is a reason he isn't. This is his 4th year on the list.

That wouldn't have been possible. 50 maybe but even then he would have had to have been playing whilst injured.

2010: Won our best first year player. Tore his hamstring twice in the year.
2011: Had ongoing hamstring hamstring issues and a medial issue with his knee that again kept him out for a large part of the year.
2012: Ratten and Lucas did not get on and neither of the guys helped the situation. If Ratten had not have gone, Lucas would have.
2013: Has played every game bar week #10 for hamstring injury.

Lucas and the CFC have not had a great time together.
I hope that can change but more work will be required from Lucas to make himself a permanent fit in the team.
He is though uncontracted come seasons end and will be spoken about as trade bait, unless the two do come to an arrangement soon.

Brought it up a few times and in different but hasn't 2009 been the year of the first round whipping boys.

#1 Scully #2 Trengove #7 Sheppard #8 Butcher #9 Moore #10 Melksham #11 Gysberts #12 Lucas........Not a bad list right there.
#4 Morabito and #6 Rohan may have just missed this grouping for being injured. Who knows?

 

[toomuchsparetime]

Malthouse has shown a liking for playing players in positions that the don't like, or are unused to playing. Obvious examples would be: Kreuzer as permanent forward, Simpson back, Laidler forward, Walker back, etc, etc... The end product of this approach is that the players learn to work on weaknesses in their game. It also sends a message of 'play your role' and 'team first approach.'

What position could Mick play Lucas in that would teach him a few things that are underdeveloped or weaknesses in his game?

 

[The Real Deal]

I am not going to defend Lucas' missed shot on goal, which was disappointing, but there were several missed goals which were crucial, not just his. 4.7 in the second half, with most of the misses being gettable, tells a story of missed opportunities. The game could have been put away several times. Even Waite's decision in the last quarter to try to spot up a target, in what was a one-on-one contest, instead of having a shot for goal (he was able to play-on, therefore he was in a position to get the momentum up to have a long shot at goal) was costly.

I just think it is wrong for some to try & blame Lucas for our loss when there were others who also let us down at various stages of the game.

I never said he cost us the game, I just would have thought from 5 metres out he would have found a way to get the goal. It was crucial because it would have stopped a lot of the momentum Essendon had. I have questioned his disposal and decision making from day 1, it needs to tighten up.

I thought Waite made the right decision but he didn't take care of the execution and he slightly shanked it, which then put us out of position. These days, turnovers in the forward half can be really damaging because of the space it gives the opposition on the rebound.