#45, #30 David Fanning

[HAL]

Big things start small.

[RayByrneForPOPE]

I'd have Fanning in the ruck any day before Fraser.

[Culprit]

Obviously people who comment about him being a crap ruckman are clueless into why the club recruited him and why he is playing.

He was recruited as a project player. He was told he was not going to play senior football for most likely 3 years depending on his development. He was on the rookie list and promoted simply due to injuries. He played basketball just like Brogan did and Port developed him. Brogan took 2 years to make the squad and he only came into the seniors due to injuries of Lade and Primus. Now people post we should have Brogan.

Give the kid a break; he has done well enough for someone who was never going to play a game this year. If he was recruited from a football team I could agree with some of the slagging but he wasn’t.

From the horse’s mouth (coach), he is very happy with David and what he has contributed this year when he was thrown into the deep end.

[samuel]

I played basketball with Fanning. We require a centre give up Football and re join the NBL.

I feel sorry for him. We have been calling for a ruckman for 5 years now.
How much longer do we need to be belt at centre bounces before MM realises we need a ruckman. Richards played 10 games in 5 years unreliable, Fraser forward not ruckman relief ruckman at best, C Cloke to short, T Walker joke.
We are kidding ourselves if we believe we have a good ruck division. Show me the Stats that proves this?
16th in tap out in 05, 15th in tap out in 04.

[Culprit]

They don't grow on trees. We need a quality on baller that can replace Bucks more than we need a ruckman. We are getting slaughtered in the centre not just because of tap outs, but the quality of our clearances.

A fit Richards & Fraser will be competitive enough. Fanning in a few years.

Fanning is definitely carrying an injury in my opinion; I looked at the replay of the StKilda game where he crashed down on his shoulder. Trouble is there is no one else to play. Give him a break; he is obviously being played in pain.

[Miz]

[Johnson#26]

[mudlark]

[perthmagpie]

When oh when will the people on here understand that players can and do have natural improvement. They start off young and through experience and coaching get better and better and maybe become good players. Fanning is doing the job because he was asked to. Whether rucking too early is of detriment to his chances of developing into a great ruckman remains to be seen. He gives it his all and looks to me to have a great attitude towards his game. MM has frequently mentioned the pace of his development is staggering. Frankly I think he knows more than I would. You can get used to Fanning being around for a quite a while yet.

ps. Saw an interview with some WCoast players recently who said they laughed at Dean Cox's skills and ability in his first couple of years. He was a gangly, unco kid who was invested in by Worsfold and his recruiters. These guys are paid experts in recruiting potential talent. It's their job to uncover guys like Cox, Brogan and Fanning. They see things that less experienced people like us don't.

[Johnson#26]

[etcetc]

Reporter: Mick, just on David Fanning.Is it difficult for a young guy to have to learn the game, the art of ruckwork in the big game like this.

MM: Of course it is.
Rep: So you're willing to keep going..

MM: I could ruck Jason Cloke the rest of the year; he's 189. Shane Wakelin's 192 and a key back. Guy Richards, Cameron Cloke and Josh Fraser for most of the year haven't been available to me. So its a great learning curve for the player. We've little option, and under the circumstances, delighted to give David Fanning every opportunity - to prove to other young players who may be juggling between sports that Aussie Rules will give them the opportunity and there is a place for most
of those players..... I'm assuming you are saying he was not good today, David is a young man into 1st year of senior football. He's tired, he's 21/22, played basketball up to 2 years ago,played Williamstown 2nds last year, and if he improves like he did from last year to this year, we'll have a ruckman next year; and we'll be able to do what we can with Josh and Guy Richards and maybe have the best combination in the competition.


...........about Fanning jumping too early.....

MM: How early do you have to be, to jump over a bloke who's 6 ft "35" [sic].You virtually have to take off last year to get anywhere near the ball.

I'll try to attach the press conference about Fanning [ this occurred straight after MM blasted the umps]

[Dale61]

Loved that 6ft 35 comment. Made me laugh.

Re: Jumping early. If the other ruckman doesn't jump at all, then any time is early. Some of Fanning's frees against were because The Freak never left the ground, so Flaps had to jump early just to get near the ball.

[etcetc]

I thought I had attached a .wmv of the press conference. I can't seem to see it... anyone know why... or does it get sent elsewhere

[bent_halo]

[tazzies_girl]

:Holland Licuria Fanning:

Guys check out my creativity

=Dutchie Licca Fanny