Leaping Longer

[defacto]

some people. bloody hell.

the kid is in his third season. he's going to take time. not everyone comes in and dominates

i was very impressed. he certainly is much better than hickey was this time last year, look what an extra year did for hickey!!! i think we'll see similar with longer

[cannavaro17]

I like longer, think he has good potential. I know someone mentioned earlier they don't think its possible that he and hickey play together.... but what do others think? I would like to think it could work.

[plugger66]

Plugger-IQ and watch it. Their tactics were first rate today.

Im not watching that rubbish again. we would have done the same to jacobs unless of course you think Richo cant coach.

You know, sometimes players, coaches and teams are just better than you. Today Adelaide F.C were.

And i have no problem with that at all. We are a bottom 4 flatterred by the draw we had. we also beat those 2 sides we played in the first 2 games, last year. What I was commenting on was you saying they were blocking Longer's run as if we werent doing the same to jacobs. I would hope we were doing the same as every side does. Having said that it looked like Longer got to nearly all contests and jumped really well but didnt time it at all. It will come but i think it has to be in the seconds because he doesnt look a marking option at the moment.

[BigMart]

Would not work

The better Ruckman plays

Eventually one gets traded.

Question
Did Hickey play VFL with GC in 2010?

[Dis Believer]

I made mention late in the game that Adelaide's blocking was far more effective than ours. Their on-ballers were able to get outside the contest easily because of it, which is why they ultimatley killed us on the spread, and the other area it worked well was on Longer. Whenever they had the chance they were blocking him 20 to 30 metres from a stoppage and trying to make sure he couldn't get to the ball-up in time to be effective or competitive. Sometimes it worked, more often it didn't, but I am sure it wore him down over the game. We are playing a lot of kids who will handle and counter the tactic better with more experience. For those that failed to notice, the Adelaide bodies were older and heavier, and would have been pissed if they weren't superior to a bunch of boys in that aspect of the game. Give our boys time, they will get there, but it won't happen overnight, they will need more preseasons in the weights room.

It is no coincidence that the two games we have won so far are against teams with younger lists and the corresponding lighter bodies.

Don't expect it to get lots better against the injectors.

[bergholt]

I thought Longer was OK but then I was expecting him to be destroyed and instead he was just beaten badly. Jacobs was my BOG, has the workrate and ruck skill that comes with class and a few years in the system. Longer shows glimpses in the ruck contests but doesn't run to any of the right spots around the ground at this point. Followed Jacobs around most of the day but couldn't stop him.

That said, it's his 10th game so obviously he's going to get a lot better from there. I'm not even slightly worried by him at this point. Plenty of others to worry about more: Stanley, Siposs, Roberton, Ross, Milera, Savage, Simpkin, Dunell, Fisher, Gwilt, Maister, Murdoch, White.

[Animal Enclosure]

Jacobs always destroyed McEvoy too. He's a very underrated ruckman who has the miles in the legs that Billy hasn't as yet.

[BigMart]

Jacobs is very rated.... Close to the best stoppage Ruckman in the AFL

With Mumford and Minson

Surprised Billy got 24 hit outs, good effort against the bigger, stronger opponent

[The Redeemer]

Jacobs always destroyed McEvoy too. He's a very underrated ruckman who has the miles in the legs that Billy hasn't as yet.

Who doesn't destroy McEvoy though?

[CURLY]

Just as a bit of perspective Grundy rucked against Hampson who is a donkey. He had 24 hit outs and 4 touches against him which shows a bigger bodied ruckman no matter how bad will generally beat a young up and comer.

[BigMart]

The ruckmen Ben got Brownlow votes against or the one he smashed in R1 this year.

Some of Bens games must have been missed?! Surely?!

He had 30+ hit outs a lot
20+ possessions in some games?

You might think I'm a Ben lover.... Not really... But the absurd crap that suggest he can't play, just because he's left is ridiculous ....
And it was not his decision to leave??

Fact is
Hickey has lost the HO count worse than this season, than Ben last.... He's won 63 and conceded 117

[gringo]

Jacobs is very rated.... Close to the best stoppage Ruckman in the AFL

With Mumford and Minson

Surprised Billy got 24 hit outs, good effort against the bigger, stronger opponent

Yeah Jacobs is always mentioned as one of the Blues huge stuff ups. He was pretty much behind a few okay rucks at Carlton and once they over paid for Warnock they played him ahead of Jacobs.

[dragit]

Fact is
Hickey has lost the HO count worse than this season, than Ben last.... He's won 63 and conceded 117

Another fact is that over their first 27 matches, Hickey is front of McEvoy (311 - 255) for hitouts… has twice as many goals and 50% more contested marks… not that it really matters at this stage in his career.

