Dempster and Spriggs

[Snowy]

Dempster's old man was a good footballer.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Remember the 'law of averages' - (can't remember the two who had that argument last year) - but Aker was bound to play a great game on Crouchy eventually.

I was one. I didn't think Aker was much good, a lot of soft do-nothing touches and kicks to nowhere. Pretty ineffective.

[NMWBloods]

I thought Aker was one of their main drivers. His kicks were generally attacking and penetrating, and found targets, plus he was one of the leading clearance getters for the game, and he kicked a couple of goals.

[Sanecow]

The kicks he got from a teammate (taking a kick after a mark or free) handing off to him boosted his stats at the expense of his team mates. A pointless exercise. And he had at least a handful of disposals where he got rid of the ball without any thought of where it was going because he heard footsteps.

At the start of the final quarter the goofball had the game pencilled in as a win but it takes four quarters! Watching the last quarter again, I felt that he (and Voss) combined to lose the game for Brisbane at least once when they erred in the center of the ground and let C Bolton run away with the ball.

One he'd arther forget I reckon.

[liz]

I thought he was one of their best for three quarters, notwithstanding the cheap possessions he got. But he certainly went missing in the final term.

Aker was a big contributor to the Swans' win at the Gabba in 2003 too - another game that the Lions should have had wrapped up long before three-quarter time but kicked shockingly. He lost it at times in that match too and gave away some stupid kicks through ill-discipline.

[Mike_B]

As has been alluded to already, Dempster keeping his feet under pressure in the last quarter was a pivotal moment in the game. Had he gone to ground, Pike was there to pick up the ball and waltz into an open goal. Showed poise and skills that bode well for the future.

Thought Spriggs was solid without being spectacular - a few clever handballs in traffic and good effort. Still on the fringes, but definitely not a waste of a draft pick.

[swansrule100]

i didnt think dempster stood out and i mean that in a good way. It wasnt noticeable he was the young inexperienced player, he showed poise and skill and should stay in the team for a while!

[ScottH]

Originally posted by swansrule100
i didnt think dempster stood out and i mean that in a good way. It wasnt noticeable he was the young inexperienced player, he showed poise and skill and should stay in the team for a while!

I thought he stood out.

He was the first player to burst out of a pack with the ball in a tight contest. He kicked out of defence to the line, making it almost to the 50m line without being pinged for deliberate. His run back with Voss to rush a behind, voss of old would have won the contest, but Dempster had enough poise to keep his feet when Voss didn't and rush the ball over.

I think he did stand out.

[Sanecow]

Do you reckon Leapin' would have put that ball through for a behind or would he have gone for a high risk, low return (except we would have had that vital extra point) run?

[barry]

Originally posted by ScottH

I thought he stood out.

He was the first player to burst out of a pack with the ball in a tight contest. He kicked out of defence to the line, making it almost to the 50m line without being pinged for deliberate. His run back with Voss to rush a behind, voss of old would have won the contest, but Dempster had enough poise to keep his feet when Voss didn't and rush the ball over.

I think he did stand out.

You've short changed Voss a bit there, he did his absolute best to take Dempster out when he "accidently" fell over, and thereby give Pike a simple goal.
All the more credit to Dempster for holding his feet.

[sharp9]

Originally posted by Wil
Dempster looked good, both in the backs and further up the field. Looks like people may of been right about him!

Spriggs is in our best 18, why? Because he has clean hands. I think he is the only swan midfielder who can actually pick the ball up from the ground. But lets see him get more time.

Wrong there, Ablett did some beauties...so did Davis

[Ajn]

Originally posted by barry
You've short changed Voss a bit there, he did his absolute best to take Dempster out when he "accidently" fell over, and thereby give Pike a simple goal.
All the more credit to Dempster for holding his feet.

Agreed, funny how Voss went to ground so easily, when he realised he didn't have the pace to keep up! 10 possesions in a half of football is a pretty good return, and not just that, but he took players on. Rising star for 2005 chance!

[Mark]

Originally posted by sharp9
Wrong there, Ablett did some beauties...so did Davis

Thought Ablett played very well, took a couple of very strong contested marks (one very important on the wing in final minute) clean hands, long kicks and hard at it all night.

His best game for us IMHO.

Maxi tried hard but very worried about his pace, seems to have lost at least half lost a yard and as a result is rushing kicks and making mistakes and not getting to contests.

I thought he had a full preseason ? If so does not bode well, you dont regain pace.

[swansrule100]

Originally posted by ScottH

I thought he stood out.

He was the first player to burst out of a pack with the ball in a tight contest. He kicked out of defence to the line, making it almost to the 50m line without being pinged for deliberate. His run back with Voss to rush a behind, voss of old would have won the contest, but Dempster had enough poise to keep his feet when Voss didn't and rush the ball over.

I think he did stand out.

was talking in terms of errors, in the same sense in cricket you say if the keeper is doing a great job you dont notice him, its human nature to notice mistakes more than good effort! and dempster was not one who made mistakes. Was reading about him today i think he could play a key position