#38 - Mitch Grigg

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Not happy. Where are all the utilities who can 'play' midfield? Where are all the ex basketballers? What is this 'kicking' everyone seems to be high on this year?

Is this a joke?? surely you jest? It is great to have a natural footballer for once and not another athletic freak that will take 3-4 years to even make it onto the park
 
Is this a joke?? surely you jest? It is great to have a natural footballer for once and not another athletic freak that will take 3-4 years to even make it onto the park
Dude...
 

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Who thinks we should just make this guy do 10 meter sprints for the next 6 months?
 
Can't hurt to get a player with a weapon like his at 41 of this draft.

Yeah, but as Rendell has said, he will be used to win contested ball and get it out to runners. This will pretty much nullify his greatest asset.

Kicks left but handballs right would you believe.

Increasing his foot speed won't make him a better football. Adjusting his attitude and temperament will. It's easy to say "Oh the club will straighten him out" or "He will tow the line". If this was the case, then every kid would make it. Some guys are just so set in their ways.

Before I get showered with cynical comments from the multitude of "the Crows/Rendell can't do anything wrong" types, I will share a passage of play in the champs that reflected Mitch's attitude the best.

In the Vic Metro game, the Vics got out to a 4 goal lead in the 3rd but SA kicked a couple of goals to get back within a goal or so. Had some real momentum. Mitch gives away a high free kick about 65 out from SA's goal and blows up at the decision and gives away a 50. On the way to running back to man the mark he gives away another 50 for abusive language. Vic subsequently kick the goal and the momentum is killed off.

I have plenty of other examples of his attitude but I will leave it at that and you can all see for yourself in time.
 
Mitchell GRIGG - SA - Mid - 19yo - 182cm

The thick set GRIGG has divided a lot of opinion, mainly because of his standout attributes and flaws.

I'll start with his flaws, he's very unathletic. He has a porr wingspan, isn't overly tall, scored the lowest standing verticle at DC, a 3.20 20 (one of the slowest) and just about the slowest repeat sprints. He hid however do rather well in the endurance testing with a 10.29 3km and 15.00 shuttle as well as a not too bad 8.36 agility. Second to his 'plodderness' is the fact he has tools caught in between positions. He has an elite kick, yet inside mids don't get on and 'finish' too many plays. He simply doesn't have the speed or line breaking ability to be an outside mid. Also, while having good hands and a tough strong body, he can get caught waiting outside packs so he can use his weapon, when he should be burrowing.

Downfalls aside, this kick is AFL elite. The only player who gace me multiple 'wow' moments at the champs with kicking, and he did it a lot. Not only is it long, it's low, it's hard, it's precise and a lefty! We don't have many of any of that....Add to his kicking his good decision making and that shoe becomes a real AFL weapon. Forwards love players like this (like a Rich), who can find a needle in a haystack or tell you where the lead is going. That 'quick' kick is vitale in the modern game, reaching its destination before lose defenders can help. Would already be the best user at our club, and one of the better decision makers.

What GRIGG will have to do going forward, is become a lot better in becoming an extractor for others and keep working ont hat endurance to become an 'elite' runner. He can do some mechanical work to increase the speed a bit, but it will never be good. He needs to get that first 5 meter twitch muscle up to complement his strong core (hard to tackle) and agility. This will give him the burst required to play inside football. The endurance will give him the ability to get to every contest and find some outside footy where his weapon will come in.

Very much an 'IF' project, but if the IF comes off, he'll be dangerous.

So, in other words, more Andrew Jarman or Diesel Williams than an athlete who will win the 400m in London in 2012.

Happy with that.
 
With a player like Grigg, I havnt seen much of him but Smart players can extract the ball and then move in exactly the right position to get the ball again in space.

Also I saw in the highlights alot of his clearance work he still has space to move and use the ball effectivly instead of what a lot of players do and just kick down the line to gain meterage. He would put it infront of a forward's general direction and make them move to the space that he knew was there. The best clearance players do this very well and its a good sign to see from someone who is "slow" that he doesnt just rush his kick. It indicates good awarness of not only the stoppage but also around the ground as a whole.
 

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The goal kicked from the boundary oozed class. Appears though to be another leftie who has no right foot at all, happy to be proved wrong by those who have seen him a bit.

As far as attitude goes, look at Matt Jaensch, has come a long way.

Losing it at an umpire shows passion for mine. In the Bassett mould perhaps?;)
 
Yeah, but as Rendell has said, he will be used to win contested ball and get it out to runners. This will pretty much nullify his greatest asset.

Kicks left but handballs right would you believe.

Increasing his foot speed won't make him a better football. Adjusting his attitude and temperament will. It's easy to say "Oh the club will straighten him out" or "He will tow the line". If this was the case, then every kid would make it. Some guys are just so set in their ways.

Before I get showered with cynical comments from the multitude of "the Crows/Rendell can't do anything wrong" types, I will share a passage of play in the champs that reflected Mitch's attitude the best.

In the Vic Metro game, the Vics got out to a 4 goal lead in the 3rd but SA kicked a couple of goals to get back within a goal or so. Had some real momentum. Mitch gives away a high free kick about 65 out from SA's goal and blows up at the decision and gives away a 50. On the way to running back to man the mark he gives away another 50 for abusive language. Vic subsequently kick the goal and the momentum is killed off.

I have plenty of other examples of his attitude but I will leave it at that and you can all see for yourself in time.

So he has plenty of fire in the guts? I reckon Lleyton Hewitt would of given a few 50s away if he played football..... Best dummy spitter I have ever seen was Bass... If he has half their competitive spirit we have ourselves a beauty..
 
So he has plenty of fire in the guts? I reckon Lleyton Hewitt would of given a few 50s away if he played football..... Best dummy spitter I have ever seen was Bass... If he has half their competitive spirit we have ourselves a beauty..

You can be fiery and competitive without being selfish. Giving away 50m penalties for abuse is a selfish act that satisfies the perpetrator but punishes the team.
 
Maturity thing Neddy. As a talented kid you get away with it because you're talented. When you get to the AFL and everyone's just as good, it sinks in quick. Nothing like a Milburn spray either :D
 
You can be fiery and competitive without being selfish. Giving away 50m penalties for abuse is a selfish act that satisfies the perpetrator but punishes the team.

I look at it differently. You can teach a player to be more disciplined and to shut his mouth.... You cant teach a kid to be competitive...

I am happy the club is recruting a few boys who aren't "altar boys"....
 
I have plenty of other examples of his attitude but I will leave it at that and you can all see for yourself in time.

I do see where you are coming from, but that to me is really an "attitude" issue it is more of a maturity issue

for me attitude issues are the only certain players have, where they don't train well, don't apply themselves during games and all that other jazz that comes with knowing you are a gun.

we can only hope that the club and Basset team the boy to control his temper - plenty of players have done that in the past
 
You can be fiery and competitive without being selfish. Giving away 50m penalties for abuse is a selfish act that satisfies the perpetrator but punishes the team.
Well we're already the masters of giving away 50m penalties for clumsy throws back to the free kick recipient or for running over the mark, so he should fit in just fine then. :p
 
I reckon we should try to mould him to play that quarterback role (Suckling, Stuey Dew, Hodge, Hurn, Hunt etc.) We're missing a penetrating, booming, laser kick in our backline and Grigg could fill that role well I reckon. He's a good decision maker, brilliant kick and has a aggressive streak. Sounds perfect for this role and his pace probably won't be exposed as much.
 
Problem is we play a team like Carlton and he'll have to match up on Betts, Garlett or Walker :) That kick off the HBF is tantelising though. This makes the point on 'where' to play hm long term.
 

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