Retired #23: David Myers - Retiring at the end of the season - 20/8

[BrunoV]

Re: David Myers - Starting 22?

I must be getting a little too hopeful because I really see Myers becoming more than solid. I do need him in the centre square more than he has been for my expectation be fulfilled. Either way Myers will grow into a solid 10 to 12 year player for the club.

I am aware that it is unrealistic to say that Myers looks like Martin, shares similar attributes and that he can therefore be as good as Martin. However I think it provides a valuable insight into finding a place for Myers (or any player being compared to another).

While we may have drafted Myers because of his ability to play at half back he clearly looks most comfortable in the thick of the action, using his size and strength to win the ball. Ultimately, having won the ball Myers is carrying the ball (at reasonable pace) and/or kicking long which is basically the way Martin plays (Myers has even kicked similar long goals although he doesn't seem to be as good overhead).

The mental (and unquantifiable) differences between the players will obviously determine whether Myers remains a poor man's Martin or something closer to the mark. Before writing off his abilities, though, I think it is useful to look at the way in which Myers could potentially join the A grade based on the tools he has at his disposal (the tools which are shared by players in the A grade).

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: David Myers - Starting 22?

I've never seen anything remotely Martin like in Myers.
Baffles me as much as "Melksham = Hayes".

 

[Rack Watts]

Re: David Myers - Starting 22?

Myers should be used as our Shannon Hurn.

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: David Myers - Starting 22?

He's not got the skills/pace to be a pure rebounder. IMHO.
What he does offer (that very few others do) is he can rebound, he can pinch-hit as a tall, and he can win the ball through the middle.

People keep making these "he's <X rebounder>" or "he's <Y tall>" or "he's <Z ball winner>".
He doesn't quite come up to the mark as either, but he is pretty good at all three.

Just let him be Dave Myers because Dave Myers can be a very, very good player for this club.

 

[BrunoV]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Damn those edited headlines put the pressure on.

Slattery: I've previously said that Melksham looks like Hayes (e.g. loaping running gait) but I'll certainly agree that he doesn't play anything like Hayes.


As for Myers and Martin: they both have simple methods I assume are based on their strengths. They have the strength and knowledge to win contested ball and pace enough to break from congestion (or maybe more correctly pace and power enough to break through congestion); and tend to bomb the ball forward as a first instinct as I assume they are instructed to continue to do.

Obviously there are occasions when they have the time and space to hit up a short target but, in general, it is a very simple Brisbane under Leigh Matthews/get the ball forward at all costs method. Reviews of our pre-season suggest that Myers was quite a weapon winning the ball from centre bounces and getting it relatively deep into our forward line with the one long kick.

I'll concede that it is a long shot because we have seen little of Myers in the middle and he tends to play back, rather than forward as Martin does, but as midfielders in an around stoppages both strike me as similar (Myers even has a reasonable eye for goal when within 65m).

I really want to emphasise that the comparisons are a tool to identify potentially elite attributes of a player who, in this case, is generally considered too slow or too poor a decision maker to be that category of player. I'm just trying to point out that a young player verging on "elite" seems to have a similar style of game.

 

[fishardansin]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He can be a good clearance player going forward who doesn't have elite hand ball skills and close in vision but does have a booming kick. While he probably wont be a game changing super star I envisage him as someone who will be both solid and important to our side going forward. Part of the solid structure to the team that the game changers can build on.

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Martin's disposal is top class. Different bracket to Myers'. Martin has the class of a very, very good forward flanker; Myers is decent without being great.

They're both big bodied players who can play a bit of midfield, but that's about as far as it goes IMHO.

 

[lamaros]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Martin is a more direct and aggressive player with very authoritative movement and skills. Myers has a similar build in some ways, and is also a long kick, but he plays much more like Jobe in that he thinks his way through the game - he is less instinctive.

Myers is the kind of guy who will get better and better with experience in my view, while Martin is very much a natural physically gifted player who will need to make some big adjustments to his mental state to reach his full potential.

 

[HurlsMeister18]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

I think Bruno V is on the sauce

 

[Summer Nights]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He is nothing like Martin.

