Tim Callan

[afl genius]

starting to come along, loves to run with the footy, is brave and PLAYS ON HIS MAN unlike our other small defenders, take a few risk as well which is good to see. Has to be in the 22 next year. Whats everyones thoughts on him?

 

[volcboy]

I think he should have been played more in the AFL this year. When he got a game he wasn't our worst at all, and was unlucky to be dropped.

A natural footballer and very hard at the ball and his man.

 

[Werribee KingCat]

Whenever I've seen Tim play in the VFL (admittedly not that many times), he has either been good or great. I think he probably deserved more opportunities at AFL level this year, however it seemed he was one of the first to be dropped after another dismal effort by the Cats.

Not sure what his contract status is, but next year will be probably be a make-or-break it one for him. He needs to show he can step up and play at AFL level consistently. Time will tell if he gets the chance to prove it.

 

[thejester]

I'm a really big fan of Callan. He has been kept out of the side because we aren't short of a defender, and all those playing are better than him - he's been known to make some shoddy decision under pressure, and just today turned it over several times from the kick in, IIRC. However, he should be included in the 22 on the bench as a general utility. His values lies in his tremendous courage (only Bartel and possibly Egan have it over him) and his willingness to run with it and attack the play. He's the natural replacement for Milburn, and can rotate through the half-back flank, wing and perhaps even up forward.

 

[Champ39]

I love the way he runs out of defence, reminds me of when Scarlett does it.

 

[smelly cat]

Not sure I agree with you all.

He's definitely good at VFL level, but there are reasons he hasn't been able to cement a spot in the seniors.

1. His disposal isn't AFL standard. Did you guys see him turn over three kick-ins in a row in the first quarter?

2. He goes to ground a hell of a lot. Always seems to lose his footing.

3. Yes he is courageous, but it isn't enough. He doesn't have enough strings to his bow- either pace, penetrating kicking, accuracy, height or strength. Like I said, he's just a good VFL player.

4. He's competing for the 'small defender' spots with Wojac, D. Johnson, Hunt and Slade. I'd actually have all four ahead of him in my books.

5. so in summary, he isn't in the best 22 and barring injuries, I don't think he ever will be.

 

[GeeCat]

Well, I think it's been said more than once that a lack of opportunities is a big talking point with Fresh. Clearly a level above VFL.

That said, I think alot of the 'will he/won't he make it at AFL level' queries can only be answered with games and tick on the ground.

I feel his disposal, generally, is fairly solid. Perhaps not as consistently tidy as, say, Bartel, but certainly alot more dependable than quite a few others on the list (and the 22 for that matter). The blowout over his kicking during the Sydney game (his last senior appearance I believe) was, well, overrated. Certainly nothing to base an entire opinion upon. His work in close is generally quite good too.

I think he does lack a yard in pace, enough to limit his capabilities in sticking it with the nippier small forwards going around. That being said, the counter to that is the ability to read the play, and subsequent ball flight. At VFL level, Timmy's shown a fairly good grasp of reading the play, and I think that forms a basis for his constant ability to chop off attacks aerially. Of course, there is the issue of knowing when to fly, when to go for the courageous-back-with-the-flight-of-the-ball-bowl-over-a-pack mark (an issue I had, incidently, with Tom Harley at senior level), and when to stay on the ground or merely punch with the fist, but that is more decision-making than anything really (and one I'm convinced should cease to exist being an issue with the proper grounding/advice at constant senior experience).

As for the issue of competition for a gig, Wojcinski's logical exclusion (honestly, the guy is not a small defender), and Callan's superiority to Slade should see him only compete with Hunt and DJ, both of whom I have equal reservations about (though it is true that they are probably currently ahead of Fresh).

 

[Partridge]

Whenever I've seen Tim play in the VFL (admittedly not that many times), he has either been good or great. I think he probably deserved more opportunities at AFL level this year, however it seemed he was one of the first to be dropped after another dismal effort by the Cats.

