Poor boy just can't take a break at the moment, injury wise. But putting his rotten run of luck aside for a moment, I'm slightly (only slightly) concerned about his game in general.
Is it just me, or has he become considerably more fumbly in recent times?
In 2011 he was such so ludicrously clean - not just with his disposal, but with his hands. He was the definition of a one-touch player. He could intercept opposition kicks and win 50/50 contests cleanly, not just nullifying the ball or forcing a stoppage, but winning back possession and starting rebound attacks.
What I've been noticing this year is that his hands have left him just that little bit - it's hasn't been a drastic or devastating change, but everything he does seems to have that shade of double-grab about it. It's certainly been present in his in-close ball handling and quick handpass/handpass receives - but he's a KPP defender, he's not expected to be brilliant at ground level. What's more concerning is that those clean hands have also left him in the aerial contest.
Whilst Ben has still been defending admirably against his opponent, and getting third man up to help out his teammates, he just isn't clunking the ball with confidence like he used to. Numerous times over the first three rounds he's outbodied opponents brilliantly, or come in as a spare man, and managed to win himself best position in the contest - only to juggle/drop the mark. I noticed it several times against the Hawks - including in the contest where he injured his knee.
What is perhaps more worrying is that he seems to be opting for the spoil now when he has a clear chance to mark - perhaps this is coach instruction, perhaps a lack of confidence, but it's creating a lot more stoppages and 50/50 crumb balls in our defensive half.
The stats from the first three games, though perhaps an unfairly small sample size, kind of back up this argument - he's only take six marks across the three games. Admittedly he was injured for 1.5 quarters against the Roos and it was a wet day against Carlton and Hawthorn, but six is a slightly worrisome number. I can't recall any of those six marks being of that damaging, contested, intercept, turnover type that he was so good at in his AA year.
Anyway, it hasn't been too much of a problem so far because he's still beating his direct opponent most times, bar a couple of slips against Buddy today, and forcing a stoppage or a ground ball. But it would be such an asset to rediscover that clean pair of hands which won so much outright possession in our defensive 50 over the past couple of years.
Am I imaging this? It just seems like it's not quite clicking for him at present.
Is it just me, or has he become considerably more fumbly in recent times?
In 2011 he was such so ludicrously clean - not just with his disposal, but with his hands. He was the definition of a one-touch player. He could intercept opposition kicks and win 50/50 contests cleanly, not just nullifying the ball or forcing a stoppage, but winning back possession and starting rebound attacks.
What I've been noticing this year is that his hands have left him just that little bit - it's hasn't been a drastic or devastating change, but everything he does seems to have that shade of double-grab about it. It's certainly been present in his in-close ball handling and quick handpass/handpass receives - but he's a KPP defender, he's not expected to be brilliant at ground level. What's more concerning is that those clean hands have also left him in the aerial contest.
Whilst Ben has still been defending admirably against his opponent, and getting third man up to help out his teammates, he just isn't clunking the ball with confidence like he used to. Numerous times over the first three rounds he's outbodied opponents brilliantly, or come in as a spare man, and managed to win himself best position in the contest - only to juggle/drop the mark. I noticed it several times against the Hawks - including in the contest where he injured his knee.
What is perhaps more worrying is that he seems to be opting for the spoil now when he has a clear chance to mark - perhaps this is coach instruction, perhaps a lack of confidence, but it's creating a lot more stoppages and 50/50 crumb balls in our defensive half.
The stats from the first three games, though perhaps an unfairly small sample size, kind of back up this argument - he's only take six marks across the three games. Admittedly he was injured for 1.5 quarters against the Roos and it was a wet day against Carlton and Hawthorn, but six is a slightly worrisome number. I can't recall any of those six marks being of that damaging, contested, intercept, turnover type that he was so good at in his AA year.
Anyway, it hasn't been too much of a problem so far because he's still beating his direct opponent most times, bar a couple of slips against Buddy today, and forcing a stoppage or a ground ball. But it would be such an asset to rediscover that clean pair of hands which won so much outright possession in our defensive 50 over the past couple of years.
Am I imaging this? It just seems like it's not quite clicking for him at present.
