Malthouse 'so excited' by Blues' trade bargains

[Bulldog4life]

MICK Malthouse has refuted criticism of Carlton's recruiting this year, saying the Blues' decision to trade their first-round draft pick had netted them three "fantastic" players for the price of one.

Carlton traded pick No.7 to Greater Western Sydney in October for highly touted key-position player Kristian Jaksch, midfielder Mark Whiley and pick No.19.

The Blues then used pick No. 19 to draft 21-year-old Swans Districts midfielder Blaine Boekhorst, the first mature-age player selected in this year's NAB AFL Draft and a selection that raised eyebrows among some opposition recruiters.

But Malthouse told Carlton's annual general meeting on Thursday night that it was important to judge the Blues' trade with GWS on the entirety of what it had delivered to the club.

"There is always going to be criticism of some description about giving up your first pick," Malthouse said at Visy Park.

"Mark was touted as a throwaway. Is he just a 'stack-on' for the numbers? No way. If anyone has watched enough footage you can see the type of job that I want him to do and we as a match committee want him to do.

"Then you look at Blaine and I look at that video and I know it's only highlights, you never see lowlights, but it's full of highlights and he's the type of player we need.

"So these three lads are going to be fantastic. I feel very excited about this group here and the No.1 thing I think we've got to look at is they're our No.1 pick, not one player but three, a trilogy.

"I think they're all capable of playing and have a fantastic opportunity to play a lot of senior football at this football club and I'm so excited about it.

Malthouse also had high hopes for former Western Bulldogs forward Liam Jones.

The Carlton coach said Jones had struggled with the weight of playing as the Bulldogs' principal forward for much of his 66-game career at the Whitten Oval.

But he said Jones had special traits that could see him thrive with the support of fellow Blues tall forwards such as Lachie Henderson and Levi Casboult.

"Every now and again you come across things and you think I know this player. I've watched him now at training and I've seen one of the most explosive animals that I've ever seen and I mean that – he is totally explosive," Malthouse said.

"It would be fair to say Liam also has, I think, a very odd approach to the ball in the air, which to simplify it is more a 'long jump'.

"We will practise and practise the 'high jump', where he is able to hit the ball better, from a better distance and at a better height, and actually lands where the ball is going to fall.

"I've got the utmost faith that Liam will make a massive impact for us."

Earlier on Thursday night, Carlton cut its maximum board size from 13 to 10 directors when an overwhelming majority of about 300 members voted in favour of a special resolution to change the club's constitution.

The special resolution also established an independent nominations committee, consisting of club president Mark LoGiudice, John Davies and Andrew Mansour, to scrutinise applicants for the board, and expanded the eligibility criteria for club directors.

LoGiudice also announced that directors Zac Fried, Adrian Gleeson and Jeanne Pratt had all been re-elected unopposed.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-12-18/blues-trade-bargains

[Twodogs]

I think the word is delusional.

[Happy Days]

I can't wait for 22 games of Jones trying to take hangers on Casboult and taking them both out of the contest.

Although if Tutty is kicking it to them Jones' running under the ball might actually be necessary. (Too harsh?)

[F'scary]

I am not going to be mean although it is very tempting to hang it on Jones for all the dud games he played for us.

All in all, the consensus on WOOF, I think, is that they got him a bit cheaply for pick 46. However, Jones showed us over a number of seasons that he is completely inconsistent with his form, doesn't read the play very well and never approached the game like he wanted to be the "main man." Still good luck to them and to him - especially since he now has Malthouse for coach. Good luck to you, Liam.

[ratsmac]

If Jones kicks 25 goals next season he has had his best year to date. To be honest pick 46 might actually be end up being overs. Time will tell. Good luck to Liam and I hope Carlton can get consistency out of him so long as they finish below us.

[Hotdog60]

I would like to see Jones cop an all mighty spray from Mick at 1/2 time playing against us when his stats are 0,0,0 an then go on in the second half 1,0,0 and get dropped the following week. :)

[GVGjr]

Jones will do well for Carlton if they can guarantee his spot for the first 6 or 8 weeks.
I can see him being a good contributor for them.

