Farewell and thanks - John Noble

[RudeBoy]

Noble has been a very good player for us over the past 2 seasons. However, getting dropped for our finals campaign is evidence that he is considered our 'weak link' in defence. That being the case, if I was Noble I'd be looking for better opportunities at another club. That could result in a win win for both player and club.

[WhyPhilWhy?]

I dare say if our opposition had featured smaller forward lines, Johnny would have played.

We are very much a horses-for-courses team.

[piffdog]

^ agreed. I think his omission was more around matchup. Melbourne bullied him when we played them, and Brisbane have Daniher and Hipwood. Perhaps could have played against GWS but hard to change up a winning team from the QF.

[Pies4shaw]

Cameron kicking 10 goals against us in the 2 previous Bears encounters (in which JN played) didn't help.

He has many admirable qualities but his size and strength are problematic - he is always a risk in a one-on-one overhead contest and he struggles to impact when the opposition is physical. No, I don't mean he is "soft" - he most certainly isn't, just slight - imagine JN faced with Rayner's attempt to barge through Markov in the middle of the ground. I think we all know there's very little prospect Noble would have stuck that tackle, brought Rayner down and turned the tide.

[Meredith1965]

Cameron kicking 10 goals against us in the 2 previous Bears encounters (in which JN played) didn't help.

He has many admirable qualities but his size and strength are problematic - he is always a risk in a one-on-one overhead contest and he struggles to impact when the opposition is physical. No, I don't mean he is "soft" - he most certainly isn't, just slight - imagine JN faced with Rayner's attempt to barge through Markov in the middle of the ground. I think we all know there's very little prospect Noble would have stuck that tackle, brought Rayner down and turned the tide.

I think this is right. It happened for a reason. I’d love to see him tried as a complement to Bobby Hill, running back hard into the forward line on turnover in what I want to call the patented Hill elastic band which killed Melbourne and Brisbane in two finals (I had forgotten how pivotal Bobby Hill was in QF1 vs Melb).

[piffdog]

Is he/does he have potential to be a winger?

[K]

... That being the case, if I was Noble I'd be looking for better opportunities at another club. That could result in a win win for both player and club.

He can't. He signed a new deal this year and Wright made it clear the club won't consider a trade.

[RudeBoy]

... That being the case, if I was Noble I'd be looking for better opportunities at another club. That could result in a win win for both player and club.

He can't. He signed a new deal this year and Wright made it clear the club won't consider a trade.

He can. Just ask Taylor Adams who had another year of his contract with us. All it means is that our club would have to agree to letting him go to another club. I'm not saying that our club wants to let him go, simply that if I was Noble I'd be definitely exploring opportunities elsewhere. I have it on good authority that Noble was rated as our weakest link across our 2022 finals campaign, which is why he was dropped for this year's finals. Footy is a ruthless business, and sometimes improvement for a club comes at the price of sacrificing individual players.

[K]

Nope. Wright knocked down the possibility straight away when asked by the media.

OTOH, as reported by media last week, the club wanted to make things easy for Tay out of respect for his years of service.

[piffdog]

Could Noble be a WHE replacement? Surely he has the same endurance. Would reduce the need for him to be a one on one stopper and allow him to run around by himself like most wingers do.

[K]

Could Noble be a WHE replacement? Surely he has the same endurance. ...

WHE's been one of very few on our list who's had high-end athleticism. (As tested in the Combine.)

Johnny's best chance is surely still Oleg's spot. Folks seem to get carried away by Oleg's personality. His GF was pretty shaky.

[lazzadesilva]

I’m hoping that John Noble’s form warrants him playing in the finals if we make it again this year. He deserves success.

[piffdog]

Been watching some of last years games and what stands out about Noble is his foot skills and athleticism. Most of his passes around the ground are elite. What appears to let him down is his physicality/one on one/contest work.

I am sure he would be first 18 in many other teams in the comp - either off half back or the wing. Just bad luck for him that we have Josh (Copeland, AA), Sidey, Crispy and WHE in the same team.

[MagpieWhisperer35]

Markov was probably Noble exit catalyst and no doubt a solid addition, but seeing john noble at the siren is the most upsetting part of the flag for mine, so i want another one for him. That would be the shit seeing noble hold the cup

[think positive]

i agree. really wish he was on instead of Ginny, who lets face, it did sweet **** all! kicked 2 points that should have been easy goals.