2nds Northern Blues 2015

Sep 29, 2011
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Perth
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Carlton
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He was good, but he got a lot of possessions under pressure therefore not having a major impact on the game.

Realistically no-one put together anything close to a 4 quarter game, with the 3rd quarter seeing the NB struggling to get their hands on the ball, limiting their F50 entries.

Smith was entertaining to watch. Obviously not big stats, but something always seemed to happen when he was near the ball.

I will put together a more thorough analysis a bit later on tonight.

Please do :)
 
Nov 11, 2005
28,888
35,176
Queensland
AFL Club
Carlton
Interested to see how DVR went.. Have seen some of his work around half forward.. Would he be a chance to play seniors some time soon?
He was up & down today, probably more down than up. He dropped 3 marks he should have taken in the first half & didn't find much of the ball. He showed a few glimpses in the last quarter, but I think he has a little while to go before he should be looked at for senior selection.
 
A couple of points from today for you guys:

1. Jaksch is 100% a forward. McKernan and Giles absolutely monstered him.
2. How the **** isn't Graham in the seniors? Was comfortably your best today.
i don't think anyone here can understand MM's treatment of N.Graham, just never seems to get a chance.
 
i don't think anyone here can understand MM's treatment of N.Graham, just never seems to get a chance.
Well it's baffling, he was one of two good players out there over both sides.
 
Nov 11, 2005
28,888
35,176
Queensland
AFL Club
Carlton
My thoughts on the Carlton listed players today:

Walsh - Found a bit of it & provided some good run. His disposal was somewhat inconsistent & he didn't always pick the right option, but was certainly in the best players.

Fields - His defensive spoiling was pleasing today. He didn't just punch the ball away, he made sure he totally killed it. His kicking continues to be a massive weapon. One of his kicks from near the centre cleared the pack inside our F50 allowing a NB player to take an easy mark behind the pack, setting up a shot on goal. I'll admit I'm a fan of Fields & I would love to see him elevated to the senior list & be given the opportunity to play as the 3rd tall in defence.

Watson - Probably a game he would rather put behind him. Could not find space to lead into & his hands weren't great. Managed to kick a goal, but didn't do enough to put pressure on Jones & Casboult.

Holman - He didn't get a lot of the ball, but in my mind he still had an impact on the game. He tackled with strong intent & played some good aggressive football. Used the ball well when he did have it. This is one occasion when a relatively low possession game could still warrant consideration for senior selection.

Boekhorst - Had his moments, but probably not enough of them. A couple of times he ran with the ball, but more often than not he decided not to take the game on. He is battling with the pace of the game & will be one that will benefit from a big pre-season.

Dick - Started off well, with some good defensive work as well as providing some run from defence, but seemed to get lost during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, before finding his way back into the game a little bit in the last quarter. I think this kid has something to work with.

Foster - I thought he looked good in defence today. Took some good marks & his spoiling was a feature. He linked up with his teammate on a few occasions to run the ball out of defence. He didn't look out of place out there today. You could actually see his confidence rising as the game went on.

Graham - No doubt was our best today, but it wasn't a dominant Graham game. He found himself caught up in traffic quite a bit & didn't get the opportunity to push forward & hit the scoreboard. Realistically he is above the level of VFL football & I don't think he has much more to gain from playing in the VFL.

Gowers - Was quite lively up forward in the first half, kicking 2 goals. I liked his poise in using the ball, but unfortunately after half time the forwards didn't see a lot of the ball therefore Gowers went out of the game.

Whiley - Couldn't fault his effort today, but he really struggled to get clean possession. Defensively he was good, but given he was a key part of the midfield rotation, he really needed to find more of the ball to take some of the heat off Graham.

Johnson - Was the NB best forward for the match. Finished the game with 2.2, which should have been 4 goals. As he always does, he threw himself into contests & tackled with intent. Unfortunately, like his other teammates in the forward line, he was starved for opportunities in the 2nd half as the dopers dominated the I50s.

Ellard - A workmanlike performance from Ellard. Got a fair bit of the ball, but a lot of his disposals had minimal hurt factor. He missed a couple of goals he should have got early on, but coolly converted an opportunity after a strong mark in the last quarter which briefly saw the NB back in front. I'd like to see Ellard dominate more at this level, but he tends to play in bursts rather than consistently over a whole game.