The interesting part for me is the vastly different approach they took during the off season to what we did given they finished just one position about us.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Jones will do well for Carlton if they can guarantee his spot for the first 6 or 8 weeks.
I can see him being a good contributor for them.

The interesting part for me is the vastly different approach they took during the off season to what we did given they finished just one position about us.

The only thing they have guaranteed themselves is multiple mid table finishes IMO. The several 'stop gap/mature age recruits' are not going to take them anywhere near top four let alone a premiership, but they'll be good enough to get them over the line against the young bottom of the ladder sides such as St. Kilda, Melbourne, us and one or two others.

People have criticized North Melbourne's recruiting but I can understand why they are doing what they're doing. Will it work? Probably not, but they are unlikely to be picking up B+ to A grade talent with the later picks they have, so adding Waite/Higgins etc. is a worthwhile exercise.

Carlton, on the other hand, are satisfyingly delusional.

[Greystache]

Wow, they poached fringe players from teams that finished 15th and 17th and they believe it's going to net them success.

Looking forward to next year when they're celebrating the freakish talents of delisted free agent Jarrad Grant :D

[chef]

He's easily excited.

[F'scary]

Jones will do well for Carlton if they can guarantee his spot for the first 6 or 8 weeks.
I can see him being a good contributor for them.

The interesting part for me is the vastly different approach they took during the off season to what we did given they finished just one position about us.

The pick 7 swap: Jaksch - originally pick 12 2012 draft. Played 7 games in two years. Weighs only 84kg (he is taller and lighter than Grant!). Questions over his durability. Has started his career at Carton on the injury list.
Whiley - 12 games in 3 years, best characterised as a low possession midfielder.
Boekhurst - passed over Laverde and Hugh Goddard with pick 19 - appears to be similar circumstances to the Howard recruitment.

Note comments by Malthouse that indicated he selected Boekhurst based on the highlights video! Comedy Gold :D

And his assessment of Jones verges on the bizarre - everything will be fine if Malthouse can teach him to high jump instead of long jump. More comedy gold. :D:D

What are the odds on the Carton members lynching Malthouse at the end of the season?

[Maddog37]

I reckon Blues fans will be in two camps after that article. Those that lap it up and see an exciting future or those that are now fully convinced Mick has gone completely batshit.

[GVGjr]

I reckon Blues fans will be in two camps after that article. Those that lap it up and see an exciting future or those that are now fully convinced Mick has gone completely batshit.

A quick canvass of Blues supporters at work indicates they are right behind the topping up approach.

It's a strange approach and I'm not sure if they positioned themselves for a vastly improved season or if they have just put lipstick on a pig. I think they will improve but I doubt they can push for a top 8 spot.

[Twodogs]

It's typical Carlton short term thinking. Only short term has evolved from "sometime next season" to "this time next week". As TBB said they are satisfyingly delusional.

Nobody has mentioned Jayden Foster yet. What did they take him at?

[Remi Moses]

Carlton have never really grasped the concept of a " rebuild"
I just hope after the competitive animal completes a 10 metre lead the baggers have a defib on hand.

[jeemak]

One thing history does is repeat itself.

Carlton over and again go for stop gap approaches and never fully buy in to modern rebuilding. They will not go anywhere picking up rejects from the Western Bulldogs.

Mick is an old coach hanging on to his career and big salary. The sooner he goes from Carlton and the board's clean leadership can get things going in another direction the better.

What a stupid and delusional football club. They are so lucky they have dumbarse supporters it isn't funny.

[bulldogtragic]

Roughead if he plays back takes Casboult. Talia on Henderson. Morris on Jones.

Or Lake, Frawley, Gibson on Jones.

Good luck with that if that's the trade to a premiership....

[bulldogtragic]

Roughead if he plays back takes Casboult. Talia on Henderson. Morris on Jones.

Or Lake, Frawley, Gibson on Jones.

Good luck with that if that's the trade to a premiership....

