Kane Lucas

[HARKER]

Young Lucas is almost a forgotten man for Carlton right now.

After his injury last year and the slow start to this one, we could almost be forgiven for hardly mentioning his name here.
The kid has some serious smarts about him, yet it wouldn't surprise if we didn't see him for the bulk of this year.

Even if that situation came to be, let's not be too hasty to discount Lucas just yet as he'll be a prime mid-fielder for us for many years to come.

 

[Blue since 72]

Will certainly be a very good outside runner for us and in some of his previous games I thought he did a great job around the HBF. Is a good height (around 190), seems to be a good reader of the play (quite often got accross to knock the ball away from the opposing HF) and has plenty of run.

Can't ever see him being a crash and bash but we don't need 22 of them anyway.

Reckon he'll end up on the flanks between HB and HF.

 

[blues4flag]

We're no longer Carlton of 2007 where any youngster with a modicum of talent was gifted a game.

I'm sure he'll play a number of games this season but as a second year players, he'll have his ups and down. Could find himself in and out of the side.

 

[Red Bull]

I believe he played well for Preston on the weekend .
I would have him in the side this week , he's got the footy smarts , can run the lines and is a really good prospect .
The more games we can get into him now the better , its not all about this week but about being ready to have a real crack at the flag from next year going forward !!!

 

[Jeremias]

Certainly not a forgotten player as far as I am concerned.

His preseason form was average, but I saw enough from him last season to suggest that he has a future at AFL level.

He was just OK in round 1 after taking a little while to get into the game, and it was a sensible move to drop him to the Bullants. Didn't do enough to play senior footy in round 2 but needed a full run to get his fitness levels up which is exactly what happened.

He will not cement a place in our best 22 this season nor should we expect him to. Sometimes people can get a little carried away in their expectations of young players in their first few seasons of AFL football. Having said that I am confident that he will get plenty of senior opportunities in 2011. An inability to cement a spot in our best 22 should not be seen as a failure nor should it be seen as a step back in his development - the fact is that he is a 2nd year player and we are a team pushing for a top 4 berth.

34 disposals on the weekend shows that it will not be too long before VFL is a class below him, and I expect him to really push for a claim as a best 22 player from 2012. But for 2011, he (and we) may need to be content with consistent performances in the VFL with the occassional elevation to a senior game.

 

[Ryan Dixon Webb]

Needs to study the career of Jimmy Bartel.

 

[HARKER]

Needs to study the career of Jimmy Bartel.

Ironically I was waiting for someone to draw the analogy.
Moves and sees the ball in the way Bartel does and if we get 90% of a Bartel from Lucas, we would have done extremely well indeed.

 

[Blueboys7]

Certainly not forgotten but he had so much hype during the preseason that it was hard for him to impress some people around here. He struggled during the preseason mainly fumbling the ball a lot which I hadn't seen before.

It wasn't a great move to select him in rd 1 if it was always our intent to play him as the sub, did nothing but reduce his confidence. It was a good move sending him to Preston and I wouldn't be selecting him for another few weeks. Hopefuly he can replicate his performance in the reserves last week for a couple more games and really gain some confidence. Then would be the time to select him, let him work his way back.

I am not worried at all, still has played such a limited amount of senior football and as such has a hell of a lot of improvement in him.

I see him as apart of the midfield rotation as well ad playing through the flanks, great for modern day football. Quick, versatile and skillful.

 

[Jabba73]

Has shown enough to be certain he will be on the senior list for quite a few years.

Happy for him to work his way back into the senior side from the Ants. Hopefully when he gets back he wont let it go.

 

[TNBT]

Ironically I was waiting for someone to draw the analogy.
Moves and sees the ball in the way Bartel does and if we get 90% of a Bartel from Lucas, we would have done extremely well indeed.

I'm with you on that one. Whilst personally I think Bartel is a touch over-rated (note that I am not claiming he isn't a gun, because he is), I would love to see Lucas carve out a career similar to what Bartel has done. Lucas just has so much skill and improvment in him that I can't see him getting forgotten around the club, unless he either gets seriously injured or has some sort of monumental brain-fart and forgets the basic things that he does well, like reading the play and using the ball so well. If he can keep doing those things, while also working on his other areas, he will be in the seniors here for a lot of years to come.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Will certainly be a very good outside runner for us and in some of his previous games I thought he did a great job around the HBF. Is a good height (around 190), seems to be a good reader of the play (quite often got accross to knock the ball away from the opposing HF) and has plenty of run.

Can't ever see him being a crash and bash but we don't need 22 of them anyway.

Reckon he'll end up on the flanks between HB and HF.

Bingo.

 

[The Toad]

It's only his 2nd year. He's shown more than enough to make sure he'll be around for quite a few years yet.

 

[gbatman]

he's a good player and will no doubt make an impact at stages.

 

[mightymightyblues]

Averaged 18 disposals in all of his 6 full games from last year so some good signs there (not including the 2 games he got injured and this year where he started as a sub).

