Mega Thread 2014 Free Agency and Trade discussion

[RandB]

The Jury has already said their verdict, we suck

I'm talking about under Roos and co. there just isn't enough to go on yet.

 

[CTHORANGE]

So Blease is officially a Cat.

I will look on his stint there with great interest. If he goes up a notch in endurance and application then questions will fairly be asked about why this didn't happen at Melbourne. 2nd chance wake up call may be a factor but I still think the jury is out on our fitness and development setup.

Having said that he could end up struggling so we'll see.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-11-03/cats-pleased-with-blease

The interesting thing about this article, is the author refers to him as a midfielder.... w t f.

Blease says he is going to work on endurance but feels this will never be outstanding because he isn't built that way, ahh what... he is a whippet, should have no problems building an acceptable AFL endurance base. Perhaps our fitness staff couldn't find the right program for him, or perhaps he just couldn't be fagged, I guess time will tell at Geelong. Good luck to him.

 

[youngbear]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-11-03/cats-pleased-with-blease

The interesting thing about this article, is the author refers to him as a midfielder.... w t f.

Blease says he is going to work on endurance but feels this will never be outstanding because he isn't built that way, ahh what... he is a whippet, should have no problems building an acceptable AFL endurance base. Perhaps our fitness staff couldn't find the right program for him, or perhaps he just couldn't be fagged, I guess time will tell at Geelong. Good luck to him.

I'm scrathing my head at Geelong (with a cheeky grin) and what they have done this off season.

Varcoe, Christensen and Hunt out for Clark, Stanley and Blease. They seem to think crap from other teams will come good for them, but they are sacrificing their own quality for the risk. As Dees fans we know that, although quick, Blease is lacking in endurance and defensive capabilities; and his disposal is average at best. I don't care about Stanley. Clark, injuries and 'depression' aside, has never dominated a game for us or the Lions.

And their list... I'm seeing a gap between the amazing footy they've dished up for years and the next group coming through. They seem to be hitting in hope that their stars aged 30+ will be around for the next 2-3 year, but not just be there, play quality footy.

I'm thinking the demise of the Cats will be quick and a shock for the supporters, riding the arrogance wave for a while now. I will keep my mouth shut to them because the Dees and good list management aren't exactly known to each other over the last decade.

 

[schmuttt]

Clark, injuries and 'depression' aside, has never dominated a game for us or the Lions.

Agree with your post except this. I hate clark but he is an excellent player.

 

[youngbear]

Agree with your post except this. I hate clark but he is an excellent player.

Just an opinion. I seemed to have blinkers on with Clark. His time at Melbourne I wanted the best for him, now he can GAGF. IMO, he never stood out at the Lions until his final year and a half there. Although he may be a good footballer (for me, to hard to tell), he seems to be a terrible person and extremely weak minded (not a crack at his mental illness, only on his handling of professional decisions).

I think his body is ordinary and he his mentally fragile. He will be under just as much pressure at Geelong because of their need for someone to help Hawkins.

 

[Dory_77]

Losing Christensen wouldn't have been intended from Geelong, but using the pick they got for him on Stanley after also getting Clark in the off-season is pretty confusing. There does seem to be a pretty noticeable gap between the quality of their older stars and the ability of their younger guys to replace them though.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Clark can G&GF regardless of whether he's a good player or not.

 

[youngbear]

Losing Christensen wouldn't have been intended from Geelong, but using the pick they got for him on Stanley after also getting Clark in the off-season is pretty confusing. There does seem to be a pretty noticeable gap between the quality of their older stars and the ability of their younger guys to replace them though.

Exactly my point. When we lost Sylvia we used the compo to get Vince, roughly a like for like. Geelong loses a 23yo half fwd/outside mid and use the pick to get an avergae, incosistant KPP.

 

[CM Sean]

Vince > Sylvia. <3

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Vince > Sylvia. <3

Vince is to Sylvia what Hogan will be to Scully. Better player, better bloke (yes I know they're different positions).

 

[youngbear]

Vince is to Sylvia what Hogan will be to Scully. Better player, better bloke (yes I know they're different positions).

Vince is miles better than Sylvia. I meant in terms of position. Vince did more for us in one season than Sylvia did in 9 seasons. Also, Vince's consistency was, and will be, better than Sylvia's 12 ordinary games book ended by a 30 pos, 5 goal game.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Vince is miles better than Sylvia. I meant in terms of position. Vince did more for us in one season than Sylvia did in 9 seasons. Also, Vince's consistency was, and will be, better than Sylvia's 12 ordinary games book ended by a 30 pos, 5 goal game.

