2014 Pre-Season Thread.

[Jimmy's Hot Dogs]

How old is Teffy?

Not as old as some of his aliases

 

[Jay-Z]

Pretty disappointed for Harper. It was very important for him to hit the ground running this year but that is now out the window. It will be a pretty good test of his character to see how he responds. Fingers crossed for him. I still have faith that he will be a very important component to this side in the coming years.

Silver lining is for Nahas and Garner. With Patch underdone these two will be given the opportunity to solidify their claims for that half forward role.

Yeah same. Luckily we do have a bit of depth in that position now

 

[Augustine]

Half Back out of: Atley, NDS, McDonald, Mullet. Good.
Half Forward out of: Boomer, Adams, Garner, Harper. Good.

Every one of those players can play in the middle too, giving a rest to our midfield core: Ziebell, Cunnington, Swallow, Bastinac, Wells, Gibson...

How many days till round 1 again?

 

[the big lebowski]

I have a confession.

I have given up on Harper. I do not think he is going to make it. Hope to be wrong (but i very rarely am).

 

[King Corey]

Hope to be wrong (but i very rarely am).

Hope you are too.

He's the Shannon Grant type we desperately need and has fitted in well within the group by all reports.

 

[Artaxx]

Geez Harps gets a tough run on here.

Played all of 2012 in the senior team and had blokes on here wanting to build statues. We find out now that most of 2013 was wrecked by an ankle injury that he's had two ops to fix.
And now he's not goin to make it?

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Geez Harps gets a tough run on here.

Played all of 2012 in the senior team and had blokes on here wanting to build statues. We find out now that most of 2013 was wrecked by an ankle injury that he's had two ops to fix.
And now he's not goin to make it?

I can't help but feel exasperated by the reactions, personally ... but I don't like to hate on anyone in the team.

 

[the big lebowski]

No one hates him. He is a very talented player that did some amazing things on the footy field in 2012.

My doubts surround his ability to influence a game long enough to retain his spot in the team. Getting 8 touches a game is not good enough unless you are Lindsay Thomas and have kicked 4 or 5 goals.

So he needs to evolve his game to that high half forward/midfielder role. He certainly has the tools to achieve this, but is far from a certainty at the same time.

Part of my prediction is based on the fact that we have true midfielders that need to rest forward, a deep midfield at that. I also think Garner showed enough last year to suggest he is going to be a very good player in exactly the role Harps is gunning for.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I can't help but feel exasperated by the reactions, personally ... but I don't like to hate on anyone in the team.

I don;t think it is hating on someone to doubt their ability to be a part of the team long term.

I get where the big lebowski is coming from. Harper is a flashy, skillful type with great physical attributes but with difficulties in finding the pill. Given he plays in the dead zone at half forward he finds it even harder to find the pill. He also has had injury issues and has very strong competition for that spot in Adams, Garner and now Nahas. If all three of these guys have good years at VFL/AFL level and Harper doesn't does his position remain tenable given the strength in that area? How long to you keep a guy who looks like a footballer and has potential coming out his a-hole but can't get on the park nor find the footy when he does?

Now I love Harps and really want him to succeed. But the question marks on him are valid imo.

 

[King Corey]

Geez Harps gets a tough run on here.

Define 'on here'.

Most people rate his talent through the roof. I think you just wanted to wail against the world.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

'Hate' came to me disturbingly naturally ...

If I think about it Harper had a massive mountain to climb before this news so I wasn't expecting as much as others were.

 

[Artaxx]

Define 'on here'.

Most people rate his talent through the roof. I think you just wanted to wail against the world.

Daz, who I rate alot of the time, said last week he was lucky to be on the list!!

Not sure I wailed against anyone there KC. My tone was simply a confused one, or meant to be anyway.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

If that's the worst injury we have over the preseason, giddy up I say.

Harper, whilst extremely explosive, needs to influence more games at VFL level and break into the 22.

 

[Black2Blue]

No one hates him. He is a very talented player that did some amazing things on the footy field in 2012.

My doubts surround his ability to influence a game long enough to retain his spot in the team. Getting 8 touches a game is not good enough unless you are Lindsay Thomas and have kicked 4 or 5 goals.

So he needs to evolve his game to that high half forward/midfielder role. He certainly has the tools to achieve this, but is far from a certainty at the same time.

