The trouble with McLeod.

[napsyd]

OK, whats up and how do we fix it?

Is it general fitness or the knee?

Is he really disinterested? Is there some problem with Ayres? I gather there is a rumour in Melbourne that he only re-signed with Adelaide as he was told that Gary would be gone at the end of the season.

Or is he pure and simple out of form and down on confidence?

My gut feel is we give him a week against Freo, as he usually has a day out against them and if he still looks this flat we consider playing him with Port Magpies. If he is out of touch he should run into form at the lower level. If he is disinterested it will be a significant wake up call that he is not above being dropped. This also has the advantage of giving some of our lesser lights who are playing OK more of a chance.

Thoughts??

 

[Mong]

Before we even think about dropping him I'd like to see him moved to defence. Put him on a half back flank or even the back pocket.

97 was his biggest year of improvement when Blight had him coming off the back flank. In Blights next two years when McLeod was having a down game Blight put him back there again to get his spark back and he always seemed to respond.


****

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by ****
Before we even think about dropping him I'd like to see him moved to defence. Put him on a half back flank or even the back pocket.

97 was his biggest year of improvement when Blight had him coming off the back flank. In Blights next two years when McLeod was having a down game Blight put him back there again to get his spark back and he always seemed to respond.


****

The only thing is that we tried that late last year and to some extent in a game against the Roos and it didn't work.

I am really lost for answers with this one. Maybe we need to get him to see a shrink or something. I think with McLeod is all psychological. Maybe get him to ring up Blighty for a few tips.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by ****
Before we even think about dropping him I'd like to see him moved to defence. Put him on a half back flank or even the back pocket.

97 was his biggest year of improvement when Blight had him coming off the back flank. In Blights next two years when McLeod was having a down game Blight put him back there again to get his spark back and he always seemed to respond.

I tend to agree with you ****. We need to try something different with Macca, be it playing him on a HBF or starting him on the bench before dropping him ... however, he is fast running out of chances.

This week the team (particularly Macca) needs to be told to run & attack at all costs & just enjoy your football again. We seem to be lacking confidence & hesitant in our decision making.

 

[Macca19]

I think its majorly premature to drop Mcleod. Yes his match winning influence has dropped considerably since mid last year..BUT...so far hes picked up 18 and 19 disposals in your opening 2 games. Despite not having a huge influence, thats still a much better output than most of your stand in line midfielders do or could produce. If he starts to drop to under 10 disposals a match then it may be ready to drop him.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by Macca19
I think its majorly premature to drop Mcleod. Yes his match winning influence has dropped considerably since mid last year..BUT...so far hes picked up 18 and 19 disposals in your opening 2 games. Despite not having a huge influence, thats still a much better output than most of your stand in line midfielders do or could produce. If he starts to drop to under 10 disposals a match then it may be ready to drop him.

But he is now indecisive, fumbles & his disposal is ordinary too. Clearly the problem is psychological. I agree it is premature to drop him, but we need to do something different as he is merely a shadow of his former self.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Macca19
I think its majorly premature to drop Mcleod. Yes his match winning influence has dropped considerably since mid last year..BUT...so far hes picked up 18 and 19 disposals in your opening 2 games. Despite not having a huge influence, thats still a much better output than most of your stand in line midfielders do or could produce. If he starts to drop to under 10 disposals a match then it may be ready to drop him.

I agree its too early to speculate about dropping him and I agree that he has picked up 18 and 19 possesions in 2 matches respectively BUT as Kane McGoodwin said his disposals are not great at all. His shanks his kicks and handballs. Mind you he is not the only one but its a bit more noticalbe when your most skilled player is fumbling and shanking his kicks.

Way too early to drop him but we definelty need to so domething to get Mcleod back to form.

As napsyd said, McLeod usually plays well against Freo and the bis space of Subiaco would suit him. So lets hope a game against Fremantle is the step in the right direction for McLeod and most imporantly the team.

 

[naughty monkey]

How much has close tagging got to do with it?

Normie seems to me as if he is more bothered by close tagging and scragging than other midfielders. I noticed this moreso last year.

Maybe AFC need to revisit some of their strategies on ways of "disabling" the tagger.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

From observation and comparison fromB4 his mid year knee op last year, to after, it seems he has lost that yard of pace. Since his game is based on speed, the loss of pace, could be affecting the way he plays and his confidence.
Whats everyones thoughts, who have seen him live?

 

[Nige_Bix]

something ese maybe..

I posted this on the "Reality Check" thread, but not sure if anyone saw it...

Now this is far from first hand info and i dont like starting rumours [especially when i haven't been posting much lately] but someone was telling me about a person who went to meeting about Crohn's Disease and Macca was there. I dont know if he was there with someone who has the disease or he was there for himself. It could, however, explain his below par performances.

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddis...rohns/index.htm

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Wayne's-World
From observation and comparison fromB4 his mid year knee op last year, to after, it seems he has lost that yard of pace. Since his game is based on speed, the loss of pace, could be affecting the way he plays and his confidence.
Whats everyones thoughts, who have seen him live?

I am not convinced that has got much to do with it. He came back "early" after that operation and played against Carlton and was one of our best players.

I don't think its knee I think its more to do with mental approach. The bloke is a champion and dropping him is not the answer. You don't drop champion players. Every champion goes through a rough patch at some point in time in their career. Champions get through it. I am sure McLeod will hit a purple patch pretty soon.

 

[ant]

Firstly, I reckon he needs a haircut (not that it's a surefire cure to his malaise but it can only help).

Other than that, I think he just needs a rejuvenation, he needs a fresh approach to his game. He's obviously not enjoying his footy for whatever reason and as stated, mentally, he's struggling. He just needs to go back to basics, work on the one percenters, do the hard, team stuff and gradually the magic will return.

