Nick Riewoldt thread

[Con Gorozidis]

There seems to a lack of analysis of where Nick is on this forum.
He is our skipper/leader/most important player and the highest paid player on the list yet we havent really discussed him.
IN my opinion he will be the barometer for the team in 2012.
If he has another shocker I think we could miss the 8. If he has a good year we could well find ourselves top 4 again.

I simply cannot imagine him having a poor season and the rest of the team doing well anyway. And Vice versa - i cant imagine him having a great year and the team not also doing well.

Noone has really answered whether his 2011 was out of form, over the hill, injured or poor coaching????

If we can get a guage of how is 2012 will go then I think that will go a long way to guaging how we will go overall.

[hungry for a premiership]

For me, there is only one reason why he was substandard in '11: Injury.

In that final against Sydney, his knee was so buggered he could barely walk.

From all reports, he's had a ripping pre-season and if his knee holds up there's no reason why he can't return to his best form this year and for the next 3-4 years.

He was hands-down the best forward in the comp before he did his knee in THAT match against Collingwood in '10, and since then he's never fully recovered, IMHO. Hopefully that all changes this year.

In any case, he'll always be an inspirational leader and a champion bloke.

Good luck to Rooey for this year.

[andolater]

If he could kick for goal, everything would be ok.


The amount of goals he missed was the difference between a reasonable season and the shocker he had, injury or no injury.
Nicks goal kicking efficiency is also the baromoter for his confidence, which he needs to be high.

I think within two games we will tell whether he is wasting the teams time by playing up forward and not utiilising valuable FWD 50 entries. I would rather see him around the wings of ground as his field kicking is always very good.

If Nicks goal kicking does not improve there should be no place for him in the FWD line.

He will then need hold down a role through the gorund and assist in getting the ball to a new look FWD line

[Wrote for Luck]

tend to agree with this. kicking goals is good for his confidence and missing them is not. so this has no doubt played a part with his form.

I remember how amazing he was looking pre-season 2010. At the club scratchy he looked like a god. very unlucky what happened to him.

two things for me; hopefully he doesn't get played unless he is close to 100% and secondly I hope the forward game plan won't revolve around him like it has in the past.

[bigcarl]

If he has another shocker I think we could miss the 8. If he has a good year we could well find ourselves top 4 again.

If we are THAT reliant on any one player we are fragile and in trouble.

My hope is that we find another genuine key forward to shift the focus away from Riewoldt ... hopefully a genuine goal-kicking key forward.

I was going to suggest Tommy Walsh, but, that no longer being possible, it may have to be Goddard chf.

Perhaps wing for Riewoldt where he's not constantly being crunched by two or three opponents.

[Wrote for Luck]

If Simpkin or someone else could play FB then Wilkes to the forward line (to bring that forward muscle)

[SaintPav]

For me, there is only one reason why he was substandard in '11: Injury.

In that final against Sydney, his knee was so buggered he could barely walk.

From all reports, he's had a ripping pre-season and if his knee holds up there's no reason why he can't return to his best form this year and for the next 3-4 years.

He was hands-down the best forward in the comp before he did his knee in THAT match against Collingwood in '10, and since then he's never fully recovered, IMHO. Hopefully that all changes this year.

In any case, he'll always be an inspirational leader and a champion bloke.

Good luck to Rooey for this year.

He did a serious tendon injury against Collingwood in 2010. He didn't injure his knee.

He's knee has got progressivley worse since the end of 2009 and that for me is a big concern.

[matrix]

Nick is on this forum?

wonder what name he's under?

[SMS]

He'll kick 64 goals, take the most marks and become a premiership CHF captain in 2012.

O and He'll win the norm smith.

[borderbarry]

I would like to see him at Full Forward. Might not miss as many from closer in. The problem then of course is who can fill the CHF spot? BJ might be the best bet.

[skfc17]

SMS
Club Player


Joined: 04 Nov 2011
Posts: 44

Posted: Sun 22 Jan 2012 8:44am    Post subject:
He'll kick 64 goals, take the most marks and become a premiership CHF captain in 2012.

O and He'll win the norm smith.

+1
With much improved delivery from peake and gram

[dcstkfc]

I am uncertain as to whether his body wil get much better at 29. He's copped a battering for a decade.

