Matt Taberner - Developing Days

[The Black Sheep]

I Agree that it's still too early to judge the kid, but just because he's tall & can run all day doesn't mean he's going to be a good footballer (have seen a lot of posters likening him to a Riewoldt?). Haven't seen him take many marks under any kind of pressure at all. Maybe Ross is thinking he can be our Zac Dawson Mark II (can't mark or kick reliably but he's a ruck sized mobile close checking spoiling machine).

He's no Nick Riewoldt. He's got the skills to be a very good player, but NR he ain't.

 

[Allikat]

He's no Nick Riewoldt. He's got the skills to be a very good player, but NR he ain't.

Yeah I've never seen MT cry after a game.

 

[Clems Knee]

I was frustrated by the couple of fumbles in the second quarter yesterday, but even then Taberner did a few good things with his kicking. I thought he settled and was a lot more composed in the second half.

Yes, of course he will play for Peel next week with both McPharlin and Silvagni set to return. But we might see him as a defender, to get experience in the position. Kepler to go forward where he belongs.
If this comes off, it will be great for Fremantle. It gives Taberner more strings to his bow, and more flexibility for Freo, depending on how Tanner Smith, Alex Pearce and Apeness develop.

 

[Swan Districts Kid]

He's only played 3 games for Fremantle this year, with one of them being in the back line.

Try catching some Peel games.

Thanks for your advice Puss - You obviously know a fair bit about footy.
I have watched Tabs play in 2 WAFL games this season, plus have watched him in all preseason matches plus last year. Like a lot of posters, I'm very interested in the development of our young talls & am certainly not writing this kid off - but I think some posters have had some exaggerated notions of his footy ability. No doubt he's a good athlete & can take marks when not pressured, just doesn't seem to show much footy nous or aggression when playing in the forward line - opposite of someone like Michael wood who is a very skillfull footy player but not very athletic (although I notice a lot of posters predicting his delisting at the end of the season).
FWIW, if I had to bet on it, I'd back Alex Pearce & Apeness's footy development ahead of Tabs, notwithstanding they're just as young & have been on our list for a year less.
All comes down to opinion & guesses about the future - I really hope Tabs does develop into a decent tall fwd.

 

[Pusswah]

The Riewoldt thing is only a parallel being drawn to an existing, established player.

The leading patterns and how he jumps at the ball.

Noone's said he's Nick Riewoldt.

Edit:
I'd also throw in that I bet a whole lot of people are just dead keen to see one or two of our young talls turn out (Not discounting Clarke, but he's a ruckman). Every time I get pissy about just wanting one JUST ONE! of the 10 or 12 talls that I can see at GWS/GC, I keep hoping Tabs, Apeness or Smith turn out.

 

[Moo]

Jeebus....I think most reasonable supporters would mark yesterday as a learning experience.

Hardly career defining.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Thought he played like shit in all honesty. Ten steps behind, no alertness, out of his depth, reactive... some serious amounts of Kool Aid being drank in here.

 

[Moo]

Thought he played like shit in all honesty. Ten steps behind, no alertness, out of his depth, reactive... some serious amounts of Kool Aid being drank in here.

Yes it was almost like he was rushed into a team and played out of position.

 

[Kim Hagdorn]

Did an ok job given the circumstances.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Yes it was almost like he was rushed into a team and played out of position.

Unlike those scorching games at full forward where he improved every game and showed hope for the future!

Would love to be proved wrong but at 197-something centimetres, he should be busting packs and imposing himself. Dude is soft.

 

[Moo]

Unlike those scorching games at full forward where he improved every game and showed hope for the future!

Would love to be proved wrong but at 197-something centimetres, he should be busting packs and imposing himself. Dude is soft.

He has just turned 21, and needs to add at least 5 kg....averaging 2 goals a game.

Dude is young and with our KP list ....he gets the time.

 

[estibador]

He was always going to be a project player with flaws. There's a reason he came to us through the pathway he did and not as an 18yo draftee.

 

[duncs]

Would love to be proved wrong but at 197-something centimetres, he should be busting packs and imposing himself. Dude is soft.

Like Sandilands did when he was young? Or like Tom Hawkins did when he first came in to Geelong? Talls take time (especially those who train with the forwards and then end up playing defence with only a few hours notice), practice patience young grasshopper

 

[Moo]

The Apeman is the big hope at FF ....Tabs (or someone else) needs to come on as that tall mobile CHF.

At the moment I more worried about CHB...really need Smith or FA to come through.

 

[clogged]

Yes it was almost like he was rushed into a team and played out of position.

Kicking skills and making a contest should be a given, regardless of whatever is his preferred position.

There was a moment in the last quarter where he had a chance to make a contest at ground level and put the brakes on. I think even Dimwit Bretheren made a remark like "gotta go harder" which was directed at Taberner.

 

[Moo]

Kicking skills and making a contest should be a given, regardless of whatever is his preferred position.

There was a moment in the last quarter where he had a chance to make a contest at ground level and put the brakes on. I think even Dimwit Bretheren made a remark like "gotta go harder" which was directed at Taberner.