So we agree

 

[youngbear]

So we agree

Now that I read what you wrote properly... Yes

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

He was close to AA for the Lions one year, and looked good for us while he was out there in 2012. And he can G&GF.
I reckon Geelong are headed for a massive fall ala Melbourne 2006-07.

 

[Viney]

He was close to AA for the Lions one year, and looked good for us while he was out there in 2012. And he can G&GF.
I reckon Geelong are headed for a massive fall ala Melbourne 2006-07.

I disagree

The cats in my living memory have always been ok

Their home ground advantage alone will keep them thereabouts

 

[Dez!]

Blease deflecting his lack of development back to Melbourne

MELBOURNE’S instability has stifled the development of its first-round draft picks, new Cat Sam Blease says.

Blease, 23, was signed by Geelong on Monday as a delisted free agent after playing just 33 games in six years at Melbourne.

He was taken at No.17 in the 2008 AFL Draft, and along with a host of other high selections, has been unable to help lift the Demons from the doldrums during his tenure.

While admitting the players had to take responsibility for their performances, Blease told SEN the club also had a bit to answer for.

When asked whether they were developed adequately, the speedy midfielder was emphatic:
"I've had five coaches in six years. You can only imagine if your boss changes every year almost, it's hard to keep consistency," Blease said.

I was a fan of you Blease but you were a lazy campaigner, having a lot of coaches isn't an excuse for your inability to build up a tank to run out games.

 

[Viney]

Blease deflecting his lack of development back to Melbourne



I was a fan of you Blease but you were a lazy campaigner, having a lot of coaches isn't an excuse for your inability to build up a tank to run out games.

Yeah 5 "bosses" telling him to build a tank, build endurance and build 2 way running (and a good attitude) and he decides AFTER being cut to seek out a guy to help him with that (despite having an AFL fitness department at his finger tips the last 6 years). Ok Sam. It's all our fault

A friend (dee supporter) who's son played juniors with blease and went to school with him told me at the time we drafted him, he was a figjam and would be no good

 

[Topkent]

Blease deflecting his lack of development back to Melbourne



I was a fan of you Blease but you were a lazy campaigner, having a lot of coaches isn't an excuse for your inability to build up a tank to run out games.

Geelong will love this blokes attitude, Selwood, Bartel, Kelly, Mackie etc all made there living letting someone else help them

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Don't forget guys. Blease is a campaigner, but he's only the second biggest campaigner at Geelong.

 

[Benwah83]

If that's his attitude then he's going to get chewed up and spat out down at the Cattery...

 

[mrmonkey]

Seems to be a trend in recent times. Players leave this club blame the lack of 'development' for their poor form, but when it's time to prove themselves they don't step up. Cale Morton said a similar thing about being the fittest bloke at Melbourne where he was nearly last at west coast. Where's Cale now? I know Melbourne hasn't had the best development program, but this excuse is wearing thin.

 

[mrmonkey]

Players need to take responsibility for themselves, if you don't think your getting fit enough at the club get a fitness coach outside the club. If your slow get a running coach ect. I heard Steve Johnson got a running coach to help with his pace, and that's why he's a great player. It's the will to improve yourself.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Meh, what did you want Blease to say?

'I did nothing at Melbourne because I was generally an all-round terrible footballer with no appetite for the game'?

Of course he is going to take the easy out and blame instability. Proof will be in the pudding.

I think like Gysberts and like Morton, he will find it hard going. Bennell and Petterd at least always had a crack, and therefore have been serviceable at their new clubs. Not rocket science.

 

[Viney]

Meh, what did you want Blease to say?

'I did nothing at Melbourne because I was generally an all-round terrible footballer with no appetite for the game'?

Of course he is going to take the easy out and blame instability. Proof will be in the pudding.

I think like Gysberts and like Morton, he will find it hard going. Bennell and Petterd at least always had a crack, and therefore have been serviceable at their new clubs. Not rocket science.

Maybe he could've said nothing

Or he could've said, I enjoyed my time at Melbourne but it was time for a fresh start

No need to pot the club when clearly his lack of effort was as big a part of the problem than our coaches / lack of development

Part of the lack of development is equally lack of effort on the players part

 

[Trav 20]

I have no doubt the recruiting has been poor, but equally the development has been dire.

I had a chat to Roos at a FH night early in the year and we discussed this very issue. He said that Hannebery would have been nowhere near the player at Melbourne as he's become at Sydney. The lack of senior players to drive standards, being exposed to AFL footy before being ready, not having the weight of expectations, and being given lesser roles when he did play, has all fast tracked his development.

I lay more of the blame at recruiting that Roos seemed to, but he left me with no doubt that development, or lack thereof, had been a massive issue at the MFC.