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Trav Varcoe

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Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

winty said:
Varcoe actually averages a goal a game, which is better than Cyril Rioli, who plays in a similar role, yet people talk Cyril up to be the best thing since sliced bread. :rolleyes:

You might look to Varcoe's possessions inside 50 stat as evidence he "drifts out of the play and appears lost", but to me it seems like he's adding another string to his bow, and becoming more than just a forward pocket player. As thejester said, he can be used to inject some pace into the midfield, and grand final aside, his finals series was pretty good and a sign that he's becoming more confident, and judging by what people are saying about his game last night (I didn't see it during to a blackout - darn Powercor!), it seems that form is continuing, which augurs well for the season ahead.

I'm not saying that Varcoe should be in the side ahead of Gamble, but both players could easily be in our best 22, even if one of them has to start on the bench.
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Such a sensible and well constructed post is not allowed on bigfooty Winty. Totally agree.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

liked his game last night i thought he was better than campbell but cant complain :thumbsu:
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

kicksome said:
no offense but u are kidding yourself.
give that shit up and concentrate on golf.
gamble is the future.
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Hope your indigestion is better, & hope you've read the other replies. Seems like I'm not the only supporter who can actually appreciate T Varcoe. Did you watch the game by any chance? There were many gun players & Varcoe was a standout. If you're bitter a bout his GF game, the Prelim. should not be dismissed either. Gamble & Varcoe are probably not even vying for the same spot, as others have suggested. A criticism was that Varcoe can't hold his feet & falls a lot, but that didn't occur once last pm, despite the rain. I am not into golf, & look forward to Varcoe doing the no. 5 proud.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

King_Tredrea said:
this guy is underated outside the cattery IMO

will be a star
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Agree, He's really just got over a serious ankle injury, which for a running player takes time. I don't get the negativity.
 

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Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

rizzo said:
Such a sensible and well constructed post is not allowed on bigfooty Winty.
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Sorry mate. It won't happen again. :p
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

Watched the first half last night (and into early this morning) until sleep was imminent and yes Trav did impress. He hit the contest hard both in the air and on the ground, something that he has been criticised (myself included) for not doing enough. Certainly looked bigger and physically stronger than last year so much so that he appeared to be playing more as a key forward or focul point rather than his usual defensive forward role.

The key to more game time with Trav is his run and carry. The likes of the Davey bros, Lovett etc break games open with that sort of play, something that Trav needs to do more of. Let's not forget how highly rated he was prior to being drafted (especially prior to injury). Confidence is a wonderful thing. Hopefully for Trav he can build up an impressive preseason.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

Don't forget that Varcoe was a big reason in our Preliminary final win. If he hadn't played well I don't think we would have beaten the Bulldogs that night
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

There are two schools of though evident in this thread, and I think I sit somewhere in between...

I agree that Varcoe is talented. He has a nice kick, he has clean hands and good vision etc... however, my criticism is that he is not actually as good at what everone supposes to be his specialty, and the trademark of small-medium indigenous forwards, that being speed, tackling and general forward line pressure etc.

He doesn't appear to posses natural strength through the arms, and struggles to stick a tackle unless he is chasing down an unsuspecting opponent from behind. Similarly, he is relatively zippy, though is easily outmanouvred by a side-stepping opponent with the ball.

He may get better at all of this, but at this stage, I feel the criticisms on his hardness at the ball are warranted, and pertinent. I would rather he play most games like Cyril's '08 Granny performance - 7 or 8 damaging touches - than accumulate 15 or 20 touches running up through half forward as a small marking target.

Geelong haven't actually been that good at applying forward line pressure since since '04 and '05. Back then their specialty was a water tight defence, and great pressure in the forward line to keep the ball in for long periods.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

Claude Balls said:
There are two schools of though evident in this thread, and I think I sit somewhere in between...

I agree that Varcoe is talented. He has a nice kick, he has clean hands and good vision etc... however, my criticism is that he is not actually as good at what everone supposes to be his specialty, and the trademark of small-medium indigenous forwards, that being speed, tackling and general forward line pressure etc.

He doesn't appear to posses natural strength through the arms, and struggles to stick a tackle unless he is chasing down an unsuspecting opponent from behind. Similarly, he is relatively zippy, though is easily outmanouvred by a side-stepping opponent with the ball.

He may get better at all of this, but at this stage, I feel the criticisms on his hardness at the ball are warranted, and pertinent. I would rather he play most games like Cyril's '08 Granny performance - 7 or 8 damaging touches - than accumulate 15 or 20 touches running up through half forward as a small marking target.

Geelong haven't actually been that good at applying forward line pressure since since '04 and '05. Back then their specialty was a water tight defence, and great pressure in the forward line to keep the ball in for long periods.
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He actually led the comp for most of 07 for tackles in the forward 50, and was not far off this year. But agree with your post for the most part.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

Travis is one of those players that sit on the borderline at the club. He has potential and talent, but is yet to show any consistency in his game at AFL level. Therefore, he puts himself in that section of Geelong players open to those feral Cats supporters who think that bagging him is their god given right.

