Recruiting Aker?

[letsgetiton!]

Yeah X - At least one flag then I can die happy - The rest can take care of itself from there.
Plus the fact what these young players will learn from someone like Aker, his effect will not only be while he is at the club but hopefully long after.
But no first rounders 

exactly and yes no 1st rounders

[harry bosch]

or second or third rounders

The only way he will help us win a flag if his body holds up like a Robert Harvey and plays well into his thirties , ie 33+ which is doubtful..

[one-eyed]

Aker's manager said he's spoken to basically all Melbourne clubs. Aker is off to Japan (?) tomorrow for a holiday.

[Gracie]

or second or third rounders

The only way he will help us win a flag if his body holds up like a Robert Harvey and plays well into his thirties , ie 33+ which is doubtful..

Why is it doubtful? He turns 30 next year 24/2 so if he plays to 33 that is 4 seasons. He has hardly knocked his body around in contests and he is into fitness. I believe he doesn't drink or smoke so he looks after himself. Aker has more chance of playing to mid 30's than most players.
Harvey is 35 and I put Aker on the same fitness level.

[Mr Magic]

or second or third rounders

The only way he will help us win a flag if his body holds up like a Robert Harvey and plays well into his thirties , ie 33+ which is doubtful..

Why is it doubtful? He turns 30 next year 24/2 so if he plays to 33 that is 4 seasons.

Must agree.
3 years is a long time for any footballer.

I'll say it again in 1980, Bartlett kicked 80 odd goals at HF.

Aker is 4 years younger than that and I'd put him in KB's class.

However, if we offer him more than a 1-2 year contract I'll give up.

[WilliamPowell]

Why is it doubtful? He turns 30 next year 24/2 so if he plays to 33 that is 4 seasons. He has hardly knocked his body around in contests and he is into fitness. I believe he doesn't drink or smoke so he looks after himself. Aker has more chance of playing to mid 30's than most players.
Harvey is 35 and I put Aker on the same fitness level.

I agree that fitness wise Aker has looked after himself but at his age the soft tissue injuries are a worry.

Harvey is a bloke that in last few years has missed a number of games because of injury. IIRC this season there's been hamstring problems and perhaps a calf (not sure if the calf was this season or last). I reckon because Harvey is still playing good footy people temd to forget about the injuries.

I am not saying the same thing is going to happen to Aker but I know if the RFC were to trade for him and then commit to a 3 year deal and he starts breaking down then alot of people are not going to be very happy at all

[mightytiges]

Harvey hasn't missed a game this year but missed 7 last year with a calf and/or hammy. Remember he's now played on and off the bench so his body can cope and recover. That sort of player isn't going to help us long term.

Harvey's games played per year (29 y.o to 35)

2006: 18/18
2005: 17/24
2004: 23/25
2003: 22/22
2002: 10/22
2001:  9/22
2000: 16/22

Out of interest between 2000 and 2005 Aker missed 9 games out of a possible 147 in his mid-late 20s.

As WP said it's when players hit their 30s that soft tissue injuries become a concern. Remember what happened to Cambo. One bad calf injury finished him off.

[Stephanie]

The more I think about it the more I want him to be at Richmond next year 

[Moi]

The more I think about it the more I want him to be at Richmond next year 

Why?

[Stephanie]

I'm not really sure But just over the past few weeks, I have warmed up too Aker, and realise he really isn't that bad, he is the type of person I would like to have at the club. Even if he isn't in our playing group, I think he would be good for the youngsters if he is involved in the club in some way. That's my opinoin anyway.

[Moi]

I like his honesty and like him for that, but there are lots of good influences around the club at the moment IMO.
I think you have to weigh the pros and cons, TG - and although he would undoubtedly bring some excitement to the club, there are just so many negatives IMO that say we should not touch him with a barge pole.
I'm tending to think along with others that this is GM stirring the pot a bit, making ppl believe we're interested when we're not.
Time will tell.
Whoever gets him though will get someone who is out to prove a point - he is an excitement machine that's for sure. 

PS:  Taken any more pics you wanna send me 

[Stephanie]

I like his honesty and like him for that, but there are lots of good influences around the club at the moment IMO.
I think you have to weigh the pros and cons, TG - and although he would undoubtedly bring some excitement to the club, there are just so many negatives IMO that say we should not touch him with a barge pole.
I'm tending to think along with others that this is GM stirring the pot a bit, making ppl believe we're interested when we're not.
Time will tell.
Whoever gets him though will get someone who is out to prove a point - he is an excitement machine that's for sure. 

PS:  Taken any more pics you wanna send me 

I see your point there. At the moment my mindset is, if we get him great, if not, not to worry. I guess we will have to see what happens.
Haha No pics at the moment, but I'll be getting some tonight 

[Moi]

Haha No pics at the moment, but I'll be getting some tonight 

Good girl 

[one-eyed]

PSSST
Craig Hutchison
The Age
August 13, 2006

At Richmond, ever-astute football director Greg Miller met Akermanis two weeks ago at his Brisbane home. Problem was, president Gary March inadvertently told The Australian this week his club wasn’t interested. Miller and March met on Thursday to start singing from the same hymn book. You’ll find the Tigers are in the hunt.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2006/08/13/1155407658133.html

[one-eyed]

Wallace says Jason Akermanis remains on the radar at Punt Rd.

The triple-premiership player met Richmond's football director Greg Miller in Brisbane this month.

Wallace though has again stressed the club won't sacrifice early draft picks to snare Akermanis.

"If it becomes player for player, you have to do your due diligence, but we'll play the game like everyone else pretends they're not," he said. 
 
 http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,20146758%255E19742,00.html