He's going to have to start wearing his jocks on the outside and a big red cape shortly. This guy has to be the most improved player in the AFL at the moment. :clap
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Nathan (Axel) Foley [MERGED]
- Thread starter yandb
- Start date
Cant believe this-----just went to the video highlights package on the AFL site for goals of the round-AND FOLEYS WAS NOT IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What the??????????????????????
It wasn't just those brilliant goals on Saturday, he also delivered beautifully into our forward line finding Richo and Petts lace out and in space if I recall correctly. It would be interesting to see his goal assists stats to go along with his goals.
I have been on the Foley bandwagon since he racked up that 40 odd possession game for the Burgers a couple of years back. I am now just sitting back and enjoying the ride.
The most impressive part of his game appears to be his ability and willingness to adapt and learn. This added to his innate ball-winning abilities have turned him into an extremely damaging player that can be counted amongst the elite midfielders of the competition.
Well done Axel!
I have been on the Foley bandwagon since he racked up that 40 odd possession game for the Burgers a couple of years back. I am now just sitting back and enjoying the ride.
The most impressive part of his game appears to be his ability and willingness to adapt and learn. This added to his innate ball-winning abilities have turned him into an extremely damaging player that can be counted amongst the elite midfielders of the competition.
Well done Axel!
Foley is our junk yard dog, our out and out ball in winner in the guts. He reads the ball off the pack just as good as any other player...yet there is one fault I have.
The one step then a bounce. He loses the option to look up as soon as he gets the ball. He isnt the only player and it is one of the "special" stats that the coach puts on the board as a must, maybe thats the reason. But if he along with others ran the full 15, rather than 2 steps bounce, stop then bounce, then he could run and look up at leading options or loose men. The faster passed the game is, the more critical it is to find those loose options.
Deledio does it, they all do it, but Foley just looks like his head isnt as high up as it should be when he has the ball.
The reason why this is such a big issues, is because he has the ball more than anyother player in our team on most weeks and therefore, if he can do one simple thing, it can change the flow of our game so much.
The one step then a bounce. He loses the option to look up as soon as he gets the ball. He isnt the only player and it is one of the "special" stats that the coach puts on the board as a must, maybe thats the reason. But if he along with others ran the full 15, rather than 2 steps bounce, stop then bounce, then he could run and look up at leading options or loose men. The faster passed the game is, the more critical it is to find those loose options.
Deledio does it, they all do it, but Foley just looks like his head isnt as high up as it should be when he has the ball.
The reason why this is such a big issues, is because he has the ball more than anyother player in our team on most weeks and therefore, if he can do one simple thing, it can change the flow of our game so much.
Agree with everyone here, it's not only those two great goals he kicked, but the way he is delivering the ball is outstanding. I'm not used to that at tigerland.
I like what Wallace is putting together. After years of watching black-and-yellow slow coaches chasing opposition bums around with zero chance of catching them we are beginning to see the opposite. I sat near some Saints fans who were absolutely bewildered at the pace that some of the young Tigers were showing. And this was a game where Deledio, Tambling, Jackson and Raines were all below par.
From what I have seen of our squad at both Richmond and Coburg, the midfield is not far away from firing. Some of our more skiful players need to develop their defensive side.
Foley playing on Ball and forcing him to sacrifice was a huge win. Jackson and Howat were towelled up by Montagna and Harvey and they will both be better players for it. Howat, in particular, learnt an enormous amount about hard running.
Jackson was interesting. I watched his duel with Montagna closely and it was inteersting to note that Montagna nearly always slipped him through very slick change of direction. Run to the contest on the left and fake to the other side where the ball would be waiting and Jackson would be on the wrong side of three or four players. Smart coach, Lyon. Lots of studying videos for Jackson this week.
From what I have seen of our squad at both Richmond and Coburg, the midfield is not far away from firing. Some of our more skiful players need to develop their defensive side.
Foley playing on Ball and forcing him to sacrifice was a huge win. Jackson and Howat were towelled up by Montagna and Harvey and they will both be better players for it. Howat, in particular, learnt an enormous amount about hard running.
Jackson was interesting. I watched his duel with Montagna closely and it was inteersting to note that Montagna nearly always slipped him through very slick change of direction. Run to the contest on the left and fake to the other side where the ball would be waiting and Jackson would be on the wrong side of three or four players. Smart coach, Lyon. Lots of studying videos for Jackson this week.
Regarding our young players, I think supporters from who ever we are playing on the day are quite taken with some of these guys. The sounds from Saints around me whenever Axel had the ball was good to the ears. I think we finally have some guys who will make other teams stand up and take notice, unlike the night we played Melb, who had no respect for them at all. With a bit more experience into these players we will be on the up and up.
But the thing I love about Nathan, he dosnt do that anymore! 3 weeks ago he did, but he's gone back, listened to what the coaches have told him, and improved on every facet of his game. We are so lucky to have a player like him. Theres not many.hellenictiger said:
He certainly did not bounce immediately on those two superb goals. Learns very quickly does Nate.
Has said that he has modeled his game on Kerr's, and he is catching him up in a hurry, might even pass him by!
One area he is falling behing. Free's for. Who said the umpires don't love Kerr. But he has a couple of years to catch up;
It would have been great to see Weeble cap his two goals by bitchslapping Fraser Gehrig as Kerr did not so long back.
After his stellar first quarter Foley was blocked off the ball by Ball just as Peverill had done a few weeks ago. Axel was pretty much shut down at the stoppages for the next two periods.
It was a real compliment that Ball was forced to tag him and again Foley worked hard across half back to stay in the game but he was shut down.
He's the best news we've had this year. It might be a bit unfair to expect him to surpass Kerr at this stage. The next big step for Foley will be when he can break his tag and stay in the middle.
After his stellar first quarter Foley was blocked off the ball by Ball just as Peverill had done a few weeks ago. Axel was pretty much shut down at the stoppages for the next two periods.
It was a real compliment that Ball was forced to tag him and again Foley worked hard across half back to stay in the game but he was shut down.
He's the best news we've had this year. It might be a bit unfair to expect him to surpass Kerr at this stage. The next big step for Foley will be when he can break his tag and stay in the middle.
tigers#7 said:
He did it in the third quater, I'm pretty sure he did it a few times after than also. Instead of looking up for a longer option, he bounced, looked up then, had nothing, the had to play the ball sideways to get out of traffic. But it is something they need to pull a few of the players up for. Its a basic instinctive flaw to someones game when the first thing that comes to mind is to bounce.
That along with kicking into the man on the mark is something that shouldnt happen at the top level.
Agree. He is especially immune to the holding the ball rule. Whilst I don't disagree with he player making the play getting the benefit of the doubt it is double standards in this case.Lidsand said:
