Tommy Curren

[Saint wagga]

Just putting out some thoughts on tommy currens season...it's been disappointing to see his form dry up and now get dropped...
1. Feel like at times he could have been given more of a normal midfield role without the tagging duties to keep building his confidence. He's a ball winner and good clearance player who might thrive on lots of ball in hand, I've noticed his possession count drop off almost directly proportional to his tagging form...
2. Thought it strange he didn't just get the job on g Ablett straight away, thought that was a show of no confidence (but it may have been to protect young player, I get that argument too)
3. Like him as an occasional small forward when resting, again feel he's not been given enough of a positive role in the side and it has affected his form.

Just some thoughts, what do others think about currens season so far...I really like him and want him to make it for us, hopefully this is just a dip in form in a struggling team, come on tommy!! Get back ASAP

[stinger]

Just putting out some thoughts on tommy currens season...it's been disappointing to see his form dry up and now get dropped...
1. Feel like at times he could have been given more of a normal midfield role without the tagging duties to keep building his confidence. He's a ball winner and good clearance player who might thrive on lots of ball in hand, I've noticed his possession count drop off almost directly proportional to his tagging form...
2. Thought it strange he didn't just get the job on g Ablett straight away, thought that was a show of no confidence (but it may have been to protect young player, I get that argument too)
3. Like him as an occasional small forward when resting, again feel he's not been given enough of a positive role in the side and it has affected his form.

Just some thoughts, what do others think about currens season so far...I really like him and want him to make it for us, hopefully this is just a dip in form in a struggling team, come on tommy!! Get back ASAP

all young players with the exception of the out and out champions go through a dip in form

[bergholt]

As I said in another thread - I just don't really understand what his best role is.

http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Rati ... Tom-CURREN

Rankings there suggest his best games were against Heppell and Rockliff, which I basically agree with. The first few weeks he had some hard jobs and did OK, in a team that was doing OK. And then since the Hawthorn game he doesn't seem to have been tagging but still hasn't got much of the ball.

That would be fine but I'm not sure he's that good with the footy when he does get it. His disposal is probably better than CJ but his decision-making seems about on par. Not sure how much room there is for a guy who doesn't find a huge amount of the ball and isn't that good with it if he's not going to be a specialist tagger. Bit of competition there: Weller, Geary, Saunders, etc.

I'd love to see him make it but when I think about it, I can't see him being much more than a tagger at this point.

[evo]

I think Weller may be preferred to both Curren and Jones.

[dragit]

As I said in another thread - I just don't really understand what his best role is.

http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Rati ... Tom-CURREN

Rankings there suggest his best games were against Heppell and Rockliff, which I basically agree with. The first few weeks he had some hard jobs and did OK, in a team that was doing OK. And then since the Hawthorn game he doesn't seem to have been tagging but still hasn't got much of the ball.

That would be fine but I'm not sure he's that good with the footy when he does get it. His disposal is probably better than CJ but his decision-making seems about on par. Not sure how much room there is for a guy who doesn't find a huge amount of the ball and isn't that good with it if he's not going to be a specialist tagger. Bit of competition there: Weller, Geary, Saunders, etc.

I'd love to see him make it but when I think about it, I can't see him being much more than a tagger at this point.

I would say his ability to completely shut down Heppell, Dangerfield & Rockliff, while averaging 15 touches inside his first 20 senior games is absolutely incredible.
He'll never be a star, but he should still improve a lot as he approaches 50+ games.
Averaged a heap of possessions and kicked plenty of goals at VFL level, so he knows how to find it… has been playing very team oriented games for the saints so far.

[Playon]

We're also trying to get games into all of our young blokes, as many as possible.. He's had a good run, showed some positive signs.

Perhaps its just a matter of trying different things and giving someone else a go

[Munga]

They've changed him from a ball magnet in to a tagger.

