Key positions

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J

jim440

Club Legend
Veteran
Jul 19, 2001
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Behind the goals, Geelong Rd end
What are we going to do about key positions next year?

Grant aside, I don't think we have the talent with our big blokes.

Croft and Penny will be our main defenders. Croft doesn't appear to be the player he was a year ago and Penny can't take a real quality player (yet).

Hunter should get a chance at full forward. Wiggins will play but you can't expect too much from a guy who has only played four games.

Bartlett should stay to see if he can play in defense.

All the comment about our great batch of youngsters, but they are all dwarfs. There would be 15 midfielders in our best 22 players.

I can see a long winter coming up.
 
Bowden and Wiggins will be crucial next season. One if not both have to make an impact for us to be a chance at the finals.

Bartlett didn't get a lot of ground time last season and confidence could have been affected. He can't play in the forward line. He's not too bad in the heavy bullocking area and one on one contested marks. Just a bit too clumsy and slow. He would struggle in defence on a fast forward. He did play with some success in defence. I remember him as a youngster giving Kernanhan a hard time believe it or not!

I hope Bruton stands up. Some of the raps on him are big. If he can get on the paddock it would allow Bandy to hold down a key possie. I just had a look at the 2001 media guide and the wraps on Bandy for season 2000 were very good. Lets hope he can rediscover that form.
 
Wiggins, Bowden, Grant, Hunter the key forwards.

Croft, Penny, Bandy the key backs.

Croft Hunter Grant Penny can go either end. Bandy and Wiggins between them to cover Darcy in ruck who will then go forward. Bruton could also fill this role.

Skipper and Bruton(particularly Bruton for next season) may also come in and help this out. We are light on in defense as always. But if penny and Bandy can hold down possies there it will take a very big forward line to make us look small. And Don't forget the draft!!!!! We will have 4 or so new players in 6 weeks.
 

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Originally posted by jim440
Bartlett should stay to see if he can play in defense.
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Don't agree. He's just not up to it. He may be a tall but if he loses every contest then looking like he's physically well matched with his opponent hasn't helped.

On the forward line this year he simply couldn't touch the ball most of the time. Given the opportunity to mark, it always spilt out and the marks he took were the ones we managed to get the second bite.

He played a bit on the back line last year and I can only remember one game (against Sydney) that I thought he was an asset in the backline.

He has undeniable endeavour and I wish some of the others appeared to "want" to win the ball as much as he does, but the simple fact is he is not an AFL class tall. He's a VFL class tall.

We have to be playing Bandy, Bowden and Wiggins ahead of Bartlett. If we ended up one tall short (which I don't think we should with these 3), then we play a short forward line temporarily. We've done it before and we know we can still win with a short forward line, though it's not ideal. But someone who is just outclassed all the time on the backline simply gives the opposition a match-winning option to go through.
 
The option of Bartlett playing back has merit.He is very strong and brave and extremely quick for a man of his size and bulk.We are definetly a tall back short.:(
 
Originally posted by dogboy23
The option of Bartlett playing back has merit.He is very strong and brave and extremely quick for a man of his size and bulk.We are definetly a tall back short.:(
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I agree with K9-54 on this one.

Bartlett down back would be scary. He is too unbalanced. Would too often be on the ground why opponents kick goals.
 
Originally posted by sigscotty


I agree with K9-54 on this one.

Bartlett down back would be scary. He is too unbalanced. Would too often be on the ground why opponents kick goals.
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:p :p :p
 
Originally posted by sigscotty


I agree with K9-54 on this one.

Bartlett down back would be scary. He is too unbalanced. Would too often be on the ground why opponents kick goals.
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:p :p :p
 
I seriously doubt whether Wiggins will be up to senior football this year, let alone holding down a key position. Bruton may also take a while to develop and Skipper is definently a long term prospect who will not play seniors next year
 
Originally posted by Bulldog1954
I seriously doubt whether Wiggins will be up to senior football this year, let alone holding down a key position. Bruton may also take a while to develop and Skipper is definently a long term prospect who will not play seniors next year
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If Wiggins isn't ready next year when will he be? He was playing seniors in 2000. Was FF throughout the practice games 2001. Will have had a chance to spend a whole year in the gym. If he is not up to getting a regular game next year then it don't look real good for his future. I tip him to be in the side for round one.

Skipper is obviously not going to have much of an impact in 2002, but his aim HAS to be to play senior footy. At least.

All reports suggest Bruton is a hot prospect. If this is so why shouldn't he be making some sort of impression in his second year????

None of these guys will be anywhere near reaching full potential for a while yet. this does not mean they should be put in a 'not this year category'.
 
The reason that they're both probably in the 'not this year category' is that both Wiggins and Bruton had knee reconstructions mid season.

The earliest we could hope to see them even on the field, would be in the ressies by about round 10 -- possibly a couple of games in the seniors by late in the season if they've recovered well and in some form (unlikely).

Personally, (although I haven't seen much of him), IMO, Bruton ain't ready -- he was picked up as another one of those 'long term projects', and wasn't even in the Werribee senior -- just too thin.

On the other hand, Wiggins, once fit, definitely is ready -- he has the size/frame and ability to come straight into the side either as a key forward or pinch hit ruckman.

Bartlett -- I don't know -- just so bloody frustrating to watch him and I know that he ain't up to it -- but given his size and endeavour, I think he could be useful for one more year, just until one of the youngsters are ready for a key forward role.
 
