Grant Thomas comments on Kosi

[WellardSaint]

Footy Classified "Kosi has had one good preseason in 10 years...70-90% professionalism...I told him several times while I was coach...unable to embrace correct lifestyle during preseason...if he was more professional, the Saints would have gotten immeasurably more out of him..." scathing assessment!

[Turbo]

Tommo's a Saints man thru and thru, and I expect this is just a gee up to keep Kosi firing.

[WinnersOnly]

Footy Classified "Kosi has had one good preseason in 10 years...70-90% professionalism...I told him several times while I was coach...unable to embrace correct lifestyle during preseason...if he was more professional, the Saints would have gotten immeasurably more out of him..." scathing assessment!

Even so Kosi has always been an under performer considering the money he has been on...

[SainterK]

As I said elsewhere, Grant Thomas is welcome to his opinion, but as much as he would have us convinced otherwise....he no longer was relevant or privy to how guys like Milne and Kosi operate, how they prepare, how they are regarded internally...

He hasn't coached them since 2006, hate to be obvious, but that's 6 long years ago.

It provokes discussion, but it's too long ago now to be relevant surely?

Only matters what Watters thinks of them.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/i ... 1qlsm.html

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default ... sid=126829

[mr six o'clock]

Footy Classified "Kosi has had one good preseason in 10 years...70-90% professionalism...I told him several times while I was coach...unable to embrace correct lifestyle during preseason...if he was more professional, the Saints would have gotten immeasurably more out of him..." scathing assessment!

Not scathing , just true !
Kosi has played some fantastic games for us over the years however most of his games have been average !
He is not alone , allot of players fit into this categorie .

[The Redeemer]

Footy Classified "Kosi has had one good preseason in 10 years...70-90% professionalism...I told him several times while I was coach...unable to embrace correct lifestyle during preseason...if he was more professional, the Saints would have gotten immeasurably more out of him..." scathing assessment!

Not scathing , just true !
Kosi has played some fantastic games for us over the years however most of his games have been average !
He is not alone , allot of players fit into this categorie .

Do we all realise the position that Kosi is playing is one of the more difficult positions on the park? We should actually be thankful and happy we have someone to play the position in the first place as many teams do not have a player that can play key forward and play in the ruck/as a rover.

He goes forward and plays third fiddle to Riewoldt and Milne (although changing gradually I think). He is certainly not the focal point of an attack that he easily could be in other side however he is still market really highly against the output (goals) of say Riewoldt and Milne. he does not and will continue to not get the supply that others get.

As a ruckman he is more than serviceable. As a ruck-rover he is pretty useful too.

So essentially he is playing (and is capable of playing to an above average level) two positions on the football field at the same time. Yet we mark him as if he is just a key forward or a ruck? Be fair.

How many ruckmen actually go the forward line and have shown ability over such a long period of time to kick goals? Not too many.....

[Thinline]

A while back I had reason to chat at length to GC ruck/fwd Charlie Dixon about his intro to the game. He mentioned that before he started out at the Suns a mutual friend had hooked he and Kozi up so Dixon could have a yarn to him about what to expect when he started out. Dixon (who I think also wears 23 now that I think of it) said he came away from that meeting completely overwhelmed at what Kozi put himself thru week in and week out to prepare. Few if any stones left unturned. Food weighed. Everything catalogued. Constant testing. Now things may have changed under Lyon, of course, and Thommo may be writing from an historical perspective, but not sure ol' GT is necessarily full bottle on this one...

[noddy04]

Footy Classified "Kosi has had one good preseason in 10 years...70-90% professionalism...I told him several times while I was coach...unable to embrace correct lifestyle during preseason...if he was more professional, the Saints would have gotten immeasurably more out of him..." scathing assessment!

Even so Kosi has always been an under performer considering the money he has been on...

How much is he on? Do you know his contract terms? Do you any other players contract terms?

