Kosi The Enigma

[damienc]

i have spent quite a bit of time lately reflecting on the love/hate relationship that I have, as a Saints supporter, with Kosi.

I just don't get him at all.

He and Nick were one and two in the draft. But only one of them has ever gone on to live up to his potential.

It's not that Kosi doesn't have ability. He's a good mark and a good kick and he can have an imposing physical presence.

I don't know if you are like me but I have literally spent years waiting and waiting and waiting for him to finally take a game by the scruff of the neck and really show us what he can do.

And that is what is so frustrating. Plenty of times he's showed glimpses but then it all fades away to nothing. And now I reckon he is well and truly at the cross roads. Tom Lee is a real chance to get a lot of game time in 2013 in the forward line and logic tells you it has to be at the expense of Kosi.

So what is likely to happen? Putting him into the ruck didn't work. In any case we now have a quality ruckman ( I hope) to support Ben McEvoy.

Although I think Roberton will be good for us ( unlike some on this forum) he is not going to be that KPD we so desperately need.

Watters was not able to get Brown and all of the kids he had in mind went early in the draft.

So....could the St Kilda thinking be to try Kosi on the backline as CHB or FB? Would this work? Could this (finally) be his salvation or his opportunity to show us he was worthy of being a number two draft pick?

If I am completely wrong about all of this then I fear Kosi will simply disappear and that would be such a disappointing waste of talent.

[avid]

I'm interested to know how anyone thinks Kosi would go in the back line against the really big monster forwards.
In raw marking power he is obviously up there -- and has shown in many games that he can take great powerful saving marks in the backline.
In speed and agility he would appear now to be hopeless.
In body to body bumping ability he as been shown up as completely unable many times. But maybe if he's doing the chasing, rather than being caught unawares as the bunny, he might do pretty well.
Any hope? Any ideas?

[Austinnn]

I have thought t the same thing and said so, but people who know more than me about it assure me that he's be awful, on account of his speed and awareness.

Still the idea persists, and like you I'd hate to see that talent go to waste. His rising star year was mostly at FB wasn't it? although that was many moons ago and his powers are now vastly reduced.

I agree 100% with OP.

[SainterK]

I think he could handle a bigger style chunky forward, sue me

[plugger66]

Why is April Fools day always when we talk about Kosi playing in the backline.

[Dave McNamara]

I fear that today's Kosi is almost gone physically... as a defender he would be a short-lived disaster...

I little analysis of what's needed to compete with the gun power forwards..., and hence why 2013 Kosi... can't...

Too slow. When was the last time he caught a defender...? His forward pressure nowdays equals almost zero... and that's literally, not figuratively. This hurts us time and again, with opposition defences easily running the ball out. Again literally, once the ball hits the ground in our forward line... we are one man short... Kosi.

As well as too slow, he's not agile enough anymore. Unlikely to be able to stay with a forward on their initial lead... when said forward doubles back and leads again, and again... it's getting ugly...

Not strong enough. Kosi only ever takes his trademark big pack-splitting marks if he can get a run at the contest. Man on man, body on body, even against smaller blokes (Heath Shaw last season for heavens sake )... he just gets pushed out way too easily.

Summary:
Can people really see 2013 version Kosi running with Buddy, or Jack R, or Pav, or Tragic Joke or...?
Can people really see 2013 version Kosi pushing aside Baby Huey, Cox, Brown, Jolly, Tagic Joke..., Heath Shaw...?
Or to really put it into perspective...
Can people really see 2013 version Kosi being able to go with Roo, Rhys, even with Wilksey???

Kosi can still take a big pack mark if he gets a clear run,
he's pretty good on the lead,
he kicks well,
he can pinch hit in the ruck... though nowhere as well as he once could... rarely takes those big marks around the ground like he used to.

So unless there's some miracle re his ankle, or whatever it is that's hobbling him... I fear Kosi will be back-up-only for next season...,
and I wouldn't even be surprised if his body forces him out before the season ends.
Sad, but happens eventually...

[st.byron]

And now I reckon he is well and truly at the cross roads...................

If I am completely wrong about all of this then I fear Kosi will simply disappear and that would be such a disappointing waste of talent.

He passed the cross roads some time ago.
Kosi aint going to get any better from here. Disappointed that his talent didn't blossom into a star. Yep. I stopped thinking he might be a star about five years ago.

[saintspremiers]

Reality is that if Kosi is still in our best 22 we have a massive deficiency in quality talks/ruck men.

