Past #25: Robbie Tarrant - traded to RFC for CCJ&picks - 2yr deal at RFC - 174 NM games/44 NM goals - retires 13/7/23 effective immediately

[Nevbuster]

Hate to rain on the parade, but I see Tarrant as spending more time in the VFL next year. Petrie is a must, Black is a better kick and Daw who was restricted with his dodgy knee last year will break out. I'm unsure if Tarrant has the determination and hunger to keep a spot in this team that will raise the bar.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Interesting theory. How exactly does that work?

Is the AFL season now 80 games + as per American sports? If so, sounds great!

.5 a game more I would think.

 

[astrovic]

The query on Taz's goal kicking confounds me a little - sure, he had a sprayathon in the last half of last year, but earlier in the season and in 2012 especially he was pretty much automatic.

He was try to kick the ball too far/too hard late in the season - lots of bombs from long range that were awful. A small adjustment of the expectations and he'll be back on track.

As for 2014 - geez, I have no idea what will happen with him. Methinks he works well in terms of forward structure even if he isn't getting a lot of the ball, so the likelihood of him getting dropped probably depends largely on (a) his form going completely to poo, or (b) and more likely, someone like Daw destroying the VFL to the point where you have no choice. But right now I would love to see him take the next step and become a 1.5 to 2 goal half forward, capable of kicking a few bags along the away and developing into the natural replacement for Petrie at full-forward when he retires .

 

[GarnerSmash]

Hate to rain on the parade, but I see Tarrant as spending more time in the VFL next year. Petrie is a must, Black is a better kick and Daw who was restricted with his dodgy knee last year will break out. I'm unsure if Tarrant has the determination and hunger to keep a spot in this team that will raise the bar.

Determination and hunger are two qualities that you cannot knock Tarrant for. 4 shoulder reco's and a work ethic from the top shelf attest to that. His selection in the 22 will be determined by his performance and the capabilities of those pushing from behind to perform at a high level and provide the same amount of effort and structural awareness that Tarrant does. Sounds easy but I doubt very much that it is.

 

[abby]

giving Taz a goals aim would be a disservice he does in the forward line, the amount of work he does, taking the 2nd best defender week in week out, so players like Black ends up on players like Jackson Ferguson.

Internally Taz and the coaching staff know what they expect from him, if he keeps getting a game week in week out, then he'll be doing exactly what the coaches want from him, and thats good enough for me.

 

[Only Forwards]

The query on Taz's goal kicking confounds me a little - sure, he had a sprayathon in the last half of last year, but earlier in the season and in 2012 especially he was pretty much automatic.

He was try to kick the ball too far/too hard late in the season - lots of bombs from long range that were awful. A small adjustment of the expectations and he'll be back on track.

As for 2014 - geez, I have no idea what will happen with him. Methinks he works well in terms of forward structure even if he isn't getting a lot of the ball, so the likelihood of him getting dropped probably depends largely on (a) his form going completely to poo, or (b) and more likely, someone like Daw destroying the VFL to the point where you have no choice. But right now I would love to see him take the next step and become a 1.5 to 2 goal half forward, capable of kicking a few bags along the away and developing into the natural replacement for Petrie at full-forward when he retires .

I think that we will start to see a 3 Fwd + 1 Fwd ruck structure.

The question is are the mids ready for that?

Akin to Hawthorn playing

Roughhead, Franklin, Hale/Bailey, Gunston

 

[the big lebowski]

giving Taz a goals aim would be a disservice he does in the forward line, the amount of work he does, taking the 2nd best defender week in week out, so players like Black ends up on players like Jackson Ferguson.

I find this assessment criteria perplexing. Merely being out there gives him a pass mark?

Key forward that leads up the ground all day, gets poor to average possession numbers, plays on the oppositions second best defender is doing his job?

Spare me.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I find this assessment criteria perplexing. Merely being out there gives him a pass mark?

Key forward that leads up the ground all day, gets poor to average possession numbers, plays on the oppositions second best defender is doing his job?

Spare me.

He needs to kick 30+.

