Player Watch Wayne Milera

[BRL121]

The worrying thing is that he's gone 23, 16, 12. You'd want those 12 touches to be very good if you want to keep your spot in the team.

Look, the touches have absolutely nothing to do with it. I would be very happy to carry him through low touches. The issue, as has been noted by many, is his lack of effort: this is non-negotiable, and drop-worthy. I really can't believe that Pyke has instructed him to not get his own ball when it is sitting there looking at him, as it was on Saturday!

 

[DD#23]

Look, the touches have absolutely nothing to do with it. I would be very happy to carry him through low touches. The issue, as has been noted by many, is his lack of effort: this is non-negotiable, and drop-worthy. I really can't believe that Pyke has instructed him to not get his own ball when it is sitting there looking at him, as it was on Saturday!

exactly, compare Milera to Hampton in that regard and its night and day.

 

[cmndstab]

Obviously effort is non-negotiable, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Milera has been instructed that his role in the team structure is to wait on the outside to receive the ball. How often have we gnashed our teeth when every Crows player has gone to the contest and the ball has dribbled out for an opposition player to swoop on uncontested. Or, alternatively, how often have we seen a Crows player win the ball in tight only to have no free players to hand it off to.

If Milera can get 20-odd possessions uncontested on his own and use it well each week, he's playing a very valuable role. Obviously, when he finds himself in one-on-one situations he needs to go in a bit harder, but that probably only happens a few times a game.

 

[Stiffy_18]

exactly, compare Milera to Hampton in that regard and its night and day.

You are also comparing a slight 19 year old playing his 11th game to a 24 year old who has been in the system since he was 17 and with some 50 odd AFL games under his belt. Not to mention they play totally different roles. Apples and oranges and all that!

 

[DD#23]

You are also comparing a slight 19 year old playing his 11th game to a 24 year old who has been in the system since he was 17 and with some 50 odd AFL games under his belt. Not to mention they play totally different roles. Apples and oranges and all that!

Milera isn't on the chopping block, but I'm sure he doesn't have a license to go run around without applying pressure. Doesn't need to match Hampton in that department but a lift would be nice.

 

[marty36]

Milera isn't on the chopping block, but I'm sure he doesn't have a license to go run around without applying pressure. Doesn't need to match Hampton in that department but a lift would be nice.

Milera is in the unfortunate circumstance that the entire team is playing well, he isn't playing that bad his first game was fantastic, he is just becoming a victim of circumstance

But realistically we don't need to make any changes we are winning and winning comfortably maybe we should just ensure he stays in for the development everyone is looking for and carry him a little, as he isn't being carried that much

 

[fabs33]

A nineteen year old with a slight frame, who's played less than a dozen games and is learning the craft of an outside midfielder, getting criticised for his contested work?

Wow, tough crowd.

 

[DD#23]

A nineteen year old with a slight frame, who's played less than a dozen games and is learning the craft of an outside midfielder, getting criticised for his contested work?

Wow, tough crowd.

defensive pressure acts and contested work are not the same thing.

 

[Rotayjay]

... as long as signing Milera doesn't prevent us from keeping McGovern and Lever.

 

[BunjiMac]

Obviously effort is non-negotiable, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Milera has been instructed that his role in the team structure is to wait on the outside to receive the ball. How often have we gnashed our teeth when every Crows player has gone to the contest and the ball has dribbled out for an opposition player to swoop on uncontested. Or, alternatively, how often have we seen a Crows player win the ball in tight only to have no free players to hand it off to.

If Milera can get 20-odd possessions uncontested on his own and use it well each week, he's playing a very valuable role. Obviously, when he finds himself in one-on-one situations he needs to go in a bit harder, but that probably only happens a few times a game.

This wouldn't be far from the truth.

Our game plan should be about maximising the weapons of our players and trying to get them in positions that allow them to do this.

I know what I want milera doing most and that is receiving and then using the ball with his exquisite skills and great decision making.

Yes, he definitely has things to work on, but he may well be following direct instructions.

The one consistent thing you hear from everyone at the club, from coaches through to players is that he has an amazing work ethic and attitude. This doesn't sound like someone who would be intentionally squibbing contests.