[Bluthy]

I tend not to notice Curren too much in games, he gets lost in packs being a smaller guy. I don't think its any kind of death sentence to go back to the two's. Perhaps it's about reflecting on things they want you to do away from the relentless pressure cooker of AFL and reset. Or maybe he didn't do the things asked (tackles, spreading etc) and this is Richo's way of showing there are consequences. Or maybe he just has some injury niggles slowing him down a bit. As a smaller guy without the x-factor and zip of Steven and Monty he's really going to have to work hard to keep a spot in the team particularly if he's going to be a bona fide midfielder. Even as taggers these days you need to be able to hurt the opposition with the footy to keep your player honest and do your share of ball getting. Maybe he needs to become a bit of an angry ant to make more of an impact.

[Saint wagga]

Anyone who's been watching Sandy this year...how has Tommy Curren gone since returning to the VFL? I was hoping he'd get a recall for another good runof games before seasons end, as his form had tepered off albeit when asked to perform a couple of interesting roles whilst the whole team was struggling...What are peoples thoughts on his season and prospects...

[FQF]

Last year Curren was accumulating massive numbers for Sandy which eventually resulted in his rookie upgrade. If gathering possessions is his strength, I think we need to work with that. I'm not sure his disposal is terrible - can't recall any outstanding blunders?

[BringBackMadDog]

Anyone who's been watching Sandy this year...how has Tommy Curren gone since returning to the VFL? I was hoping he'd get a recall for another good runof games before seasons end, as his form had tepered off albeit when asked to perform a couple of interesting roles whilst the whole team was struggling...What are peoples thoughts on his season and prospects...

Got 30 possessions 2weeks ago against Collingwood, played as a pure midfielder. Was excellent. Quieter this week by all accounts, didn't see it as it was the same time as the seniors.
Tommy's problem is that we have a lot of mids that are very similar, in and under types. At the moment he has weller, Lenny, and Dunstan clearly ahead of him.
If he can learn to run and spread and create more attacking options he could certainly move ahead of Jones and possible farren

[skeptic]

at least we're playing CJ ahead of him so that we don't lose by 5+ goals every week and we learn about the benefits of working hard which Tom clearly does not know enough about

[BigMart]

Astounded that he is not in the team....

Defensively minded small fwd/Mid/int in a pretty simple rotation with Saunders and Weller? He wasn't playing poorly when omitted.

Was emerg so didn't play

At Sandy BOG first game back?!

Front Half IMO
Talls
Reiwoldt
Stanley

Medium
Siposs

Smalls
Billings/Steven/Montaga rotation
Curran/Saunders/Weller rotation

Mids
Inside
Dunstan/Armitage Rotation
Hayes/Ross Rotation

Outside
Ray
Newnes

Sub
Schnieder/Minch

Backs
Talls
Delaney
Bruce or a medium/small depending on opposition
Fisher/Gwilt

Medium
Shenton/Roberton
Dempster

Small
Webster


Unavailable Templeton.... Small fwd, Markworth.... Wing, Wright ..... small defender, Geary ..... Small defender, Tom Hickey .... Ruck, Acres... HB/Outside Mid

Out of consideration IMO
Milera
Maister
TDL
Dunnell
Simpkin.... Harsh I know... Perhaps leave him ATM and make Siposs displace him? But he's not dangerous enough to be a threat fwd
Lee


In consideration
Murdoch
Minchington

Development projects
White.... Key Fwd
Lewis Pierce... Ruck
Holmes .... Ruck
Baker Thomas ... ?

[Saint wagga]

Anyone who's been watching Sandy this year...how has Tommy Curren gone since returning to the VFL? I was hoping he'd get a recall for another good runof games before seasons end, as his form had tepered off albeit when asked to perform a couple of interesting roles whilst the whole team was struggling...What are peoples thoughts on his season and prospects...

Got 30 possessions 2weeks ago against Collingwood, played as a pure midfielder. Was excellent. Quieter this week by all accounts, didn't see it as it was the same time as the seniors.
Tommy's problem is that we have a lot of mids that are very similar, in and under types. At the moment he has weller, Lenny, and Dunstan clearly ahead of him.
If he can learn to run and spread and create more attacking options he could certainly move ahead of Jones and possible farren

Thanks for the update...do you reckon Weller and dunstan are 'clearly' ahead of him. I'm certainly not knocking either player, but I don't think Weller has shown that much more, nor dunstan in his last month of footy. Neither players stats are knocking the walls down , but that's just IMO...appreciate the updates!!

