Mitch Brown

[Scottland2007]

That's what I'm looking for evidence of. My view is that it's still far too early to tell. I think unlike Mackie he might put some muscle on as he develops.

Personally think he is to light to be forward. I think he could work down back. But your right, to early to make the call. Just going off gut feeling. He has a great kick. Could be a good link man to overcome a press.

 

[Partridge]

Personally think he is to light to be forward. I think he could work down back. But your right, to early to make the call. Just going off gut feeling. He has a great kick. Could be a good link man to overcome a press.

Fair enough. No doubt right now he looks far more comfortable as a lead up forward. Covers the ground so well for a big guy. That'll be the next challenge too, he has to put on some muscle but not so much he loses his speed.

 

[meto]

Fair enough. No doubt right now he looks far more comfortable as a lead up forward. Covers the ground so well for a big guy. That'll be the next challenge too, he has to put on some muscle but not so much he loses his speed.

Lets just get to first base, wouldn't you reckon? You know, try to get him strong enough to play first!
That's if he's not traded or de-listed.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I've got to agree with others: there's no way Brown will be delisted. You'd imagine at least two (more likely three) of Scarlett, Hunt, Wojcinski, Chapman and Corey will retire after this year (with Enright and Pods also being outside chances, I guess). Then, you'd have to say that Hogan, Byrnes, Cowan and probably even Gillies would all be chopped before Brown. With our list at the moment, I'd be happy seeing Hawkins playing with two rangy 6'6 forwards who can take a grab in Vardy and Brown (no idea where this 'can't take a contested mark' thing comes from; obviously, body-on-body isn't his go, but he can take an excellent pack mark, when he gets a run at it) and seeing how opponents go trying to match up on them.

We've got plenty of tall potential assets for 2014-16; the trouble is we don't know what to make of most of them - yet. Brown, Vardy, Simpson, Walker, Hamling, Bathie, Blicavs, you could throw Kersten and Gillies in there and we don't even know what to make of West yet. And the thing about the majority of those guys is they're interchangable ruck-forwards or forward-defenders (a couple even look like potential flankers/wingmen). I wouldn't want to see us get rid of any of those players until the end of next year, at the earliest. Those nine players are going to be as critical to any premiership chance we have in the mid-10s as anything else. If we can find 2-3 defenders (to go with Taylor), 1-2 forwards (to go with Hawkins) and 2 rucks from that group, we'll definitely be able to build a formidable team around that. No doubt in my mind.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Brown is not going to be delisted, not this year anyway. Not worth even thinking about.

 

[meto]

Extra

None of those guys you've mentioned have proved a thing so far at AFL level, so beats me why you're so up and about as if we've got a group to rival the W C Eagles.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Extra

None of those guys you've mentioned have proved a thing so far at AFL level, so beats me why you're so up and about as if we've got a group to rival the W C Eagles.

Way to miss my point.

We've got plenty of tall potential assets for 2014-16; the trouble is we don't know what to make of most of them - yet. Brown, Vardy, Simpson, Walker, Hamling, Bathie, Blicavs, you could throw Kersten and Gillies in there and we don't even know what to make of West yet.

If we can find 2-3 defenders (to go with Taylor), 1-2 forwards (to go with Hawkins) and 2 rucks from that group, we'll definitely be able to build a formidable team around that.

The point is, if you keep cutting players (particularly key forwards) when they get to 21 and just bringing in the next guy, you'll never get anywhere.

 

[Lager]

Extra

None of those guys you've mentioned have proved a thing so far at AFL level, so beats me why you're so up and about as if we've got a group to rival the W C Eagles.

3 premierships in 5 years is enough incentive for me to trust our clubs systems of development and judgment re list management.

 

[meto]

Way to miss my point.

We've got plenty of tall potential assets for 2014-16; the trouble is we don't know what to make of most of them - yet. Brown, Vardy, Simpson, Walker, Hamling, Bathie, Blicavs, you could throw Kersten and Gillies in there and we don't even know what to make of West yet.

