What the hell is wrong with Bruce?

[SemperFidelis]

I agree he isn't clunking them quite as much as we expect but, think calling him disgusting is a bit much.

He can't buy a free kick in a contest. He runs almost as far as Roo and did again today, as well as giving Hickey a chop out in the ruck. Took a couple of crucial marks and kicked a critical goal. There were many more who were below him today.


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[George27]

Agree he works so hard, but his timing for marks is way off. As we look now to the Dees next week, IF Paddy is fit then, given that Delaney was well down today , Lee has not taken his chances, Fisher still injured, I wonder if we put Josh to full back on Hogan . It is not quite as desperate as Fevola on Gehrig in 2004, and might help Josh back into form. It all does depend however on Paddy being ok. I would also look at bringing Lewie Pierce in as well, so Josh can just focus on being a KP player.

[Vazelos]

Bruce is a concern at the moment, I have really gone off him of late. Poor hands, no presence at all in the contest maybe it is time to give him a spell at CHB. Membrey really is showing him up and would be on half the money.

[Vazelos]

Bruce is a concern at the moment, I have really gone off him of late. Poor hands, no presence at all in the contest maybe it is time to give him a spell at CHB. Membrey really is showing him up and would be on half the money.

[Impatient Sainter]

He is simply become easy to defend against. He needs to learn to push off his opponents more, if you watched Kennedy today for WCE he'd turn and push his opponents just before the ball arrives. Or push off before the lead. Bruce just leads straight at the ball and his opponent in Hartley just kept thumping it away. When he does get his hands to it he has lost confidence to clunk them.

Time and space is what he needs to work on and starting to hurt a few opponents who drop in front of him.

[Harvey To Hayes]

In a year where he's been under increased scrutiny from the opposition after a breakout 50 goal 2015 he's still managed to slot 27.14 from 15 games, a smidge under 2 goals a game (and that's with him often providing a chop out in the ruck for Hickey as well). He's still learning the role to a degree, but IMHO if a forward can contribute 2 goals a game with plenty of upside remaining dropping him shouldn't even be a consideration. He always has a crack and I'm confident will form a prong of a great forward line with Paddy and Timmy B and our swathe of small forwards down the track once they finally get some decent game time together and find their own synchronicity.

[Zed]

Always too far under the ball. Either he gets pushed under or poor timing.
.

Yes his timing seems out a lot.......... Many a time he is too far under the ball, mustn't being pushed under the ball, because he rarely seems to appeal to umpire that he's been infringed upon.

lost count of the number of times he ran under it on the weekend

[The Recruit]

Only just turned 24
Only played 61 AFL games
Still learning his craft
Stands out because he is a forward but all players have form slumps.

-hard worker
-good character
-loyal
-not a fat head

He will be okay as a second tall to Paddy. If he can kick 30-40 goals a year he has done his job.
Will get better as our midfield improves.

[Sainternist]

It's merely a temporary slump in form. All good players have them. Chill out, you lot. He'll bounce back.

[thejiggingsaint]

+1

[spert]

Dunno- seems Bruce's judgement is off a bit in marking contests, and doesn't seem to be positioning himself very well when the ball is coming down the ground. To me he is simply out of form and needs a spell at the VFL.

[Linton Lodger]

I think I've posted something similar to this before, I think his issue over the last month or so is obvious.

It appears to me that he is getting to the same number of contests and contesting vigorously, as he always done. However, I think he is hitting the footy with hard hands as opposed to soft hands and that's why he's dropping them.

When he was holding them, I formed the view that his hands were as sticky as Stewie Loewe's ever were. He doesn't appear to be doing anything differently and you cannot accuse him of lacking effort. I think its a soft hands (or lack of) issue. I think he just needs to relax.

[bigcarl]

I think I've posted something similar to this before, I think his issue over the last month or so is obvious.

