Next whipping boy?

[aislegi]

Definitely hugo ralphsmith by a country mile.

How many of the Swans’ goals came directly from Ralphsmith or Balta *-ups?

I think I lost count in the third quarter.

 

[Lord of the Wings]

Ralphsmith, Ryan and Miller are all duds and our players over 30 are all cooked including Dusty

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Playing Hopper and Taranto in the midfield together .
are too similar and will never work .

 

[domin8]

Ralphsmith, Ryan and Miller are all duds and our players over 30 are all cooked including Dusty

Picked out 3 youngsters. You do you

 

[Muddiemoose]

Noah Balta.

Could seriously find himself in the VFL when Tarrant is ready to come back in. His progress down back has gone to utter crap

Was crap last night no doubt but over the year he has played his best footy and probably been our best defender in terms of both defensive work and starting attacking chains

Bit of a knee jerk post after a s**t game last night imo

 

[RJK Tiger]

Was crap last night no doubt but over the year he has played his best footy and probably been our best defender in terms of both defensive work and starting attacking chains

Bit of a knee jerk post after a s**t game last night imo

I reckon i've been one of his biggest supporters here, especially when it comes to playing downback.

But i reckon his decision making is really poor. He is starting to show a worrying trend of lacking game knowledge at key times - which is something you cannot have in your Backline general. Its like having a clumsy, talented Goalkeeper - you can't have your last line of defence leading like that as it tends to filter through the whole backline group. Club should really find a mentor for him - Rance was exceptional for him, can't we get him back to mentor or get another All timer defender to help him? I feel like since Rance & Astbury left, it has exposed his lack of initiative in making the decision on where to stand etc. Those 2 guys made him look better as they were great leaders who shared their knowledge ( which is also why our backline looked to be a far better, it worked as a group as it had those guys directing positioning etc). Since they left Grimes is the only guy doing that and looks overwhelmed imo.

I am not saying this as i want him to nbe the whipping boy - i rate and value defensive minded defenders more than most as its the position i always played in most sports - but i can see him quickly becoming a whipping boy. I also say that knowing that perhaps the 3rd, and definitely a top 5 KPD in the past 35 years for the club was Darren Gaspar, an AA FB who also became a massive whipping boy for the supporters.

Balta needs to lift. It comes from the same place i wrote the Bolton comments. We need that next fold to step up and pass Grimes, Dusty, Cotchin, Riewoldt - otherwise the team is not moving forward -we are getting worse as the older players age as the younger & mid aged ones are not taking ownership of the team IMO.

Big fan of Noah personally, but if your asking me who i can see being the whipping boy atm - he is my guy. As when he does clumsy silly play, it almost always cost us a goal. Ultimately, the thread asked the question and watching last night i thought " I can see this guy being the whipping boy", mainly as when he makes a dumb play, it looks even dumber in reality.

 

[Wooden Robot]

Was crap last night no doubt but over the year he has played his best footy and probably been our best defender in terms of both defensive work and starting attacking chains

Bit of a knee jerk post after a s**t game last night imo

What I would say about Balta is that he is a good to very good footballer (as poor as he has been the last two weeks).
And there's noting wrong with being good to very good, it makes for a solid and sometimes long career.
If you ignore the oft comparisons to Rance and other defensive stars and accept he is good to very good, you sit comfortably with where he is at.
But he has - particularly on this board - been built up to be something he isn't.
He's not Rance and never will be, so we should stop expecting him to be and hyping him up to be.
He ain't Grimes either.
If we're lucky, he'll end up like Astbury and that's fine.
But we do tend to overrate our own.
I bet not many truly rated Taranto and Hopper til they pulled a yellow and black jumper on.

 

[RJK Tiger]

What I would say about Balta is that he is a good to very good footballer (as poor as he has been the last two weeks).
And there's noting wrong with being good to very good, it makes for a solid and sometimes long career.
If you ignore the oft comparisons to Rance and other defensive stars and accept he is good to very good, you sit comfortably with where he is at.
But he has - particularly on this board - been built up to be something he isn't.
He's not Rance and never will be, so we should stop expecting him to be and hyping him up to be.
He ain't Grimes either.
If we're lucky, he'll end up like Astbury and that's fine.
But we do tend to overrate our own.
I bet not many truly rated Taranto and Hopper til they pulled a yellow and black jumper on.

Yes well then if people feel like that then they need to curb their enthusiasm.

When we won flags we had blokes like Rance & Astbury.

When we were middle of the table or worse, we had Gaspar & Thursfield.

If Balta is closer to Gaspar & Thursfield than Astbury & Rance, then that is where we are likely at as a team.

Balta has all the skillsets to be closer to Rance than Thursfield - but he lacks the LEADERSHIP and composure to be be that.

Our biggest issue is the incredibly poor transfer of leadership we are currently seeing.

Rance, Cotchin, Astbury, Houli, B.Ellis, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Lambert..... who has stepped up to show themselves a good enough player & leader to take the torch from these guys?

Guys like Vloss, Balta, Bolton, Graham & D.Rioli need to step up otherwise its all over.

 

[Rubber Hips]

After the loss v Swans…has to be Dimma…so many posters went feral baying for his blood lol…there is a 32 page thread on the exit plan


I mean he’s only delivered 3 flags pffft!

