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

[myty]

When you read 1 goal 4 it doesn't look that great but then how many shots did Grant have? He had 2 or 3 that didn't even score and got rushed through. Not bagging Shagger just sometimes its not just the points marked down that tell the full story.

 

[Contra Mundum]

From his tackling he has the hunger of someone who has not eaten for three weeks - give the guy a go other than that stupid set shots they would have been miracle goals - I reckon he is a definate keep for next year what do youse reckon?

 

[Woodson]

Re: Turtle Wax is a candle burning at both ends

Turtle has to take his chances, but he is doing a top job in creating them and putting on pressure in the forward line. His tackling and desire to tackle have improved out of sight.

I agree wholeheartly Dingster. Gotta keep these hard working efforts coming
on strong as the results will pay ten fold.

Like what I see in the new improved Turtle package. I was speaking with a older Shinboner supporter about Turtle and he pointed out that Turtle needs to get off to a flyer to have a better game come towards the end with his kicking confidence and I agree. I can see Harding booting a big bag against Carlton in Rnd22, if he plays. I was one of very few who remained extremely calm after he missed that gimme vs WCE. That's Turtle for you. **shruggs**

 

[Moti]

It seems we weren't mistaken when we thought Leigh Harding had lost his pace over the past 18 months. According to the new player column on the Roos website, Leigh said that to recover from his OP, he needed to add orthodics to his boots. This caused him to change his running style and thus lost valuable yards because of it. Early this season he took them out and after 4 or 5 rounds getting back into the swing of things, welcome back pace!

http://kangaroos.com.au/default.asp?pg=featurestories&spg=display&articleid=221790

Now, how does he explain the kicking

 

[viccles]

Wow didnt realise orthotics had such an effect

 

[Gasometer]

As a total irrelevancy to this thread, there is a 'Lee' Harding contesting in this years Australian Idol.

Gaso

 

[steveo1010]

Wasn't there an article like over a year ago about this?

 

[viccles]

As a total irrelevancy to this thread, there is a 'Lee' Harding contesting in this years Australian Idol.

Gaso

Haha yup

 

[Devil Fish]

After the 1st 10 minutes yesterday, I though it was blatantly obvious that Harding was in for a poor day. Crouch beat him at every contest. I thought Harding being moved into the midfield would have been an obvious move - did it happen?

 

[mark73]

After the 1st 10 minutes yesterday, I though it was blatantly obvious that Harding was in for a poor day. Crouch beat him at every contest. I thought Harding being moved into the midfield would have been an obvious move - did it happen?

There were a few supposed obvious match ups but it took to be four goals down in 10 minutes for anything to happen.Sometimes I wonder if Laidley can be a little too reactive at times,sometimes it would be an idea to take the initiative and make the opposition have to work a bit harder.Yesterday everything was plain sailimg for Roos and he would'nt have had to do much thinking.Harding had one handball to half time and although he has had good games this season,he simply does'nt do enough to warrant continual selection.Mind you,he certainly had some mates in the same boat.And yes it happened but like everything else that was positive yesterday,it was after the horse had categorically bolted!!!!!

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

didnt most people on this forum think he was a smokie for the brownlow 6 weeks ago? guess he'll hve to settle for all-australian

 

[Woodson]

The exciting element of his game is the 1% plays that he only has finally getting it together this season. Ok, I'd expect him to kick his 1 or 2 a game but he seems to get lost in heavy traffic and doesn't read the ball all too well but there are many players in his situation. Not accountable enough for playing midfield ? That's something JYD has to work on by bringing Turtle on from the bench instead of wasting him in the FP for most of the time depending how game situations evolve. Too hard to expect Turtle to cut loose agaist a effecient rebounding Swans team.

 

[Dont think Do]

While I am a huge fan of Harding, I don think he will ever poll well enough to even get a mention in the Brownlow.

His role should be pretty clear, If we are playing 1/2 big key forwards who are slow we need some pace on the ground. Simple really.

