Shane Wakelin - Not enough respect?

[Lonie_from_50]

Going through some versions of this weeks expected team and also lack of talk about him, I was just thinking too many people have forgotten about Wakes and what he is capable of.

To be honest, he is clearly in our best 22, well, in my opinion anyway. As I said, too many people have forgot about him.

In 2005, Wakelin finished 3rd in our best and fairest, playing consistent football and having that expertise in some respect. In 2006, he had an interrupted season, but still managed to play some good games, ie. vs WCE at Subi. He was dropped for team balance twice, not enough respect, and then suffered three-four injuries, which ruined two-three matches, and made him miss the final, may have proved costly.

I have seen him once this year, at Princes Park, and was brilliant. Showed his great poise and smart rebounding football early, and then stopped Fraser Gehrig.

Thoughts?

 

[Tas]

I thought he was a pretty good defender, why is it people do not like him?

 

[FIGJAM]

I think he's still got a bit to offer, but remain silent because concensus is the other way and I want to conform as much as possible.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

I thought he was a pretty good defender, why is it people do not like him?

I don't think it's the fact that they don't like him...it is just that they have forgotten about him, and reading/hearing some comments lately has just made me a little bemused.

He is 32, but that's not the point...he is in our best 22. If it comes down to team balance, it is quite disappointing.

 

[Bay Pie]

I think everyone now thinks team balance and if the opposition doesn't have 3 to 4 good tall forwards Wakes misses out.

I agree he still has alot to offer but doubt he'll play this week given the Roos lack of tall forwards.

 

[Jabso]

Wakelin imo is and always has had some of the best footy smarts in the league. Especially off the ball, he is always in perfect position. Next time you're at the footy, watch where he is when he has to cover 2 players. He is even superior to Clement in his off the ball positioning. He can anticipate leads a good minute before they start, knows where his oponent will run, where the ball will be kicked. I think people are more hopeful he will fail just so it fastracks some of our youngsters. Also he had an interupted season last year due to injury and match up problems. People assume it was because of his age.

 

[Frederlick]

I don't think it's the fact that they don't like him...it is just that they have forgotten about him, and reading/hearing some comments lately has just made me a little bemused.

He is 32, but that's not the point...he is in our best 22. If it comes down to team balance, it is quite disappointing.

You clowns shut this down right now! The back line is the Pies best kept secret and you have gone and spoilt it all. Remember, lose lips sink premeirships. Now shut the hell up about Wakelin, Presty, Shaw and co and let everyone think that Clement is the only backman at the club and that the centres have been creating all the drive into the forward line. Yes the backs are all crap and the forward line is the only reason the Pies were on the up last year, OK?

 

[toommy]

I think he's still got a bit to offer, but remain silent because concensus is the other way and I want to conform as much as possible.

they are doing spine transplants now

 

[PieLebo87]

His age works against him.
We have Presti, who is a 1-club player, loved by the faithful.
And a hard nut in Maxwell.
As good as Wakelin is, and I agree, not enough respect shown, but you can't have too many tall defenders unless it suits a tall forward line.

 

[Jabso]

Even Presti has got a goal in Collingwood colours, Wakes hasn't. Hopefully if he has a retirement game we do our upmost to give the ball to him to kick a goal ala Spider Burton.

 

[doppleganger]

it depends on the roles we want clement and maxwell to play

if we play clement as a small defender, which we should try i reckon, and back in maxwell to be able to play on a quick player that leaves presti and wakelin to take the two bigger forwards.

but maxwell and clement can both play against bigger forwards which means we can get more run into the team

wakelin will play plenty of games during the year, and is great back up in case something happens to presti

 

[Lonie_from_50]

it depends on the roles we want clement and maxwell to play

if we play clement as a small defender, which we should try i reckon, and back in maxwell to be able to play on a quick player that leaves presti and wakelin to take the two bigger forwards.

but maxwell and clement can both play against bigger forwards which means we can get more run into the team

wakelin will play plenty of games during the year, and is great back up in case something happens to presti

Good call.

Maxwell is capable of playing very much an Archer type role. Can move up onto the wing and spoil from the front by pushing back, while at the same time a link from the rebound. I think Maxwell is more a player who doesn't need to man up on a key forward. Maxwell is intimidating as a roaming back flanker I think. Goes where the ball goes, whether on the ground or in the air.

As for Clement, I think he will always be our medium defender, but because these days medium forwards play out of the square, Clement gets put on the last line too often, which makes us think of him as a tall defender. His opponents such as Robertson, Hird, Johnson for example can play out of the square.

