List Mgmt. Geelong's interest in Travis Boak

[Strangled Cat]

I agree Daz, I particularly noticed how GHS seemed to lumber along. He did remind me of Ling. I can remember when the good media judges (so called) regarded Kelly, Bartel and Ling as too slow to play in the centre.

The difference between plodders like GHS and quicks like Tenace is that GHS can find the footy and then dispose of it by foot or hand well. Something that Ling, and other slower players like Couch and Greg Williams could do. While I think that it is important to have some quick outside run and carry players who can break lines, I still think that the team needs to be comprised of what I would call "genuine footballers".

Slower players like Couch, Greg Williams, James Kelly, Ling and to a lesser extent Bartel make up for their lack of leg speed because they read the play well, have strong bodies for physical contests and have genuine footy skills. They can take contested marks, kick well, and dispose of the ball accurately.

GHS seems to have the skills. I am not sure if he has the tank of Ling or could develope one.

I haven't been fortunate enough to watch any VFL games in a very long time so I obviously haven't been able to see Hyphen play in a two's to be able to comment on his form. I do believe however that he will become a great footballer as he has a good footy brain, can read the play well, and has great skills by hand and foot. I can say this after having watched a handful of games, but more importantly from what I have heard from a couple of people around the traps in this state. Hyphen along with Cameron Guthrie and Jordan Murdoch are 3 kids that if we lost I would be most disappointed.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Looking in another direction Bellchambers has been left out of the Essendon side agian this week.
Would be worth aasking the question of the Tullamarine crowd to see what it would take to get him out of there.

We could do a Mummy to someone else

 

[Zeus_]

Looking in another direction Bellchambers has been left out of the Essendon side agian this week.
Would be worth aasking the question of the Tullamarine crowd to see what it would take to get him out of there.

We could do a Mummy to someone else

Who needs him. We have Dawsy, Vardy and Westy, which could look really good in the future.

West and Simpson, they've been sitting on the sidelines for years, give 'em a chance to develop and get comfy in the side first before bringing in recycled hacks.

Although Boak is one recycled hack I wouldn't mind any day of the week.

 

[Zeus_]

Some bloke named Cameron Ling started off and finished labelled " slow". Tenace was as jet.

See where I'm going with this pace thing....

A little overrated or at least not the most important factor.... It has its place don't get me wrong.... but...

GO Catters

Bloody oath.

Cats supporters should know this best. We had a veeery old and slow side last year, and obviously went on to win a premiership.

Though, having said that, would it have happened without our speedy blokes like Varcoe, Wojo, Christensen, Stokes etc? I don't know...

 

[bulletproof]

I am responsible for side tracking this debate into merits of Horlin-Smith and his leg speed, apologies.

All I was trying to say, is that of our younger players he is the one I would be most happy to see in a deal, just because he lacks pace and has not really shown that special ability you need to overcome that deficiency to become a top player.

Anyhow this is a stupid debate (that i poured fuel on) because Boak has not even said he is coming to Geelong, let alone Port expressing an interest him.

Would love Horlin-Smith to prove me wrong over the next 8 weeks and he become the midfielder we crave.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Who needs him. We have Dawsy, Vardy and Westy, which could look really good in the future.

West and Simpson, they've been sitting on the sidelines for years, give 'em a chance to develop and get comfy in the side first before bringing in recycled hacks.

Although Boak is one recycled hack I wouldn't mind any day of the week.

Vardy's hip isn't 100% guaranteed to ever get right and Bellchambers looks to be in a very similar position as to Mumford not guaranteed of getting a regular game.

A healthy list is one that has 4-5 ruckmen on it at the moment we have 3.5 (Dawson, Trent, Orren and Vards)

If it didn't cost us too much it would be in our best interests to have a look at him

 

[bulletproof]

I would add that one of our worst ever trades was getting rid of Adrian Hickmont. I believe we traded him as we thought we needed more pace. That proved disastrous. He was a fine player.

Funnily enough, he was a similar type to Horlin-Smith. Good user of the ball, smart, strong overhead.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I'm not worried about the pace thing with hyphen. Like I said it's an issue now this year because our team is slow, but in 2-3 years when it isn't, he's fine in the mix. He has the ability to find the footy and have time in congestion, which is precious the way the game is atm, and he can dispose of it. Think he will make a fine player.

Tbh, we can get a deal done with picks and I imagine that would be the club's preference rather than giving up guys like hyphen. It really depends on contract status, because if a player like Horlin is out of contract (we don't know whether he signed for 2 or 3 years when drafted) then we may be more vulnerable if he sees opportunities at home (hypothetically speaking of course) and thus would need to deal. If he's contracted and happy here I can't see us trying to put him in any deal, same goes for the rest of our SA boys.

 

[Uncle Chuck]

A healthy list is one that has 4-5 ruckmen on it at the moment we have 3.5 (Dawson, Trent, Orren and Vards)

Rubbish.

Last year we had 5 ruck options: Ottens, West, Blake, Simpson and Vardy. You're telling me that a 99-gamer (99 games too many) hack who couldn't get a game to save his life in Blakey, a 20yo kid who debuted mid-2011 in Vardy, an average ruckman who got like 5 games in the space of a couple of years and a 23yo 4-gamer in Simpson made the difference between us having a "healthy list" or not?

