bondiblue wrote:
Sidefx wrote:
I agree we have differing opinions on Ollie.
I won't change your mind and you won't change mine.
Once again, happy to be proven wrong about him.............the clock is ticking though.
Geez it was hard to respond like that.
Can we work out another way.


I saw my response on my mobile and thought the response in yellow against the dark blue with faded lettering looked a mess.
I actually came in to space it out, make it more friendly to the eye. Then of all colours you highlight your response in green.
Agree there's a better way. How about this:
Ollie looked light in the midfield when tried there 2 years ago, but did give us some drive. He was too light on for a mid role at 20yo. Maybe he's still too light but there's no denying he's doing something about it in the gym.
He has missed targets, but so does everyone. You can't hang a kid (ie kill him) over one kick that highlights the "team's issue".
Curnow wasn't responsible for all our losses, but he could have won games for us if he kicked straight. He missed a lot of easy shots as did other forwards. We missed a lot of easy set shots at goal this year. Too many. Forwards had their chances. They didn't take them. Small forwards were putrid. At times we had 5 of them playing.
We have enough candidates for the wing. Some will miss selection. I prefer Ollie on a wing and don't want him filling holes in defence. He's a running machine, a two way runner, like Cottrell and Acres, and his effective kicks are just fine. No wingman is perfect. Langdon had a shit year in 2025. But he's also an know to be an AA. He was was traded to Dees in his fifth year of footy. That's when he blossomed and we all took note. Players do improve. Maybe Ollie can. I know he's played great games and you have acknowledged that, but when he misses a target (like all other players), you love to make a song and dance. His bombing forward isnt and wasnt exclusive to Ollie. Bombing has been the norm, and looks like its dobne under instruction. Maybe with that statue with his hand up in the air going to the Swans will improve our forward entries.
If Chesser pushes out Ollie I will eat my words.
I believe a champion team will beat a team of champions. Not everyone has to be a star. Ollie, if you consider him peripheral then he goes well for a peripheral player. Shouldnt expect a peripheral player to be a star in any team. Just do theoir role. Not sure where we will find a star to replace him other than our No1 pick Walsh and our No 3 pick Smith, but they are mids.
Back to list management. We WILL draft Dean (developing KPD), and Ison (developing HF/mid) and have 2 more spots. What I'm saying is it's not going to be a wingman, not because we have ample mids and Walsh and smith can play there, but because we have ample players to play HB and wing roles. We will be targeting a KPD and .....best available? small forward? Mid? developing KPF? definitely not a wingman. Wing aint a problem for us. Ditto next year. IMO. I don't believe for a minute Ollie wont be in our best 23 week in week out, and I will be surprised if its in defense this year.
Much better.
Sorry just catching up on the threads.
I don't disagree with most of that, except the song and dance part and him not playing defence in 2026.
But I'll call out shit kicking every day of the week, no matter the player.
Ollie is a safe kick and until he fixes that he will cop flak from me, especially when he f's them up.
His biggest issue is he is not damaging forward of centre, Langdon is.
My reference to our teams issue of ball movement forward of centre is not a shot at Ollie other than the suggestion that he can somehow be a part of fixing it.
At some point you need to call a spade a spade and Ollie is a great 2 way runner, heavily defensive in his playing style and to me is a good B grade player.
Having him run out of the back pocket and filling holes up and down the ground seems to work best for him and the team and that is his best role.
Not something we need for a wing to level up our ball movement going forwards IMO.
Especially when you take into account our midfields speed and forwards ball movement as it currently is (which I am hoping gets a massive shake up this off season with the new additions).
I also really doubt any coach would advocate bombing the ball into their forward line as a form of attack, even in country footy no one does that intentionally unless it is pissing down with rain and still then passing up open targets to bomb is frowned upon.
For me our wings, mids, half forwards and smalls all need to step up next season, that was our issue this year and hopefully with all the talent that has been added in those areas we will see some exciting and damaging ball movement.