 

[UmpiringFooty]

giving Taz a goals aim would be a disservice he does in the forward line, the amount of work he does, taking the 2nd best defender week in week out, so players like Black ends up on players like Jackson Ferguson.

Internally Taz and the coaching staff know what they expect from him, if he keeps getting a game week in week out, then he'll be doing exactly what the coaches want from him, and thats good enough for me.

I agree with this.

Determination and hunger are two qualities that you cannot knock Tarrant for. 4 shoulder reco's and a work ethic from the top shelf attest to that. His selection in the 22 will be determined by his performance and the capabilities of those pushing from behind to perform at a high level and provide the same amount of effort and structural awareness that Tarrant does. Sounds easy but I doubt very much that it is.

I also agree with this.
I can't afford to be harsh on Robbie Tarrant. He's got some brilliant skills and before those 4 shoulder recos that he had he used to take a lot of speckies.
Unfortunately I happened to see him do his shoulder at a practice match that I was asked to go to. I actually had to goal umpire the north ballarat reserves. Ground was hard as a rock and in parts of it there were some terrible ditches. Taz had flown for a mark and managed to take the grab but had fallen awkwardly landing in a ditch. I'd say he's had an unlucky run with some serious injuries. But yeah he can play some awesome footy.

 

[abby]

I find this assessment criteria perplexing. Merely being out there gives him a pass mark?

Key forward that leads up the ground all day, gets poor to average possession numbers, plays on the oppositions second best defender is doing his job?

Spare me.

not saying he doesnt need to kick goals but I dont want to give him a target to aim for, he does so much work already, leading up to the wings, he gets a fair few shots, he just had the yips. If he kicks half of those next year he'll end up with 30+ easy. Which I feel is doing his job, if oppositions start respecting Black more which i assume they will, he then needs to kick a few more being on the third defender.

But as someone pointed out, he ALWAYS gives a contest, he doesn't get a stat for that, and that allows players like boomer, lindsay, nahas next year and adams opportunities to kick goals, but if you rely on the stat sheet, that will NEVER get shown.

 

[astrovic]

I think that we will start to see a 3 Fwd + 1 Fwd ruck structure.

The question is are the mids ready for that?

Akin to Hawthorn playing

Roughhead, Franklin, Hale/Bailey, Gunston

I would love to see that happening, but the key to multiple tall forwards is their mobility. Petrie and Taz don't move like Rough and Buddy. Nor does Daw, surprisingly, cos when the guy does get on his bike he's like a panther, but that bike spends a lot of time in the sheds for some reason.

 

[abby]

I would love to see that happening, but the key to multiple tall forwards is their mobility. Petrie and Taz don't move like Rough and Buddy. Nor does Daw, surprisingly, cos when the guy does get on his bike he's like a panther, but that bike spends a lot of time in the sheds for some reason.

Fitness or work rate you reckon?

When he played the entire game against the doggies he couldnt move at the end.

 

[astrovic]

Fitness or work rate you reckon?

When he played the entire game against the doggies he couldnt move at the end.

Definitely fitness was an issue in 2013, but the actual reason was I got the impression that most of the time he was really struggling with his role and knowing where he should be and what he should be doing. He's a natural athlete but not a natural footballer. Unless he was contesting the ruck or standing in the goal square, he spent the rest of the time wandering about just off the play, looking a bit lost. That was from the moment he came on the ground, not just when he was buggered, BTW.

Having said that, if he does figure it all out then the 3 + 1 scenario Only Forwards raised suddenly starts to have some serious merit.

 

[Only Forwards]

I would love to see that happening, but the key to multiple tall forwards is their mobility. Petrie and Taz don't move like Rough and Buddy. Nor does Daw, surprisingly, cos when the guy does get on his bike he's like a panther, but that bike spends a lot of time in the sheds for some reason.

I would be looking towards Currie.

I would be surprised to see Maj (or Spitta for that matter) playing consistent AFL level footy until the back end of next year as a minimum.

