VFL report from weekend.

[The Magnificent Seven]

Dunno what yer all worried about. Luke Darcy's already pegged him as a 200-game forward!

 

[Quicky]

Dunno what yer all worried about. Luke Darcy's already pegged him as a 200-game forward!

I'm more worried about Anthony "McCaulay Culken" Hudson dubbing him a 300 game forward

 

[ralu]

the only reason rusling should be playing away from the forward50 is to gain fitness. why they bother playing him back is beyong me

 

[Swooop]

From the CFC website...

Thanks for posting that King Woodie, good to read.

From the comments following it doesn't sound like anybody actually got to the game?

Would be interesting to know how Shae looked...from the comments it sounded like they were nicely saying he's got a hell of a way to go.
Like Snag's question re Dawes..if something isn't innate, can it be picked up?
Sounds like Blight could be a real player and Beams all class.
Will also be interesting to see if Blair ever makes it.. he's a fantastically motivated and gutsy kid apparently and has a little(younger) brother who is also a very talented player.

 

[Pie eyed]

I seriously reckon he can do it, it makes no sense that on some occasions he can mark everything in sight and on others he plays like Stevie Wonder. Got to be confidence, IMHO.

I reckon Dawes is the type who will need time to "fit" within the side. Once he feels he deserves his place then his confidence and thus ability will increase exponentially.
The problem is at this time in the sides development we can't afford to just play him and hope it happens sooner than later. He will have to show something regularly in the VFL.

Of course I may be completely wrong..like that's never happened.
Just my thoughts.

 

[DaVe86]

Why do we persist with Rusling down back????


He is not a defender. He is one of the most natural forwards I've seen. I know his shoulders are an issue...but apparently they are meant to be stronger now than before.

He always looks lost down there. Get him back forward.

 

[shawthing09]

Agree with the above, and I personally don't see the "he is less likely to have people crashing into him and hurt his shoulder" playing in defence logic. As far as I am concerned either his shoulder isn't 100% in which case you don't play him at all. It's not like we are trying to rush him back for any reason. If that's not the case and the shoulder is right you play him as a foward where he belongs and IMO has to play eventually.

 

[HFF]

No signs of strapping, suggest the shoulders are fine.

He will be moved back to the forward line soon I would have thought.

 

[Copeland]

Of course I may be completely wrong..like that's never happened.
Just my thoughts.

What, nah, that never happens

 

[The Dawes]

Agree with the above, and I personally don't see the "he is less likely to have people crashing into him and hurt his shoulder" playing in defence logic. As far as I am concerned either his shoulder isn't 100% in which case you don't play him at all. It's not like we are trying to rush him back for any reason. If that's not the case and the shoulder is right you play him as a foward where he belongs and IMO has to play eventually.

I think it's pretty obvious that playing as a key forward you are more likely to be targetted physically than if you're playing in defence.

The forward's primary focus is the ball, the defender's primary focus is stopping his opponent from getting it. So if you can use legitimate tactics to get into a forward physically to restrict his influence, you will, particularly if that opponent has shown a physical weakness in the past like Rusling has with his shoulders.

I agree that if he's right to play he should be 100% right and play as a key forward, but for his own confidence I reckon a softly softly approach at this point won't hurt, at least until he feels confident in his body to withstand the physicality.

 

[shawthing09]

I think it's pretty obvious that playing as a key forward you are more likely to be targetted physically than if you're playing in defence.

The forward's primary focus is the ball, the defender's primary focus is stopping his opponent from getting it. So if you can use legitimate tactics to get into a forward physically to restrict his influence, you will, particularly if that opponent has shown a physical weakness in the past like Rusling has with his shoulders.

I agree that if he's right to play he should be 100% right and play as a key forward, but for his own confidence I reckon a softly softly approach at this point won't hurt, at least until he feels confident in his body to withstand the physicality.

I agree your more likely to get contact or targetted playing as a foward but it is not like there is no chance of that happening in defence. My point is it's either right or it's not. If his body is not up to it as a foward then playing him in defence is more a delaying the inevitable sort of thing and in regards to getting confidence in his body you'd assume you would want him confident in his body playing foward asap. I just don't see the benifit of him playing down back unless it is an educational thing.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

I am so sick of hearing about how Dawes is not going to make it! Of course he is! How many footballers can you think of, particularly big guys, who looked ordinary for several years? So many that I am not even going to name a few. Just stop expecting overnight success. Dawes is not going to be Tristan Walker Mk II.

 

[JOELY]

while plenty of big guys looked ordinary for a few years before making it, plenty also looked ordinary for several years because they were ordinary. you can't say with any certainty that he will make it. nobody knows.

 

[Swooop]

I agree your more likely to get contact or targetted playing as a foward but it is not like there is no chance of that happening in defence. My point is it's either right or it's not. If his body is not up to it as a foward then playing him in defence is more a delaying the inevitable sort of thing and in regards to getting confidence in his body you'd assume you would want him confident in his body playing foward asap. I just don't see the benifit of him playing down back unless it is an educational thing.

That would be my take on it actually.

I never saw many games he played, but it did appear to me that he was lightning fast on his leads, and a reasonable kick, but that when the ball hit the ground he looked a bit lost.

He did not appear to exert a lot of defensive pressure, hence I believe this is what's the go.

Also, probably less physical pressure, hence maybe he can build confidence a tiny bit easier..

 

[favourites]

Why do we persist with Rusling down back????


He is not a defender. He is one of the most natural forwards I've seen. I know his shoulders are an issue...but apparently they are meant to be stronger now than before.

He always looks lost down there. Get him back forward.