Mitch Brown

[candiehappy]

it's seems to me that we will have Lonergan at full back, Harry at CHB, and Brown the third tall. So a bit like Turbo is saying, not the true key defender. And that falls in to place when Scarlo retires, which is looking more like it will be at the end of this season.

 

[catswhiskers]

Gunston is no gorilla. He showed on Saturday that a mobile lightweight tall forward is handy.

Thats Browns role going forward or a similar role down back if Walker/Vardy push him aside.

 

[candiehappy]

Gunston is no gorilla. He showed on Saturday that a mobile lightweight tall forward is handy.

Thats Browns role going forward or a similar role down back if Walker/Vardy push him aside.

I think he's more likely to be in that role in the backline. Walker & Vardy have first dibs on the forward line. And there's that bloke Menzel ....

there's a very good team in the making, just needs a bit of game time and some recovery from injury.

 

[dazbroncos]

what about Mitch as like an Egan type player. Would take the third guy - play tall or small but use his relative speed and foot skills to clear the ball effectively and read the play as well as he does as an attacking defender...

Too much talent to just let go and given his injuries to this point really hasn't had a full season. Worth keeping even if he needs a rocket or two to get going....

GO Catters

 

[candiehappy]

what about Mitch as like an Egan type player. Would take the third guy - play tall or small but use his relative speed and foot skills to clear the ball effectively and read the play as well as he does as an attacking defender...

Too much talent to just let go and given his injuries to this point really hasn't had a full season. Worth keeping even if he needs a rocket or two to get going....

GO Catters

All Australian? I like it !!!

 

[Partridge]

Well if that's the case, he should be training with the defensive group and learning from Mackie and Enwright, but is he fast enough with both hands and feet to be a genuine AFL HBF'er, I think he's played the key role to long, just lead, mark and kick.
Is he just a VFL player taking up a spot on our list with nothing to offer at AFL level, how long do we give this guy? To me he's like a Gillies but with more talent, just taking up a spot.

I'm sure there's a hell of a lot of training that Brown and Gillies and everyone else does that we aren't aware of. I still think both could become valuable senior players yet.

I sometimes think footy fans have their brains removed every Monday morning. We see evidence constantly that players take time to develop, and that it can occur at different speeds. No one is ready made - Selwood's the only one I can think of who was decent immediately (Judd wasn't and neither was Franklin). But every single week discussion starts about which 12-gamer is finished and is clogging up the list. It doesn't make sense. Given the blazing example Hawkins has and is giving us - going on as we speak - plus Lonergan, you'd think Geelong fans would be far more patient. No other clubs have 6 game superstars either.

Look at Duncan, Taylor Hunt and West. They're just now starting to look like reliable footballers. All between 30-50 games. They'll be better again between 60-80.

 

[Turbocat]

Meto , some of what you say resonates with me but I look at Brown as a long term player sort of like West or Lonergan.

We may get frustrated watching others appear to go past him but I have faith that if we are patient he will deliver eventually. If we had a super young group like GC etc , I'd say he would be in the cross hairs but as we will be having a big turnover the next few years , id persist with him. Games will be more available the next 2 or 3 years and once he starts to build games im confident he will produce quality for us.

Of course he may get a better offer , or want to be traded but till that happens id just hang in there.

 

[Footy Smarts]

It'll be interesting to see if he gets a shot as Scarlett's replacement this weekend. I hope he does get a chance. I just don't see anything much in Gillies and I think Brown would be a better option in that sort of role. Why not give him a shot this weekend when we shouldn't be too stretched for talls if Tippet doesn't play.

 

[Belisarius]

Hard call for a replacement for Scalett - for third tall opposition forward.

On seniority it should be Gillies and he has desperate little time to show a bit more to stay on the list. If he plays well he is more valubale for Geelong as a potential player or in trade talks.

However I reckon Brown has more skill and will be the better footballer and needs senior game time. More of a forward but could play down back.

It will be a call that tells us something about what the club thinks about these two players.

 

[meto]

Hard call for a replacement for Scalett - for third tall opposition forward.

On seniority it should be Gillies and he has desperate little time to show a bit more to stay on the list. If he plays well he is more valubale for Geelong as a potential player or in trade talks.

