The AFC "hard-nuts"

[Mike Smyth]

Sloane
Dangerfield
Douglas
S Thompson
Laird
Petrenko
B Crouch
Grigg

and now Knight and M Crouch. Tippett stuff up aside (sorry, had to get that out of the way), it's actually a really exciting time to be an AFC supporter. Love watching these type of footballers.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Sloane
Dangerfield
Douglas
S Thompson
Laird
Petrenko
B Crouch
Grigg

and now Knight and M Crouch. Tippett stuff up aside (sorry, had to get that out of the way), it's actually a really exciting time to be an AFC supporter. Love watching these type of footballers.

Not sure that Douglas falls in the hard nut category, strong at the contest but not a hard nut

However what we should start to see is an immediately improved tackling side, Betts and JPod are well known for their forward line pressure, Grigg, Laird, Brown and B Crouch who are all now in our best 22 are all natural tacklers and now we have added M Crouch and Knighta to our list who are tackling machines

 

[Mattrox]

The best way to improve tackling is to recruit tacklers. Teaching tackling is a band-aid when players have come through a system that trained it out of them.

 

[little graham]

We'll never be a good tackling side when the rules we have to abide by are much more stricter than our oppositions.

This is a white elephant squashing the bloody room.

 

[cmndstab]

We'll never be a good tackling side when the rules we have to abide by are much more stricter than our oppositions.

This is a white elephant squashing the bloody room.

Even if this is true, we can and should be be tackling with a lot better technique than we are.


Is Knight a hard-nut? I know he runs all day and is apparently a decent tackler, but I don't really know more than that.

Edit: Also, based solely on 2013, I'd put VB in the "hard-nut" category. The dude was playing seriously angry this year and went out of his way to lay bumps, hard tackles etc.

 

[MRB37]

Even if this is true, we can and should be be tackling with a lot better technique than we are.


Is Knight a hard-nut? I know he runs all day and is apparently a decent tackler, but I don't really know more than that.

Edit: Also, based solely on 2013, I'd put VB in the "hard-nut" category. The dude was playing seriously angry this year and went out of his way to lay bumps, hard tackles etc.

Something was seriously rustling VB's jimmies this year.

 

[azza77]

Something was seriously rustling VB's jimmies this year.

Probably us crows fans giving it to him constantly

 

[Go the Guts]

Very much looking forward to seeing our harder edge midfield going at it next year. Agreed you need to bring in natural tacklers, but I've said it before - what happened to the pre-season boxing regime? Sando needs to do this more like he did 2 years ago.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Very much looking forward to seeing our harder edge midfield going at it next year. Agreed you need to bring in natural tacklers, but I've said it before - what happened to the pre-season boxing regime? Sando needs to do this more like he did 2 years ago.

The boxing two pre-seasons ago did not improve our tackling we have been shit at it for 5-6 years now

 

[Go the Guts]

Don't agree at all, we were harder at it in 2012 than 2013. Not just tackling but hardness in the contest in general. But not gonna argue with about it. Just my opinion.

 

[Elite Crow]

Don't agree at all, we were harder at it in 2012 than 2013. Not just tackling but hardness in the contest in general. But not gonna argue with about it. Just my opinion.

We were harder in 2012 especially early and we won more contested ball as a result. A good example was the 2012 Carlton game. But our tackling sucked both years.

I'm going to be disappointed if we aren't ferocious and manic at the contest and the opposition when they have the ball. We need to get supremely fit whereby we are able to harass and place the opposition under pressure, sick of playing like soft ***** and not being able to tackle. Our shortcoming is our speed though which means we will struggle to get to the opposition.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Don't agree at all, we were harder at it in 2012 than 2013. Not just tackling but hardness in the contest in general. But not gonna argue with about it. Just my opinion.

Never said that we were not hard at the contest however stats don't lie, we gave been one of the comps worse tackling sides over the last two season

 

[MRB37]

Probably us crows fans giving it to him constantly

It was probably worth it just because he belted around Brent Harvey a few times we played them this year, which I always enjoy seeing.

