Game Breakers

[Morro]

The good teams over the years always have a game breaker, the guy they turn to when a new level is required to get them over the line, it is not always a captain either.

This got me thinking that the Tigers havent had this guy for as long as I can remember. The first name that comes to mind is Richo, but I dont think he has another level to go to. He is very good and quite consistent otherwise very poor. He is either on or off.

We have alot of potential game breakers such as Delidio, Foley and Cotch but they are not there yet.

Examples from other teams are,

Hodge ever reliable and always there when you need him
Judd is the master
Brown always leads by example, inspirational!
Hird, Voss and Buckley immediatley spring to mind as players who lifted there teams to greater heights.

I have been copping alot of flack from my mates lately because i think Cousins is going to be this man for us now even if only for half a season as I am being a realist and dont expect him to dominate from rd 1 nor do I expect him to play all season due to injury.

I hinestly beleive these types of players make all the difference in the heat of battle.

Discuss???????

 

[Drunken Wookie]

I think Brown is our current gamebreaker sans injuries, Richo too but It's the potential you mention that gets me most excited. I can imagine Lids, Foley and Cotch lifting us up on their own backs soon and guys like Rance and Riewoldt too, in time.

 

[Morro]

Yeah Brown post broken leg was inspirational and always lifted us, seems so long ago though.

 

[ize_]

He wasn't bad pre broken leg either.

 

[one eyedtiger]

Brown for obvious reasons.
Last season though i think Bowden stood up. Won us 3 or 4 games, with his nerves of steel and cool head.

 

[a_fighting_fury]

Bowden has been know to do it.

 

[coke_zero]

conners could be this guy if he wants it. but he has to want it!

 

[ScallyWag1]

Bowden has been know to do it.

between richo, bowden and brown i think we've got a couple of experienced heads when the heat is on, a savvy player with a bit of experience, ie: hird, voss, benny cousins used to do it for the eagles so hopefully he can step up

riewolt seems to single-handedly win games for the saints (his cousin might overtake him in not too long).

titch edwards springs to mind as someone who might wind up doing the game breaking things that get us over the line in games.

 

[Forget the Stats]

Its halfway through the last quarter your three goals behind and after running flat out all day Cousins hunches over,throws his guts up,looks finished and then sucks back a few big breaths and takes off again like it never happened. A freak of a footballer and he did it for us time and time again. Hope his body has still got it hey.Unless your playing us of course.

 

[cormick]

Its halfway through the last quarter your three goals behind and after running flat out all day Cousins hunches over,throws his guts up,looks finished and then sucks back a few big breaths and takes off again like it never happened. A freak of a footballer and he did it for us time and time again. Hope his body has still got it hey.Unless your playing us of course.

So so true. Always been a fan of Cousins' "extra efforts".
Freak!

 

[Morro]

Yeah Brown post broken leg was inspirational and always lifted us, seems so long ago though.

Thanks for correcting me, lol

 

[DoItForCaptBlood]

C'mon...would name Brown in a heartbeat for this category....how many games has he suddenly decided....'watch this fellas!'

On another level (may we be 'entertained' for another few more years!)

 

[Morro]

I have read all of the names mentioned but they are not game breakers.

Bowden was a game saver not breaker in my opinion.

Richo inspires regularly but no more often when the game is in the balance.

Brown cant do what he used to.

Connors isnt a regular nor is edwards and no guarantees either will make it.

i am certainly not shooting everyone down but to suggest these guys are our version of a Judd, Voss or Hird tells me we need Cousins to recapture his ability more than ever if we want to give the top 8 a real a shake.

 

[Morro]

Its halfway through the last quarter your three goals behind and after running flat out all day Cousins hunches over,throws his guts up,looks finished and then sucks back a few big breaths and takes off again like it never happened. A freak of a footballer and he did it for us time and time again. Hope his body has still got it hey.Unless your playing us of course.

Thats what im hoping, and thats the type of Game Breaker i am referring to. We dont have this.Or do we, now????

 

[bigstyletiger]

conners could be this guy if he wants it. but he has to want it!

yeah maybe. he could be a bit of a stevie j. perhaps we should suspend him for the opening 6 rounds.

and i would have to say brown for my nomination. the first 10 or so games of 2005 were 10 of the most influential in a row that i have ever seen. he would have kicked 60-70 goals that year and averaged mid 20 possessions if he had played the full season and probably catapaulted us into finals.

 

[St Francis]

conners could be this guy if he wants it. but he has to want it!

Agree.
i love the way the ranga goes about it, he could definately have the impact of a Stevey Johnson/Browny type if he decides to have a crack!

 

[Tigersman]

Nathan Brown is as good a game breaker as there is.

As recently as round 16 last year against Essendon he put in a great last quarter, kicking 3 classy goals in quick time to start the quarter after we looked dead in the 3rd. He dragged us back into it (honourable mentions to Foley and Simmonds).

The better we get the more dangerous his bursts will be.

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

If your talking about heroic efforts when the game is in the clinch then look no further than McGuane and Moore. these 2 blokes are going to put their heads in places some opposition players girlfriends have never been this year to save a goal or make match saving spoils.

As for the mids and forwards , Nathan G Brown can have an impact and so can these guys

Cousins
Riewoldt
Connors
Edwards
Newman
Lids
Foley
Morton
and most of all Richardson. Richardson is by far and wide our biggest game breaker and will be for at least another year.

 

[daveymak]

Forget the Stats was spot on,

Cuzzy's Back!!

Just hope he has the flu when you play us

 

[sante]

Foley will be ours IMO.

 

[captain blood 17]

Foley will be ours IMO.

Would like to see Morton, Hughes or Edwards step up. Hughes in particular as it would be great to see a new kp just rip a game apart in a quarter of footy. I feel Edwards could be the wild card. Good speed, can mark it, just needs some more consistency. Morton is very skilled, yet to see the best of him.

 

[coke_zero]

Would like to see Morton, Hughes or Edwards step up. Hughes in particular as it would be great to see a new kp just rip a game apart in a quarter of footy. I feel Edwards could be the wild card. Good speed, can mark it, just needs some more consistency. Morton is very skilled, yet to see the best of him.

morton doesnt need to step up, if he does he will be the best small/medium forward in the game. he just needs to improve and add something new to his game. eg. play 10 mins in the middle a game. but im happy for morton to become the best small forward if it does happen.
im happy for hughes to kick 2 or 3 goals a game with a few big bags. but he cant go goaless on to many games. if he does drop him.
i think edwards just needs to rough it out in the forward and middle. he is the guy that needs to take it to the next level. i would give edwards a bit of time in the middle this year just to see if he is up to it. if not play in the forward with maybe a couple of spurts in the middle