Player Watch Nathan Freeman

[ace andy]

Poor list management that on our behalf imo.

I don't really see how its a problem. Macaffer is unlikely to regain a prominent position in the side. But neither is pick 70 odd which would be replacing his spot. He is a good clubman so for morale I think the club did the right thing.

 

[Football God]

Did freeman get injured again?

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Did freeman get injured again?

You mean while folding the washing at home?

 

[Football God]

You mean while folding the washing at home?

Possibly

 

[Kappa]

So yeah.. kind of need Freeman to become a player because most of our other kids aren't that flash

 

[Lefthanded]

It's not really spoken about much, but you couldn't really of imagined a worst start to two careers of top 10 draft picks.

One does his hammy in the first practice match and misses two years, the other does his ACL in his first season then struggles to regain his best in the VFL the next year.

Have to stay positive I guess

Everyone knows 5 & 9 is better than 6 & 10!
(JDG & Moore vs Shazza & Freeman)

On the other hand, I think/hope the hit we took in liat flexibility by extending Caff will pay off in terms of players' loyalty and happiness towards the club. It makes for a pretty crappy atmosphere if players get the sense that they'll be cut if they get a serious injury. Players will start trying to protect themselves and be less inclined to show loyalty to the club. Players like Treloar or Dangerfield will look at it and say "that's the culture I'm walking into?" and might go elsewhere.

Not saying it's right or wrong, just that there is a flipside to showing some loyalty to a guy like Caff that extends beyond whether he plays good AFL footy for us again.

I don’t know that it will be a hit to our list flexibility assuming Keeffe, Thomas & a Dwyer or Young go before Caff. You would then be looking at comparing Caff to about a 4th round draft pick. I suspect Caff might offer us more there, even if it’s leadership in VFL for development of our youth or helping guys like Shazza rehab (past example).

 

[Scodog10]

Sometimes you need to be more ruthless. McCaffer has done two knees now and had his position taken. Makes no sense to keep him for a year. Players come and go and you know from Beams Daisy etc the chance they get to take the $ they will go.

He's a good trainer and influence on the track which is something we are in short supply of having moved Ball and Lumumba on post 2014 so I'm happy for the club to keep an elder statesmen such as Macaffer on the list in a mentoring role on base wages who if called upon can at least hold down a role in the senior line up. IMO, Ball should have been offered the same opportunity in 2015 and I'm confident he would have added more over the past fortnight than Kennedy.

 

[Apex36]

He's a good trainer and influence on the track which is something we are in short supply of having moved Ball and Lumumba on post 2014 so I'm happy for the club to keep an elder statesmen such as Macaffer on the list in a mentoring role on base wages who if called upon can at least hold down a role in the senior line up. IMO, Ball should have been offered the same opportunity in 2015 who I'm confident would have added more over the past fortnight than Kennedy.

^This. I'm not sure Ball would have been happy finishing his career predominantly in the two's, but Caff, aside from being handy depth, is uber professional, well liked, and would be/is an excellent mentor to our younger kids. That he would step in and help out as an assistant coach in the VFL is a testament to his commitment to the club and his desire to see his team mates succeed. We would be silly to delist a player like him.

 

[No SPIN]

Sometimes you need to be more ruthless. McCaffer has done two knees now and had his position taken. Makes no sense to keep him for a year. Players come and go and you know from Beams Daisy etc the chance they get to take the $ they will go.

Rubbish - that's not how you build a good culture.

eg. Geel - Menzel 3 reoc's
Hawks - Max bailey 2 reco's, Croad every opportunity and extended period to get his body right - eventually retired.
FREO - Muribito 2 reco's
Swans - Reid very injury prone early, Rampy extended period out
list goes on to even lower clubs
eg Carlto - with Kruezer

Because you have NFI - you actually think "ruthlessness' is a strategy for success, when there is not a single successful club that has not supported deserving players in difficult times with injury.

 

[Wayne Arnold]

He's a good trainer and influence on the track which is something we are in short supply of having moved Ball and Lumumba on post 2014 so I'm happy for the club to keep an elder statesmen such as Macaffer on the list in a mentoring role on base wages who if called upon can at least hold down a role in the senior line up. IMO, Ball should have been offered the same opportunity in 2015 and I'm confident he would have added more over the past fortnight than Kennedy.

Have you spoken to Luke about this? Because once it was clear that younger players would be given more opportunities in front of him, he didn't want to end his career in the reserves with the occasional call up. Despite Kennedy's poor performances, I doubt Luke would have added much playing as a nippy high half-forward against a quick Bulldogs half-backline. Also, for someone who believes Kennedy has been "rotting' in the seconds this is a contradictory view to hold.

