LRT at the Gabba

[desredandwhite]

Poor old Lewie copped a fair roasting from us at the game due to his handful of VERY obvious errors resulting in turnovers. When we got back, I was surprised to see him listed in the best list. However, upon reviewing the replay, I realised just how well he played against Brown, a player who represents quite a danger to us. LRT's spoiling was generally top-class, and he did quite a number of good things. Still wish that he wouldn't have several brain explosions each game, but we tend to forget just how young he is in terms of games played.

Well done Lewie - keep the progress going!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
Poor old Lewie copped a fair roasting from us at the game due to his handful of VERY obvious errors resulting in turnovers. When we got back, I was surprised to see him listed in the best list. However, upon reviewing the replay, I realised just how well he played against Brown, a player who represents quite a danger to us. LRT's spoiling was generally top-class, and he did quite a number of good things. Still wish that he wouldn't have several brain explosions each game, but we tend to forget just how young he is in terms of games played.

Well done Lewie - keep the progress going!

Interesting you say this Desmond. I was musing with Liz & a couple of other Swans fans at the airport about his efforts. His defensive positioning and awareness is TOP NOTCH. He knows where to punch in an aerial contest. On a lead he still struggles. Luckily Brown is little more than a dinosaur these days.

It is when he gets the ball that the Frankenstein comes out in him again. It was horrifying to watch at times.

JF

[NMWBloods]

Brown is hopeless this year. From someone touted (and overrated) as the best CHF in the game, he wouldn't make the top 50 players in the comp now.

[Travelling Swan]

Brilliant job on an injured Lion below form

[giant]

He's still not an intuitive player tho at all - and it costs us goals every game. Maybe it's forgiveable if he keeps someone as good as Brown quiet but it may come back to bite us some time.

Surprised to see he only had 3 kicks as he seemed to get a bit of the ball - but he looks to handball virtually every time, which is part of the reason he gets himself in trouble.

[Benevolent Ert]

His style is such that his errors are glaring, but in the duel vs Brown I'd say he took the points

[Chubby Muffler]

Originally posted by giant
He's still not an intuitive player tho at all - and it costs us goals every game.

I agree, it's the hesitation that can be cringe-worthy to watch, he needs to just get rid of it quicker. I do think he had a good game on Brown however and he did spoil well.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Brown is hopeless this year. From someone touted (and overrated) as the best CHF in the game, he wouldn't make the top 50 players in the comp now.
Certainly he's not performing up to his previous standard but he's still averaging more kicks, handballs and marks than dear Bazz (in fact Brown's taken the 2nd most marks in the afl this year) so I don't think he's hopeless.

[NMWBloods]

'Hopeless' was definitely an exaggeration, but he's really not having enough effect on matches. He gets a lot of his possessions from leading well up from the forward line, and although his numbers looks decent I think he's struggling to have much influence.

[penga]

Originally posted by giant
Surprised to see he only had 3 kicks as he seemed to get a bit of the ball - but he looks to handball virtually every time, which is part of the reason he gets himself in trouble.

I thought LRT had a cracker. He is a defender and he defended very well. If we wanted clean disposal from a CHB, perhaps we should see if we can trade to get Saddington back... ;)

On the run, his kicking is quite clean. From a mark it's probably time we had Kennelly, or the like, running off him; Dunkley style.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by penga
On the run, his kicking is quite clean. From a mark it's probably time we had Kennelly, or the like, running off him; Dunkley style.
Absolutely imperative LRT's weekness is going to be decision making (an experience issue I think) so having someone picking up some cheap possesions (Schwass-like) would be handy.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Ruckman
Absolutely imperative LRT's weekness is going to be decision making (an experience issue I think) so having someone picking up some cheap possesions (Schwass-like) would be handy. Williams-like??

[giant]

Originally posted by penga
I thought LRT had a cracker. He is a defender and he defended very well. If we wanted clean disposal from a CHB, perhaps we should see if we can trade to get Saddington back... ;)



Saddo is fitting in beautifully at Carlton - he looked every bit as awful as the other Blues in what I saw of yesterday's game. Going to be a tuff year for him I suspect.

Certainly LRT took the points - it's incidents like the spoil when there was no one within 10m of him (which lead to a goal), the inexcusable OOBOTF after the strong grab & the numerous HTBs that frustrate me. Maybe it's all part of the price of a project player but as I say I'll be surprised if it doesn't cost us at some stage this year.

[NMWBloods]

On the plus side, he's doing better than Zac Dawson at Hawthorn, although hardly surprising with a 40+ game advantage!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
On the plus side, he's doing better than Zac Dawson at Hawthorn, although hardly surprising with a 40+ game advantage!

