Gresham - just 12 touches

[perfectionist]

In the VFL, players such as Jade Gresham, Jack Lonie, Jack Sinclair and Darren Minchington become midfielders and so get many possessions. In the AFL, they become small forwards, with an occasional rotation on the ball, but with less possessions. Their contribution is therefore judged by what they make of their possessions in a game. For example, one of the best small forwards ever to play the game (top 3 since 1960), Stephen Milne, averaged 9 kicks and three handballs throughout his career - and over 2 goals per game. Currently, Eddie Betts averages 8 - 4 and just under 2 goals. Cyril Rioli is 9- 6 and 1.5 goals.

I watched Darren in his few AFL games and to be honest, he doesn't have the skill to play the small forward role. He is a pack player. Jack Sinclair's first game was full of promise with high intensity. That intensity hasn't been there in the last two weeks. Jack Lonie is too small and this should be his last year. There is no doubt that Jade has the skill to do well. Stephen Milne was great reader of the flight of the ball. It wasn't luck that sometimes found him in front of the pack to collect the ball and the next time behind the pack. He had an explosive first few metres of speed ( he only needed a metre). And, which is consistently overlooked, he could kick both sides. I know I bang on about this endlessly, but a two sided player is worth a 1000 times more than a one sided player. Jade and Jack Sinclair have that skill.

The one thing we have missed for years from a small forward, is the ability of one of them to take a contested mark - like Cyril Rioli. We have to go back a long way to find a Saint who could do it consistently. Players such as Ross Oakley (who moved to the wing), Stephen Theodore, Stephen Rae and then George Young were able to do this in the 60s and 70s. If we look at our GF teams of 1997, 2009 and 2010, they were all devoid of such a player. We should have had one in 1997, but Joel Smith was lost in Round 18 to a tackle by Richard Osborne which would now see him free kicked and suspended. It was a dirty deliberate act at the time designed to injure. Had we had a player like Paul Chapman in 2009 and 2010 we would have won flags.

[Ellaandjohn]

Not sure how this works as it's the first time on here but I think Gresham will be a very good player for us


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[Joe Bloggs]

Not sure how this works as it's the first time on here but I think Gresham will be a very good player for us

Pluggers back ..lol

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[Enrico_Misso]

Not sure how this works as it's the first time on here but I think Gresham will be a very good player for us.

Welcome aboard E&J.

Totally agree.
Gresh is "special".
He has a wonderful bag of tricks.
Still only a kid.
Needs to get more consistent and learn when to do the percentage thing and when to play his joker card.
Give him time and he will be a star.