#4 James Harmes – traded to Bulldogs. Thanks for 'that' kick. You know the one.

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I've given him a tone of s**t over the past two years, but he's back. He won me over tonight. Thought he and Trac lead the way all night. His ball use was excellent tonight.

Never EVER!!! move him out of the centre again! EVER!
 
We have a lot of tunnel vision in the midfield group between Harmes, Sparrow and Vines; I guess its something that Harmes and Vines can usually break the first tackle and create easier windows for themselves. But in centre bounce combinations I'd definitely be staggering Vines and Harmes.

How do people rate Jimmy's defensive work at stoppages? I'm not sure I'm a huge fan but I say the same of Vines and people here seem to think he's good there; again both can stick tackles which helps. But it felt like the Lions clearances were extremely clean/met with no resistance. Harmes was also at fault for the Zorko clearance goal IIRC.

Love Jimmy tho very happy he's back in the side, back in the guts. So reliable in 2018/19.
 

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Also conceptually why don't teams tag more? Harmes had his back to the ball at one stoppage to mark Neale, and I feel like if you can basically make our other mids play 2 on 2 against other teams' mids surely we're a decent shot? Though I guess part of it is Trac and Clarry, despite improvements, probably aren't amazing defensively?
 
Zorko goal was a horrendous tap from Jackson, no synergy with any of the mids.
 
Xhoquelin said:
Also conceptually why don't teams tag more? Harmes had his back to the ball at one stoppage to mark Neale, and I feel like if you can basically make our other mids play 2 on 2 against other teams' mids surely we're a decent shot? Though I guess part of it is Trac and Clarry, despite improvements, probably aren't amazing defensively?
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Harmes doesn’t really tag, he just makes it a priority to beat one player to the ball every time.
 
Gysberts2Bate said:
Harmes doesn’t really tag, he just makes it a priority to beat one player to the ball every time.
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Yeah I do laugh at the whole tagging thing, Harmes just uses one bloke as a starting point. He doesn't sacrifice his game like Cornes and Carr etc used to.
 
Topkent said:
Yeah I do laugh at the whole tagging thing, Harmes just uses one bloke as a starting point. He doesn't sacrifice his game like Cornes and Carr etc used to.
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Taggers follow their player to the ball. If anything Harmes tries to lead them there and it doesn’t matter if anyone else gets the footy first as long as his man didn’t, and he now knows exactly where they are and so can prevent them from getting the receive on the outside or shutting them down if they do. It works because he’s fit as heck and a decent contested ball winner so often enough gets first touch.
 
Also makes someone like Libba accountable, because all of a sudden they feel like they’re getting beaten by their man which isn’t something you want as a mid, puts you in two minds. Most other sides don’t have a third or fourth mid as good as Harmes who you can tell ‘just go out there and play 1v1 in the midfield’ who is good enough in contested footy to not get decimated by the best opposition mid, and fit enough to turn around and spread on the outside without getting sucked up to the ball.
 
Topkent said:
He looks dynamic again, acceleration away from the contest. Power, strength.
Love me some chomps..
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Agree 100%.

We all know he's a little limited in terms of footy smarts, very much a guy you give structure to with a tagging role or similar.

But, his power/strength/leap had been missing for a little bit and was a big weapon for him - glad it's back!
 
A11dAtP0w3R said:
I've given him a tone of sh*t over the past two years, but he's back. He won me over tonight. Thought he and Trac lead the way all night. His ball use was excellent tonight.

Never EVER!!! move him out of the centre again! EVER!
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eh I'd have him rotating mid and forward. Good mark, better kicking at goals than at players.
 
Theseventhhamster said:
eh I'd have him rotating mid and forward. Good mark, better kicking at goals than at players.
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Reckon his disposal was fantastic last night for the most part, highlight being that kick to Slick off the Sparrow handball, sublime.
 
A11dAtP0w3R said:
Reckon his disposal was fantastic last night for the most part, highlight being that kick to Slick off the Sparrow handball, sublime.
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Indeed it was, he's erratic as a kick but skilled. I'm not potting him for once, I really like him across half forward.
 

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Theseventhhamster said:
Indeed it was, he's erratic as a kick but skilled. I'm not potting him for once, I really like him across half forward.
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No room for him mate. I really don't want to heck around with what he has going on right now either. He's found form. Keep him in it.
 
A11dAtP0w3R said:
No room for him mate. I really don't want to fu** around with what he has going on right now either. He's found form. Keep him in it.
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Viney's going to come into the team at some point, reckon all the starting inside guys other than maybe Oliver should rotate forward, kick out a big or let them have whatever role Melksham is meant to be doing.
 
Gysberts2Bate said:
Harmes doesn’t really tag, he just makes it a priority to beat one player to the ball every time.
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Where in my comment did I say he tagged? He doesn't have the spatial awareness to tag without sacrificing his own footy, which he doesn't do; hence why I mentioned that one clip where Harmes actually tried to tag Neale his back was to the footy completely. Was more talking about a hypothetical where Harmes ACTUALLY tags, like aforementioned play in the centre circle, which gives our other 2 mids a chance to play 2 on 2
 
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Goody said on On the Couch that Harmes volunteered to go off the ground with a cramp so JJ could experience being on the field. ******* love him. One thing that's been forgotten because of his poorish form over recent years is that he might be the most Melbourne through and through player at the club.
 
Just wanted to know, do any of you guys call him Harmez Harmez?

Aliir Aliir. Harmez Harmez.
 
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