It's good to be prepared for injuries and stuff, but at this point last year, 3 of those names didn't even have 20 games between them.

 

[DanA]

I'm a big advocate of doing an "Ottens" trade. Boak would be nice to have but we need a ruckmen for the next decade and it's worth giving up quite a bit to get one. We've presumably got cap space with Ablett gone, use of the veterans list and retirements. We got a compo pick and half a dozen decent looking players which I think would be worth sacrificing for a quality ruckmen.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I would add that one of our worst ever trades was getting rid of Adrian Hickmont. I believe we traded him as we thought we needed more pace. That proved disastrous. He was a fine player.

Funnily enough, he was a similar type to Horlin-Smith. Good user of the ball, smart, strong overhead.

GHS is quick where it counts - in his mind and as evidenced by the quality of his decision making and finishing skills. This talent doesn't grow on trees and is a far rarer commodity than pure pace.

 

[dazbroncos]

I agree Daz, I particularly noticed how GHS seemed to lumber along. He did remind me of Ling. I can remember when the good media judges (so called) regarded Kelly, Bartel and Ling as too slow to play in the centre.

The difference between plodders like GHS and quicks like Tenace is that GHS can find the footy and then dispose of it by foot or hand well. Something that Ling, and other slower players like Couch and Greg Williams could do. While I think that it is important to have some quick outside run and carry players who can break lines, but I still think that the team needs to be comprised of what I would call "genuine footballers".

Slower players like Couch, Greg Williams, James Kelly, Ling and to a lesser extent Bartel make up for their lack of leg speed because they read the play well, have strong bodies for physical contests and have genuine footy skills. They can take contested marks, kick well, and dispose of the ball accurately, have a good goal sense and are aware of their team mates.

GHS seems to have the skills. I am not yet sure if he has the tank of a Ling or could develope one.

very well said....

Was thinking the Diesel analogy before I read your post. Spot on. Long way to go but great example of lower top speed but silky decisions ( except punching and elbows of course) and sublime skills.

Go Catters

 

[Vdubs]

Boak led the Port team out, acting skipper, ? promise of future things

 

[manboob]

Boak led the Port team out, acting skipper, ? promise of future things

I'd say its Primus being manipulative!

 

[Vdubs]

I'd say its Primus being manipulative!

agree totally, something Bomber never did wth Ablett

 

[Strangled Cat]

I'll be watching with keen interest tonight...

 

[Vdubs]

How good is he anyway? Not sure I've ever seen Boak BOG or do anything that special.Might check his highlights package.

 

[Strangled Cat]

If you've got Foxtel watch the game, it's on here in SA of F2A so I'm having a look. His first game back so you'd expect him need a bit of time to get up to speed, and time is what he is taking, so far he hasn't done all that much from what I can tell in front of the box.

 

[Vdubs]

If you've got Foxtel watch the game, it's on here in SA of F2A so I'm having a look. His first game back so you'd expect him need a bit of time to get up to speed, and time is what he is taking, so far he hasn't done all that much from what I can tell in front of the box.

just had a look at his youtube highlights, not shabby, but we have the better Travis already. Maybe the attention relates to his Geelong roots

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Was good again, apart from the missed shot on goals, nice return after a few weeks out.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I'm a big advocate of doing an "Ottens" trade. Boak would be nice to have but we need a ruckmen for the next decade and it's worth giving up quite a bit to get one. We've presumably got cap space with Ablett gone, use of the veterans list and retirements. We got a compo pick and half a dozen decent looking players which I think would be worth sacrificing for a quality ruckmen.

While I think we need to strengthen our ruck division, I disagree with that. 3 years ago I would have agreed with you, but now thanks to the sub rule and the second ruckman often being the guy who drops out of the 21, there's always going to be a surplus of decent ruckmen on the market at anytime if you need one. As such, unless you're getting someone young and really close to elite, I don't think trading two first rounders for ruckman is a good use of resources anymore.

 

[topic97]

I'd say its Primus being manipulative!

If that's the case, that's pretty dodgy.
Good way to piss off a player who possibly is yet to decide his future with the club!

If Primus is doing stuff like that, he might just end up causing what he didn't want to happen.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Based on this article, it seems like he'll be taking his time, and we won't know one way or another for a while:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/140797/default.aspx

"I'm happy playing here at the moment and a performance like that doesn't play on my mind at all," Boak said.

"We've spoken about what I'm going through at the moment and it's got nothing to do with how tonight went

"I'll make my decision when I'm ready. I'll continue to talk with my family and the club and when I'm ready I'll make my decision."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/140797/default.aspx

 

[SuperCats9]

Sign him this week, we need him for the remainder of the 2012 season

 

[Enviable Tradition]

If that's the case, that's pretty dodgy.
Good way to piss off a player who possibly is yet to decide his future with the club!

If Primus is doing stuff like that, he might just end up causing what he didn't want to happen.

Yeah, imagine having your VC toss the coin when your captain is out!