Armitage

ben_fff · Post: # 502744Post **ben_fff** » Sat 15 Dec 2007 4:14pm

I saw him play a few times this year, I like that he gets aggressive with the opposition player but can't really remember what he is like with the ball...

Question to all you people that saw him play in the VFL
what are his skills like?
does he have a long kick?
can he kick a goal?
does he have speed?
does he do the one percenters and second efforts?
what player does he remind you of?

I know he's only had his first season so I'm not expecting much but I'd like to know if anyone can enlighten me.

Animal Enclosure · Sat 15 Dec 2007 4:18pm

I didn't see any Casey games but in the practice matches he showed a raking left foot kick, pretty good pace & reminded me of a young Luke Hodge (similar builds, kicking styles).

If he could be half the player that Hodge is, we've got a beauty! I hope Ross gives him a half back flank next year which will allow Grammy to be released into the midfield.

BakesFan · Post: # 502778Post **BakesFan** » Sat 15 Dec 2007 6:49pm

Don't worry about Armo.
I spoke to him at the Mackay AFL GF this year;(Nth Mackay SAINTS smashed Whitsunday Sea Eagles. WOOHOO!!); and he's a very switched-on young man.
He is genuinely excited to be at St.Kilda.
He is well aware of what is required of him in order to cement a spot in our best 22 (Primarily fitness/endurance in his case).
He was looking forward to a big pre-season in order to improve himself as an AFL footballer.
Davo should do alright in '08.

eppo67 · Post: # 502798Post **eppo67** » Sat 15 Dec 2007 8:35pm

Spot on BakesFan. Know numerous people at Morningside and they say exactly the same thing.

Saw him play numerous times for Moringside, tough, skillful, smart and taking on big grown men full on witout a single sidewards step.

Do not worry this kid he will be a gun. I have no doubt. Mark it down right now!!

Eastern · Post: # 502866Post **Eastern** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 10:36am

Armitage is just taking his turn as the saints fans whipping boy. Those who have had a turn at being the whipping boy include;

Max Hudghton

Lenny Hayes

Nick DalSanto

Xavier Clarke

Leigh Montagna

Brendon Goddard

There are probably a few more that I cannot think of at the minute.

The common theme with all of these guys is that the came into the system as 17-18yo's and took at least 2-3 years to really shine through. The best advice for all of us is to be patient !!

fonz_#15 · Post: # 502869Post **fonz_#15** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 11:00am

i'll add gram to that loist for you eastern

joffaboy · Post: # 502875Post **joffaboy** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 11:25am

Yup agreed Eastern, except I must admit I am very dissapointed with McEvoy and Connors so far. Haven't looked like playing a seniors game so far, while the guy we took at #57 has played well over 200. What were our recruiters thinking

spiral2 · Post: # 502876Post **spiral2** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 11:30am

add sam fisher too

Solar · Post: # 502886Post **Solar** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 12:37pm

to be fair eastern he was very disapointing overall for the scorps during 2007. His endurance and attitude were shocking from my observations. Has all the tools and perhaps some of us are still haunted with the specture of beetham......

anyway on the OP

Lovely long left footer, good strong body and does not shy away from the hard stuff. As everyone says, needs to improve his fitness to get to more contests. My hopes are he gets his fitness up to above VFL level and push for selection. Might not be a prominant part of the team until 2009, not that there is anything wrong with that.

The ones I can see as bolters from that draft are the rookies geary and eddy. Both might push for midfield roles off the bench

Armoooo · Post: # 502888Post **Armoooo** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 12:46pm

From the limited amount I have seen of him he loves to run down the centre and give it a big boot into the forward line, doesn't usually like to mess around with it and he doesn't mind taking his opponent on either, still a fair bit to go before he will reach anything special IMO, but then again I have only seen about 5 games...

ace · Post: # 502917Post **ace** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 4:16pm

Sorry Animal Enclosure you can't have Gram in the midfield.
I know he is not suited to playing as a defender - he is often outmarked by an opponent. He is played in defence because he is the most accurate kick in the team and that means he has to be the designated kicker. He has to be close to the the opposition goal so that he can quickly take the kick-in after the oppostion scores a behind. The kick-in must be marked otherwise the opposition has a good chance of another score. Max can't take the kick-ins because he hits the target only 50% of the time.

bigcarl · Post: # 502919Post **bigcarl** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 4:24pm

surely there's someone else who can take the kick ins.

personally i'd like to see grammy playing wing where his ability to boot goals from outside 50 would really come into play.

Batnoe · Post: # 502921Post **Batnoe** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 4:34pm

ace wrote:Sorry Animal Enclosure you can't have Gram in the midfield.
I know he is not suited to playing as a defender - he is often outmarked by an opponent. He is played in defence because he is the most accurate kick in the team and that means he has to be the designated kicker. He has to be close to the the opposition goal so that he can quickly take the kick-in after the oppostion scores a behind. The kick-in must be marked otherwise the opposition has a good chance of another score. Max can't take the kick-ins because he hits the target only 50% of the time.