[BigMart]

Wouldn't Michael Gardiner have something to do with that?

[dragit]

Wouldn't Michael Gardiner have something to do with that?

No more than McEvoy to Tom… not sure if Gumby was #1 ruck all that often when he played for Gold Coast either was he?

Barely any point comparing them until we have a bigger sample size, like 80-100 games?

[BigMart]

He came into the side because of knee injuries to their top two ruckmen and Fraser being inept

He actually Di a reasonable job in his 10 or so games at the GC.... Considering

[plugger66]

Wouldn't Michael Gardiner have something to do with that?

Wouldnt Ben and the other GC ruckman have something to do with hickey. of course not. What amaxes me is you rap up Longer but people have to nearly put pins in your eyes to give Hickey a rap and even then there is awlays a negative. We know why and it has something to do with the word wrong.

[BigMart]

I believe Longer is a talented player, very impressive for a 21yo Ruckman ... And has heaps of development

I believe Hickey is not strong or talented enough to become a dominant Ruckman ... He is a 23yo stick

I am allowed those opinions P66... You cannot tell me what I should think?!

I see Jamie Cripps had another 12 possessions (39 DTs) on the weekend. With four key mids out, I would have thought a fourth year top 25 DP might have had a run in the middle?
I suppose he held his season average though?

But hey, I am not allowed an opinion on him either

[dragit]

I see Jamie Cripps had another 12 possessions (39 DTs) on the weekend.

He kicked a quarter of his sides goals - again

[plugger66]

I believe Longer is a talented player, very impressive for a 21yo Ruckman ... And has heaps of development

I believe Hickey is not strong or talented enough to become a dominant Ruckman ... He is a 23yo stick

I am allowed those opinions P66... You cannot tell me what I should think?!

I see Jamie Cripps had another 12 possessions (39 DTs) on the weekend. With four key mids out, I would have thought a fourth year top 25 DP might have had a run in the middle?
I suppose he held his season average though?

But hey, I am not allowed an opinion on him either

You can have an opinion but calling a young saints ruckman a gumby is just wrong. You get wrong dont you? Well you dont and its obvious. Have no idea what cripps has to do with anything here. Its very silly comment. I did see a photo of him in the paper the other day. By the way why the hell have you taken me off ignore. Fascinated obviously.

[Saints Angel]

I believe Longer has to be given a fair go. Has had an injury interrupted preseason. The club have only given him a half of footy with Sandy in the last fortnight. He was taken to Perth as an emergency and didn't play. Let assess him when he has been playing a while hey.

[BigMart]

Was calling Tim Elliot a Gumby wrong?...What about some of Raphs names?
Maister?

I can make a comment about any player I want?

I called Jamie Cripps soft... Not too sure I'm wrong.. Even after you screamed bloody murder for 3 years about it?

[plugger66]

Was calling Tim Elliot a Gumby wrong?...What about some of Raphs names?
Maister?

I can make a comment about any player I want?

I called Jamie Cripps soft... Not too sure I'm wrong.. Even after you screamed bloody murder for 3 years about it?

Well you are wrong about cripps and any other AFL player if you call them soft. I know you wont answer this because it hurts you pathetic opinion but why have 4 coaches continued to play this soft player? And Tim Elliott wasnt a gumby and neither is maister. No idea about raphs names but im sure if people said something that was obviously wrong they would admit it. Its impossible for you. there are just to many examples and when proven wrong you find some silly loophole that somehow satifies your ego that you were actually right. Now why arent i on ignore? is it you fascination with me?

[Con Gorozidis]

I think Longer and Stanley did fine.
The least of our worries from my point of view. Adelaide cut us open with precision kicking, good running and when there was a contest they had an extra number. All round sharper game.
We looked slow and very few of our players kicked well - some if was lazy, tired and sloppy - some of it was forced on us by good pressure from the Crows.
Sauce Jacobs did have a very good game though.
I also notice Zac Clarke had 11 marks for the Dockers.

We have 3 ruck man. I believe Pelchen is working on the theory that 2 of the 3 will end up good in the next 2 years.

[BigMart]

Relatively speaking.... Ver soft

Tim Elliot was a very average player whose nickname on SS was Gumby

Raph was the ultimate whipping boy, partially deserved, partially over the top

Cripps is a fringe player at best, who is a below par contributor .... Hill is injured, he gets in as a small fwd who kicks cheating Saad style goals.... And averages 12 touches a game

He is no better, if as good as Eli Templeton... A first year rookie

Anyways,

As the kids say... 'What evs'