#25 Josh Fraser

[BHPIE]

Josh IS a star,..money well spent.....on ya Josh.

[Millane42]

greeeaaaaat news!

Josh should be the next captain in my opinion

[Bones]

That seems way too much for what he has shown previously and particularly this season.

Ignorant statement is all I can say. Tell me, how many games has he played this year. What's that you say? You don't know? Well its one game plus a quarter of the 2nd game when he was injured.

[Miz]

Bones,
is Fraser one of the best tap ruckmen in the competition?
Is he one of the best tall forwards?

I would doubt many people would say yes to either of those but he is a very good player but 350k a year (if that figure is correct) seems excessive on the form he has shown of late.

[Joel]

No, but he is very good around the ground. When he was uninjured and firing, he was kicking 30+ goals a season.

[KYPREO]

Bones,
is Fraser one of the best tap ruckmen in the competition?

When fit, YES. Go watch Collingwood v Hawthorn from last year and watch Josh dominate against THE best tap ruckman in the competition, Peter Everitt, and earned himself BOG. One of the problems, however, has been the new ruck rule, which rewards the tallest ruckmen with the best vertical leap. Now Josh is a good leap, but he needs a run-up and is not the tallest ruckman going around - but has a few inches on C2 and walker.

IMO Josh's key strength is his mobility and his groundwork, which is exceptional for a ruckman. If Richards comes along, I'd say Josh will be our number two ruckman but he very good value and almost plays like a ruck rover once the play hits the deck.

Do not forget that Josh was pretty much the only Collingwood player not to lower his colours on that unmentionable day in September 2003.

[Miz]

Have to agree Joel and he is very good rucking around the forward line where he often sets up a goal, has he really shown enough to warrant 350K is the only question.

[Bones]

Will never be a great ruckman, is he worth 350k?? Compared to some of the other donkeys we have then yes.
Roaming tall Forward, parttime ruck.

[skaman]

Josh is an integeral part of our team, his value is immense all over the ground. His mobility and adaptability for a variety of roles in our team are second to none. If he's getting paid 350k, and who really knows, its worth every cent. He is one player that we can build around, and one player of about 5, that I would class as" untouchable" at the club(in regard to trading etc). Definately a leader at the club and possible Captain to come. Well done Pies and Josh. We shall return as a force!

[RayByrneForPOPE]

If Josh Fraser is worth 350 000 a year (JOKE) Jonothan Brown is worth 350 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 a year!
Fair Dinkum what has he done in 5 years I'd have kept McKee before Fraser! He cant ruck hes to skinny all he is is an xtra 4th tall up forward I'd say 100 000 a year at tops. Just cant wait until Guy Richards is up and running injury free because he will be a Ruckman.

[skaman]

If Josh Fraser is worth 350 000 a year (JOKE) Jonothan Brown is worth 350 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 a year!
Fair Dinkum what has he done in 5 years I'd have kept McKee before Fraser! He cant ruck hes to skinny all he is is an xtra 4th tall up forward I'd say 100 000 a year at tops. Just cant wait until Guy Richards is up and running injury free because he will be a Ruckman.

Kept McKee before Fraser, plllllllllllease. Frasers value is his around the ground importance, up forward or back up ruck(versatility). As an out and out ruckman McKee was fair at best. Big hearted, tried hard, but for value overall, Mckee wasnt fit to tie Frasers bootlaces.Correct me if I'm wrong ,but didnt McKee try out again with Bitchmond after he left Collingwood. Just not up to it I'm afraid.

[RayByrneForPOPE]

McKees injuries that finished him, all i mean is Mckee used body and I reckon he was pretty good at the Pies his game in the 2003 gf was awesome, where as Josh is too skinny cant use his body If all was right with the injuries I'd just play Fraser in the forward pocket but not as a ruckman and I dont reckon he is worth $16000 a game if he plays 22 a season. Im not sayin give him the flick I'm just saying I dont reckon hes worth 350 grand a year. I no its not his fault he was No. 1 draft pick.

[DaVe86]

We have been so concerned about who we are going to recruit and have payed no attention to keeping the players we have. Great to hear we are keeping fraser

[Joel]

Ease up RayByrne, Josh hasn't had a chance of late. Who knows how much he is being paid, so let's not pretend we actually know.

[Proud Pies]

I know I always sprout off how I don't believe he's Captain Material......but i'm obviously in the minority.


Fraser as captaincy material
By Michael Gleeson
May 20, 2005

The latest two-year contract extension for Josh Fraser will take the ruckman through to the time when he is ripe to assume the Collingwood captaincy from Nathan Buckley.

While falling short of anointing Fraser the successor to Buckley, Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said this week that the ruckman was maturing into captaincy material, having shown a hunger for an expanded leadership role with the club.

With Buckley and vice-captain Anthony Rocca out injured, the captaincy this year has been taken over by James Clement. Buckley is out of contract at the end of the season, but pending his successful return from hamstring surgery will play on for at least another one or two seasons.

He has no plans as yet to relinquish the captaincy but Malthouse said the two-year extension of Fraser's contract would fit neatly into the time frame.

"Two years to me is fantastic because there is no doubt he is challenging for a senior leadership role in the club. He is in the leadership group now but he is really pushing himself up within that group," Malthouse said.


"Josh in the early years was that typical country lad who came down and worked as hard as he could to be as good as he could quickly. But the next stage of his development is to project laterally and forward and to take a lot of players with him.

"The players that have been given early responsibility - the Careys, Worsfolds - they had great back-up. Josh came into the side with a wonderful captain in place and good deputies. So we have been able to nurture without having to rush people and let them grow into their position and learn from who I believe to be excellent leaders in Nathan and so forth. Josh has been able to grow into that position to challenge for a leadership role as opposed to be thrust into it too early.

"The next two years will put him to about the right age. It is so good to see he is in that position now for him to be already a six-year player this year, so he is just ripe now for that leadership capacity."

Buckley was more coy about his thoughts on the next captain after he retires or stands down as skipper. "Do I see him as my successor? Look, there's a lot of guys that show leadership at the club. I reckon there are two or three pretty solid candidates in the young group. And two or three guys, immediately, two or three years younger than me," Buckley said.

"I still think of Josh as a young fellow. He will be around for another 10 years. How guys perform in situations like this is going to dictate the real leadership material and who is thereabouts at the right time and who will be the right person going forward and Josh is certainly around that mark.

"Jimmy Clement could play for another five or six years and Anthony could do the same and those guys lead well, and from the younger fellows there's Josh. But Ben Johnson leads well - a bit of a diamond in the rough."


This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/arti ... 73923.html