The only problem with baggers is that none of them have ever played AFL level football, but yet they seem to know more about it than anyone else. Their opinions are more valuable (they would like us to think) than even the coaching staff of the club (who actually know our players inside and out).

These people have written off a littany of poor performing players since I have been on BF. Players like Dog, Linga, Boris, Smithy, Blakey, Travis, Kelly, Bomber, King, Moons, and probably more. It is nice to see many of those blokes I mentioned have since gone on to be All Australian.

The footy pundits often say that a player doesn't hit their straps until 50+ games at AFL level. Travis has played 34 sometimes inspiring and sometimes disappointing games. He has talent, no one can deny it. He just needs more consistency and be more of a play maker. Part of the problem for Travis IMHO has been the role which Bomber has wanted him to play. I don't think it really suits Travis's style. I hope this year Travis learns that being the team man is good, but every now and then you need to kick it for yourself too.

let's hope Travis has a break out year in 2009. Then I am sure all his baggers will be claiming they always knew he would make it and they had never said any bad thing about him. Stoopid people!
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

He needs to use his speed when he has the ball in his hands.

He seems to cruise when he gets it.
 

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Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

My only criticism of Varcoe is how hard at the ball he is, a bit too much dancing around for my liking. Hopefully he works on his hardness at the ball this year.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

haywood jablome said:
My only criticism of Varcoe is how hard at the ball he is, a bit too much dancing around for my liking. Hopefully he works on his hardness at the ball this year.
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The hardness will come when his body matures and he muscles up. There is no question that he doesn't tackle they just don't stick because he is such a lightweight at the moment
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

i dont think that is true

the other night he looked twice the size of most of his team mates
you cant say tackles from blokes like cyril rioli and matt campbell dont stick
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

CatmanForever said:
Travis is one of those players that sit on the borderline at the club. He has potential and talent, but is yet to show any consistency in his game at AFL level. Therefore, he puts himself in that section of Geelong players open to those feral Cats supporters who think that bagging him is their god given right.

The only problem with baggers is that none of them have ever played AFL level football, but yet they seem to know more about it than anyone else. Their opinions are more valuable (they would like us to think) than even the coaching staff of the club (who actually know our players inside and out).

These people have written off a littany of poor performing players since I have been on BF. Players like Dog, Linga, Boris, Smithy, Blakey, Travis, Kelly, Bomber, King, Moons, and probably more. It is nice to see many of those blokes I mentioned have since gone on to be All Australian.

The footy pundits often say that a player doesn't hit their straps until 50+ games at AFL level. Travis has played 34 sometimes inspiring and sometimes disappointing games. He has talent, no one can deny it. He just needs more consistency and be more of a play maker. Part of the problem for Travis IMHO has been the role which Bomber has wanted him to play. I don't think it really suits Travis's style. I hope this year Travis learns that being the team man is good, but every now and then you need to kick it for yourself too.

let's hope Travis has a break out year in 2009. Then I am sure all his baggers will be claiming they always knew he would make it and they had never said any bad thing about him. Stoopid people!
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Well said. :thumbsu: In regards to the bolded part, I read somewhere that the theory is players don't hit their peak until their sixth year in the system. Since Travis is only entering his 4th year, his best is still ahead of him, and it seems we're only beginning to see just what he can do.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

winty said:
I read somewhere that the theory is players don't hit their peak until their sixth year in the system.
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I look forward to Kane Tenace peaking very soon!
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

__aria__ said:
i dont think that is true

the other night he looked twice the size of most of his team mates
you cant say tackles from blokes like cyril rioli and matt campbell dont stick
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He wasn't that big last year though.
 

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Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

CatmanForever said:
These people have written off a littany of poor performing players since I have been on BF. Players like Dog, Linga, Boris, Smithy, Blakey, Travis, Kelly, Bomber, King, Moons, and probably more.
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are you referring to johnson (dog) early in his career or when his outside life was spiralling out of control?

if the second then i can understand people's frustation with him at the time, we all knew he had talent but was just throwing/boozing it away.

trav on the other hand has talent to burn, he just has to get the game time and then confidence to realise it.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

hamG said:
I look forward to Kane Tenace peaking very soon!
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There are always exceptions to every rule though.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

I think a few posters are a bit blinded by the 'Joel Selwood' and 'Rioli' factor. They are exceptional cases. Players rarely come in and dominate/realise their potential from the word go.

Think about Wells and Tambling at North Melbourne and Richmond respectivley. Both were rated highly coming into their drafts, yet both are still to really impose themselves on the competition. It's obvious that this type of player can take a little longer to develop. They come from playing under age football to being knocked around by bodies much bigger then them. Its inevitably going to take a while for them to become comfortable enough to get into top gear.
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

agree with your post but dont know why you are comparing varcoe to wells

the beginning of their careers are completely opposite cases
wells played awesome footy straight away burst onto the scene winning the best first year player award
ever since then people had ridiculous expectations on him but hes still our 2nd best player
 
Re: Travis Varcoe shines for the Aboriginal All Stars

__aria__ said:
agree with your post but dont know why you are comparing varcoe to wells
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So you don't really agree?

I know Varcoe hasn't gone close to replicating what Wells has done. Similar type players, with similar expectations. At least it seems that way.
 

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