 

[Macca18]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Four years on and I still cringe everytime he touches the ball in fear of a critical turnover...

Out of all the players on our list I am still most confused where he is going/developing as a player more than anyone else.

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Needs to spot up a target more often. Blazes away far too often with his 60m kicks instead of finding a player. Does a few good things but also some bad. Not sure where he is heading to be honest.

 

[The Bomb]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He would be lucky to get a game in anyother top 8 team.
just a list filler, which all teams need.
But as we have seen before something just may click and he could actually become quiet a good footy player, I hope.
actually he would get a game at St Kilda.

 

[Burzum]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He's better than Tyson Goldsack.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Also is better than a few of the Sydney backs as well...ditto Shoemakers for the Hawks

 

[Oh Tayteridge]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He's nothing like Shoenmakers either, not even mildly similar positions.

I'm over likening players to players but if you're gonna then Hodge seems more apt to me.

 

[Bombs_away]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Myers main problems and flaws occur due to his lack of fitness and general fatigue in games.
I have concerns about how he was managed in his first few years with his OP and I believe this damaged his confidence.


Another 10 - 15 games fully fit and we will hopefully start observing a more consistent and reliable player, that will increase his disposal efficiency and strength over the ball!

He is taller then Hurley and Pears but doesn't seem to know how to play with that height. Slowly starting to develop better in one on one contests but the trend with current AFL players that they know how to defend space but not their direct opponent.

 

[Summer Nights]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He's not taller than Hurley. He is about 191, I believe.

But I do agree with you, Bombs Away. Lloydy pointed out last year that as he starts to fatigue in the third and fourth quarters, he tends to make both decisional and skill errors more often. Once he said this, I did start to notice. I'm not sure if it's a purely "fitness" thing (i.e. V02 max), or more of a lack of anaerobic fitness; an inability to recover from sprints, tackles and power movements.

 

[Bombs_away]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

He's not taller than Hurley. He is about 191, I believe.

But I do agree with you, Bombs Away. Lloydy pointed out last year that as he starts to fatigue in the third and fourth quarters, he tends to make both decisional and skill errors more often. Once he said this, I did start to notice. I'm not sure if it's a purely "fitness" thing (i.e. V02 max), or more of a lack of anaerobic fitness; an inability to recover from sprints, tackles and power movements.

Okay! I thought Myers was 194!

I think you have made some good points and I agree his lack of anaerobic fitness/power could be due to that lack of conditioning that is crucial when entering the AFL but he couldn't do much work during his first two years nursing the groin problems.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

has been improving exponentially (amazingly since he got injury free).

Easily best 22. To say he wouldn't get a game in other top teams is nonsensical

 

[ZAAHAARAKIS!!!!!]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

Physically very similar to Martin in terms if height and weight.
In terms of game style not really, Martin is a much better mid/fwd but Myers can go back and play as a 3rd tall (not that well but he still can) which Martin can't do.

I very much agree with @lance uppercut in that he's improved so so much since he shook all the niggles and found a regular spot in our side

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

has been improving exponentially (amazingly since he got injury free).

Easily best 22. To say he wouldn't get a game in other top teams is nonsensical

I wouldn't think he would get a game in the top sides.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

I reckon he'd get a game in any side in the league right now.

He's just about there in terms of fitness. If he has continuity and no injury then he'll be a real weapon after a month or so with a few games under the belt.

He'll be a serious asset to our side in the next few years with the contested style of footy that is emerging.

I reckon he'll make a name for himself in the big games against Carlton and Collingwood coming up.

 

[84GF]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

I hope Myers continues to develop, but to date his performances have been underwhelming relative to expectations for an early first round draft pick. The comparison to Martin is a bit irrelevant- Martin is already an exceptional player.

 

[HurlsMeister18]

Re: David Myers - Comparisons to Martin (BrunoV)

I know this won't be popular but I actually think he is comparable to Jordan Russell from Carlton. Similar sizes and both look to be not blessed aerobically wise and both seem to take an eternity to dispose of the footy. Both high draft picks also.