2024 Pre Season

[rickmat]

There will be a VFL practise match after the main game. Will be interesting who plays well in that game to put pressure on the main squad

[dejavoodoo44]

By the way, these players have been named as our VFL squad for the season.

Toby Alker, Benjamin Ashley-Cooper, Jake Bartholomaeus, Hugo Birks, Lachlan Cabor,
Ben Edwards, Jordan Endemann, Tye Gander,
Max Geddes, Koby Grass, William Kelly, Byron Laws, Tom Longmire, Phill Moi Moi, Harry Morrison, Hamish Morrison, Josh Nicholls
Bili Robertson, Pierce Roseby, Nic Shipley,
Monty Velthuis.

Seems quite a lot of players, so I imagine some will get very little game time and perhaps drop out of the system, while other prospects might get a game, if they show strong form in the Talent League or the SFL.

Cabor is the only player from the most recent academy cohort, while Alker, Endemann, Gander, Geddes, Longmire, Hamish Morrison, Nicholls, Robertson and Roseby have all been involved with our academy. And William Kelly is the former Collingwood player and son of Craig Kelly.

[wolftone57]

It is almost 6am here in Laos. I am going to watch the Practice Match. Why do they have to come up with American @@@@e to put a name on our PRACTICE MATCHES. They have been PRACTICEW MATCHES for over 100 years why change the name to an Americanism?

[Blood Fever]

It is almost 6am here in Laos. I am going to watch the Practice Match. Why do they have to come up with American @@@@e to put a name on our PRACTICE MATCHES. They have been PRACTICEW MATCHES for over 100 years why change the name to an Americanism?

Because we have been seemingly hypnotised by the USA to follow blindly and bow down to their every request.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Not many players off the pace despite a bit scrappy which is expected first trial

Maybe only Roberts unfortunately that has stood oat not handling the decision making, anticipation and cleanness expected in the AFL

[i'm-uninformed2]

Isaac moves like a cat when he's fit and firing. He's so balanced, clean and helps immensely with my personal bug bear - that kick forward of centre. A big off season has helped him greatly (touch wood).

[wolftone57]

A few take aways

1. Brodie Grundy is still the equal of Max Gawn. He is incredible. Briggs is a very good ruck.
2. We are keeping the ball lower, even the high kicks are flatter & give the forwards a better chance. Unfortunately, some of the forward entries were untidy & were not to our advantage.
3. Jordan will play both inside & on a wing same as Gulden. He has been very good
4. In the second quarter we had all the momentum. Then we decided to slow the game down and that let them back in. Slowing the game down allowed them to get loose players ahead of the play as our players were flat footed. I would lose the slow down, it is not effective and is a negative tactic.
5. Interesting to see Heeney & Papley spending more minutes in the middle, Heeney even on a wing & HB running forward at times.
6. Matt Roberts looks very comfortable back.
7. Who needs you know who?
8. It looks like they are preferring Edwards to Hamling. Gave away a free almost immediately he came on lol.
9. loose kicking, Parker several times terrible disposal, kicks & handball, that turned the ball over & leaked goals.
10. GWS defence is very good. They are very organised. Our defence looked a little loose at times & allowed the ball over the back. I don't think that is going to happen so much in games. If they are not going to impact the contest positively don't go up. knocking the ball into the goal square is not a positive.
11. we are doing what we should do against this GWS side, they are down on a lot of experience today. I am glad we are actually doing it & not being played close. That would worry me.
12. Our midfield is going to look interesting this year. Grundy & Jordan have started very well. Jordan playing a mix of mids & wing. A lot of rotating through the mids. I like that. It means the mids don't get tired & we can have far more strength for a whole game.

[Maltopia]

How were we with Almartey, Logan and McLean plus Grundy/Ladhams all on the ground at the same time?

Seemed very tall up front on paper.

[Auntie.Gerald]

1. Florent was one of the best on field

2. Campbell first half was very dangerous with some lovely angled kicking from both wings were he and a hungry to work hard JJ both had impact

3. Chad was at the top his game and some of his long kicks were sensational

4. McInerney was more off the HBF rotation as well as wing a little like last year

5. Gulden only played second half and was ok only vs his standards

6. Robert’s as mentioned fid ok in the backline but took half a game to start really reacting to the speed of the game. Made mistakes and broke links in the chain with slow movement first half. Looks much fitter and leaner. Atleast his mindset and actions looked better second half but no obvious spot to put him in the best 23

7. Gus didn’t appear to play

8. Grundy was strong and really helps our drive out of the contest as another midfielder when on the deck etc

9. McDonald was the standout of McLean and JAmartey.

10. Heeney played much more in the middle and did well. First half Parker played more upfront and some mid.

11. Tom Mac looked strong and lizard and Rampes both played well.

12. Edwards struggles to position himself well and not real clean with the footy and or body shape / angles around the ball for safe exits.

13. Paps, Lloyd, Cunningham, Rowbottom, Hayward etc all did their normal solid efforts as expected didn’t miss a beat

14. Wicks and Foxy a little clunky but Fox was moved around a lot

15. I did t see last 15mins of the last qtr and no Ladhams by that stage from memory

[liz]

How were we with Almartey, Logan and McLean plus Grundy/Ladhams all on the ground at the same time?

Seemed very tall up front on paper.

Not nearly as tall as the VFL side. I only stayed for the first five or so minutes of the VFL game (very very hot and the VFL couldn’t be bothered to pay for any goal umpires) but Ladhams, McAndrew, Green, Reid, Buller, Melican, Monty V and Hamling (I think) should have been collectively playing for the giants. Didn’t see Green do much but he moves oh-so smoothly for such a young ganglyster.

[i'm-uninformed2]

It's sometimes hard to discern strategy, structure and positioning off that limited level of coverage, but we did look to be more proactive at centre bounces and stoppages. Auntie G and others have made good critiques before of our set up - so hopefully it's something we're addressing with Grundy's addition

That's the best McInerney has looked and moved in two years, and I like him playing a mix of half forward and wing. He was getting into the groove for the period he did that last year before his injury. And having a mix of he, Campbell, Jordan and some fella called Gulden - it appeared even Heeney at times - as options for the wing rotation is genuinely exciting.

The CBA numbers on Heeney suggest he's finally had the pre-season his body needs, and as I mentioned earlier, he's just about the best at the inside 50 kick in the team. And Logan looks the goods.

If I had a worry - and it was exaggerated by the absence of other key defenders - it's how much we depend on Tom Mc down back. It's a bit boom or bust down there for real height.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Gus did get out there 10mins into last qtr. managing a niggle? Seemed strange?

[rb4x]

Of the players listed on the team sheet I did not sight Ladhams but Corey Warner who was not listed came on in the last quarter. Was liking Heeney's game until he dropped two sitters in the last quarter. Chad, Blakey, Campbell, Hayward and Logan all good.

[Auntie.Gerald]

JJ - didn’t really give enough praise above the his performance today. The guy ran so hard and was a great link in the chain in attack but his extra efforts on the wing getting back and jamming the space for forward to run out to was very very good.

He is not as silky as some of our elite by foot players but his role to be the link and to be there was very well executed

[i'm-uninformed2]

P.S: For keener observers than me, was Fox playing a defensive forward role? On the coverage, it appeared Wicks did his usual thing, but with Isaac in the middle, Hayward stayed a little closer to goal as a marking option, and Fox then had a role defensively. But the coverage was so limited, hard to tell exactly.