Which Players Are On Their Make Or Break Year?

[Ronny Rotten]

Before the season starts there are some players who if they don't perform they are trade bait or out.

My players that are on their final chance are

Ricky Dyson
Nathan Lovett-Murray
Maybe Jason Laycock, Angus Monfries & Courtney Dempsey (if he keeps on getting injured)

Apart from Dempsey they all have had ample opportunity & shown potential, but not consistency.

I honestly hope they all have outstanding seasons but at years end history shows us that there are at least 3 - 4 changes to the list. I can't see any of the younger guys going this year.

I think that Lucas, Lloyd & Fletcher can go around again, with Lucas the only one with a query against his name.

[hop]

Tom Hawkins

[BenDoolan]

To be brutally honest...... Jay Neagle, Gus Monfries, Leroy Jetta, Courtenay Dempsey, Jason Laycock.

All have been around a while and have produced 3 fifths of f*** all for various reasons. Probably a bit tough on Gus after his excellent 2006, but has been slack ever since.

[Sismis]

Adam McPhee. Everyone here knows I'm not one to criticise, but what is his role in our team?

A couple of years ago he was on the cusp of becoming an A grade player, now can you honestly say he would be able to push into the best 22 of any top 8 team?

I can understand people's despair of players like NLM. He has a tough role and does not have the greatest skill level, but i feel he does better at the same role as McPhee who has
demostrated a higher level of abilty at times in his career. Which to my mind means NLM is working a lot harder.

I agree with Benny on Gus and Dempsey.

Gus (like McPhee) showed an intensity and skill level early on in his career that made us think he would be a future 150+ gamer. Last year 1st and second year players went past him.

Dempsey, injury prone and from what I've seen of the preseason has lost his acceleration. Needs to string some games together and gain some fitness and touch. The first requirement being the most important.

Jetta, needs to apply himself better than in the past but continually demonstrates skill, pace and goal sense. He still has credit in the bank.

Laycock, tall with good hands, will be given chances beyond ths year.

[Western Red]

Adam McPhee. Everyone here knows I'm not one to criticise, but what is his role in our team?

A couple of years ago he was on the cusp of becoming an A grade player, now can you honestly say he would be able to push into the best 22 of any top 8 team?

I can understand people's despair of players like NLM. He has a tough role and does not have the greatest skill level, but i feel he does better at the same role as McPhee who has
demostrated a higher level of abilty at times in his career. Which to my mind means NLM is working a lot harder.

I agree with Benny on Gus and Dempsey.

Gus (like McPhee) showed an intensity and skill level early on in his career that made us think he would be a future 150+ gamer. Last year 1st and second year players went past him.

Dempsey, injury prone and from what I've seen of the preseason has lost his acceleration. Needs to string some games together and gain some fitness and touch. The first requirement being the most important.

Jetta, needs to apply himself better than in the past but continually demonstrates skill, pace and goal sense. He still has credit in the bank.

Laycock, tall with good hands, will be given chances beyond ths year.

Gee he would want to extract a digit then this year and already is struggling with injury!

[Jazz_84]

im very dissapointed with Monfries and Jetta, monfries good a few years back but absolutely nothing since. Jetta, sure is good now and then but no where near enough to warrant selection week in week out without question... and with plenty of those type of players in our team he needs to get into the game 100% more

[Ossie]

Can't believe you've all been having a crack at Monfries here. Came in 6th in the best and fairest and his second half of the season was very good.

Agree on Laycock, Dempsey, Dyson, Lovett-Murray and McPhee. The last two in particular we have seen be right on the cusp of being walk-up starters and we have seen what they're capable of. That's what makes 33 and 42 so disappointing - we know what they can do but they don't produce it regularly enough any more.

[Mrs Mercuri]

I dont think it is a make or break year for Gus. I thought Monfries had a very good 2008 season and while he has started the 2009 year slowly i dont think he needs to be worried about his career in the red and black. Of course players like Jetta and Dempsey need to improve but again i dont think it is a make or break season for them.

Dyson, L-Murray, Williams and Hocking are the players i feel are playing for spots on the list past 2009. With the amount of competition for spots i feel that these players in particular will have extra pressure on them to play senior footy this season.

With the Gold Coast team coming in over the next few years some of our bit players may be offered as trade bait IF they dont perform consistently.

[swoodley]

[quote="Ossie"]Can't believe you've all been having a crack at Monfries here. Came in 6th in the best and fairest and his second half of the season was very good.[quote]
Agree on this...I thought Gus had a pretty reasonable year last year playing as a defensive forward and a sixth place in the Crichton shows the coaches thought so too.

[BenDoolan]

Yeah, yeah, same old stuff. As a small forward Monfries should be aiming to have the same impact as a Milne, Motlop and Medhurst. All got 50 goals or more. I'd be happy if Monfries could get 35. The fact that he has only kicked more than 20 on one occasion (2006 with 22) simply suggests he isn't doing enough. His first half of 2008 was poor. Very poor. His 2nd half was the opposite - very good. He needs to be more consistent, and needs to cause more headaches for the opposition backmen. Simple as that.

[hillchaser]

I'm with Sismis on this one.

[hop]

I'd be looking at Ryder before Monfries.

[BenDoolan]

I'd be looking at Ryder before Monfries.

Why's that? Being our 2nd best defender not good enough?

[Crazyman]

Tend to agree with most, but think people are being a bit harsh on Fries...

