Toast Travis Varcoe

[ace andy]

Seems there is a variety of opinions of his game. Personally I thought he was pretty soft. Some of his efforts at smothering were hopeless.

 

[1892]

Just an aside but despite winning the contested ball numbers I noticed a change in our game plan last night.
In pack situations we allowed one Collingwood player to contest and then others intentionally stayed outside the pack to await the results. This is a real change from previous years where we've committed 2's and 3's at contests and then been shown up by a quick release to an opposition runner. Maybe Varcoe was intentionally sought for this purpose in mind but many times last night it was Pendles or Sidey or Swan waiting for an Adams or a Grundy release. I like the change in thinking.

Very good pick up, it's something Hawthorn do to great effect. I'll be interested to see how this develops, it may make opposition outside players more accountable too.

 

[Bring_Back_Brad]

varcoe has composure.
harry has a headless chook panic hot potatoes - turnover thing going on.
i'll take composure.

 

[TradeDraft]

It's a win/win for everyone involved the Lumumba/Varcoe/Clark trade.

We get a player without the baggage that H had while the Dees get a good footballer to help them remain competitive. Clark goes to a club where he won't have intense media pressure and can just play footy.

Varcoe was ok last night without being in the best players, but his poise under pressure due to experience is big, while many were panicking late in the game he wasn't.

Will play every game for us this year if he remains fit, handy pick up.

Yeah, Varcoe does give us Class that we need.

Won’t be a Big Ball Winner as well. Will get around 15-20 Touches a game

 

[Gambit78]

Just an aside but despite winning the contested ball numbers I noticed a change in our game plan last night.
In pack situations we allowed one Collingwood player to contest and then others intentionally stayed outside the pack to await the results. This is a real change from previous years where we've committed 2's and 3's at contests and then been shown up by a quick release to an opposition runner. Maybe Varcoe was intentionally sought for this purpose in mind but many times last night it was Pendles or Sidey or Swan waiting for an Adams or a Grundy release. I like the change in thinking.

Not only did we keep players back from the contest and allowed one in, but it seemed like the majority of the players hanging back were defensive side of the pack. So the player contesting the ball had an out, and so did the first player on the fringe - we go back a couple of handballs, create space to either overlap run or kick away from the contest. The other aspect I liked about this was how we had players ahead of the ball who were able to contest that quick kick out of the pack. In the last quarter, Brisbane were able to get a couple of repeat entries, but when we were dominant, we often had a player contesting the kick coming out. This is going to be important, because teams last year found it pretty easy to rebound against us.

 

[Robroy22]

Very good pick up, it's something Hawthorn do to great effect. I'll be interested to see how this develops, it may make opposition outside players more accountable too.

Yep Hawthorn and Geelong often do it...(having Mitchell or Selwood helps huh?) so maybe that's where Varcoe comes into it....he's used to that sort of "spoonfed footy" and can make the most of it....but it's very unCollingwood like...cool huh?

 

[rand corp]

Kicking is elite but he does hang out and I feel he is the sort of player that will let us down when the pressure is right on. Hope he proves me wrong.

 

[Bard]

He kept getting to the right spots but for some reason or another couldn't affect the contest (ie. got wrapped up early, didn't get a handball receive, etc). He just needs to get it a bit more in dangerous positions.

I still think him injuring Rockliff makes the trade already worth it. I'm unsophisticated, get over it.

 

[Bard]

Kicking is elite but he does hang out and I feel he is the sort of player that will let us down when the pressure is right on. Hope he proves me wrong.

He won't let us down in the kind of way Young did... But he might go quiet.

 

[Gambit78]

Kicking is elite but he does hang out and I feel he is the sort of player that will let us down when the pressure is right on. Hope he proves me wrong.

See, that's how I felt about Clinton Young. I'm hoping Varcoe is an upgrade - both in durability and reliability.

 

[Gambit78]

Snap!

 

[Vicky Park]

Lumumba worked harder off the field...Its early days but Varcoe shows promise

Not sure about this. Seen no evidence so far of Varcoe's spirituality. Does he eat meat? Lots of unanswered questions.

 

[Markfs]

Not sure about this. Seen no evidence so far of Varcoe's spirituality. Does he eat meet? Lots of unanswered questions.

Good point... Travis is a bit new and hasnt had the advantage that Heritier had, with growing up in the Magpie system. However, I'm judging Travis on his background at Geelong. He has cultivated a "flakey" approach which has already won him a number of "fans" at BF. The question is whether he can dig deep and find something in his personality that really annoys the faithful. Personally, I think Lumumba ticked so many boxes, its hard for Trav to compete. That being said, some at BF are already laying the groundwork by making favourable comments after one game, with the view to dumping on him later in the season. I watch with interest...

 

[Kappa]

Didn't think he was that great

Didn't appear to have his pace and missed a few shots on goal

 

[1892]

Yep Hawthorn and Geelong often do it...(having Mitchell or Selwood helps huh?) so maybe that's where Varcoe comes into it....he's used to that sort of "spoonfed footy" and can make the most of it....but it's very unCollingwood like...cool huh?