 

[domin8]

After the loss v Swans…has to be Dimma…so many posters went feral baying for his blood lol…there is a 32 page thread on the exit plan


I mean he’s only delivered 3 flags pffft!

Same posters on repeat

 

[Masotiger]

I reckon i've been one of his biggest supporters here, especially when it comes to playing downback.

But i reckon his decision making is really poor. He is starting to show a worrying trend of lacking game knowledge at key times - which is something you cannot have in your Backline general. Its like having a clumsy, talented Goalkeeper - you can't have your last line of defence leading like that as it tends to filter through the whole backline group. Club should really find a mentor for him - Rance was exceptional for him, can't we get him back to mentor or get another All timer defender to help him? I feel like since Rance & Astbury left, it has exposed his lack of initiative in making the decision on where to stand etc. Those 2 guys made him look better as they were great leaders who shared their knowledge ( which is also why our backline looked to be a far better, it worked as a group as it had those guys directing positioning etc). Since they left Grimes is the only guy doing that and looks overwhelmed imo.

I am not saying this as i want him to nbe the whipping boy - i rate and value defensive minded defenders more than most as its the position i always played in most sports - but i can see him quickly becoming a whipping boy. I also say that knowing that perhaps the 3rd, and definitely a top 5 KPD in the past 35 years for the club was Darren Gaspar, an AA FB who also became a massive whipping boy for the supporters.

Balta needs to lift. It comes from the same place i wrote the Bolton comments. We need that next fold to step up and pass Grimes, Dusty, Cotchin, Riewoldt - otherwise the team is not moving forward -we are getting worse as the older players age as the younger & mid aged ones are not taking ownership of the team IMO.

Big fan of Noah personally, but if your asking me who i can see being the whipping boy atm - he is my guy. As when he does clumsy silly play, it almost always cost us a goal. Ultimately, the thread asked the question and watching last night i thought " I can see this guy being the whipping boy", mainly as when he makes a dumb play, it looks even dumber in reality.

The gap between his best and his worst is a gulf. And I don't think he'll be challenging Einstein any time soon (to put it kindly).

 

[tora tora tora]

Anyone over 30.

Logan's Run at Punt road

 

[tora tora tora]

Cotchin and his mrs as now they are more interested in self entitlements at their kids' school. And he's over 30 lol

AFL star at centre of Catholic school uniform war​

Parents at an Essendon school are fuming over a uniform requirement involving Tiger Trent Cotchin’s company.

The hall Used to be a Live music venue. I saw ACDC supported by little river band . Sharpies up the back being a bit scary.
The church part hosted a few underbelly funerals too.
Me own granma too. Nothing gangster about her though

 

[tropicaltiger]

The fact we have this thread on our board is a deadset embarrassment.

This would be one of the main reasons league footballers of today do not/ or are very reluctant to have any contact or communication with any nuffie looking 16 year old male or older,

This sucks for the 95% of genuine football followers that realise and appreciate anyone capable of playing league football, even as a rookie or fringe player is in the top .001% of young men pulling on the boots.

I will add further to this as usually the most critical are those that cannot kick a Sherrin over 25 metres.

 

[TigerImposter]

I reckon i've been one of his biggest supporters here, especially when it comes to playing downback.

But i reckon his decision making is really poor. He is starting to show a worrying trend of lacking game knowledge at key times - which is something you cannot have in your Backline general. Its like having a clumsy, talented Goalkeeper - you can't have your last line of defence leading like that as it tends to filter through the whole backline group. Club should really find a mentor for him - Rance was exceptional for him, can't we get him back to mentor or get another All timer defender to help him? I feel like since Rance & Astbury left, it has exposed his lack of initiative in making the decision on where to stand etc. Those 2 guys made him look better as they were great leaders who shared their knowledge ( which is also why our backline looked to be a far better, it worked as a group as it had those guys directing positioning etc). Since they left Grimes is the only guy doing that and looks overwhelmed imo.

I am not saying this as i want him to nbe the whipping boy - i rate and value defensive minded defenders more than most as its the position i always played in most sports - but i can see him quickly becoming a whipping boy. I also say that knowing that perhaps the 3rd, and definitely a top 5 KPD in the past 35 years for the club was Darren Gaspar, an AA FB who also became a massive whipping boy for the supporters.

Balta needs to lift. It comes from the same place i wrote the Bolton comments. We need that next fold to step up and pass Grimes, Dusty, Cotchin, Riewoldt - otherwise the team is not moving forward -we are getting worse as the older players age as the younger & mid aged ones are not taking ownership of the team IMO.

Big fan of Noah personally, but if your asking me who i can see being the whipping boy atm - he is my guy. As when he does clumsy silly play, it almost always cost us a goal. Ultimately, the thread asked the question and watching last night i thought " I can see this guy being the whipping boy", mainly as when he makes a dumb play, it looks even dumber in reality.

It’s summed up as a lack of support around him
Broad suspended , Tarrant and Gibcus injured and Grimes and Flossy at grandparent’s pace.
Also add the fact we have only two quality midfielders so hence more f50 entries and delivered with less pressure inside it.
Then add nine players under 22 games in total as their support crew.
Even Dench or Rance would look clumsy.