Whitnall, me concerned.

[jj1978]

The first 2 games, I wasn't too fussed about Whitnall's form.. just thought he'd ease into it a bit and we'd see something this semi-final.. Alas Red is not looking too good... Slow and really not doing anything.

Maybe it's the captaincy, or the disrupted pre-season, or even his issues with his brother...

I hope he turns it around.. with him on fire we are that much stronger!

Head up RED... lets see you fire in the GF!

 

[Monkey King]

Considering he had the injury during the preseason that interupted his preparation, I hope its just that, and that he catches up to form soon enough.

 

[gandaal]

We won't be able to carry him when the real thing starts. Lets hope he gets over his issues next week.

 

[Menzel 2 Murphy]

dude, the upside is huge!

our best and fairest played badly and we still pumped them!

don't freeload!, become a member now! go blues!

 

[Staaar_Blue]

dude, the upside is huge!

our best and fairest played badly and we still pumped them!

don't freeload!, become a member now! go blues!

Definitely true. Our b&f has yet to hit his form but I believe this is because Denis and the guys have been experimenting with different setups around the ground which has seen Whitnall shifted around a fair bit, and more importantly he has been on the bench a fair bit with Kouta and brought on in spurts.

 

[ShlomoGlickstein]

I agree..I think it's really important Mr Shnitzel-Parmajana-Whitnall plays well this season if we're gonna take big steps this year. Larnce just makes our forward line that more potent when he fires, and gives us a #2 if Fev gets injured.

 

[Will.B.Worth.Da.Waite]

the problem is, he's been nearly useless for us the last few games. we can't drop him tho, simply becuase he's the captain. he's really depriving some youngsters a chance who are probably playign better htan him atm. he relaly needs to hit form b4 the season starts. our forwardline is a bit weak without him - 2 much fevola, not enough contributions from any1 else

 

[Jeremias]

Doesn't look like he has been playing much. Every time they show the bench he is on it.

I'm not worried about it at all. I know he can perform. And I know he will when he is called upon to do so.

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

Doesn't look like he has been playing much. Every time they show the bench he is on it.

I'm not worried about it at all. I know he can perform. And I know he will when he is called upon to do so.

You're taking the words out of my mouth today J

The good thing is, we haven't relied on him to perform. We have won three games well, and won them without much influence of our captain and best and fairest winner.

We all know what Whitnall is capable of. Let's not forget he's been injured during pre-season. Perhaps Denis is easing him back into it, and using if him if and when we need him. so far we haven't needed him. He's acting like our security blanket Think of it that way.

 

[jj1978]

Doesn't look like he has been playing much. Every time they show the bench he is on it.

I'm not worried about it at all. I know he can perform. And I know he will when he is called upon to do so.

He's been on the ground a fair bit, it's through his lack of doing anything I think he's been benched. The only good thing he did last night was to be Fev's stepladder when he took that beautiful mark.

Whitnall just seems lost at the moment... the captains curse??? having to try too hard maybe?

 

[Silvagnis]

I am a bit worried about where he will play down the track given we had Kennedy out and Hartlett showed why Hughes selected him with pick 25. I feel he will stand up and be of use this season when our younger key position players "hit the wall" due to their inexperience. But I don't know where he fits into our plans down the track given football is getting faster every year and he isn't Riewoldt who is a great pack mark and has the pace and fitness to push up the ground.

I feel Waite, Austin, Thornton and Bower will be more effective options as the loose man in defence since they have a stack more pace and agility than Big Red . Fisher, Hartlett and Kennedy who can take contested marks and the super quick Edwards will be better forward options than Whitnall who's best position is taken by Fevola.

Whitnall isn't a player who is indispensable or going to rebuild this club going by last night's match. We should have traded to get another gun kid such as Birchall or Higgins since the Dogs and Demons were interested.

We tried to offload a superstar in Fevola yet we kept Lance.

 

[blues4flag]

Just not sure if he can play forward. He and Fev don't work well together inside 50 and his lack of speed is a big problem when he's playing further out from goal.

 

[BlueWorld]

Just not sure if he can play forward. He and Fev don't work well together inside 50 and his lack of speed is a big problem when he's playing further out from goal.

They worked well together this time 2 years ago.

 

[Will.B.Worth.Da.Waite]

Just not sure if he can play forward. He and Fev don't work well together inside 50 and his lack of speed is a big problem when he's playing further out from goal.

