Our Young Cubs .... how are they looking so far. | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Our Young Cubs .... how are they looking so far.

blx

Tiger Champion
Feb 11, 2004
4,511
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Melbourne
bored again so here i go.

IMHO, Meyer and Casserly are two quality disposal kings.

By all accounts Casserly possesses the most beautiful of kicks and as we've all seen, Danny is as classy as they come. I cant wait for either to break into the side (i know it maybe few years away) but their delivery into the forward line will be a godsend. Casserly lace out chesty to Hughes  .... GOAL  :clap  Its just hard to tell at the moment as I havent seen either Hughes or Cass play yet so i guess i'm more dreaming than anything else at this point.

I can't see Patto as our future CHF as he's not mobile enough. I can however see Pattison as a mobile ruckman working tandem with either Simmo or Graham, dropping back to the forward line for spells. How long Simmo's body can handle these coming years of full-time rucking is anyones guess, look at Primus and Wrenny for proof of how rigourous that position can be. In fact by the time Simmo's contract is up Patto - being a tall - should be hitting his straps by then. Has a huge motor on him and could be a great allround the ground ruckman for us.

JON, I'm guessing he might take awhile to come on but he definately has the goods to contribute to our run and carry gameplan. Good height and speed to burn. Also has excellent evasive skills. From watching his junior highlights reel its obvious his first 5 meters is so explosive (almost freakishly) like he's at a dead stop and then after a few paces he's in full stride. How??? Also he does'nt seem to panic and looks very calm and together when under some heat which of coarse will be a very welcome trait to behold, for all of us. His only fault i can see is that his disposal options let him down BUT that CAN be given to a player unlike height, speed and to lesser extent, how remain cool under pressure. Again Its hard to tell with JON cause im yet to see him play in the flesh so until then its speculation.

Tambo - WILL arrive at some point in the next 2 years. I say this with conviction because he just has too much natural footy talent to not become a good player for us. At worst thats all he'll be ... a good player. I think he'll eventually play midfield as an outside reciever ala a mcleod kinda role (please dont post that im comparing him to mcleod cause im not).

Lids - no jacket required  :angel:

Cleaver has shown potential in his first hitout for us against an undermanned doggies outfit. His highlights reel shows that he has a very strong pair of mitts and is a one grab mark much like Roughead. Has a very quick lead and is a deadeye *smile* for goal. All he needs to do now is get his body and mind set over the next few seasons and HELLO. I hope we dont do to Hughes what we did to Ottens in that we play him for too long too early. Sure Otto was a big lump of a lad but i really think we stuffed up his development by throwing him into the fray way too early. Give him snippets of time with the big boys then place him back safely to the burgs to complete his apprenticeship. Would be great if he comes on and becomes a prominent leading target for us up front.

Foley - I for one am very confident in this boys ability to make it in the top grade. I remember seeing him at training a few years ago doing a quick one on one with the flea and his concentration and dedication to the exercise was extremely impressive. i remember flea giving us all a look like "gee he's going abit overboard isnt he!" because he was deadset in the zone, firing off handball missiles into the net  :clap  After watching the Hawthorn game again the other night their was one play where he was at the feet of the ruckmen when they jumped up for the ball (dont know how they managed not to land on him) the ball dropped into his hands and he fired out a ball to a reciever all in the blink of an eye. Now that my friends is skill AND courage which is why i think this kid has what it takes to make it.

sorry santa i forgot to warn you to wear your sunnies before reading this post, you might wanna put em on now cause i got a few more players to get through  :hihi

Lets see now where was i ...

POLO - theres a theme going on with our recruiting in that we seem to choose players who may not have a pretty cover but they have enormous upsides IF they come through and POLO is definately one of these. Its amazing that he seems to find a hell of alot of ball in close for such a gangly looking specimen. His biggest plus in my book is that he is improving his game all the time. His disposal by foot is his achilles heel but im sure he will work no end on correcting this. He's alot like Cogs in this regard and knowing that Cogs looks to have improved this side of his game its assuring to know that these foibles can be corrected and that enormous upside can slowly grow and mature. Would be a great addition to our inside mid brigade if he makes it.

Matt White (i can hear rexy now) is a definate goer. Despite his lightly frame he has a genuine motor which we all witnessed at the intra when hally decked him and he sprung straight back up and limbered down the opposite end of the ground and threw himself straight back into the fire  :clap You'll win a hell of alot friends @ the tiges if ya keep that up son. Has oodles of talent.

Angus Graham : if anyone needs footskills corrected we have the perfect applicant here. If the coaching staff can work a minor miracle and correct that martian like style of kicking then alls good. If not he's only allowed to handball  :police:  A good ruckman though  ;D

probobly missed some but i've killed the time i had to kill, off to my gig now  8)

PS you can take your sunnies off now, santa   :hihi
 
Great effort Blx on the young players.

I would also like to hear on three young talls: Jackson, McGuane, Limbach and Thursfield.

Thursfield looks like a natural defender to me. He is well balanced, has excellent concentration and a good leap. If he develops his frame we may have a full back.

McGuane looks like a talent but is very immature. He is unlikely to debut this year, possible goer for 2007.

Limbach again looks like a development prospect.

Jackson for mine needs to feel he belongs before he makes a position his own. What position? Probably as the third defender, similar to A.Kellaway. He is an athlete who is being taught how to play footy so we have to have patience.

In all cases our coaches need to develop them properly.
 
Great post blx. I agree on most of that, except still have my reservations on pattison. being a tall though, i will give him another 3 years to develop his body and game plan.

The beauty of all this is, we are talking up kids expectations, rather than arguing about what recycled players are doing to our club. Three years ago, we were talking about Hudson, Houlihan, King, and the likes, and we were only getting closer to bottoming out. History tells us two years ago we did bottom out, and then in comes Mr Wallace and his merry men, together with a new policy of recruiting youth, and given a five year contract, these new faces, should start bearing some fruit by then.

Even though we are not in upper bracket yet, the future sure does look a hell of a lot more exciting than what it did three years ago. Also good to note, we are not the laughing stock of the afl anymore and that is one thing I am most happy about.

Think back to the delight when players such as Newman, Hyde, pettifer, Coughlan, and even Tuck started to hit their straps, and compare that to how we'll feel when maybe half, if not more, of these recruits start hitting theirs. The future sure does look so much brighter.