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The 'Cruisers'

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jonbe54

jonbe54

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Is it just me or is there a singular similarity about our younger playmakers?

Pendlebury - poised, plenty of time, picks right options

Wellingham - ditto

Sidebottom - ditto

None of them are speed demons but all three can make opponents look silly.
 
Re: The cruisers

jonbe54 said:
Is it just me or is there a singular similarity about our younger playmakers?

Pendlebury - poised, plenty of time, picks right options

Wellingham - ditto

Sidebottom - ditto

None of them are speed demons but all three can make opponents look silly.
Click to expand...
Wellingham's pretty bloody fast!

Pendlebury can put on the jets when he needs to as well.

Sidey is slow by foot, quick by mind.
 
Re: The cruisers

jonbe54 said:
Is it just me or is there a singular similarity about our younger playmakers?

Pendlebury - poised, plenty of time, picks right options

Wellingham - ditto

Sidebottom - ditto

None of them are speed demons but all three can make opponents look silly.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Wellingham is quick - not sure what you were thinking there...

And to be honest, in my opinion Pendlebury is really the only one of those three that I would say is elite at the three characteristics you have mentioned. They are kind of hard to measure, i.e. what evidence do you have that Wellingham makes better decisions than, say, a Ben Reid? I am not sure if it is necessarily one of Wellingham's standout characteristics.
 
Re: The cruisers

I think it's how our gameplan works. We don't necessarily rely on a bunch of fast outside midfielders but we rely on our defenders to provide that kind of dash from the back like Harry O, Heath Shaw, Davis and at times Johnson, Thomas and Swan will run it out from the back.

Also, Wellingham does have some speed and Pendlebury has an alright short sprint but I think it's his ability to pick the spot where to run in packs which makes him look fast.
 

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Re: The cruisers

I don't think there's any doubt that Mick and the club have a philosophy, and that is to draft players more for their footballing talent then their athletic ability.

Another reason why we may have had to draft this way, is apart from the Pendles/Thomas draft we have had very few top 5-10 draft picks, and usually the more athletic players go early in the draft, even if some of the very "smart" footballers don't.

Bucks has also stated that skills over athletic ability will be his focus once he comes in, and with the way the game is going, and endurance probably becoming more important then speed and explosion, drafting "footballers" and then building their endurance base seems to be the way to go.
 
Re: The cruisers

Hey JB - on Wellers decision making I can't remember him taking the wrong option often, don't particularly mean pin point passing as he seems more to me to be a pouncer/ finisher than a mid field general in the mold of Penders, doesn't seem to be the type to select the perfect option as much as snap judgement and delivery to best advantage possible at the time. As for Wellers speed never thought of him as being super quick but then again I don't remember him going for long runs either. Perhaps its my concept of a speed demon - I'm thinking more of a Ronny Wearmouth, Ricky Barham type here - grab the ball and tear off down the field at breakneck pace. Not talking about elite in all three catagories either, just noting that all three have them to a reasonable extent and as noted Penders is elite there. We seem to be - as mattys notes philosophically lent more in the smart footballer mold rather than the athletically gifted.
 
Re: The cruisers

golazo said:
Wellingham's pretty bloody fast!

Pendlebury can put on the jets when he needs to as well.

Sidey is slow by foot, quick by mind.
Click to expand...

Sidebottom's top end is fine it's his acceleration that lacks hence why when in flight he can keep up with Varcoe in a foot race like he did vs Geelong.
 
Re: The cruisers

mattys123 said:
I don't think there's any doubt that Mick and the club have a philosophy, and that is to draft players more for their footballing talent then their athletic ability.

Another reason why we may have had to draft this way, is apart from the Pendles/Thomas draft we have had very few top 5-10 draft picks, and usually the more athletic players go early in the draft, even if some of the very "smart" footballers don't.

Bucks has also stated that skills over athletic ability will be his focus once he comes in, and with the way the game is going, and endurance probably becoming more important then speed and explosion, drafting "footballers" and then building their endurance base seems to be the way to go.
Click to expand...

OR - choosing athletes with great endurance, and then teaching them good skills. We have seen through the Irish experiment, and Keefe to an extent, that you can teach someone better from a blank canvas.

It's a bit of either/or. What we don't want is an abundance of footballers who can find the ball but not dispose of it that well. You can't easily teach someone who has always been a butcher to kick well.

