Brian Harris - Gaining confidence with each passing season?

[BulldogBelle]

Well what is not to like about Brian Harris. He has made Full Back his own little cave and with each passing year he seems to get more cofident in his stressful role minding all those full forwards.

He has curbed his aggression after a few tribunal visits of a few years back and just goes about his job now. At times he loses concentration but I feel he has improved on this in the last few years.

[hujsh]

Well what is not to like about Brian Harris. He has made Full Back his own little cave and with each passing year he seems to get more cofident in his stressful role minding all those full forwards.

He has curbed his aggression after a few tribunal visits of a few years back and just goes about his job now. At times he loses concentration but I feel he has improved on this in the last few years.

Yeah he's really come along nicely. The challenge for him now is to replicate, or improve, his form again. This was a real breakout year for him. :)

[westdog54]

Well what is not to like about Brian Harris. He has made Full Back his own little cave and with each passing year he seems to get more cofident in his stressful role minding all those full forwards.

He has curbed his aggression after a few tribunal visits of a few years back and just goes about his job now. At times he loses concentration but I feel he has improved on this in the last few years.

I remember a line in an article about him after the Collingwood game where he gave up some early ground to Anthony Rocca. It was something along the lines of he could "fall asleep on the rub-down table on grand final day", such was his alertness/relaxedness (I'm not even sure if that's a word).

I think his decision making with ball in hand can really let him down sometimes, which is a shame because he's the best contested mark at the club and knows how to get his hands on the ball from virtually anywhere.

[Go_Dogs]

I thought Harris had a fantastic season, and should definitely be regarded as one of the competitions premier full backs based on it, and one more year of the same will ensure he is.

[Dogs 24/7]

I thought Harris had a fantastic season, and should definitely be regarded as one of the competitions premier full backs based on it, and one more year of the same will ensure he is.

The real question is if he can back up a good season with another as good or even a bit better. I have some slight doubts that he can go to another level as a footballer

[CraigW]

Can you see him ever getting All Australian honours at Full Back?

[hujsh]

Can you see him ever getting All Australian honours at Full Back?

He wouldn't be far off now that he has done the initial good year like what Gilbee had

[Dogs 24/7]

Can you see him ever getting All Australian honours at Full Back?


Does it really matter if he ever get All Australian selection ? Its a nice to have.

[LostDoggy]

Not with Glass , Scarlett and Mcpharlin playing.....

[hujsh]

Does it really matter if he ever get All Australian selection ? Its a nice to have.

I think it gives clubs pride to be able to say we had this many All-Australians he/they is a good player.

[LostDoggy]

Who cares about individual honours, its a team game and the aim is the premeirship not All Australia FB, Brownlow, etc.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I have no doubt that Harris will only get better in 2008.

Even though he won the best and fairest I dont think he yet full understands how good a player he can be. And I am unsure whether he yet has full confidence in himself to be a really dominant AFL player.

I see him as being certainly capable of matching the impact of the other full backs named. He is perhaps not as nimble as Glass, but he is a better kick, and perhaps better overhead. Scarlett is definitely more attacking and more creative, but perhaps not as good as shutting down his man, also he looks like he reached his peak a few years a go and is tailing off - not dramatically but I think his best footy is behind him. Whilst not having the highlights tape of McPharlin I think Harris has turned in 2-3 more high impact consistent seasons than the Docker.

[hujsh]

Whilst not having the highlights tape of McPharlin I think Harris has turned in 2-3 more high impact consistent seasons than the Docker.

He was a forward untill halfway through 2006. His move coincided with Freo's charge up the ladder

[dog town]

I have no doubt that Harris will only get better in 2008.

Even though he won the best and fairest I dont think he yet full understands how good a player he can be. And I am unsure whether he yet has full confidence in himself to be a really dominant AFL player.

I see him as being certainly capable of matching the impact of the other full backs named. He is perhaps not as nimble as Glass, but he is a better kick, and perhaps better overhead. Scarlett is definitely more attacking and more creative, but perhaps not as good as shutting down his man, also he looks like he reached his peak a few years a go and is tailing off - not dramatically but I think his best footy is behind him. Harris averaged identical disposal numbers to Scarlett but had more contested marks so his creativity and ability to attack has definetly improved to the point where it is a real weapon. The part where I disagree with you slightly is that I believe he has to get better at shutting down his man consistently to be in the class of a Scarlett. He can take down a big name one week then cough up 3 or 4 goals to a fringe player the next week.

I am very pleased with the way he has developed into a player who can leave his man and take contested marks in defence. I hope that our other developing talls can follow his lead and really use Harris as the main piece in creating a sensational tall and mobile back 6.

[hujsh]

Harris averaged identical disposal numbers to Scarlett but had more contested marks so his creativity and ability to attack has definetly improved to the point where it is a real weapon. The part where I disagree with you slightly is that I believe he has to get better at shutting down his man consistently to be in the class of a Scarlett. He can take down a big name one week then cough up 3 or 4 goals to a fringe player the next week.