Totally agree. While he may have made mistakes at senior level, so have all our other small defenders. His courage and toughness alone rate him highly. He seems to be the first one dropped at the moment. In my opinion he deserves a much better crack at senior footy than the chopping and changing he gets.

He hasn't had the faith shown in him that players like Gardiner or Playfair have received. They've really come on haven't they?

 

[darren forssman]

i honestly think sherringham has outshone him in recent VFL games and he wont be on our list next year.

 

[The Hulkster]

He had a run in with a coach after the Sydney game in Sydney. That coach told him he would not play senior football again this year, and he didnt. (except for 1).

Speaking to him during the week he was told "how well is the 2's playing and why cant the 1's do that"
His reply was "because we play with spirit".

He clearly has had a falling out with the coachig staff.

He can play and i hope he stays and gets a game.

 

[thejester]

He played against Fremantle, Brisbane and Essendon(?). If he had had a falling out with the coaching staff you would think Slade or Sherringham would have been given a go first (though Slade may have been injured at the time).

 

[Unwritten_Law]

It begs the question how long you persist with a half back flanker. It is not a position that you develop players for. The top 4 in the rising star all played off half back (Pearce, Raines, Shaw, Birchall) and none of them were super early picks. Pearce came off the rookie list, Raines was pick 80 odd, Shaw father son and Birchall was a late first rounder. Callan is into his 4th year.

I love his courage, attack on the footy and committment but it only gets you so far. Look, the last two VFL games he has been good but at the same time has made some poor errors that have cost us goals or would have had the opposition taken their chances.

Against North Ballarat he ran over the footy for the goal that NB took 'coast to coast' in about 20 seconds. It was a really soft goal to conceed. At another point Callan was at left half back, decided to switch to the other flank and put it straight down the throat of a NB player 45m out from goal. This week he turned over three kick outs in the space of 2 minutes. That sort of stuff hurts so much in modern football.

Personally I would give him one more year and if he can't become a semi regular in the AFL side, displacing Johnson or Hunt, it will be time to show him the door.

 

[Rosella]

He had a run in with a coach after the Sydney game in Sydney. That coach told him he would not play senior football again this year, and he didnt. (except for 1).

Speaking to him during the week he was told "how well is the 2's playing and why cant the 1's do that"
His reply was "because we play with spirit".

He clearly has had a falling out with the coachig staff.

He can play and i hope he stays and gets a game.

He was a dormouse against Jeff Farmer. I think he's usually pretty good - but in the same vein as Slade and a few others. He has nothing special that puts him above all the other players that size.

Regardless of his disagreements with coaching staff - I don't approve of players who talk of inhouse stuff to the general public. So that puts him another notch lower in my opinion.

 

[GeeCat]

He was a dormouse against Jeff Farmer.

He didn't have a good game defensively against Freo, but to me that looked more the mark of a player lacking experience than ability. From memory, his body work in one-on-one contests was clouded with uncertainty, and there were several instances where he got caught out by the quicker, more precise ball movement at AFL level. That comes down, for the most part, to experience. He's shown what he's capable of at VFL level, and with that extra experience at senior level, I expect that he'll begin to read the play abit more quickly, and subsequently put those skills of his (aerial etc) to better use.

Perhaps almost contrastingly with noted others, Timmy at the very least is consistently creative with the ball, and perhaps most importantly down back, generally remains poised and makes good decisions.

 

[DavidInellaFanClub]

Could you see Timmy coming and playing a role similar to that of Jason Gram next year??

 

[Srubby]

Timmy Callan is case in point why Bomber must go. He played well in Round 4 against WB after being promoted and was in our best 8, a real good first half in the middle before moving down back. The next week Bomber has him warming the bench for half the game - cant shine from there and then drops him the next week.

Bombers role is to bring on the new talent, allow them to make mistakes and to learn from them but instead just makes them scapegoats. What talent has he developed since he has been there??

Time for Bomber to go!!