Tom Harley

[Jack-Packenham]

Just looks a little below his form of previous years. When played on a key forward he just has no idea in marking contests. Fevola made him look silly. The best game he has played this year was against the dogs when he played on Brad Johnson, so I think from now on, leave the big guys to Scarlett and Mooney and play Harley on a small marking forward (e.g. Shannong Grant this week). If a side has 3 talls I would bring in Egan and allow Harley to stay as a running defender and probably relegate Rooke to either the bench of the VFL.(not that Rooke has been that bad)

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Any suggestion to drop Jarad Rooke for any reason shows a lack of knowledge. The kid has been great this year, is now a vital part of our defence and one of the reasons we've still been able to win despite Harley and Scarlett getting pantsed almost weekly.

It's plainly obvious that Tom Harley relies upon Matthew Scarlett to hide his weaknesses (i said as much before the year on the board main).
When Scarlett is playing well, he makes Harley a better player by giving him a chop out and generally taking the pressure off him, however when Scarlett struggles Harley's weaknesses are exploited and magnified by the opposition.

You are right in saying he plays well on the smaller marking targets, however limiting him to such a role would be foolish.
Judge each week on it's merits. If there is a Brad Johnson type that is definitely going to play forward all day long (something you can't say for Shannon Grant) then use him, but otherwise keep him in his current role and just hope Scarlett hits a purple patch soon.

 

[Hulk_Hawkins]

Just looks a little below his form of previous years. When played on a key forward he just has no idea in marking contests. Fevola made him look silly. The best game he has played this year was against the dogs when he played on Brad Johnson, so I think from now on, leave the big guys to Scarlett and Mooney and play Harley on a small marking forward (e.g. Shannong Grant this week). If a side has 3 talls I would bring in Egan and allow Harley to stay as a running defender and probably relegate Rooke to either the bench of the VFL.(not that Rooke has been that bad)

Agreed. Unfortunately for Tom he struggles when put on the #1 forward as was very evident on Friday, Carlton 'almost' got back in the game but as soon as Scarlo was moved back on to 'The Shag' he would have been lucky to have a couple of touches for the rest of the game. One real weakness in Harley's game is his tendancy to go to ground in a marking contest, where as Scarlo keeps his feet and this allows his second efforts which are usually great. Just a bit down on form/confidence is Harley ATM, but still is our second best defender, dropping Rooke is ludricous and definately out of the question. If Harley plays on the second/third string forward he generally does not get beaten.

 

[Sean Sheep]

While we are winning, keep persisting with him... he'll come good..

Just my thoughts...

 

[Rodion]

Look, Tom Harley is a different kind of player to Matty Scarlett. People would do well to remember that. We are talking about a guy who blanketed Riewoldt, slaughtered Brad Johnson and has tagged Michael Voss and Shane Crawford with success. All powerful, hard running players who maybe are not superb contested marks.

The fact that he can do this, and still be expected to sometimes take the #1 forward confirms what I already know; Tom Harley is much better than people give him credit for. You wouldn't put Matthew Scarlett on Steven Milne just because Scarlo is a top notch defender. You wouldn't stick Chapman in the goalsquare and expect him to take pack marks just because he kicks a lot of goals. Same sort of thing with Harley.

 

[Sammy D]

*waits for Catman*

 

[chapmanmagic35]

Harls will come good. Everyone has slow patches and he's having one of them at the moment.

I wouldn't drop Rooke at all because he has had a brilliant start to the season. Guys like Rooke and Enright have been rebounding all year from the Defencive 50.

The Roos have a few tall forwards such as Rocca, Thompson and Petrie so Mooney might have to drop back to defence this week.

 

[Catman]

*waits for Catman*

Everyone knows my opinion on him so I'm not going to launch into another tirade.

phat summed it up best when he said he hopes Matty hits a purple patch soon because Harley is nothing when Scarlo is out of touch.

 

[JUBJUB]

Everyone knows my opinion on him so I'm not going to launch into another tirade.

Catman loves Tom like Seb loves Brad and like we all love JR .