My thoughts at the moment....

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by giant
I agree that our skills continue to be short of a genuaine Top 4 Contender.

Well from where I sit, there are only two "genuine Top 4 contenders". WC and Melbourne. And thats assuming Melbourne dont have any injuries to Johnstone, Bruce, Yze or White. Without them they will slide quickly.

I think our skills and performance to date puts us on par with Richmond, Geelong, Adelaide, St Kilda and the Kangaroos. The others are marginally below us at best, but of course Port and Brisbane have experience and history that can see them quickly power up the table.

The only thing we are missing this season is a victory against a team above us on the ladder. Of course, the teams who have beaten us so far are in part above us for this reason. Our second crack at them has to be much better, but I have confidence we can do this. Especially with our record against teams that seem out of our reach.

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by barry
Unfortunetly its true. How this behavior is promoted by elevating him to Captain is one of a few things I just dont get with Roos.

So you would have foregone giving the other five a chance because of Benny alone? He deserves a crack at it like every other player in the leadership group. And so far the experiment has revealed some really interesting things about the captains so far.

[Mark]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
I think our skills and performance to date puts us on par with Richmond and the Kangaroos.

Geez i hope not, they are ordinary sides at best !

We just have an ordinary game plan, big difference

[NMWBloods]

I think a number of other sides have more players with decent skills than us - guys that can actually kick and handball to a target.

However, the quality of football this year is below previous years, which gives us a decent shot at the top 4 this year which we woudn't have had previously.

[liz]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
And so far the experiment has revealed some really interesting things about the captains so far.

Has it? Like what?

[barry]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
So you would have foregone giving the other five a chance because of Benny alone? He deserves a crack at it like every other player in the leadership group.

No he doesnt. He's a very average footballer, who plays favourites with teammates. Now, I dont know what he does around the club, but those first two should outweigh any chance he has of being captain.

FWIW, we shouldnt be having this rotation anyway, and if we did, limit it to 3 really legit candidates: Kirk, Hall, Goodes.

[giant]

Originally posted by Mark
Geez i hope not, they are ordinary sides at best !

We just have an ordinary game plan, big difference

I don't think it could be argued that our skills and performance TO DATE have been no better than Richmond or North. We may have a better chance of outperforming them in H2 of the season but it's difficult to know where that will magically come from after 12 rds of ordinary football. Perhaps Willo?

[Wil]

Originally posted by sharp9
On the other hand the enormous length of time taken by LRT, Benny and Leo to deliver after they take possession would seem to indicate that when our backmen get the ball nobody up the field does anything to present. You can't see from the tele, unfortunately, but surely you would think players would be craeting and dashing into space the moment LRT gets the ball so that he doesn't have to think about it.

Someone said Benny actually ignores perfectly good leads if the player is a junior, before eventually sending a long, slow crappy kick in the direction of Bazza who has finally decided to lead from 100 metres away seeing as nothing else is happening, followed by a 3 on 1 contest resulting in a rebound or throw in. Hope that that is not too true.

Great bloody post!

Yeah you can tell at the game that no one leads from our forward line to about the centre. Even Hall doesn't present like he used to let alone guys like O'Keefe. My most frequent scream has changed from "Kick it" to "Make a lead"

I agree about helping out LRT. Since I am a (ex)Basketball coach it might not translate to AFL but you have to get the skilled blokes to help out the taller less skilled (or unskilled) defenders when they have the ball. Christ, with some players we would yell out "Don't dribble" to them. Surely having LRT with the ball at CHB is the perfect opportunity for Leo Barry or Kennelly to race by and receive a hand ball and then kick on the run to the forward 50.

Yes Ben Mathews ignores non-senior players, actually I think he ignores all non-"leadership group" players. I have no problem with him in the team as a back pocket, but come on... captain?

[Mark]

Originally posted by giant
I don't think it could be argued that our skills and performance TO DATE have been no better than Richmond or North.

Exactly !

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by liz
Has it? Like what?

Well for mine:
1. Kirky really relished the challenge, and definately lifted a cog in the midfield. We may have expected this, but the proof is in the pudding.
2. Leo is not captain material. Sure he is a leader, but the top job is not for him. His performance on the field was the weakest this year in the two games he was captain. Plus he was almost non-descript during those two weeks off the field. Certainly not what we are looking for as a captain, but at least he got a shot.
3. Bazza surprised a lot of people. He could have gone either way with the role, but he also seemed to lift a cog when given the role. Was also very much in the centre of the media, and gives the game here in Sydney extra profile just because of who he is. He was far more encouraging on the field to the other players, and even had a bit more controlled agro about him (like when he gave Sandilands a bit of a bump).

These "revelations" may not be surprising, but predictions have a strange way of coming unstuck. So far I think the rotation has been an excellent idea.

[Nolie]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
J

I think he's our best inside midfielder but only just ahead of Kirk.

What the hell is an inside midfielder? You are just making all of this up.

(doo, doo,doo,doo,doo,doo - to the tune of the The Twilight Zone)

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Nolie
What the hell is an inside midfielder?

The St Kilda team is full of them. And inside forwards too, and...

[Xie Shan]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
These "revelations" may not be surprising, but predictions have a strange way of coming unstuck. So far I think the rotation has been an excellent idea.

excellent idea? well not quite - I'd rather wait and see who they appoint as a permanent captain after the rotation is finished. If it turns out that the rotation did actually help them make the right decision regarding who to appoint as permanent captain, then, yes, you could say it was an excellent idea.

Though I must admit, even though I wasn't a fan of the rotation, it has helped strengthen BBBH and Kirky's claims, while pretty much ruling out Leo. I think it'll come down to Hall, Kirk or J.Bolton, with Jude maybe getting the nod because of his age.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Nolie
What the hell is an inside midfielder? You are just making all of this up.

(doo, doo,doo,doo,doo,doo - to the tune of the The Twilight Zone)

How many weeks have you been following football...?

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
Well for mine:
1. Kirky really relished the challenge, and definately lifted a cog in the midfield. We may have expected this, but the proof is in the pudding.
2. Leo is not captain material. Sure he is a leader, but the top job is not for him. His performance on the field was the weakest this year in the two games he was captain. Plus he was almost non-descript during those two weeks off the field. Certainly not what we are looking for as a captain, but at least he got a shot.
3. Bazza surprised a lot of people. He could have gone either way with the role, but he also seemed to lift a cog when given the role. Was also very much in the centre of the media, and gives the game here in Sydney extra profile just because of who he is. He was far more encouraging on the field to the other players, and even had a bit more controlled agro about him (like when he gave Sandilands a bit of a bump).

These "revelations" may not be surprising, but predictions have a strange way of coming unstuck. So far I think the rotation has been an excellent idea.

I'm not sure if the players' performances are necessarily that strongly related to whether they were captain or not, nor whether it provides much indication of itself whether they will be a good captain.