“There is a skill to it”: Weightman discusses free kicks and polarising reputation

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Originally Posted by boydogs

There's a line between playing for the free and playing the ball. He's a bit on the Lindsay Thomas side at the moment

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Lindsay Thomas had a real dirty/ arsehole/ cheap streak in him. Cody doesn't.

Love Cody. Terrific young fella, and I'm not at all worried about this over the top reaction he's getting about free kicks.
If not for the Essendon final, nobody would say anything, and in that game, only one of the free kicks wasn't there. He doesn't pay them to himself. Its the same as the carry on about Selwood - tackle properly. And to a further extent, its like the carry on about the bulldogs being favoured by the umpires. There IS a skill to not infringing on your opponents, via either the way you tackle, or the way you position yourself.

In other sports, if a player can get to the foul line or get to the penalty spot (Basketball, Soccer, Hockey) it is lauded. We just have a strange mindset in our strange game.

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Originally Posted by Ozza

Love Cody. Terrific young fella, and I'm not at all worried about this over the top reaction he's getting about free kicks.
If not for the Essendon final, nobody would say anything, and in that game, only one of the free kicks wasn't there. He doesn't pay them to himself. Its the same as the carry on about Selwood - tackle properly. And to a further extent, its like the carry on about the bulldogs being favoured by the umpires. There IS a skill to not infringing on your opponents, via either the way you tackle, or the way you position yourself.

In other sports, if a player can get to the foul line or get to the penalty spot (Basketball, Soccer, Hockey) it is lauded. We just have a strange mindset in our strange game.

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Unless they're James Harden, then they're rightfully scorned.

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Originally Posted by EasternWest

Unless they're James Harden, then they're rightfully scorned.

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It's not really lauded in Soccer either. Guys that go down easily trying to milk fouls are generally disliked.

James Maddison, a young English talent that plays for Leicester, was constantly booed by the Geordies on the weekend as he dived and got a pen in the previous game.

I should clarify my comment to say that Cody rules and I don’t care at all that he dives. Your team getting a free kick in front of goal they don’t deserve is awesome. I just feel like sometimes he makes it his whole thing and it hurts the rest of his game.

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Originally Posted by jeemak

Lindsay Thomas had a real dirty/ arsehole/ cheap streak in him. Cody doesn't.

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Totally agree

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Originally Posted by boydogs

Totally agree

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It's better when we agree, isn't it! ;)

I don't disagree with you re the other elements of Thomas's game, Cody will mature and not need to go to ground etc. as he continues to build confidence in his value to the team.

He is very good at not taking possession, leading to the defender tugging his jumper - clear free kick, and definitely a skill. The issue is if the defender is clever and DOESN'T tug the jumper, then Cody's just given up possession.

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Originally Posted by jazzadogs

He is very good at not taking possession, leading to the defender tugging his jumper - clear free kick, and definitely a skill. The issue is if the defender is clever and DOESN'T tug the jumper, then Cody's just given up possession.

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That's definitely where the improvement with maturity comes into it. Cody needs to know that if he doesn't get it first time then the second and third times are still up for grabs. His pressure has been great at times this year, as has our overall forward pressure which has been an issue in exposing our defence in recent years.