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

[ssreid]

Not picking davey has really come back to bite us on the backside.Davey and Wells in our midfield,I can only dream

 

[Devil Fish]

Typical BF:

North lose = blame harding.

I am surprised you lot are not blaming Watt aswell for the loss.

Reason we lost and lost by that margin is a) coach and b) midfield.

I agree Tas. But you're right. We can't blame Watt. I felt it was one of his better games. If I don't notice him, it means he's done his job.

 

[Mr Reliable]

I blame our forwards as much as our midfield. When it goes in there:

(a) they don't fight hard enough to keep it in
(b) there are no crumbers
(c) they don't keep up with their opponents coming out
(d) apart from Thommo there is no consistent high mark.

When Harding flew for that high mark in the pack at CHF and dropped it and it resulted in a goal to Adelaide I knew he was GAWN for a few weeks. What was he doing in the pack? Having committed, why didn't he hold it?

 

[Flag Man]

I blame our forwards as much as our midfield. When it goes in there:

(a) they don't fight hard enough to keep it in

As they are all up on the wing.

(b) there are no crumbers

There are no long kicks to entice crumbing.

(c) they don't keep up with their opponents coming out

See reply to a & b.

(d) apart from Thommo there is no consistent high mark.

See reply b and have a look at the coach.

When Harding flew for that high mark in the pack at CHF and dropped it and it resulted in a goal to Adelaide I knew he was GAWN for a few weeks. What was he doing in the pack?

Petrie was probably on the wing and LeCras was probably on the other wing having their respective leads ignored again.

Having committed, why didn't he hold it?

You judge him harshly as a crumber and then have a go at him for dropping a pack mark at CHF?

I thought his ruck work was shocking also.

 

[Mr Reliable]

Actually Harding jumped over Thommo or Petrie or some other tall in a foolhardy attempt to take a speccy. The only thing that was going to save him from looking foolish was to actually take it. He should NOT have been flying in a pack for a mark anyway. Give the man a life jacket, he's going to need one.

 

[Devil Fish]

I'm gonna start calling Leigh Harding The Beaconsfield Miner because for him to survive is amazing. Hopefully Ch9 will do a 2 hr doco on Harding detailing his remarkable survival against the odds.

 

[The Zebra]

Are you Corine Grant?

 

[Tas]

There are a dozen players I would drop before Harding, most of those being our team leaders.

 

[Devil Fish]

There are a dozen players I would drop before Harding, most of those being our team leaders.

Gee Tas, that's a big call. Care to name any of these `team leaders' you would drop?
Harding is averaging 9 possessions/game this year & has kicked 10 goals BUT only 2 in the last 3 games of which both were in junk time against Adelaide on Sunday. You can't tell me that these stats don't warrant being demoted.
BUT what is most disturbing about Harding's form is the lack of pressure he is exerting in our forward line - his defensive skills have been non-existent.

 

[Z_K]

There are a dozen players I would drop before Harding, most of those being our team leaders.

Your credibility is dwindling.

Name the dozen, please.

 

[Tas]

Your credibility is dwindling.

Name the dozen, please.

I dont really give a crap what you or anyone else thinks about me to be honest.

Our list of under-performers is so extensive I think it is much easier to list those who I wouldn't drop.

Thompson
Archer
Gibson
Hale
McIntosh
Perry
Pratt
Wells
Pratt
Harding

It is not so much how effective they are as to the effort they put in despite playing well or not and the effort they have given over the seven rounds.

I'm not happy at all with our team leaders in Brown, Grant, Harvey, Petrie, Rawlings, Simpson, etc.

Schwarze is unlucky he got injured, he was going out anyway.

Harris is lucky to be on the list, I've found his disposal to be very wasteful even when not under any pressure but at least he has a red hot dip. Sinclair is getting closer to being on the list, he has done a few nice hard things but needs to do it more consistantly.

If Grima, Urch, Riggio and McConnell were ready to play I'd put them straight in and replace Grant, Harvey, Rawlings and Simpson in a heartbeat. Not happy at all with what they are showing us in the middle.

 

[Z_K]

You didn't name the dozen, but let's forget that for a second.

What is he bringing to the footy side right now? I am struggling to think of a bloke who is producing less from the same position in the AFL. I can't remember the last time he kicked a goal from general play. In fact, I don't think he has all year.

 

[The Zebra]

I dont really give a crap what you or anyone else thinks about me to be honest.
.

Ouch!!

You go girl!

 

[Zondor]

Our list of under-performers is so extensive I think it is much easier to list those who I wouldn't drop.

Thompson
Archer
Gibson
Hale
McIntosh
Perry
Pratt
Wells
Pratt
Harding

I knew there were 2 Pratt's down at North after watching the intra club practice match at Princess Park earlier this year.

 

[RoyalBlue]

I'd play a fit Thurley in front of Harding any day of the week.

Giving us sweet FA at the moment.

