Shaun Hampson

[pinot]

If GWS scoop Franklin I can not fathom to understand Franklin, Cameron & Patton all in the same forward line. Maybe it can work but seems too top heavy. Potential to stifle one of the young boys unless Cameron adapts and plays CHB but he is so good deep in the forward line and so is Patton and Franklin? I am not sure but wouldn't hurt to offer Hampson, round 1 & 2 pick for Patton in view of replacing Waite.

 

[GoBlues!]

Something's not quite right with Hampson as again he showed himself not capable of concentrating throughout a match.

He won the taps yesterday but most of them went nowhere to advantage.
The Geelong mids were much smarter and better than ours but again it just seemed to me that the stat was more important than the result of his taps.

The most disappointing thing about Hampson right now is that he seems to have little idea as to how to position himself around the ground.
In fact it was almost a carbon copy of his last VFL game two weeks ago where he showed something at times and then just grass watched for others and again for the second week in a row needed others to remind him to drop back into the square to use his height against an opposition goal kick from 40 meters out.

It's not right for a 20 year old Watson to have to scream out instruction to player that's been in the system for 7 years.
Unfortunately Hampson is now some weeks of good football away from having any chance of breaking into the team. I can't see it at all right now.

Agree. What Hampson seems to lack is a football brain. Not saying Warnock is that much better in this regard, but after a tap out Hampson seems unsure of what to next atm.

 

[HARKER]

Agree. What Hampson seems to lack is a football brain. Not saying Warnock is that much better in this regard, but after a tap out Hampson seems unsure of what to next atm.

It's not unless you're at the ground that you see what happens when ball is not in hand.
Warnock's smarts are much better than Hampson's yet bring about very little impact.

I liked the idea of holding onto three ruck-men but have moved away from it because with Casboult and Rowe showing as much ruck impact as Hampson has in recent times, I can't see the point of shelling out ~$350,000 for an emergency. We can get a good starting mid for that and rookie another ruck-man.

 

[Neese]

Thanks for the updates Harker. As someone who gets to see nothing of the VFL, I do read and appreciate them

 

[HARKER]

Thanks for the updates Harker. As someone who gets to see nothing of the VFL, I do read and appreciate them

No problem Neese. It isn't always good news but again I see a method to what we're doing at VFL level, this year.

I know this is a Shaun Hampson thread but the only way we're going to see him for the next few weeks at least, is in the VFL.
It was terrific to see McInnes playing quality football yesterday and looking forward to Graham coming through in the next week or so.
Bootsma, Bell and Menzel are also coming along very well but Temay has a bit of ground to catch up on for now.

 

[Neese]

Do you see Rowe getting back to the AFL side this year or given that he looked knackered after a couple of games are they using him in the VFL to see what roles he can play other than a forward/backup ruck?

 

[HARKER]

Do you see Rowe getting back to the AFL side this year or given that he looked knackered after a couple of games are they using him in the VFL to see what roles he can play other than a forward/backup ruck?

Played back, then forward and rucked also, doing a good job all day.
Wasn't imposing though and made a couple of errors along the way.

Won't knock Casboult out of the team for now at least and I can't see us playing all both along with Kreuzer as rucks/forwards.
May get a chance down back at some point in time, given the right match-up.

 

[Neese]

Thanks, I think he would be a handy defender and able to play elsewhere when needed

 

[Chism]

Good work HARKER on those reports.

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

Hammer has lost all confidence and belief in his ability. Getting jeered by his own supporters every week (even when playing well) and then dropped to the VFL appears to have really rocked him. Hope he can turn it around and bounce back with a strong second half of 2013. If not, perhaps a trade should be worked out.

Shaun doesn't deserve to be jeered by his own supporters each week and would make a worthy number one ruckman at many clubs.

 

[Neese]

I don't think he's great but I would never boo Hampson

In fact the only Blues player I have ever jeered at was Scott Freeborn

 

[Artie Bucco]

Shaun doesn't deserve to be jeered by his own supporters each week and would make a worthy number one ruckman at many clubs.

