Can someone teach Gresham to handpass

[L.A. Saint]

Has anyone else noticed how poorly Gresh handballs the ball? He consistently sends it to his team mates feet or doesn’t make contact properly and it just dribbles out of his hand! What is up with that? Is he trying to do too much like he has the tendency to do with his kicking?
Also, Jimmy Webster was clearly not comfortable with his hand or wrist. Missed so many tackles and smothers he would normally make. Seemed that way to me.


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[Scollop]

I think Gresh is getting tagged and opposition midfields seem to be putting a lot more time into him. He is adapting to the midfield and adapting to sharing the footy around, rather than being focused solely on the big sticks when he played closer to goals.

Speaking about handpassing. Kent burnt his team mates in the forward line as did Gresh, and they just need to work better together for the benefit of everyone.

Overall, I was happy with the effort of both Kent and Gresh. They just need better support and need to be disciplined

[spert]

So far I am seeing that Gresh is not a natural midfielder- part time at best and goes missing a bit. I would play him as a forward at Long's expense.

[stkfc1]

You could

Has anyone else noticed how poorly Gresh handballs the ball? He consistently sends it to his team mates feet or doesn’t make contact properly and it just dribbles out of his hand! What is up with that? Is he trying to do too much like he has the tendency to do with his kicking?
Also, Jimmy Webster was clearly not comfortable with his hand or wrist. Missed so many tackles and smothers he would normally make. Seemed that way to me.


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Add Ross to that list with Gresh. Ross's handballs are just as poor. One handball he did last night just basically rolled out his hands. He had zero pressure on him, it was just a lazy handball. The player (Phillips) running past had to stop and go back to get it. Kills your momentum.

Our handball game in general is pretty ordinary but its dropped off badly the last few games. At the start of the season we seemed to do it well, especially in the backhalf and had a good spread to move it forward but we have gone back to handballing to players standing still or who are surrounded by opp players.

Our skills in general are pretty average. Which is why we'll stay an average team.

[samoht]

Armo who is an established midfielder and has played under 10 coaches still doesn't handball cleanly - he rushes his handballs - most of the time, they just end up anywhere.

The players work it out themselves, or they don't work it out at all.

Then you have Robert Harvey who knew how to handball from the word go at AFL level, as a 17 year old - no-one had to teach him.

[samoht]

double post ..

[SinCitySainter]

I agree with the idea that Gresh is not a natural midfielder.
I always think he looks uncomfortable in the middle where as up forward he looks dangerous.
Nothing wrong with being a full time forward pocket, He could become the next Milne.
I know we lack quality midfielders but that doesn't mean we should sacrifice Gresh's game to make him one.

[perfectionist]

Then you have Robert Harvey who knew how to handball from the word go at AFL level, as a 17 year old - no-one had to teach him.

And,he predominately used his left hand, also to bounce. He could handball 20 metres. Our current players can't handball two metres with any accuracy. There are many to add to the list - Jack Steven in particular. His poor skills has always been the basis of my criticism of him - gets the ball a lot and gives it up a lot. The way Collingwood players handball is evidence enough that the skill can be taught or at least improved upon.

[barneyboyz]

Then you have Robert Harvey who knew how to handball from the word go at AFL level, as a 17 year old - no-one had to teach him.

And,he predominately used his left hand, also to bounce. He could handball 20 metres. Our current players can't handball two metres with any accuracy. There are many to add to the list - Jack Steven in particular. His poor skills has always been the basis of my criticism of him - gets the ball a lot and gives it up a lot. The way Collingwood players handball is evidence enough that the skill can be taught or at least improved upon.

I agree and Jack Steven should have stayed as a small forward. Gresh is very similar, although he is still building his running tank

[Josh Battle]

Then you have Robert Harvey who knew how to handball from the word go at AFL level, as a 17 year old - no-one had to teach him.

And,he predominately used his left hand, also to bounce. He could handball 20 metres. Our current players can't handball two metres with any accuracy. There are many to add to the list...
....The way Collingwood players handball is evidence enough that the skill can be taught or at least improved upon.

Of course skills can be taught and for many young draftees it is vital that they work just as hard on their skills as they do on their fitness and strength. That's a coaching and footy development issue

According to some of the posters here at Saintsational it is pointless to teach anyone any skills and pointless to pay big money for coaches or development staff in your football department. According to some of these posters, a footballer arrives into a professional environment good to go, and once you've arrived it is too late to improve your skills

That of course flies in the face of everything we've witnessed with Mason Cox and MikePike and Jim Stynes and the countless Irishman who have excelled at Aussie rules even though they'd never laid their hands on a Sherrin until they were adults.

What is clearly evident is that you need an elite football department and elite football development staff and elite senior coaching staff if you are ever going to be a contender. We obviously do not qualify in ALL these areas just yet

[Josh Battle]

Armo who is an established midfielder and has played under 10 coaches still doesn't handball cleanly - he rushes his handballs - most of the time, they just end up anywhere.

The players work it out themselves, or they don't work it out at all.

Then you have Robert Harvey who knew how to handball from the word go at AFL level, as a 17 year old - no-one had to teach him.

