Josh Fraser

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Who cares, he has left the club now.

Some of the vile spewed on this thread is ungracious, revisionist, unfair and most of all, unneccessary.

 

[half_back_flank]

Probably my biggest complaint about Josh - his best game in 5 years wasn't even for us, it was in the All-Stars game

How did he get a gig in the side in the first place? Awesome start to the season, then injury struck again.

 

[mattys123]

How did he get a place in the side in the first place? Awesome start to the season, then injury struck again.

Injury actually struck during that stupid All Star game, and he was never the same player again for us.

And he's been dropped this week, reason; BACK, I think he hurt it bending down for the ball at half forward, oops, sorry, he didn't bend down at all.

 

[standingroomonly]

Out: Josh Fraser (back) a.k.a heart

Good to see GC tried to save him some face by listing an injury instead of omitted.

 

[absy]

Hate him.

 

[millsy29gopies]

He wasn't a ruckman, he was more like Leigh Brown, except pinch-hitting on a permanent status. was brilliant in the first grand final, not rucking but around the ground etc and his collingwood career pretty much ended when he got OP in '05. But in his defence we did need a better back up ruck option than steve mckee or god help us guy richards. how did richards even get drafted?

 

[jonbe54]

He wasn't a ruckman, he was more like Leigh Brown, except pinch-hitting on a permanent status. was brilliant in the first grand final, not rucking but around the ground etc and his collingwood career pretty much ended when he got OP in '05. But in his defence we did need a better back up ruck option than steve mckee or god help us guy richards. how did richards even get drafted?

First bullucking big bodied and talented ruckmen are RARE

Second opposition won't trade us topline key players - Jolly was a rare and wonderful exception.

In my supporter years - since 1964 we have had Len Thompson, Peter Moore, Damian Monkhurst (all sensational ruckmen - and developed at Collingwood).

Then came Fraser, in my opinion we drafted Fraser because there was no better ruck option at the time and ever since we have failed to find help for him.

Ruckmen are a breed apart

Good ruckman are rare as hens teeth

The Jolly's and Moore's of this world give coaches wet dreams

 

[Lenz]

There was a time - prior to that All-Stars game - when Fraser and Cox were considered to have "transformed" the role of the ruckman in that both could play around the ground as well as tackle and kick goals. I like old Joshie, and I loathe the way some bag guys just because they go elsewhere. For both Fraser and Anthony it made perfect sense to try their luck elsewhere.

 

[rose jam]

Probably my biggest complaint about Josh - his best game in 5 years wasn't even for us, it was in the All-Stars game

It's terrible how people remember Josh. Some stand out games in his last 3 years

2008 finals against Adelaide and St.Kilda
2008 v North Melbourne
2009 v Essendon (return game)
2010 v Essendon (Anzac day)

A lot of these attest to his character. He was a finals beast, perhaps the greatest finals player at Collingwood in the Mick Malthouse years (hard to argue against Bucks though, he was superb in his limited opportunities)

Everyone craps on about the Anzac game, but the whole team was flat that day, and in the return Fraser owned Ryder. Was totally dominant.

 

[Magpies B2B]

I've always thought of Fraser as being a ruck rover trapped in a ruckman's body or vice versa. He has never really been a strong ruckman in terms of hit outs etc. I don't think that he has been the same player since he did his knee in the All-Stars game.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

He wasn't a ruckman, he was more like Leigh Brown, except pinch-hitting on a permanent status.

He wasn't like Leigh Brown at all. With Leigh Brown, going back with the flight of the ball and knowing he's going to be absolutely crunched, you could still feel safe that he'd hold the mark and we'd retain possession. Josh was simply a tall half-forward flanker. There are half-forwards to play half-forward. Brent MacAffer plays half-forward, is stronger overhead, faster and less injury prone.

 

[rose jam]

A lot of people are crapping on about Zac Smith, but Fraser at a younger age was doing more stuff than this guy, just that his slight frame got him by about 24.
It was a pre-season knee injury in the last practice game before 2005 that really hurt him. After that injury and virtually missing all of that year he started getting back injuries and knee soreness. The back injuries really reduced his agility which use to be a strength. From 2006 onwards he hasn't been able to compete on the ground like he use to

 

[Ed D]

The one area Josh lacked was his contested and in particular overhead marking. If he could have taken strong overhead marks he would have made it as a forward quite easily. He was always good around the ground and snapping goals etc, but up against strong bodied ruckmen he used to get pushed around way too easily in ruck contests. Once he did his knee he was never right. 2007 when he was out of the finals with a bulging disc made a huge difference to our team as well.

 

[MarkT2]

I am far from upset we traded Fraser but no need to get into him now. We should wish him well for the 10 years he put into Collingwood.

 

[shawthing09]

I am far from upset we traded Fraser but no need to get into him now. We should wish him well for the 10 years he put into Collingwood.

I'm with Mark here. It's not Josh's fault he went at #1 with all the hype of a once in a generation player.

As others have mentioned Josh played at a standard well above most 18 year old rucks for a fair while and that clearly took it's toll on his body.

Not to say he would have lived up to the hype if he was fit, I tend to doubt it but the fact is a 200 game player is nothing to be sneezed at. He certainly wasn't the worst 200 gamer ever, he just never reached the standards set of him.

People can bring up the bad feeling with his twitter comments etc before leaving the club and I don't think it's a great look. At the same time I don't think it was meant in the way some people are taking it all.

He was a product of an era when people thought the ruckmen was dead. As TRS summed up he was more of a tall HFF but that's not really his fault. He certainly worked hard over his 200 games for us and I see no need for us to be sticking the boot in now.

 

[jonbe54]

Some people can't help themselves Shawy, they just take a dislike to someone and can't or won't let it go. Same thing with Jackie boy - they've left for greener pastures so why not let it go?