 

[abby]

Definitely fitness was an issue in 2013, but the actual reason was I got the impression that most of the time he was really struggling with his role and knowing where he should be and what he should be doing. He's a natural athlete but not a natural footballer. Unless he was contesting the ruck or standing in the goal square, he spent the rest of the time wandering about just off the play, looking a bit lost. That was from the moment he came on the ground, not just when he was buggered, BTW.

Having said that, if he does figure it all out then the 3 + 1 scenario Only Forwards raised suddenly starts to have some serious merit.

The 3+1 scenario could work if he just stands in the goal square, and swaps into the ruck, gives goldy that 10min rest, then we sub him out for some run half way through the third / start of last, because as long as goldy isnt going into the last term stuffed I'd back him to run it out.

so Majak in the square, Petrie CHF/FP, Black and taz work up the ground and run back too.

only thing I would be worried about is if we starting bombing the ball in like we did a few times to Majak, (especially that hawthorn game early in the season)

But this method also leaves us exposed if we get an injury early.

 

[KillaKanga]

Comparing Tarrant to Black and he's not that far off considering he couldn't find the goals in his last 7 games (Kicked 3 against Essendon and 0 for the other 6 games. Kicked 3.11 to finish the season.

Despite that kicked 16.15 from 13 games.

Avg 10.2 possies to Black 13.8
1.2 Goals to Black 1.8
2.1 I50's to Black 2.4
0.9 GA to Black 0.5

Find 3-5 more possies a games and convert and I'll be happy.

14 possies and 30+ goals easily from 20+ games

 

[GarnerSmash]

Comparing Tarrant to Black and he's not that far off considering he couldn't find the goals in his last 7 games (Kicked 3 against Essendon and 0 for the other 6 games. Kicked 3.11 to finish the season.

Despite that kicked 16.15 from 13 games.

Avg 10.2 possies to Black 13.8
1.2 Goals to Black 1.8
2.1 I50's to Black 2.4
0.9 GA to Black 0.5

Find 3-5 more possies a games and convert and I'll be happy.

14 possies and 30+ goals easily from 20+ games

In extension to that Black averaged 3.1 scoring shots per game, Taz 2.4. Drew averaged 3 scoring shots per game. LT averaged 3.8.

All round thats a decent effort from out three tall forwards considering that we have a great spread if goal kicking mids as well.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Comparing Tarrant to Black and he's not that far off considering he couldn't find the goals in his last 7 games (Kicked 3 against Essendon and 0 for the other 6 games. Kicked 3.11 to finish the season.

Despite that kicked 16.15 from 13 games.

Avg 10.2 possies to Black 13.8
1.2 Goals to Black 1.8
2.1 I50's to Black 2.4
0.9 GA to Black 0.5

Find 3-5 more possies a games and convert and I'll be happy.

14 possies and 30+ goals easily from 20+ games

50% less goals per game is significant by any measure.

All this whilst playing on a lesser player.

We did have a tough draw this year though.

 

[JZTIME!]

.5 a game more I would think.

yes sorry guys .5 more goals per game. Mainly came down to accuracy with lt, Taz also struggled here late this year

 

[Jay-Z]

50% less goals per game is significant by any measure.

All this whilst playing on a lesser player.

We did have a tough draw this year though.

Huh? Are you saying Tas was playing on a lesser player than Black?

 

[Daz]

Huh? Are you saying Tas was playing on a lesser player than Black?

Black did start getting the #2 defender towards the end of the year.

 

[JZTIME!]

after coming back from a leg injury nobody knew anything about, Taz's output was ok. I think there will be a lot eating there words here this time next year. Has all the attributes needs games he is a baby in KPF terms still. Big pre season I think we will all be pleasantly surprised as we were in 2012

 

[Flawed Genius]

I can't afford to be harsh on Robbie Tarrant.

Has he kidnapped members of your family?

 

[Jay-Z]

Black did start getting the #2 defender towards the end of the year.

When?
Black was definitely still the 3rd tall as late as the 2nd Geelong and hawthorn games.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Has he kidnapped members of your family?

No, but he sues