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

[davey_magik]

I would think that when Harding is playing well he is a far better option than Thurley. I saw them both a few times this year and although Thurley is a very good kick for goal, he doesn't really get his own ball and is very unaccountable.

 

[Jeremias]

i would have thought that corey jones is a better option than harding in the forward line than harding.

 

[F/D]

Jones as the medium-tall player off a HFFlank.


Harding as a crumber, if he doesnt work I guess Thurley comes in.

 

[Carlos]

Harding certainly has deficiencies he needs to work on, but it is worth considering that he didnt do much of a pre-season last year due to OP.

That said, i much prefer him up the ground than sharking around the forward 50. He certainly has a small forward's hunger and i used to like the trait of a player who backs himself to take the responsibility to shoot rather than dish off, but with Harding it has become frustrating and a bit selfish as he has such a low conversion rate. I just dont think he has the class to finish alot of the good work he does by being in the position to get the ball in the first place.

 

[gokangas]

I thought Harding was lucky to still be at the club with the amount of trading we did. But he did show a glimpse of excellent form mid year and I think he was worth keeping to see if we can develop that different role for him further. He may be one that does show a bit more with different players around him and a changed role.
Hope so - I like Turtle.

 

[Bomber Man]

Harding certainly has deficiencies he needs to work on, but it is worth considering that he didnt do much of a pre-season last year due to OP.

Didn't know that! Thanks, makes last '05 and '04 make more sense... maybe 30+ goals is achievable again...

 

[Jimmy's Hot Dogs]

Watched a game on Fox Footy the other day NM v Brisbane in 2001 and it was the Turtles first game. Gee I can remember some good ones and some stinkers since but when he gets that ball in the forward fifty it is very exciting. Hopefully he will be first included in the forward/midfield role before Thurley gets his chance.

 

[Event Horizon]

NM v Brisbane in 2001 and it was the Turtles first game. Gee I can remember some good ones and some stinkers since

I don't know of too many blokes to have kicked 5 or 6 behinds in one quarter of football, that's for sure.

Yet I can fully understand why Harding is still on our list. Midway through last season the question was asked of him. It could well have been the end of the road, yet the way he responded (more work rate than goals) really pleased Laidley. It's hard to delist a bloke who has that sort of speed and is prepared to work his backside off. Let's hope he gets more up the ground game time in 2006 and has an injury free preseason. Everything may just fall into place for Leigh I reckon as he appears to have reached the level of maturity that some take longer to get to than others. I certainly hope so, as otherwise 2006 will be the last year for him.

 

[Dingster]

Turtle definitely has to take his chances this year. As Vlad mentioned, his workrate really improved after being put on notice (at least it appeared that way).

The main problem I have with Turtle is that he doesn't kick enough crumbing goals. We really need someone to get front and square of Thommo and Sav. He has the pace to get to the contest and if he could add this to repertoire, it would extend his career.

 

[Tas]

The main problem I have with Turtle is that he doesn't kick enough crumbing goals. We really need someone to get front and square of Thommo and Sav. He has the pace to get to the contest and if he could add this to repertoire, it would extend his career.

When Boomer gets bugger all crumbing goals you know it is not an issue of getting front and square.... it is trying to figure out where the hell the ball is going to come in from so you hit the pack running.

So few forward leads are honoured, forwards have to zig zag and try to guess when the midfield is going to kick it forwards and the ball goes inside 50 slowly at times, often to a congested forward line that it is an extremely low chance of a small forward getting a good opportunity to rove.

Also, something to take into consideration, we have had one of the best conversion rates of inside 50s to goals, this means despite our slow movement of the ball we do utilise our targets a lot better than other teams, but go inside 50 a lot less frequently. We tend to get a lot of the ball to our key targets and we do not go long and bomb it into the forward 50 which tends to result in a lot more contested marks opportunities which can lead to real opportunities for rovers.

The environment isn't good for Harding to get a lot of goals. Moltop got a lot of goals but didn't rove a lot, most of his goals came from marks inside 50. If we go more direct in 06 i think he will have more of an opportunity.

 

[F/D]

Pretty hard to crumb when both Sav and Thommo are more leading players.

 

[Dingster]

When Boomer gets bugger all crumbing goals you know it is not an issue of getting front and square.... it is trying to figure out where the hell the ball is going to come in from so you hit the pack running.

You make some fair points Tas, but a good crumbing forward knows how to time his run to be in position to get his share of crumbing goals. Fruity Allison was a gem at it and didn't matter if it was Carey or Longmire.

We do take too long to get the ball inside 50, but we are predictable in how we finally get the ball to Thommo or Sav. It would be interesting to see a graph like you see in the cricket. I'm sure that a few patterns would show up for the crafty forward to exploit.

 

[Tas]

Pretty hard to crumb when both Sav and Thommo are more leading players.

Nah, you can crumb off leading players, you just time your run so you come to the fall of the ball where you expect the leading forward to take the mark, if he spills it then you can pounce and the FF can create space for you.

