Preview Kyle Reimers - Superstar or Superdud?

[Yoda_]

As an Essendon, I can see all the pieces to our 'next tilt' really falling into place. The back half is only time and a good injury run away from becoming a real powerful young deffensive unit, the midfield is really blossoming with the younger guys becoming more mature, and the forwards are the one area that we seem to be 'set' in.

The younger guys are really stepping up, guys like Zaka, The Milkman, Colyer, Hurley, Carlisle and Hooker all stepping up to becoming integral members of the best 22.

At 23, and 55 games, the antagonist is in that integral games and age profile that our football club is missing. At his best, he is just that, an antagonist, a long kicking forward cum midfielder who at his best can do the mercurial but for far too often.. goes missing.

In his new found role as a deep forward, Reimers only managed to break the 15 possessions twice last year. Once against Collingwood and the other, a 20 possession, 2 goal effort in the thrashing of the Gold Coast suns. For all his time without the ball, he only managed 2.7 tackles per game.

This begs the question, what is everyones expectations for 2012?

I would love to see him become more consistent. Average in the mid teens and becoming another midfield rotation like so many of the Geelong/Collingwood half forwards. I would like to see him top his season best 27 goals from this year and take that next step from bit parts player to starting 18.

 

[yaco55]

Think that your last sentence sums up Reimers.

Needs to be part of the midfield rotations.

Saw enough of Reimers early in the 2011 season for Bendigo to show that he can play midield and has enough ENDURANCE for this role.

 

[daz17]

I reckon he has a lot of potential. I hope he can play like he did against Gold Coast all the time. I know that was the easiest of easy games to play, but his confidence was really high, and could back himself to kick it from anywhere.

I hope he does reach the level of a Stevie J type player; and gets his attitude straight to avoid being reckless. But I would also love to see him with the same attitude, but tearing oppositions defense apart.

BTW I think you should make a poll.

 

[Vtorians]

Is an introvert (even though he tries to portray the opposite) when he knows the Coaches think of him as an important part of our best 22, that's when we'll see his damaging best, he's our best shot at that Milne type gun small fwd, he just hasn't quite realised it yet.

 

[Yoda_]

Think that your last sentence sums up Reimers.

Needs to be part of the midfield rotations.

Saw enough of Reimers early in the 2011 season for Bendigo to show that he can play midield and has enough ENDURANCE for this role.

I think that has been Essendon's biggest problem over the past few years, midfield roatations. Looking at the better teams, Geelong/Carlton/Collingwood and they have up to a dozen players that can start or run on the ball, we have relied heavily on to few for far too long.

Here's hoping that Reimers can become a part of it.

I reckon he has a lot of potential. I hope he can play like he did against Gold Coast all the time. I know that was the easiest of easy games to play, but his confidence was really high, and could back himself to kick it from anywhere.


I hope he does reach the level of a Stevie J type player; and gets his attitude straight to avoid being reckless. But I would also love to see him with the same attitude, but tearing oppositions defense apart.

BTW I think you should make a poll.

i like that, an apt comparison As silly as it is, one of the better games I ever saw him play was in his first or second year was against Adelaide at AAMI and we moved him to defence where he really got us going but ran out of legs late in the game. His run and carry from defence got us going, ball use and attack on the ball a real feature. Hopefully we can see him curb his aggression and focus this on his opponent.

Is an introvert (even though he tries to portray the opposite) when he knows the Coaches think of him as an important part of our best 22, that's when we'll see his damaging best, he's our best shot at that Milne type gun small fwd, he just hasn't quite realised it yet.

I'm not sure we exactly have a 'Milne' type forward, we have plenty third tall/marking forwards, but not too many roving forwards.

 

[The Fact]

I agree I like to think he coUld become like a chapman/didak but he is so far off that ATM its not funny. I do love though Kyle and when he is on he looks just as talented its just he doesn't do it anywhere near enough.

One thing that I was told that really improved my workrate was " Your on the field for 120 minutes and u might get 20 touches that lasts for maybe 3 minutes what are you doing with the other 117 minutes" to me that was a great way to look at it.

