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Surjan's role?

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Re: Lower for Thruster

Don't do it.

What I would like to see though is Surjan play a Schofield role for the Club.
Doesn't anywhere near have the skills to be a good Schoey.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

I don't know, when he first came to the Club he described himself as an Akermanis type of player and when he has pushed himself forward over the last couple of weeks he has looked alright.
 

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Yeah, my take on him too.

Would love to see him turn out to be more constructive as a player, but you're right, his kicking skills are very average, poor infact.
I think this Surjan poor skills myth is perpetuated by a few. Whilst acknowledging the need to stop bombing the ball long to a contest when sprinting away from a pack, I'd like to see Surj steady himself for the last couple of strides then hit up a target.

Most people forget his role in the team seems to be the shutdown small with the license to run forward when given the opportunity. I think I saw a ridiculous stat where on direct opponents, he only conceded 16 goals in 24 games last year. My observation this season is that his fitness base has increased, as he is now able to run out games. Last year he looked shot midway through the last quarter at times. Jacob often wins or receives the ball under pressure, necessating the need to clear the ball to boot in a quick space of time. I feel, this is where the incorrect perceived lack of skill comes from.

I am hoping Mitchell Farmer or Nick Lower can break into the side sometime soon to free Surj up for a role through the middle. I like the notion of Surj and Thomilf working together as midfield extractors moving forwards. His greatest asset is speed and quick hands, why not put them to use where we need it. There is something about a future midfield rotation including Thomson (21), Boak (19), Surjan (22), Salopek (22), Rodan (24) and Kornes (24) that excites me.

Lastly, someone correctly pointed out that Thomilf is 21 and had played 20 odd games and receives he's young and has plenty of time treatment. Surj is 22 and has played 52 games yet seems immune from this treatment, the same as Sala. Whilst acknowledging the need to step up and deliver, I would prefer to see these boys improve over their careers, not be 2007 wonders.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Don't do it.

What I would like to see though is Surjan play a Schofield role for the Club.
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:)
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Im hearing you! :D

However when he came to the Club he was listed an inside left foot midfielder with good goal sense who reads the ball well off packs.

I do remember his second goal in league football which was against Collingwood, kicked a gem at the northern end (members side pocket).

I would love to find that article where he was likened to Akermanis however I think it was in one of those books the Club sends out to members at the start of each season (2004 copy).

All I am saying is that a change out of defence might be a good thing for him and the Club, adding another dimension.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Im hearing you! :D

However when he came to the Club he was listed an inside left foot midfielder with good goal sense who reads the ball well off packs.

I do remember his second goal in league football which was against Collingwood, kicked a gem at the northern end (members side pocket).

I would love to find that article where he was likened to Akermanis however I think it was in one of those books the Club sends out to members at the start of each season (2004 copy).

All I am saying is that a change out of defence might be a good thing for him and the Club, adding another dimension.

Channel Ten news, Interveiw with Troy Wingard, "We are here with Ports latest recruit, the player they selected with the last pick in the pre season draft... Jacob Surjan... for the Port fans Jacob who havent heard about you or seen you play, like most of us, if you were discribing your game or style who would say you play like?" Jacob, "Ohh, Umm, Yeah porbably a Jason ackermanis, I am quick and like to kick a goal, Actually i am really quick!" and IIRC that was the year (?)or maybe(?) the year after Ackermanis won his Brownlow!
 
Surj is no aker, let's be clear on this however I tend to agree with WAPower that he is perhaps serving the Mark Williams pergatory through the forward line, then back pocket, then HBF, then tagging as part of his appencticeship to get to where he will play his best football for us, middle of the oval, extracting the ball with quick hands. This process is slow.

Since the U16's national carnival, Surj's strengths were and remain, competitive attitude, commitment to contests, fast hands to running players, causing opposition turnovers and ball carrier to break lines using speed. Nothing that I have seen since has changed. In my mind he is a classic midfielder who is yet to arrive at his optimum position.

