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Russel Robertson

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TassieSaint

TassieSaint

Norm Smith Medallist
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Hobart
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Tasmania
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Tassie Tigers
I am biased cause Robbo is one of my all time favourite players, but I really think he would be a good pick up.

The only thing missing from our structure over the past few years has been a medium forward who can take attention away from Riewoldt and Koschitzke and kick goals. Gwilt has his moments but does not find the big sticks often enough and Lynch is probably still not ready to take on this role full time.

Robertson might be past his best, but even coming off a horrific achiles injury against us last year he still kicks over 2 goals a game from the worst supply in the league. Only question mark imo is whether he can fit into our tackling midset, but if Ross can turn Milney around no doubt he could do the same for Robbo.

So yeah we don't need him but I think he could add something for absolutely zero cost (PSD or whatever). Plus he's bound to take at least a couple of hangers worth admission price alone. And he is a great Tasmanian.

thoughts?
 
Love him as a player, but drafting him now would be insane.

Youth Youth Youth,

No one over 24.
 
not so sure Cuz2Plugger.

on one hand with gc and gws and whatever concessions coming in youth is definitely important I agree.

but on the other hand we are right in the peak of a premiership window, if ever there was an appropriate time to pick up older blokes to fill gaps it's now. I reckon Robbo has up to 3 years left in him.
 
TassieSaint said:
And he is a great Tasmanian.
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Tassie goggles must come off when talking recruits!

Does not fit the disciplined game plan we are trying to create.

Saw him down at Sandy coming back from injury, and continually went for hangers. Took none of them.

Got dropped after taking a hanger for Melbourne in the goalsquare, before trying to kick the goal lying down (muffing it) instead of a shot from direct in front 1m out.

Couldn't see him running 30m at full pace to lay a tackle or just create some pressure.
 

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I don't see us taking him, he turns 31 before the end of the year, but I am a fan and think we'd be mad not to at least look at him.
 
Squizzy1970 said:
Couldn't see him running 30m at full pace to lay a tackle or just create some pressure.
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that is my main concern with him as well. but like I said people used to say the same sort of stuff about Milney, look at him now. If any team could turn him around it's us. Then there's Ross's huge success with recycled players.

and no this is not a joke, although I don't expect to get a lot of support. Robbo's currently comfortably a better medium forward than anyone on our list and is not a spent force as some people are saying. If he proved he could chase and tackle (let him train with us before the PSD) then I think we'd be stupid not to have a good look at him.
 
Won't happen. Does not fit in with our apparent "future blueprint". But I would love him.
Robertson >>>>> Gwilt. Thrives off semi-decent (something Melbourne doesn't have) supply, imagine what he could do with ours.
But as I said, won't happen.
 
Thing is with teams obsessing over youth at the moment some above average players will be retired off while still having some gas in the tank. Nothing wrong with having a look under the bonnet, checking how much mileage is left.

Hell if we didn't have King and Gardiner we could've done much worse than having a look at White when he was discarded.
 
TassieSaint said:
If any team could turn him around it's us. Then there's Ross's huge success with recycled players.
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Maybe - but you'd be punting, and our trades have tended to be the younger blokes (aside from King who was too good to refuse).

We are going to be struggling to fit blokes with talent on our senior list, as Dawson will be elevated, Gaertner and Miles have shown enough to warrant elevation, and I'd elevate Simpkin from what I've seen (and given he looks the type to get bigger and stronger in a pre-season).

You'd get the ABC coverage of the VFL? Tune in on Saturday and have a look at thse kids - Lynch and Heyne are clever enough as half forwards given another season.

Maybe Connors could go back to the rookie list (maybe even Cahill given the precedent was set with Brad Howard) to create room for a top up.
 
Nah Squizzy we get the state league down here instead so I've only bits and pieces of VFL this year

I have no doubt though we've got quite a good crop of youngsters coming through. Lynch in particular I'm a big fan of despite limited viewing opportunities. But Robbo could step in straight away, play every game (uninjured) and have immediate impact. From what I've seen it'll be a year or 2 before any of our young guns could do that consistently for a whole season.

