Mofra
05-04-2017, 10:36 AM
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/liam-pickens-last-quarter-heroics-may-become-the-most-watched-piece-of-vision-this-afl-season/news-story/0f1c48540336360277e2c618ba165b3f
(Vision in link)
IT WASN’T flamboyant.
And it won’t dominate the highlights reel.
But Liam Picken’s gut running in the final quarter against the Swans may be the most replayed piece of vision this AFL season.
With the Western Bulldogs trailing by two points after three consecutive Sydney majors, Picken ran the length of the field to set up teammate Marcus Bontempelli for a game-defining goal.
It was tough, gritty and selfless — everything that Picken has come to represent.
And it hasn’t gone unnoticed, with St Kilda coach Alan Richardson praising Picken’s gut-busting heroics.
“It’s certainly the type of moment you’d reference to,” Richardson told AFL 360.
“It’s late in the game, everyone has worked extremely hard, he’s probably up to 14 or 15 kilometres of work that he’s already done.
“For the good of the team, he’s reset really aggressively so they’ve got something to kick to. It was very impressive.”
Dual North Melbourne premiership player David King suggested the Western Bulldogs would use the vision throughout the year to not only inspire its players, but remind them of the actions that win matches.
“This will be the most watched piece of vision at the Western Bulldogs for the year,” King told On The Couch.
“They’ll trace back to this whenever they go through a form slump or look for reasons why things aren’t working.
“It will come back to that passage of play.”
Few players enhance their credentials after 150 games.
But Picken has become the exception.
The 30-year-old had his best year to date in 2016 — some nine years after he was drafted. And symptomatic of the Western Bulldogs, his form in September was electric.
Only teammate Jason Johannisen and Swans pair Isaac Heeney and Josh Kennedy were judged to have a better finals campaign than Picken, who polled 14 votes in the inaugural Gary Ayres Award.
Richardson said Picken’s form had followed him into the new year.
“It’s as impressive as a play at the moment in terms of winning contests,” Richardson said.
“He was one of their best finals players. Whenever the ball went forward last year, late, he won it, irrespective of size and shape of the opposition.
“He has continued on this year. He’s in good nick.”
(Vision in link)
IT WASN’T flamboyant.
And it won’t dominate the highlights reel.
But Liam Picken’s gut running in the final quarter against the Swans may be the most replayed piece of vision this AFL season.
With the Western Bulldogs trailing by two points after three consecutive Sydney majors, Picken ran the length of the field to set up teammate Marcus Bontempelli for a game-defining goal.
It was tough, gritty and selfless — everything that Picken has come to represent.
And it hasn’t gone unnoticed, with St Kilda coach Alan Richardson praising Picken’s gut-busting heroics.
“It’s certainly the type of moment you’d reference to,” Richardson told AFL 360.
“It’s late in the game, everyone has worked extremely hard, he’s probably up to 14 or 15 kilometres of work that he’s already done.
“For the good of the team, he’s reset really aggressively so they’ve got something to kick to. It was very impressive.”
Dual North Melbourne premiership player David King suggested the Western Bulldogs would use the vision throughout the year to not only inspire its players, but remind them of the actions that win matches.
“This will be the most watched piece of vision at the Western Bulldogs for the year,” King told On The Couch.
“They’ll trace back to this whenever they go through a form slump or look for reasons why things aren’t working.
“It will come back to that passage of play.”
Few players enhance their credentials after 150 games.
But Picken has become the exception.
The 30-year-old had his best year to date in 2016 — some nine years after he was drafted. And symptomatic of the Western Bulldogs, his form in September was electric.
Only teammate Jason Johannisen and Swans pair Isaac Heeney and Josh Kennedy were judged to have a better finals campaign than Picken, who polled 14 votes in the inaugural Gary Ayres Award.
Richardson said Picken’s form had followed him into the new year.
“It’s as impressive as a play at the moment in terms of winning contests,” Richardson said.
“He was one of their best finals players. Whenever the ball went forward last year, late, he won it, irrespective of size and shape of the opposition.
“He has continued on this year. He’s in good nick.”