Past #4: Daniel Harris - 149 games for NMFC - delisted end '09 - 11 games for GCFC

[Moti]

Sorry Choppy, Grant is the fittest bloke at the club but he didn't even now he had an opponent.

He isn't super fit, he is stocky and he has said that it will always be a minor problem, but that has nothing to do with starting the game in the guts. He is our best clearance player, start him in there and hopefully he will give us a good start, particuarly against V. good midfields like the Saints.

 

[moomba]

Originally posted by NeoBlaze
its a bit hard to build up match fitness when you're coming back from an injury and your only used to playing in scrap time when the coach is in a good mood

We can't afford to give game time to build us someones fitness. As with everyone else in the AFL Harris will have to build up his fitness on the training track. He was coming back from injury and it could even be that Laids didnt want him to do too much too soon.

 

[R00StaR]

I cant see why we cant do the rotations as is, but start Harris in the guts but allow more time for him, Grima ect in there. Sounds like Laidley did this with Grima anyway (Havent seen the game yet) Its clear we are behind the best teams so we need to fast track em. Some of the experienced guys can be used in other positions if required. Boomer in the forward line, Simmo on a HBF ect.

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by R00StaR
Some of the experienced guys can be used in other positions if required. Boomer in the forward line, Simmo on a HBF ect.

You're on drugs if you think they're going to play Simmo off a Half Back flank.

As for Harris, the one thing that really impressed me on Saturday was a trick he seems to have taken from Michael Voss, which is getting his arms free when he gets tackled, holding his ground UNTIL he sees a teammate, and then handballing it to them. He did this heaps of times and it's ten times better than just randomly handballing into space.

I've said since his third game, he's a gun and he should definitely start in the middle.

 

[R00StaR]

Agree Simmo on a back flank was a poor example. My main point was that as we give more time the Harris’ Grimas’ ect that the senior guys would have more petrol in the tank and that would be wasted sitting on the pine if they were to take less time in those rotations. Grant and Harvey spending more time forward would have been better examples.
Agree with everyone else, Harris will be a gun. And I recall Moti coping heaps of flak for saying so only last year if I recall correctly.

 

[Wrath]

Originally posted by moomba
I was very impressed by Harris today, but it did show that he can't play out the full match in the middle IMO, and has to go on the bench at some stage for a rest. There is no shame in that, and I suspect that someone that plays his style of game will never be able to run out 120 minutes.

Today, I think we could obviously have used him from the start (I missed the first 10 minutes and it seemed like 20 goals) but there is no point having him in from the start if it is going to mean he is not an option to finish out the game.

l think you will find that the more he plays in the middle, the more his endurance will improve, and yes in this day and age, midfielders get rest via rotations, but he needs to get air time to improve his endurance.........comin off the bench for 15 minute bursts is not doing the right thing by the kid or the team imo. It's all part of his development and in 2-3 years time, l am sure he will be a dominant midfielder for us, just have to bide our time. But the guys can get the ball cant he, reminds me alot of Diesel Williams in his early days.

Wrath

 

[moomba]

Originally posted by R00StaR
And I recall Moti coping heaps of flak for saying so only last year if I recall correctly.

I don't.

I was probably the biggest dissenter whenever Moti brought up Harris, and nearly all the time my points were relating to where he was now, not where he would be down the track.

Apart from that Harris has been one of the golden boys of this board since he made his debut.

 

[moomba]

Originally posted by Wrath
l think you will find that the more he plays in the middle, the more his endurance will improve, and yes in this day and age, midfielders get rest via rotations, but he needs to get air time to improve his endurance

I don't disagree on this, and think he will get steadily increased gametime as the year goes along.

comin off the bench for 15 minute bursts is not doing the right thing by the kid or the team imo.

I think that is more than enough for him at this stage, gives him time in the middle, but doesnt burn him out before the end of the game. From the radio he was puffing pretty hard in the 3rd quarter and from memory (I'll stand corrected if wrong here) he was pretty quiet in the last quarter. Some of that may have been to do with the Saints dominance, maybe some of the Saints dominance had to do with the midfield (and Harris is by no means the first one I would look at) stopping running.

It's all part of his development and in 2-3 years time, l am sure he will be a dominant midfielder for us, just have to bide our time. But the guys can get the ball cant he, reminds me alot of Diesel Williams in his early days.

The signs are looking good, and I think when he does get that opportunity he will be more than ready for it. He gets another chance to impress this week without Stevo, all he can do is put another good one in, and see where it leads him.

 

[kitty_11]

Originally posted by moomba

Apart from that Harris has been one of the golden boys of this board since he made his debut.

Pardon my bias, but it's deservedly so, considering he seems to be one of the few out there giving a decent hard crack at it while the rest of the team is falling to pieces. We need more of the guys to follow his and Simmo's example...then we might be heading back in the right direction again.

kitty

 

[True_Roo]

Originally posted by NorthBhoy
He just has to play. I don't care who he replaces in the middle.

I reckon it's mental that he doesn't start in more centre bounces than anyone in the side. Every game I watch I feel I am slipping into a state of mental ilness because there is a bloke in the box who doesn't see it, yet it seems so bloody obvious to every supporter in the crowd and even some players I have spoken to.

