View Full Version : The young players
Lynch takes a mark
14 Jun 2008, 10:00
They might not be match fit, experienced or have the size & strength they need just yet but bloody hell there are some good signs.... in patches.
These are the guys I have a very solid :thumbsu: in terms of long term AFL quality from me
Harrow Thunderbolt - Loving what he brings to the table for such an inexperienced player, takes players on and runs with the ball very nicely and has a very solid kick on him. I didn't expect him to play a game for another 1 or 2 seasons but now I don't want him out of the side.
Ryan Davis - RAW but so enthusiastic - long term AFL beckons. You can just tell he hasn't played much footy but I really rate him and have done since the intraclub game at Subiaco this year.
Chris Masten - Not match fit at all and is definitely played in a different role than he spent the past 12 or so years playing in the juniors. His body is just not ready for the Sam Mitchell/Simon Black inside midfielder role but some of the tackles (8 in the first half) blocks (the one on Ryder to set up Hunter :thumbsu: ) and disposal to set up Embley in the first & Wirra in the 4th were great/clean quick disposals.
Between Masten/Kerr/Butler we have some genuine class around the ball - sure it's not Judd/Cousins/Kerr but they didn't have the improved forward line or big bodies like Hurn, Priddis & Ebert in the midfield with them.
Brad Ebert - Started the game so well with his markign ability and was tough all night, playing like and 18 year old though with some of his decision making.
Schofield - Put a better midfield in front of him and will be a very good long term player - Spoiling/Tackle Breaking/goal kicking HBF with a bit of controlled agro about him.
McNamara - Not sure about what it is with J-Bomb, something unsettling about him in the team. his work in the 1st half was as good as anything Rhyce Palmer can do and I was about to start calling him a star but I am going to put a little '?' over him for the next 18 months. I don't know if it's decision making, accountability or something else but I just feel a little uneasy about putting him in the genuine long term AFL category.
Butler & LeCras - genuine class - clean & efficent - not stars of the comp but I'm quite sure the west coast fans will let the opposition know how good they are despite not doing too well in their dream teams.
I have no doubt Lecras will be an absolute star in the future, hes so good to watch live:thumbsu:
Houlihan stood out also, only played a half, but you want the players to get him the ball as he can run it 30m kick it 50m, very dangerous already.
When hes fully developed, could be
anything.
Davis looks very safe and a natural for someone so fresh to footy.
Some very good young players running 'round.
mitchzz
14 Jun 2008, 11:28
One of the best young playing groups going around and in say 2 or 3 years a few of them will be in the 'premier' catergory.
Scott selwood was impressive in his games 2.:thumbsu: Future looks bright
flyinghi64
14 Jun 2008, 12:06
Ryan Davis, how keen is this kid. 2nd efforts are great and his tackling and decision making is pretty good to.
I really hope he hangs around and proves to be a great player for us. Can you imagine how that would make Sydney feel:D
Alphanumeric
14 Jun 2008, 12:15
Can't believe you left out Beau Wilkes!
He is going to be a gun. The signs are already there. He reads the play well, is hard at the ball and is a great contested mark.
He looks like he has played 50 games of AFL already.
I'll predict that in the next few years he will be classed as one of the best backman in the AFL.
West Coast 06
14 Jun 2008, 12:21
I agree with your assessments for the most part, I love Davis, Schofield, Wilkes, Houlihan and Ebert. Watching these players develop is going to be exciting and interesting over the next couple of years.
Based on last nights game however I think you are maybe a bit too hard on McNamara and abit too glowing with Masten.
I know it is only one game, but lets face it, they haven't played many! McNamara was great last night, really worked hard and he was the same in the couple of games (including a final) that he played last year.
Mastens disposal by foot has been very suspect. He is very quick by hand, but his kicking :o. I know he is only small body wise, but I have not been overly impressed to be honest. I want to like him, after all he is a number three pick, but the big question mark of all our youngsters so far is over him. Everyone else I am wrapped with.
his kicking was very good earlier on in the year, its sorta regressed as the season has gone on .. so i think he's body is slowly feeling the effects of an AFL season.
Butler, Wilkes and Schofield were the standouts for me especially Butler. IMO i think he has found a yard or two of extra pace. He hasnt been overly quick, hes more of a smooth mover whos always looks like hes in cruise control but last night i watched him closely and he ran away from a couple of players with a bit of pace. He's hardly played any games since the 06 GF but if he stays injury free and has a full preseason for once he could be a incredibly damaging player in 09. I can see why they have such big wraps on him.
Wilkes is a gun. Strong overhead, great on the deck and his disposal IMO is what makes him such a good player. He just hits targets, by hand and foot and is very good decision maker..i guess he has learnt alot from Glass in that regard.