Poor Zac, being thrown to the Lions (metaphorical not Brisbanical) with only 7 games senior experience. . . . .
I just bet he wished he'd received his football grounding on a foul-smelling waterlogged oval nestled between a derelict cemetary and the emergency room of the RNSH rather than with the elite development machine that is the Calder Cannons.

But seriously, the Lions forwards were more productive than average against us yet Jonathan Brown was less productive.

LRT still gives me plenty of heart in mouth moments, and I thingk he's been very focussed on the defensive the last couple of weeks but by and large I'm quite pleased with his development.

[NMWBloods]

LRT's defensive efforts remind me a little of a young Dustin Fletcher. Wild gangly flailing arms, that put off a forward and sometimes make contact with the ball and sometimes with the opponent. We'll see if he can turn into an accomplished defender as he develops like Fletcher did.

[Gary]

Watched the game & kept hearing how well LRT was playing...& he did do a good job in the Brown duel...but please don't try & compare him with a young Fletcher. It was fascinating to me that at no time did the commentators pick up his problem area(s).
We obviously notice the situations where his slow / poor decision making is like watching the Titanic about to hit the iceberg. I keep asking myself how he managed that Grand Final game without finding himself in those situations (thank you Lord!).
Good suggestion about having someone close...but you get the impression no one is guiding him in the area of decision making e.g. to twice find himself on the left foot near the boundary line & make the same mistake is pretty weak. How bad is his left foot kicking?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
LRT's defensive efforts remind me a little of a young Dustin Fletcher. Wild gangly flailing arms, that put off a forward and sometimes make contact with the ball and sometimes with the opponent. We'll see if he can turn into an accomplished defender as he develops like Fletcher did.
I had forgotten that, yes in terms of looks there is/was a considerable similarity. Hopefully LRT won't turn clumsiness into an excuse for sneaky cheap shots as Fletcher (and Greg Stafford) did/have.

[stellation]

I thought Lewis was pretty good on Sunday. I appreciate Brown isn't exactly dominating the comp at the moment, but he is still a tough matchup and Lewis didn't look to be thrown around easily by him.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by giant
it's incidents like the spoil when there was no one within 10m of him (which lead to a goal) Yeah, but if he takes a mark he has to kick and then he goes into freeze mode.

I still think he sucks and should not be in the team. I think he gets lost too often and that his mental processing is pedestrian, but I do think that his skills, in particular his kicking skills, have improved considerably (notwithstanding his OOBOTF). Back yourself Lewie...

[Schneiderman]

I think the team has to do more to help out Lewie when he gains possession. When we are playing well he always seems to have Dempster, Willo, Tadhg or Leo streaming past him for that handball receive.

I suspect that playing Richards down back has confused things a little, as LRT is not yet used to having another tall defender down there. It will improve with time, but that is because he is learning things every game that he should have learnt five years ago.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
I still think he sucks and should not be in the team. In this world of change and uncertainty it's always nice to find something constant and unchanging.

[barry]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
LRT's defensive efforts remind me a little of a young Dustin Fletcher. Wild gangly flailing arms, that put off a forward and sometimes make contact with the ball and sometimes with the opponent. We'll see if he can turn into an accomplished defender as he develops like Fletcher did.

Was fletcher ever best player for a premiership side in a grand final ?

[stellation]

Originally posted by barry
Was fletcher ever best player for a premiership side in a grand final ?
Nope, but Nic Fosdike was once.

[cruiser]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
LRT's defensive efforts remind me a little of a young Dustin Fletcher. Wild gangly flailing arms, that put off a forward and sometimes make contact with the ball and sometimes with the opponent. We'll see if he can turn into an accomplished defender as he develops like Fletcher did. (choking on my risotto) We wish.

[NMWBloods]

Let's not confuse my comments with suggesting I think LRT is as good as a young Fletcher. Rather the flailing arms are reminiscent.

[Go Swannies]

Let's look forward to this weekend. We know how Richo can be thrown off his game. Imagine when he's faced with LRT's own, distinctive style. Rather like a snake and a mongoose fight, I suspect.

[Old Royboy]

I could not fault Lewie's attack on the ball, but unless there is an obvious short lead he remains totally clueless once the ball is in his hands. Then if forced to kick to a contest hiis poor kick penetration is a worry. Perhaps the team should support Lewie as they did for Dunks - when he had a free or mark there was always a running defender around to take the handball.

Just hope that Lewie's lousy footy brain improves over the years.

[giant]

Originally posted by Old Royboy
I could not fault Lewie's attack on the ball, but unless there is an obvious short lead he remains totally clueless once the ball is in his hands. Then if forced to kick to a contest hiis poor kick penetration is a worry. Perhaps the team should support Lewie as they did for Dunks - when he had a free or mark there was always a running defender around to take the handball.