 

[1970crow]

Something was seriously rustling VB's jimmies this year.

Vb' no idiot. He would have known he was down on form and struggling a bit. He knew he had to have an impact somewhere and it wasn't going to be racking up possies and elite ball use. He adapted to suit his output capability. Whether its a one-off or part of a longer trend, we'll find out this year.

 

[class78]

Petrenko would be a hard nut if he could get to a contest on time.

 

[bigtexan]

I think petrenko will find it pretty hard to get a constant gig this year if betts stays fit and on the park... He has much better goal sense and his his forward pressure is better. I like petrenkos cannonball ways but i think he ll be running round in the twos this year.

 

[Bicks]

I think petrenko will find it pretty hard to get a constant gig this year if betts stays fit and on the park... He has much better goal sense and his his forward pressure is better. I like petrenkos cannonball ways but i think he ll be running round in the twos this year.

Conversely Pets could well improve with the benefit of Eddie's tutelage and leadership which I'm sure Pets will be eager to take on board. I'm not yet convinced Pets is a total lost cause just yet.

 

[bigtexan]

Not by along shot is he finished but still think he is definatly behind betts on the pecking order. Could see him as sub to bring alot of energy with fresh legs

 

[weekend at bernies]

Wright & Tex would not be far off the list.

 

[Golumless]

Not by along shot is he finished but still think he is definatly behind betts on the pecking order. Could see him as sub to bring alot of energy with fresh legs

I'm pretty sure we did that once (in 2012) and he just stunk it up to the point Sando said never again.

I'm sure that happened, and i am sure that was Pets.

 

[DJ75]

Even if this is true, we can and should be be tackling with a lot better technique than we are.


Is Knight a hard-nut? I know he runs all day and is apparently a decent tackler, but I don't really know more than that.

Edit: Also, based solely on 2013, I'd put VB in the "hard-nut" category. The dude was playing seriously angry this year and went out of his way to lay bumps, hard tackles etc.

Yes I would confidently say Knight is a hard nut.
A story;

I watched a match this year where St. Peter's College were well up on their opponent with Knight running amok. Finally the opposition decided to tag him. The tagger spent 5 minutes getting in to him, pushing him and being a pain in the arse.
After a point was kicked, knight went in to his position in the zone and his tagger slid across to pick up a kick, the kick was stuffed and he had to pick the ball up under a little pressure and as such did a blind turn out of trouble.
Knight saw what was coming, hit full speed after about three steps and crunched this lad with the biggest tackle you have seen. The impact could be heard across the other side of the oval. What was most impressive was that the hit was legal and he stuck the tackle. Poor bugger was done holding the ball and left rattled. He didn't go near knight for the rest of the match.

I thought Knight was crazy as it was only a week or so from the U18 championships, but it was instinct from Riley. He hit that guy with the hardest tackle I've seen for a long time.

He is also absolutely fearless in his attack on the ball.
Trust me supporters are going to love the way he goes about it.

 

[Skippy231]

Yes I would confidently say Knight is a hard nut.
A story;

I watched a match this year where St. Peter's College were well up on their opponent with Knight running amok. Finally the opposition decided to tag him. The tagger spent 5 minutes getting in to him, pushing him and being a pain in the arse.
After a point was kicked, knight went in to his position in the zone and his tagger slid across to pick up a kick, the kick was stuffed and he had to pick the ball up under a little pressure and as such did a blind turn out of trouble.
Knight saw what was coming, hit full speed after about three steps and crunched this lad with the biggest tackle you have seen. The impact could be heard across the other side of the oval. What was most impressive was that the hit was legal and he stuck the tackle. Poor bugger was done holding the ball and left rattled. He didn't go near knight for the rest of the match.

I thought Knight was crazy as it was only a week or so from the U18 championships, but it was instinct from Riley. He hit that guy with the hardest tackle I've seen for a long time.

He is also absolutely fearless in his attack on the ball.
Trust me supporters are going to love the way he goes about it.

I like the sound of that, good insight