That said no one would consider Swan's kicking to be elite. Maybe average, but he is one of those few "good football brains" who can find the ball, win contested ball and clearances, that will still have a role to play in the modern game, and Buckley would be advised to at least keep this in mind - that a team requires all sorts to be effective, not just a bunch of silk merchants.
 
Re: The cruisers

lgarth80 said:
OR - choosing athletes with great endurance, and then teaching them good skills. We have seen through the Irish experiment, and Keefe to an extent, that you can teach someone better from a blank canvas.

It's a bit of either/or. What we don't want is an abundance of footballers who can find the ball but not dispose of it that well. You can't easily teach someone who has always been a butcher to kick well.

That said no one would consider Swan's kicking to be elite. Maybe average, but he is one of those few "good football brains" who can find the ball, win contested ball and clearances, that will still have a role to play in the modern game, and Buckley would be advised to at least keep this in mind - that a team requires all sorts to be effective, not just a bunch of silk merchants.
Click to expand...
Yes Bucks needs to keep in mind the Collingwood sides of the 70's - packed with skilled players but pushed aside in the finals. A Greening/ McKenna will do you no good if you don't have a Ball/Swan to get the ball out/downfield to them.
 
Re: The cruisers

jonbe54 said:
Yes Bucks needs to keep in mind the Collingwood sides of the 70's - packed with skilled players but pushed aside in the finals. A Greening/ McKenna will do you no good if you don't have a Ball/Swan to get the ball out/downfield to them.
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I have always thought that if we could add Greening to the 1977 lineup we win the flag even without Carman. He'd probably have been around for 1979 as well.
 
Re: The cruisers

jonbe54 said:
Yes Bucks needs to keep in mind the Collingwood sides of the 70's - packed with skilled players but pushed aside in the finals. A Greening/ McKenna will do you no good if you don't have a Ball/Swan to get the ball out/downfield to them.
Click to expand...

McKenna was a skillful kick but that was about it. When the game was open, midfielders had the time to deliver the ball to his chest. In finals, no time.
 
Re: The cruisers

Markfs said:
McKenna was a skillful kick but that was about it. When the game was open, midfielders had the time to deliver the ball to his chest. In finals, no time.
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Agreed Mark, Macca was fine on the lead but as soon as the midfielders got under pressure and couldn't kick to his advantage he looked just about useless. Greening was the difference between 2 or 3 premierships in the '70's or not :( All of Carman's brilliance without the temperment :)
 

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Re: The cruisers

funny how we talk about one player being the difference between winning & losing flags, but 'back then' it was true. some teams had one player who was clearly a cut above everyone else around them, and probably the whole league (depending on position) and were able to carry their side thru individual acts of brilliance.

the last i saw of this level was carey. anyone since eg ablett jnr, was very much supported by those around him. judd is their best player but it doesnt translate to wins.
 
L_J_T said:
Scott Pendlebury for the 2011 Brownlow Medal I reckon. I will spew if Judd wins again.
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Keep that brown paper bag handy L_J, Judd's been getting plenty of possies in the middle and the maggots don't look where the ball goes after it leaves their darling.
 
jonbe54 said:
Keep that brown paper bag handy L_J, Judd's been getting plenty of possies in the middle and the maggots don't look where the ball goes after it leaves their darling.
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I would have to agree, let's just pray that Murphy steals some votes and neither of them win.
 
I'd have a dollar or 2 on Judd. I think he's been outstanding this year, in comparison to 2010.... when he won....somehow.
 

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L_J_T said:
Scott Pendlebury for the 2011 Brownlow Medal I reckon. I will spew if Judd wins again.
Click to expand...

You're kidding right?

Judd had already won this years Brownlow after he won LAST years.

If he somehow won a Brownlow when he DIDN'T deserve it, how he will he not win it in a year that he DOES?

Pendles looks like he'll finish second.
 
Shpeshal Ed said:
If he somehow won a Brownlow when he DIDN'T deserve it, how he will he not win it in a year that he DOES?

Pendles looks like he'll finish second.
Click to expand...

dont think so - by all reports judd 66 votes, and the rumours are strong for murphy 44. might be an uproar when henderson gets 22 :D
 
Re: The cruisers

vjknight said:
anyone since eg ablett jnr, was very much supported by those around him.
Click to expand...

Not sure about that tbh - just look at the prelim from last year. Ablett dominated but just had no one around to support him.

Agree though, it's nowhere near as common as it used to - tactics make sure of that.
 

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