Would like to see him play a similar role to that of Scott Pendlebury. Given a few more pre-seasons, Lucas will be very similar in height and weight with Pendlebury. Also, both of their preferred positions is that of the conventional outside mid, where they can receive the ball and run and carry.

Whether he can get to that level is another story but if he cleans up his disposal and toughens up, there is no reason why he can't be part of our next premiership. No doubt Suger's got the footy smarts.

 

[Rack Watts]

I really wanted this kid at Essendon, doesn't have a tonne of negatives to his game does he?

 

[Dramoth]

I really wanted this kid at Essendon, doesn't have a tonne of negatives to his game does he?

He is a seriously quality player with a mountain of upside. Fortunately for the club now, we are in the position where we dont have to throw our first round players into the game for the whole season and expect them to do well. Our depth in quality midfielders/HBF'ers has definitely improved and we can develop him at a slower pace than Murphy, Gibbs and Kreuzer were developed at.

I think that I heard somewhere that the plans at the club is to turn him into a gutrunning winger who will eventually replace Simpson. Simmo, while a fantastic servant for the club and can run all day, doesnt have half the skills of Lucas.

I dont know whether he is a true two sided player, but he definitely isnt the completely one sided player that Simmo is.

 

[Blue and Silver]

I really wanted this kid at Essendon, doesn't have a tonne of negatives to his game does he?

*nail on head*

No particular stand-out traits, except maybe his reading of the play, but as an all-rounder he is excellent.

 

[Claypigeon]

To me, he's probably just behind in a few positions. ..

Could play as a solid medium backman but would need to squeeze out Rusty, Duigan, Laidler, Army or Yarran. .. Needs a bit more bulk and experience to match it with the forwards Rusty, Laidler and Duigan play on and been next behind Army and Yazz isn't a bad thing

Would make an excellent transition/linking wingman or outside mid, appears to read the play well and is solid overhead. .. However Gibbs, Simpson, Scotland and co are ahead of him at the moment (plus Murphy/Judd are inside/outside)

Would probably make a solid HF too but would have to push Walker, Robbo and Houla out of the side or hope Garlett shifts into the midfield. ..

Certainly has a bright future and could be a great medium size swing man for us. .. Just needs to keep developing. .. Look forward to it. ..

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

The boy has some tools, but the coaches concern is that he needs to be much much more cleaner below his knees. Fumbles too much which costs him time and space which then gets him in trouble at times.

The coaches thoughts are that will slot in nicely on the wing come mid to late year as his endurance and speed will be a real weapon as the season goes on and players wear out.

 

[ThePine]

He is a seriously quality player with a mountain of upside. Fortunately for the club now, we are in the position where we dont have to throw our first round players into the game for the whole season and expect them to do well. Our depth in quality midfielders/HBF'ers has definitely improved and we can develop him at a slower pace than Murphy, Gibbs and Kreuzer were developed at.

I think that I heard somewhere that the plans at the club is to turn him into a gutrunning winger who will eventually replace Simpson. Simmo, while a fantastic servant for the club and can run all day, doesnt have half the skills of Lucas.

I dont know whether he is a true two sided player, but he definitely isnt the completely one sided player that Simmo is.

simmo is still relatively young at 26, more thought he would take scotlands place who may only have a year or two left.

 

[HARKER]

The boy has some tools, but the coaches concern is that he needs to be much much more cleaner below his knees. Fumbles too much which costs him time and space which then gets him in trouble at times.

..and that's exactly what I see of him.
Ball just doesn't present clean in his hands which doesn't allow him time to execute, and he can get caught a little too easily for now.

I've been surprised at times for some of the accolades he has received here for his kicking and execution when it has in fact not been quite up to standard he presents at training.

At this point in time I get the feeling we won't see the best of him this year, but I'm not too concerned as he will iron out the couple of small niggles he has from his vast armoury soon enough.

 

[Alpha1]

Don't think any Carlton fans have forgotten him, the kid has a lot of class he will ease into the season. Coming back from a serious hamstring injury as well, so no need to rush him, he offers us a bit of utility.

Can play off the HBF or swing onto the wing to chop out the likes of Simpson, Gibbs etc. Can also be a good back up for Yarran as well, has good disposals, great to finally have so much depth.

 

[T2B_]

The boy has some tools, but the coaches concern is that he needs to be much much more cleaner below his knees. Fumbles too much which costs him time and space which then gets him in trouble at times.

Needs to watch Juddy, Yazz etc going for the low balls

He'll be fine though, has a lot of class this kid and smarts.

 

[Dramoth]

simmo is still relatively young at 26, more thought he would take scotlands place who may only have a year or two left.

Good point... I forgot about Scotland. He would have to be an excellent option for Scotlands roll going forward.

However, while Simmo is good, Lucas is a lot better skilled and will be a much better player than Simmo is long term.

 

[blues4flag]

However, while Simmo is good, Lucas is a lot better skilled and will be a much better player than Simmo is long term.

That is an incredibly brave call to make at this stage of his career.

I'd be happy if he ends up as good as Simpson, let alone a "much better player".

You can list on one hand the number of players in our team who play with as much heart as Simpson does (or courage, for that matter), and Lucas isn't one of them at this stage.