In a similar vein we saw exactly where Cameron is most dangerous for us on the weekend and that is when he receives the ball and runs. If he can position himself in a similar way to milera, ie as first receiver, then we would be immensely more dangerous.

 

[fabs33]

defensive pressure acts and contested work are not the same thing.

I know what you meant, I just chose the wrong words to describe it. The point I was trying to make is that I believe it's unreasonable to expect a teenager to have a well rounded game by his tenth or eleventh game. Sure he may have his weaknesses, but how many players don't at that age/experience?

 

[DD#23]

I know what you meant, I just chose the wrong words to describe it. The point I was trying to make is that I believe it's unreasonable to expect a teenager to have a well rounded game by his tenth or eleventh game. Sure he may have his weaknesses, but how many players don't at that age/experience?

why do some people on this board think that highlighting areas for players to improve is some sort of scathing criticism? I'm not calling for him to be dropped or anything.

 

[Lawrst]

The club clearly thinks he's struggling. Only 3 years... No confidence shown at all

 

[Jarman3]

If Milera can get 20-odd possessions uncontested on his own and use it well each week, he's playing a very valuable role. Obviously, when he finds himself in one-on-one situations he needs to go in a bit harder, but that probably only happens a few times a game.

The problem with that is that once opposition teams identify that as his weakness, he'll likely find himself in a lot more one-on-one situations, at which point the 12 possession games become a lot more common than the 20 possession ones. If he's getting 20 high-quality possessions every week and they know they can cut that in half by taking way his space, you can be sure they'll do it. It's definitely an area he needs to improve on - he doesn't need to be some kind of contested beast, but he at least needs to be able to break even in the one-on-ones.

 

[fabs33]

why do some people on this board think that highlighting areas for players to improve is some sort of scathing criticism? I'm not calling for him to be dropped or anything.

I wouldn't describe it as scathing, but I do think the creation of threads like these for the express purpose of pulling apart the performance of a player of his age and experience to be a sign of impatience.

 

[DD#23]

I wouldn't describe it as scathing, but I do think the creation of threads like these for the express purpose of pulling apart the performance of a player of his age and experience to be a sign of impatience.

pulling apart? C'mon now... you're still exaggerating.

please forgive the people who are passionate enough to post on a footy forum in the first place for wanting to see our first round draft picks perform well. He's put in successively worse performances in each game since Round 1, only 3 games but its still a valid concern - this isn't about sitting in a circle and complaining about why isn't he Shaun Burgoyne yet, I think its reasonable for anyone here to want to see all of our players reach their full potential.

no one is writing him off, but he ought to be held to higher standards than Mackay has gotten away with - for his own good - but lets not pretend what's said here has any bearing on how he's coached at the club anyway, so who gives a shit?

 

[40porpoise]

Obviously effort is non-negotiable, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Milera has been instructed that his role in the team structure is to wait on the outside to receive the ball. How often have we gnashed our teeth when every Crows player has gone to the contest and the ball has dribbled out for an opposition player to swoop on uncontested. Or, alternatively, how often have we seen a Crows player win the ball in tight only to have no free players to hand it off to.

If Milera can get 20-odd possessions uncontested on his own and use it well each week, he's playing a very valuable role. Obviously, when he finds himself in one-on-one situations he needs to go in a bit harder, but that probably only happens a few times a game.

This could also be a part of his development strategy. Build confidence from receiving some outside ball and utilising his skills, then when his body is more mature he can start to learn to get his own ball.

 

[Vhaluus]

pulling apart? C'mon now... you're still exaggerating.

please forgive the people who are passionate enough to post on a footy forum in the first place for wanting to see our first round draft picks perform well. He's put in successively worse performances in each game since Round 1, only 3 games but its still a valid concern - this isn't about sitting in a circle and complaining about why isn't he Shaun Burgoyne yet, I think its reasonable for anyone here to want to see all of our players reach their full potential.

no one is writing him off, but he ought to be held to higher standards than Mackay has gotten away with - for his own good - but lets not pretend what's said here has any bearing on how he's coached at the club anyway, so who gives a shit?

