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Messages - Baggers

5236
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Your Enthusiasm
Feeling strangely pessimistic but I am sure once the ball is bounced the excitement and passion will surface. Well, I sure do hope so.
5239
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: So long and thanks for all the fish - sort of
Really sorry to read this, Ye Rat O' the River. Loved your reports and to echo what Monsieur MAV said... so much quality in every possible respect.

I'll sure look forward to the reports you do give us... with relish. Cheers good buddy.
5240
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: What have we learnt from this preseason?
Quote from: PassIt2Carrots on
Quote from: Baggers on
With you there, EB1. McInnes is a very good 'negater' and really puts in. But White also offers this plus better grunt, takes a good grab and can pinch hit up forward. Very flexible. I suspect this bloke will only get better and surprise.

He is shight and he's 26 this year. If we're relying on him to be any more than a backup player we're forked the guy goes to water under any sort of decent pressure.

Not sure 'goes to water under any sort of decent pressure' is fair. Especially when you factor in his neck injury then seeing his commitment in hard contests since. Seen him often be very physical at the contest and bring some hurt to opponents. Not sure Bootsma will ever deliver hurt in a contest... unless he squirrels someone  ;) :)
5241
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Blues V Bulldogs @ Princes Park (Friday Arvo Match)
Any side that has around 15 first round draft picks running around - with around 11 of them being top 10 (plus a FS with Waite who would have been a 1st rounder) and cannot make the 8 must be seriously under-performing. 'Der, thanks Baggers for stating the bloomin' obvious! Look out Mensa!!!' :o Easily, 9-10 of these 1st round draft picks are introverted. Trouble. Why? Way outa balance. Yep, bangin' that drum again.

We would be the most poorly performing club when you look at the number of 'stars' we have.

Our list starts off looking terrific then to drops off real quick. MM wants 30 to pick from (to carry through an entire season, winning... a challenging for September success). With us, he'd be lucky to have 24. Coupla injuries... knackered.

As some of us have identified previously, this must reflect badly on development.

As some of us have identified previously, this must reflect badly on recruiting the right blokes to support the 'stars.'

I'd be amazed if MM doesn't realise what he's inherited. Our recruiting last year indicated getting a bit more mongrel/size/flexibility into the place. And may take awhile to get a few more.

MM has also stated he wants to leave the place in better shape than when he arrived... gonna need to turnover more boys. Might have to lose some 'nice' boys to get a bit more 'Grunt (plug for NBs sponsor  :) )' into the place.

Right, wrong, good, bad... doesn't matter, point is extroverts take to leadership easier than introverts. Doesn't mean they're better, just means they take to it easier.

Leadership, leadership, leadership. More of it needed throughout the club.

5243
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: What have we learnt from this preseason?
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on
Quote from: kruddler on
Quote from: townsendcalling on
Quote from: kruddler on
#3 - Matthew Watson
Seems to have kicked it up a notch and becoming more confident in his abilities. We desperately need big blokes to stand up and he (and Andrejs) appear to be doing that which leads me to...

He desperately needs 5 exceptionally reliable back man working with him. No speculative players, no maybes. Jammo, Touy, Walker, Simpson, Henderson.   No Scotland, no Buckley, No Yarran, no Everitt (further up the ground).

Watson can work........if.

Ideally, i reckon the back 6 would look something like this.

Simpson Jamison Tuohy
Walker Watson xxxx

Now xxxx would depend on who we were playing against and what kind of setup they had. If they had an extra tall we could use McInness/Everitt....or Hendo/Waite if we get desperate.
If they had an extra small it could be Gibbs/Buckley/Curnow/Scotland/Carrazzo who would all change through the middle at stages too.

If Watson can prove himself to be reliable at CHB, then he could be THE most important player on our list when it comes to structures. Without him, we have to completely alter our lineup.


Agree on Watson ...like I have said on the Port match thread he has to make it as a KP defender and allow henderson to partner Waite up forward and give us an edge........
McInnes is very much the negative defender...gives no drive and I'm starting to think Simon White who at last has some grunt and muscle might be the better man as your 3rd tall defender...

With you there, EB1. McInnes is a very good 'negater' and really puts in. But White also offers this plus better grunt, takes a good grab and can pinch hit up forward. Very flexible. I suspect this bloke will only get better and surprise.
5245
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: What have we learnt from this preseason?
Whilst CRASH is fossicking about for his meds...

As I mentioned previously, like the CRASHmeister, I am used to being optimistic at this time of year - there's been something to hang an optimistic hat on. Oh, except for that recent pre-season under Ratts where we looked rubbish and the season ended up following suit.

We've had brilliant pre-seasons in the past decade and still managed to not continue on (even two pre-season premierships which were followed by seasons that pioneered new levels of embarrassment for the club).

For the first time... ever, I think... I'm not optimistic about this season and pray that I am shocked and surprised and so wrong I begin to question my eyesight.

I do see a side that is playing hard and strong. The attitude and commitment looks great. But we look inept and incapable of actually over powering another side. We still seem fragile... and that is the first thing that I have learnt from this pre-season. We still seem fragile in terms of ruthlessly grabbing the ascendancy, keeping it and even extending up it.

And the other thing I have learnt from this pre-season... we still rely too much on too few. Top sides win when missing stars as it is ingrained in their culture. I fear our culture has more years to go to be truly strong, and that we do not have the personnel to deliver significant success hence more years of serious culling at season's end to get the right blokes into the place. We're still making excuses for Kreuzer, Rowe, Casboult, Lucas, Warnock, Watson, Bootsma, Waite... we justify and rationalise their inadequate efforts. And that just should not be happening.

Now I'm going to find my anti-depressants. Wanna share, CRASHmeister??
5246
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: Blues V Bulldogs @ Princes Park (Friday Arvo Match)
I'm also in the 'result doesn't matter' court, but... it has been the way we have lost which has been of concern.

You would reasonably expect Caboult to dominate at this time of year and make a case for senior selection. He hasn't given anything other than a teasing moment or two (of something good).

The way other sides (particularly the Dawks, Weasels and Bogansville/Adelaide) have been playing is what I would have hoped to have seen. We just about owned the last quarter yesterday but couldn't convert. No hiding that fact. The Dishlickers were gone and we couldn't put them away.

However, I do factor in who is missing from the side. Which only makes me worry more - that we seem to be still reliant on too few.

I am normally very optimistic at this time of year. But not this year.
5250
The Sports Desk / Re: 3rd test Australia v South Africa @ Cape Town
Mighty effort on that last day... especially from Harris.

Can't remember the last time I watched so much cricket when we're not playing in Oz. Still a couple of glaring weaknesses in terms of blokes who shouldn't be in the side but gee Boof is really getting some steel and character into this side. And Michael Clarke continues to grow as a Skipper.