List space is one I didn't think of, and guys already on our rookie list should be priority, I wouldn't want us cutting guys unnecessarily. But if the room's there... Personally I see Robbo as pretty similar to Stevie King.
 

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Squizzy1970 said:
Maybe - but you'd be punting, and our trades have tended to be the younger blokes (aside from King who was too good to refuse).

We are going to be struggling to fit blokes with talent on our senior list, as Dawson will be elevated, Gaertner and Miles have shown enough to warrant elevation, and I'd elevate Simpkin from what I've seen (and given he looks the type to get bigger and stronger in a pre-season).

You'd get the ABC coverage of the VFL? Tune in on Saturday and have a look at thse kids - Lynch and Heyne are clever enough as half forwards given another season.

Maybe Connors could go back to the rookie list (maybe even Cahill given the precedent was set with Brad Howard) to create room for a top up.
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Those are nice ideas, but neither would work.

Every slot on our list at the moment is filled. You're suggesting we elevate four guys, plus we have the mandatory draftees. So that's six players we have to delist (allowing for the new rule where one rookie upgrade counts towards the three list changes). That's another serious cull, who do you suggest?

And if those names include Connors and/or Cahill for the purpose of chucking them on the rookie list, with the depth of this year's draft I'd lay good odds on them being snapped up before our picks in the rookie draft, if not in the national.
 
I've always liked Robbo as a player but I'm not sure I can see him fitting into our forward line structure. We probably could do with a medium forward but someone more in the O'Keefe mould, ie. a consistent lead up half forward type. I guess Gwilt sort of does that role right now, albeit he is pretty limited when it comes to goal scoring potential.

Robertson on the other hand is more the flashy, inconsistent type half forward. Can take a great grab maybe one out of every five attempts but quite often he ends up doing nothing but fall over with his opposite number running free. We already have Kosi filling that type of role up forward so I doubt we could carry two forwards like that.
 
goodie23 said:
You're suggesting we elevate four guys, plus we have the mandatory draftees. So that's six players we have to delist (allowing for the new rule where one rookie upgrade counts towards the three list changes).

And if those names include Connors and/or Cahill for the purpose of chucking them on the rookie list, with the depth of this year's draft I'd lay good odds on them being snapped up before our picks in the rookie draft, if not in the national.
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I am?

Thought I was saying we had some options already on the list to fill any delistings, rather than looking at the players from other clubs.
 
Squizzy1970 said:
I am?

Thought I was saying we had some options already on the list to fill any delistings, rather than looking at the players from other clubs.
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But none of them fill the specific need that Robertson addresses. It's not about filling the list, it's about improving the line-up. I don't think we'll take him, but he's certainly worth a look.
 
goodie23 said:
And if those names include Connors and/or Cahill for the purpose of chucking them on the rookie list, with the depth of this year's draft I'd lay good odds on them being snapped up before our picks in the rookie draft, if not in the national.
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How many teams would be keen if they have had hardly any senior VFL game time? You always take a risk, but Howard was a much higher draft pick and was playing VFL seniors (and we still put him on the rookie list).
 

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goodie23 said:
But none of them fill the specific need that Robertson addresses. It's not about filling the list, it's about improving the line-up. I don't think we'll take him, but he's certainly worth a look.
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If we need a 31yo high leaping forward who doesn't chase (but can sing), we will certainly give Robbo's manager a ring.

A hard running lead up one grab forward is what we need.

Not sure where Woody Allen is at, but he was performing this sort of role. I guess the club will assess that before making any trade decision.

Lynch is the longer term prospect.
 
Squizzy1970 said:
How many teams would be keen if they have had hardly any senior VFL game time? You always take a risk, but Howard was a much higher draft pick and was playing VFL seniors (and we still put him on the rookie list).
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Last year was a much stronger draft, and teams might not be able to resist players that have had a year or two of conditioning at an AFL club. I'd say it's a much bigger risk this year
 
goodie23 said:
much bigger risk this year
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Probably, but a gamble worth taking if we need to create space to recruit a player we need for immediate impact.
 

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