The problem is if the delivery inside 50 is well outside the forward 20-30 then you will run into a lot of congestion further out of goal. We see a lot of guys get the ball around 50 only to run into traffic and outside 50 is not good goal sneaking territory.

You will find our inside 50 penetration in 2005 was quite poor for one reason or another. Sav, Thompson and Hale got a lot of marks around the 50m mark or further out. It is because they have to lead and lead and lead and because of the slow delivery forward and they find themselves 20-30m out of goal by the time the ball has been kicked forward and the players contest around the 50m mark... which just does not give rovers much of a chance, especially that far out and a congested forward line.

Quicker delivery inside 50 would fix many problems with our style of play in 05.

 

[Tas]

You make some fair points Tas, but a good crumbing forward knows how to time his run to be in position to get his share of crumbing goals. Fruity Allison was a gem at it and didn't matter if it was Carey or Longmire.

We do take too long to get the ball inside 50, but we are predictable in how we finally get the ball to Thommo or Sav. It would be interesting to see a graph like you see in the cricket. I'm sure that a few patterns would show up for the crafty forward to exploit.

I think Harding would have been a 40-50 goal player back in the mid 90s. Our deliver forward was blistering fast back then and it was long and direct. You have Longmire getting most of his marks 30ish meters from goal, that is the prime real estate for a rover to work in.

For all the goals Carey kicked, he created 3x as many at least with his play style. Crashing packs, feeding running players, he was so rarely ever beaten in marking contests that you could run to his feet and you would have a very good chance at getting the ball, even if he marked it, Carey had lightning hands.

We just do not have a forward structure that is rover friendly. Harvey was one of the best rovers in the league, when Carey was playing he would run amok, he just doesn't have the same kind of support anymore so we dont see many bags of goals from Harvey and most of our small forwards are getting goals from marks and not crumbing, even motlop would have got 80% of his goals from marking contests.

We need a different style to get the most out of our smaller forwards.

 

[Woodson]

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...

Damn true. That whiplash tackle on Jimmy Hird was the most triggered play Turtle has ever laid on any opponent. Needs to do more of those dart tackling and I pointed out many times he belongs in the midfield. He has pace and will become a more versatile player there instead of being locked in tthe fwd ocket with limited opportunities.

 

[Event Horizon]

Pretty hard to crumb when both Sav and Thommo are more leading players.

If you think back to Brett Allison's days, you'd remember what timing a run to perfection looked like, whether it be to crumb to a leading player or not.

Harding's game could have been modelled on Allison to a tee, as both have real speed and are ideally suited to running on to a lose ball or a quick handball.

In fact Allison's kicking wasn't always great either, but he eventually perfected the stabbing action (most here should know what I mean).

Is Brett still employed by the Swans?
BTW, some would remember that he was happy to move to Sydney due to his wife getting a job there at the time of leaving us. Interestingly enough, not that we care about that sorta stuff, they are no longer together so theoretically he can be persuaded to move back to Melbourne.

 

[The invisible mullet]

In some ways I liked the way Harding played last year compared to other seasons because he really showed character. If he can combine this with full fitness I'd expect him to have a pretty good year.

 

[Too_many_talls]

8 goals, 3 behinds for the year. At least a couple that I can recall were difficult set shots.

Anyone see this coming?

 

[Sco]

... and 6 out on the full.

But I see what you mean, he was good yesterday.

 

[gokangas]

Leigh's career was on the line mid 2005 season. He was told he had to improve or else.

He has shown a much bigger commitment and is a 100% tryer. He has won me back with his obvious hard work. He has been a good player this year too and desreves his place in the team.

 

[palisades]

Its good to have the pressure on him from Thurley that Shane Harvey could not do last year.
Still needs to step up consistently. Has really good size and pace, maybe he lacks a bit of awareness and a really good footy brain.
He can kick goals though and if perservered with can kick 40+ like a few years back

 

[Vertical Stripes]

8 goals, 3 behinds for the year. At least a couple that I can recall were difficult set shots.

Anyone see this coming?

Has anybody bothered to check his career stats against our other small forwards before always questioning his accuracy?

For what it's worth:
Shannon Grant 60%
Brent Harvey 60%
Leigh Harding 57%
Corey Jones 55%

Would it be fair to say that Leigh Harding has more snaps and quick shots at goal, under more pressure than the other three. Corey & Shagga would get more of their goals form direct shots after a mark. Boomer would get most of his goals from running directly at goal from up field. Leigh Harding always has to run towards the centre and then do a u-turn. Taking this into account I would be pleased with his 57% accuracy as compared to the other three.

 

[Devil Fish]

Sorry Leigh, but you have been on thin ice for the last 3 weeks & now it has melted. I know the NM heirarchy preferred you & Shane Harvey over Aaron Davey & the football public was told by Laidley, "The proof will be in the pudding." Well no thanks, I'm not hungry.

 

[windsock]

Has failed to offer any consistency in his performance given his experience.

 

[gokangas]

Shocker today but he wasn't alone. Please don't mention davey again. I choke and cry - Laidley didn't rate him! What would we give for a fast crumbing forward now, that we could have got for minimum rates.