List Mgmt. What MAKES or BREAKS a mature-age player? "The Ballad of Nicky Graham"

[Gethelred]

I came here looking for a ballad

I am leaving disappointed

 

[Kramer1]

In a midfield sense I think it basically comes down to speed and disposal. Plenty of guys at lower levels have an AFL skill set, but lack the requisite speed (Graham, Mitch Grigg) or quality ball use (Kerridge) to nail down a spot.

 

[Stiffler's Dad]

Lambert was right under our very noses.
He's going to be a double premiership player in a few weeks.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Lambert was right under our very noses.
He's going to be a double premiership player in a few weeks.

AA squad too

 

[Juddernaut08]

In a midfield sense I think it basically comes down to speed and disposal. Plenty of guys at lower levels have an AFL skill set, but lack the requisite speed (Graham, Mitch Grigg) or quality ball use (Kerridge) to nail down a spot.

Great point re: speed...I think it's speed of mind/thought as much as it is of foot.

That's one thing which frustrates the heck out of us supporters - watching the same dudes constantly take an eternity to assess their options and move the ball on...often missing the correct option.

This is not something which we can necessarily coach out of players too - if you rush them they'll turn it over.

I always struggled to like Simon White because of this.

 

[RudyBlue]

Lambert was right under our very noses.
He's going to be a double premiership player in a few weeks.

AA squad too

Tbf, he was like pick 50 odd in the rookie draft.

Every other club missed him too, a few times.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Tbf, he was like pick 50 odd in the rookie draft.

Every other club missed him too, a few times.

But we had him under our noses.

 

[thylacine60]

some punk with a shotgun killed poor danny bailly...........

 

[jimsta10]

A football brain is the magic sauce for a mature player.

 

[katmanblue]

But we had him under our noses.

Right in front of me

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[DangerousD]

I think the magic formula is like those fish who only grow to the size of their bowl. A player who can continually adapt to a higher level as he progresses and the side he is in gets better. Sadly for Nick he can't find that next gear at the higher level and Kerridge struggles with the increased pressure.

 

[AlecDuncan]

Nick will eventually be off to somewhere like Port or Willo and win a Liston. He's in that unfortunate class: too good for VFL, but not quite AFL standard.

No disgrace in that. That still makes him better than 90% of footballers.

 

[newblueo]

He could play ed curnow role but ed is still doing it well. Bling has only one trick a inside mid which bolts doesn't rate which is odd.but that's life.

Lambert is a gut runner winger who imo would struggle in our team.but is a great player in his role!

Side note Nelson.grigg.gibbson are all nicky bling Graham types.

 

[Juddernaut08]

He could play ed curnow role but ed is still doing it well. Bling has only one trick a inside mid which bolts doesn't rate which is odd.but that's life.

Lambert is a gut runner winger who imo would struggle in our team.but is a great player in his role!

Side note Nelson.grigg.gibbson are all nicky bling Graham types.

Can Nick shutdown players though? That's what Ed's main strength is.

Ed is also a bit faster to dispose than Nicky. So damn slow. Opposite to someone like Pendles.

 

[Juddernaut08]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-18/blues-delist-four-players-after-trade-period

What's next for Nick? Will he stick around for our VFL team or will he try and continue his journey for another club? Could see him doing a job at the Suns??

 

[reg_lower91]

Didn't get the pill a hell of a lot and, when he did, he didn't hurt the opposition with it. It's as simple as that.

 

[Azzurro]

Didn't get the pill a hell of a lot and, when he did, he didn't hurt the opposition with it. It's as simple as that.

You heard it here first, folks!

 

[Robbo's my hero]

48 games. Average 16.4 disposals, 4 marks and 4 tackles. 25% of games 20 plus disposals.

My favourite memory was a goal he kicked at the MCG against Adelaide in 2015. He played a fortnight of footy in 2015 where it looked like Graham was going to flourish.

 

[BlueTongue]

Smarts & Skills. Speed & Endurance emphasize the first two, but being fast and fit means s**t all if you can't hit targets or read the play.
Case in Point, Cox. Wasn't brought up with the game but can put himself in the right position and kick straight. Amazing how he's picked up enough skill in the few years to out score players who've been playing the game since childhood and still can't kick straight.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Smarts & Skills. Speed & Endurance emphasize the first two, but being fast and fit means s**t all if you can't hit targets or read the play.
Case in Point, Cox. Wasn't brought up with the game but can put himself in the right position and kick straight. Amazing how he's picked up enough skill in the few years to out score players who've been playing the game since childhood and still can't kick straight.

It helps when your 7ft 11!!!!

 

[AlecDuncan]

My favourite memory was a goal he kicked at the MCG against Port Adelaide in 2015. He played a fortnight of footy in 2015 where it looked like Graham was going to flourish.

My favourite moment was against North. Bumped Goldstein off the ball, took the hand-pass from Simmo and drilled it on the wrong foot from 40 out.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

My favourite moment was against North. Bumped Goldstein off the ball, took the hand-pass from Simmo and drilled it on the wrong foot from 40 out.

Thanks for that. It was Adelaide (I’m getting old). I hope it was 2015.