 

[fishardansin]

I don't think he will be either. Has plenty of talent but tries to bite off more then he can chew too often and instead of his miracle cut back pass into the corridor leading to an open Essendon player it will be a damaging turn over that leaves our defense exposed.

This to me says a lot about his attitude and why I don't think he'll make it as a long term AFL player. He just thinks that he is too good for the mundane. Kyle is too good to do the "boring" thing and kick long down the line he has to do the amazing game turning thing.

He also beats up on weak opposition, while goes missing for most of the game against good opposition. The game against West Coast this year was the exception though his three goals were only in a 5 min burst.

He loves to look like the tough guy and fight with guys like Daisy Thomas, who clearly will never be a tough guy, yet will short step when it is his turn to go.

He reminds me a lot of my eldest son. He wants to kick the miracle goal and fight at every chance but is "too good" to do the percentage thing or the unrewarded hard running. My boy is also painfully shy, which it was mentioned earlier that Reimers is too. My son is only 12 though and I hope to have beaten that out of him by the start of next season!!

I had high hopes for Reimers after hearing he ran a massive beep test in the last preseason because I thought that an effort like that on the track would translate onto the field and his attitude. I have to say I was a little disappointed. Lets hope he can turn it around. If he doesn't there is no way he'll be around a club for long with Mark Thompson pulling the strings.

 

[Vass38]

Kyle is neither superstar or superdud at the moment. I think hes much maligned and plays the very difficult role of small forward pretty well. People say he goes missing but as far as small forwards go Id have him in front of Davey & Colyer and about on par with Jetta. If he can perform when given time on the ball & become part of the mid field rotations he'll become an invaluable ingrediant in the team. Hes pretty much a lock in the 22 at the moment in my opinion, and I think 2012 and 2013 will be big years for this flamboyant west australian.

 

[smcateer]

My son is only 12 though and I hope to have beaten that out of him by the start of next season!!

Figuratively speaking, one would hope.

 

[daffo]

He can be in our best 22 but he still has a lot to work on. He is injury prone and doesn't to enough off field to ensure he will be fit for the following week. He needs to prove that he wants to make it at AFL level.
He has the skills to do it, he needs to fix what's between his ears. Sadly, this is the same story as when he came to the club.

 

[ant555]

Has suffered a bit from big head syndrome being a kid who came from no where in the draft and was known by very few to a flashy player who was starting to play games and get a name in the media.

Was not working hard enough both physically and mentally off the training track and his preparation was ordinary, no in fact it was bloody ordinary.

The penny dropped a bit last year and he certainly lifted his training efforts after the coach put the hard word on him but his actual match form was patchy and he made a few dumb errors that zapped his confidence a fair bit.

Has been going really well on the track again this pre season and has built up a bit body wise. He has the tools to make it skill wise, now he has prove he has the mental edge on the ground to back up his ability.

 

[BrunoV]

Reimers doesn’t need to be a superstar and wont be a superdud.

He has become a victim of his own attitude (this is only fair to a point, a point which I think we are approaching and have possibly passed*). There is an expectation that the guy with the superstar attitude will back it up to become a superstar. As is often the case with guys like Reimers there also seems to be a healthy amount of people who are waiting for the fall (this is not necessarily in reference to the OP or anyone who has posted in this thread). The reality is that he is a really talented player who probably doesn’t have all the necessary qualities to become a superstar. He is, though, well on the way to being a damaging goal sneak / small forward / occasional part of the midfield rotation in a team on the rise

The interview that Reimers did with one of the newspapers this year provided great insight into what was making him tick in the early years and also publicly marked a new beginning (one which actually started when Hird was announced as coach). Ultimately he admitted to the error of his ways, stated a seemingly sincere desire to be part of the team and, in many respects, asked for a second chance. As long as he isn't consistently displaying his former self and the reports continue to favour Reimers training hard and actively trying to better himself there is no reason for the fans to continually judge him for the player that he was. Until the fans move on there will continually be unrealistic expectations and/or a want to see him fail and/or unfair judgement of his output.

