The importance of Sam Gilbert

[BringBackMadDog]

Today surely showed that Gilbo is one of the most important players at the club. He is one of the very few explosive runners that we have. He runs straight lines and is willing to back himself rather than crab sideways.
Fantastic game for a bloke that's missed the best part of 4 months of footy.

[gringo]

Definitely.He is a gun. His work rate is amazing for such a long layoff. He looks like he's morphed into one of those 1980s plastic He-man dolls.

[saintjake]

Loved his game today.
Love watching him hunch his back, tuck it under and start running with those high knees.

[remboy]

I noticed the same thing when he came back late last year. A very important player for us.

[Enrico_Misso]

He gets bagged on here for his disposal.

But gee he is fantastic at getting the ball.
Great marker.
Fantastic tackler.
Reads the play so well.

He is the new Sam Fisher.
Vital player for us going forward.

[skeptic]

I have to say that I've done an about face on him...

didn't think he was capable of getting back to playing good footy and thought we would do better getting value for his name while we still could

looks like he can still be a very good footballer and is essential moving forward

[ShanghaiSaint]

Today surely showed that Gilbo is one of the most important players at the club. He is one of the very few explosive runners that we have. He runs straight lines and is willing to back himself rather than crab sideways.
Fantastic game for a bloke that's missed the best part of 4 months of footy.

agree made a big difference... one of the few that grab it and charge up the corridor. Fisher and Gilbo have made a big difference in there returns.

[Teflon]

How old is he.?

[perfectionist]

103

[Teflon]

103

Young in terms of our list then.... Keep him I say

[matrix]

i have been known to be a tad critical of how it comes off his slipper
might've mentioned about the lack of a right foot once or twice

but gee it was good to see him back today with no butter on his boots

trade him
2nd rounder

[Con Gorozidis]

Can't agree with OP at all even though I love mad dogs work.

The commentators were pumping Gilbo up but today was same old same old.

A reminder of everything good and bad about gilbo.

Yes hes athletic. Yes his running is a feature. Yes hes tall.
But his decision making and kicking is still disastrous.
always has been always will be.
turnover king.

id prefer to see webster and shenton in that role next year.

[SainterK]

Midfield IMHO...

Have a bad feeling though

[BringBackMadDog]

Can't agree with OP at all even though I love mad dogs work.

The commentators were pumping Gilbo up but today was same old same old.

A reminder of everything good and bad about gilbo.

Yes hes athletic. Yes his running is a feature. Yes hes tall.
But his decision making and kicking is still disastrous.
always has been always will be.
turnover king.

id prefer to see webster and shenton in that role next year.

Come on Con, it was his first game back after 4 months yet he was still in our top 3 or four players. He makes mistakes, but it's because he is willing to take risks and will take the game on.

He is easily in our best 18 and probalby in our top 10.
Webster needs to move into the midfield and Shenton turns it over more than Gilbo

[Moods]

Can't agree with OP at all even though I love mad dogs work.

The commentators were pumping Gilbo up but today was same old same old.

A reminder of everything good and bad about gilbo.

Yes hes athletic. Yes his running is a feature. Yes hes tall.
But his decision making and kicking is still disastrous.
always has been always will be.
turnover king.

id prefer to see webster and shenton in that role next year.

What game were you at? Gilbo was our best player today. Shenton is slower with even poorer decision making skills

[Saint wagga]

Can't agree with OP at all even though I love mad dogs work.

The commentators were pumping Gilbo up but today was same old same old.

A reminder of everything good and bad about gilbo.

Yes hes athletic. Yes his running is a feature. Yes hes tall.
But his decision making and kicking is still disastrous.
always has been always will be.
turnover king.

id prefer to see webster and shenton in that role next year.

Gilbert is significantly bigger than both Shenton and Webster - those two will never be able to hold down a key position defender...whilst Gilbert offers flexibility in his ability to play tall or small. DOn't get me wrong i like both Webster and SHenton, but they don't and wont ever have the size to play Gilberts role...IMO

[thejiggingsaint]

I must admit to being one who thought we'd seen the last of Sam, based on his injury and recovery, but yesterday I thought he was easily in our best four or five.

[Con Gorozidis]

Can't agree with OP at all even though I love mad dogs work.

The commentators were pumping Gilbo up but today was same old same old.

A reminder of everything good and bad about gilbo.

Yes hes athletic. Yes his running is a feature. Yes hes tall.
But his decision making and kicking is still disastrous.
always has been always will be.
turnover king.

id prefer to see webster and shenton in that role next year.

Come on Con, it was his first game back after 4 months yet he was still in our top 3 or four players. He makes mistakes, but it's because he is willing to take risks and will take the game on.

He is easily in our best 18 and probalby in our top 10.
Webster needs to move into the midfield and Shenton turns it over more than Gilbo

hes easily in our top 12 players - but to say hes going to make any difference to our results is wishful thinking.
hes a good player but flawed. lets not think hes going to rescue us or kid ourselves we aren't really a bottom side.
hes a poor mans birchall - but birchall can kick it extremely well.

[Con Gorozidis]

Can't agree with OP at all even though I love mad dogs work.

The commentators were pumping Gilbo up but today was same old same old.

A reminder of everything good and bad about gilbo.

Yes hes athletic. Yes his running is a feature. Yes hes tall.
But his decision making and kicking is still disastrous.
always has been always will be.
turnover king.

id prefer to see webster and shenton in that role next year.

Gilbert is significantly bigger than both Shenton and Webster - those two will never be able to hold down a key position defender...whilst Gilbert offers flexibility in his ability to play tall or small. DOn't get me wrong i like both Webster and SHenton, but they don't and wont ever have the size to play Gilberts role...IMO

gilbert better than shenton but shenton is a much better kick

im also willing to go on record that webster will be a better player than gilbo - by a fair way. im happy to have it bookmarked.

at the same age jimmy is ahead on disposals and sam ahead at marks - but jimmys kicking sets him apart by some way imho.

for all his athleticism and line breaking ability- gilbos kicking and turnovers are chronic.
go and watch the replay and watch where his kicks actually end up.

having said that - gilbo IS in our top 10 players and id keep him for sure - but lets not exaggerate it and make out if he played all season somehow we wouldn't be bottom - because that would be deluded thinking. hes a good but flawed player. in the scheme of where our list is at - I don't think gilbo will be making much difference. we need the quality coming from underneath - not hoping for some resurgence from the old crew.

[Junction Oval]

He's a great attacking player and a good size for where we are now. In our current situation, his well known poor disposal at times, can be accepted - others can be just as bad!

Let's see what he can do over the summer. Good to see how well he played after such a long lay-off. Well done Sammy

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Can find the footy and is always in the right place. Can be the general of our backline has really good footy smarts

[Cairnsman]

We have missed him, it's that simple.