Jaksch - Didn't fare too badly early on, although his decision making with the ball was not great however once the EFC midfield got on top, he really struggled against the stronger Giles & McKernan. He could benefit from SOS passing on some hints about positioning & body use.

Russell - Had little impact on the game. He still looks like he is struggling to pick up the run of the game & where to position himself to make himself more dangerous. With ball in hand, he doesn't look too bad, but at this stage we are talking cameos & nothing more.

Viojo-Rainbow - As I posted earlier, he dropped 3 marks early in the game which he should have taken & this seemed to sting his confidence. He didn't see a lot of the ball after this, although I felt in the last quarter that he was starting to feel right about himself again & did look dangerous a couple of times. At this stage I wouldn't be pushing him for senior selection in the near future.

Smith - I like the cut of his jib. Whenever he was near the ball, something always happened, some good & some not so good. A couple of times he got the ball & just ran, slicing his way through the opposition like a knife through melted butter. He tackled as if he meant it & his aggression made sure the opposition knew he was around. If he had got more of the ball, I think the result of the game would have been different. If we can build on this kid's fitness, I can see him being our best player from the 2014 draft.
 

chipzac

Club Legend
Jan 10, 2011
1,511
2,536
AFL Club
Carlton
My thoughts on the Carlton listed players today:

Walsh - Found a bit of it & provided some good run. His disposal was somewhat inconsistent & he didn't always pick the right option, but was certainly in the best players.

Fields - His defensive spoiling was pleasing today. He didn't just punch the ball away, he made sure he totally killed it. His kicking continues to be a massive weapon. One of his kicks from near the centre cleared the pack inside our F50 allowing a NB player to take an easy mark behind the pack, setting up a shot on goal. I'll admit I'm a fan of Fields & I would love to see him elevated to the senior list & be given the opportunity to play as the 3rd tall in defence.

Watson - Probably a game he would rather put behind him. Could not find space to lead into & his hands weren't great. Managed to kick a goal, but didn't do enough to put pressure on Jones & Casboult.

Holman - He didn't get a lot of the ball, but in my mind he still had an impact on the game. He tackled with strong intent & played some good aggressive football. Used the ball well when he did have it. This is one occasion when a relatively low possession game could still warrant consideration for senior selection.

Boekhorst - Had his moments, but probably not enough of them. A couple of times he ran with the ball, but more often than not he decided not to take the game on. He is battling with the pace of the game & will be one that will benefit from a big pre-season.

Dick - Started off well, with some good defensive work as well as providing some run from defence, but seemed to get lost during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, before finding his way back into the game a little bit in the last quarter. I think this kid has something to work with.

Foster - I thought he looked good in defence today. Took some good marks & his spoiling was a feature. He linked up with his teammate on a few occasions to run the ball out of defence. He didn't look out of place out there today. You could actually see his confidence rising as the game went on.

Graham - No doubt was our best today, but it wasn't a dominant Graham game. He found himself caught up in traffic quite a bit & didn't get the opportunity to push forward & hit the scoreboard. Realistically he is above the level of VFL football & I don't think he has much more to gain from playing in the VFL.

Gowers - Was quite lively up forward in the first half, kicking 2 goals. I liked his poise in using the ball, but unfortunately after half time the forwards didn't see a lot of the ball therefore Gowers went out of the game.

Whiley - Couldn't fault his effort today, but he really struggled to get clean possession. Defensively he was good, but given he was a key part of the midfield rotation, he really needed to find more of the ball to take some of the heat off Graham.

Johnson - Was the NB best forward for the match. Finished the game with 2.2, which should have been 4 goals. As he always does, he threw himself into contests & tackled with intent. Unfortunately, like his other teammates in the forward line, he was starved for opportunities in the 2nd half as the dopers dominated the I50s.

Ellard - A workmanlike performance from Ellard. Got a fair bit of the ball, but a lot of his disposals had minimal hurt factor. He missed a couple of goals he should have got early on, but coolly converted an opportunity after a strong mark in the last quarter which briefly saw the NB back in front. I'd like to see Ellard dominate more at this level, but he tends to play in bursts rather than consistently over a whole game.

