2nds Crows in the SANFL Round 1

[Team DJ]

Vader I can understand your issue with players like Martin, Petrenko and Jaensch being selected.

However Lyons is a third year player taken at base age in the 2010 ND. His first year was a write off due to long term injury, but his 2012 form for Glenelg was outstanding. He was in my mind unfairly ousted for an out of sorts Douglas against Collingwood rather than Jaensch, after being a significant component in the final quarter of our victory against Sydney.

He was unfortunately injured (ankle I believe) when midfield injuries occurred and plodders like Symes and Knights were given guernseys as a result. He finished off the year strong in the SANFL and has seemingly resumed that form this weekend.

I was impressed with his skills in our first round of NAB Cup matches.

For a bloke 18 months older than Crouch and with a stronger SANFL resumè, he seems to be written off an awful lot.

TBH our selection hasn't improved either over the past few years. Sando may have done well as a coach, but our ignorance of developing players is pathetic. Hawthorn, Collingwood and Sydney had no issue with having debutants and relatively untried players in Round 1, but we're too good.

Sando doesnt seem to be one for playing players out of positions. No matter how minor of a change it is.
If they are a mid, they have to play as a mid or no look in.
Hence why i think Lyon hasnt been selected ahead of blokes he shouldve. Ie Jaensch and Petrenko

 

[Magma]

in case anyone missed it laird was named the powerade rising star thingo for round 1.

 

[Lawrst]

But that's the thing, IMO I feel it takes more guts to stand up to the club administration and leaders who demand you sign and stay, show that club loyalty and stop being a soft silly and lead you down that path by staying; than what it takes to actually leave

Its hard enough to leave a local club for a rival for money, or any reason really, let alone if that is your job.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

in case anyone missed it laird was named the powerade rising star thingo for round 1.

Kudos to Rory

 

[Allefgib]

Yeah i know it's the reserves but it sounds like he was ok

He was posting big hit out numbers last year.

Still playing reserves. Geez I hope he comes on.

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

He was posting big hit out numbers last year.

Still playing reserves. Geez I hope he comes on.

Has he actually played any SANFL games ?

 

[Allefgib]

Has he actually played any SANFL games ?

Played a handfull of games, 3 or 4 from memory, in the seniors last year.

 

[Footypie32]

Airing a players private issues on a public forum most probably not the wisest or fairest thing to do.

This is true, however plenty of us (myself included) are pretty quick to rip shreds off these blokes when they play a bad game. I think people need assume that the players will read what we are writing about them. It's pretty easy to bad mouth someone on a anonymous forum, but these players are real people with real feelings and they make mistakes just like everyone else.

 

[cmndstab]

Played a handfull of games, 3 or 4 from memory, in the seniors last year.

Three, according to Sportingpulse. Never played two weeks in a row though. (24th March, 28th April, 18th August).

 

[craig crowing]

Three, according to Sportingpulse. Never played two weeks in a row though. (24th March, 28th April, 18th August).

Yes from a contact he is improving but really struggling understanding the flow of the game etc .
Just hope after that effort he gets a decent run for few weeks to gain confidence etc.
Long term my hope Osborne with his size etc can support then takeover Jacobs.

 

[Elder van Berlo]

With his size, Dowdell getting hit outs in the SANFL 2s should be a given. It's encouraging that he found a bit of the footy though. You would think he'd need to be a regular in their league side by the end of the year to have a chance of staying on the list.

To see these guys battling away to make an impact in the SANFL magoos also makes you realise just how quickly Hendo came on.

 

[Hank93]

With his size, Dowdell getting hit outs in the SANFL 2s should be a given. It's encouraging that he found a bit of the footy though. You would think he'd need to be a regular in their league side by the end of the year to have a chance of staying on the list.

To see these guys battling away to make an impact in the SANFL magoos also makes you realise just how quickly Hendo came on.

Its his twitter work that keeps him on the list. It is outstanding.

Football, not so much it seems.....