Originally posted by Westy_Boy
The reason that they're both probably in the 'not this year category' is that both Wiggins and Bruton had knee reconstructions mid season.

Personally, (although I haven't seen much of him), IMO, Bruton ain't ready -- he was picked up as another one of those 'long term projects', and wasn't even in the Werribee senior -- just too thin.

On the other hand, Wiggins, once fit, definitely is ready -- he has the size/frame and ability to come straight into the side either as a key forward or pinch hit ruckman.
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Wiggins went down pretty early i thought and should be back for the start.

A friend of Bruton's told me he is also looking to be ready for round 1. When i say 'have an impact' that may only be as far as being considered someone you could possibly throw in if need be.
I contrast that with the example of the 94 finals. Darcy in his first year but they went with Standfield in the ruck when wynd and ilija
got hurt. I would expect Bruton to be at least to a point where he could come in in that type of situation.
 
That's fair enough, Sig.

The major thing with the injury to Bruton though, was that it held back his development for a year -- a huge setback for a kid of his ilk.

Personally, even if Darcy and Bandy go down, I still don't reckon Bruton is ready for senior football just as yet. No matter how few ruckman you have fit, you can't expect an 18 year old kid to step up from in the Diggers Rest league (his last full season of footy), or from 5 games last year in the VFL reserves, to go up against the likes of Ottens, Primus, Everritt, Allan or whoever. It would destroy him.

Wiggins is a different story -- he has the height, strength (if not experience and ability) to cope and hold his own.

Anyway, I hope you're right in that both players are ready to go by the start of this season. Wiggins especially would be a huge bonus given our lack of talls.
 

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Wiggins looks like he might have a bit of grunt about him. It would be good to have someone who can throw a bit of weight around and look after the fleet of skilled youngsters
 
Originally posted by The Doctor
Wiggins looks like he might have a bit of grunt about him. It would be good to have someone who can throw a bit of weight around and look after the fleet of skilled youngsters
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Wiggins is a good prospect and was the leading mark taker in the under 18 comp when he was in it.Bruton has come from Diggers Rest Football club(in a terrible league) and will need time to adjust but i have been told that the game he did his knee in the first half he got about 20 taps straight to his rover.:)
 
I hope Wiggins is ready for the start of next year cause I like the kid, Hes got grunt as someone said earlier and has a good set of hands. His couple of senior games that he played he didnt receive much ground time at all and before he went down with the knee he was streets ahead of Bowdo in there developments(Bowdo did hit a purple patch mid year)

So lets hope for next year that Bowdo and Wiggo can both play some sort of key position role.
 
Originally posted by Top Dog
I hope Wiggins is ready for the start of next year cause I like the kid, Hes got grunt as someone said earlier and has a good set of hands. His couple of senior games that he played he didnt receive much ground time at all and before he went down with the knee he was streets ahead of Bowdo in there developments(Bowdo did hit a purple patch mid year)

So lets hope for next year that Bowdo and Wiggo can both play some sort of key position role.
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Wiggins career match stats

4 games for ground time total of 4 minutes for 4 pocessions and 4000 splinters in his butt :mad: :eek:
 
Originally posted by The Doctor


Wiggins career match stats

4 games for ground time total of 4 minutes for 4 pocessions and 4000 splinters in his butt :mad: :eek:
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.......and one ripper of a mark VS Blues when we beat them by 2pts and there supporters where having a hissy fits :D :p * that was a great Day

"Barts lines up from 30.................BANG" :(
 
Originally posted by Westy_Boy


The major thing with the injury to Bruton though, was that it held back his development for a year -- a huge setback for a kid of his ilk.

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No doubt there mate.

But it does mean that he will have been able to hit the weights room in what will effectively have been an 18 month pre season by round 1 2002. As far as body development his injury probably advanced him 12 months or even more.
 
Originally posted by dogboy23
The option of Bartlett playing back has merit.He is very strong and brave and extremely quick for a man of his size and bulk.We are definetly a tall back short.:(
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On the up side, Bartlett wouldn't have to mark, he could just punch. On the down side, he'd never be in possition...
 
Originally posted by sigscotty


No doubt there mate.

But it does mean that he will have been able to hit the weights room in what will effectively have been an 18 month pre season by round 1 2002. As far as body development his injury probably advanced him 12 months or even more.
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Well I can tell you that Bruton is at the gym almost everyday and says that he is in constant contact with plough and may get a game this year.;)
 
Originally posted by PC28


On the up side, Bartlett wouldn't have to mark, he could just punch. On the down side, he'd never be in possition...
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How about we use Barty like this: We nominate three or so opposition players that just MUST be stopped when playing their club. At the opening bounce Barty clobbers them. Don't have to worry about the player for the rest of the game, and just as importantly we don't have to worry about Barty embarrasing the club by his performance for a few weeks.

PS. He is hard done by is our Bart. He is only a bit of balance and level headedness away from being a pretty good footballer. However that bit he lacks makes him look absolutely woeful at times. Is it plausible to throw him in the ruck at the top level as he was for the bees???
 
Originally posted by sigscotty


How about we use Barty like this: We nominate three or so opposition players that just MUST be stopped when playing their club. At the opening bounce Barty clobbers them. Don't have to worry about the player for the rest of the game, and just as importantly we don't have to worry about Barty embarrasing the club by his performance for a few weeks.

PS. He is hard done by is our Bart. He is only a bit of balance and level headedness away from being a pretty good footballer. However that bit he lacks makes him look absolutely woeful at times. Is it plausible to throw him in the ruck at the top level as he was for the bees???
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