Jaksch - Didn't fare too badly early on, although his decision making with the ball was not great however once the EFC midfield got on top, he really struggled against the stronger Giles & McKernan. He could benefit from SOS passing on some hints about positioning & body use.

Russell - Had little impact on the game. He still looks like he is struggling to pick up the run of the game & where to position himself to make himself more dangerous. With ball in hand, he doesn't look too bad, but at this stage we are talking cameos & nothing more.

Viojo-Rainbow - As I posted earlier, he dropped 3 marks early in the game which he should have taken & this seemed to sting his confidence. He didn't see a lot of the ball after this, although I felt in the last quarter that he was starting to feel right about himself again & did look dangerous a couple of times. At this stage I wouldn't be pushing him for senior selection in the near future.

Smith - I like the cut of his jib. Whenever he was near the ball, something always happened, some good & some not so good. A couple of times he got the ball & just ran, slicing his way through the opposition like a knife through melted butter. He tackled as if he meant it & his aggression made sure the opposition knew he was around. If he had got more of the ball, I think the result of the game would have been different. If we can build on this kid's fitness, I can see him being our best player from the 2014 draft.
Great report! Thanks so much!
 

Draft Buster

Senior List
Apr 28, 2014
158
142
Perth
AFL Club
Carlton
My thoughts on the Carlton listed players today:

Walsh - Found a bit of it & provided some good run. His disposal was somewhat inconsistent & he didn't always pick the right option, but was certainly in the best players.

Fields - His defensive spoiling was pleasing today. He didn't just punch the ball away, he made sure he totally killed it. His kicking continues to be a massive weapon. One of his kicks from near the centre cleared the pack inside our F50 allowing a NB player to take an easy mark behind the pack, setting up a shot on goal. I'll admit I'm a fan of Fields & I would love to see him elevated to the senior list & be given the opportunity to play as the 3rd tall in defence.

Watson - Probably a game he would rather put behind him. Could not find space to lead into & his hands weren't great. Managed to kick a goal, but didn't do enough to put pressure on Jones & Casboult.

Holman - He didn't get a lot of the ball, but in my mind he still had an impact on the game. He tackled with strong intent & played some good aggressive football. Used the ball well when he did have it. This is one occasion when a relatively low possession game could still warrant consideration for senior selection.

Boekhorst - Had his moments, but probably not enough of them. A couple of times he ran with the ball, but more often than not he decided not to take the game on. He is battling with the pace of the game & will be one that will benefit from a big pre-season.

Dick - Started off well, with some good defensive work as well as providing some run from defence, but seemed to get lost during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, before finding his way back into the game a little bit in the last quarter. I think this kid has something to work with.

Foster - I thought he looked good in defence today. Took some good marks & his spoiling was a feature. He linked up with his teammate on a few occasions to run the ball out of defence. He didn't look out of place out there today. You could actually see his confidence rising as the game went on.

Graham - No doubt was our best today, but it wasn't a dominant Graham game. He found himself caught up in traffic quite a bit & didn't get the opportunity to push forward & hit the scoreboard. Realistically he is above the level of VFL football & I don't think he has much more to gain from playing in the VFL.

Gowers - Was quite lively up forward in the first half, kicking 2 goals. I liked his poise in using the ball, but unfortunately after half time the forwards didn't see a lot of the ball therefore Gowers went out of the game.

Whiley - Couldn't fault his effort today, but he really struggled to get clean possession. Defensively he was good, but given he was a key part of the midfield rotation, he really needed to find more of the ball to take some of the heat off Graham.

Johnson - Was the NB best forward for the match. Finished the game with 2.2, which should have been 4 goals. As he always does, he threw himself into contests & tackled with intent. Unfortunately, like his other teammates in the forward line, he was starved for opportunities in the 2nd half as the dopers dominated the I50s.

Ellard - A workmanlike performance from Ellard. Got a fair bit of the ball, but a lot of his disposals had minimal hurt factor. He missed a couple of goals he should have got early on, but coolly converted an opportunity after a strong mark in the last quarter which briefly saw the NB back in front. I'd like to see Ellard dominate more at this level, but he tends to play in bursts rather than consistently over a whole game.

