McEvoy - the next Len Thompson?

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Sainternist
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McEvoy - the next Len Thompson?

Post: # 1094882Post Sainternist »

I was having a chat with a mate of mine who grew up first barracking for the Filth, before realising his IQ was too high to support them and he decided on supporting North instead.

Anyhoo, he said he was very impressed in what he has seen in Big Mac playing this season and said he reminded him of his boyhood hero, Len Thompson.

Definitely a compliment, even if Thompson played for the villains. Mind you, Thompson was before my time, so it's hard for me to see how accurate this comparison is.

For those of you who saw the game in that era, any thoughts?


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Post: # 1094889Post ace »

Len Thompson was unusually tall for his era.
Ruckman were typically 190-195cm but Thompson was much taller around 200cm.
Players in general are 5 to 10cm taller now compared to players of the early 70s but are also far more fit and mobile.
Thompson had the same sort of advantage in height that Sandilands has today.

The thing about Thompson was that despite being taller than his opponents he was more mobile than them too.
He could mark and even kick better than most other ruckmen.
But a ruckmans job was easier bak then.
They would sit across the half back line and outmark the centre half forwards.
This was possible because the game was much slower and was more like kicking from one pack to another pack.

If my memory serves me right he even won a Brownlow.
Yep, just looked it up -was 1972.


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Post: # 1094891Post saint66au »

A ruckman winning a Brownlow...now theres something we wont see again in my lifetime lol


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Post: # 1094893Post plugger66 »

Nothing like Thompson unless Ben played in the 70's. As Ace said he had an advanyage in height and was very fast for a guy that tall at that time. Ben isnt tall and isnt fast for todays footy.


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Post: # 1094895Post Dr Spaceman »

plugger66 wrote:Nothing like Thompson unless Ben played in the 70's. As Ace said he had an advanyage in height and was very fast for a guy that tall at that time. Ben isnt tall and isnt fast for todays footy.
The names Ben and Len are similar though :wink:


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Post: # 1094897Post plugger66 »

Dr Spaceman wrote:
plugger66 wrote:Nothing like Thompson unless Ben played in the 70's. As Ace said he had an advanyage in height and was very fast for a guy that tall at that time. Ben isnt tall and isnt fast for todays footy.
The names Ben and Len are similar though :wink:
As are Thompson and McEvoy. Both have 2 vowels. Unless you count Y which is sort of a vowel.


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Moccha
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Post: # 1094951Post Moccha »

I think they have similar styles. I remember Thomson being a lumbering player who could take a good mark.


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Post: # 1094961Post St DAC »

Len Thompson was a very mobile, very tall ruckman who for his times was a revelation in how a ruck could play. Very quick for his size, very mobile, could cover lots of ground and play almost as a large midfielder or ruckrover type.

Ben is mobile but not quick, and is as yet nowhere near as good a tap ruckman as Thompson.

Can't see much comparison myself. But if Ben ends up having anywhere near as good a career as Thompson he'll have done very well indeed.


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Post: # 1094999Post bergsone »

From memory he didnt have a good playing record in big finals,good player for his era tho.
Cant really see much of Ben in him but


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Post: # 1095023Post Junction Oval »

They both move in a similar style - a bit lumbering. Probably all tall ruckmen move the same way!


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Post: # 1095071Post stinger »

Junction Oval wrote:They both move in a similar style - a bit lumbering. Probably all tall ruckmen move the same way!

...actually reminds me a bit of graeme fellows....


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Post: # 1095077Post evertonfc »

Knew Len well. A great bloke. Done over by some bad luck in life after a great career...

McEvoy isn't a 10th of the player yet, though who knows what the future holds. One swallow doesn't make a summer.


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Post: # 1095116Post Grantaire »

stinger wrote:
Junction Oval wrote:They both move in a similar style - a bit lumbering. Probably all tall ruckmen move the same way!

...actually reminds me a bit of graeme fellows....
JPBF's old man was a little before my time. My comment on him in the other thread was more to see if he's one of the recent signings on this board, I was hoping for a bite. No luck unfortunately...

But I do like the boy McEvoy- one of my favourite Saints. Hell, I reckon I'd even like him if he played for Carlton.


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Post: # 1095122Post stinger »

Grantaire wrote:
stinger wrote:
Junction Oval wrote:They both move in a similar style - a bit lumbering. Probably all tall ruckmen move the same way!

...actually reminds me a bit of graeme fellows....
JPBF's old man was a little before my time. My comment on him in the other thread was more to see if he's one of the recent signings on this board, I was hoping for a bite. No luck unfortunately...

But I do like the boy McEvoy- one of my favourite Saints. Hell, I reckon I'd even like him if he played for Carlton.
pretty piss poor way to smoke someone out...imhfo....


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Post: # 1095135Post BigMart »

No

Bad comparison......thompson was very mobile.....more like Cox


McEvoy.......more a traditional...gary dempsey style ruckman


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Re: McEvoy - the next Len Thompson?

Post: # 1095165Post bobmurray »

Sainternist wrote:I was having a chat with a mate of mine who grew up first barracking for the Filth, before realising his IQ was too high to support them and he decided on supporting North instead.

Anyhoo, he said he was very impressed in what he has seen in Big Mac playing this season and said he reminded him of his boyhood hero, Len Thompson.

Definitely a compliment, even if Thompson played for the villains. Mind you, Thompson was before my time, so it's hard for me to see how accurate this comparison is.

For those of you who saw the game in that era, any thoughts?
The next Len Thompson...do you mean he'll end up playing for 3 clubs


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Post: # 1095172Post saint tash »

stinger wrote:
Junction Oval wrote:They both move in a similar style - a bit lumbering. Probably all tall ruckmen move the same way!

...actually reminds me a bit of graeme fellows....
Who?? 8-)


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