To those who defended Kepler in the past.

[Daytripper]

I've never said Gumbleton should have been picked to play in the ruck.
I said we were already top heavy from the get go and it would have been a better to select a kid and give him a real crack at the big time. I suggested Gumbelton as he's been very good for us in the two's. Hell, it could've been Houli as far as I'm concerned.

Houli is not ready. I don't know how many times this has to be repeated.
Hislop has had one week back from injury.
Dempsey got injured Sunday.
JJ, Lonergan & Campo played a full game Sunday.

Where would Gumbleton have played ?

 

[Jex]

Houli is not ready. I don't know how many times this has to be repeated.
Hislop has had one week back from injury.
Dempsey got injured Sunday.
JJ, Lonergan & Campo played a full game Sunday.

Where would Gumbleton have played ?

There's no question we should've kept at least 1 or 2 runners out of the VFL side (Lonergan, Houli etc) and also one tall. Instead, we went with 2 players who essentially play the same sort of role. This isn't hindsight speaking, it's common sense.

I think Kepler's selection was fair enough. Hille was out and Keps' VFL form has been good. But instead of throwing Kepler into the ruck to relieve Laycock, they went with Ryder (who wasn't giving Cloke much of sniff) and moved Keps to CHB. Sheeds is masterful, but he still keeps making this same mistake over and over. Keps should've been brought in as a backup ruckman and for no other reason.

 

[Shane Hird]

I can appreciate where you're coming from ant555 however I think if Kep was picked purely on having an extra tall for the ruck when we were already 'top heavy' then it was a selection mistake. I'll stand by what I said about his form in the two's. Not worthy of a spot at all. I'll admit it's bloody hard to work out your role in a team when you keep playing in different spots each week but in saying that he took no confidence into the game the other day and it showed. That's called poor form, whether it be physical or psychological. If his mindset is based around "I don't want to stuff up' mentality then he's already on the backfoot and his selection will not help.

As for Gumbleton playing and getting an injury, well what if the world blows up tomorrow? How do you know he's going to get an injury? AFL football is physical however his body will adapt.

It has to be that with Bradley. I went to training twice at WH while over in Vic and watched KB. He looks fantastic in drills,holds his marks,kicks directly to his targets,runs like a gazell. But guess what? So does everyone else!

Its match time that counts. Like I said before,he's like others before him...Young,Symons,Cupido,Henneman,O'Conner,Fraser,Doolan....all used to get lost out on the field and continue to butcher the ball.

They all look sensational on the track and they all will have the odd "close to best on ground" sort of a day..but in the end...after about 50 games(KB),the supporters know that he's never gunna make it.

He won't be in the elite. KB is now the type of player that will not get into the top 10 club placings for years on end...but he should be. His head just can't get around the pressure of match conditions.

 

[Runk]

Houli is not ready. I don't know how many times this has to be repeated.
Hislop has had one week back from injury.
Dempsey got injured Sunday.
JJ, Lonergan & Campo played a full game Sunday.

Where would Gumbleton have played ?

I'm thinking at least another two times to be sure.
Put him in a pocket, put him on a wing or have him tag a centreline player for a while like Johnson. Try something different rather a player who is clearly not up to it in the "game on" fashion. You can't say it would've worked nor could you say it wouldn't but it would have been nice to see nonetheless.

 

[Runk]

It has to be that with Bradley. I went to training twice at WH while over in Vic and watched KB. He looks fantastic in drills,holds his marks,kicks directly to his targets,runs like a gazell. But guess what? So does everyone else!

Its match time that counts. Like I said before,he's like others before him...Young,Symons,Cupido,Henneman,O'Conner,Fraser,Doolan....all used to get lost out on the field and continue to butcher the ball.

They all look sensational on the track and they all will have the odd "close to best on ground" sort of a day..but in the end...after about 50 games(KB),the supporters know that he's never gunna make it.

He won't be in the elite. KB is now the type of player that will not get into the top 10 club placings for years on end...but he should be. His head just can't get around the pressure of match conditions.

I agree Nobby.
I loved Nobby Clarke btw. Him and Shane Heard were my faves as a kid.
(group hug)

 

[Shane Hird]

I agree Nobby.
I loved Nobby Clarke btw. Him and Shane Heard were my faves as a kid.
(group hug)

Yes,two fine examples of champion Premiership Essendon players who didn't have freakish skills like a Watson but got themselves super fit and did the job Sheedy told then to do. They might not have got the ball 30 times a game,but they hardly made mistakes and both had hearts as big Dermott's head.


Kepler...some body will trade for you at the end of the season....Tigers?

 

[Wise Words]

A Kepler bagging:

http://www.mytalk.com.au/aspx/pages/mediaplayer.aspx?t=audio&w=335

He is so frustrating to watch, but no more than Jobe Watson. He gets it like nobodies business but I would be interested to see his kicks to clangers ratio. Clearances keep him in the side, but what does he 'cost' out on the ground?

 

[Big John]

Is it just me or has Kepler got worse every year. IIRC he had a pretty decent start to hi AFL career, but has just got worse and worse the more he's played.

 

[The Toecutter]

Kevin Walsh Mark II

 

[stander]

Kevin Walsh Mark II

Sorry Toecutter, Washy's learning curve didn't go pear shaped, unlike poor old Kepler.

 

[Slattery_20]

It was a poor draft for all. Many of the 1st rounders struggle to be named and not too many superstars.

The big shock is that Kepler was just 1 pick after Brock McLean, what a difference one position makes.

We did however pick Stanton at pick 13 in that draft.

Next 4 picks:

Pick 7: Tenace
Pick 8: Raph Clarke
Pick 9: Trotter
Pick 10: R.Dunn

Better Options: (just the obvious ones, most people would be thinking anyone was a better option)

Pick 61: Rischetelli
Pick 72: Shane Tuck
Pick 76: Raines
Pick 11: B.Waters
Pick 33: Adcock

We were drafting a tall - let's compare apples with apples here.
None of the above are tall
Talls who went after Kepler in 2003 were Ryan Murphy - hardly set the world on fire, but looks OK; Fergus Watts - traded; Llane Spaandermann - traded (or delisted?); Ben Hudson - very limited player, has had some good form; and Adrian Deluca - delisted. Not too many Brownlow candidates there?
Far from the worst decision ever made at the draft.
Kepler is 21, tall, athletic and has some attacking flair. He's obviously not a backman's date, but we could say that for many many others. If only Sheddy would stop playing him there

 

[Pevers-Legend]

We were drafting a tall - let's compare apples with apples here.
None of the above are tall
Talls who went after Kepler in 2003 were Ryan Murphy - hardly set the world on fire, but looks OK; Fergus Watts - traded; Llane Spaandermann - traded (or delisted?); Ben Hudson - very limited player, has had some good form; and Adrian Deluca - delisted. Not too many Brownlow candidates there?
Far from the worst decision ever made at the draft.
Kepler is 21, tall, athletic and has some attacking flair. He's obviously not a backman's date, but we could say that for many many others. If only Sheddy would stop playing him there

By why draft a tall if they are average at best - should that not mean they may slip to a second rounder? Personally - I don't care as we got Stants from that draft.

 

[monty1104]

If the recruiting dept. think we needed a tall at the time, then they are going to take the best available tall. Unfortunately it was Bradley, who may well have been the best tall available. I can't see any of the others Slattery_20 named getting a game ahead of Kepler in our current side.

 

[retroparty]

Jeez richmond did well in that draft. Is such a shame they havent put it together on the field yet.