I love the kid, because he hates losing a contest and looks shattered when we lose a game. The same can't be said for our "marquee players" ATM IMHO.

yep, I think I'm suffering from the same mental illness.
The only known cure is a prescription of "Harris starting in the guts"

Harris = gun

 

[shinboner_99]

I'm a fan of Daniel's and love the way he goes in and gets the ball. Courage personified!
Still I can see why he is not the main man. His ability to be creative once he has the ball leaves a lot to be desired and he needs to work on this.
Having said that he wasn't the only one under so much pressure on Saturday that his disposals were made to look below AFL standard.
I reckon the Saints are pretty damn good. If the Grand Final was played tomorrow they'd canter in!

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Originally posted by shinboner_99
If the Grand Final was played tomorrow they'd canter in!

Judging by some of their fans, they think it is tomorrow.

 

[Moti]

HIS DISPOSALS WERE BAD !!!

Not sure what game you were watching Shinners99.

Only 2 of his handballs went astray, because it was him against 3 - 4 opposition players. Other than that, he set up quite a few forward thrusts with his handballing, most while in the clutches of 2 or 3 Saints.

Every kick went to a target, even the 2 he slipped over delivering, or were quick kicks out of packs.

His disposal by hand is without equal in our side and his kicking has probably been one of the most effective this year, certainly hitting more targets on leads than most. This is a testament to a pre-season concentrating on these skills which were average last year.

If I was to give the footy to a player on the wing kicking to a lead, Harro would be the man I would give the ball to, Wells the only other one I would have the vaguest confidence in.

 

[harrowfornrs]

Know I am biased but nearly a full game and showed his class and and toughness I think.

Might need some help on his boot choice though.
Maybe put it down to his hardness at the ball in his endevour to get it.

 

[Roobunny]

And happy birthday to him by the way

 

[harrowfornrs]

Daniels HB today ?

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by harrowfornrs
Daniels HB today ?

No, it was his birthday on Saturday.

 

[Jess'#1Fan]

Well then Happy Birthday Daniel! Too bad you couldn't win on your Birthday!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !

I love Jess Sinclair #9

 

[Moti]

Yep, our only strongly built midfielder at the moment. Although Spud in time will be able to provide some size in there.

This is his first real 4 quarter game and I think it displays what is needed to give young players confidence. Allowing players to work their way through a match is important and the rewards were there at the end. He made some mistakes, but instead of dropping his head, he just went in twice as much in the next contest, and that is the sign that was the most encouraging.

And he learned from his mistakes. His first kick at goal was a point, then he kicked a goal.

His first mark attempt, probably just didn't leap at the right time, the next time, strong hands and perfectly timed leap.

 

[Carlos]

Originally posted by Moti
Yep, our only strongly built midfielder at the moment. Although Spud in time will be able to provide some size in there.

Eh?

I wouldn't exactly call Adam Simpson weak mate. In fact i'd say he's the strongest of all our midfielders. Is certainly the best overhead in a contested situation, not to mention his superior ability at stopages.

And Stevo is probably the same size as Harro.

But Harro did show on the weekend that he can physically match it with the bigger midfields. He just needs to smooth out a couple of rough edges, but i'm glad that Dean seems to be showing more belief in him that he'll be the player so many of us believe he'll be.

 

[R00StaR]

Originally posted by Moti
He made some mistakes, but instead of dropping his head, he just went in twice as much in the next contest, and that is the sign that was the most encouraging.

Agree

 

[Moti]

Carlos, he stands up in tackles where most don't and he rips balls out of players hands during contests. Not talking about anything but strength in at contests and while both Stevo and Simmo are good, I reckon that Harris is a stronger prescence than the other two.

But only my opinion of course.

 

[R00StaR]

Originally posted by Moti
Carlos, he stands up in tackles where most don't and he rips balls out of players hands during contests. Not talking about anything but strength in at contests and while both Stevo and Simmo are good, I reckon that Harris is a stronger prescence than the other two.

But only my opinion of course.

Put Urch in there

 

[Angus1]

I think Harris is one of our strongest in terms of standing up when under pressure. He can get tackled and still force his way through with a kick or a quick handball. I wouldn't call him big though. Firrito is the bloke who I hope will improve enough to play a midfeild role. I just think every team needs a tough, strong onballer who can mix it with blokes like Voss, Riccutio, Buckley etc...
Harris genuinely looks as though he loves playing. I like that in a player. I heard Stevo in an interview recently praising Harris saying he was a great young talent. I have a feeling that Stevo may have taken him under his wing. Just a hunch but it would be great if Stevo did take Harris aside and tell him all the little things that it takes to be a quality onballer.
Great to see Dean give him a real go in the middle. I think Dean is now willing to try a few things even it at first it doesn't come off.
Hard to see North down for too long if we can get everyone playing with the passion that Harris appears to have.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Anyone else noticed how clean Harro's hands are overhead? Like Firrito, you never see the bloke double grab, and when he does mark it he grips it like a vice to avoid a defender being able to knock it away.

Another thing that he and Spud have in common is the ability to fire out a quick and long handball - IMO the use of the long handball to set up play is very underused, they are both excellent exponents of it.