Andrew Krakouer threads [merged]

[Harry]

Terry should get a personal trainer/ running coach for Krakouer and he should work on this aspect of his game 80% of the time on his own.  His skill is there and doesn't need much work but he somehow needs to greatly improve his engine.

[JohnF]

lmfaoooooooo@all the dills on certain other websites that thought he was in for the year of his life after dominating intra club matches and matches against VFL sides.

I'm still amazed at how they even thought of giving a guy like Krakouer a three year deal  . The last thing you do to lazy priks like Krakouer is reward them with long term contracts. If he was getting everything he could out of himself it would be a different story. But when you see a bloke with muppet arms after 4 full seasons of AFL you have to ask serious questions about their commitment, not give them 3 year deals.

maybe alot of us are laughing at u for comments like this.

did u see how much respect high 5s hug taps on teh back and so 4th richo gave krak during the short spells he had agaisnt the dawks. he is our only fwd who busts his guts to keep the ball in and his pack work on sunday set up  goals 4 us!
he may be small, but he is tuff and hard at it and is our best tackler by a mile! pooh we are 2 games in and u r all on his case! chaff, tiv, kell, gas are 4 experienced players who have all had bad starts , so krak is not alone but at least when he gets the ball something happens.

he will kick behind against the dogs wait n c!

X,

Krakouer is a good tackler, and it's just as well becuase he gets led to the ball every time by his opponent.

His conditiong is a disgrace and and has been since time immemorial. He will never do more than average 12 touches, 3 tackles and a goal per match unless he pulls his finger out his arsre. It's not enough to bust your gut during game time. Football is a 24 hour a day business and you have to wonder what Krakouer does in those other hours.

I will show him all the respect in the world if he gets himself up to AFL standard fitness becuase if he does he will be a very good player. Until then i will continue to bag him becuase he isn't getting the most out of himself and is thereby hurting the club.

The point about it being 2 weeks into the season is irrelevant. This is the Krakouer we've always known. He isn't going to suddenly burst out and start getting twenty touches a game becuase he isn't fit enough, period.

[Puntroadroar]

I'm disappointed in Krak

I always wanted him to be a player like Sampi is for the eagles, he isnt and Sampi hasnt even played as long as Krak.

No 2 ways about it Andy has been a big disappointment.

[Bulluss]

I agree that in the past Krak's attack on the ball has been pretty good, but this season and throughout the pre-season he hasnt been the same.

He only had 1 tackle in round 1 and had 6 last sunday against the hawks, which was a good return. In saying that i thought that we moved the ball pretty well last week but continually fell down on the HF flank and where was Krak. He was behind his man all day and just got lead to ball and thats the reason he had six tackles.

If his performance's dont lift he should be dropped, i would drop him this week!

Would rather see someone like Raines or Roach have a crack.

[DallasCrane]

Who do John F and The Bull think they are, making comments like that about Krakouer. Does the fact that you've each written a few hundred posts give you permission to speak like that about someone, particularly someone that you supposedly barrack for. Bull, if you saw Andy Krakouer walking down the street, would you tell him that he was 'soft as butter'? Probably not, you'd probably just wish him well for Sunday. Have a think about it boys.

A couple of other points about Krakouer;
1)If Richo is gonna keep leading to the pocket, he is taking his little buddy out of the game. Most rovers of Krakouer's style do not operate well near the boundary line. His ability to deceive the opposition defender by baulking him is non existent if he has only got one side of his body to use.
2)It did look like he was getting lead to the ball last Sunday. He is still learning the game as a defensive on-baller. That may help him develop his aerobic fitness also.
3) Don't forget lead the team in tackles last year, and finished 8th highest in the AFL. He also finished in our 'best' about half a dozen times last year also. 

[LondonTiger]

It was an ugly flooding game in the forward line against the hawks.  For the most part, Richo did try and present himself, and Krak should have been in a position to rove in front of him.

Most of the passages of play were long leads which should have meant Krak and Richo lead together, with Krak at least a few steps in front.  Instead we saw Krak flooded by in some cases 3 hawthorn players to prevent him from getting to the contest.

No one is doubting Kraks tackling.

Last weekend was an ugly game, but Krak must prove his knockers wrong.  A fit and raring to go Tambling would be a direct replacement for Krak in the form he is in at the moment.

Lets hope he turns it around, otherwise he is going to be kicking the dew off the grass at Coburg a number of games this year

[mightytiges]

I certainly don't think he is soft - far from it. I reckon he is one the best tacklers for his size in the game. His attack on the ball, especially in our forward fifty is first rate.

The problem with Krakouer is that he's probably got the worst engine in the AFL. His endurance and pace is a really big concern, something that is very difficult to improve.

Agree with this HarryH - his around the ground work, his running etc (areobic capacity I think they call it) is a major worry. The skills there but the power to run isn't and I don't know how you improve it.