... That's what I should've said... Liam Jones last game was the only premiership he will play in. Or the the deluded jerk store called, and they're running out of Mick.

[stefoid]

We got caleb Daniel for jones.

[Twodogs]

We got caleb Daniel for jones.


I feel like we are already in front.

[bulldogtragic]

I feel like we are already in front.

Both are trading off reputation in under 18's footy.

[LostDoggy]

Senility must surely be kicking in..

[G-Mo77]

I don't see the problem. We're talking up a guy who was delisted pretty much the same way. Carlton are hardly going to come out and say he's got a ton of work to do, well behind the rest etc etc. That's not the case anyway, Liam's put a ton of work in this offseason and I expected him to hit the ground running when he got there. I still think we lost a very handy player in Jones and we got stuff all for him.

[F'scary]

I don't see the problem. We're talking up a guy who was delisted pretty much the same way. Carlton are hardly going to come out and say he's got a ton of work to do, well behind the rest etc etc. That's not the case anyway, Liam's put a ton of work in this offseason and I expected him to hit the ground running when he got there. I still think we lost a very handy player in Jones and we got stuff all for him.

Think what could have been, if only we had thought to work on his high jump and not his long jump.

[Remi Moses]

I don't see the problem. We're talking up a guy who was delisted pretty much the same way. Carlton are hardly going to come out and say he's got a ton of work to do, well behind the rest etc etc. That's not the case anyway, Liam's put a ton of work in this offseason and I expected him to hit the ground running when he got there. I still think we lost a very handy player in Jones and we got stuff all for him.

That's all well and good, but are they working on Liam's propensity to be easily brushed aside by a decent quality backmen?
I think Jones will start well and the media will jump all over the fact we let him go, but let's see how it's going after the honeymoon.
Will he ever have a decent enough second and third effort to cut it at Afl level.

[LostDoggy]

I don't see the problem. We're talking up a guy who was delisted pretty much the same way. Carlton are hardly going to come out and say he's got a ton of work to do, well behind the rest etc etc. That's not the case anyway, Liam's put a ton of work in this offseason and I expected him to hit the ground running when he got there. I still think we lost a very handy player in Jones and we got stuff all for him.

I know its only training I've witnessed, but I'm pretty confident by this time next year people won't be referring to Caleb Daniel as "stuff all".

[Webby]

I know its only training I've witnessed, but I'm pretty confident by this time next year people won't be referring to Caleb Daniel as "stuff all".

Yep, from the sessions I've seen, I have the exact same impression of Shorty Daniel. I am very pleased with the look of him.

[G-Mo77]

I know its only training I've witnessed, but I'm pretty confident by this time next year people won't be referring to Caleb Daniel as "stuff all".

We didn't get Daniel for Jones we got #46. It gave us an opportunity to draft him but that pick could have been anyone. We put so any years into Liam and being a KPF with a fair amount of talent that was a real poor return for him. Carlton got a steal, we'd be over the moon if it was Jones coming here and #46 going out.

[Bulldog Joe]

We didn't get Daniel for Jones we got #46. It gave us an opportunity to draft him but that pick could have been anyone. We put so any years into Liam and being a KPF with a fair amount of talent that was a real poor return for him. Carlton got a steal, we'd be over the moon if it was Jones coming here and #46 going out.

Sorry G-Mo but I can't agree. Jones had plenty of chances and just lacks the mental capacity to impose himself on games. He drops his bundle easily and even his form in the VFL finals showed that he wants to play on his terms.

For Carlton he is a good fit replacing Mr Potential (Waite) with another inferior version.

[GVGjr]

We didn't get Daniel for Jones we got #46. It gave us an opportunity to draft him but that pick could have been anyone. We put so any years into Liam and being a KPF with a fair amount of talent that was a real poor return for him. Carlton got a steal, we'd be over the moon if it was Jones coming here and #46 going out.

Summed up well. While losing players like Griffen and Cooney hurt us they have both played their best football with us and won't get any better with their new sides. They might still play good football but we had them at their best.

