2018 Rd 7: Post Game Platitudes: Carlton vs Adelaide

[kruddler]

That's a rubbish statement.

Yesterday I watched NBs at Frankston. Two players Weitering and JGM wanted the last defender role. It was basically a battle between them in the first half who could set themselves up in that role. But in reality, when JGM got his opportunity he was no good at getting to the contests, he was nearly always late, failed to read the play or was beaten. Weitering in the same role was basically dominant, as you would want a player of that calibre to be!

Nobody would make a claim JGM is slower than Weitering, or slower than any of the above. Worrying about speed is way way too simplistic, it's not just about speed, it's about decision making, reading the play and being committed.

You mentioned speed. I was talking about speed, acceleration, agility as well as quickness in terms of decision making and disposing of the ball.

I know weitering is smart. I know he will dominate at VFL level. Thats part of the reason i wanted him out of the side earlier. He lacked confidence. That combined with some very iffy matchups basically broke him.

So now he's got his mojo back, he's half a chance to get back to the level we need him.

BUT, there is a big difference between VFL and AFL.
Players are bigger, stronger, faster and smarter in the AFL.

On the lead, Weitering suffers.
High ball in the air, he, generally, dominates......although he needs to work on his wrestling.
Loose ball on the ground, Weitering is not ideal.
Peeling off, and helping teammates or getting into space to provide an option, he is good.
Being one to take the game on from the backline with quick, precise ball movement, he is lacking.

We often talk about a 'chain of possessions' or going 'coast to coast'. Well a chain is only as strong as its weakest link....and when trying to move the ball quickly out of defense, Weitering suffers from a touch of the 'T-Birds' in that area. He almost always looks sideways and backwards and lets the opposition regroup. We struggle to move the ball out of defense when he is part of the chain. Nothing that can't be worked on, but when we struggle to move the ball out of defense at the best of times, we don't need to give ourselves a handicap as well.