Problem solved

Dont let the other team score and we wont need a player to kick it in. If only it were that simple

Armoooo · Post: # 502924Post **Armoooo** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 4:55pm

I would rather Dal Santo, Goddard or even maybe Dempster take the kick ins over Gram, you don't keep a player in defense just for their kick ins, if he is that good a kick why not chuck him in the forward line

Solar · Post: # 502956Post **Solar** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 8:01pm

ace wrote:Sorry Animal Enclosure you can't have Gram in the midfield.
I know he is not suited to playing as a defender - he is often outmarked by an opponent. He is played in defence because he is the most accurate kick in the team and that means he has to be the designated kicker. He has to be close to the the opposition goal so that he can quickly take the kick-in after the oppostion scores a behind. The kick-in must be marked otherwise the opposition has a good chance of another score. Max can't take the kick-ins because he hits the target only 50% of the time.

no reason not to have gram in the midfield, in fact he played there during this past season (ok more a HFF/wing position but lets not get too pedantic). We have several players that could take the kick out duties, I can't remember the last time max took a kick out. Chips, BJ, a midfielder etc. have all taken them. In fact dal seems to enjoy it, but does not seem to have a very good record....

Armoooo · Post: # 502959Post **Armoooo** » Sun 16 Dec 2007 8:12pm

Solar wrote:
ace wrote:Sorry Animal Enclosure you can't have Gram in the midfield.
I know he is not suited to playing as a defender - he is often outmarked by an opponent. He is played in defence because he is the most accurate kick in the team and that means he has to be the designated kicker. He has to be close to the the opposition goal so that he can quickly take the kick-in after the oppostion scores a behind. The kick-in must be marked otherwise the opposition has a good chance of another score. Max can't take the kick-ins because he hits the target only 50% of the time.
no reason not to have gram in the midfield, in fact he played there during this past season (ok more a HFF/wing position but lets not get too pedantic). We have several players that could take the kick out duties, I can't remember the last time max took a kick out. Chips, BJ, a midfielder etc. have all taken them. In fact dal seems to enjoy it, but does not seem to have a very good record....

Dal seems to be on order to take them, it's not a matter of him getting there first, the other players leave it for him, as for his record I've always thought that he was quite good at the kick ins, however he has always seemed to take a bit too long...

Animal Enclosure · Sun 16 Dec 2007 9:45pm

The thing with Grammy in the midfield is that he has the legspeed to instantly take our on- ball unit from pedestrian to express. Joey has greatly helped in this regard but if he is shutdown (which clubs are now trying to do weekly) the hardness & creativity of Lenny, Bally, Banger and Dal is adversely affected.

Gram can also kick goals from long range, something that will help with our flooded forward line & also address a long held achilles heel (a midfield that doesn't kick goals).

It may be because Hodge started his apprenticeship as a half back & I really see a resemblance to Armo that I'd like to see him learn his trade in the back half. Gram is dragged too deep these days & I was really disappointed with some of his efforts really deep in defence. I don't really buy the kicking out reasoning given that we have other options and Gram can butcher his short passes on occasion.

We've been crying out for quick tallish mids & we have one who could potentially blossom into a real top liner languishing in a back pocket (where he was for most of 2007).

Solar · Post: # 503057Post **Solar** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 9:16am

Armoooo wrote:
Solar wrote:
ace wrote:Sorry Animal Enclosure you can't have Gram in the midfield.
I know he is not suited to playing as a defender - he is often outmarked by an opponent. He is played in defence because he is the most accurate kick in the team and that means he has to be the designated kicker. He has to be close to the the opposition goal so that he can quickly take the kick-in after the oppostion scores a behind. The kick-in must be marked otherwise the opposition has a good chance of another score. Max can't take the kick-ins because he hits the target only 50% of the time.
no reason not to have gram in the midfield, in fact he played there during this past season (ok more a HFF/wing position but lets not get too pedantic). We have several players that could take the kick out duties, I can't remember the last time max took a kick out. Chips, BJ, a midfielder etc. have all taken them. In fact dal seems to enjoy it, but does not seem to have a very good record....
Dal seems to be on order to take them, it's not a matter of him getting there first, the other players leave it for him, as for his record I've always thought that he was quite good at the kick ins, however he has always seemed to take a bit too long...

hit the nail on the head, he takes too long, tries to make the pass perfect. Needs to use the ball quickly, first option, in fact this needs to be something written on the training facilities, TAKE THE FIRST OPTION!

rodgerfox · Post: # 503067Post **rodgerfox** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 9:30am

ace wrote: I know he is not suited to playing as a defender - he is often outmarked by an opponent.

Really?

I'd be interested in some sort of stats on this.

I have been very impressed with Gram's ability in one-on-ones - particularly against guys he was outsized against (ie. Scott Lucas).

I haven't seen him outmarked much at all.

Dan Warna · Post: # 503084Post **Dan Warna** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 10:45am

if he hasn't won a brownlow by age 21 we should be looking at the list and wailing about the players we should have drafted.

its his first year of football, give him a few years FFS.

LTN16 · Post: # 503088Post **LTN16** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 10:59am

Dan Warna wrote:its his first year of football, give him a few years FFS.

I agree and the same goes with Brad Howard he needs a couple of summers in the gym to get his body right for AFL football. It is ridiculous how people are saying that they should be delisted after one year.

ben_fff · Post: # 503095Post **ben_fff** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 11:33am

I think the only exceptions to being delisted after one year would be behavior based.

Saints94 · Post: # 503097Post **Saints94** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 11:39am

FFS lay off him, he's only been there for 1 year and you're all over him

ben_fff · Post: # 503098Post **ben_fff** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 11:40am

homework wrote:FFS lay off him, he's only been there for 1 year and you're all over him

who are you talking to?

Saints94 · Post: # 503099Post **Saints94** » Mon 17 Dec 2007 11:43am

Dan Warna wrote:if he hasn't won a brownlow by age 21 we should be looking at the list and wailing about the players we should have drafted.

its his first year of football, give him a few years FFS.

I was talking to Dan here about him not winning the Brownlow by the age of 21!