Please, please, please drop Tadhg

[swannielady]

Huge Tadhg fan and have refused to sink the boot in during recent blood-letting sprees on this site. But forced to admit that he's looking like he's really struggling atm. He's really lost a yard of pace, and watching Riemers stroll around him in the 3Q was just brutal.

At his best, he straightens us up and really gives us momentum - right now, he looks like every contest is a tightrope walk over a pit full of plague-ridden crocs.

I am also a fan of his and I can see where he is slowing up but I always say sometimes you cannot quantify what he brings to a team, just by presence alone. I cannot be clinical and ruthless where this is concerned if he is not good enough for the team they will drop him but they tend to stick with it because of what he can do and has done. I hope he sees out the year and has a good think. Leave him be.

[Bloody Hell]

Guess maybe this wasn't a "Stupid, Stupid Thread..." maybe just a "Prescient, Prescient Thread."

The stupid, stupid comment was more of a reaction to the 3 x pleases in the thread title than the content of the thread...but I still think it was premature.

That said to some extent I agree with the above quote, and think he's had a few bad clangers in the past month. But I still think he's in the best 22. There seems to be a bit of group think in this thread were someone says he's @@@@, someone else says he's @@@@ - then all of a sudden it's a fact.

Noone has acknowledged that he seems to be playing a much more defensive role this season than in previous seasons - which may be an acknowledgement of his diminshed speed etc, he's not going to play the game like a 25yo...because he's not 25.

Alot of comments are OTT.

[Bloody Hell]

Bumpage...

*cough*

A couple of passive aggressive posts there....tell us what you really think?!?

[dimelb]

... No-one has acknowledged that he seems to be playing a much more defensive role this season than in previous seasons - which may be an acknowledgement of his diminshed speed etc, he's not going to play the game like a 25yo...because he's not 25. ...

I think you've got the nub of the matter. The basic problem is that Tadhg has never been a top defender, even when he was 25; he's been a counter-attacking player, and he's simply not as good at that as he was.

[wolftone57]

I think you've got the nub of the matter. The basic problem is that Tadhg has never been a top defender, even when he was 25; he's been a counter-attacking player, and he's simply not as good at that as he was.

Yes that is the point isn't it, he has never been a defensive backman, he has always been an attacking weapon from the HB. I can remember a player, I can't remember who, kicking 5 on him one day but he was left there because he managed to get 30 posies & give such run from the backline that we won the game. But that run has disappeared and he is not a defensive backman so he has a few problems and retirement at the end of the season after being a great player would be advisable. I still think coming into the finals we need to be careful of playing players who can no longer give their all or who's effort is no longer equal to elite level. We want to win a final at least do better than last year by winning a second and give the young blokes a taste of what finals is all about. To do that we need all players and this includes Tadhg, Shaw, Ryano playing at the elite level. I don't know if Tadhg can do it anymore.

[BSA5]

At first when he'd lost his run and was making the odd bad decision, he was actually taking a lot of marks in defence and being better than usual in the defensive aspects of that game. For that reason I thought the calls for his head were ridiculous, and I stand by that.

That said, his defensive work has reverted back to what it has usually been (occasional third-man-up spoil and nothing more), his run hasn't returned meaning his opponent isn't made to be accountable, and his poor decisions are becoming more and more regular, and damaging. What started with that funny but bewildering "solo" has turned into what appears to be full-on "football-senility".

I'm not totally opposed to keeping him in the side for sentiment's sake, but at the same time, I'd like to see him make the decision to drop himself. Either way, unless he experiences a total rebirth, I'm not sure I'd like to see him at the club next year as a player. Would love to have him as a coach/staff member/Irish delegate/Academy coach/whatever, as he's a genuine champion of the club.

[Number 43]

Why not just play him in a different position for a change. Be creative. Half Forward perhaps.

[Untamed Snark]

Why not just play him in a different position for a change. Be creative. Half Forward perhaps.

Water boy?

[ernie koala]

It seems pretty clear to me...
He's playing crap footy on both sides of the ball, and has been for some time.
He should be dropped.

[Melbournehammer]

The stupid, stupid comment was more of a reaction to the 3 x pleases in the thread title than the content of the thread...but I still think it was premature.

That said to some extent I agree with the above quote, and think he's had a few bad clangers in the past month. But I still think he's in the best 22. There seems to be a bit of group think in this thread were someone says he's @@@@, someone else says he's @@@@ - then all of a sudden it's a fact.

Noone has acknowledged that he seems to be playing a much more defensive role this season than in previous seasons - which may be an acknowledgement of his diminshed speed etc, he's not going to play the game like a 25yo...because he's not 25.

Alot of comments are OTT.

its funny but when I wrote the review of the Carlton game I suggested that his position needed to be looked at. In the North thread I said that I thought he wasn't playing that well - and although he got BOG from both coaches that day I really wasn't sure it was merited (shows you how much I know about the game...).

But my thinking that day was that he played loose all day against North - that worried me at the time - it was the first time I'd seen a side come to the conclusion that he could be left alone defensively and really wouldn't hurt you.

I dont think he is playing well. He is putting teammates under a lot of pressure with his poor disposal and he really hasn't broken loose too often this season to counterbalance these failings.

But we do have a defence which struggles to hit targets and makes dumb decisions. Mattner whose attack on the ball i love does give frees away every game in a bevanesque manner. grundy's first kick almost every week falls 10 metres short and we concede goals from these regularly.

I am not quite sure that i'd drop him. Lets be clear - dropping him is virtually equivalent to cutting him so it really is a very big decision. He was my favourite player for such a long time that maybe I have rose tinted glasses... but I think i'd prefer to see him in the side until it is clear that he really isn't worth his spot anymore.

[Dan]

He is going to be best on ground this week and get 3 votes, and this thread can close

[Kanga]

Won't be dropped. Will be permitted to retire with dignity IMO.

[neilfws]

I think Tadhg started on the bench today; don't know if that was a subtle signal. Probably not since he played most of the game.

I hope he takes a long, hard look at his recent games and decides to call it a day at the end of the year. He's getting run down so often now, it's just embarrassing to watch. Unless they can find a new position for him next year which involves not having to run.

One of our greats in the first half of the decade, but looks like the game has moved beyond him now.

[erica]

Time to go, Tadhg.

[ScottH]

His greatest asset was always his speed. He has clearly lost that.
Sad to say.