 

[NeoBlaze]

Crouch is fecking hard to beat at the best of times. If Crouch can keep Akermanis to zero touches I hardly expect Harding to rip it up during the game.

 

[Bomber Man]

With Motlop gone to Port, does Harding now have automatic selection as their main medium-sized forward?

Before the Motlop trade I thought he was possibly on his way out, now I'm not so sure.

 

[Tas]

With Motlop gone to Port, does Harding now have automatic selection as their main medium-sized forward?

Before the Motlop trade I thought he was possibly on his way out, now I'm not so sure.

He wasn't an automatic selection in 2005 and Motlop wasn't around all year.

It all depends on his approach to football, how much work he does on and off the ball.

He needs to take the next step or else I think Laidley will look at other options, like Thurley, Sansbury, etc.

 

[Bomber Man]

Agreed, he started the season in poor form which held him out, but I think Laidley even said Harding's chance of playing improved without Motlop fit...
Either way, how do you rate his chances of getting games, and of kicking 30+ goals again (as in '02 and '03)?

 

[FrangaRoo]

I think he would be pretty annoyed if Thurley came strait in and replaced him.
He really put his hand up from about mid season and put in some performances that should see him getting around every week.
Just has to play every game like its his last chance.

C'mon Turtle youve won me over. Your alllllllllllllright

 

[mark73]

Agreed, he started the season in poor form which held him out, but I think Laidley even said Harding's chance of playing improved without Motlop fit...
Either way, how do you rate his chances of getting games, and of kicking 30+ goals again (as in '02 and '03)?

He doesn't have an automatic spot but I think he is better suited to the midfield anyway....The game against Essendon (sorry) proved this IMO...Thurley if nothing else has proven himself to be a dead eye d1ck in front of goal where as most of us close our eyes to the disappointment of Hardings' shot/spray's,but he does get the ball and is a fierce tackler,but having said that,Sansburys' 19 possessions in a half against the WCE proves that he is also adapt in this regard so all I can say is I hope Harding has been doing a bit of homework over summer...

 

[Tas]

Agreed, he started the season in poor form which held him out, but I think Laidley even said Harding's chance of playing improved without Motlop fit...
Either way, how do you rate his chances of getting games, and of kicking 30+ goals again (as in '02 and '03)?

I think he will be an important player for us in 06 if he can play like he did towards the mid to late of the season in 05.

He needs to get a bit more of the ball and make the most of his opportunities, he has a tendancy to miss some shots at goal you would expect even at amateur grade. That is his major weakness at the moment.

I actually see a lot of value in him as being a surplus rotation midfielder even if his form as a forward pocket isn't fantastic. I saw a fair few games where none of our midfielders were able to hit the side of a barn with passes in some games and he was able to set up some very important goals just by being able to put the ball out in front of our forwards.

I think with his pace and if his attack on the ball continues in 06 he would be vital to the team. He just needs to work on his defensive side a bit more, against teams like the Bulldogs that depend heavily on rebounding out of defense with smaller and faster players we really need the players around forward 50 that can hold the ball in. He was able to do that in the second half of the season, some games better than others.

But, he has shown he has more versatility, he just needs to expand on that. He just needs to make sure the variance between his good games and his poor games is not too wide a standard.

 

[mark73]

He needs to get a bit more of the ball and make the most of his opportunities, he has a tendancy to miss some shots at goal you would expect even at amateur grade. That is his major weakness at the moment./QUOTE]


A.Its hard to get "enough" of the ball when you are basically an off the bench option....

B.Without trying to sound a tad arrogant,the one thing that annoys me about Harding (and I know it exists elsewhere),is the fact that some of his basic technical problems should have been sorted out long before he reached thisv level...

 

[94_Eagles]

Isn't he the dude from Australian Idol?

 

[FrangaRoo]

Isn't he the dude from Australian Idol?

Boom Boom.

 

[Devil Fish]

Isn't he the dude from Australian Idol?

Yeah, I'm not sure who is the better footballer though.

 

[Bomber Man]

Please don't let this thread be taken over with talk of Australian Idol crap.