I also reckon his concentration (or lack of it) is a problem. He seems to be like alot of players in that he doesn't seem switched on. He can give you a 5 minute burst of brillance and then go missing for quarter or worse still a half.

Agree with Harry and WP here. I think WP is pretty spot on in mentioning Krakouer's lack of concentration. He's not physically soft (wouldn't say that of any AFL player) but he could be more mentally intense and focussed IMHO. Although I could say that of most Richmond players not just Krakouer.

Krakouer at the moment reminds me of Peter Burgoyne earlier in his career (before the last 1 1/2-2 years). Plenty of skill and tricks but didn't have the fitness to play midfield so he was just a cameo player in the forward line who'd turn it on one week then disappear for the next six. Krakouer desperately needs to work hard on improving his endurance (more 400-800-1500m) and stack on another 4-5 kg by the start of next year. He's still only 74kg. Very hard to win contested footy at just that light weight. That's why his tackling rate is unbelievaby good for such a small bloke.

I'm sure Terry now seeing the troops in action first hand will have a better understanding of what needs to be done over next summer individually. Remember Wallace was already assistant coach at the dogs when Joyce got the flick and then took over for the second half of the 96 season while the dogs languished down the bottom. So he and the dogs were familiar with each other by the time their PF year in 97 came around. This year is still a (re-)learning curve for both coaches and players after Spud's "great" job.

[H Tiger]

Krakouer at the moment reminds me of Peter Burgoyne earlier in his career (before the last 1 1/2-2 years). Plenty of skill and tricks but didn't have the fitness to play midfield so he was just a cameo player in the forward line who'd turn it on one week then disappear for the next six. Krakouer desperately needs to work hard on improving his endurance (more 400-800-1500m)

Get him to give S. Black from Brissy a ring

and stack on another 4-5 kg by the start of next year. He's still only 74kg. Very hard to win contested footy at just that light weight.

For improvement in this area please call D. Rioli from Essendon

I'm sure Terry now seeing the troops in action first hand will have a better understanding of what needs to be done over next summer individually. Remember Wallace was already assistant coach at the dogs when Joyce got the flick and then took over for the second half of the 96 season while the dogs languished down the bottom. So he and the dogs were familiar with each other by the time their PF year in 97 came around. This year is still a (re-)learning curve for both coaches and players after Spud's "great" job.

[Bulluss]

Who do John F and The Bull think they are, making comments like that about Krakouer

I think i speak for John F and myself here by saying that you are a real tool Dallas Crane and it may be time to return to your inbred at PRE.

Anyway moving on, theres no point talking about what players did last season. Krak did finish 6th in our Best and Fairest last season with 145 votes, that is less than half of the winner Bowdens votes (a total of 324 votes). Besides, finishing 6th in the B&F of the wooden spoon team is nothing to get excited about.

Sure Krak had 95 tackles for the season last year at an average of 4.3 a game, now while that is a great return it doesnt win us games. Kickiong goals win us games and i doubt many of those tackles resulted in goals to the Tigers.

Krak had only 28 scoring shots for the season kicking 20 goals 8 behinds.

Compared to other small forwards in the comp

Graham Johncock 21 goals 15 spends time down back
Tim Notting 30 goals 21
Lappin 23 goals 7 and spent a lot of the year off a half back flank
Leon Davis 23 goals 13
Alan Didak 21 goals 26
Nathan Lovett Murray 21 goals 11
Paul Medhurst 41 goals 22
Jeff Farmer 36 goals 24
Paul Chapman 38 goals 19
Gary Ablett 35 goals 25
Steve Johnson 21 goals 19 from only 13 matches
Mark Williams 33 goals 12

I can go on, and i will

Daniel Motlop 34 goals 26
Brent Harvey 30 goals 13
Shannon Grant 23 goals 18
Corey Jones 22 goals 17
Aaron Davey 28 goals 20
Stuart Dew 31 goals 21
Gavin Wanganeen 24 goals 10
Josh Mahoney 20 goals 14
Stephen Milne 46 goals 22
Brent Guerra 29 goals 5
Michael O'Loughlin 38 goals 18
Ryan O'Keefe 33 goals 17
Ashley Sampi 32 goals 15
Chris Judd 24 goals 15
Matthew Robbins 29 goals 17

So after taking a look at this exstensive list of similar type of players and compare that to Krak's Pi&s poor return, i again say that he is a Dud and will not be involved in helping Richmond rise back up the ladder.

I rest my case, Matthew Robbins gave a better return for crying out loud!!

[DallasCrane]

Why am I a tool? What have I said that makes me a tool?

My opening comment was how you addressed the man, Andrew Krakouer. There is a blazing headline on the summary page saying that he is soft as butter. With your name on it.  I asked you a question, would you call him that face-to-face if you saw him walking down the street. You still haven't answered that one yet. If yes, I ask you this, what sort of supporter bags their own players, a very young man in the early stages of his career? If not, why are you prepared to say it in this forum.