Schoey and aker he will never be but make no mistake the Surj type player will always get AFL games because they do their job for the team.....
 
man i think some people underestimate surjan as a player, he is good developing player still fairly young and inexperienced,

he is one of toughest who is not afraid to get in and dirty, not afraid to take the game on, bust a pack and run through the centre,


he sets up alot and i mean alot of our attack,

i follow surjan closley and when he is running from the back and taking the game on our attack looks alot more dangourous, i for one will be disappointed if he gets dropped or leaves, as i believe is easily in our best 22, he probably in our best 15
 
man i think some people underestimate surjan as a player, he is good developing player still fairly young and inexperienced,

he is one of toughest who is not afraid to get in and dirty, not afraid to take the game on, bust a pack and run through the centre,


he sets up alot and i mean alot of our attack,

i follow surjan closley and when he is running from the back and taking the game on our attack looks alot more dangourous, i for one will be disappointed if he gets dropped or leaves, as i believe is easily in our best 22, he probably in our best 15
I think alot of the work he does off the ball goes unmissed by many and isn't prevelant on tv. Always plugging gaps, putting on shepherds to create space, running to create an option if needed and often covering for team mates out of position. The fact that he finished equal 7th with Brendan Lade in the 2007 Best and Fairest shows just how important he is to the team performing the numerous roles given to him.

I tend to agree with oporto that surj is going through the classic Choco treatment from forward pocket to back pocket to half back flank to hopefully midfielder. Reminds me of the apprenticeship Junior Burger went through, albeit different types of players.
 

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.... Whilst acknowledging the need to stop bombing the ball long to a contest when sprinting away from a pack ....
I would actually like to see more of our players bomb the ball long to a contest.

I watched the first quarter of the Geelong v Sydney game last Saturday and that is exactly what Geelong did every time they got the ball in their back half. The result was that they led 6 goals to 1 at quarter time.

It is the long bombs directly to the opposition that are more of a concern.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Channel Ten news, Interveiw with Troy Wingard, "We are here with Ports latest recruit, the player they selected with the last pick in the pre season draft... Jacob Surjan... for the Port fans Jacob who havent heard about you or seen you play, like most of us, if you were discribing your game or style who would say you play like?" Jacob, "Ohh, Umm, Yeah porbably a Jason ackermanis, I am quick and like to kick a goal, Actually i am really quick!" and IIRC that was the year (?)or maybe(?) the year after Ackermanis won his Brownlow!

I would imagine that young Surj had his tongue firmly in cheek. He's a prankster and loves a laugh.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

I dont know if its his pace / running into trouble that causes the probs, but the Surj disposal isnt sharp enough IMO to play the Schoey role. I love his style though, dont get me wrong.
Based on the fact that we have two established small forwards in Ebo and Daniel, would this Schoey role be more suited to fleet of foot - Krak or perhaps Robbie G? I know that Robbie is primarily a forward, but so was G.Ablett Junior BF (before fitness). I just think the skill level of these two is superior....and they are quick. Lets face it, Schoey wasnt the hardest at the contest....
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Surj has good defensive ability, good pace, does his job. But his foot skills are shit. They were terrible all last year and its just as bad this year. He just never hits the target. Whether its his ball drop or whether he doesnt settle before he kicks I dont know, but he almost always kicks floaters and is very very prone to bombscare moments in defence where he will handball over his head to noone.

If - and it seems like its a very big if - he can improve his kicking to AFL standard then he will be a very good player.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Thought he may have been an in an under, but ive changed my views.
BWST, I tend to think it's the roll asked of him by coaches from my observation. I'd love to have his tenacity in the centre square, especially after showing what he can do against quality opponents, namely Kerr in 2006 and Ablett in the first half of the game 1 this year.
 

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Re: Lower for Thruster

But his foot skills are shit.

Just on that, do we train hard enough in this area anymore.

We once had the best foot skills in the league (based a lot of our training behind this) but I get the idea that since the 04 Grand Final we have really slacked off in this area of training.
 
Re: Lower for Thruster

Just on that, do we train hard enough in this area anymore.

We once had the best foot skills in the league (based a lot of our training behind this) but I get the idea that since the 04 Grand Final we have really slacked off in this area of training.

yeh, coz we spend that time handballing now
 
Surjan is one of my favourite players on our list, I cant really see him moving permanantly into the midfield though.
 
Surjan is one of my favourite players on our list, I cant really see him moving permanantly into the midfield though.

I watch Surjan play his first game of football U13 at Cockburn and since then have taken a keen interest of him (would of loved him being a EAGLE) he played in the midfield, a nature no training it was unreal to watch a kid that never played before to running a muck in his first game, he is a nature midfielder, love this young man. "GO THE POWER SURJ"
 

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Surjan's role?

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