Even last year though he was still in our best 10 most weeks, but I'd agree we need him at or close to 09 form to be a flag contender.

The Collingwood injury should not be understated. A footballing tragedy. He was the best player in the league when that happened. His first two finals in 09 were ridiculously good.

[defacto]

If Simpkin or someone else could play FB then Wilkes to the forward line (to bring that forward muscle)

spot on. wilkes can clunk a mark, which is exactly what we need.

roo the lead up fwd. beau wilkes to clunk the contested in the goal square.

milne, scheinds to pick up the crumbs. although milne is a great lead up fwd for his size too.

run kozi through the fwd line. add a splash of youth with saad, siposs, cripps and were laughing.

[bobmurray]

There seems to a lack of analysis of where Nick is on this forum.
He is our skipper/leader/most important player and the highest paid player on the list yet we havent really discussed him.
IN my opinion he will be the barometer for the team in 2012.
If he has another shocker I think we could miss the 8. If he has a good year we could well find ourselves top 4 again.

I simply cannot imagine him having a poor season and the rest of the team doing well anyway. And Vice versa - i cant imagine him having a great year and the team not also doing well.

Noone has really answered whether his 2011 was out of form, over the hill, injured or poor coaching????

If we can get a guage of how is 2012 will go then I think that will go a long way to guaging how we will go overall.

I'll let the 2012 season itself answer your question, i'm sure he'll want to do better but if he's continually double and triple teamed because he's our only avenue then he may not be the player he has been.

There's no given age that a player gets to where it's a given that the decline will begin, all we know is the decline will come...maybe it visited Nick in 2011....

[plugger66]

If Simpkin or someone else could play FB then Wilkes to the forward line (to bring that forward muscle)

spot on. wilkes can clunk a mark, which is exactly what we need.

roo the lead up fwd. beau wilkes to clunk the contested in the goal square.

milne, scheinds to pick up the crumbs. although milne is a great lead up fwd for his size too.

run kozi through the fwd line. add a splash of youth with saad, siposs, cripps and were laughing.

I am not a huge Kosi fan but surely he has Wilkes covered as a forward so I ant see how Wilkes can actually play as a forward. One thing that wont happen is Wilkes, Kosi and Rooy all together in the forward line. Well I certainly hope it doesnt.

[Eastern]

What we really need is a Half Forward Flanker with a bit of mongrel in him in the Aaron Hamill mould (also becomes another goal kicking option). Could Lenny fill this role in the twilight of his career?. Then we could have a forward six consisting of Rooey, Kosi, Sippo, Lenny, Milney & Saad. Plenty of options there, with Schneids, Jack, Benny & others rotating through there as well !!

[plugger66]

What we really need is a Half Forward Flanker with a bit of mongrel in him in the Aaron Hamill mould (also becomes another goal kicking option). Could Lenny fill this role in the twilight of his career?. Then we could have a forward six consisting of Rooey, Kosi, Sippo, Lenny, Milney & Saad. Plenty of options there, with Schneids, Jack, Benny & others rotating through there as well !!

I think what last season showed is Lenny cant play forward and the one simple reason is we need him in the midfield.

[Old Mate]

What we really need is a Half Forward Flanker with a bit of mongrel in him in the Aaron Hamill mould (also becomes another goal kicking option). Could Lenny fill this role in the twilight of his career?. Then we could have a forward six consisting of Rooey, Kosi, Sippo, Lenny, Milney & Saad. Plenty of options there, with Schneids, Jack, Benny & others rotating through there as well !!

I think what last season showed is Lenny cant play forward and the one simple reason is we need him in the midfield.

Last year showed that we need a decent midfield coach. Armo was our leading clearance player and then suddenly gets moved into a defensive forward role. Steven replaced him and became one of our best clearance players for the year. Why weren't both played more often at the same time? You would think Armo was injured however he wasn't. Shows why we were close to the worst clearance and contested team in the comp.

Anyway, a year (two in Lenny's case) is a long time in footy. Who knows Steven may step up another level. Armo may take his opportunities in the midfield. Someone from left field may step up. Laidley may be a midfield genius. Hayes may be past it and play more in the forward line.

