The Young Guns

[CURVE]

Denis may not agree with me, but I see 2001 and a semi-rebuilding year. We still have many of the stars that have taken us to the top, but a lot of these guys will be considering their future involvement in the sport of the next year or two. A few players have already departed and left holes in the team that need filling. With the draft picks recieved, we were able to draft many young guys who I thought would take a season at least to develop into AFL level players, how wrong was I, some of these guys have developed faster than I and probably the club could have imagined.

Daniel Harris - As stated by Rooboy in aprevious topic, this guy will end up a future Captain of the Kangaroos. His maturity and awareness of the footy field has been the shining light in what so far has been a disasterous start.

Dylan Smith - Another revelation for the Kangaroos. Has been outshone by Harris, but looks like a very capable player.

Drew Petrie - Has seemed a little out of his depth at times, but considering Denis stated at the start of the year he was still a season away from AFL, his progress has been staggering.

Corey Jones - On what I have heard, Corey would have to be pretty close to making his AFL debut.

Does the success of Harris and Smith mean that we have no further use for Calthorpe (yes) and Olarenshaw??


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Are We Not Men
We Are DEVO

 

[bob]

Without a doubt the form of the young players has been the only thing to take heart from.
I think D.Smith is a natural rover not a forward pocket. I think Dennis is afraid of using two young players in the middle at the same time.

 

[Shinboners]

Pagan usually gives our small players their early games in the forward pocket/flanks before letting them play in the midfield role. So for him to allow Harris to start in the middle is a change to his usual mode of operation, and so maybe he feels that having Harris, Smith, plus one of Stevens or Simpson is too much of a risk to take.

It'll be interesting to see what he does over the next couple of weeks as we'll have Harvey back. Do you play him in the middle and exploit his pace or do you play him forward to take advantage of his crumbing abilities?

One thing I did notice on the weekend was the improvement in Clayton's disposal. It looked as if he was trying to pick out a target rather than just bombing it into the centre half foward area.

 

[Carey_is_King]

Geez you are charitable Shinners. He only had 5 kicks and 2 of those were for goal. Can you say that, on the basis of 3 kicks, he has improved his disposal ?

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Trample the Weak,
Hurdle the Dead.

 

[Shinboners]

I know, I know, I know....but on those three times in open play, he did seem to look up and kicked the ball low to a target rather than his usual bombing the ball forward.

True, it's only a few kicks, but maybe there's some sort of hint of a change in his style? If so, good....we know he can get the ball and we know he can slip his marker, the only doubts we've ever had was his delivery.

Clutching at strawboners.

 

[Aussie_Roo]

Don't forgot he did hit Rocca on the chest in the 2nd quarter. So we know he can pass, he just needs to apply it on a more regular basis..

 

[choppy]

I have to disagree with you Devo, our current problem is our senior and best players and I will name them

Stevens
Archer
McKernan
Colbert
Grant
Simpson
Pickett
McCartney
King
Blakey

and Carey, Martyn and Harvey (due to thier absence)

are basically not performing to the level that is required. They all need to lift, show a bit of passion and play some football. Some of the stuff that I saw in the last quarter was basically inept.

Sinclair should be sent back to the reserves to learn how to kick, Motlop and Rawlings sent back until they learn how to play four quarters of football and Burton sent back permenately. How can someone of his height be out tapped at a centre bounce. Petrie, although ordinary this week needs to given game time to be a long term development. McKernan to a half back flank and to take the rucking contests down back and Rocca to take the ruck contests in the forward line leaving Petrie to take the centre bounces and roam the midfield. Colbert to centre half foward to take a mark and use his skill, Rocca on the lead out of the square and Carey standing in the square to take a mark and bring the ball down to Harvey and Grant on the forward line. Harris, Stevens and King and Pickett alternating out of the square and actually manning up instead of standing on the opposite side. Cochrane and Clayton to run of half back and then run some more and some more.

And then they need to have a red hot go. This was something you could always count on that they would show some balls and go in hard.

Lift you sods lift!!!

 

[Malibu]

Funny how after Pikey gave Clayton a bit of a shirt front, Claytes got all fired up and went on to kick a pretty good goal. After that, he went to crap. Maybe Pikey should of kept up the shitt-stirring.

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by choppy:
I have to disagree with you Devo, our current problem is our senior and best players and I will name them

Stevens
Archer
McKernan
Colbert
Grant
Simpson
Pickett
McCartney
King
Blakey

and Carey, Martyn and Harvey (due to thier absence)

are basically not performing to the level that is required. They all need to lift, show a bit of passion and play some football. Some of the stuff that I saw in the last quarter was basically inept.

Very very very very harsh on Blakey, McCartney and Stevens, and even Grant who was very good in Round 1.

 

[CURVE]

Choppy, Blakey has been our best performer for the last two weeks, and McCartney hasn't been too far behind. Stevens and Grant have been solid without being spectacular. I think our most dissappointing player has been Pickett. Denis has to get him away from our defensive line because it's almost 17 against 19 out their. Some of his mistakes, you'd bash a seven year old of the head for making.

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Are We Not Men
We Are DEVO

 

[hilton]

Bring Mark Hilton up to the seniors!

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KICK IT TO MARK!
KICK IT TO MARK!

 

[Daphne]

I think that Sinclair is a big diasppointment so far. I thought it was interesting that Denis said in an article the other day, that Jess has to learn a few things about the way we do things at Arden Street. Which to me meant more than just playing football. Maybe I am reading more into it than I am supposed to.

 

[Shinboners]

Daphne

Given that I haven't read that article, from your comments, I reckon you're spot on with your interpretation of Pagan's comments.

Usually when we get a new player in, Pagan is nothing but praise....the usual comments like "benefitting from our program" and "he's done everything we've asked of him".

 

[Daphne]

Yep Shinners you have only got to look at him playing, he is not enjoying it one little bit, and both weeks he has been dragged. Probably been to spoilt at Freo and he does like the best of all things, maybe he needs a bit of that sledging from Kingy. I look forward to seeing him at one of our functions to see just who he gets along with. If he doesnt make it with us, he aint going to make it with anyone.

[This message has been edited by Daphne (edited 11 April 2001).]

 

[Shermanator]

Originally posted by Daphne:
If he doesnt make it with us, he aint going to make it with anyone.

[This message has been edited by Daphne (edited 11 April 2001).]

You hit the nail on the head Daph.
His inflatable ego didn't help him at Freo and it definately won't help him here.

 

[choppy]

Originally posted by DEVO:
Choppy, Blakey has been our best performer for the last two weeks, and McCartney hasn't been too far behind. Stevens and Grant have been solid without being spectacular. I think our most dissappointing player has been Pickett. Denis has to get him away from our defensive line because it's almost 17 against 19 out their. Some of his mistakes, you'd bash a seven year old of the head for making.

Yeah probably right, you just expect them to be at a high standard every week. What I was saying that as a collective they needed to lift. They have been getting high possesions but not as a group. I'm not sure whats wrong with my namesake. Some of the free kicks he is giving away are a bit ordinary. He needs to tighten up and play close to his man for a couple of weeks to get his confidence back.

 

[35eye]

Originally posted by Shermanator:
You hit the nail on the head Daph.
His inflatable ego didn't help him at Freo and it definately won't help him here.

From what I have seen, I just don't think Jess has tickets on himself. If anything he looks like he is lacking confidence. I see Stevo buddying up with him a lot in training. I hope Stevo can be a good role model & mentor to Jess. When Stevo is not taking the p!ss out of him, that is.