 

[Carlos]

What is he bringing to the footy side right now?

Defensive work rate when we dont have the ball.

No, i dont think Harding has been great and probably could do with a spell in the 2's to remember what it feels like to have a footy in his hands.

But i think the fact that he is one of few bloke sprepared to put a fair dinkum chase in and do his bit to keep the ball in his area has been lost on a lot of people who blindly bag him.

 

[windsock]

But i think the fact that he is one of few bloke sprepared to put a fair dinkum chase in and do his bit to keep the ball in his area has been lost on a lot of people who blindly bag him.

100% agree on that but he's still gotta get a kick. Not doing enough as a 25 yo who has been playing senior footy for six years.

 

[Carlos]

100% agree on that but he's still gotta get a kick. Not doing enough as a 25 yo who has been playing senior footy for six years.

I dont disagree with that either mate.

I have always wondered why Laidley hasn't used Harding similar to what Pagan did in his first couple of year's at North. Leigh is a confidence player and can go missing more than just about anyone in our team, but i remember Pagan used to move him up the ground as a sweeper across half back or on a wing to get him into the play for 10 or so minutes and he'd almost always get his hands the footy a few times.

He's actually a very good field kick and has always been good in a 50/50 contest on the deck. And with our midfield's absolute lack of run at the moment or work rate we could do a lot worse.

Not saying i'd want to see him play most of hsi footy there, but if Laidley is goign to persist with him then it would be better than currently seeing him rot in a forward pocket without seeing the ball for 15 minutes at a time and then sit on the pine for the other 15 minutes of the quarter.

 

[Z_K]

I would go with that. While getting him closer to the footy, it would also give us some unpredictability with the footy, as right now it is painful stuff. Wouldn't mind seeing him grab the footy and make it up as he goes along.

I still think we should play an extra mid and rotate Harvey, Grant and Wells more heavily though the forward 50 but I will take Harding in there if he is going to keep his spot.

 

[Devil Fish]

I knew there were 2 Pratt's down at North after watching the intra club practice match at Princess Park earlier this year.

You're right. He was everywhere.

 

[Devil Fish]

But i think the fact that he is one of few bloke sprepared to put a fair dinkum chase in and do his bit to keep the ball in his area has been lost on a lot of people who blindly bag him.

I watched him closely on Sunday & I saw him chase on 3 occasions running at 3/4 pace. ie. a token gesture. If he was applying pressure on opposition backmen, I'd be more than happy to stick with him but the ball is rebounding out of our forward line so easily, it's a joke.

 

[Woodson]

Re: JYD The Miner....

I have always wondered why Laidley hasn't used Harding similar to what Pagan did in his first couple of year's at North. Leigh is a confidence player and can go missing more than just about anyone in our team, but i remember Pagan used to move him up the ground as a sweeper across half back or on a wing to get him into the play for 10 or so minutes and he'd almost always get his hands the footy a few times.

He's actually a very good field kick and has always been good in a 50/50 contest on the deck. And with our midfield's absolute lack of run at the moment or work rate we could do a lot worse.

Not saying i'd want to see him play most of hsi footy there, but if Laidley is goign to persist with him then it would be better than currently seeing him rot in a forward pocket without seeing the ball for 15 minutes at a time and then sit on the pine for the other 15 minutes of the quarter.

Yup, welcome to the party. Been saying that for a few years now but JYD has other AMAZING ideas.

Thinking outside the square isn't part of the current coaching system. And as much as JYD loves his 'research' whatever >>> homework on the opposition, I guess that is irrevelvant under the Pagan years. The poor guy NEEDS to 'check in with BF' to get some insights he may/ unlikely knows about his own players. (after 3 years......you wonder really)

 

[Woodson]

Re: JYD The Miner....

I watched him closely on Sunday & I saw him chase on 3 occasions running at 3/4 pace. ie. a token gesture. If he was applying pressure on opposition backmen, I'd be more than happy to stick with him but the ball is rebounding out of our forward line so easily, it's a joke.

Been happening for the last 6 flippin' SEASONS in actual fact but let's not confuse JYD with his 'foolproof chip chip gameplan'

I can see Freo running rings around a negative gameplan on the wide open spaces but you just never know what any of them are thinking at any given moment these days.

 

[Devil Fish]

Re: JYD The Miner....

I can see Freo running rings around a negative gameplan on the wide open spaces but you just never know what any of them are thinking at any given moment these days.

Yeah, Freo could make us look silly.

 

[Carlos]

I watched him closely on Sunday & I saw him chase on 3 occasions running at 3/4 pace. ie. a token gesture. If he was applying pressure on opposition backmen, I'd be more than happy to stick with him but the ball is rebounding out of our forward line so easily, it's a joke.

So you're saying you havent seen Harding put his body in at a ground level contest or chase, tackle or harrass at all this year champ?

I saw Adam Simpson kick a perfect 35 metre right footed drop punt fwiw on Sunday as well.