In comparison, losing Jones who I don't think has reached his potential and it will hurt us more if he plays his best at Carlton. The fact that having him playing alongside of Tom Boyd would have been a great tall forward duo for us as well. Jones was also the ideal forward to provide Minson a chop out during the games.

I think we will miss him a bit more than we really know.

[GVGjr]

Sorry G-Mo but I can't agree. Jones had plenty of chances and just lacks the mental capacity to impose himself on games. He drops his bundle easily and even his form in the VFL finals showed that he wants to play on his terms.

For Carlton he is a good fit replacing Mr Potential (Waite) with another inferior version.

And yet he wasn't in danger of being delisted by us and we really wanted to keep him.

I think his move to Carlton isn't a good one for him as he has a lot of competition just to get a game.
Kreuzer is being touted as spending time as a forward, Jaksch is probably better suited to being a forward, Henderson has looked good when playing in the forward line and of course Casboult seems to demand a key forward position. Sam Rowe was also considered a forward before playing a lot of his footy last year as a defender.

Even allowing for Henderson and maybe Jaksch playing in the backline Jones has a bit of competition to keep a spot.

[jeemak]

And yet he wasn't in danger of being delisted by us and we really wanted to keep him.


I always got the impression we were saying the right things in public when it came to demonstrating we wanted to keep Jones. However, I also got the impression that we may have been fairly firm with what our buying demands were and what we were prepared to offer Jones privately.

As for what we got for him in the trade, I wonder whether we would have been happy if we paid any more than a mid-third rounder to get Jones to our football club on his exposed form. I have a feeling many of us wouldn't have been all that chuffed at the prospect of foregoing junior talent to start fresh with, in favour of securing a player who couldn't command a game for the 15th placed club (screaming out for a tall forward) due to inconsistent physical and mental application over a number of years.

[G-Mo77]

As for what we got for him in the trade, I wonder whether we would have been happy if we paid any more than a mid-third rounder to get Jones to our football club on his exposed form. I have a feeling many of us wouldn't have been all that chuffed at the prospect of foregoing junior talent to start fresh with, in favour of securing a player who couldn't command a game for the 15th placed club (screaming out for a tall forward) due to inconsistent physical and mental application over a number of years.

I guess it depends on if we had Boyd or not. If not I'm sure some of us would have been thinking "Here we go again" having Boyd makes Jones' job a lot easier and it would have been a nice little coup had the shoe been on the other foot. Malthouse brought up a good point and it's one I've believed over the course of Jones' time with us "The Carlton coach said Jones had struggled with the weight of playing as the Bulldogs' principal forward for much of his 66-game career at the Whitten Oval." He's had teh weight of the world on his shoulders here maybe easing the load will help him as a footballer. Good luck to him, I like the kid and hope he is successful. I'll always hold a fond place to the players who played in that VFL GF.

[GVGjr]

I always got the impression we were saying the right things in public when it came to demonstrating we wanted to keep Jones. However, I also got the impression that we may have been fairly firm with what our buying demands were and what we were prepared to offer Jones privately.



We did the trade late on the last day of the trade period and I believe we had a go at trying to talk him around in the last week now unless that was mainly because of the Griffen, Cooney and Higgins departures I'm not sure but I tend to think at pick 28 we were happy enough to do the deal but we were somewhat reluctant knowing that the third round was the best on offer. The alternative of losing him for nothing in the PSD eventually made the third round pick on offer reasonable.



As for what we got for him in the trade, I wonder whether we would have been happy if we paid any more than a mid-third rounder to get Jones to our football club on his exposed form. I have a feeling many of us wouldn't have been all that chuffed at the prospect of foregoing junior talent to start fresh with, in favour of securing a player who couldn't command a game for the 15th placed club (screaming out for a tall forward) due to inconsistent physical and mental application over a number of years.

It's an interesting question you pose, I think he might have improved just by having Boyd in the side. I recently watched his game against Collingwood again and the thought of him doing that 3 or 4 times a year is probably the reason why I'm not that comfortable in losing him.

[Flamethrower]

The problem with Jones was that for every good game (usually matched up on a 3rd or 4th string defender like Langdon from Collingwood), he had 5 or 6 shockers on good defenders.