[defacto]

A while back I had reason to chat at length to GC ruck/fwd Charlie Dixon about his intro to the game. He mentioned that before he started out at the Suns a mutual friend had hooked he and Kozi up so Dixon could have a yarn to him about what to expect when he started out. Dixon (who I think also wears 23 now that I think of it) said he came away from that meeting completely overwhelmed at what Kozi put himself thru week in and week out to prepare. Few if any stones left unturned. Food weighed. Everything catalogued. Constant testing. Now things may have changed under Lyon, of course, and Thommo may be writing from an historical perspective, but not sure ol' GT is necessarily full bottle on this one...

i think you're right. i'd say he's basing his opinion from when he coached kozi.

however its a bit weird considering thomas has been welcomed back into the club, so i suspect they are sending a rocket up his ass for what ever reason

[Saint Bev]

GT rarely has a nice thing to say about us, hard to believe he is a Saints Supporter. Never got over being sacked in my book.

[SinCitySainter]

I don't doubt that Kozi works hard at his preparation now.
This year he is definately getting the rewards and playing really well.
However, it is also impossible to argue that he has been a massive disappointment for a great part of his career.
His performances have not been those of a number two draft pick, you would expect more.
I know he has suffered a lot of injuries and a lack of a preseason has often been blamed for lackluster performances.
The problem is that most players have lackluster games and even runs of games, Kozi had whle seasons.
Kozi at his best is an absolute beast and can tear sides apart but at his worst he doesn't just go missing but can actually be a liability.
I would still select him because we need his size and because he can be very dangerous.

[mad saint guy]

Interesting comments from GT and I'm sure there's plenty of truth to them. I've heard a few stories from mates about seeing Kosi out and about in the off-season, and while there's nothing malicious or incriminating, it sounds like he does like to let loose and have a good time in summer. This is obviously a perfectly normal thing to do but the highest professionals in the game wouldn't be getting themselves into the states that Kosi does.

I suspect one of the reasons he had such a good pre season this year was the influence of having to be home looking after his kid whenever he had non-footy commitments.

[Old Mate]

Kosi is a party animal

[SainterK]

Really?

I find it hard to believe he is a party animal.

LIfestyle? Like when he falls off the digger or something?

Thanks for sharing that info TL, I don't expect that the players get away with poor preperation these days.

Afterall, last time GT coached Kosi he was 24 years old.

Fair while ago.

[paddy]

Kosi has been playing good footy this year...

One of the biggest downsides to Benny Mac and Stanley going down, was i knew it would interrupt Kosi's good run, and put him into a position that he isn't suited for.

This will mess with his confidence...

I just want our talls back, and our team back to full strength!!!

[Spinner]

Has never got big in terms of muscle...

I always wondered why.

[noob]

How many top 10 finishes has kosi had in his career?

[plugger66]

Kosi has been playing good footy this year...

One of the biggest downsides to Benny Mac and Stanley going down, was i knew it would interrupt Kosi's good run, and put him into a position that he isn't suited for.

This will mess with his confidence...

I just want our talls back, and our team back to full strength!!!

We always look for excuses for him. His last 2 weeks have been poor. For some reason he looks really slow again up forward. I aint going to have a go at his performance in the ruck because he just cant ruck but when playing up forward he has struggled.

[Teflon]

Kosi has been playing good footy this year...

One of the biggest downsides to Benny Mac and Stanley going down, was i knew it would interrupt Kosi's good run, and put him into a position that he isn't suited for.

This will mess with his confidence...

I just want our talls back, and our team back to full strength!!!

We always look for excuses for him. His last 2 weeks have been poor. For some reason he looks really slow again up forward. I aint going to have a go at his performance in the ruck because he just cant ruck but when playing up forward he has struggled.

Maybe he's simply knackered from rucking?

[plugger66]

Kosi has been playing good footy this year...

One of the biggest downsides to Benny Mac and Stanley going down, was i knew it would interrupt Kosi's good run, and put him into a position that he isn't suited for.

This will mess with his confidence...

I just want our talls back, and our team back to full strength!!!

We always look for excuses for him. His last 2 weeks have been poor. For some reason he looks really slow again up forward. I aint going to have a go at his performance in the ruck because he just cant ruck but when playing up forward he has struggled.

Maybe he's simply knackered from rucking?

But the last 2 weeks he looked slow in the first quarter before he had even rucked.

[evertonfc]

Really?

I find it hard to believe he is a party animal.

LIfestyle? Like when he falls off the digger or something?

Kosi once loved a drink. He still does - hell, so do I - but he's a little more mature about when to stop these days. I'm seen him pull the pin on or before midnight a couple of times, never disgracing himself, either - which is more than some of our players.