However I reckon Brown has more skill and will be the better footballer and needs senior game time. More of a forward but could play down back.

It will be a call that tells us something about what the club thinks about these two players.

Browns definately the better of Gillies IMO, but could we risk exposing Brown against the Crows in such a vital game if he was to play Half back flank??
Since Gillies is more accustomed to the role and at AFL level, unfortunately I'd have to give him the nod over Mitch this weekend if the choice was between the two.
Or maybe I'm way to conservative? Harley was a 193cm back flanker and took alot of marks, but then he was a little heavier than Mitch is right now.

 

[Belisarius]

Browns definately the better of Gillies IMO, but could we risk exposing Brown against the Crows in such a vital game if he was to play Half back flank??
Since Gillies is more accustomed to the role and at AFL level, unfortunately I'd have to give him the nod over Mitch this weekend if the choice was between the two.
Or maybe I'm way to conservative? Harley was a 193cm back flanker and took alot of marks, but then he was a little heavier than Mitch is right now.

A real dilemma for us and I tend to agree with your selection.

I really want to see Brown get senior game time because he is a very likely player for us. However Gillies playing on the third oppostion tall forward is his real go. I mean if Gillies cannot hold down a KP backline post, then surely his last refuge to be a player for us is as a HBF like Harley.

So I think, as time is short for Gillies and not so for Brown - for this week I would start with Gillies. I really find it hard because I see Brown being the more likely of the two players to make it - so more AFL time should go into him, but this is just about Gillies last chance to show the Club something at senior level.

So give him a go. Who knows he just might surprise. If he fails and we lose the game, many will be having him out the door at season's end. Fair enough I suppose. But he probably deserves 1-3 senior games before that door opens. I remember quite a few posters thought he was a really good selection in the ND for us.

Perhaps he is an example of the rule you cannot always get it right (Wells) or that our backline has been too good and too stable for him to get any real game time - that would have seen him develop more by now.

Maybe it is a combination of both. I wish him well for the rest of the season - as either way if he plays well he will have a home next season. It has been a long apprenticeship

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Gunston is no gorilla. He showed on Saturday that a mobile lightweight tall forward is handy.

Thats Browns role going forward or a similar role down back if Walker/Vardy push him aside.

Only works if you want to play one ruck though-Hawks have Roughy at FF and pinch hitting in the ruck. If you want to play 2 rucks and have one push forward, then the medium forward is the casualty.

As it is being down back suits Brown better for now. up forward he gets bypassed for the bigger forwards, down back he can use his ability to read the play and good skills to get into the game.

 

[meto]

Only works if you want to play one ruck though-Hawks have Roughy at FF and pinch hitting in the ruck. If you want to play 2 rucks and have one push forward, then the medium forward is the casualty.

As it is being down back suits Brown better for now. up forward he gets bypassed for the bigger forwards, down back he can use his ability to read the play and good skills to get into the game.

Don't think you can make any real assessments of his best suit till we actually see him cast in the defensive role at senior level.
So far he hasn't done much as a key forward when given the chance, just got pushed around, if we want to see him play seniors we'd better get used to the idea of a tall flanker, IMO.
Taylor used to play wing in the WAFL, so why not?

Got to agree with you all the way, Belisarius.

 

[David the Cat]

Browns definately the better of Gillies IMO, but could we risk exposing Brown against the Crows in such a vital game if he was to play Half back flank??
Since Gillies is more accustomed to the role and at AFL level, unfortunately I'd have to give him the nod over Mitch this weekend if the choice was between the two.
Or maybe I'm way to conservative? Harley was a 193cm back flanker and took alot of marks, but then he was a little heavier than Mitch is right now.

No Gillies this week meto.......looks gone to me. Surely they would have played him this week.

Will be in other colours next year is my bet.

 

[meto]

No Gillies this week meto.......looks gone to me. Surely they would have played him this week.

Will be in other colours next year is my bet.

Yep! Reckon you're right on that call, I'd rather they develop Mitch Brown into a Harley type role defender taking the lesser talls and plucking as many marks as he can.
Similar to Sam Gilberts' role in the Saints defence.

Going on form they've done the right thing, Brown has been deserving of selection, wouldn't surprise me if there's a few late changes to the lineup this week.

