Opinion Travis Varcoe

Assuming Varcoe is worth pick 10 in any draft, would you trade him?

  • Yes

    Votes: 48 39.7%

  • No

    Votes: 30 24.8%

  • Get stuffed Meto

    Votes: 43 35.5%
  • Total voters
    121

Remove this Banner Ad

Wonder how much longer this thread will stay open...
 
you pick one said:
On walk about for a good couple of months might do wonders for Trav,just get away from footy for a while might rejuvenate the poor bugger.
Click to expand...
More likely he'll head north after barramundi, be taken by a giant salty, and this thread will become an animal welfare fiasco :rolleyes:

Granted Trav has had a shocker, backed this year by an overly hopeful MC,.. but he is one of ours and will fight back from 2 years in the footy wilderness, with a point to prove.

Pi55pot keyboard warriors and those stung by betting agencies will then move on to the next target.
 
thegerman said:
TBH, Trav nearly had the Norm Smith in 2011, the goals he got early started us up I think and his run and spread near the end was amazing. The goal on the run from the backline broke the Pies hearts. So I cannot see him going anywhere.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go that far. His start was great and finish was great but he was unsighted for a big chunk of the game. Plus Hawkins and Bartel were way better. Doesn't take much to start mythologies around here.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Partridge said:
I wouldn't go that far. His start was great and finish was great but he was unsighted for a big chunk of the game. Plus Hawkins and Bartel were way better. Doesn't take much to start mythologies around here.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, probably so. But the point is, he was definitely one of our best on that day and made a significant impact to that flag. Injuries this season made it hard for him this year, and their are a few on the list that are in front of Trav in regard to working on their game or being delisted.
 
thegerman said:
Oh yes, probably so. But the point is, he was definitely one of our best on that day and made a significant impact to that flag. Injuries this season made it hard for him this year, and their are a few on the list that are in front of Trav in regard to working on their game or being delisted.
Click to expand...

Hopefully if he has a good pre-season he'll be absolutely in tip top shape, and then if he isn't in the best form, put him in the VFL until he regains it. That technique has worked for (this year) Corey, Chapman, Guthrie, Vardy and Caddy among others. Pretty sure it'll work for him too.
 
The thing about Trav that has always frustrated me, is that for all that he is almost involved, he is an extremely uninvolved player. So often just on the fringe of the contest, or in it but just a fraction too late; an outflung arm as a failed tackle attempt, a run-by looking for the handball recieve that ultimately doesn't produce anything, an extra body in the contest that doesn't affect the outcome of the contest at all.
 
Claude Balls said:
The thing about Trav that has always frustrated me, is that for all that he is almost involved, he is an extremely uninvolved player. So often just on the fringe of the contest, or in it but just a fraction too late; an outflung arm as a failed tackle attempt, a run-by looking for the handball recieve that ultimately doesn't produce anything, an extra body in the contest that doesn't affect the outcome of the contest at all.
Click to expand...

That's the way receivers play unfortunately. And until very recently why they weren't regarded too highly either.
 
I know Champion Data ranking points aren't the be-all and end-all, but for most players (except key defenders) they can tell a fair bit. Unfortunately Varcoe's output has steadily dropped since 2010, the year he was 22. I know injury cruelled his 2012 and some of his 2013, but really, as a 26 year old he should be able to produce more than he did in his early years. The arrow shows where his output should really be going. In some ways he doesn't offer all that much more than he did in his first season (which was not much).

upload_2014-5-19_15-41-48.png
 
Where did you get that from SJ?

Would love to see Mackies equivalent graph
Or Stokes.
 
SJ said:
I know Champion Data ranking points aren't the be-all and end-all, but for most players (except key defenders) they can tell a fair bit. Unfortunately Varcoe's output has steadily dropped since 2010, the year he was 22. I know injury cruelled his 2012 and some of his 2013, but really, as a 26 year old he should be able to produce more than he did in his early years. The arrow shows where his output should really be going. In some ways he doesn't offer all that much more than he did in his first season (which was not much).

View attachment 57480
Click to expand...

Interesting graph, but not sure that anything can be extrapolated from it aside from the fact that his form over the last 22 games (equivalent of one season) has been relatively poor. There's no reason to believe he's in some sort of irrecoverable decline.
 
Partridge said:
That's the way receivers play unfortunately. And until very recently why they weren't regarded too highly either.
Click to expand...

I don't think many players exist like Varcoe in AFL anymore. I can scarcely think of a player who plays the game like him (sliding past a contest with one hand in) still getting a regular game anywhere in the AFL. He is our own over indulged luxury.

