Guy O'Keefe

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

Interesting call.. slightly off topic, has there been any other player you can recall that has been under scrutiny to be kept on our list after getting close for a senior game on a number of occasions?
O'Keefe has been with us for only 2 years and talk is he has a number of deficiencies that may prevent him from being a good AFL player. What has changed since we drafted him?
Surely we were aware of this physical capabilities or lack of, prior to drafting him?
I know this has topic has been done to death however it has me intrigued.

Desipura, probably better discussing here.

[Desipura]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

Desipura, probably better discussing here.

Gee whiz, you are too quick for me, I was just about to do the same

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

Gee whiz, you are too quick for me, I was just about to do the same

Sorry.

[Desipura]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

I would like to know what the regular Willi watchers think about my comments? Guy has not yet played a game of AFL, what makes him less appealing than when we first drafted him, or has the game got that much quicker since we drafted him 2 years ago?

[Mofra]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

I'd guess (off-field rumours aside) it's his workrate off the ball, which is a big part of gameplan these days. One player not doing the right thing can cause an entire zone to crumble.

[Bornadog]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

I would like to know what the regular Willi watchers think about my comments? Guy has not yet played a game of AFL, what makes him less appealing than when we first drafted him, or has the game got that much quicker since we drafted him 2 years ago?

I guess his biggest issue besides on field work rate, is off field work rate. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't get your fitness right, it won't work for you on field.

Have a look at Cross and Boyd and see what can be achieved, thast what GOK needs to do.

[Desipura]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

I guess his biggest issue besides on field work rate, is off field work rate. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't get your fitness right, it won't work for you on field.

Have a look at Cross and Boyd and see what can be achieved, thast what GOK needs to do.

Boyd was not the fittest going around when we plucked him from Sandringham seconds for memory, in fact he was a little overweight. Look at him now, his body shape has changed considerably since those days.

[Bornadog]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

Boyd was not the fittest going around when we plucked him from Sandringham seconds for memory, in fact he was a little overweight. Look at him now, his body shape has changed considerably since those days.

Apparently as obsessed as Cross on fitness.

[Desipura]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

Apparently as obsessed as Cross on fitness.

Fitnessed can be increased, a footy brain cannot, it comes naturally.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

Have a look at Cross and Boyd and see what can be achieved, thast what GOK needs to do.

That said he is already achieving pretty good results and is not as fit as he needs to be.

It just seems to me that he has been made the scapegoat by the Dogs coaching staff when the Willy coaching staff seem to have had a lot of respect.

I think the kid is a player, and I wonder if our senior coach can be too stubborn at times with the Gen Y guys about who fits into, and who doesn't fit into their plans

[Big_Willba]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

That said he is already achieving pretty good results and is not as fit as he needs to be.

Why in his second year has he been made the scapegoat by the Dogs coaching staff when the Willy coaching staff seem to have had a lot of respect.

I think the kid is a player, and I wonder if our senior coach can be too stubborn at times with the Gen Y guys about who fits into, and who doesn't fit into his plans

Great post. I agree with this totally. I dont understand how in one group of coaches he seems to be the "whipping boy" and in the other (willy coaches) he seems to be very well respected even winning the coaches award..?

he can obviously play or else he wouldnt be talked about like this without even playing a game! I hope if he gets an oppurtunity somewhere else we are not looking back on it and kicking our selves.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

That said he is already achieving pretty good results and is not as fit as he needs to be.

It just seems to me that he has been made the scapegoat by the Dogs coaching staff when the Willy coaching staff seem to have had a lot of respect.

I think the kid is a player, and I wonder if our senior coach can be too stubborn at times with the Gen Y guys about who fits into, and who doesn't fit into their plans

What is pretty good results? Racking up possessions in the VFL? We delisted around 4 every year - are they scapegoats as well and there are plenty of Gen Ys that fit in on the list well. Its been 2 years as mentioned Guy is the one of the slowest, has poor endurance and doesn't work hard enough of the track. At pick 63 it was very speculative and not a huge loss.

Eade made a mistake before with Kirk at the Swans but GOK doesn't have the attitude or the work rate Kirk does. Might get it at another club but I'm prepared to back the coach and his staff here.

BTW Boyd was at Frankston not Sandy. Also having a footy brain means you know what fitness you need to play at the level you want.

[Big_Willba]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

What is pretty good results? Racking up possessions in the VFL? We delisted around 4 every year - are they scapegoats as well and there are plenty of Gen Ys that fit in on the list well. Its been 2 years as mentioned Guy is the one of the slowest, has poor endurance and doesn't work hard enough of the track. At pick 63 it was very speculative and not a huge loss.

Eade made a mistake before with Kirk at the Swans but GOK doesn't have the attitude or the work rate Kirk does. Might get it at another club but I'm prepared to back the coach and his staff here.

BTW Boyd was at Frankston not Sandy. Also having a footy brain means you know what fitness you need to play at the level you want.

the kid at 19 came a very close 4th in the willy BnF. would of thought thats pretty good results.

anyone whos watched him knows he uses it exceptionally well and brings others into the game better than most youngsters ive seen play. he will only get fitter and stronger.

[EasternWest]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

What is pretty good results? Racking up possessions in the VFL? We delisted around 4 every year - are they scapegoats as well and there are plenty of Gen Ys that fit in on the list well. Its been 2 years as mentioned Guy is the one of the slowest, has poor endurance and doesn't work hard enough of the track. At pick 63 it was very speculative and not a huge loss.

Eade made a mistake before with Kirk at the Swans but GOK doesn't have the attitude or the work rate Kirk does. Might get it at another club but I'm prepared to back the coach and his staff here.

BTW Boyd was at Frankston not Sandy. Also having a footy brain means you know what fitness you need to play at the level you want.

No, having a footy brain means knowing what to do when you get your hands on the pill and also knowing what to do when you don't have it.

If your definition of having a footy brain were true ES, then Farren Ray would be a Brownlow medallist by now. Knows how fit he needs to be to play at the level he wants, still a terrible footy brain.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Guy O'Keefe

What is pretty good results? Racking up possessions in the VFL? We delisted around 4 every year - are they scapegoats as well and there are plenty of Gen Ys that fit in on the list well. Its been 2 years as mentioned Guy is the one of the slowest, has poor endurance and doesn't work hard enough of the track. At pick 63 it was very speculative and not a huge loss.

Eade made a mistake before with Kirk at the Swans but GOK doesn't have the attitude or the work rate Kirk does. Might get it at another club but I'm prepared to back the coach and his staff here.

I would have thought the pretty good results were straight forward:

4th in the Willy B&F 2009
Willy Coaches Award 2009
And when given the chance at preseason 2008 AFL level he acquitted himself well

I'm not by any means suggesting that he doesn't have room for improvement, but over 2 season at VFL level he has performed far better than Wood, Reid, Boumann and Grant who were drafted in the same year and better than Everitt, Stack and Lynch who've had more time.

Our Gen Y kids seem to need a bit of nurturing. I wonder why given OKeefes relative performance to his peer group he appears to be the one singled out. Boumann and Reid have had issues, and even Ward drew the coaches ire when he presented for the 09 preseason out of shape.

I just think the kid is young, and the penny drops at different times for different players.
It's not like Cooney or Griffen really understood what it took when they arrived either. When they came to the club my impression was that Ward and OKeefe were the most serious about becoming league footballers, and they also seemed to be pretty good mates. Clearly they know more than I do but I guess I thought the coaching staff would be pushing and coaxing OKeefe to become an elite runner, rather than just trading a guy who already seems a pretty handy player.