Past #39: Leigh Harding - selected with #13 in 2000 RD - retired at end of 2010 season - coaches at BL

[Ausgard]

Nothing has changed as far as I can tell

Still sprays them reasonably consistently

 

[Sco]

He has to be told how told a footy just like Drew has to be told how to gain a steady run up while shooting for goal, not 1 or 2 steps then kick...

Amazes me how these things happen at AFL level still.

 

[Falkroo]

OUT: Archer
IN: Harding

That's all the kangas need, another player that can't hit the side of a barn with the footy!

 

[Devil Fish]

He has to be told how told a footy just like Drew has to be told how to gain a steady run up while shooting for goal, not 1 or 2 steps then kick...

Amazes me how these things happen at AFL level still.

You couldn't be more spot on. Drew Petrie's approach to goal reminds me of Steady Eddy approaching a microphone!!!!

 

[Mr Reliable]

Can anyone out there enlighten me as to whether Harding has changed his kicking technique? He has always kicked drop punts with the laces of the ball facing him to give him `extra distance'? Now this`booming' kick he possess is also a very inaccurate one. Surely the `skills coaches' would've had a word to him about this??????

His lack of skill is not particularly noticeable in our team unfortunately DF.

You also seem to be assuming that we have skills coaches who concentrate on basic disposal skills.

 

[roo9699]

Got no complants on how Leigh Harding played tonight - he was handy at times whether it was getting his body in the line,tackling or a little tap on,his stats wont reflect on his bit in this great win - maybe,just maybe,he deserves a crack in the forward pocket for at least a month,that way he can either settle or fall by the wayside - they just have to give him the confidence and say to him ,right leigh...here is 4 weeks,relax you wont get dropped just show us what you can provide in a permanent forward pocket.
At the moment he doesnt know if his next mistake will be is last for the club.

Thoughts?

 

[Ashley B]

Thats very true for all fringe players. Its very hard for some players as they lose their confidence easily. The best players seem to be able to turn on the form, so to speak,and thats why they r the best. A player like Harding and others like him is they ******** themselves at times and become too anxious because they think if they do anything at all wrong they r off. Give him a go for a mth and we will see.

 

[scooby1279]

thought he player really well. Did the hard chasing and tackling, and also provided some strong leads, which also helped thomo create more room in the forward line. Still missed a couple but he added a couple of positives to his game tonight.

 

[year of the roo]

That out of bounds on the full running into an open goal was frustrating, but apart from that he did pretty well. I would expect his performances to improve gradually as he gets his confidence back and hopefully strings some games together.

He's not back, but a much better performance nonetheless.

 

[Lidge]

Thought he was ordinary. Pleased to see him lay a tackle on Mal Michael, but his job is to kick goals as a crumber. 'fraid his foot skills aren't up to AFL standard.

Has pace, finds opportunities, but lacks the finishing skills.

I reckon he'll be the one to make way for Arch next weekend.

 

[windsock]

Played the exact role we've missed over the past few weeks. Still missed a couple he should have nailed and I reckon he's lost a yard.

But I really think a fit and firing Leigh Harding is a mighty important part of our team's make-up. A small- mid-size combo of Harding, Junior, CJ and Grant could make things very difficult for oppposition defenders over the next few years.

 

[mav-1]

He was great as the player leading up into the midfield, almost played the CHF role with out the big marking. I think this is the way to go as around goals his kicking is woeful. But thank god he gave us some defensive pressure in the forward line. Great tackling. He'll play again next week.

 

[Darky]

Rubbish. Gone.

 

[mav-1]

Rubbish. Gone.

Have all 13,000 post been this stupid. Go to bed Darky you fool.

 

[windsock]

Give credit where it's due Darky. I reckon Makepeace is often a waste of space, but he was sensational for most of the game tonight. Get the blinkers off!

 

[SeriouslyMate]

Thought he was ordinary. Pleased to see him lay a tackle on Mal Michael, but his job is to kick goals as a crumber. 'fraid his foot skills aren't up to AFL standard.

Has pace, finds opportunities, but lacks the finishing skills.

I reckon he'll be the one to make way for Arch next weekend.

Lidge,

Can't wait for the odds on JWS, but must say that I agree about Harding.

On his last legs!

 

[Ausgard]

Needs to make everyon post a winner for the next couple of matches to establishhimself in the side again.

A Couple of misses doesn't really help his cause but there were at least some encouraging signs tonight

 

[mav-1]

Needs to make everyon post a winner for the next couple of matches to establishhimself in the side again.

Don't want to see him make another post. All straight through the big sticks thanks!

 

[apollo_creed]

Rubbish. Gone.

Constructive post you moron.

 

[Tas]

I think his biggest issue would be confidence pretty much the same as Petrie, yet Petrie is played irrespective of performance. I don't know if Harding will ever get back to his best football or not but I think putting him in the side, playing him for 5 minutes then dropping him for a week or two and putting him back in over and over is just stupid and not really worth doing that kind of thing.

We should just say, okay we are going to play you for a 6 week period as long as you adhere to team rules but you will get the oppportunity to get back into AFL football and give him more than a nanosecond to prove himself. If you are brought in for a few minutes and your head is on the line then there is pressure to stand out and perform without making any mistakes.

I dont think it is healthy to play any player with the axe over their head like that. Every player is expected to perform but none are yo-yoed in and out of the side so much and it is hard to settle back into position.

Give him a good opportunity and see how it goes, if it doesn't work out then we at least tried to get the most out of him. Give him the freedom to play his natural game without the noose around his neck.

Yeah, he missed a very gettable goal on the run from a good piece of play but those misses were not as bad as the sitters missed from 20m out of goal from set shots dead in front by other players or some stupid undisciplined stuff like Petrie dragging Brown out of the contest in the goal square.

I dont know if he is going to be that consistant senior player like he was but I think we should at least push him and give him the opportunity while Motlop is out and it will allow us to push Harvey and Grant more in the midfield where they were so damaging tonight.

 

[Wels Eicke]

As far as I'm concerned, if he's going to play as forward, he might as well be out of the side. His conversion just isn't good enough. He's not even a true crumber, but more of a small leading forward. Usually we can't even hit Rocca's chest....how are we going to get it to Harding regularly?

His only chance of an AFL career is as a midfielder. His greatest asset is his pace, so surely that would be best utilised running through the centre towards goal, rather that as a leading forward. That's how he burst onto the scene under Pagan. Also from what I've seen in the past, his field kicking is much better than his kicking for goal.

Anyway, his pace in the midfield would be an asset. Whether he's good enough is another question....but I'd like to see him given a go!

 

[Devil Fish]

For me Leigh Harding is for the tip. If you can't kick, how are you going to ever make it? In all seriousness, his role is to kick goals but he just can't deliver because there are fundamental flaws in his kicking technique which he has never been able to rectify. I agree that he tried Sat nite & his endeavour was there but I guarantee you, if I was playing, I'd show all the desire in the world but that doesn't mean I'm up to playing AFL football!
I've seen more than enough of Harding to know for a fact that he just ain't up to it. And anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

 

[scooby1279]

he looked up to it last night. Remember he didnt play the true forward pocket specialist last night, more a hff and he played it well. The best thing was he created opportunities for other players.

 

[mav-1]

. He's not even a true crumber, but more of a small leading forward.

watching the highlites I noticed Turtle was often front and square to Tommo, but he didn't get the chance to crumb with Tommo grabing everything that came his way!

 

[roo9699]

watching the highlites I noticed Turtle was often front and square to Tommo, but he didn't get the chance to crumb with Tommo grabing everything that came his way!

Thats true - good comment