Michael Pyke

[hot potato]

I don't know why they don't rotate Shaw thru the middle.

HP

[Bear]

Yesterday showed just how he still is away from AFL Level.
Against better opposition , he was smashed and had no influence at all.
We have to find a better back up for Jolls next year.

He wasn't just beaten, he was really embarrassed. Had absolutely no idea what to do, where to run, who to tackle, how to use his body in a marking contest, etc. Cost us a lot of 50/50s.

It's a real shame that we are throwing this bloke into the deep end when he as no idea how to do anything other than jump up and tap the ball. And he only did that 7 times in the game.

[ScottH]

He wasn't just beaten, he was really embarrassed. Had absolutely no idea what to do, where to run, who to tackle, how to use his body in a marking contest, etc. Cost us a lot of 50/50s.

It's a real shame that we are throwing this bloke into the deep end when he as no idea how to do anything other than jump up and tap the ball. And he only did that 7 times in the game.

He was easily outbodied, and outmarked by the smaller Maxwell, from a kick out. I know Maxwell is no slouch, but it was just a no contest for Maxwell. Pyke really had no idea how to postion his body to protect his marking space, and/or ride the bump.

[caj23]

Looked badly out of his depth on Sunday

Should be retained for 2010 as a rookie. Don't think his form has warranted an upgrade at this stage

[Melbournehammer]

He was easily outbodied, and outmarked by the smaller Maxwell, from a kick out. I know Maxwell is no slouch, but it was just a no contest for Maxwell. Pyke really had no idea how to postion his body to protect his marking space, and/or ride the bump.

And from a kickout LRT was spoiled by dane swan in a situation where swan was going backwards and LRT had a nice clear run at a swan stepladder - which led to a goal by collingwood for them to skip away just before half time.

the truth is that pike has played the GAME for (now) a season and LRT has played over 100 games of AFL. Pike may or may not make it but we appear quite willing to let some players continue where they make similar errors for years in a row. And Pike is providing a serious contest and his tap work is not too bad. Jim Stynes and Kenelly and even O'Hailpin provide examples that where the initial skills were foreign the athleticism can be enough.

[hammo]

We need Currie up and running for round 1 next season.

Pyke needs to play at a lower standard to learn the game and in particular the all round skills required of a ruckman - even back-up ruckmen - where the role does not end with tapping a ball to your midfielders. While his ruckwork shows plenty of promise, we might as well be playing with 17 players out there most of the time.

[Hartijon]

We need Currie up and running for round 1 next season.

Pyke needs to play at a lower standard to learn the game and in particular the all round skills required of a ruckman - even back-up ruckmen - where the role does not end with tapping a ball to your midfielders. While his ruckwork shows plenty of promise, we might as well be playing with 17 players out there most of the time.

With our last game of the year coming up its either thumbs up or thumbs down for the Pyke experiment so far. IMO he has not exceeded expectations but barely met them so its a hesitant thumbs up. His future depends on considerable improvement in ground play and doing things like marking and kicking. No excuses next season.Many of us here were soft on him because he has made an amazing transition but now the novely has worn off and we missed the finals.Was this experiement worth it? If he could mark and kick might have we pinched a few close games? He will lose his place to Currie next season unless he takes the next step.

[liz]

With our last game of the year coming up its either thumbs up or thumbs down for the Pyke experiment so far. IMO he has not exceeded expectations but barely met them so its a hesitant thumbs up. His future depends on considerable improvement in ground play and doing things like marking and kicking. No excuses next season.Many of us here were soft on him because he has made an amazing transition but now the novely has worn off and we missed the finals.Was this experiement worth it? If he could mark and kick might have we pinched a few close games? He will lose his place to Currie next season unless he takes the next step.

I find this post a bit bizarre.

If he has "barely met" your expectations, maybe your expectations were a tad unrealistic. For the guy to even play one senior game this year is far in excess of my expectations when I heard we'd signed him.