They worked well together this time 2 years ago.

exactly wot i was going to say. when we won teh wizard cup whitnall and fev were unstoppable. played extremely well together. so i dont think thats the issue. whitnall can definately be a good forward for us, hopefully he's just in some poor form atm and will find that form come the H&A season

 

[blues4flag]

They worked well together this time 2 years ago.

For a game or two maybe, but I don't think it was any coicidence that Fev had his best season when Whitnall went back. Of course not the only factor, but it played a part.

 

[Jimthegreat]

I'd like to see Lance play a HF Flank type role. That way he's not being tied CHF and can lead up the ground, using ability to read the play, get the ball and set us up going into attack. Roaming up and down the ground a little will do more for his confidence. Kennedy can play CHF.

 

[btdg]

Whitnall's only roles this year will be pinch hitting - and he could be very effective at that. Going forward to stretch the opposition key defenders for a bit, or going in as a loose man in defence to protect leads or to drop into space in front of a rampaging forward.

He and Fevola are incompatible as forwards (and have been for 4 years now), and he just doesn't provide the same run out of defence that Waite, Thornton and O'Hailpin do. And he can't play as a flanker, cos he just doesn't cover the ground well enough.

That first round draft pick we were offered from Melbourne looks pretty good in hindsight...

 

[av76]

He has been pretty quiet. It might because off the off field stuff plus his preparation. I am very confident, come round 1 he will be hitting his stride, both mentally and physically, which is exciting given how the rest of the team is going.

 

[Thrawn]

It's pre-season folks, relax. Give our vets a bit of leeway until the real stuff starts.

If he's still like this during the season proper, then I'll be concerned.

 

[HBF]

I'm sure the off-field issues with his family have taken their toll on him. Lets not be too hard on the bloke huh!?

 

[Jimthegreat]

Whitnall's only roles this year will be pinch hitting - and he could be very effective at that. Going forward to stretch the opposition key defenders for a bit, or going in as a loose man in defence to protect leads or to drop into space in front of a rampaging forward.

He and Fevola are incompatible as forwards (and have been for 4 years now), and he just doesn't provide the same run out of defence that Waite, Thornton and O'Hailpin do. And he can't play as a flanker, cos he just doesn't cover the ground well enough.

That first round draft pick we were offered from Melbourne looks pretty good in hindsight...

He can play a flanker ok because of his smarts and ability to read the play, get up the ground and use it going forward. Gives him a head start. He covers ground alot better than you think. He can play the 3rd tall role pretty well, which, at 190cm is probably the best way to go with him.

 

[The Grover]

Whitnall's only roles this year will be pinch hitting - and he could be very effective at that. Going forward to stretch the opposition key defenders for a bit, or going in as a loose man in defence to protect leads or to drop into space in front of a rampaging forward.

He and Fevola are incompatible as forwards (and have been for 4 years now), and he just doesn't provide the same run out of defence that Waite, Thornton and O'Hailpin do. And he can't play as a flanker, cos he just doesn't cover the ground well enough.

That first round draft pick we were offered from Melbourne looks pretty good in hindsight...

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, I think if we did trade him we would have come out in front, however Pagan was **** scared to lose another experienced player.

Anyway its not all over for big red, his fitness will improve, we can play him closer to goal on ocassions, he'll be OK.

 

[as0l0]

Anyway its not all over for big red, his fitness will improve, we can play him closer to goal on ocassions, he'll be OK.

He will be brilliant! He has a lot of miles left in him yet.

Once he is finished playing he will remain at the club and one day coach us to a premiership. Perhaps he will get us into the 20's.

 

[one_twelve112]

The game seems to move at a million miles and hour, this year seems even faster than last year.....Lance seems to be a split second behind the ball and man at all times - I fear for him now that he does not have a defined position on the ground.

Can I remind people that he has only had 6 decent months of football in the past 2 and a half years? I think people think of Lance as the player we saw for the first 12 or so rounds of last year, however, I believe the second part of last year is more indicative of Lance as a player.

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

The game seems to move at a million miles and hour, this year seems even faster than last year.....Lance seems to be a split second behind the ball and man at all times - I fear for him now that he does not have a defined position on the ground.

Can I remind people that he has only had 6 decent months of football in the past 2 and a half years? I think people think of Lance as the player we saw for the first 12 or so rounds of last year, however, I believe the second part of last year is more indicative of Lance as a player.

Disagree - Lance was superb last year for us, did a very good job against a much harder, faster opposition.

There is a reason he was our best and fairest winner.