Just hope that Lewie's lousy footy brain improves over the years.

Groundhog day.

The thread is only 3 pages long - is it too much to expect that you might at least flick thru the first few pages?

[Swanner]

I think he is going OK. I can't think of a game that he has really let us down.

Remember when we used to play Saddo on Brown and he would kick three in a quarter.

The fact is he is a big body option for the backline. If he doesn't work we have three or four options, Leo, C Bolton, Ted even goodesy.

In fact upon reflection this must be the most balanced and flexible backline the swans have had in the dozen years i have been a member. No wonder we won the Premiership!

[penga]

Originally posted by giant
Groundhog day.

The thread is only 3 pages long - is it too much to expect that you might at least flick thru the first few pages?

:D


In fact upon reflection this must be the most balanced and flexible backline the swans have had in the dozen years i have been a member

I'm sorry but do the names Dunkley, Bayes, Heuskes, Seymour and Roos ring a bell?

[penga]

Who played BP in the '96 GF? Chapman?

[The Big Cat]

Get off LRT's back. He's a bit of a space cadet at times but how many strong tall kids have we had that showed as much promise as he does? All our big guys seem to have been imported - BBBBH, Schauble, Plugger, Bally, Jolly. When was our last home developed big guy? (not counting the tallish Goodesy) Doyley perhaps, if we could get him on the park!

[timthefish]

Originally posted by The Big Cat
When was our last home developed big guy? (not counting the tallish Goodesy) Doyley perhaps, if we could get him on the park!

it's not a great list - stafford, goodes (brownlow), doyle, LRT, vogels

don't forget the fleeing draftees (salary cap extension bait) - a. rocca, d. gaspar

imports - hall, ball, jolly, chambers

swans minus tall imports = 2005 bottom eight [edit] i guess we lost stafford to gain hall (plus nick daffy iirc) so let's say 9-12 2005

[Travelling Swan]

Originally posted by penga
:D



I'm sorry but do the names Dunkley, Bayes, Heuskes, Seymour and Roos ring a bell?

All excellent players however its hard to go past a backline that kept the opposing team to one of the lowest scores in the last 30 years in a Grand Final

[NMWBloods]

I think the West Coast forward line's incompetence had something to do with that too.

[Swanner]

Penga...all at least good players..Roos and Dunkley were great players...still I think this is the better backline. Why...they play better together...because they are flexible and they can adapt if things are going bad...i never get the sense that if things are going bad that we can't turn it around with this lot.

Perhaps they are coached better!

[penga]

I know which backline I'd prefer.

NMW is right, to use a basketball analogy, the Eagles played a game heavily relient on 3-point shooters. While it looks pretty when your on top and flowing, you need a Shaq-type posting up in the middle to win a championship/premiership. Bomb it long and hope for the best won't work when there isn't a key forward capable of sitting underneath.

[Old Royboy]

LRT has really made the big time! Named CHB in Terry Wallet's team of the week on WLF last night. Seems most of us are very poor judges.

[cruiser]

Originally posted by Old Royboy
LRT has really made the big time! Named CHB in Terry Wallet's team of the week on WLF last night. <shakes head>:confused:

[j s]

Originally posted by penga
you need a Shaq-type posting up in the middle to win a championship/premiership
Not even the Weagles could fit Shaq under the salary cap!!

[stellation]

Jonathon Brown has 21 disposals, 14 marks and kicked 7.4 at 3/4 time. Extra kudos to Lewis for his job last week if the original praise was partly diminished by Brown's poor form?

[ScottH]

Originally posted by stellation
Jonathon Brown has 21 disposals, 14 marks and kicked 7.4 at 3/4 time. Extra kudos to Lewis for his job last week if the original praise was partly diminished by Brown's poor form? And today.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by stellation
Jonathon Brown has 21 disposals, 14 marks and kicked 7.4 at 3/4 time. Extra kudos to Lewis for his job last week if the original praise was partly diminished by Brown's poor form?

With the ball he can be indecisive, his decision making suggests he is prone to panic, his kicking lacks precision, sometimes he appears not to know the rules, he looks ungainly, with arms flailing about and a somewhat ungainly run. Sometimes he falls over for no apparent reason . . . . . . . and yet . . . . . . . . and yet his effectiveness grows. It's a mystery, but a pleasant one.