Jaksch - Didn't fare too badly early on, although his decision making with the ball was not great however once the EFC midfield got on top, he really struggled against the stronger Giles & McKernan. He could benefit from SOS passing on some hints about positioning & body use.

Russell - Had little impact on the game. He still looks like he is struggling to pick up the run of the game & where to position himself to make himself more dangerous. With ball in hand, he doesn't look too bad, but at this stage we are talking cameos & nothing more.

Viojo-Rainbow - As I posted earlier, he dropped 3 marks early in the game which he should have taken & this seemed to sting his confidence. He didn't see a lot of the ball after this, although I felt in the last quarter that he was starting to feel right about himself again & did look dangerous a couple of times. At this stage I wouldn't be pushing him for senior selection in the near future.

Smith - I like the cut of his jib. Whenever he was near the ball, something always happened, some good & some not so good. A couple of times he got the ball & just ran, slicing his way through the opposition like a knife through melted butter. He tackled as if he meant it & his aggression made sure the opposition knew he was around. If he had got more of the ball, I think the result of the game would have been different. If we can build on this kid's fitness, I can see him being our best player from the 2014 draft.
Brilliant write up thanks M. Interesting to see Walsh mainly play as a forward, much rather see him in and under in the middle!!!
 

Draft Buster

Senior List
Apr 28, 2014
158
142
Perth
AFL Club
Carlton
NORTHERN BLUES 3.3 7.9 7.10 9. 14. (68)
ESSENDON 3.2 4.2 7.6 11. 10. (76)

GOALS
NORTHERN BLUES: Gowers 2, Johnson 2, Watson, Wilson, Walsh, Wilkinson, Ellard
ESSENDON: Giles 2, Langford 2, McKernan 2, Coghlan, Hardingham, Heavyside, Laverde, Polkinghorne

BEST
NORTHERN BLUES: Graham, Walsh, Fields, Johnson, Ellard, McGuinness
ESSENDON: McKernan, Gwilt, O’Brien, Tipungwuti, Steinberg, Giles
 

1981

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 21, 2008
7,814
8,777
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Play him in the AFL. It did wonders for Cripps last season when given the chance. Fitness at VFL level is completely different to that required at AFL level - and he's the type of player that will benefit from the faster environment. We have nothing to lose as a club.

What makes you think he will benefit from the faster seniors when he can't even keep up with the slower VFL pace?? That makes no sense at all
 
My thoughts on the Carlton listed players today:

Walsh - Found a bit of it & provided some good run. His disposal was somewhat inconsistent & he didn't always pick the right option, but was certainly in the best players.

Fields - His defensive spoiling was pleasing today. He didn't just punch the ball away, he made sure he totally killed it. His kicking continues to be a massive weapon. One of his kicks from near the centre cleared the pack inside our F50 allowing a NB player to take an easy mark behind the pack, setting up a shot on goal. I'll admit I'm a fan of Fields & I would love to see him elevated to the senior list & be given the opportunity to play as the 3rd tall in defence.

Watson - Probably a game he would rather put behind him. Could not find space to lead into & his hands weren't great. Managed to kick a goal, but didn't do enough to put pressure on Jones & Casboult.

Holman - He didn't get a lot of the ball, but in my mind he still had an impact on the game. He tackled with strong intent & played some good aggressive football. Used the ball well when he did have it. This is one occasion when a relatively low possession game could still warrant consideration for senior selection.

Boekhorst - Had his moments, but probably not enough of them. A couple of times he ran with the ball, but more often than not he decided not to take the game on. He is battling with the pace of the game & will be one that will benefit from a big pre-season.

Dick - Started off well, with some good defensive work as well as providing some run from defence, but seemed to get lost during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, before finding his way back into the game a little bit in the last quarter. I think this kid has something to work with.

Foster - I thought he looked good in defence today. Took some good marks & his spoiling was a feature. He linked up with his teammate on a few occasions to run the ball out of defence. He didn't look out of place out there today. You could actually see his confidence rising as the game went on.

Graham - No doubt was our best today, but it wasn't a dominant Graham game. He found himself caught up in traffic quite a bit & didn't get the opportunity to push forward & hit the scoreboard. Realistically he is above the level of VFL football & I don't think he has much more to gain from playing in the VFL.

