Will Sullivan Upgraded

[Prem87]

I saw Cox today and I dont think the problem is with his stomach muscles now.

I think its to do with his foot, I think he may have re-injured his foot injury.

I remember reading on bf last week or the week before about someone who saw Cox at their work and he had a noticeable limp.

 

[Avalor]

Could it mean Nik Nat spending a little more time than previously thought at Full Forward? The coaches seem to have been getting him to lead out from FF - trailing it - this was noticeable in the Carlton praccy game. I believe in the Melbourne game too he led out hard to take a clean grab and converted.
Would be interesting! I remember Matthews and co suggested this scenario.

 

[swannies]

Well said mate.

You get the sense he'd be much more highly rated by supporters if he was at another club, given his peers at WC. It looks bad when he's getting owned by Naitanui/Cox in intraclubs and training drills... but then so would 95% of ruckmen in the comp. And it means he'll be a much better ruckman himself for that constant experience.

As mentioned, he was better than Warnock in the game against Carlton. That augers well for what should be a much-improved season at WAFL level for him. He's fitter and stronger, and after months of contesting against Cox and NicNat, facing the likes of Spaanderman, Newick and Beeck might feel like a bit of a cakewalk.

Great post. Not sure what players have to have done to be rated by some Eagles supporters.

Anyway, he's a good kid, works hard and deserves his opportunity!

 

[zero]

hmmm, tangentially it also bodes ill well for the big qstick as well.

his form was not good, and he has missed the last 2 weeks has he not?

perhaps cox AND lynch are looking sketchy for round 1

 

[joeyavalanche]

can someone give an update on cox?

apart from a 'noticeable limp' is there anything that he actually injured in a game or are we just forgetting that maybe this is just a 7 foot guy with a sore foot who has just had surgery and hasnt had a run for a while?

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

hmmm, tangentially it also bodes ill well for the big qstick as well.

his form was not good, and he has missed the last 2 weeks has he not?

perhaps cox AND lynch are looking sketchy for round 1

He played all but the Melbourne game.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

I saw Cox today and I dont think the problem is with his stomach muscles now.

I think its to do with his foot, I think he may have re-injured his foot injury.

I'd be pretty upset if this is a result of him being 'forced' to play whilst on pain killers, all year, a few years back, with the broken foot. The Wirra incident:

 

[Nuke Fremantle]

Someone mentioned in the Melb game thread that they saw Cox walking across the oval at full time with a boot off and a limp. I really don't like the sound of this.

Anyway, well done to Will Sullivan. By most accounts I've read he's shown improvement in the preseason games this year.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

I agree it seems we want Lynch playing FF instead of stuffing around playing him as a backup ruckman.

This year every team can elevate an extra rookie to the playing list but I'm uncertain if this MUST be done prior to round 1?

The fact that we chose to elevate a ruckman to me means that Cox is not travelling as well as we hoped and he may not be right to go come round 1.

But I will go with a 'glass half full approach', the club knows he might not be right for a couple of weeks but its not like we expect to have Cox on the long term injury list in order to elevate Sullivan to cover him. Sullivan may only get 1 or 2 games before Cox is right to go.

The other 'glass half full' view is we will see Naitanui playing more on the ball

Does this mean the glass is full?????

At the end of last year, you argued quite stridently that, when not rucking, Naitanui should be played out of the goal-square.

Do you still think that?

 

[rednblacks]

JON and Cockie , sound like they are the other two players in contention for promotion early in season , from past reports in media !

For Round 1 Rookies needs to be promoted by tomorrow afternoon 4pm !

Who the **** is JON?

 

[rhinowce]

Who the **** is JON?

He played a few games for richmond i think.

 

[Goldfish]

Someone mentioned in the Melb game thread that they saw Cox walking across the oval at full time with a boot off and a limp. I really don't like the sound of this.

Anyway, well done to Will Sullivan. By most accounts I've read he's shown improvement in the preseason games this year.

Yep, that was me. I was at the game, and he didn't go out onto the ground like all the other players after the win to shake hands etc, just walked along the boundary boots in hand with a limp straight up the race...

 

[ziad]

Good luck sullivan.

better than warnock is a reasonable start.
The options behind such a move are wide, cox injured, NN in the mid field, NN to FF as Q has been poor, Sullivan isa competative ruckman, etc

One constant is that NN does not fit the ruckman mold and how he is used is open to creative coaching.

