Travis Boak - The Next Step

[Janus]

I've given up waiting for Boak to break out and take a game by the scruff of the. neck. I find it amusing that Tribey has Skip Bayless in his avatar tribute to Boak - unlike Bayless' estimation of Tebow, Boak never has and never will have the 'clutch gene' (ie when it's time to step up and take over).

I'm not saying Boak is a bad player - far from it - but we definitely need a couple of players that are more Jordan than LeBron - players that, when the game is on the line in the fourth, step up and say "This is my time" rather than turning and looking to the guy next to them. This team has a lot of Robins, but no Batman.

 

[finbarr]

Yeah, it almost looks like Boak, with his added muscle and strength, is not only attempting to break more tackles but is just assuming his added size is going to automatically allow him to do so. As a result his entire game is suffering.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Re: Players to build a team around

Part of the issue with Boaky is that he looks to be trying to really take on the responsobility of getting match defining stats and so takes on the opposition to get the best outcome for Port.

Unfortunately that means he gets caught now and again when he could be padding his stats with little one-twos. McDermott was a master of that and rarely did his stats influence the outcome of games. The same could be said of Thompson. Sure he gets a ton of the ball but does it really influence the outcome of their games?

I guess I've always been suspicious of these stat-padders even from way back in SANFL days when stats became more and more the bible of football commentators led by the indubitable Brucey Mac. The Port way has always been minimal possession for maximum impact.

We are playing differently these days with zones and presses and trying to handball our way through them but the basics still apply. Especially when Primus plays 4 tall forwards. The message there seems to be get through the zone/press and get it in quickly to the talls for a contest.

 

[PJ Power]

Re: Players to build a team around

I have reservations about placing too much emphasis on stats also, Ford, but in Boaky's case it is pretty evident that he is not staying involved in the play for long enough periods. He doesn't get enough ball on the outside to be involved in link up play and no longer seems to be carrying the ball through lines. When Pearce and Hartlett also end up with 20 or less possessions, it is little wonder that we're not getting the ball inside 50 often enough.

In Pearce, Hartlett and Travis' case, possessions are to some extent a reflection of their work rate to run to receive the ball or present an option, hopefully in a constructive position on the ground - preferably in the centre corridor. I've lamented for a long time the reluctance of our midfielders to work to occupy and use the centre square/corridor. I'd love to see these guys carry the ball from half back to half forward as directly as possible.

 

[WHOME]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

I've been saying it for a few years now, IMO Boak will never be the elite mid we're all hoping for. I heard a commentator say recently that when Pendlebury gets the ball in traffic everything seems to slow down around him, well when Boak gets the ball everything seems to speed up around him. That's the difference between truly elite and a good, honest onballer which Boak is and more than likely will always be. He lacks composure and his disposal is average at best.

 

[Portia]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

Who do we have in midfield creating holes?

 

[TheFVK]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

I've been saying it for a few years now, IMO Boak will never be the elite mid we're all hoping for. I heard a commentator say recently that when Pendlebury gets the ball in traffic everything seems to slow down around him, well when Boak gets the ball everything seems to speed up around him. That's the difference between truly elite and a good, honest onballer which Boak is and more than likely will always be. He lacks composure and his disposal is average at best.

The quality of a midfielder is not a discrete property. There are shades of grey between "good, honest onballer" and "truly elite", and Trav is clearly pushing himself to get as close as he can to the elite category, which is fine by me. If a pass mark for a mid was being as good as Scott Pendlebury then there'd be about 5 in the competition!

 

[DonDraper]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

He gets caught with it too often in traffic. With the added muscle he seems to have put on, I'm hoping in the coming weeks he can just either barge through his opponent or give it off quicker. I think we all know the main reason behind his slow start to the season though: the hair cut and shave.

 

[PAUR]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

'Too often' as in this season or previous seasons? If it's just this season, that is because he is trying to add another string to his bow and I think he has been directed to do it.

Beating a man frees reduces their zoned areas and increases our run and carry. Another noticeable aspect of our 2012 game plan has been when we have marked the ball, we are playing on and running at the man standing the mark, drawing him and handballing to the next option. Has worked numerous times and I think this is the way the coaches want us to play

I'm not to bothered about Boak attempting to beat tackles, there are other aspects I'd like to see him improve on.

 

[Portia]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

I'm not to bothered about Boak attempting to beat tackles, there are other aspects I'd like to see him improve on.

Also I would continue to like to see our midfielders shepherd and create holes for each other so that there are fewer tackles that need breaking.

 

[PAUR]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

Yep, agreed. Much rather the space was already provided than having to create it. Still the best midfields in the competition have players that need, or choose, to break tackles --> Judd, Ablett, Burguoyne

Edit: Ablett is good at breaking tackles but I don't mean that GC have an elite midfield!! Think of his Geelong time.

I posted this earlier but Boak has been caught, more often than not, after breaking the first tackle by a second player unsighted. Boak need to work on his awareness and his team mates need to be letting him know that he is hot (double meaning implied).

 

[Portia]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

Actually, that means his tackle breaking is probably fine, and that his teammates that couldn't stop the first tackle should be blocking the second.

 

[Phhht]

Re: R2: Port v Essendon review

Yep, agreed. Much rather the space was already provided than having to create it. Still the best midfields in the competition have players that need, or choose, to break tackles --> Judd, Ablett, Burguoyne

I posted this earlier but Boak has been caught, more often than not, after breaking the first tackle by a second player unsighted. Boak need to work on his awareness and his team mates need to be letting him know that he is hot (double meaning implied).

