James and Rogers not up to it

[Charlie]

Anyone sinking the boot into Rogers is simply looking for a scapegoat. He's not doing any worse than Meiklejohn was in his first two games... oh... but wait... we were winning those, weren't we? It's quite simply ridiculous to even start to make suggestions about his ability when he's only played about 90 minutes of senior football!

As for James, well, I didn't comment on him earlier because his performances speak for themselves. Excellent the first four weeks, beaten by Neitz (is there any full-back of the last 5 years who can claim to have beaten Neitz in their first encounter?), shown no faith at all against Essendon, where he got 8 minutes, put onto Richo at quarter time, when Richo had kicked four, and kept him to three goals in three quarters when Richo was getting 90% of Richmond's supply... and then this week, where he's being blamed for the loss.

But have people actually considered what Jamesy DID this week, before scapegoating him? Obviously not. You see, the list of West Coast goalkickers contains only one tall forward; Glen Jakovich. All of his goals came in the first quarter. And who was manning Jako for the first two of his goals? Craig Bolton.

So we're blaming Heath for the loss, when he conceded ONE GOAL?

[Captain]

Originally posted by Charlie
Anyone sinking the boot into Rogers is simply looking for a scapegoat. He's not doing any worse than Meiklejohn was in his first two games... oh... but wait... we were winning those, weren't we? It's quite simply ridiculous to even start to make suggestions about his ability when he's only played about 90 minutes of senior football!

As for James, well, I didn't comment on him earlier because his performances speak for themselves. Excellent the first four weeks, beaten by Neitz (is there any full-back of the last 5 years who can claim to have beaten Neitz in their first encounter?), shown no faith at all against Essendon, where he got 8 minutes, put onto Richo at quarter time, when Richo had kicked four, and kept him to three goals in three quarters when Richo was getting 90% of Richmond's supply... and then this week, where he's being blamed for the loss.

But have people actually considered what Jamesy DID this week, before scapegoating him? Obviously not. You see, the list of West Coast goalkickers contains only one tall forward; Glen Jakovich. All of his goals came in the first quarter. And who was manning Jako for the first two of his goals? Craig Bolton.

So we're blaming Heath for the loss, when he conceded ONE GOAL?

You are right about comparing Rogers with Meiklejohn, they are both duds and have only been picked because they are tall.

I'm not blaming Rogers for the loss at all. I feel sorry for the poor bloke that so much pressure has been put onto him. He will never be able to handle it. We are just that short of talls we need all we can get regadless of their football ability.

[Charlie]

I feel sorry for the poor bloke because after 2 games, we have a torrent of people looking for a scapegoat, and settling on him.

It's garbage... it really is.

[timbo]

No ones blaming the two for the loss, its just that the Club should look at what role they deserve in the team.

[Donners]

James strikes me as being more of a half-back flank than a key defender at this point, but unfortunately with the injury to Schauble he doesn't have much choice.

Rogers has not impressed in his two games so far. It's only early days, but having a clanger tally equal to his total possessions is not a good sign. At AFL level we really need to have more options at the back. I can't understand why Goodes wasn't moved back a few weeks earlier. Oh, and Charlie, according to the Herald Sun today he played 121 minutes of this game alone.

As for Meiklejohn, I compared him to Bomford last year, and I stand by that.


It seems a bit unfair to have all the focus on Saddington and a new player when Maxfield has been well down this season.

[Charlie]

So he's played 160 minutes instead of 90?

Ok. So that extra 70 minutes should make the difference?

Please.

[Donners]

Don't get too excited, I'm just trying to be accurate.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Donners
It seems a bit unfair to have all the focus on Saddington and a new player when Maxfield has been well down this season.

Agree that Stuie has been down this season, although IMHO yesterday was his best game for us in 2004 (not brilliant by any means, but it was an improvement).

[Alec]

we're not too bad, just a little too young. Far too early to blame the kids. And getting upset with Roos and his plans for our team is way off the mark, too, at this stage.

Tiger is a little too inexperienced to cope with all this constant tagging.

James, Rogers, Powell etc still are similarly a little light on to be expected to play out 4 qtrs of faultless footy against a concerted attack.

LRT showed a couple of games back that he's still a little at sea when asked to play as a CHB.

And it's not just the kids who are learning. Our experienced players are being trialled in new roles all over the ground, and there were always going to be some teething issues.

Kirk is only one man, and his lack of a kicking game means others need to work harder around him.

Crouch is getting spread a little thin as he loosens up and tries to add some more attacking footy to his repertoire in Cressa's absence.

Saddo has shown he can rove around the ground and make his own calls on where to put himself (I guess Leppitsch style, to a degree), but while he figures out this new task, it's not too surprising to see him going missing every now and then.

None of this form should be unexpected, though. We're really just building for future years in the way everyone thought we would have done in 2003 as well.

We're very competitive. But for a handful of key contests a game we're falling a little short.

What we really need is our core group of leaders to keep on the park for a run of games without injury...and this just isn't happening for us this year.

[penga]

in regards to james' apparent lack of speed... through his lack of experience, he is unable to read the play coming in quite as well as some of his opponents and is caught flat footed... watch him when he rebounds, he will quite often outrun a midfielder... experience will mean that he can use his pace, strength and smarts all together in a competent package

[Nico]

Penga,

Good comments. That's why he is wasted at FB.

[sharpie]

Does anybody remember a guy called Mal Michael. In the last years of Plugger's career, this skinny young kid was THE WORST fullback in the league. It was hilarious watching Tony toss him aside and seeing the kid scrunch up his face as Plugger led and marked for his record goal at the SCG.

Well, now some bloke also named Mal Michael has 3 pretty little medallions around his neck.

Timbo, you're a goose. Rogers was picked on the Rookie list. A list of guys who pretty much have no obligation to contribute to the senior team, unless they make suprising improvements, or the team is hit by injuries. If you think the club was wrong by picking him up on the rookie list, you need your head scanned.

[omnipotent]

Rogers could be struggling to make it but surely the jury still has to be out. It is far too early to write him off. James has showed quite a lot in some games but should not be expected to play against strong, tall forwards.

[penga]

Originally posted by Nico
That's why he is wasted at FB.

he will play CHB when schauble returns

however, long term he is an excellent prospect for FB, has the same make-up as scarlett

[taurus]

I am not a fan of James, however, it is bit early to declare this, no?