Who will step up next year

[Nige_Bix]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
..but we've got to be prepared to back them in and give them time to develop at AFL level.

Too right - and if you don't give these guys a go you'll never know what they are made of - I reckon they should have a sort of youth policy that requires developing players to get more game time.

I know many will say you must play your best side every week but we have seen how players can go off in form during a season and we tend to carry them a bit too much. We should turn them over more and give them reality check and play a younger guy in their place.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by jfb313
Too right - and if you don't give these guys a go you'll never know what they are made of - I reckon they should have a sort of youth policy that requires developing players to get more game time.

I know many will say you must play your best side every week but we have seen how players can go off in form during a season and we tend to carry them a bit too much. We should turn them over more and give them reality check and play a younger guy in their place.

Very true. Give them a chance to get some experience. None of this crap thats been happening this year where we give a youngster a chance one week and even tho he has performed OK drop him the following week. It has happened with Hentschel and Schuback this year. We need to give them some games stringed together. Let them get a bit more acustomed to AFL footy. The more exposure they get the better for their development and the quicker they will get the confidence so they believe in themselves.

No one does this better than Essendon. They will have a youngster play majority of the games every year even if they are not performing as well as they could. I think we should almost make it a club policy in 2004 that we must play 2 youngsters in our side each week.

 

[Nige_Bix]

Apart from Job Watson!!

 

[tinman]

Originally posted by Scotty's_Girl
Hopefully James Begley, Brent Reilly and Chris Ladhams will all step up next year

Begley is a good type but just needs to work on his left side. Reilly will be a very good footballer.

I don't know where Massie will find the extra yard of pace from...........but hope he does.

I would also like to see the return of Doughty. He was great in 2002 and couldn't get a run in 2003. He will need to play a majority of games to hold a spot in the squad.

 

[Nige_Bix]

Originally posted by tinman
I would also like to see the return of Doughty. He was great in 2002 and couldn't get a run in 2003. He will need to play a majority of games to hold a spot in the squad.

By all reports he is doing his utmost to get back into the side. I'd say he knows it's a make or break year for him.

 

[DaveW]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
Not having a go Kane just trying to get some discussion going

I am guessing that DaveW has picked Stevens on the basis that more often than not our recruits have good debut seasons with us. Am I right Davew??????

Yeah, that sounds like a good reason as any.

I think Stevens is as AFL hardened as any of the guys who aren't in our best 22-25, along with Doughty too I guess.

Just a guess though, it's a bit of an impossible question to answer, put another way: Which player do you expect to unexpectedly step up?

 

[Crow-mosone]

I agree with the comments on Schuback, i think he must be about cherry ripe.

I would want Reilly to step up also, think he will mind you, but 3 years without a return for a player like him wouldn't be acceptable.

Begley I think might become a very fine player for us, a guy of his size and mobility, if used the right way could be very damaging across half back.

 

[tribey]

Originally posted by Crow-mosone
Begley I think might become a very fine player for us, a guy of his size and mobility, if used the right way could be very damaging across half back.

St. Kilda earmarked him as a future captain of the club - mind you they've had 1000 of them - before he cracked the sads and wanted to move home.

He was very highly rated there and should come good in a major way with the right luck.

 

[Mego Red]

Players that I think we should give the time on field and the jobs to come good, who's 10%-20% improvement could mean a lot:
James Begley 23, Matthew Bode 24, Chris Ladhams, Graham Johncock 21, Scott Stevens 22, Ben Hudson 25

Plyares who I think could take a big step up this year, and surprise:
Trent Hentschell 22, Reilly, Hayden Skipworth 20, Tyson Stenglein 23, Jacob Schuback 20

Players that I still hold out hope for, probably beyond 2004:
Nathan Bock 20, Luke Jericho 19, Fergus Watts 18, Josh Kruger 20

Players who I think might have shown us what they've got:
Martin Mattner 21, Ian Perrie 24, Ben Rutten 20, Robert Shirley 23

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by Kristof
Players that I think we should give the time on field and the jobs to come good, who's 10%-20% improvement could mean a lot:
James Begley 23, Matthew Bode 24, Chris Ladhams, Graham Johncock 21, Scott Stevens 22, Ben Hudson 25

Plyares who I think could take a big step up this year, and surprise:
Trent Hentschell 22, Reilly, Hayden Skipworth 20, Tyson Stenglein 23, Jacob Schuback 20

Players that I still hold out hope for, probably beyond 2004:
Nathan Bock 20, Luke Jericho 19, Fergus Watts 18, Josh Kruger 20

Players who I think might have shown us what they've got:
Martin Mattner 21, Ian Perrie 24, Ben Rutten 20, Robert Shirley 23

Also, don't forget that we should get a much better year from Goody & hopefully Macca too. IMO, if we have 2 of either Roo, Goody & Macca having a great game, we are hard to beat. Can probably add Burton now too.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Kristof
Players that I think we should give the time on field and the jobs to come good, who's 10%-20% improvement could mean a lot:
James Begley 23, Matthew Bode 24, Chris Ladhams, Graham Johncock 21, Scott Stevens 22, Ben Hudson 25

Plyares who I think could take a big step up this year, and surprise:
Trent Hentschell 22, Reilly, Hayden Skipworth 20, Tyson Stenglein 23, Jacob Schuback 20

Players that I still hold out hope for, probably beyond 2004:
Nathan Bock 20, Luke Jericho 19, Fergus Watts 18, Josh Kruger 20

Players who I think might have shown us what they've got:
Martin Mattner 21, Ian Perrie 24, Ben Rutten 20, Robert Shirley 23

I agree pretty much with everything you said except that we might have seen what Rutten's got to offer. He played 2 AFL games and I am not sure if thats enough to make an educated guess. If we are going by SANFL form then he is one fine player. Unfortunately SANFL form is not always a good barometer.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
Also, don't forget that we should get a much better year from Goody & hopefully Macca too. IMO, if we have 2 of either Roo, Goody & Macca having a great game, we are hard to beat. Can probably add Burton now too.

