LRT - Not good,

[Tuesday]

Originally posted by Jimmy C
Its nice to see him playing with more confidence.

True. I didn't get the sinking feeling whenever he came near the ball today (yesterday), so I am assuming it a physical response to bandwagonism. I must be on it -- did I really just say that???

Anyhoo, I think he has really lifted in the last three weeks. High fives, Hyphen. A for effort. The poor bloke is roasted daily on an open fire (namely here), and he has responded well enough to raise some eyebrows and make us reevaluate our criticism. That said, he has a long way to go, but he is getting there.
Perhaps he has been reading RWO?

[Newbie]

Originally posted by Tuesday

Perhaps he has been reading RWO?

No doubt. I guess, appreciating Barry's posts must have contributed to the level of confidence he is showing atm .

[Rob-bloods]

With the tone of this site so often in recent times criticising Jude, Matthews, Fosdike et al, how LRT can receive tacit approval for yesterday's game is beyond me......

[Schneiderman]

Whilst his skills are ok, and no-one can question his committment and ability to run all day, his footy smarts are very poor.

One particular situation stood out: Freo (Farmer?) has squared it up from the boundary, and LRT took an easy mark in the goal square. He looks up as the players run out and zone off. He has two options in the clear right in front of him, no more than 35m away. He cant choose, he freezes up, they are both waving frantically... he still cant decide. So they get manned up and he is forced to kick to a contest.

Both Roos and Hall said yesterday that we handball too much under pressure, and we need to imrpove our decision-making before it really costs us (as it did against Adelaide and Melbourne).

It starts with LRT IMO. And Paul Bevan comes next. Obviously all of the rubgy background for both has not helped in their development.

[Jeffers1984]

I liked Dennis Commetti's comment when LRT was running out of defence. "Roberts Thompson holding the ball like a loaf of bread"!

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
Both Roos and Hall said yesterday that we handball too much under pressure, and we need to imrpove our decision-making before it really costs us (as it did against Adelaide and Melbourne).

It starts with LRT IMO. And Paul Bevan comes next. Obviously all of the rubgy background for both has not helped in their development.

I joked with people at half-time that LRT's aversion to kicking must have come from a regression back to his rugby playing days where kicking was frowned upon

As for Bevan, his grandfather was a league legend, but does he really have a non-AFL background? Or is it just people assuming because of his grandfather that he has one?

[liz]

Originally posted by Mike_B
As for Bevan, his grandfather was a league legend, but does he really have a non-AFL background? Or is it just people assuming because of his grandfather that he has one?

The fact that he spent much of his school life in Sydney (though I believe he's not Sydney born and bred) probably adds to the perception. He must have played a decent amount of one of the rugby codes while at school given that it's practically impossible to play just AFL if you go to school in Sydney.

[Rob-bloods]

Originally posted by Mike_B
I joked with people at half-time that LRT's aversion to kicking must have come from a regression back to his rugby playing days where kicking was frowned upon

As for Bevan, his grandfather was a league legend, but does he really have a non-AFL background? Or is it just people assuming because of his grandfather that he has one?

Bevan joined Wests at U14s and played rules there through to 16s (4 years). Presumably he played League at school though, and his tackling seems to show that. The St Geo comp (AFL) may not be the strongest but at that level he had all the skills and I think won best and fairest for the league on several occasions.

[barry]

Originally posted by Newbie
No doubt. I guess, appreciating Barry's posts must have contributed to the level of confidence he is showing atm .

I missed this game completely. Only saw the highlights on the news. Perhaps I'll need to watch the afl.com replay if he's as good as ScottH and NMWBloods are saying!

[NMWBloods]

I reckon you'll do yourself an injury when you see his mark!!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Saddo was very ordinary. He's very much at the crossroads.

Never a truer word, I know he was a late replacement and all, but I would have preferred Schauble, he may be slow but he can take a mark. It would have been interesting to see him drop in on the forward line, the way Melbourne use Holland (who pace is also also somewhat of an issue)

[Chubby Muffler]

Originally posted by liz
He must have played a decent amount of one of the rugby codes while at school given that it's practically impossible to play just AFL if you go to school in Sydney.

Going from memory, but I am pretty sure this is correct:

Played a heap of Rugby Union at school and was very good at it. He decided to make the switch as he felt there was more opportunity to make a living in AFL than in Union. I think he was in the second row - hence his height and lean build. Think of John Eales. This also explaains why he would not be the best kick as your normal second rower would never kick a ball. Unless it's Eales and he's kicking from the sidelibbne to snatch victory from the Kiwis in the deciding Bledisloe game in 2000....*sigh*

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Chubby Muffler
Going from memory, but I am pretty sure this is correct:

Played a heap of Rugby Union at school and was very good at it. He decided to make the switch as he felt there was more opportunity to make a living in AFL than in Union. I think he was in the second row - hence his height and lean build. Think of John Eales. This also explaains why he would not be the best kick as your normal second rower would never kick a ball. Unless it's Eales and he's kicking from the sidelibbne to snatch victory from the Kiwis in the deciding Bledisloe game in 2000....*sigh*

liz was talking about Bevan - couldn't see Bevan being a 2nd rower...

[Chubby Muffler]

Originally posted by Mike_B
liz was talking about Bevan - couldn't see Bevan being a 2nd rower...

That's it....I'm going home for the day.