Brett Kirk

[snajik]

I felt at the time when Kirky got crunched in the centre that Bally should have either gone in to shepherd, or have been screaming at him to get rid of it. If you are finding the ball so often in traffic, you are bound to get tackled every so often. The highlight for me was how he didn't get tackled. Kirk was 20 metres out from the Geelong goals (2nd quarter?), surrounded by three cats, yet managed to dish out a superb handball to a running teammate to defuse the pressure. While his kicking skills aren't exemplary, his hand skills are fantastic.

[swan_song]

God, u people!!! lol. For ages many of u have mercilessly bagged the captain, even when he's been in my (at least) best players list. Only now he's a hero??? The truth is, he's been playing good, honest, no-frills footy week in wek out, taking out of contention many of the game's better players, meaning that they have little influence on the game. So what does that make him, eh...?

[Cheer Cheer]

Johnny - Kirk isnt in our top 10 - 12 players this year, he is in our top 5!

[RogueSwan]

So what does that make him, eh...?

The fifth member of You Am I with that haircut and sidies

[Johnny Roberts]

Johnny - Kirk isnt in our top 10 - 12 players this year, he is in our top 5!

My point was simply that Kirk has gone from being a "fringe" player last year to one of the first dozen or so picked each week- this year.

IMHO- you could argue cases for any number of swans players to be in our top 5 to Rnd 8, such has been the "collective" improvement of the mid range/ fringe players.

[Doctor J.]

I'll own up to being a Kirk critic.
If the world had listened to me he would have got the flick at the end of 99.

Yum yum, humble Pie.

I'm with Roscoe on N. Davis though. IMO still yet to show a thing, to make a 2nd round draft pick seem worth giving up

[Roscoe]

Mr Roberts

Nick D played in the Mid - Field on Sunday and was "serviceable"

Did some useful things

BUT

would easily rank him as our "softest player" in terms of hard ball
gets, tackles, smothers, shepherds

Schauble played well on Sunday, however he has lost a yard in pace and to me is carrying an injury.

Nowhere near his 2000 form.

Don't get me wrong - he's not on my "hit List" and when he plays upto his 2000 form he is very important.

When I said he was on shaky ground I thought he needed a run in the magoos to find form and fitness.

He is our best option at Full Back when he is fit and in form

[penga]

i suspect that ND might also be carrying an injury... his OP might be popping up again, when he ran off at the last he looked very proppy indeed...

[Johnny Roberts]

Mr Roberts

Nick D played in the Mid - Field on Sunday and was "serviceable"

Did some useful things

BUT

would easily rank him as our "softest player" in terms of hard ball
gets, tackles, smothers, shepherds

Schauble played well on Sunday, however he has lost a yard in pace and to me is carrying an injury.

Nowhere near his 2000 form.

Don't get me wrong - he's not on my "hit List" and when he plays upto his 2000 form he is very important.

When I said he was on shaky ground I thought he needed a run in the magoos to find form and fitness.

He is our best option at Full Back when he is fit and in form

I was simply pointing out that yes I acknowledge that some of my statmements in regard to Brett Kirk have been shown to be premature (nice way of saying wrong), but no different to your statements about Nick Davis and Andrew Schauble.

Firstly Davis didn't do a "pre-season" due to OP and as stated by Roos was always considered a "long term" option- so saying you are "waiting for him" after Round 3 is a tad harsh.

As far as not shepherding and tackling etc. - he was never recruited to play the "Hamill" role - he was recruited as a goalsneak/ attacking midfielder type - which he is doing. The beauty is that while his fitness is not quite there yet he never wastes a possession or shot on goal.

One round doesn't make a season, but I think he is just starting to hit some form- started to get a bit more of the ball against the cats and some nice defensive punches in the second half. Gave us a "glimpse" of his class with a dashing run down the wing and "lace out" pass to Bazza in the 1st quarter.

With regards to Schauble, saying he is on "shaky ground" is just nonsensical. With Dunks retired who do you propose should play Full Back?

In a perfect world Schauble would still be playing the "attacking CHB" role that he played so well in 2000, but we don't have that luxury- instead he is being asked to play out of his weight division on the "gorillas" such as Neitz and Everitt etc.- which I believe he has handled admirably.