If we can find 2-3 defenders (to go with Taylor), 1-2 forwards (to go with Hawkins) and 2 rucks from that group, we'll definitely be able to build a formidable team around that.

The point is, if you keep cutting players (particularly key forwards) when they get to 21 and just bringing in the next guy, you'll never get anywhere.

You originally said, 'they'll be critical players for our premiership aspirations', I said, 'based on what'?
Did I miss your point?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

You originally said, 'they'll be critical players for our premiership aspirations', I said, 'based on what'?
Did I miss your point?

Yes, you've missed my point. 'Aspirations' = hopes/ambitions. If (there's that word again) enough of these players develop into quality AFL talls, we have a good chance of reaching the goal of being premiership contenders by 2015 (which is when I believe Scotty has flagged as the time he wants to start contending agin); if not enough develop, we won't reach our goal of being premiership contenders by then; and if we cut them all loose, we could still be rebuilding in 2020. We'd probably resort to trading in this generation's answers to Jason Mooney, Mitchell White and Brett Spinks, to try to fast-track the process. It's funny you mention West Coast; remember how much of a shambles they were in 2010? Well, have a look at their list then and have a look at it now. Not a huge difference, really. Their players were given the time and opportunities to develop.

Everybody talks about us getting back up to the top by 2015. If that's going to happen, the next generation of key position players has to (largely) come from what we've already got. Mitch Brown was picked in the first round in 2008; we still don't know what we've got with him. Who's to say if we cut him loose this year and use our first round pick on another key forward in this draft, we won't be in exactly the same position with this new player in 2016?

Our football department (which has a pretty good track record with this sort of thing) has been very high on most of these players, with just Bathie and Blicavs being true projects. Vardy was a semi-regular in 2011, before injury intervened; Brown, similarly, has never shown what he can do for a consistent length of time, due to injury; we had a chance to trade Gillies last year and were adamant that we wanted him to stay; Kersten was widely considered to be the steal of the 2011 draft and has done nothing to make people think otherwise; Walker hasn't put a foot wrong this year and looks certain to have a long-term future at Geelong; Bathie looks like he has the ability to be a medium-long term backup option for Lonergan; Simpson has shown signs of being at least an adequate AFL ruckman; and it's too early to tell on either Hamling or Blicavs yet, with both even being on the slight side for the VFL, let alone the AFL. With the possible exception of Gillies (which I'd disagree with, personally), I just don't know why we'd give up on any of these players. Let's find out what we've got first, as there's a decent chance that what we've got will be pretty good.

 

[Partridge]

Lets just get to first base, wouldn't you reckon? You know, try to get him strong enough to play first!
That's if he's not traded or de-listed.

Personally I think he could play from here on in. Maybe not as a key forward - more on a flank. He looks to me to have enough ability to get further experience. No doubt at all they'll want a little more bulk put on by the start of next season again. And yep he needs to become a solid senior footballer first and foremost.

But there are a lot of guys I'd be chopping ahead of him.

 

[Copernicus]

Partridge has pretty much said it all for me - thanks for sparing me the effort, mate

He isn't going anywhere and anyone who says otherwise has rocks in his head.

 

[BUSTER29]

Cant see him being delisted. At some stage he needs to be given 5 or 6 games in succession to get up to
speed in the seniors.
If we drop our next few games, this should happen sooner rather than later.

 

[Stig_90]

I think the problem with Mitch is he's playing in the VFL as a key forward from all reports, then when he gets a call up he has to play in a pocket or forward flank or else he just gets out-muscled. Unless he lives in the gym over the next couple of summers, I think we need to settle on him being a half forward flanker/forward pocket at both levels so he can get comfortable in that position and get some continuity.

