Tom Ledger

[Saints94]

Hey guys, it's good to be back!, just wondering why Ledger can't crack it in the seniors, alot of hype in the preseason about him tearing it up, any updates?

[Ross who?]

Going well at Sandy. Just can't crack into our very strong mid group ATM. Have it from a good source that he is seen as a mid, and only a mid. Would be first cab off IMO.

[Sick Nal Danto]

He is as pure a Midfeilder as you see, See ball get ball and he does that very well

People on the forum are starting to freak out because he hasn't been given full games, but we have to be patient

He'll be good when he can crack it, I'm sure if he could play forward like cripps or previously Jack steven he would've been given a game pretty quickly and we know how Scott emphasises versatility.

He's still got a lot of time, and as we have seen a lot of ability

His time will come sooner rather than later

[shmic_s]

I still think he needs another pre-season from what i saw of him in the seniors. Just needs a bit more core strength. Has the tools though. (All IMO)

Agree with what Ross who? has heard, definately a pure mid.

[santazzi]

What is a "pure mid" ? To me they all seem to drift in and out front and back. Who in the current seniors will be a good example of a pure mid?

[Eastern]

What is a "pure mid" ? To me they all seem to drift in and out front and back. Who in the current seniors will be a good example of a pure mid?

LENNY HAYES is a PURE MIDFIELDER. You could also argue that Armitage & Steven are PURE MIDS too. DalSanto is an inside/outside mid, Montagna is an outside mid, Jones is a tagger. An OLD FASHIONED way of describing a PURE MID would be a CENTREMAN or a RUCK/ROVER. At this point Ledger would be competing with Lenny & Jack who are both in VERY GOOD form. He also hasn't played for nearly three weeks because of the VFL Bye followed by the Sandy Bye !!

[Teflon]

Ross didn't think Jack /Armo pure mids..

I'm sure Leger could play small forward...wing even...it's not like Montagnas been tearing it up... and we are a mid tier side with only 1 way to prove.. play kids who deserve it and he does

[Ross who?]

Ross didn't think Jack /Armo pure mids..

I'm sure Leger could play small forward...wing even...it's not like Montagnas been tearing it up... and we are a mid tier side with only 1 way to prove.. play kids who deserve it and he does

Why would you play Ledger as a small forward, when we have Saad, Milera, etc. in there. We are struggling to fit Schneider in there ATM.
Yes, he coulld play there, but how effective would he be? Why would he want to play an unfamiliar position and possibly struggle doing so.
Mid or bust IMO

[santazzi]

What is a "pure mid" ? To me they all seem to drift in and out front and back. Who in the current seniors will be a good example of a pure mid?

LENNY HAYES is a PURE MIDFIELDER. You could also argue that Armitage & Steven are PURE MIDS too. DalSanto is an inside/outside mid, Montagna is an outside mid, Jones is a tagger. An OLD FASHIONED way of describing a PURE MID would be a CENTREMAN or a RUCK/ROVER. At this point Ledger would be competing with Lenny & Jack who are both in VERY GOOD form. He also hasn't played for nearly three weeks because of the VFL Bye followed by the Sandy Bye !!

Thanks Eastern. It now makes good sense to me!!!!

[Teflon]

Ross didn't think Jack /Armo pure mids..

I'm sure Leger could play small forward...wing even...it's not like Montagnas been tearing it up... and we are a mid tier side with only 1 way to prove.. play kids who deserve it and he does

Why would you play Ledger as a small forward, when we have Saad, Milera, etc. in there. We are struggling to fit Schneider in there ATM.
Yes, he coulld play there, but how effective would he be? Why would he want to play an unfamiliar position and possibly struggle doing so.
Mid or bust IMO

Did I say play him there NOW.... or was I more suggesting the "he's only a mid" is BS???

Also, are you saying he couldnt play Montagna's role?

[BigMart]

Good effort by 'inside outside' midfielders like Da and Joey to be our best contested ball players over the last two seasons...

Pure midfielders are only that because they are the elite players and you want the best players in the action driving the game. The sub rule has bought the resting fwd back into vogue. Cotchin and Martin do it. Pure mids are like pure ruckmen, limiting. Scotty has stated that his players must be able to play at least two areas...

[Bernard Shakey]

Lurker has a big head and until he realises there are 17 other blokes on the ground at any given time, he'll be playing for Sandy.
He's getting better, but still thinks he's a one man team.

[Teflon]

Lurker has a big head and until he realises there are 17 other blokes on the ground at any given time, he'll be playing for Sandy.
He's getting better, but still thinks he's a one man team.

surely plenty kids play VFL/AFL with big heads................there must be another way he has his head popped without him missing out on an opportunity to develop?

[BigMart]

Hard to understand how a kid who is 178cm played 2 games and really was picked out of the blue from WAFL colts in the draft....