[St Ick]

at least we're playing CJ ahead of him so that we don't lose by 5+ goals every week and we learn about the benefits of working hard which Tom clearly does not know enough about

Surely you are taking the piss?

If not, no other player has worked harder since he was drafted that Tom. He has gone from a kid who was too skinny to be drafted in the nd to a kid who won Sandys b&f as a tough, big bodies accumulator.

I dont think he agrees with the tagging role that he was given but did very well early on then dropped off a little. I cant possibly see what CJ can provide that TC cant, apart from leadership. I think there is a correlation between Mavs form and TC being dropped.Both similar players atm, add Seb, Lenny, Dunstan into the same midfield and I think we are unbalanced.

[plugger66]

at least we're playing CJ ahead of him so that we don't lose by 5+ goals every week and we learn about the benefits of working hard which Tom clearly does not know enough about

Surely you are taking the piss?

If not, no other player has worked harder since he was drafted that Tom. He has gone from a kid who was too skinny to be drafted in the nd to a kid who won Sandys b&f as a tough, big bodies accumulator.

I dont think he agrees with the tagging role that he was given but did very well early on then dropped off a little. I cant possibly see what CJ can provide that TC cant, apart from leadership. I think there is a correlation between Mavs form and TC being dropped.Both similar players atm, add Seb, Lenny, Dunstan into the same midfield and I think we are unbalanced.

Id be 99% sure he was taking the P.

[dragit]

Without laying the boots into CJ, I really would prefer we play both Saunders & Curren ahead of him.

Where we are in development and with the current results, I can't see the point in not pumping games into these younger guys if they are playing okay - which I think they are.

[skeptic]

at least we're playing CJ ahead of him so that we don't lose by 5+ goals every week and we learn about the benefits of working hard which Tom clearly does not know enough about

Surely you are taking the piss?

If not, no other player has worked harder since he was drafted that Tom. He has gone from a kid who was too skinny to be drafted in the nd to a kid who won Sandys b&f as a tough, big bodies accumulator.

I dont think he agrees with the tagging role that he was given but did very well early on then dropped off a little. I cant possibly see what CJ can provide that TC cant, apart from leadership. I think there is a correlation between Mavs form and TC being dropped.Both similar players atm, add Seb, Lenny, Dunstan into the same midfield and I think we are unbalanced.

Id be 99% sure he was taking the P.

lets make that 100%

personally I find it astounding CJ is playing soooo poorly and still getting a game

what a msg that must send

[St Ick]

Oops, I'm gullible. It's definitely a strange msg, I can only assume CJ provides something extra over the kids (after the dwarf incident I can hardly assume its maturity though)

[MrCordz]

Curren = GOP

[fingers]

Curren = GOP

Game of Prones ?

[skeptic]

Jones

- history of bad off-field behaviour (check)
- bad decision making (check)
- poor disposal (check)
- ineffective tagger (check)
- multiple younger players that could step right into his position (check) and play better (check)
- no long term benefits of playing him (check)
- hasn't played a good game since round 3 (check)

May as well make him Captain

[plugger66]

Jones

- history of bad off-field behaviour (check)
- bad decision making (check)
- poor disposal (check)
- ineffective tagger (check)
- multiple younger players that could step right into his position (check) and play better (check)
- no long term benefits of playing him (check)
- hasn't played a good game since round 3 (check)

May as well make him Captain

Maybe the coach is a plant. You do realise they have us covered in knowledge of the footy club.

[skeptic]

Geez why talk football at all

[plugger66]

Geez why talk football at all

Im happy to talk footy but you may say i am baised towards the club but i would argue you are only looking for the negative in CJ. My point is you cant just play all young guys. Need a little a little experiennce. Yep we may still lose but there is now way we can just play 16 toung guys.