[Doctor]

He played very well on Richardson too, one of the players Leo Barry has always struggled to play on. Roos is obviously planning to use him to match up on the taller forwards as he continues to improve in his reading of a game and so far he's delivering. It can't hurt Leo's game either to move him onto someone closer to him in size. I was a sceptic about LRT's contuned inlcusion early last season but I'm reasonably confident that the coaching staff know what they're doing, after all, their recent record is not unimpressive....

[ScottH]

LRT's biggest boo boo was when he played on when he was over the boundary line and stopped, then the umps called for a throw in.

Reminiscent of Leo a year or two ago.

[NMWBloods]

I thought handballing to a player under pressure at least twice wasn't too far behind.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I thought handballing to a player under pressure at least twice wasn't too far behind. At least he did something with the ball on those two occasions!!

[S.U.D]

Originally posted by Ruckman
With the ball he can be indecisive, his decision making suggests he is prone to panic, his kicking lacks precision, sometimes he appears not to know the rules, he looks ungainly, with arms flailing about and a somewhat ungainly run. Sometimes he falls over for no apparent reason . . . . . . . and yet . . . . . . . . and yet his effectiveness grows. It's a mystery, but a pleasant one.

Now it makes sense, the bloke he's playing on can't concentrate between fits of giggles and laughter.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I thought handballing to a player under pressure at least twice wasn't too far behind. I thought his contribution to Stafford's goal was outstanding.

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by S.U.D
Now it makes sense, the bloke he's playing on can't concentrate between fits of giggles and laughter.

That's what I told a Tiger friend - Richo isn't too stable psychologically speaking and I thought that trying to work out what LRT was trying to do would do his head in.

LRT is a simple lad. Roos says "whenever the ball is cming to Richo, punch it away, preferably over the sideline" and he'll do it all game - and perfectly (especially when you consider the skill and reputation of his opponent). But say "when you get the ball, find a Swan in the clear and likely to stay there and kick it to him" is just too much of a task.

However, as Leo has been in the past, LRT with all his faults is quickly growing into a likely MVP. Take Brown, Tredrea, Richo, etc out of the equation and the chances of winning rise dramatically. He's not ready for the thinking player (Pavlich, Roo) but he's doing pretty well at negating other teams' goal kicking machines. Our win against the Lions, for example, wouldn't have looked as good if Brown kicked as many on us as he did this past weekend.

[dimelb]

I think his disposal is improving. On more than one occasion his handball got things moving our way and his kicking has improved significantly. Clangers? Certainly - and he's far from the only one. Drop him? No way - a superb job on Brown, or do we say Brown improved amazingly in a week? And a solid job on Richo - holding him to a couple is a valuable contribution. At last we can take Leo off the gorillas and probably reduce his FAs.

[Nolie]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Brown is hopeless this year. From someone touted (and overrated) as the best CHF in the game, he wouldn't make the top 50 players in the comp now.

Jonathon Brown - 8 goals versus Hawthorn. Egg.......face?

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Nolie
Jonathon Brown - 8 goals versus Hawthorn. Egg.......face? He plays well with no decent opponent.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Nolie
Jonathon Brown - 8 goals versus Hawthorn. Egg.......face? No. Up to that stage he wasn't doing particularly well. Let's also not forget he was playing on Joel Smith, who's about half his size.

So you're wrong! But nice try... :re:

[573v30]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
No. Up to that stage he wasn't doing particularly well. Let's also not forget he was playing on Joel Smith, who's about half his size.

So you're wrong! But nice try... :re: At least Zac Dawson didn't have to feel the pain... again!

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Nolie
Jonathon Brown - 8 goals versus Hawthorn. Egg.......face?
Browns his goal tally this year has been 0, 3, 2, 2, 2, 0, 4. and his marks 5, 17, 9, 11, 12, 5, 16. So his two poor games were opposed to Scarlet and . . . . . . . . . LRT.


Originally posted by NMWBloods
No. Up to that stage he wasn't doing particularly well. Let's also not forget he was playing on Joel Smith, who's about half his size.

Joel Smith is not so poor a defender for all his size, I recall him taking on and beating Barry Hall in Sydney (I think it was at Olympic Park).

Somewhere on one of the recent LRT threads I referred to the mystical/mysterious nature of his effectiveness.
I think it's a bit like flying. I personally don't really understand how it is that aeroplanes appear to defy gravity, but I'm glad they do (especially when I'm on board).
To take the metaphor a step further I think it would be a mistake to keep pointing out that AirLRT can't possible be doing what he's doing, because it just might mean he stops.

[ugg]

Should now be known as Mr 1%-ter
http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/player_rankings?yr=2006&rt=LT&fc=E9

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by ugg
Should now be known as Mr 1%-ter

Also Goodes and Bolton, all in front of Brett Kirk and Jared Crouch who were our previous exemplars.