Brian Harris - Gaining confidence with each passing season?

[BulldogBelle]

He can take down a big name one week then cough up 3 or 4 goals to a fringe player the next week.

This is the only thing that worries me about Harris exactly when that scenario occurs. He can be fantastic one week and then follow it up with a mass of goals kicked on him. He has improved in this area but at times it is frustrating to watch. All in all, he is good value and he will further improve.

[Mantis]

This is the only thing that worries me about Harris exactly when that scenario occurs. He can be fantastic one week and then follow it up with a mass of goals kicked on him. He has improved in this area but at times it is frustrating to watch. All in all, he is good value and he will further improve.

I can remember a thread a while back posted by mjp about this very subject. His main focus was how confident we would be in Harris performing in a crucial game, none bigger than a grand final. Would we get the ultra confident Harris who can outplay the best forwards in the comp. or the uneasy defender who can give up multiple goals against the lesser likes such as the game versus the Kangaroos last year in which Petrie gave him a towelling.

Harris is improving, but the brain fades still give us cause for concern. Until his consistency improves we cannot place Harris in the elite defenders of the competition category, but he is getting there. Lets hope 08 is another step in the right direction.

[BulldogBelle]

Would we get the ultra confident Harris who can outplay the best forwards in the comp. or the uneasy defender who can give up multiple goals against the lesser likes such as the game versus the Kangaroos last year in which Petrie gave him a towelling.

That game I was so dissapointed in his performance and remember thinking Brian you can do better than that. There was a reason for that if I recall he had stomach cramps and wasn't feeling well? He got better in the second half but by then the damage was already done.

Harris is improving, but the brain fades still give us cause for concern. Until his consistency improves we cannot place Harris in the elite defenders of the competition category, but he is getting there. Lets hope 08 is another step in the right direction.

Agreed with what you have written above he still has a little work to do, but he is improving.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Harris averaged identical disposal numbers to Scarlett but had more contested marks so his creativity and ability to attack has definetly improved to the point where it is a real weapon. The part where I disagree with you slightly is that I believe he has to get better at shutting down his man consistently to be in the class of a Scarlett. He can take down a big name one week then cough up 3 or 4 goals to a fringe player the next week.

I am very pleased with the way he has developed into a player who can leave his man and take contested marks in defence. I hope that our other developing talls can follow his lead and really use Harris as the main piece in creating a sensational tall and mobile back 6.

I think thats a fair call on Harris Dog Town with respect to him consistently allowing less goals, but I'm unsure whether Scarlett actually locks down opposition forwards anymore or whether he is given easier assignments and allowed to float across half back, seems to me that Harley and Egan get more of the nire lock down roles nowadays. I cant fully remember but didn't Scarlett get Westhoff in the grand final?

[wimberga]

Would it be fair to say that Harris is a bit like Cooney, as on there day they are some of the Elite players of the AFL. Its just there Consistency that holds them back from that status?

[hujsh]

Would it be fair to say that Harris is a bit like Cooney, as on there day they are some of the Elite players of the AFL. Its just there Consistency that holds them back from that status?

That's pretty true. They suffer from different types of inconsistency though. Harris doesn't always focus and Cooney struggles to break a good tag

[Mantis]

That game I was so dissapointed in his performance and remember thinking Brian you can do better than that. There was a reason for that if I recall he had stomach cramps and wasn't feeling well? He got better in the second half but by then the damage was already done.

No, he was feeling ok. I was lucky enough to speak to Eade after that game he he told me that Harris was not ill, he just didn't turn up to play.

[hujsh]

No, he was feeling ok. I was lucky enough to speak to Eade after that game he he told me that Harris was not ill, he just didn't turn up to play.

I think that was said in the media as well but my memory is a bit hazy. I've tried to block that game out of my mind

[BulldogBelle]

No, he was feeling ok. I was lucky enough to speak to Eade after that game he he told me that Harris was not ill, he just didn't turn up to play.

Ok, well if that was the case - this is definitely something he has to work on being focussed and ready to play for each match. He still has some improving to do but he will get there.

[dog town]

I think thats a fair call on Harris Dog Town with respect to him consistently allowing less goals, but I'm unsure whether Scarlett actually locks down opposition forwards anymore or whether he is given easier assignments and allowed to float across half back, seems to me that Harley and Egan get more of the nire lock down roles nowadays. I cant fully remember but didn't Scarlett get Westhoff in the grand final?

Yeah your probably right with all of that but we also gave Harris some cruisier roles at times this season. Scarlett has certainly been deliberately freed up by the cats. I think he played on Tredrea but dont quote me on that. May well have played on Westhoff.