[gringo]

If he was used as the occasional assignment in games against guys like Cloke and J Brown but can't imagine him being able to keep up with guys like Mitch Clarke and Buddy. Probably as a last resort he could do it but I think Blake will probably be the man. With out the need to be a ruckman and the 3rd forward next to him he might be good for 30 goals but that's probably the most we can hope for. Rhys and Lee will really push him to the margins if he's not coming into this season pumped.

[Yaysaints]

Seems likely to me that he was recruited after watching him play kick to kick in the park.
I can't Imagine they saw the old dinosaur play in a game.
But wow kick to kick he'd be a star !

[SaintPav]

Kosi's best value to the team is that he provides competition for spots and that hopefully he will push the younger guys like Lee to do their best. He's still a chance to play a handful of decent games in the first half of the year but it might be hard for him to see the whole season out. Personally, I'd be disappointed if Lee couldn't grab Kosi's spot in the team.

Two things people should remember about Kosi: He had quite a good 2009 and was very good against Jolly in the drawn GF when Gardner went down.

[ace]

Kosi may be a success in defence .......




.... at Sandringham.

Kosi's AFL career is finished.
Watters now has a surplus of tall forwards all begging for a game.
Riewoldt, Stanley, Wilkes, Lee, White, Hickey, McEvoy.
McEvoy will play mostly in the ruck leaving only 3 places for the rest in the forward line.
Why would you play Kosi ahead of the others.
It is not like Kosi scores heaps of goals every game.
He is a 1 or 2 goal a game prospect just like the others.
BUT the others have the mobility to help apply some defensive pressure.

Forward or defence it all comes down to mobility and endurance Kosi now has neither.
When just one player fails to apply defensive pressure the efforts of all the other forwards are wasted.
The others can only get better, Kosi can only get worse.
As a result of St Kilda's drafting this season, Kosi is surplus to requirements.
If not for his long service he could well have ended up like Winmar - contracted but still cut.

[Bernard Shakey]

Kosi will struggle to have an impact at Sandy next year and he will not playing at TBB Oval.
Expect him to call it quits early in the season.

[whiskers3614]

kozi bashing on here is exceeded only by Riewoldt idolatry!

[ace]

Kosi will struggle to have an impact at Sandy next year and he will not playing at TBB Oval.
Expect him to call it quits early in the season.

I know Kosi is not the brightess brain in the AFL so I hope he realises that he will never earn income outside of football like he can in football.
I hope he plays on as long as his contract allows and saves the lot.
Quitting early would mean he misses out on money he will need later in life.

[whiskers3614]

for your information Kozi is a lot smarter than average footballer.
Plans to get into agricultural machinery dealership on retirement and does not need financial or other advice from us!

[SaintPav]

Extremely condescending stuff!

[whiskers3614]

condescending,
that's what you call a Greek parachutist with equipment failure!

[SaintPav]

condescending,
that's what you call a Greek parachutist with equipment failure!

whoopie doo

[SainterK]

Kosi will struggle to have an impact at Sandy next year and he will not playing at TBB Oval.
Expect him to call it quits early in the season.

You say a lot of stuff...

[skeptic]

I think ppl are generally quite harsh on kosi

whilst not a superstar by any means, he plays the hardest postion on the ground and does play some pretty good games.

we've more than got our value out of him as a number 2 pick and certainly he has been a hany player over the years.

the problem is he's now at a stage where the gap between his best and worst is far too big and that we're seeing less of his best.

having him on the list as a depth player for a handful of games next year is a good idea. IMO he should have rested more this season and we should have played Wilkes more. Either way he should be transitioning out

[White Winmar]

I think you're right skeptic. He'll be used sparingly at senior level and could prove to be a handy back up when the whips are cracking towards the end of the year. Will need careful management and limited game time, though.

[Q-TRAIN]

Always find it funny when people think a player is crap and he should quit.
If your at a well paid job and doing stuff all, why would you want to quit.
Some early draft pics go on to be champs, some are OK and some are shizenhausen.
Dont blame Kosi , all hes doing is rocking up every week to get a game with his mates and a healthy pay packet.
If he isnt up to AFL standard its the Saints fault for playing him, not his.
I had to work today myself and i did sweet f*** all, never crossed my mind to tell my boss i should quit

[SainterK]

Will need careful management and limited game time, though.

This year we may just have the depth to have that luxury...

[Winmar]

Two things people should remember about Kosi: He had quite a good 2009 and was very good against Jolly in the drawn GF when Gardner went down.

That was my memory of 2009 too. He kicked 48 goals, which is an excellent return. 11 Brownlow votes as well. Roo kicked 78. What a year.

We'll all end up being disappointed by Kosi's career output though. It's a shame he's not been as good as his early form suggested he might be.