Have we been ripped off?

[Moi]

Apart from one lady who obviously rates him as good perv value, do you reckon that's enough to have Simmo on a five year contract?  I'm still waiting for a return or see some glimmer of what we got him for.  As one of the blokes said at work today, he's like one big lump of *&**&, doesn't present much.  Like Richo on one leg the other day was running everywhere makign options but what's Simmo doing?   Is he a ruckman?  is he a forward?  If so, his return isn't too great at the moment with only 5 goals for the season.  I'm worried lol

[mightytiges]

I wouldn't say we were ripped off as he was swapped for Fiora lol but the jury is still out as far as I'm concerned. Simmonds has improved the past couple of weeks but he is still IMO not quite yet to the level we would've expected from him. I think he is more of a ruckman who can push forward where he appears more useful around the 50m arc where it's easier to lead up the ground. He's kicked 5.6 so he's goalkicking could improve. At Freo his conversion rate was up around 66%. (Just on Richo I thought he lead too far away from the goals on the weekend. He was taking the ball virtually on the wing.)

As for the 5 year contract. I don't reckon any player should be on that length of contract. A bloody long time given all the variables in footy. We saw that with Gas. One knee injury and it's 2 years of the contract gone like that for:(.

[WilliamPowell]

I don't think so to be honest. I reckon his form has picked up over the past few weeks. When he has been thrown in the ruck he has looked better than when he's been plonked in the goalsquare

I think his biggest problem is his size - he is a massive size and that is having a direct impact on his ability to pick up the ball when it is on the ground, he really seems to struggle below the knees. Even Tezza has acknowledged that he is probably a little too big (this was again highlighted last Saturday in Healy's piece in the HUN) - that is, bulked up to much and as a result has lost some of his mobility.

[julzqld]

For five years of perving - yes!!!  Gotta have someone when Richo retires. 

Seriously, Simmonds does heaps better in the ruck than in the forward line and it is what he prefers to play as well.

Wasn't Richo the same last year when he bulked up too much?  Had trouble at ground level.  Still I wouldn't like to see Simmo lose those muscles.  Just improve his flexibility.  Hubby is not bad in the muscle department but his flexibility is shot.  Guess it's hard to be both muscly and flexible.

[letsgetiton!]

healy is a fos, i do respect his comments at times but not many blokes of his height are agile and gr8 below the knees. lets face a few facts here, snake played a pretty damn good game againstthe pies and if players like tivers stopped kicking the ball to his ankles or 5 mtres infront of him he would have been bog on the w/e. simmonds is very athletic for his size and is experirncing the same probs that richo has had with poor ball delvery!  he very often makes space, does the right thing only to be let down by the delivery to him.  simmonds isnt a fulltime chf, he is a ruckmen who can ve of value up fd, aka stafford. so far he had been pretty good, and once players liek tivendale and chaffey start improving their delivery and decreasing their clanger count, he will be better.

the guy is a muscle machine and he had to bulk up bec when he started in melb, he was too light and thin! he will be an assett for us, stafford does not have many years left, then the trio will be snake, knobel and patto

[blaisee]

FIVE YEARS IS A BIG PROBLEM

at this stage he is servicable. I don't think he is a good kick at goal, I think he is slow. An for a black belt in karate I don't think he imposes himself enough on the game.

Here hopeing he can develop into an Earl Spalding type of centre half forward.

The big plus with him is the ruck, I think it is his best position. In his defense I heard he is just getting over a heel problem so lets hope he improves

[Tiger Spirit]

I think his biggest problem is his size - he is a massive size and that is having a direct impact on his ability to pick up the ball when it is on the ground, he really seems to struggle below the knees. Even Tezza has acknowledged that he is probably a little too big (this was again highlighted last Saturday in Healy's piece in the HUN) - that is, bulked up to much and as a result has lost some of his mobility.

Simmonds was on WLF last night and pretty much confirmed that WP.  He said that because he had played mostly forward for Freo, he had done a lot of power, rather than endurance, work to play there, so the agility and endurance suffered because of that.

At Richmond, he’s swapping between forward and ruck, which obviously means that he has to be able to do more work around the ground, so has now lost a couple of kilos and starting to notice the difference.

On that basis, probably a bit too soon to tell, as you could expect to see him improve with time.

[mjs]

Simmonds is one of those players who was in the right place at the right time, so he got 5 years. I believe a number of clubs were after him, particularly the maggies, so the bidding didn't necessarily reflect his talent. He'll be ok, but 5 years has to be a huge gamble.

When they felt that they had to offer Gasper 5 years I actually wrote to the club and said I'd support them if they decided it was too much and they had to let him go. Given Gasper's form this year I think it's going to work out a good decision overall -  

Not unlike Ottens and Nick Holland, both have had dream runs with contracts.

[Cain]

I don't care who it is, if you deliver the ball to the feet of a big man, he's gonna struggle.
Staff is our enforcer, not Simmonds.
Have people noticed that Freo has suffered in his absence ?
5 years - always a risk. Sometimes you gotta take it.

[letsgetiton!]

I don't care who it is, if you deliver the ball to the feet of a big man, he's gonna struggle.
Staff is our enforcer, not Simmonds.
Have people noticed that Freo has suffered in his absence ?
5 years - always a risk. Sometimes you gotta take it.

i agree with u but 5 years to a proven player means u believe in th eman and he will honor ur belief, he actually knocked back more money per yr on shorter contracts 4 us , shows he was willing to play loner 4 less money, he will be good value esp in big games

[Puntroadroar]

I think you guys are too harsh.

Simmonds hasnt set the world on fire but he hasnt been that bad either.

[julzqld]

Here, here!

[Moi]

I think you guys are too harsh.
Simmonds hasnt set the world on fire but he hasnt been that bad either.

No-one is bagging the crap out of him.  Just questioning whether we are getting enough out of him for the five year contract.
Will be more than happy if he has a blinder tomorrow.

[mightytiges]

Simmo was very important last night. He has got better each week since the Freo game and he allows Richo to wander around the ground while Simmo holds the fort up forward. He just needs to work on his goalkicking before he's there. Last couple of weeks it's the only thing that's spoiled his game. 6.9 for the year and 2.6 in the past two games is wasting opportunities.

[Tigertailz]

Im happy so far with Troy.
Apart from his inaccuracy in fornt of goal he has been a strong target presenting constantly within Ploughs rotation plan
I wouldnt be too critical of him yet.
I think he has been a more than adequate replacement for Rottens