When he plays with some of the proven greatest players in an AFL club history. Hayes, Riewoldt, Fisher, Da Santo, Goddard..

[hAyES]

Going to be a really good player but right now he's just going to have to wait for his time, just like Cripps and Siposs will have to when Fisher, Macca, Stanley, Schneider and Geary are ready to go. It'll probably be better for them in the long run for these 19 year olds to get 2-3 preseasons under their belt to make sure they don't break down on us later.

[goodie]

I still think he needs another pre-season from what i saw of him in the seniors. Just needs a bit more core strength. Has the tools though. (All IMO)

Agree with what Ross who? has heard, definately a pure mid.

Spoke to him at the season launch, this is pretty on the money. Core strength and stronger legs to run out an entire game, doesn't want to break down like last year.

[Ross who?]

Ross didn't think Jack /Armo pure mids..

I'm sure Leger could play small forward...wing even...it's not like Montagnas been tearing it up... and we are a mid tier side with only 1 way to prove.. play kids who deserve it and he does

Why would you play Ledger as a small forward, when we have Saad, Milera, etc. in there. We are struggling to fit Schneider in there ATM.
Yes, he coulld play there, but how effective would he be? Why would he want to play an unfamiliar position and possibly struggle doing so.
Mid or bust IMO

Did I say play him there NOW.... or was I more suggesting the "he's only a mid" is BS???

Also, are you saying he couldnt play Montagna's role?

No, you didn't say to play him there NOW.
We will have to agree to disagree on him being a mid only. IMO he is a "see ball, get ball" type of player.(Mid) not a run to space and create a link in ball movement along the wing type.(wing)
Joey is out of form, however he has been a good link up player along the wing a few times this year. Still uses his gut running and body to his advantage against his opponents.

[joffaboy]

Lurker has a big head and until he realises there are 17 other blokes on the ground at any given time, he'll be playing for Sandy.
He's getting better, but still thinks he's a one man team.

surely plenty kids play VFL/AFL with big heads................there must be another way he has his head popped without him missing out on an opportunity to develop?

Same thing was levelled at Armo when he first came to the club. Was held back because he had a big head (alleged). Arguments that Ross held him back too long then played him out of position, however seems to be going pretty well now.

Maturity is certainly part of a footballers development. Maybe the club thinks we will reap the benefit of holding him back a bit.

Judgement call, and considering they have more infor than us, surely we have to trust that judgement.

[MrCordz]

What is a "pure mid" ? To me they all seem to drift in and out front and back. Who in the current seniors will be a good example of a pure mid?

Exactly!!

[parky]

some footballers need their "rough edges" knocked off them when they come to a club. On the flip side some others need their "smooth" (teflon) edges knocked off them. When you grow up playing in a "nice" sort of area you may not be all that accustomed to the range of people that you will encounter when you come to an AFL club where the are people gathered from all areas of the country and from different socio economic situations.....and when your the standout in that "nice" team you might not have the understanding of where other blokes are coming from. In that situation coaches may just want to make it a bit harder to see what you are really made of.....Darren Jolly's article in The Age got me wondering along these lines because from a talent and on field application level from what i've seen I reckon he should have had a game by now this season

[saintspremiers]

I still think he needs another pre-season from what i saw of him in the seniors. Just needs a bit more core strength. Has the tools though. (All IMO)

Agree with what Ross who? has heard, definately a pure mid.

Spoke to him at the season launch, this is pretty on the money. Core strength and stronger legs to run out an entire game, doesn't want to break down like last year.

Ok this makes sense.

Maybe he'll debut about Round 15ish and be able to play in the finals if we make it.

The kid will be a gun IMO.

[felix]

Seriously if he was going to help the team win right now or play better the coach would have him there.

[saintspremiers]

Seriously if he was going to help the team win right now or play better the coach would have him there.

Logic would agree. But his form has warranted selection in the past. Blind Freddy can see that. It must be other issues already discussed on this thread that has prevented him playing.

[Foz]

Saw the Ledge play at Frankston on weekend and a few other times this year.

He got some attention to the hip flexor on weekend, looked a bit tight. As the games go on he tends to really feel the pinch i.e - his running can go up and down in the one spot and his kicking lacks penetration. He also came onto interchange absolutely spent and late in the game remained squatting for an eternity.

Is his body right to cope with AFL ? I would suggest like Cripps, not quite.

As for his football skills, his clearance work is top notch, can kick a goal, has reasonable agility though endurance lacking. He looks the typical inside mid. From a footy skills perspective its hard to see why he wouldnt play - but it feels like there are other issues that could be there.

[bergholt]

there must be another way he has his head popped without him missing out on an opportunity to develop?

maybe that's exactly what development is for tommy - having "his head popped". being an elite footballer isn't just about football, it's about attitude as well.