Gowers - Was quite lively up forward in the first half, kicking 2 goals. I liked his poise in using the ball, but unfortunately after half time the forwards didn't see a lot of the ball therefore Gowers went out of the game.

Whiley - Couldn't fault his effort today, but he really struggled to get clean possession. Defensively he was good, but given he was a key part of the midfield rotation, he really needed to find more of the ball to take some of the heat off Graham.

Johnson - Was the NB best forward for the match. Finished the game with 2.2, which should have been 4 goals. As he always does, he threw himself into contests & tackled with intent. Unfortunately, like his other teammates in the forward line, he was starved for opportunities in the 2nd half as the dopers dominated the I50s.

Ellard - A workmanlike performance from Ellard. Got a fair bit of the ball, but a lot of his disposals had minimal hurt factor. He missed a couple of goals he should have got early on, but coolly converted an opportunity after a strong mark in the last quarter which briefly saw the NB back in front. I'd like to see Ellard dominate more at this level, but he tends to play in bursts rather than consistently over a whole game.

Jaksch - Didn't fare too badly early on, although his decision making with the ball was not great however once the EFC midfield got on top, he really struggled against the stronger Giles & McKernan. He could benefit from SOS passing on some hints about positioning & body use.

Russell - Had little impact on the game. He still looks like he is struggling to pick up the run of the game & where to position himself to make himself more dangerous. With ball in hand, he doesn't look too bad, but at this stage we are talking cameos & nothing more.

Viojo-Rainbow - As I posted earlier, he dropped 3 marks early in the game which he should have taken & this seemed to sting his confidence. He didn't see a lot of the ball after this, although I felt in the last quarter that he was starting to feel right about himself again & did look dangerous a couple of times. At this stage I wouldn't be pushing him for senior selection in the near future.

Smith - I like the cut of his jib. Whenever he was near the ball, something always happened, some good & some not so good. A couple of times he got the ball & just ran, slicing his way through the opposition like a knife through melted butter. He tackled as if he meant it & his aggression made sure the opposition knew he was around. If he had got more of the ball, I think the result of the game would have been different. If we can build on this kid's fitness, I can see him being our best player from the 2014 draft.
great work from the man under the tree :thumbsu:
 

Blue Heart

Club Legend
Sep 21, 2011
1,354
1,140
AFL Club
Carlton
My thoughts on the Carlton listed players today:

Walsh - Found a bit of it & provided some good run. His disposal was somewhat inconsistent & he didn't always pick the right option, but was certainly in the best players.

Fields - His defensive spoiling was pleasing today. He didn't just punch the ball away, he made sure he totally killed it. His kicking continues to be a massive weapon. One of his kicks from near the centre cleared the pack inside our F50 allowing a NB player to take an easy mark behind the pack, setting up a shot on goal. I'll admit I'm a fan of Fields & I would love to see him elevated to the senior list & be given the opportunity to play as the 3rd tall in defence.

Watson - Probably a game he would rather put behind him. Could not find space to lead into & his hands weren't great. Managed to kick a goal, but didn't do enough to put pressure on Jones & Casboult.

Holman - He didn't get a lot of the ball, but in my mind he still had an impact on the game. He tackled with strong intent & played some good aggressive football. Used the ball well when he did have it. This is one occasion when a relatively low possession game could still warrant consideration for senior selection.

Boekhorst - Had his moments, but probably not enough of them. A couple of times he ran with the ball, but more often than not he decided not to take the game on. He is battling with the pace of the game & will be one that will benefit from a big pre-season.

Dick - Started off well, with some good defensive work as well as providing some run from defence, but seemed to get lost during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, before finding his way back into the game a little bit in the last quarter. I think this kid has something to work with.

Foster - I thought he looked good in defence today. Took some good marks & his spoiling was a feature. He linked up with his teammate on a few occasions to run the ball out of defence. He didn't look out of place out there today. You could actually see his confidence rising as the game went on.

Graham - No doubt was our best today, but it wasn't a dominant Graham game. He found himself caught up in traffic quite a bit & didn't get the opportunity to push forward & hit the scoreboard. Realistically he is above the level of VFL football & I don't think he has much more to gain from playing in the VFL.

