Malthouse has big plans for Gibbs at Carlton

Updated November 05, 2012 22:42:06

New Carlton coach Mick Malthouse has already enjoyed an up-close glimpse of what Bryce Gibbs could deliver in the AFL.

Malthouse has great expectations for the 2006 number one draft pick, who was a big disappointment for the Blues as they dropped out of the top eight to 10th in 2012.

There is a sense that Gibbs' career has stalled, with the highly-rated player having minimal impact across half-back.

Two years ago, Malthouse coached Gibbs during Australia's International Rules tour of Ireland and came away a big fan of the utility.

"He was simply outstanding over there," Malthouse said.

"Let me say, there wasn't any `good' - he was outstanding.

"So I know his capabilities.

"He has to be thrown the ball and (we) say `right, now you have to run with it'."

Malthouse also made it clear that he sees Gibbs as a midfielder, first and foremost.

"I'd like to think he's going to be playing in the middle, but it's coupled with half-back and half-forward," Malthouse said.

"He certainly has to come up that next level.

"There's 20 minutes there (each quarter) - he has to be able to do eight to 10 minutes and that's quite significant.

"That takes half a quarter away from others, to give them a little bit of relief and also be able to play in other positions, which I'm pretty keen to do."

Malthouse took charge of Carlton training for the first time on Monday, a month after the tumultuous end to this season.

The Blues sacked Brett Ratten before their last match and soon after appointed Malthouse, the three-time premiership coach.

Carlton were keen to recruit Collingwood key forward Travis Cloke, but once he re-signed with Malthouse's old club they had a minimal role in the trade period.

That reflects Malthouse's confidence that this group has plenty to offer.

"Any club who finishes outside the eight have a fair bit of work to make up," he said.

"But you know what's on our side? History.

"No eight has ever stayed the same and I'm a great believer in history.

"That gives any side outside the eight great buoyancy to go forward."

"The side has the mechanics to be a good football side.

The first impressions have been encouraging for Malthouse in his fourth AFL senior coaching assignment.

'"I've been very, very happy with what I've seen," he said.

The Blues will soon have a pre-season training camp in Arizona, where Malthouse and his players will start learning more about each other.

The players also have to elect their leadership group, with Malthouse saying current captain Chris Judd had to decide whether he wants to retain the role.

Meanwhile, Carlton announced on Monday that former Melbourne captain Brad Green had joined them as a midfield development coach.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted November 05, 2012 22:42:06

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Jurrah plans to stay the course

Updated March 12, 2012 17:42:07

Liam Jurrah insists he wants to keep playing for Melbourne after a turbulent week in which he was charged with causing serious harm with an offensive weapon in his native Yuendumu.

Jurrah, 23, was bailed at Alice Springs Law Courts until May 17 over his alleged involvement in a machete attack at the Little Sisters town camp, a charge he denies.

The powerful forward, who will not take the field in the immediate future due to a wrist injury, has been joined by his mother and grandmother in Melbourne.

With this support along with that from family friends and the Demons, Jurrah believes he can get through these troubled times.

"It's tough at the moment ... I want to keep going. Keep my dream going." Jurrah told Fox Sports.

"I've got to just keep doing what I'm doing right now. Keep training and stick to the routine in the club.

"Family's first but ... footy's more important than anything (else).

"At the moment I just really want to make my family proud playing footy."

Jurrah's grandmother Cecily Granites also spoke about the influence Jurrah playing in the AFL has on the community back in Yuendumu.

"I think it's really important for a person like Liam, and all the players from Indigenous communities, coming all the way down from the remote areas to play," Granites said.

"It makes us feel really proud."

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, yuendumu-0872, nt, australia

First posted March 12, 2012 13:20:45

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Maric plans to be a fierce Tiger

Updated October 18, 2011 19:52:12

Richmond ruck recruit Ivan Maric says he plans to be so aggressive for his new AFL club that opponents will hate to face him.

The 200cm 25-year-old's aggression was a key attraction for the Tigers and coach Damien Hardwick, who last week gave up national draft pick number 37 for the Adelaide big man.

While Maric struggled for senior games with the Crows, stuck behind ex-Carlton recruit Sam Jacobs in the ruck pecking order, he is likely to instantly assume number-one ruckman status with the Tigers.

But Maric said it was more than just greater opportunity and the chance to return to his home state that prompted his desire to join Richmond.

"It was just the transformation with Damien Hardwick and the effect he had on the playing group," Maric said on Richmond's website.

"Not only did he make them a lot more competitive and consistent, but just the way they celebrated and played for the team and played for each other was really attractive for me to watch.

"After meeting with Damien at the end of the year, it made everything clear about what I wanted to do and who I wanted to play for."

Maric said providing the aggression Richmond was after would come naturally for him.

"That's when I enjoy playing footy and that's why I loved playing the game as a kid," he said.

"I want to be aggressive, really aggressive at the ball, but I also want to be respected and I want people to hate playing against me because of that."

Maric said he felt "privileged and honoured" to be able to work with an emerging young Richmond midfield, which boasts the likes of budding stars Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin.

He was hoping to lift his new club, from the time he first hit the track for preseason training.

"I just want to come in and have an impact straight away and be pretty vocal, which I'm quite comfortable doing and being a leader on the track," Maric said.

"(I want to) drag others along and maybe set some new standards as well on the training track and in the weights room."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, richmond-3121, vic, australia

First posted October 18, 2011 19:52:12

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Primus plans not sinking in: Brogan

Posted April 12, 2011 17:17:00

Port Adelaide players are taking longer than expected to grasp the philosophies of new coach Matthew Primus, ruckman Dean Brogan says.

But Brogan says morale remains high despite three losses to start the season, including away thrashings to Collingwood and Geelong.

Primus was wary of deflating his young group with harsh critiques, Brogan said.

"Having a new coach on board and all the things that happened in the off-season, it just takes time," he said on Tuesday.

"Matty's philosophies are taking a lot longer (to grasp) than what we really wanted to.

"We have got 19 games to go ... you don't want to deflate the group too much, he (Primus) has been very positive but he just keeps selling the same message and eventually it's going to happen."

But Brogan said feedback from their loss in Geelong on Sunday had been honest.

"You can't hide from the fact that we got smacked by 79 points in Geelong," he said.

"And to be fair, our last quarter, we may as well have not even been there, you can't sugar coat that, you can't hide.

"But at the same time you have got to look at how we played in the first quarter and really take that away from the game - as well as the bad stuff, take the positives more than the negatives."

Brogan, who has been acting captain in the absence of the injured Dom Cassisi, said Port's challenge was to sustain their efforts.

"We all know it hasn't been a great start for us but it hasn't been all doom and gloom," he said.

"We have actually played some really good footy at times, the biggest thing for us is being able to sustain that over four quarters."

- AAP

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