If cox is injured there is no point pushing him early as this season we work towards the 8 and next season the 4. get time into sullivan.

Perhaps this will ollow NN and the coaches to explore more roles - we certainly need him at contests from what I saw during the per season.

.

 

[Brazen]

Woosh sys its just insurance and a reward for good form... no current injury concerns for Cox or NicNat

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/90626/default.aspx

Eagles play it safe by elevating rookie ruckman

"Last week against Carlton and in the small amount of ground time he got against Melbourne on the weekend, he showed he could hold up and ruck in the AFL now.

"With only two recognised ruckmen on our senior list, we felt once Will proved that he was ready to step up that he would take that spot on the list."

 

[Anjahads]

Any news on the other 2 rookie's to be elevated today?I thought deadline was 2pm EST today?

 

[sTeeL]

Deadline for Round 1. Since noone is in extroardinary form to push them to senior selection I believe they will hold off till someone is needed.

 

[Marlin01]

Woosh sys its just insurance and a reward for good form... no current injury concerns for Cox or NicNat

That's good to hear. I was starting to jump to conclusions. With Cox doing bugger all this pre-season and then hobbling off the ground last week, Sullivan's elevation seemed to auger poorly for Cox playing rd 1. I hope Woosha is being honest.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Good news for Sullivan to show his full wares at AFL level. Played well against Carlton.

 

[carlos39]

perhaps, and i say perhaps, its a moe to have more of a look at hansen with less of a reliance on having lynch in the team as a filler.

or just complete insurance if one of the boys goes down.

 

[BartBart]

Any news on the other 2 rookie's to be elevated today?I thought deadline was 2pm EST today?

We chose to only Nominate one rookie - not sure if it were salary cap reasons. So, from now on for any other rookie to play they have to be elevated for a player on the LTI List.

 

[greennick]

Congrats to Will, hope he gets a chance or two throughout the year (but not too many).

 

[Obeanie1]

At the end of last year, you argued quite stridently that, when not rucking, Naitanui should be played out of the goal-square.

Do you still think that?

Obviously when Cox is in the side and rucking Naitanui is much better served playing on the field as opposed to what we did with Seaby and sit him on the pine.

And to once again clarify my view I said NN should play deep forward and take the rucking duties from the HFF to the goal line. When the ball is locked in our forward line NN spins his magic and Cox can set up a kick behind play and obviously takes ruck duties outside the forward line. When not playing on ball NN still gets to develop his rucking but also provides a big tall target who is exceptional at ground level and adds serious defensive pressure.

From reports it seems NN is still not getting the timing of his leads spot on, then again what 200cm 19yr old does?. I'd be interested to have him playing deep in the pocket, let either McKinely or Le Cras make the lead up field from the square and then have NN lead towards the goal square. Both McKinely and Le Cras are more experienced as a leading forward and better marks at this stage. NN drags the bigger KP fullback to one side and then leads towards goals not away from them.

At this stage lets keep his role deep forward as simple as possible, given time and experience he can only get better.

 

[bodazoka]

Good on ya Sullivan, at very least youve shown greater rucking prowess then using Lynch as a backup. Hopefully you can crack a few games and we can see your work at AFL level.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

And to once again clarify my view I said NN should play deep forward and take the rucking duties from the HFF to the goal line. When the ball is locked in our forward line NN spins his magic and Cox can set up a kick behind play and obviously takes ruck duties outside the forward line. When not playing on ball NN still gets to develop his rucking but also provides a big tall target who is exceptional at ground level and adds serious defensive pressure.

From reports it seems NN is still not getting the timing of his leads spot on, then again what 200cm 19yr old does?. I'd be interested to have him playing deep in the pocket, let either McKinely or Le Cras make the lead up field from the square and then have NN lead towards the goal square. Both McKinely and Le Cras are more experienced as a leading forward and better marks at this stage. NN drags the bigger KP fullback to one side and then leads towards goals not away from them.

At this stage lets keep his role deep forward as simple as possible, given time and experience he can only get better.

You also asked, "Why is Cox/Naitanui any different to Kurt Tippett?"

That suggests a slightly more involved key forward than you're expounding here.

Do you still think there's a negligible difference between both our ruckmen and a KPP who booted 55 goals last season?

 

[Double the Fist]

Go Willy, grab it with both hands.....