Part of my prediction is based on the fact that we have true midfielders that need to rest forward, a deep midfield at that. I also think Garner showed enough last year to suggest he is going to be a very good player in exactly the role Harps is gunning for.

Like Daw, we just want to see how Harps is looking in the thick of combat, but we will have to sit and twiddle our thumbs for a while until he is right. We do know what he has to do - rip up the VFL and earn a spot in the team. He couldn't do that last year, but the ankle issue may have been a big factor in that, whether sapping his confidence or just affecting his mobility. I have no doubt that if the commitment is there, the club will stick by him, as the gifts he has could be huge reward if things click for him. Will restart the Harps Watch around round 5 or 6.

 

[hottieburger]

From all reports I have read over the preason, I would have had Nahas in the team before Harper. When we first picked him up I thought he'd be a good insurance in case of a few injuries. Now I think he could be a really handy addition to our best 22. Am excited to see how he goes.

 

[marklovesbeer]

Harper has shown more than Garner.

Harper has had more opportunities than Garner has at AFL level.

Harper has been injured.

Garner has his chance to put his hand well & truly up right now.

Harper will be given time to come back through the VFL & hopefully have a good second half of the season at AFL level.

I think both will be decent players for us in the coming years.

People need to relax & give Harps time.
This is a slight setback but by no means a death sentence to him 'making it'.

People are happy to give Curran time & we've seen virtually nothing of him.
We have seen some awesomeness from Kieran. I think he has shown enough to have earnt a bit of leeway.

 

[marklovesbeer]

From all reports I have read over the preason, I would have had Nahas in the team before Harper. When we first picked him up I thought he'd be a good insurance in case of a few injuries. Now I think he could be a really handy addition to our best 22. Am excited to see how he goes.

I'm still on the fence.
Always happy to be proven wrong re; players performing in the blue & white (I was adamant two years ago that Firrito was finished) but Nahas is one of a small handful of AFL players I cannot stand.

If it works it works & I'm sure ill come round.
But yeah, I don't want it pushing someone like Garner out of the side.

 

[Roobound]

Ohhh my.....Maj needs to wear jocks to these photo sessions.

In further news l can see how he really injured his knee last year.

 

[Daz]

Daz, who I rate alot of the time, said last week he was lucky to be on the list!!

Not sure I wailed against anyone there KC. My tone was simply a confused one, or meant to be anyway.

Sounds worse than it was intended. It's not uncommon for a bloke in Harps' position to have a fresh start somewhere else.

I'm adamant that he needs a change of role. He's played forward his entire junior and AFL career and never showed the footy smarts to find enough footy. It's not due to fitness or injury, he just doesn't know where to run.

Play him as an inside mid at Werribee and let him hunt the footy.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Harper has shown enough in tiny glimpses to give me the impression that he will be a quality footballer.

The question hanging over his head is which position he will be a quality footballer in.

 

[Daz]

You simply don't pick 26yo half forwards as depth. Picking a player just for depth really only happens with KPP's.

Nahas' position is one we've struggled with. Adams, Wright and Harps have all struggled for various reasons and Garner still has a long way to go.

 

[Flawed Genius]

You simply don't pick 26yo half forwards as depth. Picking a player just for depth really only happens with KPP's.

Nahas' position is one we've struggled with. Adams, Wright and Harps have all struggled for various reasons and Garner still has a long way to go.

I like the idea of Harper being trained as an inside mid at Werribee, but we have serious depth there.

Adams won't be fit, Wright won't play forward and Harper is injured. Garner is raw.

I reckon Nahas is firming consistently for that forward flank/forward pocket role for Round 1 more and more every day.

 

[True North]

Harper has never been a ball magnet. He couldn't find the ball throughout his junior years.

I'm not sure that will change. If you have awesome skills as a 15yo and can't find possessions against hack kids then what chance against grown men.

He has brilliant skills, hopefully the coaches can assist with the ball finding part of his game.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Ohhh my.....Maj needs to wear jocks to these photo sessions.

In further news l can see how he really injured his knee last year.

 

[muttley45]

I have a feeling nahas will be in the rd 1 side, ahead of garner, and with harps now out of contention, not sure how patch is travelling atm, or sammy wright either, so he might get his crack a bit earlier than expected.