Also , on top of that, Presti is too dangerous as a backman one on one, and coaches know that...hence why Clement plays deep and Presti is moved up the ground on the full-forward to help give an advantage on the legs...too bad Presti is as quick as any forward

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Even Presti has got a goal in Collingwood colours, Wakes hasn't. Hopefully if he has a retirement game we do our upmost to give the ball to him to kick a goal ala Spider Burton.

Collingwood (2001-) 121 games, 0 goals

Never noticed that, haha

I did manage to kick 4 goals in a game with him in AFL PE, playing at Centre Half Back...

 

[Lonie_from_50]

You clowns shut this down right now! The back line is the Pies best kept secret and you have gone and spoilt it all. Remember, lose lips sink premeirships. Now shut the hell up about Wakelin, Presty, Shaw and co and let everyone think that Clement is the only backman at the club and that the centres have been creating all the drive into the forward line. Yes the backs are all crap and the forward line is the only reason the Pies were on the up last year, OK?

Too Far!!!

 

[jefffff34]

If he is in our best 22, why did he not play in the Elimination Final last year?

 

[FIGJAM]

they are doing spine transplants now

Only in Paraguay!

Too scared to leave the house though.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

If he is in our best 22, why did he not play in the Elimination Final last year?

Groin injury, late change, with Rusling providing his very best with 2 kicks.

 

[Coin_Toss]

No. He still has something to offer this year. Mick Malthouse was probably encouraged from what he saw in the pre-season, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him named in the side this week, with some gametime under his belt. In saying that, Nathan Thompson will be a no-show for the Roos, Wakes gave him a touch up in Carrara as we know so he could fall out of calculations.

 

[Jabso]

Collingwood (2001-) 121 games, 0 goals

Never noticed that, haha

I did manage to kick 4 goals in a game with him in AFL PE, playing at Centre Half Back...

You suck Presti = Coleman medalist. Although he was playing full forward.

In the ole days of AFL97/98 (or was it 98/99) in one of the games there was a really easy glitch where if kick it to yourself from the kick in and then I think evade the full forward for some reason every other player can't tackle you. So Mal Michael kicked 15 from full back one game.

 

[sava]

As much as i love watching Wakes .. He will not and should not be named this week .. I love him as much as the next bloke .. But be honest there is no match up for him so it would be a waste when we could have another runner in there .. Thompson is out .. he wouldve been the perfect match up for Wakes as Wakes killed him in the NAB cup .. and everyone wants to bring him in to play on Hale .. yet everyone forgets that Maxwell has killed Hale the past three times we have played the Kangaroos .. and height means nothin as Hale isnt a power forward .. he likes to roam around the 50 and that plays into Maxwell's hands .. that leaves Clement n Presti to take the next two most dangerous forwards .. and Wakelin to miss out ..

 

[jefffff34]

Groin injury, late change, with Rusling providing his very best with 2 kicks.

Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish. And you are naive if you believe that.

He was out for team balance, he had no match up against the Bulldogs.

And he may not do so against North either given Thompson is out. Presti, Maxwell, Clement are all above him in the pecking order of the key backs nowadays.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Maybe Hoggy, but on paper it says he was injured. Yeah, it may have been team balance, but that is just an assumption.

Facts > Generalisations

Fact is: Wakelin out injured
Generalisation: Wakelin out due to team balance

I don't care what you have to say...people are still giving him lack of respect. He is a better KPP than Maxwell, anyone with half a brain nows that, however, Maxwell is a star footballer who is intimidating, courageous, has good leadership and a top football brain, and with the potential, it puts him in the side no doubt...but as a KPP, Wakelin is and should be in our best 22.

What we got to remember is a best 22 is a best 22. I know I related to the round 1 match against the Roos, but Wakelin still isn't being shown enough respect by others.

A simple lay out of a side is 2 TF, 2 MF, 2 SF...Presti and Wakes to play the back spine...Clement and Maxwell to play on the Med-Sized forwards....Lockyer and Shaw get the smaller forwards...looking at that! Even with a now-a-days 1 TF, 3 MF, 2 SF set-up, Wakes has shown he is more than capable of playing as an attacker from defence in a Craig Bolton type role, and doesn't need to be playing on that key tall...his expertise out of the backline is wanted.

With Clement and Maxwell added, it just makes our side more versatile, and much more solid. Wakelin is in our best 22...when it comes down to match-ups...that doesn't rely on our side, it relies on the other.