 

[bulletproof]

I think the problem with Mitch is he's playing in the VFL as a key forward from all reports, then when he gets a call up he has to play in a pocket or forward flank or else he just gets out-muscled. Unless he lives in the gym over the next couple of summers, I think we need to settle on him being a half forward flanker/forward pocket at both levels so he can get comfortable in that position and get some continuity.

He is playing key defence now and starring by the sounds of it. They were about 12 months late with this move but better late than never.

 

[caitsith01]

This thread is insane. Why are people talking about Brown being delisted?

Some people have this mysterious belief that he either has to be a 110kg power forward or nothing. He's much better suited to the role of a supporting forward who takes marks via brains not brawn.

Pods will be gone soon and I can see a happy partnership between Hawkins and Brown.

Plus there is no way a player who has had a couple of AFL games and is playing really well in the VFL is going to be cut at this stage.

 

[meto]

Personally I think he could play from here on in. Maybe not as a key forward - more on a flank. He looks to me to have enough ability to get further experience. No doubt at all they'll want a little more bulk put on by the start of next season again. And yep he needs to become a solid senior footballer first and foremost.

But there are a lot of guys I'd be chopping ahead of him.

Mate! I've said all along that Brown is the tall marking forward flanker but all the naysayyers would start their rants bout the forwardline being to tall. Yes he's got enough pace to develop into a wide marking option but the chances of us playing him there are unlikely, we seem to prefer the small option ATM.

 

[krisholio14]

Mate! I've said all along that Brown is the tall marking forward flanker but all the naysayyers would start their rants bout the forwardline being to tall. Yes he's got enough pace to develop into a wide marking option but the chances of us playing him there are unlikely, we seem to prefer the small option ATM.

Dominated down back in the VFL yesterday.

 

[footscore]

Dominated down back in the VFL yesterday.

perhaps bring him into the seniors and play down back.

Only issue is who we would take out for a week?
Mackie seems a logical choice given both players are similar stature...I think even Brown has Mackie covered for weight by a good 6 or so kg's

 

[meto]

Dominated down back in the VFL yesterday.

Now, maybe he's a tall marking back flanker???

What do you do with him? Probably groom him for the Harley/Mackie role, if he develops a bit of run who knows what we might get! A supersized halfback.

Goldsack does it for Collingwood, why not Brown for us.

 

[flatcat]

perhaps bring him into the seniors and play down back.

Only issue is who we would take out for a week?
Mackie seems a logical choice given both players are similar stature...I think even Brown has Mackie covered for weight by a good 6 or so kg's

Hate to say it, but atm Mackie has Brown well and truly covered in terms of attack on the ball, and that's saying something! I think the best thing we could do for him is put him in the weight room full time with some "vitamins". Once he has the body of a afl footballer he may attack the ball like and afl fottballer. He has the ability, but this is not underage football.

 

[meto]

Might need Simpson this week!

 

[Whit3y]

3 premierships in 5 years is enough incentive for me to trust our clubs systems of development and judgment re list management.

i wonder if brisbane supporters were saying this after there golden era, and look what happened to them

 

[krisholio14]

i wonder if brisbane supporters were saying this after there golden era, and look what happened to them

You're kidding me aren't you?

Brisbane had absolutely no development whatsoever during their run. When all their premiership stars retired at the same time, they had no one with any experience to come up and fill the voids. Hence they haven't been close since.

We've got games into plenty of young players over the last 5 1/2 seasons, and many of them have shown they will be long term AFL players.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

You're kidding me aren't you?

Brisbane had absolutely no development whatsoever during their run. When all their premiership stars retired at the same time, they had no one with any experience to come up and fill the voids. Hence they haven't been close since.

We've got games into plenty of young players over the last 5 1/2 seasons, and many of them have shown they will be long term AFL players.

And even if we do spend the next ten years in the abyss (though it is obvious that the club is doing everything possible to avoid it), well, I've seen more success in the last five years than I was expecting to see for the rest of my life 5-6 years ago.