In only his 3rd and biggest ever match.....do you think he might of been a bit overawed?

Warney got carted in his first test....so I might not write him off just yet.

 

[clogged]

In only his 3rd and biggest ever match.....do you think he might of been a bit overawed?

No.

It was his seventh match.

 

[Moo]

No.

It was his seventh match.

I stand corrected, point stands - he is very young and playing a derby ...I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[clogged]

I stand corrected, point stands - he is very young and playing a derby ...I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Benefit of what doubt?

He was extremely poor yesterday and needs to improve enormously to sustain a position in the side. He's a very long way from being as good as Silvagni and Zac Dawson, let alone McPharlin or Johnson.

 

[E Shed]

Thanks for your advice Puss - You obviously know a fair bit about footy.
I have watched Tabs play in 2 WAFL games this season, plus have watched him in all preseason matches plus last year. Like a lot of posters, I'm very interested in the development of our young talls & am certainly not writing this kid off - but I think some posters have had some exaggerated notions of his footy ability. No doubt he's a good athlete & can take marks when not pressured, just doesn't seem to show much footy nous or aggression when playing in the forward line - opposite of someone like Michael wood who is a very skillfull footy player but not very athletic (although I notice a lot of posters predicting his delisting at the end of the season).
FWIW, if I had to bet on it, I'd back Alex Pearce & Apeness's footy development ahead of Tabs, notwithstanding they're just as young & have been on our list for a year less.
All comes down to opinion & guesses about the future - I really hope Tabs does develop into a decent tall fwd.

I agree with most of this. Like Ross says, its never as good or as bad as you think. There is no doubt some of our posters over rate Tabs based on not much more than hope, he's tall and he's on our list so he must be a gun or at least we hope he is. At the moment he's pretty ordinary. He has a huge tank and good work rate but compare his natural ability to someone like McGovern who just looks like a footballer from the first mark you see him take (how did we miss him btw?).
As for the delist thing, this is what is so weird about this place sometimes. One person makes an off the cuff half joking comment and with the magic of BigFooty chinese whispers all of a sudden there is a thread decrying the stupidity of all these posters (who have magically morphed out of this one comment) who want to delist Taberner.

 

[sherrif]

Benefit of what doubt?

He was extremely poor yesterday and needs to improve enormously to sustain a position in the side. He's a very long way from being as good as Silvagni and Zac Dawson, let alone McPharlin or Johnson.

As far as I can remember he hasnt ever even played one quarter of a game in defence at local league level, so I wouldnt be too hard on him. He did look shaky with the ball in hand, but I dont think Cox or Natinui kicked a goal while playing on him.

 

[greatgatsby]

Benefit of what doubt?

He was extremely poor yesterday and needs to improve enormously to sustain a position in the side. He's a very long way from being as good as Silvagni and Zac Dawson, let alone McPharlin or Johnson.

OK, have to weigh in at this point. No, Tabs is not likely to be the next Nick Reiwoldt, but I don't think anyone on BF was seriously suggesting he is. What he is is a developing KPP. At this stage he is definitely better than Silvagni (who wasn't even playing at this level at this age) and Dawson (who was on the point of being traded to St Kilda). He needs time to develop but some people at the club, including RTB, clearly think he's worth the investment. Next year is the go, as it is with Apeness - hoping we are all excited at the prospect.

 

[ozzie69]

If we remember back a few years now, Aaron Sandilands was a tall skinny bloke who could get a few hitouts, but not much else. We persisted with him and he ultimately became a real weapon. Tall skinny guys are always a longer term proposition. The only caveat here is that Sam Menagola is also a terrific athlete, but has never really been able to translate that into being terrific footballer.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Pretty hard to dismiss a young tall playing in his biggest ever game with bugger all games under his belt playing out of position. I'd be amazed and excited if he wasn't overawed. Now he's seen first hand what level he has to be at in the big games, especially by being played in defence he would've been able to watch the game ahead of him and seen how experienced talls lead and body for position. I for one think that's pretty invaluable experience and think he'll take a hell of a lot out of it.

Having said that when West Coast hit the front in the last quarter yesterday I might've been cursing the selection a little

 

[clogged]

OK, have to weigh in at this point. No, Tabs is not likely to be the next Nick Reiwoldt, but I don't think anyone on BF was seriously suggesting he is. What he is is a developing KPP. At this stage he is definitely better than Silvagni (who wasn't even playing at this level at this age) and Dawson (who was on the point of being traded to St Kilda). He needs time to develop but some people at the club, including RTB, clearly think he's worth the investment. Next year is the go, as it is with Apeness - hoping we are all excited at the prospect.

Like I say to West Coast fans about Naitanui - not all player development curves are the same. Just because a player was better at the same age as a current established or champion AFL player does not mean they will develop in the same way.

He only got a game because of injury to four defensive tall players ahead of him in the team. His performance was below the expectations required for an AFL player in a side aiming for top four. To get a sustained run at it he needs to improve enormously.