Gowers - Was quite lively up forward in the first half, kicking 2 goals. I liked his poise in using the ball, but unfortunately after half time the forwards didn't see a lot of the ball therefore Gowers went out of the game.

Whiley - Couldn't fault his effort today, but he really struggled to get clean possession. Defensively he was good, but given he was a key part of the midfield rotation, he really needed to find more of the ball to take some of the heat off Graham.

Johnson - Was the NB best forward for the match. Finished the game with 2.2, which should have been 4 goals. As he always does, he threw himself into contests & tackled with intent. Unfortunately, like his other teammates in the forward line, he was starved for opportunities in the 2nd half as the dopers dominated the I50s.

Ellard - A workmanlike performance from Ellard. Got a fair bit of the ball, but a lot of his disposals had minimal hurt factor. He missed a couple of goals he should have got early on, but coolly converted an opportunity after a strong mark in the last quarter which briefly saw the NB back in front. I'd like to see Ellard dominate more at this level, but he tends to play in bursts rather than consistently over a whole game.

Jaksch - Didn't fare too badly early on, although his decision making with the ball was not great however once the EFC midfield got on top, he really struggled against the stronger Giles & McKernan. He could benefit from SOS passing on some hints about positioning & body use.

Russell - Had little impact on the game. He still looks like he is struggling to pick up the run of the game & where to position himself to make himself more dangerous. With ball in hand, he doesn't look too bad, but at this stage we are talking cameos & nothing more.

Viojo-Rainbow - As I posted earlier, he dropped 3 marks early in the game which he should have taken & this seemed to sting his confidence. He didn't see a lot of the ball after this, although I felt in the last quarter that he was starting to feel right about himself again & did look dangerous a couple of times. At this stage I wouldn't be pushing him for senior selection in the near future.

Smith - I like the cut of his jib. Whenever he was near the ball, something always happened, some good & some not so good. A couple of times he got the ball & just ran, slicing his way through the opposition like a knife through melted butter. He tackled as if he meant it & his aggression made sure the opposition knew he was around. If he had got more of the ball, I think the result of the game would have been different. If we can build on this kid's fitness, I can see him being our best player from the 2014 draft.


Do you think that Fields is good enough to be any chance to be elevated on to the senior list and get a game this season ... or do you think he will get his chance next year ?
 

newblueo

Club Legend
Jul 20, 2014
1,699
895
echuca
AFL Club
Hawthorn
so we have two kids who attack the man an ball in Holman an bj, not like we need people who can tackle ay
 
Nov 11, 2005
28,888
35,176
Queensland
AFL Club
Carlton
Do you think that Fields is good enough to be any chance to be elevated on to the senior list and get a game this season ... or do you think he will get his chance next year ?
I think the thing Fields has in his favor is that he is mature aged (22) & has a mature body (192cm, 93kg) therefore is ready to go now if required.

I've seen him play on 3 occasions this year & although he has done nothing outstanding, he has still impressed me as being someone with a relatively cool head, who I think would cope with the transition to AFL level. He is never going to be a star, but I think he could be relied on to do a job in defence.

Of course the main talking point about Fields is his kicking & I must admit I don't think I have ever seen anyone else at Carlton kick the ball as well as him. Perovic used to kick the leather off the thing, Christou had a powerful kick, Watson of course has such a pure kicking action when on song, but Fields just caresses the ball & yet it still easily goes 60 metres (occasionally he kicks it a bit high). His kicking could be a powerful weapon in overcoming our ability to get the ball inside F50 in a hurry.

I hope he gets an opportunity at some stage this season.
 

The Bighouse

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 28, 2009
8,136
11,467
Perth
AFL Club
Carlton
I think the thing Fields has in his favor is that he is mature aged (22) & has a mature body (192cm, 93kg) therefore is ready to go now if required.

I've seen him play on 3 occasions this year & although he has done nothing outstanding, he has still impressed me as being someone with a relatively cool head, who I think would cope with the transition to AFL level. He is never going to be a star, but I think he could be relied on to do a job in defence.

I hope he gets an opportunity at some stage this season.

Re: Fields, 3rd tall, HBF (too slow?) or wing (mentioned upon drafting as an option). Could be a requirement for another tall in Sydney and kicking over the lines at the SCG.
 
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