[jeemak]

Thanks GvG and G-Mo, I definitely understand your line of thinking.

Some of my issue with Jones relates to work rate and attitude when the chips are down, and Jones has struggled to be consistent in this area whether he's lining up against the best or third best opposition defenders.

[GVGjr]

Thanks GvG and G-Mo, I definitely understand your line of thinking.

Some of my issue with Jones relates to work rate and attitude when the chips are down, and Jones has struggled to be consistent in this area whether he's lining up against the best or third best opposition defenders.

This is probably off topic but would you have preferred to keep either Jones or Grant at the end of the season?

[bulldogtragic]

This is probably off topic but would you have preferred to keep either Jones or Grant at the end of the season?

Grant for me. Grant has a bad year with injury. Jones seemed to have a bad year with attitude. I would have liked Jones to stay, but he's got a lot of flaws which may or may not be fixable. Moreover, I would've prefered a slight better deal.

[jeemak]

This is probably off topic but would you have preferred to keep either Jones or Grant at the end of the season?

Grant, though would have been equally apathetic towards him leaving if he hadn't had an injury interrupted year.

[Twodogs]

This is probably off topic but would you have preferred to keep either Jones or Grant at the end of the season?


I would have preferred Jayden Foster over Jones.

[G-Mo77]

This is probably off topic but would you have preferred to keep either Jones or Grant at the end of the season?

Tough one, different mold but similar problems, well so it seems anyway. Grant around Boyd and healthy seems more enticing than Jones IMO. There are arguments from both sides and I could be swayed either way.

[F'scary]

Posters getting all sentimental about Jones are thinking about 2011. Four seasons ago. Others amongst us prefer recent form as the best guide to the future.

[Jeanette54]

Posters getting all sentimental about Jones are thinking about 2011. Four seasons ago. Others amongst us prefer recent form as the best guide to the future.

Given that his most recent form was the VFL Grand Final, I would argue with this statement.

During that last quarter when the ball came in very quickly (and regularly) giving the defenders very little time to get organised Jones was a powerful focal point. I also loved his confidence in taking that hurried, set longshot before the Hawks tall timber could get to the goal square.

The one thing that I thought he always lacked was the second/third effort after his initial effort was unsuccessful, and I thought his efforts when he didn't actually have the ball were non existent. Shame he couldn't have taken a leaf out of Jack Redpath's book here. Without the ball Redpath shepherds, bulldozes, tackles and intimidates. Watch the replay if you can, there's a couple of hawks caught frozen like rabbits in a headlights glare as Jack approaches at high speed, his intent clear.

If Mick can get some extra off ball effort from Liam Jones, and Carlton can get the ball to him quickly, we will regret seeing him go. I just hope he doesn't finally demonstrate his true potential when playing against us.

[Twodogs]

Given that his most recent form was the VFL Grand Final, I would argue with this statement.

During that last quarter when the ball came in very quickly (and regularly) giving the defenders very little time to get organised Jones was a powerful focal point. I also loved his confidence in taking that hurried, set longshot before the Hawks tall timber could get to the goal square.

The one thing that I thought he always lacked was the second/third effort after his initial effort was unsuccessful, and I thought his efforts when he didn't actually have the ball were non existent. Shame he couldn't have taken a leaf out of Jack Redpath's book here. Without the ball Redpath shepherds, bulldozes, tackles and intimidates. Watch the replay if you can, there's a couple of hawks caught frozen like rabbits in a headlights glare as Jack approaches at high speed, his intent clear.

If Mick can get some extra off ball effort from Liam Jones, and Carlton can get the ball to him quickly, we will regret seeing him go. I just hope he doesn't finally demonstrate his true potential when playing against us.


It's a beautiful thing to watch.

[G-Mo77]

Posters getting all sentimental about Jones are thinking about 2011. Four seasons ago. Others amongst us prefer recent form as the best guide to the future.

What a load of rot.

[F'scary]

What a load of rot.