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by ant
Firstly, I reckon he needs a haircut (not that it's a surefire cure to his malaise but it can only help).

QUOTE]

They all need a bloody haircut!!! even Nigel, how the heck can you play footy when you come out on the ground looking like a bloody ponce.

There's not to many players of past generations that could get away with making themselves a spectacle & backing it up on match day, Dermy is one that i can think but not to many more.

To drop McLeod would be a disaster & i'm quite baffled by all the reasons that are given for such a move.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
I am not convinced that has got much to do with it. He came back "early" after that operation and played against Carlton and was one of our best players.

I don't think its knee I think its more to do with mental approach. The bloke is a champion and dropping him is not the answer. You don't drop champion players. Every champion goes through a rough patch at some point in time in their career. Champions get through it. I am sure McLeod will hit a purple patch pretty soon.

Yes but his current form is a continuation of last year.
Still believe he has lost a yard. Have not seen him put the foot down, either offensively, or running down players, for the period since the OP.
Check tapes out B4 and after.

 

[napsyd]

Re dropping macca.

I understand that most (all?) are against this, and I respect this, but let me try and make my reasons a little clearer.

He is playing nothing like a champion player at the moment. Skipworth, Gallagher and others would be dropped without blinking for making less simple errors than some of the errors macca is currently making. And his ball usage is just not McLeod. I am not suggesting he be dropped in the "you're not good enough to hold your spot" sense, but rather a "go and have a day out" sense. The coaching staff would need to judge whether mentally Macca can see the difference. Obviously if he deems a game in the SANFL as being dropped in the negative sense then it may have a disasterous affect. All this assumes this is a form issue.

If he is disinterested (which I doubt) then surely he needs to be disiplined as any disinterested player would be? To me, disinterest from a player of his calibre, position and yep paypacket would be an insult to our club.

I know its a big call to "drop a champion", and the concept makes me nervous, but surely this may need to be considered should his form continue in this manner.

 

[naughty monkey]

Napsyd,

I can see where you're coming from but you only drop you worst players. McLeod certainly hasn't been one of those.

I would like to see AFC use McLeod on a wing at some point, somewhere he can get a bit of time and space and use that famous pace and execute with silky skills. Play more as a receiver than inside.

May tell us a bit more about where he's at.

 

[Stiffy_18]

napsyd, as NM said you only drop your worst players. As out of form as McLeod is he is far from our worse players at the moment. He still gets his hand on the ball a reasonable amount of time.

I don't think dropping him will help in any way. Even John Reid said on the radio yesterday that Mcleod is not in danger of losing his spot. He really stressed this point.

Do you see Port dropping an out of form Tredrea or Essendon dropping out of form Hird?????? Its not going to happen and it will not be of any help to anyone concerned.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
Napsyd,

I can see where you're coming from but you only drop you worst players. McLeod certainly hasn't been one of those.

I would like to see AFC use McLeod on a wing at some point, somewhere he can get a bit of time and space and use that famous pace and execute with silky skills. Play more as a receiver than inside.

May tell us a bit more about where he's at.

In the last couple of years he's been used primarily as a receiver.
Early days he went in and got the ball, and used his pace and evasive skills to go through heavy traffic.
IMO keep him where the action is, but get him to get the ball, rather than receive it.

 

[MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl]

Originally posted by noddy

Originally posted by ant
Firstly, I reckon he needs a haircut (not that it's a surefire cure to his malaise but it can only help).

QUOTE]

They all need a bloody haircut!!! even Nigel, how the heck can you play footy when you come out on the ground looking like a bloody ponce.

There's not to many players of past generations that could get away with making themselves a spectacle & backing it up on match day, Dermy is one that i can think but not to many more.

To drop McLeod would be a disaster & i'm quite baffled by all the reasons that are given for such a move.

now, now Noddy - I happen to ADORE the way the boys are looking at them moment. Agree Kenny needs a haircut but he is the only one.

McLeods problem is between the ears. Look I love the man and it hurts me to say it - but he just doesn't do the hard things anymore. He needs to wake up to himself. A stint with Port Magpies would do **** all - and I don't advocate that. Maybe starting him on the bench would work..........

k
xx

 

[naughty monkey]

Originally posted by Wayne's-World
In the last couple of years he's been used primarily as a receiver.
Early days he went in and got the ball, and used his pace and evasive skills to go through heavy traffic.
IMO keep him where the action is, but get him to get the ball, rather than receive it.

Another idea, use him as a tagger on their primary possession winner.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
Another idea, use him as a tagger on their primary possession winner.

Not a bad idea at all - could run with either Bell of Haselby. I think most are in agreement, something different needs to be done with McLeod, whether it is using him as a run-with player, playing him in defence or starting him on the bench. It doesn't look like more of the same will help him get back to his best.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
Another idea, use him as a tagger on their primary possession winner.

I like the idea.

To start of there will be a merry go around with McLeod trying to tag Bell and somone else trying to tag McLeod.

 

[Alex99]

didnt Gary Ayres try and play him across ther HFF last season to break the tag and everyone was saying "play him on the ball".....now everyone wants him to change again.......let him play on ball and change in a forward pocket

it is just a form slump.....give him time......DONT TRADE HIM....OR DROP HIM......he is a gun...

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
Another idea, use him as a tagger on their primary possession winner.

Unfotunately they tried that a couple of years ago, matching him up on Farmer.
He's as loose as a goose - wouldn't try that again IMO

 

[Damp Squarie]

Is he fit? =YES otherwise would we pick him?
Is it confidence? =YES drop him to SANFL

It might send a message to the other untouchables.

macca19
Id rather he "get" 10 possesions than "receive" 18

Whats wrong with Macca?

He needs to go in and get the ball out