He's a country boy, that's what they do up there...I wouldn't come down too hard on him about his socialising. I don't think it's cruelled his game. I think part of the team spirit is so strong because a lot of our guys are great mates on and off-field, and a few drinks is part of that.

It's more about his application at training and desire to improve his peak fitness that has been a point of discussion. I think he's turned a lot of it around in his final years. He'll be remembered fondly no matter how he goes from here, even if he is something of an unfulfilled talent.

As for the money he's on, I dare say we probably haven't recieved great value. He's been over $500,000 since 2005, that's an incredible amount of money. He's been loyal, but he's also been exceptionally well paid for output that has varied between outstanding and average.

[Richter]

A while back I had reason to chat at length to GC ruck/fwd Charlie Dixon about his intro to the game. He mentioned that before he started out at the Suns a mutual friend had hooked he and Kozi up so Dixon could have a yarn to him about what to expect when he started out. Dixon (who I think also wears 23 now that I think of it) said he came away from that meeting completely overwhelmed at what Kozi put himself thru week in and week out to prepare. Few if any stones left unturned. Food weighed. Everything catalogued. Constant testing. Now things may have changed under Lyon, of course, and Thommo may be writing from an historical perspective, but not sure ol' GT is necessarily full bottle on this one...

Good info TL, thanks for sharing.

However, it is also possible that you are talking about the season whilst GT is talking about the 'pre-season'? Quite possible that he puts himself through the wringer through the season and lets his hair down in between?

If so, I personally struggle to blame him... others agree...

http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/afl-news/ ... 1zs83.html

Mike Fizpatrick... sympathised with the modern player who was denied any chance of long-term travel and faced a largely regimented existence.

''I think it's got tougher,'' Fitzpatrick said. ''I personally think I would find it quite dull now - in terms of you have the terrific highs of the game and then the regimentation now the professional players go through. It's terrific they're prepared to put themselves through it.''

Not that Kosi is a Rhodes Scholar ...

[BigMart]

Agreed, strange that a few weeks ago I though Kos was finally over his ankle and moving well again... Last two weeks he looked like a statue. In fact he looked weak and clumsy along with his slowness.

I think there is a bit of truth in what GT is saying.

Kosi has never Looked absolutely fit and strong.... Especially compared to some big powerful bodies... He looks pretty lean, but not sure the point of that when your slow anyway. I think the loss of weight was to take pressure off his ankle and help his mobility. But has left him open to getting pushed off the footy again.
He has been injured a ridiculous amount, but sometimes injuries allow you time to work on your physique, has he really got the most out of his body...
It's also not hard to see a correlation between injury and fitness levels....

Xavier and Raph Clarke were to others who live in rehab groups, also underachieved and IMO never Got their bodies into the physical shape necessary to achieve their potential at AFL level.

Goddard, Dal and some others also do not have powerful bodies, and as good as they are... IMO could be even better if the trained as hard as say.... Andrew Carrazzo

This is why they are stars, but have never reached the heights or consistency of say, Judd, Ablett, Riewoldt, Lenny, Selwood....others...who are the absolute elite

Talent is one thing.... Using every ounce of talent is another

Another example
T.Lockett.... He was a freak, who I honestly believe.... Underachieved.. At STK. Really, he was fat. if he had the application of S.Loewe (who was a monster) he would have been even better.... Imagine that!

[Richter]

On Kosi's form... he seems to have gone off the boil a bit since Stanley went down.

Not sure if it's the mental and physical toil of rucking, or the stretching of defence that having 3 Talls gives you, or Rhys' contribution to making passes to Kosi... or a combination of all 3...

[CURLY]

Didak was AA in 2010 and in career best form. Towards the end of the season he suffered a arm injury which required post season surgery. With a restricted pre season Didak produced the worst season of his career only kicking 9 goals and basically became a liability getting a game on name only. Media and Collingwood constantly reminded everyone about Didaks disrupted pre season and that this was the reason for his slump.

Kosi has had countless post season surgeries many of them restricting his running over the summer. He's also played with very restrictive injuries. Anyone that's had a back injury will know how restrictive they can be. To me Kosi has given us as supporters everything he can and I appreciate him for that. Anyone who thinks Kosi wasn't worthy of a top two pick has no idea.