I was going to say "and..?" but perhaps Jeanette54's rebuttal covered your position and you just wanted to lead under the ball a bit?

[Remi Moses]

Jones's best form was playing second banana behind Barry in 2011, but let's be honest Barry drew a significant crowd in his vicinity.
He has had 3 more seasons to mantain something like that form and take the lead role .
After all he has the size and capabilities of being the number one forward.
Unfortunately due to well documented reasons he hasn't looked like it, and even this season he had Crameri taking attention and he still didn't take his chances.

[G-Mo77]

I was going to say "and..?" but perhaps Jeanette54's rebuttal covered your position and you just wanted to lead under the ball a bit?

You're insinuating those that wanted to keep Jones or thought he had talent had their head up their arse for 3 years. It's pretty insulting TBH.

[F'scary]

You're insinuating those that wanted to keep Jones or thought he had their head up their arse for 3 years. It's pretty insulting TBH.

Sorry, G-Mo, but I used the word "sentimental." I didn't say anyone had their head up their arse.

[bornadog]

Well I for one never wanted to see Jones go, especially after being with the club for so long. Big guys don't grow on trees, and Jones did show lots of potential and will only peak in the next few years.

Good luck to him, but I am sorry he went to the club I hate the most.

[GVGjr]

Well I for one never wanted to see Jones go, especially after being with the club for so long. Big guys don't grow on trees, and Jones did show lots of potential and will only peak in the next few years.

Good luck to him, but I am sorry he went to the club I hate the most.

Same here. It's done but I will watch his progress next season with interest.

[KT31]

Wasted our time and resources, he never put in 100% and showed no loyalty when it was to hard.
We needed a senior forward who was prepared to step up and he took the low road.
Will put in at the Blues for a season and we will have people asking why we didn't invest more in him, but at the end of the day he didn't want to play for us and I suspect his ambition was always to be at one of the bigger and showy club.
Malthouse is kidding himself if he thinks he has the link to finals in him, how times have changed when Malthouse was at WC Jones would have been one of the first players he would have put up for a trade.
If he didn't want to be in our jumper then good riddance.

[westdog54]

Given that his most recent form was the VFL Grand Final, I would argue with this statement.

During that last quarter when the ball came in very quickly (and regularly) giving the defenders very little time to get organised Jones was a powerful focal point. I also loved his confidence in taking that hurried, set longshot before the Hawks tall timber could get to the goal square. The one thing that I thought he always lacked was the second/third effort after his initial effort was unsuccessful, and I thought his efforts when he didn't actually have the ball were non existent. Shame he couldn't have taken a leaf out of Jack Redpath's book here. Without the ball Redpath shepherds, bulldozes, tackles and intimidates. Watch the replay if you can, there's a couple of hawks caught frozen like rabbits in a headlights glare as Jack approaches at high speed, his intent clear.

If Mick can get some extra off ball effort from Liam Jones, and Carlton can get the ball to him quickly, we will regret seeing him go. I just hope he doesn't finally demonstrate his true potential when playing against us.

Whilst at the same time completely ignoring Dickson who was 20 metres clear leading toward the goal square.

The reason it was a hurried shot was because he wasn't confident of getting the trip without an empty goal square.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

IMO the loss of Jones was made worse when we got Boyd. He then could have been that 2nd forward and it would have worked wonders for him.

In saying that though i don't believe he will have a long and consistent career. He doesn't have the mental ability for it

[Twodogs]

IMO the loss of Jones was made worse when we got Boyd. He then could have been that 2nd forward and it would have worked wonders for him.

In saying that though i don't believe he will have a long and consistent career. He doesn't have the mental ability for it


Agree strongly. Jones was very poorly advised by his management when he upped sticks and went to Carlton. He would have been better off staying with us and playing second banana alongside Tom Boyd. It's hard to see who takes pressure of him at Carlton. Carlton have tall forwards but they are rubbish.