It's a wonder how posters that go around singling out others to pot their opinion last on here...

It's the internet, toughen up a bit.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Rubbish - that's not how you build a good culture.

eg. Geel - Menzel 3 reoc's
Hawks - Max bailey 2 reco's, Croad every opportunity and extended period to get his body right - eventually retired.
FREO - Muribito 2 reco's
Swans - Reid very injury prone early, Rampy extended period out
list goes on to even lower clubs
eg Carlto - with Kruezer

Because you have NFI - you actually think "ruthlessness' is a strategy for success, when there is not a single successful club that has not supported deserving players in difficult times with injury.

Which one of them was worth holding on to?

 

[Scodog10]

Have you spoken to Luke about this? Because once it was clear that younger players would be given more opportunities in front of him, he didn't want to end his career in the reserves with the occasional call up. Despite Kennedy's poor performances, I doubt Luke would have added much playing as a nippy high half-forward against a quick Bulldogs half-backline. Also, for someone who believes Kennedy has been "rotting' in the seconds this is a contradictory view to hold.

It's the internet, toughen up a bit.

"IMO" would explain that for you, but you'd be surprised at what I hear.

I wouldn't have played either in that role personally because I don't believe either is suited to it, but alas I ain't the coach. If I was and Ball were still around I would have made use of him inside to allow Pendlebury to spend more time forward.

I'm also curious as to when I used the term "rotting" in relation to Kennedy at VFL level? I've been pretty nonplussed by him for a while so it doesn't seem to be language I'd use to describe him. You may just be confusing Kennedy with Marsh who to my knowledge is unsettled in Melbourne and lack of opportunities certainly wouldn't be helping that situation...

I think considering the cleanup this thread received I might leave that there and keep my fingers crossed that Freeman can make it back by 2017.

 

[No SPIN]

Which one of them was worth holding on to?

Ask the clubs - who obviously had the option of being ruthless BUT chose not to cut these players.
Pretty clear repudiation of your "lets get ruthless on Caff" position.
Maybe think before you speak.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Ask the clubs - who obviously had the option of being ruthless BUT chose not to cut these players.
Pretty clear repudiation of your "lets get ruthless on Caff" position.
Maybe think before you speak.

None of them was the answer.

 

[DoubleDraw7710]

Nathan is on the short term injury list, and will play again this year.

“Nathan has had a bit of a breakthrough with his hamstring. We are really pleased with the way he is training,” Balme said.

“He probably needs to get a couple of really solid weeks on the track at full bore for him to be back on track, so he is short-term.”

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2015-07-27/top-draftee-on-the-comeback-trail

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

A bit of a brekathrough with his hamstring..............great news but very funny use of the Queens English!

 

[DAWESOME!!]

That's good news. Hopefully can get a string of games in the VFL, get some confidence and then have a great preseason.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Footage of Freeman running... surely that's a body double?

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Footage of Freeman running... surely that's a body double?

SInclair

 

[unplugged]

Despite all these hamstring issues the boy is still definitely built like a brick shithouse. Unless that's old footage.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Footage of Freeman running... surely that's a body double?

Historical footage from his draft camp, the media department superimposed a Collingwood training top

 

[magpies53]

Despite all these hamstring issues the boy is still definitely built like a brick shithouse. Unless that's old footage.

God is freeman quick seen a video of him running today hope he gets his body right we need some explosive outside speed

 

[left at home]

the kid is going to be a good player for us. no need to bag or the club over this.
scare tissue is a strange thing it effects people different. just like operations every one heals at a different
rate. if there is any sore ness after what happen to him they will not risk it and rightly so

 

[Ketchup]

"IMO" would explain that for you, but you'd be surprised at what I hear.

I wouldn't have played either in that role personally because I don't believe either is suited to it, but alas I ain't the coach. If I was and Ball were still around I would have made use of him inside to allow Pendlebury to spend more time forward.

I'm also curious as to when I used the term "rotting" in relation to Kennedy at VFL level? I've been pretty nonplussed by him for a while so it doesn't seem to be language I'd use to describe him. You may just be confusing Kennedy with Marsh who to my knowledge is unsettled in Melbourne and lack of opportunities certainly wouldn't be helping that situation...

I think considering the cleanup this thread received I might leave that there and keep my fingers crossed that Freeman can make it back by 2017.

As I don't want to derail a thread as you know I hate off topic threads as much as anyone. But curious as to why someone like Marsh would sign a new deal keeping him until 2017 just 9 months ago, surely he would of been more unsettled then than he is now? Or was it the fact he was a late draftee who was seen as a raw prototype player looking for some job security?

 

[the mighty T]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this kid. Really hope he can come back strong