 

[PyroCrow]

This is true, however plenty of us (myself included) are pretty quick to rip shreds off these blokes when they play a bad game. I think people need assume that the players will read what we are writing about them. It's pretty easy to bad mouth someone on a anonymous forum, but these players are real people with real feelings and they make mistakes just like everyone else.

Whilst I agree that this is the case you must also consider that these players make the conscious decision to put themselves in a position that exposes them to constant public scrutiny. The old adage, "if you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen" applies IMO. These players are well compensated for their 'sacrifice'.

 

[Footypie32]

Whilst I agree that this is the case you must also consider that these players make the conscious decision to put themselves in a position that exposes them to constant public scrutiny. The old adage, "if you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen" applies IMO. These players are well compensated for their 'sacrifice'.

Please don't get me wrong, I have no problem with criticism. If I did, I certainly wouldn't be on BF. A lot of what we say on here, the player probably hears from the coaches anyway. It's just some people get carried away calling blokes "spuds" and "waste of space" and worse. I don't want to get all self-righteous, but I think it is important that we consider some of these players may be struggling for reasons we know nothing about (such as depression).

 

[Cap]

So two games on Saturday night and nothing else on... any one heading down to the games?

 

[Crow-eater]

Lynch, Crouch, Laird and Grigg's highlights from the weekend

 

[Mighty Chinook]

Lynch, Crouch, Laird and Grigg's highlights from the weekend

Love the way Crouch moves, very silky. Lynch and Grigg also showing good signs. It's interesting that Lynch has just put in probably his best ever SANFL performance, and in the midfield no less. Makes it difficult to find a place for him in the team, because if we're picking him on form, it'd be tough to place a form midfielder into the Crows 22 as a third tall. Maybe his best position really is as a Josh Kennedy-like big midfielder? Obviously I'm not suggesting he's anywhere near the calibre of Kennedy, but Lynch could have an impact in the guts if given the opportunity.

 

[EightyFour]

With his size, Dowdell getting hit outs in the SANFL 2s should be a given. It's encouraging that he found a bit of the footy though. You would think he'd need to be a regular in their league side by the end of the year to have a chance of staying on the list.

To see these guys battling away to make an impact in the SANFL magoos also makes you realise just how quickly Hendo came on.

I caught his last quarter.
I was VERY impressed, always monsters other players in the ruck but it was his possessions that impressed me most. Found the ball well and his disposal was spot on.

 

[cmndstab]

I'm not exactly an expert, but does Laird's kicking action look wonky to anyone else?

 

[Mighty Chinook]

I'm not exactly an expert, but does Laird's kicking action look wonky to anyone else?

Yeh there were a couple of pretty average kicks in that footage from his game on the weekend!

 

[cammo6556]

I'm not exactly an expert, but does Laird's kicking action look wonky to anyone else?

Perhaps when wrong footed or kicking short... Dunno. Probably not the best package to showcase his kicking

 

[King Elvis]

I'm not writing him off.. I'm just wondering how a player with such a strong SANFL resume (and I agree it is a very strong one) could be so far down our pecking order, when there are a whole bunch of list cloggers ahead of him whose resumes do not appear to be as strong as his own.

There has to be a reason why he's so far down the line, when he appears to have so much talent.

Maybe expand your questioning to include the possibility that our selection and coaching panels aren't infallible?

We have a history of being too soft and refusing to make hard calls (Malthouse is the master of it), and, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have changed with Sando.

 

[Vader]

Maybe expand your questioning to include the possibility that our selection and coaching panels aren't infallible?

We have a history of being too soft and refusing to make hard calls (Malthouse is the master of it), and, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have changed with Sando.

This is a distinct possibility. Mind you, I'm doubly wary of the alternative view - which is that the BigFooty fans know more than the coaches & selectors, who work with the players day in, day out.

 

[Marine Boy]

I'm not exactly an expert, but does Laird's kicking action look wonky to anyone else?

Laird is not an elite kick and is going to struggle in the AFL unless this improves.

 

[Paladin]

Laird is not an elite kick and is going to struggle in the AFL unless this improves.

Thought he kicked well in the NAB cup.