Nick's Collingwood Bulletin Board

good post Daniel - I reckon it is time we started with Johno out of the centre or ruck rover. He has stepped up that far, esp with the injuries.

Milne has never hurt us with Johnno on him ... thats why MM started that way. He HAD to shift him to get some run but look what Milne did after that!!!!

I have been a Lonie fan since I saw him in a practice match before his first game. He has great skills but is infuriating as he doesnt play with aggression. He is 190 and 90kg but doesnt attack the opponent hard enough, nor does he take them on when he has the ball.

Easy to say play Lonie on the wing but who is going to provide the run from the back line. Clement cant do it as he is on a key defender without Presti, Cloke doesnt have the disposal skills, you have Johnno in the middle, Cole is down on form.

And by the way, a certain number 26 who is now a very good player probably wouldnt even be at Collingwod if not for the faith shown in him by a "MORON".

Lonie has never cut it as a wingman, and he has played there a bit, because he can only run one way, forward. He is not accountable, and is too slow and not hard at it enough to go with other teams wingers because they are usually hard midfield types who aren't playing in the guts.

Half-Back or Trade bait. Talented but....

MM originally wanted to groom Lonie as a winger but his thinking has changed as with his penetration in the kicking he can get the ball at HB run for 15 and still be passing to a Pebbles, Josh or Taz.

Lonie is not running real well and I don't know if it is that dreaded two initials or overtaining and tendonitis - like C1 and C2 had and are just getting over.

Last week he seemed to be running OK but the hands failed him and that is an overtraining sign.

We need him firing and he is not far away.

With the next 3 games at TD he will be a very valuable asset.

I think he actually played better with Wakes on the ground and mashalling the troops and I would expect to see Wakes on at the start this week on the ex King.

Lone Ranger wrote:And by the way, a certain number 26 who is now a very good player probably wouldnt even be at Collingwod if not for the faith shown in him by a "MORON".

Exactly right!!!! If the "MORON" hadnt shown some faith in him and dragged him after those awful turnovers in the 02 Qual Final against Port, he wouldnt have laid THAT tackle. Which means we probably wouldnt have made the GF and No 26 might no longer be with us. Now people are talking about No 26 being the next captain. Lucky the coach is a "MORON"!!!

Lonie to full fwd

Posted by drew1602

Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: Northcote Victoria Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 5:33 pm
Post subject: Ryan Lonie...Where should he be played ??
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drew1602 wrote:Sorry to say but I truelly think that Ryan Lonie is being destroyed in the backline. It seems like there has not been a game this year that he has not coffed up a goal from an silly error.

He is at his best when recieving the ball and running through the wing/half forward line to goal...let him play his natural game.

I have said it before...not every player can/has to be tough and have a defensive side..and I think the experiment with him in the backline is proving this. When he is isolated one on one he gets beaten almost every time. As a result his confidence has plummeted to almost zero( as seen by his thuble on teh half back line on sat night that resulted ina goal). He is an undoubted talent and MM should allow him to do what he is good at and NOT try and turn him into the allround player he wants 100% of our team to be...it simply doesnt work that way....a mix of all types of players I beleive is what makes a great team....but hey that just my opinion.. I'd be interested in yours !!

MM is big on players being adaptable. Hence J Cloke playing in the forward line from time to time and Lonie playing in the backline. Lonie is a fantastic kick on the run and can put opposition players under pressure by getting the ball quickly down to Rocca and Tarrant.

However these runs seem to be few and far between at the moment. His defensive skills are not all that good.

I believe with some perseverence he will be a topline hbf. He shouldn't be asked to play as the third tall defender though as he is simply not aggressive enough. Players don't lose the skill they have and there is no doubt that Ryan is incredibly skilled. He just needs to get some confidence back.

Maybe a stint at Willi might help. It is unfortunate that we can't carry players for too long. It would be a shame to trade him and have him turn into a top running defender at another club but it may be what MM will do in order to get some depth in another area.

I for one hope that Ryan can turn the clock back a couple of years to when he was considered a future Collingwood captain.

It continually annoy's me to watch a Collingwood game and to see potentially our best Winger playing full back. When I saw Ryan kick that 9 point just before halftime and then resume the 3rd quarter in the backline I turned the TV off.
Is this player wasted playing on the last line of defence? Who else is fustrated by MM continually wasting Lonies best asset his long kicking? I feel Lonie has the potential to be a winger who can kick plenty of goals,and be the next true Graham Wright.
Your Opinion?

He is not hard enough in a contest to be compared to Graeme Wright.

If Loinie isnt a wingman Im not sitting at my computer

Is this film similar to Defending Dane Swan?

"being ben johnson"

"My Left Foot"

Lonie's balls are on the line this season so it should be
"Saving Ryan's privates"