He is lucky he is at Geelong, because if he was at a club where the media criticised players he would be flamed weekly. Lets be honest, he makes Yarran look hard.

He does bring some unique talents, but he has tipped over the edge this year on the good v bad scale.

I have really had a gutful to be honest, I am angrier at the coaches than Travis himself, it is incredible his efforts have been tolerated for so long.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Baudolino said:
Interesting graph, but not sure that anything can be extrapolated from it aside from the fact that his form over the last 22 games (equivalent of one season) has been relatively poor. There's no reason to believe he's in some sort of irrecoverable decline.
Click to expand...
His 2011 was a step back from 2010 though. Let's not let a good grand final overshadow that. It's almost like he's getting worse, even though most players peak between 24-27.
 
SJ said:
His 2011 was a step back from 2010 though. Let's not let a good grand final overshadow that. It's almost like he's getting worse, even though most players peak between 24-27.
Click to expand...

That is interesting. Funny how a Grand Final clouds our memories.

Though I don't want to denigrate the contribution he made to those sides, he was an important part of the mix. Blended with those hard men of those sides, his finishing work and tackling was great.

It is just a different era now and with his contribution slipping (as your charts helpfully show), it is time for a month off in the VFL to re-learn his game.
 
SJ said:
His 2011 was a step back from 2010 though. Let's not let a good grand final overshadow that. It's almost like he's getting worse, even though most players peak between 24-27.
Click to expand...

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, I guess. I thought his 2011 was roughly equal to his 2010. And, as I said in another thread, 152 goal involvements (combined goals and goal assists tally) over the course of three seasons isn't just decent, or good, or even 'very good'. It's exceptional for someone playing his role. Between 2009 and 2011 he was excellent.
 
Baudolino said:
We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, I guess. I thought his 2011 was roughly equal to his 2010. And, as I said in another thread, 152 goal involvements (combined goals and goal assists tally) over the course of three seasons isn't just decent, or good, or even 'very good'. It's exceptional for someone playing his role. Between 2009 and 2011 he was excellent.
Click to expand...
Well he wasn't excellent, he was a good part of the team. He was pretty damn good there for a while in 2010. And played some good games in 2011.

In 2014 he's averaging two disposals and half a goal less per game than he did in 2010.
 
SJ said:
Well he wasn't excellent, he was a good part of the team. He was pretty damn good there for a while in 2010. And played some good games in 2011.

In 2014 he's averaging two disposals and half a goal less per game than he did in 2010.
Click to expand...

I'm not suggesting he was one of the competition's elite players between 2009 and 2011. But I maintain that describing him as excellent over that period isn't a misuse of the word. The combined number of goals and assists he accumulated over that time is impossible to just dismiss as the output of a merely serviceable or 'good' winger/small-forward.

Completely agree that from the start of 2013 onwards he's been mediocre at best, don't get me wrong.
 
SJ said:
Well he wasn't excellent, he was a good part of the team. He was pretty damn good there for a while in 2010. And played some good games in 2011.

In 2014 he's averaging two disposals and half a goal less per game than he did in 2010.
Click to expand...

Not making excuses for him, but I'll hazard a guess and say as a team we'd be averaging less disposals and goals per game thus far this season than we did back then too.
 
SJ said:
I made it.

I can do others if you want, just takes a little time.
Click to expand...
the full team list would be good !! ;)
 
winty said:
Not making excuses for him, but I'll hazard a guess and say as a team we'd be averaging less disposals and goals per game thus far this season than we did back then too.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but is it the chicken or the egg?

Generally players show natural improvement from 18 to about mid 20s. There's no reason not to.
 
SJ said:
Yeah, but is it the chicken or the egg?

Generally players show natural improvement from 18 to about mid 20s. There's no reason not to.
Click to expand...

The way I see it is we just 'threw' the ball around a lot more back in 2010, so more players were getting more touches. Since Chris Scott's taken over, we've been more direct and tend to kick long to full forward, which would make it hard for our half forward flanks (like TV) to get as many touches as they did under Thompson.

Just looking at some other players' possessions per game in 2010 compared to last year:

Bartel - 26.3 in 2010 -> 23.3 in 2013.
Enright - 24.3 in 2010 -> 22.3 in 2013.
Kelly - 24.3 in 2010 -> 21.8 in 2013.
Mackie - 22.1 in 2010 -> 20.8 in 2013.
Selwood - 28.2 in 2010 -> 24.6 in 2013.

Those figures may be due to a change in role, or just due to the fact the over-possessing game plan has evolved into a more direct one.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Opinion Travis Varcoe

Back
Top