That is all.

 

[DWil6]

You suck Presti = Coleman medalist. Although he was playing full forward.

In the ole days of AFL97/98 (or was it 98/99) in one of the games there was a really easy glitch where if kick it to yourself from the kick in and then I think evade the full forward for some reason every other player can't tackle you. So Mal Michael kicked 15 from full back one game.

Coincidentally the same amount of goals that 'M.Clarke 43' has pencilled in for his first foray into AFL football. And i think he'll be playing full back also.

 

[jefffff34]

Maybe Hoggy, but on paper it says he was injured. Yeah, it may have been team balance, but that is just an assumption.

Facts > Generalisations

Fact is: Wakelin out injured
Generalisation: Wakelin out due to team balance

Do you know that it was a fact that he was injured? It's quite easy for the club to put anything down as the reason he was out. The whole week I never expected him to play, given he had no match up, and I would not be surprised if that were the case this week against North.

I don't care what you have to say...people are still giving him lack of respect.

I don't really see how, he's been a very good servant of the club, and getting seven seasons out of him for a national draft pick is probably Malthouse's best trading/drafting decision (that and the Clement/Holland deal)

He is a better KPP than Maxwell, anyone with half a brain nows that, however, Maxwell is a star footballer who is intimidating, courageous, has good leadership and a top football brain, and with the potential, it puts him in the side no doubt...but as a KPP, Wakelin is and should be in our best 22.

So if Maxwell is a star footballer, but Wakelin is better, what does that make Wakelin? The key position version of Judd?

What we got to remember is a best 22 is a best 22. I know I related to the round 1 match against the Roos, but Wakelin still isn't being shown enough respect by others.

I rate him in our best 22, but if we were to go with one key defender less, he would be the one to miss, he isn't as versatile as Clement or Maxwell, and Prestigiacomo is clearly our #1 full back/stopper.

A simple lay out of a side is 2 TF, 2 MF, 2 SF...Presti and Wakes to play the back spine...Clement and Maxwell to play on the Med-Sized forwards....Lockyer and Shaw get the smaller forwards...looking at that! Even with a now-a-days 1 TF, 3 MF, 2 SF set-up, Wakes has shown he is more than capable of playing as an attacker from defence in a Craig Bolton type role, and doesn't need to be playing on that key tall...his expertise out of the backline is wanted.

Yet he wasn't used a number of times last year. Who would he have taken in the final last year. It's easy to say he could have taken Montgomery (given Lonie displayed he plays without a spine in this game), but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

With Clement and Maxwell added, it just makes our side more versatile, and much more solid. Wakelin is in our best 22...when it comes down to match-ups...that doesn't rely on our side, it relies on the other.

Yes he is in our best 22, that doesn't mean he is going to be playing every game though, and he is behind Clement, Maxwell and Prestigiacomo in the pecking order by a fair way. With Anthony, Toovey and Brown coming through the ranks I would suggest he will play less games than last year.

That is all.

ok

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Do you know that it was a fact that he was injured? It's quite easy for the club to put anything down as the reason he was out. The whole week I never expected him to play, given he had no match up, and I would not be surprised if that were the case this week against North.

I don't really see how, he's been a very good servant of the club, and getting seven seasons out of him for a national draft pick is probably Malthouse's best trading/drafting decision (that and the Clement/Holland deal)

So if Maxwell is a star footballer, but Wakelin is better, what does that make Wakelin? The key position version of Judd?

I rate him in our best 22, but if we were to go with one key defender less, he would be the one to miss, he isn't as versatile as Clement or Maxwell, and Prestigiacomo is clearly our #1 full back/stopper.

Yet he wasn't used a number of times last year. Who would he have taken in the final last year. It's easy to say he could have taken Montgomery (given Lonie displayed he plays without a spine in this game), but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Yes he is in our best 22, that doesn't mean he is going to be playing every game though, and he is behind Clement, Maxwell and Prestigiacomo in the pecking order by a fair way. With Anthony, Toovey and Brown coming through the ranks I would suggest he will play less games than last year.

ok

Well, I like the fact you admitted he is in our best 22, therefore, their is no concerns with you from me. The whole idea was that people didn't think he was in our best 22, so it is all cool.

As for the Maxwell thing, what I simply tried to state was that people keep thinking Maxwell is a KPP. He isn't, however he is in the side before Wakes, no arguments. On that, I was simply saying, Wakelin is our 2nd best tall defender, Clement can play tall...Maxwell isn't a KPP...if you get what I mean.