[SaintSimmo]

one word: confidence
It's what was clearly lacking in his game
He had little confidence that his knee would hold up
He had no confidence that he would convert from a set shot

It clearly made him frustrated, and was preventing him from playing his best footy.

Hopefully a new coaching staff, new players, new playing style and a new, refreshed attitude in 2012 will help roo regain the respect of the footy world.

[whiskers3614]

maybe a temporary change of position would do the trick (a la Barry Lawrence)?

[skeptic]

RL really ran him into the ground considering his knee injury... really needed more rest.

Hope it's not degenerative

[vacuous space]

I can't believe people want him to play deep. It wasn't that long ago that people wanted to move him to the wing. He's made a career out of blowing up the tanks of opposing defenders. So far I've seen nothing to suggest that's going to change. People seemed to mention his knee whenever he had a poor game last year, but he still seemed to be covering a lot of ground. My theory is, with better delivery and better midfield play, Roo's knee will get talked about a lot less.

[Sick Nal Danto]

What we really need is a Half Forward Flanker with a bit of mongrel in him in the Aaron Hamill mould (also becomes another goal kicking option). Could Lenny fill this role in the twilight of his career?. Then we could have a forward six consisting of Rooey, Kosi, Sippo, Lenny, Milney & Saad. Plenty of options there, with Schneids, Jack, Benny & others rotating through there as well !!

I think what last season showed is Lenny cant play forward and the one simple reason is we need him in the midfield.

Last year showed that we need a decent midfield coach. Armo was our leading clearance player and then suddenly gets moved into a defensive forward role. Steven replaced him and became one of our best clearance players for the year. Why weren't both played more often at the same time? You would think Armo was injured however he wasn't. Shows why we were close to the worst clearance and contested team in the comp.

Anyway, a year (two in Lenny's case) is a long time in footy. Who knows Steven may step up another level. Armo may take his opportunities in the midfield. Someone from left field may step up. Laidley may be a midfield genius. Hayes may be past it and play more in the forward line.

I was watching our 09 games v North Melbourne, And one thing I can say is that Dean Laidley was the only coach to comprehensively breakdown our system and gameplan. If he can use these tactics on gameday, I have no doubt our mid-field will improve

[SainterK]

I can't believe people want him to play deep. It wasn't that long ago that people wanted to move him to the wing. He's made a career out of blowing up the tanks of opposing defenders. So far I've seen nothing to suggest that's going to change. People seemed to mention his knee whenever he had a poor game last year, but he still seemed to be covering a lot of ground. My theory is, with better delivery and better midfield play, Roo's knee will get talked about a lot less.

Was he covering as much?

I think he was super proppy and didn't cover nearly the same distance.

Never saw him out there running well before games either like he used to.

For his sake (and the clubs) he surely needs to modify his game?

[Old Mate]

What we really need is a Half Forward Flanker with a bit of mongrel in him in the Aaron Hamill mould (also becomes another goal kicking option). Could Lenny fill this role in the twilight of his career?. Then we could have a forward six consisting of Rooey, Kosi, Sippo, Lenny, Milney & Saad. Plenty of options there, with Schneids, Jack, Benny & others rotating through there as well !!

I think what last season showed is Lenny cant play forward and the one simple reason is we need him in the midfield.

Last year showed that we need a decent midfield coach. Armo was our leading clearance player and then suddenly gets moved into a defensive forward role. Steven replaced him and became one of our best clearance players for the year. Why weren't both played more often at the same time? You would think Armo was injured however he wasn't. Shows why we were close to the worst clearance and contested team in the comp.

Anyway, a year (two in Lenny's case) is a long time in footy. Who knows Steven may step up another level. Armo may take his opportunities in the midfield. Someone from left field may step up. Laidley may be a midfield genius. Hayes may be past it and play more in the forward line.

I was watching our 09 games v North Melbourne, And one thing I can say is that Dean Laidley was the only coach to comprehensively breakdown our system and gameplan. If he can use these tactics on gameday, I have no doubt our mid-field will improve

I think generally we suffered not having decent line coaches last year. No doubt in my mind that our midfield will improve next year with Laidley at the helm, even if Lenny isn't used as a permanent midfielder. From all reports Armo is prepped for a massive year.