Jarryd Morton - What Happened?

[RPNT]

Hey Hawks Posters,

Just a quick one, and I don't want this to turn into a "bag out Morton thread", but in all seriousness, what on earth happened with him?

When he debuted in 2008, he looked like a real gun, 33 possessions one time, good disposal in the midfield, 191cm tall, apparently he was an elite runner.
I remember that game against Norf that we lost in mid-2008 where he had heaps of the ball and took a great strong mark on the wing, smashing a norf player in the process, thought he could have been a real find.

Now he is delisted after not playing for a year and a half? What's the story here?

Did we try to make him into a Key Position player? A third forward type? Was he too slow to play in the midfield? Was he not hard enough at the ball?

From my recollections;

• 2008 - in limited games he was a running midfielder with big engine
• 2009 - he was used mostly as a midfielder running forward, and then had a 10 week break and returned for one match as our lead out full forward in round 20 against Adelaide (for one match after Roughy went down with a knee, replaced at FF by Beau Dowler for rounds 21/22)
• 2010 - He was used as a defensive forward/third option type for the first 7 rounds, then never seen again.

Is this mis-management by our coaching staff? Was he limited by a lack of intensity? Did he want to become a forward only? Was he mentally fragile?

From what I saw he had a fair bit of talent, but maybe not the crazy intensity that Clarkson and our senior players demand...

Seems like a waste of genuine talent.
Thoughts...???

PS: I always thought, with his size and supposed "engine", he had the potential to be a Cameron Ling run with type player, a big body in the midfield, who drifts forward. He was a pretty solid shot at goal from memory, like Ling...

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I never saw him as a Ling type.

Seemed to me he was going to make it was as a lead up half forward, wingman or rebounding medium defender, who because of his leap, could play on slightly taller opponents, if needed.

I just wonder whether besides his athletic qualities he was just not quite at the level in any of the other requirements e.g. skills good but not elite, concentration good but not elite, ball winning ability good but not elite, decision-making good but not elite, etc hence he is very solid at VFL level, but not quite AFL level.

???

 

[RPNT]

Good points C-L-A.

Being good at most things, but a standout at nothing, usually means you won't go too far at AFL level.