So, is anyone going to discuss ...

[Trev from the Bush]

Geary was won of our best yesterday, Gresham the other.

About time this "fan" forum recognized that!

[WellardSaint]

Geary played very well in the second half of last year.
He's always been a tough hard honest toiler.
But too often, he makes glaring errors and causes turnovers.
Like yesterday.
When pressure is on, he crumbles.
He can't stand solid and lead from the front, he crumbles and is a liability.
Team cannot function effectively when the captain is like this.

[bigcarl]

Danny Frawley wasn't overly talented and his disposal wasn't too flash either.
But he was a heart and soul player who gave everything.
He commanded respect for his efforts and integrity and until recently was our longest serving captain.

Gears is in the same mould.

Hear hear

[#gosaintas]

Gotta say, those back to back air swing kicks were hysterical. Just when you think you've seen Gears do it all, he provides more material.

[dragit]

We had a 35% Win/Loss rate when Spud was playing, not really a period I'd like to see repeated.

[CQ SAINT]

ppl need to get a grip here

Geary was fantastic in the last half of last year

IMO it takes more than one bad game to undo sustained performance

All due respect Skeptic but Gearys work was made easier by the midfield group. His career has 140+ games of very average performances amongst genuine quality players. He is our Bradbury. Take away Dempster Fisher and Montagna and he is a defensive tagger at best.

[mad saint guy]

He gave his all as usual but it's got to be demoralising having your captain regularly fail to execute basic football skills. A few of his fumbles/clangers/poor decisions led to Melbourne goals on Saturday and that's been a regular occurrence throughout his career. I thought Roo staying on as captain was the only logical choice until a younger candidate was ready to lead us for the next 5+ years and I still think that should have been the decision. If our young defenders develop as hoped then Geary should be struggling for a spot in 2018. Between Webster, McKenzie, Savage, Newnes, White, Rice, Long, Phillips and the Irish boys you'd hope we're able to field a defensive unit that would push Geary out of the team. For his he is still clearly best 22 because he's a genuinely good lock-down defender, but ideally you want someone who can shut down an opponent but not kick it straight back to the opposition.

[prwilkinson]

For me the decision to not play Demspter shocked me more than anything else. No Fish or Joey in the team so who is our most experienced back that we need up the back to settle the nerves and enforce the structure when the tide turned? Dempster by a mile. I was at the game and lost count how many times our defenders left their man and were stranded in the mid fields when the Dees came down the corridor. If he was there that would not have happened. I would have had him there over Webster Savage and even Geary (obviously not an option)

Also we have too many inside mids that play the same. Ross should have been rested for Acres. Acres may be erratic at time but at least he is different to the others. And am I the only one that thinks Armo needs to pick up his game. Until we get some outside mids with some pace we are going to struggle against the quicker teams as they will tear us up the middle like last night. Unfortunately Nathan Freeman didn't come good and is like payday, always two weeks aways. I'm hoping Ben Long comes good and quickly

Why do so many people think that Hickey played poorly. Yes he was beaten by the best ruckman in the comp, but what was the option, put Longer in? And what would have happened. Most likely Gawn would have toweled him up as well and people would be complaining that Hickey was left out.

Yeah, I was very surprised Sean didn't play. He's such an under rated player that rarely gets beaten.

[longtimesaint]

For me the decision to not play Demspter shocked me more than anything else. No Fish or Joey in the team so who is our most experienced back that we need up the back to settle the nerves and enforce the structure when the tide turned? Dempster by a mile. I was at the game and lost count how many times our defenders left their man and were stranded in the mid fields when the Dees came down the corridor. If he was there that would not have happened. I would have had him there over Webster Savage and even Geary (obviously not an option)

Also we have too many inside mids that play the same. Ross should have been rested for Acres. Acres may be erratic at time but at least he is different to the others. And am I the only one that thinks Armo needs to pick up his game. Until we get some outside mids with some pace we are going to struggle against the quicker teams as they will tear us up the middle like last night. Unfortunately Nathan Freeman didn't come good and is like payday, always two weeks aways. I'm hoping Ben Long comes good and quickly

Why do so many people think that Hickey played poorly. Yes he was beaten by the best ruckman in the comp, but what was the option, put Longer in? And what would have happened. Most likely Gawn would have toweled him up as well and people would be complaining that Hickey was left out.

Yeah, I was very surprised Sean didn't play. He's such an under rated player that rarely gets beaten.

I agree Dempster should have played but the criticism of the defenders is a little unfair.
Playing in defence is not an easy task when the midfield is being thrashed and the ball is coming down fast and often.

[perfectionist]

... and I know I was one who was hoping he was our Nick Maxwell...

He would have had to have grown 10cm over Xmas for that to happen. And that has always been his problem. You can't make up with courage and determination what you severely lack in physique and skill. He is simply too small and too unskilled. My fear for him is that it will lead to a serious injury as he becomes more reckless.

[Saintmatt]

Danny Frawley wasn't overly talented and his disposal wasn't too flash either.
But he was a heart and soul player who gave everything.
He commanded respect for his efforts and integrity and until recently was our longest serving captain.

Gears is in the same mould.

You make an excellent point EM but - to be fair - it was in a completely different era when it was much more 1-on-1; beat your man style of play and where deep defenders were largely charged with getting the ball - however ugly - out of the forward line are (i.e. just bang it on your boot out of there). Precision of disposal was much less important than today. It's why Gilbert and Geary butchering it in defense costs so badly - a turnover b/w fullback and CHB now pretty much results in a free shot at goal.

Spud was terrific in his era but you can't have poor disposers of the ball in your backline in modern footy (listen to the Dees supporters on the (lack) of quality of the McDonald Brothers disposal in defence).

I have no problem in saying that Gears effort and integrity are both beyond reproach. But I'd like to think our Captain could offer us MUCH more than that in a footy sense.

[Saintmatt]

... and I know I was one who was hoping he was our Nick Maxwell...

He would have had to have grown 10cm over Xmas for that to happen. And that has always been his problem. You can't make up with courage and determination what you severely lack in physique and skill. He is simply too small and too unskilled. My fear for him is that it will lead to a serious injury as he becomes more reckless.

Hey P - my perhaps misguided comparison with Maxwell was more of an analogy than anything else. That is - that player in the team that has limitations re: skill (and whom those on the outside wonder how in the hell can HE be the Captain) but whom also gives great effort. That person then goes on to lift the Cup (i.e. like what Maxwell did in '10 with the filth - despite having more skilled teamates around him).

Like I said - Maxwell could also at least dispose of it with reliability ...