Who was the other person involved? I wouldn't give a shit what a drafted player thinks of our Club or Yarran.

I'm sure clubs said the same about this player you overheard.

You've obviously never lived away from home during your youth. Nor had to cope with a totally different culture.

I suggest you look a little closer to home before you start calling an indigenous kid "week as piss".

How about telling him to his face? From what I here you wouldn't last long.

_________________
"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

..i agree, but without knowing how much of a 'culture' shock' livin' in melbourne is, and how vastly off afl needs he was when he first came here.. ..i'm not entirely sure how much is Yaz and how much it is the club that maybe needs to work harder to make the adjustment easier/smoother..

..it's also a delicate balance for those involved [and in the know] to decide whether they need to help more [but not enable], and how much responsibility to shift onto Yaz's young shoulders.. ..as i've said before for me it's just i don't think we have the luxury of time, especially with compromised drafts coming up..

..however, one thing i will say is the homesick factor isn't worrying me as much since some of his family moved over here [i did hear/read correctly yes?].. ..but either way it's far too early to label him either soft, or weak as piss.. ..far too young, i don't consider the Gibblet to be soft, even though he did a couple of questionable things in his first year.. ..i reckon kids can be excused for their first year or two if they don't go in 100%, there is a thing called 'self-preservation', and if a body can't withstand a big hit/impact it's probably best they lay off and try to effect the contest after the hit/impact would have occurred.. ..once they're a bit older though that leeway is up i think..

_________________
..if you can't be good, be good at it..

the other person was a Carlton supporter, and the player involved has had huge wraps on him from the media and everyone involved in footy this year.

Yes Yes.....and if my Auntie had balls ....she'd be my Uncle.......(thanks Denis).......

_________________
No ones listening till you make a mistake.

*Bump*

Fire away in here Josh.

Personally, I see that Yarran is shedding the kilos he gained through OP & ankle issues, and is slowly working himself into some touch. The acceleration is coming back, the agility is in good nick and his feel for his kicking is on the up.

Yeah, he's no forward pocket maniac, but he can use the ball extremely well, has quick hands and good evasive skills. Shows a willingness to work, but there is an issue of physicality. Perhaps he feels if he lays a bump, he'll take himself out of the contest for no effect on the opposition? Wouldn't be the first lightweight/young player to think along those lines.

I'm prepared to wait 6-9 months, and see what's become of him. I think he'll get quicker off the mark and give us that 'wow' factor we see in Garlett and Betts. While early on there was a case for laziness, Chris has shown that as the conditioning lifts, so does his intensity on game-day. Happy to keep riding that trend.

Do you have any supported reason to suggest otherwise, or is this just a reflection of the old guard getting restless about Rich & Ziebell's form?

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

..Jimmae, yer confusing me here a little.. ..you mention he won't be a FP maniac, elsewhere you've mentioned to me he's a mid that plays thru hff when i pegged him as a hff.. ..and yes, i know that in the modern game the majority of positions on-field are v.loose by definition.. ..but what exactly is his 'preferred' position..?.. ..i think he's more of a hff [from what i've seen/read].. ..i think if he's played more as a fp we'd be wasting him a little that far away from the action.. ..as for midfield, i reckon he'd be a few yrs off, aside from the odd cameo..

..as for him losing a bit of 'puppy fat' and getting fitter, that's great news, ditto his increase in intensity.. ..he may never become a truely physical chapman/roK type of fwd,, but often the v.creative fwds aren't [see stevie j, dildak etc etc]..

..i'll admit, that with all these bloody closed training sessions, and Yaz's in/out of senior and ressie games it's been hard for me to really track how he's progressing, and it's easily possible my opinions are lagging a bit from the actual reality of how he's progressing.. ..i have always said that i'm willing to give him the first year off, and expect to see some serviceable footy [need not be good/great] next year cos he was so young when we got him, and then injury setback.. ..i just was worrying cos training/ressie reports and watchers were mentioning they thought he'd take a few years, and that time-frame isn't my bag for such pick where we took him.. ..especially when i think we could have also addressed other list concerns with a more speedier impact..

_________________
..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I'd like to see Yarran O'Keeffe and Gibbsy feeding our forwards in a couple of years time..

_________________
There's so much I could say...

..how's o'keefe coming along..?.. ..there doesn't seem to be too much written about how he's travelling..

_________________
..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Doesn't he have OP???

Think he is out for the rest of the year.

BKB, should clarify: he's not a forward pocket maniac at present.

That zip will come back, but in the mean time it might be better to have him as that loping HF who sets up play and streams in for the crumb, rather than the role you see Betts & Garlett play. I guess that's a wing/HFF type at present.

And as for tracking his progress, I'm only watching what you're watching - senior footy. I distinctly remember him chasing Heath Shaw down a wing when we torched an undermanned Collingwood earlier in the season; it wasn't pretty to watch a sub-par athlete maintain a gap on our boy-wonder.

His latest appearances in blue have been better, so I'll take that progress.

And yeah - O'Keeffe is out for the season after surgery.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

..sweet, thanks for the info/heads-up jimmae.. ....yeah, i remember that chase from Yaz, didn't make up much ground but at least he didn't give up.. ..i do remember a few posters questioning his endeavour though.. ..personally i'm not sure how fast he exactly is so i didn't really form an opinion too much on that chase.. ..a chase i do remember vividly was the second pies game this year, where the Hammer was chasing leon, and leon had to shimmy and dish off the ball cos he was about to get run down, hammer's acceleration is obscene..!!..

_________________
..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Way too early to be pidgeon holing Yarran I reckon.

Needs to be tried in a few different roles before settling on a main role.

_________________
There's so much I could say...

Without a doubt Yarran is a forward, with classy skills who could become a midfielder. Though I'd love him around and he is just what we need, unfortunately he hasn't progressed to the level we want him to yet, but no doubt i reckon he'll be a great player.

Another example of a player having an agerage first year before a breakout 2nd season is Scott Pendlebury from Collingwood. If I can remember he was right in the mix to win Rising Star, Selwood winning it in 2007.

Young players sometimes take a while to find their feet, certainly ones who have had to go through what Yarran has in his short life. IMO Chris Yarran will be a very good footballer for the CFC.

_________________
Corinthians 9:6- 8

hip operation I think

Same operation kroooooze had off season.........taking some little bone lump off the hip.

Heard a recruiter say and heard Emma Quayle say and heard others say Yarran was the most talented player in last years draft - enough for me not to be hysterical when a young 18 year old leaves his home state isnt starring yet

In the word of Mark Thompson LEAVE HIM ALONE

I actually think it's the reverse... keep him in a role until he can do other roles.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Have a pal in the West who gives all sorts of info on the going on in the wild West.Almost always spot on with his mail.He was glowing in his praise of Rich predraft and declared him the number one player over there.BUT,the same guy declared Yarran a more naturally gifted player talent wise than Rich.Declared Yarran was freakish at times.Incredible on his day.

_________________
All my dangerous friends

We have challenge on our hands, if we manage him well then rewards would be sky high, if not then we would have wasted a top pick in a super draft. May be the way to go is old school...find him a lovely local girl

_________________
Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.