Natural footballers vs Athletic footballers

[one-eyed]

Stats Confidential with Mark Stevens
30 May 2007   Herald-Sun

Weightman, a Richmond great now working in a support role at Tigerland, would take a "footballer" over an athlete any time.

"Natural footballers, when they're under the pump in certain situations, they'll pick the right options," Weightman said.

"Athletes, they do something completely different. You're asking, 'What were they thinking there?' They weren't thinking anything because they weren't footballers. They were athletes."

That's why he likes Hawthorn's 174cm Ben McGlynn, on top of being family friends.

Full article at: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21817399%255E19742,00.html

[bluey_21]

Athlete (ala Jackson) < Natural footballer (ala Cogs) < Athlete with footy smarts (ala lids)

[mightytiges]

Athlete (ala Jackson) < Natural footballer (ala Cogs) < Athlete with footy smarts (ala lids)

Yep pretty much spot on Bluey.

Firstly look to see if a footballer has got good technique and execution by foot, hand and marking.
Secondly has he got footy brains to use the footy properly.
Thirdly for AFL has he got pace and endurance.
Fourthly for AFL has he got the work ethic necessary to succeed.

If you can satisfy those things you've got an AFL footballer. Just because someone can run like the wind and jump tall buildings doesn't mean he can play football but somehow some recruiters still rate athleticism over natural footy ability.

[WilliamPowell]

Gotta agree! Been saying it for yonks 

Look at Foley = Footballer who's worked on the endurance, fitness etc 

[bluey_21]

Gotta agree! Been saying it for yonks 

Look at Foley = Footballer who's worked on the endurance, fitness etc 

Not just a footballer IMO, looks to have plenty of pace

[Gordon Bennett]

Gotta agree! Been saying it for yonks 

Look at Foley = Footballer who's worked on the endurance, fitness etc 

I know for a fact that Foley had one-on-one training ( right throughout 2006) away from the club (but they set it up) to increase his speed with probably the best guy in melbourne in this field. You see the results now. The specialist he worked with raves about his work ethic and character.

[mightytiges]

Gotta agree! Been saying it for yonks 

Look at Foley = Footballer who's worked on the endurance, fitness etc 

I know for a fact that Foley had one-on-one training ( right throughout 2006) away from the club (but they set it up) to increase his speed with probably the best guy in melbourne in this field. You see the results now. The specialist he worked with raves about his work ethic and character.

If it's as straightforward as that then it needs to be asked why we recruit so many athletic flankers over natural onballers instead of more of this one-on-one speed training. Fine if they can play and have the skills like Lids but a certain first rounder of ours struggles to hit a target by foot  .