[bornadog]

Agree strongly. Jones was very poorly advised by his management when he upped sticks and went to Carlton. He would have been better off staying with us and playing second banana alongside Tom Boyd. It's hard to see who takes pressure of him at Carlton. Carlton have tall forwards but they are rubbish.

nah he would have been trying to take hangers over Boyd. :D

[F'scary]

Same here. It's done but I will watch his progress next season with interest.

The most likely outcome will be a season similar to his last 3 seasons with us. For sure, there will be a couple of games where everyone says he has arrived but there will be more games where he goes missing and then gets dropped to the reserves. Carton have Waite, Menzel, Kruezer, Henderson and Casboult also vying for a maximum of 3 tall forward positions. With that amount of competition Jones will not be afforded the luxury of being gifted game after game until he "comes good."

[boydogs]

Carton have Waite, Menzel, Kruezer, Henderson and Casboult also vying for a maximum of 3 tall forward positions

Waite's gone to North, Menzel's not tall (186). They reckon Kreuzer will play as a forward in 2015 though, maybe Henderson goes back but it still leaves Jones competing with Casboult. I would probably go with Casboult, bigger body who imposes himself on the contest more

[F'scary]

Waite's gone to North, Menzel's not tall (186). They reckon Kreuzer will play as a forward in 2015 though, maybe Henderson goes back but it still leaves Jones competing with Casboult. I would probably go with Casboult, bigger body who imposes himself on the contest more

Waite - you are correct! How could I have forgotten? Menzel is a marking forward and will offer Jones stiff competition for a FP position.

[LostDoggy]

nah he would have been trying to take hangers over Boyd. :D
On his chest!!!! ;)
Never have I ever seen him with the outstretched dukes.Shows a lack of confidence in his own ability let alone the ability to compete AT ALL!!!!!

[LostDoggy]

Waite - you are correct! How could I have forgotten? Menzel is a marking forward and will offer Jones stiff competition for a FP position.

I think Tricky Micky might just have everyone fooled and has found Jones calling at KPB,his talent has been wasted for years at the Dogs in the F50!;)

[Twodogs]

I can remember only to well the few times we he played in defence for us.

[bulldogtragic]

I can remember only to well the few times we he played in defence for us.

Better or worse than when Fevola was played in defence?

[Twodogs]

Better or worse than when Fevola was played in defence?


Not as funny.

[bulldogtragic]

Not as funny.

No wonder my mind has erased any memory of it then. At least he could've hugged every 22 opponents after the game with a big smile.

In something like seriousness, he thinks hitting the gym is going to address things... His issues are far beyond fitness. He's played footy for nearly 20 years and still runs under the ball. He still has marking issues, and his kicking still needs improvement. Macca said his issue wasn't fitness or working up the ground, it was his willingness to work back which he seemed unwilling to do despite years of instruction at the club. If he blossoms into a player then good luck, but he's a 50/50 proposition which isn't 'bargain' territory. And for him personally, if he thought WBFC fans were critical and Macca was mean, then he's about to get a life lesson about the cheaters grass not being as green on the other side.

[Greystache]

I don't understand why some people are so upset Jones left and fear he'll go onto big things at Carlton.

Jones has some tools, being tall, quick, and decent hands, but he has some huge limitations in that he was the unfittest player at the club year after year, struggles to read the play, can't handle physical contact, and lacks a competitive spirit.

He showed some glimpses of potential but he's had a mountain of chances and doesn't have what it takes to take them. He reminds me of Andrew McDougall, a nice athlete who you think will one day make it but doesn't. From memory we paid about what Carlton did for Jones and neither team benefited much from the deal.

[bulldogtragic]

I don't understand why some people are so upset Jones left and fear he'll go onto big things at Carlton.

Jones has some tools, being tall, quick, and decent hands, but he has some huge limitations in that he was the unfittest player at the club year after year, struggles to read the play, can't handle physical contact, and lacks a competitive spirit.

He showed some glimpses of potential but he's had a mountain of chances and doesn't have what it takes to take them. He reminds me of Andrew McDougall, a nice athlete who you think will one day make it but doesn't. From memory we paid about what Carlton did for Jones and neither team benefited much from the deal.

