Skill boost the key to our success

[RudeBoy]

The addition of Wells, Hoskin-Elliott, Daicos, plus the return of Elliott, Scharenberg (who is really new), Ramsay and Keeffe, represent a qualitative leap in the skill level of our team. This is going to be a major reason why we will perform much better this season imo. In recent years we have had too many players with sub par disposal skills. Having a host of players who can hopefully regularly hit targets under pressure will improve our team immensely.

[3rd degree]

Yep very true these blokes will bring us but like all good sides we have to play with a consistent 22 on a regular basis so we play to our strengths and we have to avoid the coast to coast goals after we kick points. I really hope our backs can gel.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Yep, absolutely. We've gone away from players who are great triers who can't kick the football, to players of genuine class who kick and pass the ball with pinpoint accuracy.

Another point which may have been missed is that we are heading for a more mature leadership group now (Adams, Treloar, Moore, Howe etc.) which you need if you have any aspirations to play finals football.

[Damien]

This is true. Blokes like Tooves and Marley for example won't be there this year so our disposal in general and delivery to our Forwards should improve our of site. This should really help a guy like Mason Cox who if the ball hits the deck can't give us much. If he can lead and it's delivered well it shouldn't be on the deck.

[slangman]

[cityslick1]

I agree that its been our achilles heel in the recent past, and should be better this year.

But we're still far from being the most skillful side in the comp.

The intra-club match reminded me of our tendency to land balls at the shoelaces - or even two meters in front of - a leading player, which pisses me off to no end. Thankfully it was mostly the VFL / fringe boys who did this, but we still have a lot of players that are far from elite in delivery...

Varcoe's skills are overated... often misses targets, doesnt stick tackles.
Adams is an average kick, but is hopefully getting better.
Grundy's skills are also average, but he makes up for it in other areas.
Cox is a liability in open play, and is forced to handball at every opp.
Blair is an average kick, but reliable in front of the sticks.
Sinclair has improved a lot, but kicking has never been his strong suit.
White shanks quite a few kicks, but is also hopefully better now.

The rest of the best 22 have either good to great skills, whilst the loss of Brown, Frost, Marsh & Marley should def improve delivery out of our back half.

[magpieazza]

The senior players that have left our club were like the "who's who of not so good kickers at the club".

Hard to disagree with any posts so far on this topic.

[swoop42]

Perhaps I'm alone but I thought the disposal of Adams was greatly improved last season.

If it wasn't for him missing half the season I feel he would have went awfully close to winning the Copeland.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

A bit of a stretch on Ramsay adding skill (I rate the boy but skill level is erratic) and Daicos is a year or two away from making an impact, if any but otherwise, I agree. Likely to see a lot less bull butchering this year without the usual offenders Williams, Marsh, Frost, Cloke et al.

[RudeBoy]

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

^ I'll be very keen to see him tonight but will temper my expectations. Don't usually get carried away with nab cup form but last year I was sucked in by a few individuals and the team as a whole. Won't be doing that again although I'm genuinely optimistic with the list.