Schofield will be amazing in a few years time. I think we all saw the potential he had when he debuted last year. Quick, agile and backs himself to take on opponents and isnt afraid to run the lines. I think he will be one player that will really standout in the ocmpetition in a couple years time..theres something different about him in the way he moves and plays.
greennick
14 Jun 2008, 14:43
his kicking was very good earlier on in the year, its sorta regressed as the season has gone on .. so i think he's body is slowly feeling the effects of an AFL season.
We must remember he was injured for most of the preseason.
Hopefully he runs his arse off over the summer like Cuz used to, who was his hero. Hopefully that is all he does over the summer that Cuz did though!
it's very obvious that a lot of our young blokes have talent - mcnamara, ebert, masten, davis, butler, wilkes, houlihan, schofield - all of them are showing signs of real ability.
but as you'd expect with young players, it's the questionable decision making that has seen us lose the last couple of (winnable) games (along with some terrible kicking for goal, but that's for another thread).
great to see lecras back last night - the extra games he has under his
belt really stand out when you compare him to some of the others.
the reality is that some of the young guys will never elevate their games beyond where they're playing at now - instinct is a hard thing to teach - but if even half of them kick on, i like the look of this team in a couple of years.
WaltzingMatera
14 Jun 2008, 19:42
Mastens disposal by foot has been very suspect. He is very quick by hand, but his kicking :o. I know he is only small body wise, but I have not been overly impressed to be honest. I want to like him, after all he is a number three pick, but the big question mark of all our youngsters so far is over him. Everyone else I am wrapped with.
Yeah Masten is a bit of a worry. Palmer is a hard running ball magnet but lacks foot skills, whilst Cotchin doesn't get the same numbers as Palmer but has wonderful foot skills.
Masten is sort of neither at the moment. :(
beatlesmith
14 Jun 2008, 19:55
masten's foot skills were brilliant before he was injured. He was pretty much the best kick in the team and his kicking to leading forwards was sensational. Give him time before assuming what type of player he will be and what his strengths are.
Mastens disposal by foot has been very suspect. He is very quick by hand, but his kicking :o. I know he is only small body wise, but I have not been overly impressed to be honest. I want to like him, after all he is a number three pick, but the big question mark of all our youngsters so far is over him. Everyone else I am wrapped with.
Apart from last night (lets face it, all our players were terrible by foot last night) I thought Masten has been very good by foot this year. A few of his passes to a leading forward this year have been perfect.
Plus, he is a tackling machine. Leading the top 10 picks from last year with 41 so far and 4.6 per game.
eagles06
14 Jun 2008, 21:32
Apart from last night (lets face it, all our players were terrible by foot last night) I thought Masten has been very good by foot this year. A few of his passes to a leading forward this year have been perfect.
Plus, he is a tackling machine. Leading the top 10 picks from last year with 41 so far and 4.6 per game.
He wasn't any worse than some of the more seior boys like Embley and Stenglein by foot. Terrible kicking skills by both teams really.
But i agree with you, his kicking has actually been a highlight for me this year.
Masten's kicking for goal needs to improve I think. 1-4 with a couple out on the full. Might be the injury or the fact he only has played 9 games but i hope it will improve with time
Yeah Masten is a bit of a worry. Palmer is a hard running ball magnet but lacks foot skills, whilst Cotchin doesn't get the same numbers as Palmer but has wonderful foot skills.
Masten is sort of neither at the moment. :(
The footskills are fine (good kicking technique on both sides), it's probably more the inconsistent decision making which is causing the clangers ATM. It'll come with experience.
West Coast 06
15 Jun 2008, 02:06
Apart from last night (lets face it, all our players were terrible by foot last night) I thought Masten has been very good by foot this year. A few of his passes to a leading forward this year have been perfect.
Plus, he is a tackling machine. Leading the top 10 picks from last year with 41 so far and 4.6 per game.
I dont want to sink the boot into the kid, but how many shots on goal has he sprayed this year? I'll wait and see, and hope that you are right.
The thing is we all expect big things from a number three pick, especially as its what we got in the deal for Juddas.
We already have a tackling machine with suspect kicking in Priddis, and we got him off the rookie list.
mitchzz
15 Jun 2008, 03:01
Would sending Masten to find form in WAFL be good or would it tarnish his confidence a bit?
bzparkes
15 Jun 2008, 03:22
One of the best young playing groups going around and in say 2 or 3 years a few of them will be in the 'premiers' catergory.
Edited for accuracy :thumbsu:
Masten_Magic
15 Jun 2008, 20:30
you guys should not be so harsh on masten!
give the guy a chance.....people place to much pressure on him to be like judd
Masten2McKinley
15 Jun 2008, 21:39
in 5 years time they will all be in the team with wilkes and proberly selwood not 100% sure on him yet though, but he has done a bit.
I love Houli
in 5 years time they will all be in the team with wilkes and proberly selwood not 100% sure on him yet though, but he has done a bit.
I love Houli
You're not sure on Selwood yet? He has only played 2 games. :rolleyes:
After watching him in the WAFL on the weekend, he'll definitely be in our starting 22 within the next year or two.