I thought your comment about him being 'soft as butter' was incorrect, and rude. The same as I thought John F's comment that he was a 'lazy prick' was incorrect, and rude.

Funny how you are prepared to put the microscope over 22 Richmond players to the most intense of scrutiny, yet aren't prepared to submit to any yourself.

[Bulluss]

To answer your question, yes i would say to him that he needs to lift his finger and improve his game.

In hind sight the topic of the thread could have been worded better than it was, over his time at Richmond Krak has been fairly hard at it.

The topic was more related to way i thought he played on Sunday and that certainly soft.

He pulled out of atleast half a dozen contests and failed to even apply himself. Watch the replay and argue that.

[om21]

The attitude of Crane sums up part of the fact why guys have stayed at our club for so long who really dont deserve it.

[DallasCrane]

Well excuse me for asking if someone would stand by their comments.

TB, I thought he struggled a bit on Sunday too. I agree with what you said earlier about him getting lead to the ball. I noticed it a few times, and you definitely want him to be more attacking than that because he is so dangerous around the goal. But I still dunno about softness.
The goal count that you listed of small forwards doesn't look that good for Kraky. But a lot of his tackles were inside our forward 50.

The attitude of Crane sums up part of the fact why guys have stayed at our club for so long who really dont deserve it.

What's the solution, sack him? Who else would you sack while you are at it.
The way I look at it is this. I am not on the board. I am not on the selection committee. You just have to trust that they are putting the best 22 out there. Of course there's been some bad mistakes made at the club over the years, but perservering with Andy Krakouer would never count as one of them.

[Bulluss]

Dallas,

i see Andy's current attitude similar to that of Joel Bowdens early last year, i am not saying sack him but a couple of weeks playing a full game on the ball at Coburg could just do him the world of good.

Look what it did for Bowden.

I dont deny that Krak has talent, but i have been going to watch the Tigers everyweek for well over ten years and i have seen plenty of players that have had talent but never gone on with it.

I dont want to see Andy's wasted also.

[letsgetiton!]

Who do John F and The Bull think they are, making comments like that about Krakouer

I think i speak for John F and myself here by saying that you are a real tool Dallas Crane and it may be time to return to your inbred at PRE.

Anyway moving on, theres no point talking about what players did last season. Krak did finish 6th in our Best and Fairest last season with 145 votes, that is less than half of the winner Bowdens votes (a total of 324 votes). Besides, finishing 6th in the B&F of the wooden spoon team is nothing to get excited about.

Sure Krak had 95 tackles for the season last year at an average of 4.3 a game, now while that is a great return it doesnt win us games. Kickiong goals win us games and i doubt many of those tackles resulted in goals to the Tigers.

Krak had only 28 scoring shots for the season kicking 20 goals 8 behinds.

Compared to other small forwards in the comp

Graham Johncock 21 goals 15 spends time down back
Tim Notting 30 goals 21
Lappin 23 goals 7 and spent a lot of the year off a half back flank
Leon Davis 23 goals 13
Alan Didak 21 goals 26
Nathan Lovett Murray 21 goals 11
Paul Medhurst 41 goals 22
Jeff Farmer 36 goals 24
Paul Chapman 38 goals 19
Gary Ablett 35 goals 25
Steve Johnson 21 goals 19 from only 13 matches
Mark Williams 33 goals 12

I can go on, and i will

Daniel Motlop 34 goals 26
Brent Harvey 30 goals 13
Shannon Grant 23 goals 18
Corey Jones 22 goals 17
Aaron Davey 28 goals 20
Stuart Dew 31 goals 21
Gavin Wanganeen 24 goals 10
Josh Mahoney 20 goals 14
Stephen Milne 46 goals 22
Brent Guerra 29 goals 5
Michael O'Loughlin 38 goals 18
Ryan O'Keefe 33 goals 17
Ashley Sampi 32 goals 15
Chris Judd 24 goals 15
Matthew Robbins 29 goals 17

So after taking a look at this exstensive list of similar type of players and compare that to Krak's Pi&s poor return, i again say that he is a Dud and will not be involved in helping Richmond rise back up the ladder.

I rest my case, Matthew Robbins gave a better return for crying out loud!!

bit harsh there, i think a stat ur missing is we had teh least amount of fwd 50 entries last year!

im sick off u blokes bagging this kid, its only rnd 2 and u r all shooting him down, fricken hell love to see u guys do better, anyone here got a bigger tank and more talent than him, prove it.

20 goals klast year was a damn good return 4 the team we had!

get over guys he is in our best 22 end of story and is one of teh best fwd pockets in the fl imo, his only prob has been he has been is a poo team like ours