angus graham playing like a cardboard cutout

[bowden4president]

Another problem I noticed today with Angus is, when he gets a hitout he taps it directly down to his feet. I think our midfielders must have hope that an opposition ruckman will hit the ball to them. There is likely, a much higher chance of that.

yep have been noticing that for a while myself. i don't believe Gus has any control with his his outs. when he gets one it just goes where ever it goes. TV on the other hand has quiet good control with the ability to tap in any direction. I think TV should be seeing more centre bounces. he just not quite physically ready to be no.1 ruck

 

[year of the tiger]

Hille and Rider this week folks so it doesn't get any easier - they are one of the most mobile rucking pairs in the league. Hille cleaned us up last year from memory and did some great work across half forward. Can't let Essendon control the bounces or clearances like the bullies did or it will be ugly.

 

[Rfc4Ever]

Hille and Rider this week folks so it doesn't get any easier - they are one of the most mobile rucking pairs in the league. Hille cleaned us up last year from memory and did some great work across half forward. Can't let Essendon control the bounces or clearances like the bullies did or it will be ugly.

Don't forget Bellchambers. Very solid body.

Vickery and Gus will have to stand tall (pun intended) on Saturday night.

 

[scanners]

hey fellas
i said graham is a chop and it,s time for him to go !
don,t even know why we bother talking about this bloke.
might have to buy a ruckman from another club.
luenberger would be good.

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

People need to stop posting about what they think happen and start noticing what did actually happen.

I was re-watched the game and took special note of who was responsible for the error or lost contest for the first 8 goal the Bulldogs kicked. Gus wasn't responsible for any of the first 8 goals.

People's beard set up two goals, once when playing on TV, the other when Gus left him to go to Callan Ward when one of our beloved midfielders who rarely gets criticized dropped off Ward.

 

[Leysy Days]

The biggest issue with Graham is not his poor tapwork, nor his worse clearance ability.

Its that he gives us nothing around the ground.

Ruckmen need to provide a reliable target when kicking out from a behind or for teammates that need to look long coming out of defence.

Gus simply isnt good enough in marking contests to provide this.

 

[St. Jude]

hey fellas
i said graham is a chop and it,s time for him to go !
don,t even know why we bother talking about this bloke.
might have to buy a ruckman from another club.
luenberger would be good.

Thats funny I thought gus at least was the equal of l-berger when we played them if not better :

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

The biggest issue with Graham is not his poor tapwork, nor his worse clearance ability.

Its that he gives us nothing around the ground.

Ruckmen need to provide a reliable target when kicking out from a behind or for teammates that need to look long coming out of defence.

Gus simply isnt good enough in marking contests to provide this.

This is a much fairer criticism, although I thought it was in contested lose ground ball situations where Hudson beat Gus

 

[Big Cat Lover]

This is a much fairer criticism, although I thought it was in contested lose ground ball situations where Hudson beat Gus

Agree, Hudson was very good in assisting the mids at clearances when the ball was on the ground. Graham is normally OK in the area. His form this year has been pretty decent, would be surprised if he was dropped after one ordinary game. (although his stats don't indicate it was a bad game)

Personally don't see where Browne is an upgrade, Gus would have him covered for mobility and not sure Browne is any better as a contested mark. The ruck coaches would be putting him forward if he was clearly going to improve us in this area.

 

[TOT70]

The biggest issue with Graham is not his poor tapwork, nor his worse clearance ability.

Its that he gives us nothing around the ground.

Ruckmen need to provide a reliable target when kicking out from a behind or for teammates that need to look long coming out of defence.

Gus simply isnt good enough in marking contests to provide this.

Agree.

Apart from the poor ruckwork and poor marking, he simply doesn’t do enough to support his team-mates. Around the ground, he will take a mark, dish the ball off and jog along gently behind, immediately losing touch with the play, offering neither a shepherd or a run-to-receive option.

That is the weakness in his game that is unforgivable. Ruck-work and marking are learnt skills which can be improved with experience. The body can be bulked up to make a ruckman harder to push out of the contest, leading to further improvement. Young players are often overawed by aggressive older opponents and lack confidence in the contest but this confidence comes over time, especially as the bully boys retire.

Providing support for team-mates is something that everyone can do at any time, no matter how inexperienced or lacking in confidence they are. It is a mindset thing. Gus lends a bit of support by tackling occasionally but that is about it.

If Jake King can raise himself to the required standard through his commitment to his team-mates, then an athletic giant like Graham should have no difficulty providing a few shepherds each game, maybe a smother or two, making a little sprint inside 50 occasionally, jumping into a pack, not with a view to marking the ball but to help a few fellas fall over. He should watch Leigh Brown play.

He spends too much time jogging gently to the next centre bounce where he can have another discussion with his mates about where he will hit the ball this time, should he get his hands anywhere near it.

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

The biggest issue with Graham is not his poor tapwork, nor his worse clearance ability.

Its that he gives us nothing around the ground.

Ruckmen need to provide a reliable target when kicking out from a behind or for teammates that need to look long coming out of defence.

Gus simply isnt good enough in marking contests to provide this.

Good call Navy.

 

[lamb22]

Add no physical presence or implied pressure.

A lot stems from a lack of co-ordination, but oppositions read him very easily and usually just wait for him to miss the ball whether in the ruck, in air or on the ground and then just collect and waltz around him as he usually stumbles to the ground.

