Key players go missing

[TheClokes]

Is it me just noticing this?

When the team is struggling (during a game) and we need our leaders to stand up...
Players such as Alan Didak and Scott Pendlebury go missing.

I cant recall once, seeing these two actually turn a game around when the side is down… they seem to show their ability when things are easy.

 

[FIGJAM]

Is it me just noticing this?

When the team is struggling (during a game) and we need our leaders to stand up...
Players such as Alan Didak and Scott Pendlebury go missing.

I cant recall once, seeing these two actually turn a game around when the side is down… they seem to show their ability when things are easy.

Didak, Leon and Swan can seemingly play too relaxed IMO, and Pendlebury has oft been cruising too.

However, on the weekend Pendlebury was fantastic in turning it in our favour. 29 possessions, 9 marks, a goal and 7 clearances, coupled with some fierce inside fight, all within 66% game time and he can hold his head up high.

I certainly agree though, that it is this core who can at times think "easy game" and drop the intensity. "Easy games" for us is some outfit who are mid table who want our blood, so we need to tackle, pressure and go in hard non stop, or we drop these games that separate top four from probable also rans.

 

[skeetz]

I think Cloke is a massive culprit in this area.
He never seems to be the one to stand up and pull us back within reach.
He is, however, great when we are already in front at kicking a couple of goals to put us that bit extra ahead.
You are right TC, we lack a steadying influence. A really strong leader to either steady us when things are going badly, or to really put us back in contention in a match where we are slipping behind. Not really surprising when you consider how much experience we have lost in the past 2 years.
Hopefully Maxwell can assume these responsibilities with a few more games as captain under his belt.

 

[hellfire]

I don't think Swan is a culprit. He is usually good in clutch moments. So is Didak (except lately). Pendlebury I can sort of agree with, but he was fantastic when we needed him on the weekend. Hopefully it's an early sign of what a prominent leadership role has done for him. I think Cloke can go missing a bit when the game is in the balance too.

On the other hand, Thomas is a fantastic clutch player, I can't recall many tight games where he wasn't having an impact when the game is in the balance.

 

[Dave The Man]

I think Cloke is a massive culprit in this area.
He never seems to be the one to stand up and pull us back within reach.
He is, however, great when we are already in front at kicking a couple of goals to put us that bit extra ahead.
You are right TC, we lack a steadying influence. A really strong leader to either steady us when things are going badly, or to really put us back in contention in a match where we are slipping behind. Not really surprising when you consider how much experience we have lost in the past 2 years.
Hopefully Maxwell can assume these responsibilities with a few more games as captain under his belt.

Good point about Cloke when we do Struggle he can go Missing but the best thing about the Weekend how Daisy and Pendles help us turned the game around in the 3rd Quater

 

[mattys123]

Is it me just noticing this?

When the team is struggling (during a game) and we need our leaders to stand up...
Players such as Alan Didak and Scott Pendlebury go missing.

I cant recall once, seeing these two actually turn a game around when the side is down… they seem to show their ability when things are easy.

Didak had been a match winner all his career, but has lacked the consistency apart from the one year 2 years ago. You only have to go back to 02/03 (a while ago yes) to see Didak effect big games.

As for Pendles, he dose his job, which is to be a ball getter who disposes of it correctly, and he does this job better then anyone we have. He will never be the "spark" player that turns a game on it's head, that's more for the types of Davis, Thomas, Medhurst and maybe Dick.

 

[skeetz]

Didak had been a match winner all his career, but has lacked the consistency apart from the one year 2 years ago. You only have to go back to 02/03 (a while ago yes) to see Didak effect big games.

As for Pendles, he dose his job, which is to be a ball getter who disposes of it correctly, and he does this job better then anyone we have. He will never be the "spark" player that turns a game on it's head, that's more for the types of Davis, Thomas, Medhurst and maybe Dick.

I don't think the OP is necessarily talking about miraculous players who can kick a goal out of their ass when we are 4-5 goals down.

I think he more suggesting that our players seem to get overwhelmed when things start going wrong, and there is no one on the field to steady the ship.
Like Buckley laying the perfect tackley and just giving it to the other guy.
Like Clement rallying his troops in the back half after a goal has been kicked against them. Settling them down, keeping their cool.
Like James Hird completing the perfect chase/tackle, turn the other guy inside out and pin point a pass to Lloyd.
Like (I wish) Carey just leading up and taking a brilliant pack mark out of nowhere, even when the chips are down and the rest of the team can do nothing right.
These guys are all leaders on the field. They don't lower their colours. They don't lose their heads. They just keep putting in the consistent effort, and can be relied upon even when the rest of the team looks like a bunch of VicKick kids.
IMHO Tarkyn was going to be one of those kind of players. He just hasn't been the same since those knee recos.
We really don't have any super confident, super cool heads in the older age bracket. I am hoping Rocca can come back into the side and provide a little influence, but he seems to have lost all his confidence in the last couple of years