Yeah, just happens to be a replay of Hawthorn v Geelong on 7 at the moment and I've seen Varcoe do it on a few occasions in that game. Mitchell or Selwood would be handy (if only the AFL added a father son bidding system earlier), but we've recently added some bigger bodies who will hopefully fill similar roles. From memory Ball or maybe Houghton brought info about St Kildas system across, so if it is a result of Varoce's input I see trading him in as a good move.

 

[noideaatall]

Good point... Travis is a bit new and hasnt had the advantage that Heritier had, with growing up in the Magpie system. However, I'm judging Travis on his background at Geelong. He has cultivated a "flakey" approach which has already won him a number of "fans" at BF. The question is whether he can dig deep and find something in his personality that really annoys the faithful. Personally, I think Lumumba ticked so many boxes, its hard for Trav to compete. That being said, some at BF are already laying the groundwork by making favourable comments after one game, with the view to dumping on him later in the season. I watch with interest...

Blair has one good game this season and you want to dump him as whipping boy?! To early to jump ship.

 

[Maggie5]

Blair has one good game this season and you want to dump him as whipping boy?! To early to jump ship.

Stop with the Blair bull, has runs on the board shame you can't or won't see it.

 

[Apex36]

It's a win/win for everyone involved the Lumumba/Varcoe/Clark trade.

We get a player without the baggage that H had while the Dees get a good footballer to help them become competitive. Clark goes to a club where he won't have intense media pressure and can just play footy.

Varcoe was ok last night without being in the best players, but his poise under pressure due to experience is big, while many were panicking late in the game he wasn't.

Will play every game for us this year if he remains fit, handy pick up.

EFA

 

[Soaring Magpie]

Varcoe without starring, was impressive. He adds good outside run which is something we seriously lack,

 

[MagpieBat]

Was okay without being exceedingly special. Not one of his fans, but is best 22 on balance (chiefly his ability, al beit one not always shown, to actually kick the ball well).

Oh, and for those bemoaning his softness, you need these kinds of polished outside runners, especially if your inside hard nuts can't kick. Ideally, you have tough inside mids who can kick and play outside (De Goey) and silky predominately outside types who don't look out of place going into the guts (Broomhead), but for balance, we have guys like Varcoe in to play a role.

 

[Kappa]

Was okay without being exceedingly special. Not one of his fans, but is best 22 on balance (chiefly his ability, al beit one not always shown, to actually kick the ball well).

Oh, and for those bemoaning his softness, you need these kinds of polished outside runners, especially if your inside hard nuts can't kick. Ideally, you have tough inside mids who can kick and play outside (De Goey) and silky predominately outside types who don't look out of place going into the guts (Broomhead), but for balance, we have guys like Varcoe in to play a role.

With Adams Greenwood Blair in the guts its crucial we have guys like Varcoe staying on the outside.

I just wish he showed a bit of pace and broke the lines 1 or 2 times, seems to be coasting along at the moment.

 

[Geelong_Bisons_#36]

Seems there is a variety of opinions of his game. Personally I thought he was pretty soft. Some of his efforts at smothering were hopeless.

Never said he wasn't soft - I think everyone knows that.
What he brings to the team in terms of kicking skills is excellent.

 

[Markfs]

Blair has one good game this season and you want to dump him as whipping boy?! To early to jump ship.

call me fickle....one week is a long time in football

Stop with the Blair bull, has runs on the board shame you can't or won't see it.

i agree...and to be fair, i think most of us have ignored his game last night...i dont think the odd game is going to change our strong feelings for the little man...

 

[noideaatall]

Stop with the Blair bull, has runs on the board shame you can't or won't see it.

Totally agree on the runs business. Blair has displayed genuine consistency over many seasons in the whipping boy stakes and its fickle of Markfs attempting to shift the focus to Varcoe. He's only played one game ffs and just wasn't soft enough to deserve any sort of kudos in said stakes. Don't like this whole reprisal thing either. I mean who is reprising Carman? Varcoe should be lambasted for his own shortcomings, not on the basis of a comparison to HOB. Anyway Blair will play every game this year (a key component in the whipping stakes), not convinced Varcoe will.

 

[lethalburns]

Just an aside but despite winning the contested ball numbers I noticed a change in our game plan last night.
In pack situations we allowed one Collingwood player to contest and then others intentionally stayed outside the pack to await the results. This is a real change from previous years where we've committed 2's and 3's at contests and then been shown up by a quick release to an opposition runner. Maybe Varcoe was intentionally sought for this purpose in mind but many times last night it was Pendles or Sidey or Swan waiting for an Adams or a Grundy release. I like the change in thinking.

Agree 100%. Varcoe looked like he had been clearly instructed not to commit to contests and wait for either a clean receive or intercept opportunity.

Also to Kappa's point he did look a little slow last night however that could have been the conditions/fatigue. I thought he showed genuine speed when I saw him live against the Hawks in NAB Challenge 1.