 

[Partridge]

Browns definately the better of Gillies IMO, but could we risk exposing Brown against the Crows in such a vital game if he was to play Half back flank??
Since Gillies is more accustomed to the role and at AFL level, unfortunately I'd have to give him the nod over Mitch this weekend if the choice was between the two.
Or maybe I'm way to conservative? Harley was a 193cm back flanker and took alot of marks, but then he was a little heavier than Mitch is right now.

He was. He'd also had a ton more experience before he started playing as a flanker, which wasn't until 2006-2007. Prior to that he played centre half back almost exclusively.

 

[bloodygoose]

Given his terrific run of form in the VFL and the club's commitment to play kids in good form i asked Chris Scott on Tweet the Coach - he said the coaches see Mitch as key position player but Chris is leaning towards a future in the defence. So we may see him get a run at AFL there if a spot opens up.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

Would be a shame to waste such a good set shot for goal in the backline. Lets not underestimate that skill and ability as it is precisely what we need up front given the sometimes wayword kicking of all of Walker, Pods and Hawkins.

However, Brown will be dangerous no matter where he plays, natural footballer and will be effective long term player.

As for Gillies, am continually suprised that people refuse to rate him as a potential backline option. He has performed well in nearly every senior match he has played in. Whilst no superstar, he certainly has the ability to fill a role for us - especially given Scarletts impending retirement.

 

[Senatorguesty]

Would be a shame to waste such a good set shot for goal in the backline. Lets not underestimate that skill and ability as it is precisely what we need up front given the sometimes wayword kicking of all of Walker, Pods and Hawkins.

However, Brown will be dangerous no matter where he plays, natural footballer and will be effective long term player.

As for Gillies, am continually suprised that people refuse to rate him as a potential backline option. He has performed well in nearly every senior match he has played in. Whilst no superstar, he certainly has the ability to fill a role for us - especially given Scarletts impending retirement.

Although I agree will be a shame to lose him forward it would increase our chances of winning if we play him back.
As I see it right now we have too many tall forwards and zero tall defenders coming through, I cant see Gillies making it let alone playing for the Cats next year...

 

[Cataholic]

I wonder if Brown's move to defence a month or so ago was prompted by inside knowledge, well before the news of the last few days, that Scarlett was leaving at seasons end?

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

No, i think Brown was just moved to defence for development.

Menzel experienced the same thing as did the likes of Mackie whom is probably the most similar in regard to physique to Brown.

I still think Brown has capacity to fill forward role and he has certainly performed well in this position in the VFL. Just takes time and like i've frequently said, we need to give him a good 30+ games of senior footy first.

 

[you pick one]

Food for thought Brown at the start of this season 196cm 90 kgs Walker 196 kgs 89 kgs just saying.
Guarantee their put on at least an extra couple of kgs since then.

 

[AM]

No, i think Brown was just moved to defence for development.

Menzel experienced the same thing as did the likes of Mackie whom is probably the most similar in regard to physique to Brown.

I still think Brown has capacity to fill forward role and he has certainly performed well in this position in the VFL. Just takes time and like i've frequently said, we need to give him a good 30+ games of senior footy first.

The coach said this week that he sees Brown as a backman.

Meto , some of what you say resonates with me but I look at Brown as a long term player sort of like West or Lonergan.

We may get frustrated watching others appear to go past him but I have faith that if we are patient he will deliver eventually. If we had a super young group like GC etc , I'd say he would be in the cross hairs but as we will be having a big turnover the next few years , id persist with him. Games will be more available the next 2 or 3 years and once he starts to build games im confident he will produce quality for us.

Of course he may get a better offer , or want to be traded but till that happens id just hang in there.

Methinks that if he sees others pass him it won't only be us who will get frustrated. And he'd be a huge loss as he has bucket loads of talent.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

As others have remarked Brown has had a lot of very serious injury setbacks in a short AFL career.
I am so rapt to see him string a number of consecutive games together and play well. Totally endorse the experience he is getting in defence as he has proven he can kick bags in the VFL and this will further sharpen his development as a young player, irrespective of where he eventually ends up.
We seem to be creating an exciting pool of talented youngsters and have debued 21 players from 2010 to today !!
Roll on 2014/15.................