With all the injuries we have had on our list the past couple of seasons, I think it has been much tougher for him to have the same level of impact on games and second half of last year shows that IMO...

Dempsey on borrowed time with his injury problems, Laycock will probably stay as a back up ruckman in case Hille/Belly get's injured or suspended and will start season in the magoos...needs to really dominate and stamp himself in the VFL and then the AFL to show he deserves to be here beyond next year...

NLM - I tend to agree with...

Gumby, I reckon will be given at least another contract...he is supposed to replace Lloyd/Lucas as a partner in crime with Neagle, however, I worry that he will turn into another CJ as I have stated in another thread...

McPhee needs to step up on the park, but for mine this revolves around him becoming more decisive and uncluttering his head (i.e. start thinking kick the F****** pig skin as far as I can - and not - stop, start, turn around, pirouette, think of handball, think of kicking, get tackled and turnover ball...)

Having said all that, if we keep a full list relatively injury free and there is pressure on players to perform, we may see considerable improvement from a number of players being able to actually do the job they are meant to perform rather than trying to fill in gaps that they are not meant to (e.g. McPhee playing out of CHF when our forward line was decimated with injuries to Neagle, Gumby & Lucas, etc...)

[Ossie]

Yeah, yeah, same old stuff. As a small forward Monfries should be aiming to have the same impact as a Milne, Motlop and Medhurst. All got 50 goals or more. I'd be happy if Monfries could get 35. The fact that he has only kicked more than 20 on one occasion (2006 with 22) simply suggests he isn't doing enough. His first half of 2008 was poor. Very poor. His 2nd half was the opposite - very good. He needs to be more consistent, and needs to cause more headaches for the opposition backmen. Simple as that.

Bit of a different situation.
Milne and Medhurst both played as permanent forwards in teams that went very well last year and played finals.
Motlop basically played as either first or second forward in the absence of Tredrea or anyone else remotely capable of doing anything on the Port forward line.
Angus played as a half-forward flanker pushing up onto the wing. Different roles entirely.

[rockhole]

Only a passing reference to Dyson in this thread and yet he is coming into his 5th season with us and could hardly be termed an "impact player".

I have really wanted Ricky to break through and become an "A" listed player, but I just cannot see it happening. I think it is time to realise that he is simply not good enough to consistently play at the elite level and God knows, he has been given every chance.

[BenDoolan]

Yeah, yeah, same old stuff. As a small forward Monfries should be aiming to have the same impact as a Milne, Motlop and Medhurst. All got 50 goals or more. I'd be happy if Monfries could get 35. The fact that he has only kicked more than 20 on one occasion (2006 with 22) simply suggests he isn't doing enough. His first half of 2008 was poor. Very poor. His 2nd half was the opposite - very good. He needs to be more consistent, and needs to cause more headaches for the opposition backmen. Simple as that.

Bit of a different situation.
Milne and Medhurst both played as permanent forwards in teams that went very well last year and played finals.
Motlop basically played as either first or second forward in the absence of Tredrea or anyone else remotely capable of doing anything on the Port forward line.
Angus played as a half-forward flanker pushing up onto the wing. Different roles entirely.

Well, I see his game against Carlton as being the yardstick of his value. While he is roaming our half forward line, he should be more damaging than he has been. There is no reason why he can't. He's been around for 4 years now, and we can't afford 50 - 100 gamers just putting in "half" seasons. I was delighted with his 2nd half of 2008. But very disappointed with the first half (where the season is shaped). For me, he needs to be at a level now where consistency is the norm - and basically expected. Otherwise, this club will continue to be middle of the road if the 50 - 100 gamers don't take the next step.

[nmgilbert]

The problem with Monfries is he doesn' really play a role at the moment that we need. He pretty much plays like a tall marking forward who leads up the wings but we've already got Gumbleton, Lucas, Lloyd and Mcphee playing that role - for team balance we can't fit him in the forward line because we need 2-3 crumbing types and Monfries just doesn't do this as well as Davey and Jetta.

If Monfries is going to have much of a long term impact he needs to become more damaging with his kicking or move up into the midfield. I don't think he's under too much threat at the moment tho.

I think the guys who would want to produce are Laycock (although not if we can't find other ruck options), Dyson, Hocking, NLM, Atkinson, Williams, Magin, Jetta and Skipworth.

I can't see anyone else not being given another year even if they struggle this year.

[Mrs Mercuri]

Dempsey, Hocking, Williams, Dyson, NLM, McPhee and Magin are all out of contract at the end of the season.

Laycock (unfortunately i guess) is contracted till 2010 i believe.

[Rossoneri]

I am suprised people are saying NLM. Surely he is broken and on the way out. Provides as much use to the team as McPhee with one leg. McPhee has good skill, just never takes the first option or have the smarts. NLM does not have skill nor the smarts.

Monfries needs to be played more in the middle where he can be an in and under sort of player. He was used in the middle in 07 towards the end and had some good effect on the game, however as BD said, he is too inconsistent. Drifts in and out of games too easily.
Jetta is a disappointment thus far. Chases when he feels like it, doesn't seem to be up to the level that he should be.
Nash is one who frustrates me and needs to be more consistent. Normally a beautiful kick, but in the PS, his skills deserted him badly and late last year the same happened.
Slattery would be another. After getting hit by Fevola, he seemed to gain confidence from it (not sure how) but his game really improved until the final two games when he played with a broken hand.