It has been and will continue to be too easy to look at stats or moments in games and simply attribute it to Remiers’ “attitude” rather accepting that it is just part of a game. Here are the 2011 average tackle states for few others who play similar roles to Reimers (using Herald Sun which rounds to whole numbers):

5 tackles: Alwyn Davey, Chapman, Rioli
4 tackles: Betts, Gartlett, Jetta, Monfries, Christensen, Blair
3 Tackles: Milne, Krakouer, Stokes, Reimers

At 4 tackles are two of the best three goal sneaks in the game and premiership players. Is a difference of 1 (or even 1.5) tackle(s) per game really telling you that much about a player’s attitude? Hopefully with a preseason under the Weapon, Reimers will have more power and weight along with improved commitment to increase his tackling and hopefully take it well past the players I’ve listed. The first step should be to go past other Bombers listed.

I also can’t see him fulfilling his potential without being given licence to use his excellent finishing ability and skill/flair to have the occasional ping or to take the game on. I hope that the coaching staff publicly gives him licence for the occasional flamboyant indulgence (although it is still a little too early) because every team needs players who can do the spectacular and it will help ease pressure that will inevitably build. Sometimes games are won on moments of brilliance and it will be important that Reimers and Jetta, as the ones with the brilliance, can be allowed to use their skills to “take the responsibility” to win games (it is the one thing Geelong got wrong – not being able to finish cost them a GF).

If by the end of 2012 Reimers has improved to the extent that he has improved this year he will be much closer to the superstar category (not that I think he will get there) than the superdud category. EDIT: based on ant's training report and the fact that we haven't heard anything negative there is no reason to assume that Reimers will not be a signifiacntly improved player by the end of 2012.




* Don’t get me wrong, I was often furious with the refusal of Kinghts and Co to spell Reimers in the early years. He clearly needed to be made to earn a position in the side. The stint at Bendigo this year came about 2 years too late.

 

[Coopster09]

I heard at the start of the year Hird disliked Remo from the start and simply did not want him at the club, until Remo put in some great VFL performances he had no choice but to play him, if it wasnt for some fairly good performances at AFL level and contract status he would of been gone by this years end. 2012 he'll have to be one of biggest improvers otherwise i beleive he'll get the flick.

 

[BrunoV]

I'd be disappointed if Hird wasn't willing to change his attitude toward a player if the player has shown the desire to do the right things and has acted accoridngly.

Talent is at a premium at the moment (with two new clubs and all of the associated issues) and it really isn't sensible to completely write a player off even if it is about establishing the proper culture.* Afterall, the best culture should be able to get the best out of all different types (and reports would indicate that we have gotten Reimers in the right frame of mind).

I don't particularly like Reimers but there is a hell of a lot to work with and we are not in a position to sack him because Hird doesn't like him (as long as Reimers continues to improve).



*There are limits but I don't really know what is being achieved by sacking players who want to change. I've got no problem with axing Neagle as someone who didn't show the desire and professionalism required to be at the club.

 

[Darealrath]

I think he can turn out to be a pretty good player and I think it will happen if he gets a move to the wing/midfield rotation. His kicking to advantage is first class - arguably the best at the club - and he seems to have pretty good endurance to go with his pace. He is also pretty handy in the F50 and could be rotated there to exploit matchups or change things up, but I don't think he's suited to a permanent F50 role. Just hope they haven't pigeon-holed him into that position.

 

[Coopster09]

Imo i honestly beleive he should be a backman that rebounding type player obviously we carnt fit him in backthere but he is a run forward player and can be taught to be defensive. Just my veiw on him neways

 

[Keystone agony]

The best ive seen of Reimers was when he was playing out of the goal square under matthew knights, it looked like he was going to make it and become a very good afl player. That only lasted for a few games.

I wouldnt mind seeing him run off a halfback flank in the NAB, hey Yarran and Leon Davis are flashy types who made the transition easy, he might be able to aswell. The reason the question is still being asked is because we dont know, but so far in his career, he is leaning towards the latter unfortunately. The backline might be able to teach him some respect, discipline and might be a fresh challenge for the kid that he revels in. New challenges can sometimes bring the best out of players. I just think he seems himself as a SJ and sees himself kicking the spectacular goals, snapping goal of the year, taking mark of the year. Maybe defense could be a mindset change that is the best for him. If it doesnt work, so be it. Give it a go/trial.