Kinda agree here. He has suffered from this from early on in his AFL career. I distinctly remember him in open space weighing up options only to be caught HTB by someone Boaky was completely unaware was there. He seemed to get over that and I reckon he will get better at this.

Boak still has plenty of upside. He along with most of our players still need to learn that they need to work just as hard when they dont have the ball as when they do. (shepherds, blocks, running through the line, dragging players away from the opposition zone etc)

The hesitation that most of our players suffer from is so obvious. But more often than not its because the guys around them/ further up the ground arent working hard enough to get into the right places.

I am sick of watching a player get the ball to a teammate and then stand alongside or a little way behind them pointing to where the guy that has the ball should be disposing of the ball. FFS get on your bike and create an option by running HARD past the player or to a position that will open the play up a bit.

 

[philthy05]

if you watch how he works it is too often predictable and easy to stop.

quite often players will take possession ( usually from a static position or with some movement) and look to fire out a quick disposal to a fast breaking team-mate, sometimes they will take off if they realise they are clear. judd is the one player who was able to consistantly hit the ball while moving and burn away. our own burgoyne became a master of this. of course if you want to stop a player from doing this its pretty easy for players to block their run at the ball or hold them as they start their run. judd was able to adjust and find other ways to get the ball if someone was having success with a tactic like that, sometimes we saw players able to affect burgs game because of that one-sided predictable attack around the clearances.

boak has been trying to do it since last season but teams have cottoned on and with the numbers around contests now they know they just have to hold him and block him.

if you watch him everytime he tries to take the ball he is being held prior to taking possession and the guys are getting away with it. he needs to be able to realise when a tactic is going to work and when it isnt and know that a handball when your being held is preferable to tapping the ball forward and trying to break free. develop more ways to get the ball at the clearances and be less predictable because we already know he isnt getting the protection ( from refs ) around packs that some other players get.

 

[Doctor Feel]

He has been nothing short of atrocious so far this year. Extremely dissappointing, has not come on as we have all hoped. I hope he is a late bloomer and he suddenly comes on.

 

[Phhht]

if you watch how he works it is too often predictable and easy to stop.

quite often players will take possession ( usually from a static position or with some movement) and look to fire out a quick disposal to a fast breaking team-mate, sometimes they will take off if they realise they are clear. judd is the one player who was able to consistantly hit the ball while moving and burn away. our own burgoyne became a master of this. of course if you want to stop a player from doing this its pretty easy for players to block their run at the ball or hold them as they start their run. judd was able to adjust and find other ways to get the ball if someone was having success with a tactic like that, sometimes we saw players able to affect burgs game because of that one-sided predictable attack around the clearances.

boak has been trying to do it since last season but teams have cottoned on and with the numbers around contests now they know they just have to hold him and block him.

if you watch him everytime he tries to take the ball he is being held prior to taking possession and the guys are getting away with it. he needs to be able to realise when a tactic is going to work and when it isnt and know that a handball when your being held is preferable to tapping the ball forward and trying to break free. develop more ways to get the ball at the clearances and be less predictable because we already know he isnt getting the protection ( from refs ) around packs that some other players get.

or maybe someone like Thomas/cassissi/kornes can bloody well block/shepherd the jumper holder out of the equation.

 

[Valli]

His last game of 2010, where he had 30 something touches and 3 goals, was brilliant. I thought he'd broken out and we'd see him become a star last year.

And to be fair, he did win the Best and Fairest...

This year he seems to be playing up forward more, and he looks slower, and he seems to be struggling - it is disappointing.

I'm still a big fan of his and I believe he'll come good and take that next step.

Here's to Boak having a BOG Performance this weekend!

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

His best will put him in that elite category. Will he be able to achieve that? Time will tell

 

[Froggy]

2 games in... he didn't have the greatest day out on the weekend but I hardly think it's the end of the world for him

 

[PatientMental]

Still have hope, but Hartlett is closing the gap between himself and the best player at our club. (especially since he signed)

 

[Schulzenfest]

The gap between Hamish Hartlett and the best player at our club is exactly 0 IMO.

Since you posted that in a thread about Boak, I assume you're suggesting that Boak is the best player of our club? Can't say I agree. He was only solid last year and he's been average this year. I'd have Hartlett, Gray and maybe even Schulz ahead of him.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

If Travis is going to try and bust tackles he has to learn to raise his arms so that when he gets tackled he can still release the ball, like all the greats, Russell Ebert, Ricutto, Voss, Kouta, Goodes, Judd, Ablett etc.

 

[PatientMental]

I know this is a silly stat.

But this week was the first time Travis Boak has given away more than 3 free kicks away in a single game. I also wouldn't put it past him to be his worst game ever clanger wise.

 

[pstew2dstew]

I think this as good as good it gets for him...

The odd standout game sprinkled with good games and very average games indeed...he is what 24 now and I don't see how he is going to get better he should be at the peak of his powers and well if this it...it is what it is...

 

[Wargreymon90]

as good as it gets? dumb comment

Boak has played some magnificent football in the past. It's clear that he has tried to take his game to another level and has bitten off a bit more than he can chew. i say he is just a bit rusty. no doubt he is learning from his mistakes and im going to back him in to turn it around.