Come off it. (not you THP, Patrick)
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Travis Varcoe
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Agree with the first part 100%, but when a player has a history of putting his own welfare ahead of the teams interest you have to begin wondering if it's just a stuff up or something else altogether.
Can't help you there, why, do you feel like you need one?
Agree with the first part 100%, but when a player has a history of putting his own welfare ahead of the teams interest you have to begin wondering if it's just a stuff up or something else altogether.
Can't help you there, why, do you feel like you need one?
I think VC is right, he is running out of credits, so I understand your point.
As to the second point, I probably meant something other
PatrickBateman
Norm Smith Medallist
Can't help you there, why, do you feel like you need one?
I think he does need one. Some of his outbursts on this thread to date have been indicative of someone who's unstable. I'd give you a taste of what I'm talking about but they've all been deleted.
Casey Cat
Senior List
So? I can see for myself that he tried to be way too cute and tap the ball into space before the contact came from McGrath and it didn't work. Epic fail on his part. Nothing to do with a lack of courage. He's not scared of contact at all. He just tried to be too cute and "clean" as someone else posted correctly. Look at the stuffed up kick out from the Lions with about 15 mins to go where Ling forced a contest - Varcoe picks the ball up and takes contact in a tackle and tried to spin out of it. Not the actions of someone who's scared of the physical stuff.
PatrickBateman
Norm Smith Medallist
Well, you can put whatever spin on it that you want... I saw 2 players attacking the footy, 1 with an intent to win it at any cost(McGrath), the other doing everything he could to win the ball without being prepared to take physical contact(Varcoe). There is no doubt that Varcoe could have attacked the ball/contest harder... he pulled out. Maybe you're seeing something everyone else isn't and we're all wrong, incl. experts and media?? You decide.
Casey Cat
Senior List
I'm calling it how I see it and I'm trying to put spin on it? LOL!
No one's denying that, yes, he did try to avoid contact at that moment with what appears to be the intent to tap the ball into space so he could run onto it. Too clever, too cute by half - but if he had executed it properly the pay off would have been a shot at goal. And which media experts? Brucee???????ROFLMAO!!!! The worst call was Robert Walls - the man who got his his team to put on boxing gloves and punch the sh*t out of one his footballers! The man is a troglodyte - a relic of a bygone age. Leigh Matthews? The worst he said was there are times when you have to put your body on the line, he said it once and left it at that. It seems to be the Varcoe haters on this messageboard who keep going on about it and never acknowledge the times he wins the ball in a contested situation like anyone else.
I get it Patrick - for whatever reason there's an element on here that are obsessed with Varcoe and will look for any excuse to bag him and refuse to credit any good work he does. So be it. No skin off my nose.
David the Cat
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meto
Norm Smith Medallist
It must be gratifying to know that there are people as ignorant as you are.
What do you think of him now Dave! I mean, oh boy! week in week out he's squibin the contests, and now the media's picked up on it, 'one week at a time'.........................how long to you see the truth!!!
The courage of Lonergan was such a contrast.
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It must be gratifying to know that there are people as ignorant as you are.
I was Johnny on the spot Sunday not to far from that non contest, Varcoe wanted nothing to do with it a long way out.
Your way off the mark with the ignorant comment on this one in my opinion.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
What would you personally say to TV if you were on his table this week at a club function, and you had good opportunity to converse with him one on one?
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Any other players on your hit list that need to improve so we get this flag you obsess over? Or is it only TV? Do you start a thread on the other culprits? If you think we won't win a flag because Varcoe is so out of form, that's a massive compliment in a way, means you must really rate him. Personally, and I love watching him play, he will be a small forward with X-factor, not the key player for our flag hopes. The icing on the cake, a player with sublime skills that every team would like on their list.
You take it out on TV because you are frustrated that we look inferior to Pies. Check out Neon Davis this year. Anything is possible . You continue to look at his limitations and suffer, I'm happy to enjoy his skills and tolerate the negatives. To me, the positives outweigh any negatives that are constantly brought to our attention.
PatrickBateman
Norm Smith Medallist
Of course we need improvement. The other senior players who are out of form have shown prolonged form during 2011, they are likely to come out of it. Varcoe has been sub-par all year and obviously needs a change. I hope he gets dropped and comes back with some real intent for his team and its supporters. At the moment he's a passenger. Anyone looking at this situation with a level head and two eyes cannot see it any other way.
Why not bring up other players? This is the Travis Varcoe thread.... enough said.
You've obviously never played a team sport before on any sought of even moderate amateur level. A team game is about working for each other.. not who looks great carrying the ball, so certain supporters like yourself can cheer him on. I agree he looks great at times with his fantastic skill, so what. Give me a guy like Christensen any day. A true hard worker and team man who tries all day, even with a small frame and lack of experience. The team requires Varcoe to work hard and also do the 1%s, which he his preferring not to do at the moment. These are more important in a team environment than the odd flashy highlight. Look at how Daisy Thomas has flourished in 2011... he now not only does the eye candy stuff, but works his backside off ALL GAME! His work rate is astounding and is now a very, very effective player. Varcoe is a lazy sod. Do yourself a favour and actually GO TO A GAME and watch him closely for a good period of time. You'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
funny (well, not really) how you werent on here recounting one week at a time last week when they asked heath shaw why didak was so below par. answer, interrupted preseason and shoulder injury which had sapped his confidence and wasnt psychically right.
i reckon he tried to tap the ball to a team mate and then saw contact coming and second guessed himself and probably did try to avoid contact.
maybe like didak, he looks fine, feels fine but just doesnt have the confidence to take/make contact. shit man, i rolled my ankle severely 15 years ago and i am still constantly aware of where im walking as i have rolled it on the slightest crack in pavements.