Slightly off topic, I'm being a bit harsh here but in the first 30 seconds on Sunday, Jackson had two opportunities to clear one centre and one back and then Houli one (very rushed opportuity) to clear before they scored a goal. This is what kills us.

Having a number of players without the requisite skills and/or composure who can do the percentage things well when under pressure especially early. Gus is that category

 

[Rfc4Ever]

The biggest issue with Graham is not his poor tapwork, nor his worse clearance ability.

Its that he gives us nothing around the ground.

Ruckmen need to provide a reliable target when kicking out from a behind or for teammates that need to look long coming out of defence.

Gus simply isnt good enough in marking contests to provide this.

Albeit in the reserves but this is where Browne has improved immensely this season. Strong mark and has actually impacted games at Coburg level. Would like to see him play seniors at some stage.

 

[Leysy Days]

Agree.

Apart from the poor ruckwork and poor marking, he simply doesn’t do enough to support his team-mates. Around the ground, he will take a mark, dish the ball off and jog along gently behind, immediately losing touch with the play, offering neither a shepherd or a run-to-receive option.

That is the weakness in his game that is unforgivable. Ruck-work and marking are learnt skills which can be improved with experience. The body can be bulked up to make a ruckman harder to push out of the contest, leading to further improvement. Young players are often overawed by aggressive older opponents and lack confidence in the contest but this confidence comes over time, especially as the bully boys retire.

Providing support for team-mates is something that everyone can do at any time, no matter how inexperienced or lacking in confidence they are. It is a mindset thing. Gus lends a bit of support by tackling occasionally but that is about it.

If Jake King can raise himself to the required standard through his commitment to his team-mates, then an athletic giant like Graham should have no difficulty providing a few shepherds each game, maybe a smother or two, making a little sprint inside 50 occasionally, jumping into a pack, not with a view to marking the ball but to help a few fellas fall over. He should watch Leigh Brown play.

He spends too much time jogging gently to the next centre bounce where he can have another discussion with his mates about where he will hit the ball this time, should he get his hands anywhere near it.

Good call. All very true TOTTY.

 

[Brodders17]

The biggest issue with Graham is not his poor tapwork, nor his worse clearance ability.

Its that he gives us nothing around the ground.

Ruckmen need to provide a reliable target when kicking out from a behind or for teammates that need to look long coming out of defence.

Gus simply isnt good enough in marking contests to provide this.

many were praising gus's effort to be a target around the ground the week before against sandilands.
interesting to compare him to other ruckman, he is up there in hitouts, the only ruckmen who get much ore of the ball are cox and sandi, no ruckman tackles more than he does and cox is the only one who marks more, but yes he cant take a contested mark this year- which he actually did well at last year, and his tapwork has been ordinary.

i do think there is something to work with with graham. he will never be a cox/sandilands type but he has shown improvement every year. and at his age as a ruckman you would expect more improvement to come.
some aggression at the man, and ball, would undoubtedly help.

 

[lamb22]

Brodders - his tackle count is high because he taps it to his feet a lot and then basically sits on the pack and is credited with a tackle. Doesn't tackle in open play at all from what I've seen.

 

[Leysy Days]

many were praising gus's effort to be a target around the ground the week before against sandilands.

There were. Sandilands destroyed him. Clear BOG in a losing team.

Sandilands had the most disposals, kicks, marks, frees for, clearances, inside 50's, contested possessions & uncontested possessions of his year against Graham who was simply outclassed.

Sandilands obviously has his easiest game of the year against Gus.

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

There were. Sandilands destroyed him. Clear BOG in a losing team.

Sandilands had the most disposals, kicks, marks, frees for, clearances, inside 50's, contested possessions & uncontested possessions of his year against Graham who was simply outclassed.

Sandilands obviously has his easiest game of the year against Gus.

You've used the same disposal stat in about 4 different ways there. Sandi had 23 disposals against us, he had 22 in two other games this year, including against Brisbane who supposedly have a ruckman we should be moving heaven and earth to get.

 

[Brodders17]

There were. Sandilands destroyed him. Clear BOG in a losing team.

Sandilands had the most disposals, kicks, marks, frees for, clearances, inside 50's, contested possessions & uncontested possessions of his year against Graham who was simply outclassed.

Sandilands obviously has his easiest game of the year against Gus.

no denying sandilands played a very good game, but hardwick, and others praised gus for his efforts , and for getting into dangerous positions, including kicking a very important goal, late in the 3rd if i remember correctly. (which was one more goal than sandilands could manage).
gus also managed 6 votes in the all important PRE player of the year. some obviously valued his efforts against the best ruckman in the league.

 

[Brodders17]

Brodders - his tackle count is high because he taps it to his feet a lot and then basically sits on the pack and is credited with a tackle. Doesn't tackle in open play at all from what I've seen.

agree that he gets tackles in the centre square. disagree it is because he just sits on the pack. i reckon gus's 2nd efforts are underrated by a few.
the last 2 weeks his opponent has got a few clearances because they have stayed out of the pack whilst gus is fighting for the ball. it is upto the coaches whether they want gus doing that or not.

true he doesnt tackle heaps round the ground but i dont think he is alone amongst ruckmen there.