Sam Lloyd

[nikolasmia]

He would have started on and been subbed off at three quarter time.

or came on in the last qtr as he usually did and kicked 2

 

[T-Shirt Tommy]

Good to see Sam get the recognition he deserves. Quite a number of prenders calling him a bush footballer etc. He's much better than that.

But people also have to realise he might have the odd quiet game, which is to be expected for someone in his role.

 

[Merveille]

Good to see Sam get the recognition he deserves. Quite a number of prenders calling him a bush footballer etc. He's much better than that.

But people also have to realise he might have the odd quiet game, which is to be expected for someone in his role.

By 'people', you mean selection panel..?

 

[Harry]

Looks like bruno fornaroli

 

[22nd Man]

Good to see Sam get the recognition he deserves. Quite a number of prenders calling him a bush footballer etc. He's much better than that.

But people also have to realise he might have the odd quiet game, which is to be expected for someone in his role.

First walk down Media Street this week.

 

[TheUmpire]

Absolutely Leysy. My vivid memories of being a small child watching football in the 80s was of seeing a lot of Hawthorn, given they were the dominant club. Despite the fact that I hated them (still do), one thing I remember was their skill level. I remember my father always emphasizing to me, "look at these blokes, they can all kick on both feet." I was made to go out in the backyard and practice on the non preferred. Training as a junior and high school footballer, there were plenty of drills where the non preferred was the only side you were permitted to use. Certainly party tricks like dribble kicks were seen as unacceptable and were used to reinforce the need to get competent or even really good on the non preferred. It was seen as such a fundamental skill, but it seems not so today if even elite footballers, whom have all the time in the world to practice these skills (as they are full time professionals), more and more rarely show a high level of competence in this area.

I wasn't a terribly good footballer, but managed to get to the point that I could handball both sides pretty much just as proficiently, kicking on the non preferred, not so competent, but could be used in an emergency. Although plenty of my mates were really good on both, even as under age players.

I just don't understand the drastic deterioration of this fundamental skill over 30 years. More so when during this period we have moved from semi-professionalism to full professionalism. Some point to the speed of the game now. But to me the rapid speed makes it even more important. More often you'll get into situations where there isn't time to wheel around onto the preferred. If you can only kick and handball on one side, it makes you more vulnerable to your opponent working out which side to attack you from each time.

Sorry but you are wrong. Players these days are significantly better skilled on both sides than players in the 80s.

 

[poppa x]

Sorry but you are wrong. Players these days are significantly better skilled on both sides than players in the 80s.

I agree with this but it doesn't explain why some players - despite all the modern professionalism - are still one sided.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

Sorry but you are wrong. Players these days are significantly better skilled on both sides than players in the 80s.

I'd suggest that today's players whom are two sided are significantly more skilled than those two sided players of the 80s. However a lower percentage of today's players are two sided during match play.

Not being at least competent on the non preferred, I find a bit odd when your full time job - which you are paid very well to do - is to play and train for football.

 

[shad]

Some people can do both sides easily, most can't. I have four boys who play footy and one was competent on his opposite with only a few practice sessions. The other three are hopeless.

 

[tigerlove]

I'd suggest that today's players whom are two sided are significantly more skilled than those two sided players of the 80s. However a lower percentage of today's players are two sided during match play.

Not being at least competent on the non preferred, I find a bit odd when your full time job - which you are paid very well to do - is to play and train for football.

I have to disagree. On average far more players are far more skilled on both sides these days. Have to also remember the pressure of today's game is notches above what it was in the 80s. Not to mention there are now 18 teams instead of 12, that's 33% more players, 33% of the less skilled players who wouldn't have got a game back then.

 

[Midsy]

Rob Harvey never used his left foot.

He was crap?

 

[leon]

And Cyril hardly ever gets caught on the right, so some players avoid it effectively. But overall, for most average guys, I believe it's essential.

Danger is brilliant on either side, and long.

 

[lisamaree]

And Cyril hardly ever gets caught on the right, so some players avoid it effectively. But overall, for most average guys, I believe it's essential.

Danger is brilliant on either side, and long.

Look no further than our own Jayden Short (clip of his under 18 days on club website)......genuinely dual sided!

 

[YinnarTiger]

I have to disagree. On average far more players are far more skilled on both sides these days. Have to also remember the pressure of today's game is notches above what it was in the 80s. Not to mention there are now 18 teams instead of 12, that's 33% more players, 33% of the less skilled players who wouldn't have got a game back then.

Excuse the pedantry but 12 to 18 is a 50% increase.

 

[DLR]

Excuse the pedantry but 12 to 18 is a 50% increase.

33% margin of error but a 50% increase - just depends on from whence you are looking..............

 

[tigerlove]

Excuse the pedantry but 12 to 18 is a 50% increase.

You are of course correct. 33% would have been if it dropped from 18 teams to 12.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

Some people can do both sides easily, most can't. I have four boys who play footy and one was competent on his opposite with only a few practice sessions. The other three are hopeless.

But for your boys, it's not their full time paid job to practice these things. For you or I we go to work 8 or more hours a day and work the whole time (and study in our own time outside of this). If you're a full time professional footballer whom takes their job seriously, you should spend 8 hours a day practicing all aspects of the game which includes your individual skills. Blokes whom have spent time in the system have told me they definitely didn't spend anywhere near 8 hours a day every day dedicating themselves to their profession.

 

[shad]

Fair point accept it seems near impossible for players to improve their kicking significantly once they are adults. So the ones that didn't pick it up when they were young are stuffed, hence my point.Otherwise I think you need one of those psycho (my kids a sports star) parents to make you learn.

 

[tigerlove]

But for your boys, it's not their full time paid job to practice these things. For you or I we go to work 8 or more hours a day and work the whole time (and study in our own time outside of this). If you're a full time professional footballer whom takes their job seriously, you should spend 8 hours a day practicing all aspects of the game which includes your individual skills. Blokes whom have spent time in the system have told me they definitely didn't spend anywhere near 8 hours a day every day dedicating themselves to their profession.

Simply ridiculous. No elite athlete spends 8 hours a day every day practising aspects of their game. It's not physically or mentally possible.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

Simply ridiculous. No elite athlete spends 8 hours a day every day practising aspects of their game. It's not physically or mentally possible.

I can tell you that for Kenyan and Ethiopian distance athletes their sport is very much their life. They go through long training blocks where everything they do is about their sport, which for a professional athlete is their livelihood. Sure it isn't just running itself. But their day is taken up by running, stretching, running drills, strength and conditioning, eating and sleeping. 100% focussed on their sport with little downtime. But then they are consistently the best in the world and have been for a very long time. Sure they have some freakish genes on their side. But westerners overplay this as an excuse, so they don't have to face the inconvenient truth that the East Africans have a larger pool whom will work far harder.