He will probably play 100 games some good and some terrible, not too bad for a 47 pick where not much happened late in that draft. I would probably only have preferred 3 players from pick 38 onwards in that draft over him that was available.

Will never be an SJ

If i could get my hands on him, i would take him to the tattoo removable, get rid of every tattoo he has. Take him back to the tattoo pilon and get the tattoo "im a dick and everyone knows it" on his forehead.

 

[yaco55]

Always surprised when i read about reimers being a forward or back - He needs to be part of the midfield rotations or he won't be on the list in 2013.

As Ant555 says he has the technical skills to be a good footy player - And he and Jetta are clearly have the best delivery by foot at EFC.

And Jetta needs to spend more time in the midfield.

 

[Smyth94]

Always surprised when i read about reimers being a forward or back - He needs to be part of the midfield rotations or he won't be on the list in 2013.

As Ant555 says he has the technical skills to be a good footy player - And he and Jetta are clearly have the best delivery by foot at EFC.

And Jetta needs to spend more time in the midfield.

A bit off topic but...IMO Hurley and Ryder are better.

 

[fishardansin]

Has suffered a bit from big head syndrome being a kid who came from no where in the draft and was known by very few to a flashy player who was starting to play games and get a name in the media.

Was not working hard enough both physically and mentally off the training track and his preparation was ordinary, no in fact it was bloody ordinary.

The penny dropped a bit last year and he certainly lifted his training efforts after the coach put the hard word on him but his actual match form was patchy and he made a few dumb errors that zapped his confidence a fair bit.

Has been going really well on the track again this pre season and has built up a bit body wise. He has the tools to make it skill wise, now he has prove he has the mental edge on the ground to back up his ability.

This is exactly what I was trying to say. Obviously better written and with some real knowledge on what is going on rather then perception. Still it makes me pleased that my perception is on the mark!!

 

[blitzer]

He gets more than his share of flack I would suggest. 27 goals was a very handy return for us, even though he probably didn't win enough of the ball in a lot of those games and obviously the goals were inflated by the GC game. If he can just add a bit more consistency and become a 35-40 goal kicker for us next year it would really help the team. I actually think he should stay in the half forward line, delivering into the 50, with his great kicking. Needs to work harder and smarter to get more possessions though. I'm tipping he will be a solid best 15 player for us next year without starring.

 

[fishardansin]

He gets more than his share of flack I would suggest. 27 goals was a very handy return for us, even though he probably didn't win enough of the ball in a lot of those games and obviously the goals were inflated by the GC game. If he can just add a bit more consistency and become a 35-40 goal kicker for us next year it would really help the team. I actually think he should stay in the half forward line, delivering into the 50, with his great kicking. Needs to work harder and smarter to get more possessions though. I'm tipping he will be a solid best 15 player for us next year without starring.

If he gets lucky with injury then 40+ goals, no more short stepping, no more stupid fighting and going for the percentage play more often will see him cement a spot in the 22.

Definitely should stay forward of centre. Like I said he needs to stop trying to be too much of a hero to be a consistent half forward. The discipline that is required in the backline is just too much of a stretch and a waste of what he has to offer.

Really as part of our midfield rotation we need 3 guys rotating through half forward who's role is to basically follow the ball, yes of course playing on the attacking side of it, right up to the half backline. These guys don't to start on the ball and are expected to be there to crumb on the wing and half forward line but really help with the midfield running.

In these days of the sub rule you need them to be the sub as well. So capable of coming on for the last 40 min of the game and basically running hard over that period with no rest on the bench.

Players we have that would be good for that role are Reimers, Jetta, Colyer and Winderlich. As stated in TBell thread I'd like to have Ryder doing it too.

 

[Keystone agony]

I dont rate his kicking or decision making at all. Its very hit and miss.

 

[BrunoV]

Does anyone have any examples of Reimers being a hero this season?

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Seems to be a bit of a squib to me. Needs to put his body on the line more often instead of looking for the easy kick. Like everyone said, loads of potential, but patience is wearing thin. Will have a little trade value at years end, and regardless, I would be looking to shop him.