No player deserves to be jeered, our "supporters" are some of the worst... It's quite disappointing really.

The same group that have jeered Hendo, Gibbs and McLean, nfi

 

[le dominateur]

I dont care if we play Casboult (whos better around the ground) or Hampson (whos prob better up forward), all i care about is just that people now realise that we need Kruezer in the ruck first and foremost! Offers so much more there than Warnock

Pffft. We would have won if Warnock wa rucking the last 40 min of Friday nights game.

 

[smashbox gill]

Pffft. We would have won if Warnock wa rucking the last 40 min of Friday nights game.

ahhhh no

 

[Silvagnis]

I am not sure but wouldn't hurt to offer Hampson, round 1 & 2 pick for Patton in view of replacing Waite.

They wouldn't go for that.

I'm also against trading away two picks for one player, yet alone three players for one player. A player who has had two serious knee injuries in two seasons. Some of our nuff nuffs want to trade Kreuzer, yet the other former number one pick who did his knee is a must have.

 

[Murphkreuzmitch]

No one at Carlton hasnt ever said it wasnt, and yet there are numerous examples of Hammer AND Warnock deliberately patting the ball down to guys at the drop rather than take the mark. This was also mentioned on the Sunday Footy Show.

So why don't waite and casboult deliberately put the ball down, and henderson up forward? After all if Hammer and 206 do it it must be the team game plan.

 

[BM123]

So why don't waite and casboult deliberately put the ball down, and henderson up forward? After all if Hammer and 206 do it it must be the team game plan.

More about them playing within their limitations then anything else really.

 

[BM123]

Pffft. We would have won if Warnock wa rucking the last 40 min of Friday nights game.

Possibly but you will never know for sure since he wasn't selected. Be interesting to see what Malthouse thinks this week for selection since he might bring Warnock in to be the main ruck and have Kreuzer playing as third tall/supporting ruck.

 

[Murphkreuzmitch]

More about them playing within their limitations then anything else really.

I just cant fathom that any key position player is being told to put the ball down..I can understand the deft touch to advantage when you have been forced under or the kick is wide, but to drop a mark out in front is ridiculous high risk football..The highlights get shown when it hits the deck and the quicks get onto it, but what about the ones the opposition gets us on and the turnover across half forward goes back with interest..

Mark and handball is the percentage play, and the best teams all do it..Can't imagine a coach like MM would adapt on such fundamentals..

 

[BM123]

I just cant fathom that any key position player is being told to put the ball down..I can understand the deft touch to advantage when you have been forced under or the kick is wide, but to drop a mark out in front is ridiculous high risk football..The highlights get shown when it hits the deck and the quicks get onto it, but what about the ones the opposition gets us on and the turnover across half forward goes back with interest..

Mark and handball is the percentage play, and the best teams all do it..Can't imagine a coach like MM would adapt on such fundamentals..

Neither are them are reliable marks so suppose they are already conceding the mark and try to hand off responsibility to the smalls.

 

[MightyBlue]

I wonder what we'd be like with:

Hampson 70% ruck, 20% bench, 10% forward
Kreuzer 30% ruck, 55-60% forward, 10-15% bench
Levi 85-90% CHF/FF, 10-15% bench
Waite 85-90% CHF/FF, 10-15% bench

Was thinking something similar to this set up would be ideal myself, FF, CHF, FWD/Ruck ("Leigh Brown"), 1st Ruck. I would personally swap Kreuzer and Hammer's roles in this instance, but think the breakdown of time spent in each part of the ground is perfect. May make us too top heavy up forward and cost us a bit of run or forward pressure, but i'd be keen on seeing if it would work. Would need to be with 2 dedicated forwards, 1 ruck/forward, and a ruckman, definitely not 3 ruckman. My logic and reasoning are as follows:

1st Ruck - Kreuzer
Love his work around the ground. Second efforts, and clearance work is fantastic, and his tap work is competent. Still remember the game against Sydney just after he got back from his knee reco, absolutely killed them at every contest, really showed what he's capeable of that day. If he can manage to play like that on a consistent basis, he'd be considered the premier ruckman of the competition.