And are you really drawing a link between between Pyke playing and us missing the finals? Do you really think this is the major reason we have missed the finals?

[Primmy]

I find this post a bit bizarre.

If he has "barely met" your expectations, maybe your expectations were a tad unrealistic. For the guy to even play one senior game this year is far in excess of my expectations when I heard we'd signed him.

And are you really drawing a link between between Pyke playing and us missing the finals? Do you really think this is the major reason we have missed the finals?

I dunno Liz. After all we made the finals while Donuts played......
Honestly this is all a bit much. Give the guy some leeway please. He still hasn't played a single year of AFL let alone lived in AUSTRALIA FOR A SINGLE YEAR. Sense of proportion please. We haven't had anyone else to take up the position. the others were injured...injured. Look up word in dictionary. grumble grumble grumble

[Mr Magoo]

Gotta agree with Liz here.

If you were talking about him not getting a kick etc in the reserves by now , you might say he is a tentative thumbs up but I didnt even expect to see him play one firsts game let alone to be consistently fulfilling the backup ruckmen role.

A real baptism of fire for someone so new to the game and performed no worse than the second ruckmen in many other teams.

Of course Currie should take his place and to be frank if he doesnt next year then the thumbs down should be aimed at him. He is from all accounts a proven junior talent who cant afford to spend another year in the reserves.

[snajik]

Gotta agree with Liz here.
A real baptism of fire for someone so new to the game and performed no worse than the second ruckmen in many other teams.

Spot on.

There are numerous reasons why we didn't make the finals this year. This half-baked theory probably isn't one of them, and certainly isn't a primary reason.

[Go Swannies]

You have to give him points for guts, too. While the Irish as sooking and going home, he stepped in when we needed him - even though he wasn't ready and certainly before the coaches wanted to play him - and he made the year bearable for Jolly. He has not been a star and he's even been shown up a few times but what new player isn't?

If he continues to improve at this phenomenal rate Currie will be Pyke's back-up ruckman.If he stalls next year he'll be taking the usual ruckman path and, considering his age, may not make it.

[Go Swannies]

And are you really drawing a link between between Pyke playing and us missing the finals? Do you really think this is the major reason we have missed the finals?

And if we're apportioning blame for not playing finals (and not accepting Roos' explanation that we're playing kids and they'll be inconsistent) then it would be more realistic to blame RO'K or Goodes for not turning up for a few games early in the season than to blame a player who hardly has the stamp dry in his passport.

[Donners]

A real baptism of fire for someone so new to the game and performed no worse than the second ruckmen in many other teams.

Really?

Adelaide: Tippett/Maric
Carlton: Kreuzer/Cloke
Collingwood: Fraser/Wood
Geelong: Blake/Mumford
Hawthorn: Taylor/Renouf
Melbourne: Johnson/Martin
North: McIntosh/Goldstein
Port: Brogan/Lade
Richmond: Simmonds/Graham
Saints: King/Gardner
Eagles: Cox/Naitanui
Dogs: Hudson/Minson

Brisbane, Freo and Essendon haven't really used a second ruckman at all - certainly not as much as we have with first White, then Pyke.

Of those that have, I'd say he's well behind most second ruckman, and I'd struggle to find any haven't done at least a bit better.

I wonder why we wouldn't have simply left Jolly to go it alone as those three sides did, rather than effectively wasting a spot and putting a player in before he is ready.

[Hartijon]

Playing Pyke was not a major reason we missed the finals. It obviously didn't help our chances however.I note we won a Flag when we had two first rate ruckmen in Ball and Jolly,both very capable in all aspects of the game. I don't go along with the idea of cutting Pyke any more slack.I played with ex Rugby League players in NSW and by one year they either had it or didn't. You can tell.Pyke being a superb all round athlete and sports freak should need less time than most and needs to be more than servicable next season or else Currie will come in. Then he will just be a back up B grader pending injury to Currie or Jolly.Don't worry girls,he will still make the Calendar! Boy this guy has a female fan club! What if he looked like Ling???