Roo where is he really at as a player now?

[70s sainter]

Its pretty difficult when they can put 2 or 3 players on him like last year because there is no other big man threat in the forward line. Its no coincidence when Kosi and stanley were performing early on Reiwoldt was smashing them. They have to find some way of isolating him again........ anyway we have problems at both ends of the ground> The full back is a bigger issue right now.

[Con Gorozidis]

roo is the least of our worries

[dcstkfc]

Poor game, very good season.

[onlooker]

I thought I would put my 2 bobs worth in on Roo. He cannot play the highly mobile running game that he built his reputation on any more and we shouldn't expect him to be able to do it. From my observations he hasn't been able to play at that top level since the major hamstring injury and he seems to carry what appears to be a chronic knee problem which is adding to difficulties during the game. If he hits the ground during a contest sometimes he is back on his feet straight away and is back in the contest and other times he seems to take about 5- 10 secs or so just to get on his feet again and this happens consistently. The problem appears chronic. He is not in the Cloke mould insofar as far as outright strength is concerned and now being less mobile and the ball is bombed in from distance he struggles has to hold his position in a pack. Against North and in other games he was outbodied in marking contests (I'm not referring to the times when he was outnumbered) when the ball which was coming in high and he had to hold his ground.
Despite what I have said here he is by a mile the Club's best key forward player. He is a very good player. What is concerning is that we still seem highly reliant on him doing things which he is not capable of any more. I'm not going to comment on the Club's grooming of new key forwards - that's for another discussion.

[wallbanger]

Excellent post Onloooker. Roo has been one of our best and most consistent perfromers this year, despite getting older and having ongoing chronic injury issues. One bad game and everyone jumps on his back - you've got to be kidding me. The delivery was disgraceful, which never helps. The midfield (other than Hayes) was absolutely BELTED, which never helps.

Yesterday was a bad game for the team all round, at a very unfortunate time given the context of the season from here on in.

[onlooker]

Totally agree Wallbanger re: delivery. It's been an ongoing problem for us particularly as the game has evolved and I saw it mentioned on another thread where they said that when Pelchen and the coaches reboot the list delivery skills has got to be on top or near to the top of the list. As far as Roo is concerned delivery to him has been average over a long period.

[8856brother]

i know there's an injury cloud on him atm. but where is he really at?

A far better place than Kosi sadly ATM.