My initial thought was you're a bit harsh here Ricky, but upon thinking about it Doogs kicked more in a season than Jones has from memory. So it's probably more than fair. Apt even. I think we downgraded a pick to get Doogs in the Aker deal from memory iirc.

[AndrewP6]

He's played footy for nearly 20 years and still runs under the ball. He still has marking issues, and his kicking still needs improvement.

20? Was he nominated for Toddler Of The Year? :D

[hujsh]

20? Was he nominated for Toddler Of The Year? :D

Not all at AFL level. Auskick onwards

[bulldogtragic]

20? Was he nominated for Toddler Of The Year? :D

Probably, I imagine he was a big kid... :)

What I was meaning is that he's always run under the ball and I can't imagine it started when he was drafted. So my guess is he's always been doing it as a junior, perhaps he was so good against spud junior footballers like me it didn't matter. My further guess is he's been told before and not fixed it. Certainly sounded to me like Macca was hoping the penny would fall by years end... Now neither is with us so we will never know I guess.

For clarity, I hoped either he would stay on a basic offer or a pick 32-38. I think it's the latter, more the compo being a tad under rather than him leaving. The former is the animal instinct of even though I don't want it, I don't want others to have it. In my heart of hearts, him picking Carlton makes no sense to me.

[Twodogs]

Yep. Out of all of this whole thing the one thing that will never make any sense to me is why he chose Carlton to go to.

[Greystache]

Probably, I imagine he was a big kid... :)

What I was meaning is that he's always run under the ball and I can't imagine it started when he was drafted. So my guess is he's always been doing it as a junior, perhaps he was so good against spud junior footballers like me it didn't matter. My further guess is he's been told before and not fixed it. Certainly sounded to me like Macca was hoping the penny would fall by years end... Now neither is with us so we will never know I guess.

I have a theory that he runs under the ball at AFL level because he doesn't like the physical contact from his opponent if he holds his ground and tries to mark it.

He has no problem judging it in the air when he has the sit and can have a free jump at it, but when he has to stop and prop and compete for the mark, suddenly he seems to lose all ability to judge the flight. It's just another example of him only wanting to do the easy things and avoiding the hard stuff. No forward particularly enjoys having defenders banging into them, and everyone would love to have a perfect run at the ball every time, but AFL footy isn't meant to be easy and if you don't want do the things your team needs then you'll find yourself out of the team (or at another club), just as Jones has.

[LostDoggy]

Yep. Out of all of this whole thing the one thing that will never make any sense to me is why he chose Carlton to go to.

He probably looked at the List Of Incoming Offers and decided between Carlton, Carlton or Carlton.

I think Jones is a lot like Higgins in that everybody is afraid he's going to turn into a superstar and make us look stupid. We are like the partner cheated on or neglected who has no self esteem and thinks it's better to settle for less than be alone. It's the same mode of thinking.

Bontempelli, Boyd, Stringer. Who is Jones?

[F'scary]

I have a theory that he runs under the ball at AFL level because he doesn't like the physical contact from his opponent if he holds his ground and tries to mark it.

He has no problem judging it in the air when he has the sit and can have a free jump at it, but when he has to stop and prop and compete for the mark, suddenly he seems to lose all ability to judge the flight. It's just another example of him only wanting to do the easy things and avoiding the hard stuff. No forward particularly enjoys having defenders banging into them, and everyone would love to have a perfect run at the ball every time, but AFL footy isn't meant to be easy and if you don't want do the things your team needs then you'll find yourself out of the team (or at another club), just as Jones has.

I won't disagree with you because of the ease in which smaller opponents outmuscled him in many of his worst matches but in addition I think he just doesn't read the play very well. Not good at anticipating - and that can't be taught.

[LostDoggy]

Dosn't look like he wants to be any more phsyical in any contested situation then his new coach Pricky Micky wants to be at a press conference answering journo's questions after a loss.

[F'scary]

Dosn't look like he wants to be any more phsyical in any contested situation then his new coach Pricky Micky wants to be at a press conference answering journo's questions after a loss.

As the Yanks say, "pop corn time."