CHF - Casboult
Plays much better up the ground; his field kicking is great but as his set shots are the problem (think it's mostly above his shoulders). Can definitely take a contested grab and works very hard. His ruck work has been ok at best in the past, I just think he's more valuable being used purely as a forward.

FF - Waite
The position that we struggle to fill most since we traded Fev. Jarrad is our most versatile and talented forward, hugely athletic and brain fades aside is a very smart footballer with regards to his positioning and timing. With Levi spraying his set shots I have pretty much put Waite here by default. Hopefully Mitchell can fill this position in the coming years.

FWD/Ruck - Hammer
Has great speed off the mark (remember hearing he's one of our fastest over 20m). Has shown that he can take a mark, just not on a consistent basis. Very athletic, just needs to work on his skills, timing and positioning; once again, have seen this in patches but definitely needs to improve his consistency. Think Shaun would excel when played on a third tall defender (height advantage) or an opposition ruckman (ruckmen typically can't defend), rather than a genuine tall defender. Recall him kicking a few bags in the VFL finals a couple years back. His ruck work is often very very good, especially those cheeky little taps in the forward line straight down the throat of our small forwards.

A little side tracked as this is specifically a Shaun Hampson thread, but got to my point eventually.

 

[The_Wookie]

So why don't waite and casboult deliberately put the ball down, and henderson up forward? After all if Hammer and 206 do it it must be the team game plan.

Only time ive seen this happen is on the wings and flanks when there are folks at their feet ready to run. You cant do it in the back 50 and its not the smartest thing to do in the forward 50.

 

[Murphkreuzmitch]

Only time ive seen this happen is on the wings and flanks when there are folks at their feet ready to run. You cant do it in the back 50 and its not the smartest thing to do in the forward 50.

Its not the smartest thing to do full stop..

The chances of turning the ball over are incredible. how do they know they are putting it to advantage, how do they know there is not 5 players behind them ready to run down our smalls. In a split second they can't figure this out..Percentage play is to mark and handball to a runner who is asking for it, not to just make it the responsibility of a small player to win the ball..

Waite Henderson and Casboult have all played forward half at some stages this year and none of these guys do this sort of thing unless they are completely outnumbered or out of the contest, so is it a case of trusting some guys to mark and not trusting others to, or is it more that some players don't want to take the responsibility of winning the ball and making a clean disposal..

 

[OldBlueFan]

A little side tracked as this is specifically a Shaun Hampson thread, but got to my point eventually.

All fair points. I went with Kreuzer as the ruck/forward because he seems to have more confidence in his ability to kick the ball through the big sticks. Both Hampson and Levi look like they'd rather be somewhere else when they take a mark inside the forward 50.

Your argument about Hammer benefitting from being on a third tall or ruckman in this traditional CHF/FF setup works equally well for Kreuzer. But yes, Kreuze's work around the ground is far better than both Warnock and Hampson.

 

[The_Wookie]

Its not the smartest thing to do full stop..

The chances of turning the ball over are incredible. how do they know they are putting it to advantage, how do they know there is not 5 players behind them ready to run down our smalls. In a split second they can't figure this out..Percentage play is to mark and handball to a runner who is asking for it, not to just make it the responsibility of a small player to win the ball..

Waite Henderson and Casboult have all played forward half at some stages this year and none of these guys do this sort of thing unless they are completely outnumbered or out of the contest, so is it a case of trusting some guys to mark and not trusting others to, or is it more that some players don't want to take the responsibility of winning the ball and making a clean disposal..

all I can see is there are numerous instances where warnock and hampson are seen to tap the ball straight down to roving carlton players rather than mark it. I dont know why its done as im not a goddamned mind reader.