thoughts on his game on friday? he made a couple of errors yes, but was good to see he was on in the last quarter when the game was in the balance, great experience for the kid, does the 1% so well i think he will be a good winger for us and has the speed exactly what we need,

obviously reasonably tall and athletic, but looks a bit scared to me.

Reminds of Sam Power when he came into the league. He needs some good caoching to reach his potential

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Go Blues

I've just posted this in the "Changes" thread....should've been in here.

Notwithstanding his age and lack of experience; I'm a a bit worried that Russell doesn't seem to have any inbuilt footy smarts for a Pick 9 Draftee.

Hindsight yes; but Monfries at pick 14 in the same draft (also from Adelaide) seems to be a very special talent.

I'll get rubbished for not supporting the kid; but it's just an observation.

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At this stage of his football career - I'd have to agree with you Warby- It may be just a confidence thing as Monfries has been allowed to play ever since game one - Russell hasn't had the chances that Monfires has had

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Physically he looks fantastic, a few years and he'll be built like Lenny Hayes. I don't have any queries over his courage, I'm not totally sold on his abilty yet, but I'm led to believe this is a confidence thing. In about 2 years all of these kids are going to come on at once and supporters wont know what hit them.

As an aside, check out this BF thread from mid 2003. Cats supporters unhappy with their season to date, questioning player's futures, outlining who should be traded etc. They were in a similar situation to us, a stack of highly rated teenagers and a bunch of journeymen senior players who weren't getting the job done. James Bartel's name comes up a fair bit as underperforming trade bait, hopefully history repeats itself with this thread.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthrea ... mes+bartel

Mostly agree.
RE footy smarts, this week he did present fairly well and was rewarded with passes from his teamates. When he got the ball he didn't hesitate too much in finding a quick option. His disposal on a couple of occasions was way off target but I'd like to think with a bit more experience & confidence he'll hit his targets.
He does look shaky at times atm but he has kept his position in a couple of physical clashes and taken the hit and gotten on with the job which is very pleasing.
I hope he retains his spot in the seniors and continues making progress and finding his feet.

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There's so much I could say...

The more we see of Russell the more we seem to be a little more impressed. Especially so after the famous 5 minute game he got in 2005.

At first he was rated as kid who could get the ball who was blessed with great disposal skills. This was at a time (2004) when Carlton were desperate to find improvement in skill and honed in on skilled players like him instead of the other 60 choices.

He looks eager rather than timid to me. Great size now, so there's more to look forward in his development. Given he has natural ability with disposal, his clangers were probably much to do with experience in the faster tempo game and confidence ( Ist game nerves? He has yet to play 100 minutes of football).

He's got the spot in the 22 and now others have to earn his spot and he loses it. He hasn't done much wrong for a kid who has played less than 100 minutes of footy in his 3 games.

I was with jimmae that he hadn't earned the position and it gave the wrong message. But he's here now. The more we see of him, as we did in the Ants last year, the more he will blossom, and the more we'll be impressed.

2006 is the year of the kids.

With Russell, Kennedy will join him very soon. Add Hartlett (injured), who IMO looked destined to be there at the beginning of the year, Bower, Blackwell and Setanta. Thats a lot of height and pace. By the second half of the year most of these kids will have found their feet and will be there if we are at the bottom of the ladder.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Yeah agree with that seems that he is trying too hard if he relaxes a little which will come with more game time i reckon he will look alot better.

He's beginning to get a feel of the game, and that's good to see.

I don't like that he was dropped in the pre-season because he had put his hand up in a big way until then so I figured it was an issue of not doing what was required. Looking at all the one percenters, team things and reading back on assessments of his personality (shy, withdrawn and naturally an introvert) it would seem he was just rotated through and his confidence was shot as a result.

Did his form prior to selection last week warrant his return to AFL footy? No.

Did anyone elses form warrant their selection first? Maybe.

Was it far more likely that any other runner selected before him would have been one of our journeyman and they would have performed only slightly better in terms of possessions? You bet.

In the end it looks like they made the right choice and Russell is becoming less of a passenger with each game. He took being rotated out of the pre-season team badly and is getting back on track. Onya Jordy.

Without having seen much of him, our tendancy to draft 187cm flankers has bombed over the last decade.
Lets give him the rest of the year to see if hes gonna make it.
He seems to be a bit timid, but lets remember Simmos first 3 games.
Monfries was highly rated but we seem reluctant to take small types (except MM) anywhere near the first round.

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Too Legit to quit.

only notable thing he did all night was cost carlton a goal from shocking disposal.
some people on this thread are digging in search of china.
needs to be dropped.

May be just me but when i saw him he looked like simon Fletcher..........I got scared for a minute.......


Ok its just me

I agree!

Lets bring in Teague, Chambers, Prendergast, Sporn or Wiggins because their skills are dynamite and they're players of the future.

Do you even look at the big picture or do you like bagging our young players?

I think he's more likely to improve and pick up the speed of the game with more gametime in the firsts than the seconds.

And we all know he was the reason we lost last week!

If only we had a Goddard, Wells or Ray so we could drop Houlihan!

Apart from Walkers debut he looked frantic at times throughout the last couple of years too.

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I don't agree he should be dropped at all.

He'll never come on in the twos.

Our future lies with the kids; and he's only 19.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

a couple of notes:

Monfries is a smart player but a little short-arse who does all his work at the minute around half-forward. Murphy's already a bigger body than Monfries. I wouldn't get overly excited about Monfries just yet, unless he builds up his legs and hips heaps, and can run and run all day (doesn't do it yet)

Russell isn't the same kind of 187cm flanker as the Massies of the past. Whereas those blokes were talls who never grew, and not quick, Russell is a genuine winger/flanker who is really quick. He's the only kind of flanker you WOULD draft.

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Very good post T for D. Agree with a lot of posters who state that Russell was not dominant at VFL level, BUT ,he did show glimpses at VFL.You could instantly recognise the abundant pace and dash.The necessary attributes for the AFL,and that is why it was a good move to promote him.Gotta give this kid at least a couple of more senior games.Russell has the pace and balance,and if he can develop the poise,watch out.

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All my dangerous friends

More importantly he wasn't afraid to back himself and take them on last week by having a shot on the run from 50!

When have Massie and Sporn done that in their time at Carlton?

He still needs to do a lot or work with his game but it's a good sign nonetheless. I am looking forward to the day when Hartlett and Russell are picked in the one match. At least Hartlett would have come in and defended Russell more than his Captain did last week!

Personally... and this is just my humble opinion, but I wouldn't be waiting on Hartlett.... I don't reckon he has that much upstairs to be a top player.

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Love Cricket? Love me

Russell should try to get some confidence (and game time) in the Ants and make another tilt at it in a few weeks. He will lose match fitness if he plays twenty minutes a game. Will be be dropped for mine, if only to get a full game.
FWIW I think he doesn't deserve the chances he's had.