Lets just hope Roo doesn't have a Brownlow hangover. I must say his 2001 (????) form was very ordinary.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
Lets just hope Roo doesn't have a Brownlow hangover. I must say his 2001 (????) form was very ordinary.

Roo tends to only struggle where he has had injury problems. I would only be concerned if his ankles started giving him grief. I doubt he will have a "mental" hangover like a few others.

 

[Crow-mosone]

Originally posted by dyertribe
St. Kilda earmarked him as a future captain of the club - mind you they've had 1000 of them - before he cracked the sads and wanted to move home.

He was very highly rated there and should come good in a major way with the right luck.

Agree, there is something about the lad. The ability and size is there, but the heart? time will tell on that one.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by Crow-mosone
Agree, there is something about the lad. The ability and size is there, but the heart? time will tell on that one.

I'm not sure whether a lack of heart is an issue with Begley - reckon mental toughness & decision making (at time) are the areas he needs to improve.

 

[-WWJD-]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
Roo tends to only struggle where he has had injury problems. I would only be concerned if his ankles started giving him grief. I doubt he will have a "mental" hangover like a few others.

Yeah, he seems really hungry for more success next year, so that can only be a good thing.

As fod who'll step up, I'd like to think Bodey will return to his '02 form with a bit more field time now that Bicks has retired. Hopefully he'll become that in and under type we'll be looking for.

 

[Crow-mosone]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
I'm not sure whether a lack of heart is an issue with Begley - reckon mental toughness & decision making (at time) are the areas he needs to improve.

ok when I say heart, I mean workrate, mental toughness, the extra bits that enhance talent.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Crow-mosone
ok when I say heart, I mean workrate, mental toughness, the extra bits that enhance talent.

I think that sort of relates to confidence with Begley. Lets not forget that his AFL career so far has been greatly hampered by injuries some of them being pretty serious shoulder injuries. His best season injury-wise has been 2003 and I am confident that once he gets more confidence in his body he will push himself harder and probably run through pain later in the games.

He definetly shows something. There is something about him that suggests that he will be a good player. He has only scratched the surface of his potential.

 

[spindoctor]

Why all the bad word on Begley? He did alright when given an opportunity.

 

[tinman]

Originally posted by Kane McGoodwin
I'm not sure whether a lack of heart is an issue with Begley - reckon mental toughness & decision making (at time) are the areas he needs to improve.

I think he is pretty good in these areas...he just gets trapped on his left side a bit as he is very right sided. He has heart and ability. I think just a bit of work on his wrong side and he can be a very, very good player.

 

[Crow-mosone]

Originally posted by tinman
I think he is pretty good in these areas...he just gets trapped on his left side a bit as he is very right sided. He has heart and ability. I think just a bit of work on his wrong side and he can be a very, very good player.

Basically I think we all agree on that, that he could be a very good player. It's now up to him to take the next step.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I would like to see Doughty, Ladhams, Bode, Reilly and Schuback improve in 2004. All have shown glimpses of what they can do but only in patches. Bode can really be dangerous if he is on song as can Ladhams who is a killer left foot kick even from the boundary line. Doughty just needs to work a bit harder to earn his place and Reilly and Schuback will get more game time this year one would hope. Schuback is sorta like Ladhams to a degree.

Massie is pretty unnderated and is turning out to be a very damn good player for us...that swap with Gallagher/Eccles worked out nice hehe

I also hope Welsh can play every game across half forward sometimes being the go to man with his strong marking but more so to be a tall crumber...very handy, look how he ripped up the dons this year, I would love to see him kick 40 or even 50.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Thunderstruck
Schuback is sorta like Ladhams to a degree.

The only glaring similarity between the 2 is that they are both left footers.

The main difference between Ladhams and Schuback is that Schuey can get his own footy and plays very much "inside" where as Ladhams is more of an "outside" player. Both can play midfield and both have very good skills but Schuey has the ability to hunt the ball in and under while Lads will not go in as hard. Both can kick some absolute corkers

 

[naughty monkey]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
The main difference between Ladhams and Schuback is that Schuey can get his own footy and plays very much "inside" where as Ladhams is more of an "outside" player. Both can play midfield and both have very good skills but Schuey has the ability to hunt the ball in and under while Lads will not go in as hard. Both can kick some absolute corkers

your assessment of Schu is based on....?

On the rare occasions he played in the middle for the bays he wasn't in and under. He looked lost to me.

Schubach seems closer to a Welsh type for mine.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
your assessment of Schu is based on....?

His form with Westies in 2002. I must admit I haven't seen him play this year. Last year he did play on a few occasions with Westies and he was always the one hunting the ball.