Teflon Gus

[BenDoolan]

Well, while we are in the mood to single out players, I thought I'd give a special mention to my mate Meanderer Monfries, or Teflon Gus.

I don't mind people having a crack at NLM, or Slattery etc every week, but what raises my eyebrow is why some people need to contantly dump it on blokes who come off a rookie list or late in the draft.

First rounder Monfries continues to produce very small peaks and enormous troughs in a season. His football isn't improving to a level one would expect a first round pick to be. Yet some just ignore this fact and allow him to produce three fifths of f*** all.

He IS part of the problem of our forward structre. While our big blokes aren't taking marks, he should be around the contest to accept an opportunity at ground level. But instead, he'd rather position himself away from the contest or fly for a contested mark WITH one of our big blokes.

Unless he wins a number of free kicks in front of goal, he aint going to be that damaging on the scoreboard. Yes, he's kicked a handful of nags this year. But I'd love to know how many have come from frees and handballs over the top in the goalsquare as opposed to snapping up a loose ball and kicking a good crumbing goal.

To me, it's the same shit every season. He's not taking it to another level. And I don't think he's capable of it.

[jimmyc1985]

Agreed Benny, he hasn't improved in about 4 years and is just a mediocre player. Having said that, i thought his last 4 weeks leading into last night were the most consistent of his career - 4 goals against the GC debacle, important in the 2nd half against West Coast, solid in Brisbane, and one of the better players against Richmond.

[robrulz5]

If he is to have any chance of surviving he needs to play to his height and become a crumbing forward. All this talk about him becoming a midfielder and I don't think he has played any time in there at all.

[BenDoolan]

If he is to have any chance of surviving he needs to play to his height and become a crumbing forward. All this talk about him becoming a midfielder and I don't think he has played any time in there at all.

The coaches love him. From Sheedy through to the current crop. He'll survive. He obviously ticks a lot of boxes in their eyes.

It just worries me that he isn't becoming the real dangerous forward one would expect from an early draft pick and who's played over 100 AFL games. And at the age of 24, he should be ripping it up. IMO, his efforts in 2011 are no more effective than his efforts in 2006 - a season in which I thought the kid would become a sensation.

[robbie67]

Yep, he is on his way to becoming the next nothing player. He is still the same small forward lead up player he was 5 years ago. Has added to nothing to his game. I suppose he hasnt had to really. Apart from the first 4 weeks of this season, he would never have known pressure coming from blokes not in the team.

[Sismis]

I think he has improved his defensive efforts, but his output is still well below where it should be. I would have thought Reimers would be ahead of him because he brings more to the table in terms of aggression, yet seems to have to work harder to get a crack.

[Gimps]

He should be playing deep forward and being a secondary leading target to the big c***. It's not farken rocket surgery. He is a good lead -up forward. And example last night was in the 3rd quarter when he should have stayed down, but went for the big grab, albeit blocking Ryder's run at it. Ryder would have taken the mark with his eyes closed, but this prick got in the way. Ryder told him too.

[j-mac31]

Yep, I don't get why he doesn't get bagged as much as some others or why he seems to be a walk up start for the team every week.

[paddyl90]

You've been saying it for years BD.... some things don't change sadly.

[Rossoneri]

Agreed BD, always goes to ground, drops easy marks and is never at the fall of the ball.

Either play him in the midfield or see if the SA teams want him.

[hop]

He should be playing deep forward and being a secondary leading target to the big c***. It's not farken rocket surgery. He is a good lead -up forward. And example last night was in the 3rd quarter when he should have stayed down, but went for the big grab, albeit blocking Ryder's run at it. Ryder would have taken the mark with his eyes closed, but this prick got in the way. Ryder told him too.

Are you sure that Ryder would have taken the mark? Perhaps (like Ablett Snr) he should attempt them with his eyes closed.

I'm not sure with anything Ryder does recently.

[BenDoolan]

He should be playing deep forward and being a secondary leading target to the big c***. It's not farken rocket surgery. He is a good lead -up forward. And example last night was in the 3rd quarter when he should have stayed down, but went for the big grab, albeit blocking Ryder's run at it. Ryder would have taken the mark with his eyes closed, but this prick got in the way. Ryder told him too.

Are you sure that Ryder would have taken the mark? Perhaps (like Ablett Snr) he should attempt them with his eyes closed.

I'm not sure with anything Ryder does recently.

Well, he might not have (judging his form to date), but at least Gus should have been in a position to collect a ground ball if he didn't.

I reckon I saw Gus in the "right" spot once last night - it was in the last quarter where David Hille contested a mark and was interferred with. The ball hit the ground and Gus was ready to collect, which he did - just as the umpire blew his whistle to award Hille the free.

But he needs to be "there" more often than not.

[billyduckworth]

"I reckon I saw Gus in the "right" spot once last night"

Agree, Ben. I ended up making this (running to the right spot) my pet topic to observe last night.

I watched Monfries. As you said, almost never in the right spot.

I watched Crameri and Hille. Sometimes in the right spot, but until the last quarter just couldn't quite make one stick.

I watched Ryder. Never ever in the right spot. Does he actually know how to play forward? Maybe he's actually a ruckman that we tried (with some success) to turn into a backman and are now trying (with very little success) to turn into a forward?

I watched Zaka & Jetta. In the first half, they were sometimes in the right spot, though Zaka (like Monfries) quite often tries to play as a tall instead of crumbing or running into space. In the second half, I couldn't even find either of them. Were they still on the field?

I also watched Stanton when he spent a little bit of time up forward. Actually, he's not too bad at running to the right spot. Maybe he could spend more time forward?

The whole "running to the right spot" thing is an art. I'm not sure that it can be taught. Some players have it and some don't. I think Hurley might have it (so will be good to have him back). Watson, when he has drifted forward a few times this year, has it. We need him back.

Anyway, my thoughts on "running to the right spot".

[robrulz5]

I also watched Stanton when he spent a little bit of time up forward. Actually, he's not too bad at running to the right spot. Maybe he could spend more time forward?

He was also the only player to apply any pressure to Melbourne players running out of our forward line.

[boncer34]

Out: Monfries
In: Williams


Ok let fly.

[robrulz5]

Out: Monfries
In: Williams


Ok let fly.

Don't know if it would make much of a different, worth a try.

[Bomber_Fan]

I remember when Gus first started at the Bombers and we all thought we had a little gem on our hands. So is it really the player's fault that they haven't improved? Or is it a problem with our development of players in the last decade? It just has happened to too many players to be a coincidence now. We can't keep having bad luck every year with our draft picks I would argue that other low draft picks like Jetta, Myers and Ryder are all in the same boat. They have not improved anywhere near at the level we would like. I would argue with most people if they were at any other club, they would most likely be at a higher level than they are here.

[BenDoolan]

I remember when Gus first started at the Bombers and we all thought we had a little gem on our hands. So is it really the player's fault that they haven't improved? Or is it a problem with our development of players in the last decade? It just has happened to too many players to be a coincidence now. We can't keep having bad luck every year with our draft picks I would argue that other low draft picks like Jetta, Myers and Ryder are all in the same boat. They have not improved anywhere near at the level we would like. I would argue with most people if they were at any other club, they would most likely be at a higher level than they are here.

You might have a point there.

[Jazz_84]

I would argue with most people if they were at any other club, they would most likely be at a higher level than they are here.

i wouldn't argue with you on that.... but im guessing supporters from most clubs could say the same thing

[j-mac31]

So lucky Hurley and Heppell were drafted as instant guns.