We MUST bulk up!

[Waltzing Woof Biscuit]

Watching the VFL grand final, it is obvious that our youngsters are too easily pushed out of a contest. Birss, McMahon, Hargreave, Guido, Murphs etc. Let's hope that they have a huge summer in the gym. I'm certain that, given a bit of muscle definition, these young guns will be ready to blitz. At the moment, they're like twigs in a hurricane. I don't like seeing our boys being pushed around by second-raters

 

[PC28]

They can have some of my bulk

I agree. If Murph wants to be a backman, he needs to be stronger and bigger.

 

[Captain Sensible]

It was fairly apparent that was a problem yesterday. I think that tackling was a huge problem for us this year-we came second last in the tackle count and all year other teams just ran past us.

So while we do need to bulk up, we also need to get the tacling bags out early in summer.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Why don't we stop recruiting all these 12 year old short people and get some ready made big guys like other clubs seem to get, eg the Lonies, Peverill, Ottens, Koschitzke, J. Brown, etc etc.

 

[dogboy23]

They all had big summers last pre season anyway murf put on something like 10 kilos it will just take time

 

[PC28]

Originally posted by dogboy23
They all had big summers last pre season anyway murf put on something like 10 kilos it will just take time

He bulked up a little, but he is still skinny. SO was Chris when he first came on the scene, so i'm prepared to wait on Murph bulking up. Imagine what he'd be like with a little more weight...

 

[Top Dog]

Originally posted by localyokel
It was fairly apparent that was a problem yesterday. I think that tackling was a huge problem for us this year-we came second last in the tackle count and all year other teams just ran past us.

So while we do need to bulk up, we also need to get the tacling bags out early in summer.

Thats exactly what ive been saying all year and in the ONE game we really did tackle hard(Crows game) we thumped them and they were running hot.

 

[sigscotty]

It is not a decision that they just make to be big. It needs to be done carefully. Granty early in his career over did it and got crook. it takes time, but it will happen.

 

[Westy_Boy]

Spot on sigscotty -- we shouldn't push them into it too quickly unless their bodies are ready -- pretty 'easy' to put on 10 kilos of raw muscle in a short space of time, but whether their bodies have time to adjust, and what effect that kind of intensive workload will have on mobility, agility and speed is another story. We've gotta make sure that we manage their development properly. I would rather see Murphy, Gia, McMahon etc. all take 3-4 years (like Simon Black/Ben Cousins did) to get to a decent playing weight, rather than seeing them muscled up and on the sidelines.

Do we really need to push it that quickly anyway? I mean, look at the Essendon youngsters -- Caracella, Ramanaskaus, Blumfield.... they're not exactly Mr Universes themselves, yet they're going great guns. Let ours develop naturally, with them gradually adding a few kilos every season, and we'll/they'll be fine in the longterm.

BTW: I would really like to see us go after a couple of hard nuts in trading/drafting to comlement our youngsters, rather than 'forcing' Gilbee, McMahon, Gia etc into something they aren't.

 

[sigscotty]

What about Gary Moorcroft. Essendon struggling with salary cap. He could slot in and play a billy kolynuik type role and replace some goals that would allow Johhno, Brown and Smith to spend less time in the full forward line

 

[PC28]

Originally posted by sigscotty
What about Gary Moorcroft. Essendon struggling with salary cap. He could slot in and play a billy kolynuik type role and replace some goals that would allow Johhno, Brown and Smith to spend less time in the full forward line

Then Johnno can clock him one for taking that mark...