It appears to me that he is getting to the same number of contests and contesting vigorously, as he always done. However, I think he is hitting the footy with hard hands as opposed to soft hands and that's why he's dropping them.

When he was holding them, I formed the view that his hands were as sticky as Stewie Loewe's ever were. He doesn't appear to be doing anything differently and you cannot accuse him of lacking effort. I think its a soft hands (or lack of) issue. I think he just needs to relax.

Trying too hard is almost as harmful as not trying. He needs to try smarter, not harder. Maybe there's a soft hands drill he can do.

[darylcowie]

He is a swingman that can pinch hit up forward, but CHB is where he will eventually claim his spot in the team IMHO.

[8856brother]

It's now really concerning.

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[shrodes]

It's now really concerning.

I agree. I wouldn't be against throwing him back in the VFL for a week or two to kick a bag if McCartin is fit and firing.

[fugazi]

Bit out of form, and tonight a bit out of luck. But still got to many contests and brought the ball down sometimes against 3 or 4 Bulldogs defenders.

[The Fireman]

looks slow.. he was very ordinary tonight...hope he pulls out of this slump. we need everyone firing next 5 games.

[Long Term Injury]

I think I've posted something similar to this before, I think his issue over the last month or so is obvious.

It appears to me that he is getting to the same number of contests and contesting vigorously, as he always done. However, I think he is hitting the footy with hard hands as opposed to soft hands and that's why he's dropping them.

When he was holding them, I formed the view that his hands were as sticky as Stewie Loewe's ever were. He doesn't appear to be doing anything differently and you cannot accuse him of lacking effort. I think its a soft hands (or lack of) issue. I think he just needs to relax.

Great call, i also think he isnt reading the flight as well, he is getting under it a bit, im talking by a meter maximum, which means a lot of his jump at the ball is almost verticle making it a lot easier for defenders to spoil. I reckon if he can jump a little earlier at closer to 80-75 degrees he'll protect the ball a lot more and be able to go at it with softer hands. It sounds weird, but i reckon more focus on arm position and the hands will come good. Tom Lee had the exact same problem when playing forward.

[Saintlester]

IMHO he does so much grunt work that goes unnoticed. I know we want him to take big marks and kick goals but better he does his job and we win games. His workrate is wonderful and just keeps going and going. No chance hes dropped.

[whiskers3614]

looks slow.. he was very ordinary tonight...hope he pulls out of this slump. we need everyone firing next 5 games.

Just as long as he's right for the finals!

[Sainter_Dad]

IMHO he does so much grunt work that goes unnoticed. I know we want him to take big marks and kick goals but better he does his job and we win games. His workrate is wonderful and just keeps going and going. No chance hes dropped.

Needs to be in the team to take the best defender - someone each and every week will have to sacrifice his game to allow one of the others to score well - in the past three weeks it has been Bruce being quiet to allow Membrey and Roo to score multiples.

Long live the Bruce!!!!!!

[SemperFidelis]

IMHO he does so much grunt work that goes unnoticed. I know we want him to take big marks and kick goals but better he does his job and we win games. His workrate is wonderful and just keeps going and going. No chance hes dropped.

Needs to be in the team to take the best defender - someone each and every week will have to sacrifice his dame to allow one of the others to score well - in the past three weeks it has been Bruce being quiet to allow Membrey and Roo to score multiples.

Long live the Bruce!!!!!!

+1 Sainter Dad and Saintlester. He doesn't give up. He'll learn how to cope with the pack hanging off him; he's still so young.

[BigMart]

Having a crack and working hard are not his issue... Everyone knows that

It's holding a grab occasionally

[Bluthy]

He just doesn't look anywhere near as athletic as last year where he was running his opponent ragged and then leaping high for marks. He looks like he can barely jump now. And to use a Commettisim, he isn't getting any separation. He must be carrying an injury I reckon. If Paddy was ready it may not hurt to rest Brucey or even try Pierce up forward and relief ruck.