PatrickBateman
Norm Smith Medallist
That's fine. He shouldn't be in the side then. What you're saying could be 100% correct, and if so, the GFC's player management is just bad. Whatever it is Varcoe needs(therapy / a scare / VFL football) to get back to his best should be addressed by the club... then we can all be happy. The GFC's brain trust is failing Travis and the club at present if you ask me.
you're right, thats a management issue. who knows, maybe they think he will get confidence back by playing seniors.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Thanks for the lecture on team sports. Each weekend, I go to at least 3 games, 2 AFL, 1 TAC, in a professional capacity. FWIW, Daisy Thomas is currently, IMO, the MVP in the AFL, and I agree with what you say about him. Daniel Wells also has become what we all hoped and expected .Varcoe has in other years been more aggressive and assertive and CONFIDENT than what he has shown this year. This has never been in dispute. Up until now, the MC has been patient, so I have too. We don't need weekly dissertations on his shortcomings, just because this thread exists.
Football is more than a game/ entertainment, and it's obviously what we all have in common on this board, an obsession with Geelong. I see things at games that Varcoe does well, and some games he's been missing in action. Who knows what the problem is, but CS is NOT the sort of coach or person to tolerate laziness, gutlessness, and lack of team values. So if he hasn't lost it with TV yet, what right do any of us have to state with fervour on this site that he is soft, spineless, lazy etc. If he is out this week, good, it MAY be the way to get more out of him. On the other hand, if he is still in, can we conclude we BF experts do not know the big picture or the inside story. I work with several teams and still don't have the inside knowledge of why players get dropped and why others are not.
One other point, a TEAM is still made up of individuals who all work together for a common cause, but each individual has a role to play. Does anyone here know for sure what Varcoe has been asked to do? If we had 22 Joel Corey's we,d be boring and have lots of clangers, yet Corey is an integral part of our team. Christensen has huge upside, and is Selwood-like, but we still need classy finishers, outside players for many reasons. Varcoe is NOT the heir apparent to Ablett, but he is not as deplorable as made out here. And I hope and feel very confident he will come good.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
I've always believed that to be true in his case. If we can afford to carry him while he's catching up and regaining confidence, he may still be of more value to the senior team than his replacements.
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I am starting to think you must be right VD. I have been avoiding getting too much into this Varcoe thread - but what you say makes sense.
We have to beat the Pies to get another Cup IMO. And that is a very tall order. A well balanced team and well coached. Whether we like it or not - they are the best team at present in the AFL.
To beat them we need a lot of things to happen I reckon. In terms of individuals players - we probably need Varcoe firing in September. And consequently the MC and CS are giving him as much times as possible to come good.
Personally I do not think it will happen - but he is a X factor when in form.
meto
Norm Smith Medallist
That's the difference between you and me, your fetish for an underperformer that could well cost this club a possible but unlikely premiership if he remains in the team.
Anti Geelong media have already tried to tait our years of recent success claiming our inability to capialize on our flag opportunities, this guy sabotages those chances.
As a Geelong supporter I will not say nothing, when I consistently see weakness displayed in any player for whatever reason.
Varcoe shirks physical contests which result in turnovers to the opposition, that's why he's a liability when the heats on, and if injury is his problem then the match commitee should be sacked, he's not injured!
Bottom line: If Varcoe plays the way he has for the past 8-10 weeks in a final, especially against Collingwood, he will get DESTROYED. He WILL be a detriment to the team, and he COULD cost us.
I'm not calling for his head, nor attacking him, so you pro-Varcoe fighters don't have to freak out. I'm just stating a fact. His current form is nowhere near good enough to stand up to the pressure of finals footy.
I don't have a clue what his problem is, or what the best method to help him is, I just hope he LIFTS!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not calling for his head, nor attacking him, so you pro-Varcoe fighters don't have to freak out. I'm just stating a fact. His current form is nowhere near good enough to stand up to the pressure of finals footy.
I don't have a clue what his problem is, or what the best method to help him is, I just hope he LIFTS!!!!!!!!!!!
No. But we can be absolutely sure that he wasn't asked to go out and avoid contact in a contested situation, thereby gifting the opposition a goal.
I was at the ground (at the same end and on the same flank), and the reaction of the other Cats players as the ball went back to the middle after the goal was instructive.
Not one player went within a bull's roar of Trav until he approached Kel and received a derisory pat on the backside.
The rest of the boys were far from impressed; surely the coaching staff were even less so.
You can believe it was an isolated incident and it will smash his confidence to single it out; fine.
Or you can believe (as I do) that there's been too much of this sort of play in his game this year, and that some time in the VFL could not do him any harm.
Everyone gets a choice. Trav had one on the weekend.
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- #798
I never see Krakouer or Davis do couragous selfless acts of bravery on the footy field They find the ball and produce scintillating plays of skill to kick the goal or setup their teammate's
They find the ball and produce scintillating plays of skill to kick the goal or setup their teammate's
I never see Krakouer or Davis do couragous selfless acts of bravery on the footy field
Agree!! I think the Varcoe midfield experiment should be filed along with the Hawkins Ruck one.
Put him back around the HF where he plays his best footy and then see what happens!
Agree. He looked a different player to me when put back into that more familiar role in the last 1/4 on Sunday. Christensen is the guy who can fill a midfield role. He may not break the lines in the same way, but if a guy is going to get 20 odd touches in the manner he does, it would serve us better to have Trav and Bundy where they are most productive respectively speaking.
Good to see some constructive chat in here also, not the usual negative drivel where I think we understood the point some 500 odd posts ago.
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