I think you're trying to say that Harvey was elite when he arrived. I think you are saying that it was always in Harve's DNA. I think you are forgetting that Robert was one of the hardest workers in football during his whole career

You can't rely on natural talent to have consistency and the ability to maintain such a high level. You don't win multiple Brownlows, 4 x Best and Fairests and 8 x All Australians with just luck and natural talent

[samoht]

I think you're trying to say that Harvey was elite when he arrived. I think you are saying that it was always in Harve's DNA. I think you are forgetting that Robert was one of the hardest workers in football during his whole career

You can't rely on natural talent to have consistency and the ability to maintain such a high level. You don't win multiple Brownlows, 4 x Best and Fairests and 8 x All Australians with just luck and natural talent

Are you saying Armo's not hard working? A lot of his handballing is rushed and untidy. It's wasteful.
Why haven't any of his many coaches been able to sort it out? You'd think one would have.

As I said players work it out for themselves, or they don't work it out at all.

My opinion, from the observations I've made - and I'll stick to it.

[Josh Battle]

Gresham could have a nice long career similar to Armo and never win a Trevor Barker Medal or be named as an All Australian and still earn a very good paypacket. I agree it is up to the player in some respects but once again, it comes back to leadership and coaching in my opinion if you want team success. Was Armo and the team pushed hard enough to be the best they could be as individuals and as a team?

Our boys had one of the hardest preseasons they've ever had in 2019 and most thought it was easily the most gruelling in their careers. When you have enough individuals pushing themselves and committing themselves to improve their handball and other skills, then the collective has to benefit. If Gresham was at a club where they demand this sort of work ethic daily and weekly, perhaps he can enjoy more success going forward

[samoht]

Was Armo and the team pushed hard enough to be the best they could be as individuals and as a team?

Our boys had one of the hardest preseasons they've ever had in 2019 and most thought it was easily the most gruelling in their careers. When you have enough individuals pushing themselves and committing themselves to improve their handball and other skills, then the collective has to benefit. If Gresham was at a club where they demand this sort of work ethic daily and weekly, perhaps he can enjoy more success going forward

Gresham is at an AFL club - it's not fun and games - and as such, his "work ethic" is expected and demanded.
As it would be at any other AFL club.

As for Armo:
Armo was pushed or more importantly pushed himself hard - too hard if anything.

Our problem is --
We don't have A grade talent or enough players with poise and elite skills, especially in our midfield - we need to recruit that.
If our players want to see what "hard" is ..... and what sort of "work ethic" and commitment our coach demands -
this is what he demanded of himself.

[Josh Battle]

I pushed myself too hard in the 80's and 90's at the Chevron, Metro, the Underground, the Tunnell, Saloon Bar, the Warehouse, and some other joint that had cover bands playing on King Street on a Thursday (with a great horn section) and some other joint that also escapes me that had this other popular cover band playing in Prahran on a Monday night...

Anyhow...is that what you mean by Armo pushed himself too hard?

[samoht]

No. This is what I mean ... notice that Armo doesn't even flinch after a head clash. He goes after the ball as if nothing happened. Armo was concussed in last week's VFL game - so he's still just as committed and hard at it.

[ace]

Was Armo and the team pushed hard enough to be the best they could be as individuals and as a team?

Our boys had one of the hardest preseasons they've ever had in 2019 and most thought it was easily the most gruelling in their careers. When you have enough individuals pushing themselves and committing themselves to improve their handball and other skills, then the collective has to benefit. If Gresham was at a club where they demand this sort of work ethic daily and weekly, perhaps he can enjoy more success going forward

Gresham is at an AFL club - it's not fun and games - and as such, his "work ethic" is expected and demanded.
As it would be at any other AFL club.

As for Armo:
Armo was pushed or more importantly pushed himself hard - too hard if anything.

Our problem is --
We don't have A grade talent or enough players with poise and elite skills, especially in our midfield - we need to recruit that.
If our players want to see what "hard" is ..... and what sort of "work ethic" and commitment our coach demands -
this is what he demanded of himself.

Voss would get a minimum of 10 weeks for that nowadays.

[Superboot]

I know one shouldn't compare sports, and that footy is a multi-skilled game, but this sort of topic always reminds me of a conversation I saw reported by Peter Schwab some years ago, who had recently visited Old Trafford.

Schwab: What do you do with players who can't kick?
Ferguson: We don't have any players who can't kick.

[saintbob]

Richo should perform the Heimlich maneuver on him to stop him drowning on his own bath water and then give him a fair kick in the arse and tell him it’s a team game and if he can’t play a team game he’ll spend the rest of the year in the VFL until he can.

[SinCitySainter]

Was Armo and the team pushed hard enough to be the best they could be as individuals and as a team?

Our boys had one of the hardest preseasons they've ever had in 2019 and most thought it was easily the most gruelling in their careers. When you have enough individuals pushing themselves and committing themselves to improve their handball and other skills, then the collective has to benefit. If Gresham was at a club where they demand this sort of work ethic daily and weekly, perhaps he can enjoy more success going forward

Gresham is at an AFL club - it's not fun and games - and as such, his "work ethic" is expected and demanded.
As it would be at any other AFL club.

As for Armo:
Armo was pushed or more importantly pushed himself hard - too hard if anything.

Our problem is --
We don't have A grade talent or enough players with poise and elite skills, especially in our midfield - we need to recruit that.
If our players want to see what "hard" is ..... and what sort of "work ethic" and commitment our coach demands -
this is what he demanded of himself.

Voss would get a minimum of 10 weeks for that nowadays.

No, under the AFL's star player rule, or the "Gazza amendment" as it is known, it would be deemed insufficient force.