I am very pleased with the way he has developed into a player who can leave his man and take contested marks in defence. I hope that our other developing talls can follow his lead and really use Harris as the main piece in creating a sensational tall and mobile back 6.

I think Scarlett is more creative with the ball than Harris. Scarlett will run and carry the ball more and fulfill the quarterback role that gets mentioned in the media. Harris is more happy to kick short

[BulldogBelle]

He can take down a big name one week then cough up 3 or 4 goals to a fringe player the next week.

This is the only thing that worries me about Harris exactly when that scenario occurs. He can be fantastic one week and then follow it up with a mass of goals kicked on him. He has improved in this area but at times it is frustrating to watch. All in all, he is good value and he will further improve.

[Mantis]

This is the only thing that worries me about Harris exactly when that scenario occurs. He can be fantastic one week and then follow it up with a mass of goals kicked on him. He has improved in this area but at times it is frustrating to watch. All in all, he is good value and he will further improve.

I can remember a thread a while back posted by mjp about this very subject. His main focus was how confident we would be in Harris performing in a crucial game, none bigger than a grand final. Would we get the ultra confident Harris who can outplay the best forwards in the comp. or the uneasy defender who can give up multiple goals against the lesser likes such as the game versus the Kangaroos last year in which Petrie gave him a towelling.

Harris is improving, but the brain fades still give us cause for concern. Until his consistency improves we cannot place Harris in the elite defenders of the competition category, but he is getting there. Lets hope 08 is another step in the right direction.

[BulldogBelle]

Would we get the ultra confident Harris who can outplay the best forwards in the comp. or the uneasy defender who can give up multiple goals against the lesser likes such as the game versus the Kangaroos last year in which Petrie gave him a towelling.

That game I was so dissapointed in his performance and remember thinking Brian you can do better than that. There was a reason for that if I recall he had stomach cramps and wasn't feeling well? He got better in the second half but by then the damage was already done.



Harris is improving, but the brain fades still give us cause for concern. Until his consistency improves we cannot place Harris in the elite defenders of the competition category, but he is getting there. Lets hope 08 is another step in the right direction.

Agreed with what you have written above he still has a little work to do, but he is improving.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Harris averaged identical disposal numbers to Scarlett but had more contested marks so his creativity and ability to attack has definetly improved to the point where it is a real weapon. The part where I disagree with you slightly is that I believe he has to get better at shutting down his man consistently to be in the class of a Scarlett. He can take down a big name one week then cough up 3 or 4 goals to a fringe player the next week.

I am very pleased with the way he has developed into a player who can leave his man and take contested marks in defence. I hope that our other developing talls can follow his lead and really use Harris as the main piece in creating a sensational tall and mobile back 6.

I think thats a fair call on Harris Dog Town with respect to him consistently allowing less goals, but I'm unsure whether Scarlett actually locks down opposition forwards anymore or whether he is given easier assignments and allowed to float across half back, seems to me that Harley and Egan get more of the nire lock down roles nowadays. I cant fully remember but didn't Scarlett get Westhoff in the grand final?

[wimberga]

Would it be fair to say that Harris is a bit like Cooney, as on there day they are some of the Elite players of the AFL. Its just there Consistency that holds them back from that status?

[hujsh]

Would it be fair to say that Harris is a bit like Cooney, as on there day they are some of the Elite players of the AFL. Its just there Consistency that holds them back from that status?

That's pretty true. They suffer from different types of inconsistency though. Harris doesn't always focus and Cooney struggles to break a good tag

[Mantis]

That game I was so dissapointed in his performance and remember thinking Brian you can do better than that. There was a reason for that if I recall he had stomach cramps and wasn't feeling well? He got better in the second half but by then the damage was already done.



No, he was feeling ok. I was lucky enough to speak to Eade after that game he he told me that Harris was not ill, he just didn't turn up to play.

[hujsh]

No, he was feeling ok. I was lucky enough to speak to Eade after that game he he told me that Harris was not ill, he just didn't turn up to play.

I think that was said in the media as well but my memory is a bit hazy. I've tried to block that game out of my mind

[BulldogBelle]

No, he was feeling ok. I was lucky enough to speak to Eade after that game he he told me that Harris was not ill, he just didn't turn up to play.

Ok, well if that was the case - this is definitely something he has to work on being focussed and ready to play for each match. He still has some improving to do but he will get there. :)

[dog town]

I think thats a fair call on Harris Dog Town with respect to him consistently allowing less goals, but I'm unsure whether Scarlett actually locks down opposition forwards anymore or whether he is given easier assignments and allowed to float across half back, seems to me that Harley and Egan get more of the nire lock down roles nowadays. I cant fully remember but didn't Scarlett get Westhoff in the grand final? Yeah your probably right with all of that but we also gave Harris some cruisier roles at times this season. Scarlett has certainly been deliberately freed up by the cats. I think he played on Tredrea but dont quote me on that. May well have played on Westhoff.