Further to this I don't think it's that hard to understand why people are frustrated/dissapointed.

When we look at players like Hipwood and Rioli that were around the same draft pick stepping up in the big leagues.

Now maybe it's a late bloomer situation and he'll surpass them, but maybe not.

 

[marty36]

Further to this I don't think it's that hard to understand why people are frustrated/dissapointed.

When we look at players like Hipwood and Rioli that were around the same draft pick stepping up in the big leagues.

Now maybe it's a late bloomer situation and he'll surpass them, but maybe not.

Gee I thought Milera definetly stepped up in the GWS 20 odd possessions and was class, Hipwood makes a truck load of mistakes he like milera needs to get some size about him, Rioli has done ok its interesting though, players like Milera, SPP, Hipwood or Rioli are playing their best against weak opposition but when the heat is on they are all brought back to the pack. Just part and parcel of the business. Definetly wouldnt say hipwood and Rioli are ahead of Milera st this stage, all will have good and bad games, nature off the game for youngsters

 

[fabs33]

pulling apart? C'mon now... you're still exaggerating.

please forgive the people who are passionate enough to post on a footy forum in the first place for wanting to see our first round draft picks perform well. He's put in successively worse performances in each game since Round 1, only 3 games but its still a valid concern - this isn't about sitting in a circle and complaining about why isn't he Shaun Burgoyne yet, I think its reasonable for anyone here to want to see all of our players reach their full potential.

no one is writing him off, but he ought to be held to higher standards than Mackay has gotten away with - for his own good - but lets not pretend what's said here has any bearing on how he's coached at the club anyway, so who gives a shit?

There's no need to be defensive about this. There's no inherent negativity in pulling something apart to study it. To pull something apart means to take a look at the individual parts that constitute the whole, and in this context looking at one particular facet of Milera's game is exactly that. If we wanted to really talk about exaggerations, I would point to your assertion that I accused you of "scathing criticism".

I suspect what's happening here is that our supporters have witnessed the amount of potential that our club has to work with in Milera, and have accordingly raised their expectations of what he may become. Unfortunately seeing his weaknesses (which all young players have) has caused people to become fearful that he may not reach the heights they hope he'll reach. Consequently we now have a thread entirely dedicated to those weaknesses after just eleven games, with the title "Wayne Milera, where is he at?". Where he's at is practically the same place where he started, because frankly he's just started.

All I'm advocating for is a little patience. By all means discuss his weaknesses, but bear in mind that he's very much a work in progress, and there's no need to be overly concerned at such an early stage in his career.

 

[Sanders]

I think Milera is open to fair commentary, my only objection is the idea that somehow there was a big reveal on the weekend when he's the same player he always was

With the same pros and the same cons

 

[WeeBlake]

I remember when we were are dying for an outside mid with silky skills. Or am I remembering it wrong, and we were dying for a huge, tough, inside mid who was also really fast and with silky skills?

 

[cmndstab]

The problem with that is that once opposition teams identify that as his weakness, he'll likely find himself in a lot more one-on-one situations, at which point the 12 possession games become a lot more common than the 20 possession ones. If he's getting 20 high-quality possessions every week and they know they can cut that in half by taking way his space, you can be sure they'll do it. It's definitely an area he needs to improve on - he doesn't need to be some kind of contested beast, but he at least needs to be able to break even in the one-on-ones.

If the opposition is sacrificing a player to mind our most inexperienced midfielder, I'm fine with that.

"Taking away his space" means also taking away your own space as well.

 

[1970crow]

The worrying thing is that he's gone 23, 16, 12. You'd want those 12 touches to be very good if you want to keep your spot in the team.

Should be fine, I've heard 11 with a goal is excellent form and that's from a player with over 150 games.

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

Should be fine, I've heard 11 with a goal is excellent form and that's from a player with over 150 games.

I wasn't suggesting that Mackay's 6 goals make him undroppable, just that selectors will likely take that into consideration when the team.

I personally would have others in the team ahead of Mackay, but it has been obvious to me for a couple of years now that the selectors are using some other metric to justify his selection as he skated by on low, fairly innocuous possessions for years now.