Pre Season 2020

Sun Stormer

Mature Age Recruit
Jul 27, 2018
1,095
1,206
Gold Coast
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Practice match on right now at the back oval at Metricon, all the big names playing, swallow, King, Collins, Fiorini, Ellis etc.

They must be saving them and just playing the new players tonight
Not a full practice - just a light run from 7.30 til 8.30 before U16 trial started. It was only the players not playing tonight and those on injury list. Hombsch and Holman running OK and Witts not in moon boot was a good sign. Interesting that Ben King was out there and not playing tonight BUT looked fine so might be easing him in to the season. Flanders (wearing #2) was doing laps but seemed fit so must be only a niggle or same as King - just easing in. They ran past me at the finish and looked knackered - it was very hot and steamy!
 

eighties

Team Captain
Jul 24, 2012
582
1,027
AFL Club
Gold Coast
I went down for 3 quarters. Super slippery and not very high quality but was good to see some footy.
- Rowell looked great, got heaps of it.
- Didnt notice Anderson as much but when i saw his he looked a clean 1 touch player.
- Budarick was lively made some great tackles, made a few mistakes but looks a player.
-Sharp looked decent was bombing it blindly a bit at the start which had me a bit worried, but used his vision well a few times and looks pretty good.
- Rosas looks super lively, only played half a game but nearly kicked a great snap, and a few other nice things. Could be anything.
-Wright was dissapointed with a bit..presented well but just so weak in the contest and kept running under the ball.
- Burgess was good in the first half.

All in all a pretty scrappy night but our draftees all looked pretty good for a first hit out so pretty happy.
 

Sun Stormer

Mature Age Recruit
Jul 27, 2018
1,095
1,206
Gold Coast
AFL Club
Gold Coast
I went down for 3 quarters. Super slippery and not very high quality but was good to see some footy.
- Rowell looked great, got heaps of it.
- Didnt notice Anderson as much but when i saw his he looked a clean 1 touch player.
- Budarick was lively made some great tackles, made a few mistakes but looks a player.
-Sharp looked decent was bombing it blindly a bit at the start which had me a bit worried, but used his vision well a few times and looks pretty good.
- Rosas looks super lively, only played half a game but nearly kicked a great snap, and a few other nice things. Could be anything.
-Wright was dissapointed with a bit..presented well but just so weak in the contest and kept running under the ball.
- Burgess was good in the first half.

All in all a pretty scrappy night but our draftees all looked pretty good for a first hit out so pretty happy.
Rowell and Sharp were the stand outs for me. Sharp's ability to hit targets under pressure was something we have missed and he just looks so balanced. Will push somebody out if he continues to play like that. Wright was dismal - Day for me but that will depend on injuries down back. Rankine's goal was sublime. Rowell showed the more experienced players on both sides how to play in the greasy conditions - he will be a gun! Overall a good work out and there are going to be a few nervous players from last year when the new recruits and the older newbies are fitted in.
 

Sun Stormer

Mature Age Recruit
Jul 27, 2018
1,095
1,206
Gold Coast
AFL Club
Gold Coast
I went down for 3 quarters. Super slippery and not very high quality but was good to see some footy.
- Rowell looked great, got heaps of it.
- Didnt notice Anderson as much but when i saw his he looked a clean 1 touch player.
- Budarick was lively made some great tackles, made a few mistakes but looks a player.
-Sharp looked decent was bombing it blindly a bit at the start which had me a bit worried, but used his vision well a few times and looks pretty good.
- Rosas looks super lively, only played half a game but nearly kicked a great snap, and a few other nice things. Could be anything.
-Wright was dissapointed with a bit..presented well but just so weak in the contest and kept running under the ball.
- Burgess was good in the first half.

All in all a pretty scrappy night but our draftees all looked pretty good for a first hit out so pretty happy.
Read GC Sunscast review of the game on facebook for a more thorough review. I found it very accurate and no, I'm not involved in the podcast.
 

Mt Isa Mustang

Cancelled
Dream Team Club Board Winner
Nov 23, 2019
3,349
3,703
AFL Club
Gold Coast
The Facebook review reads very familiarly..
Liked the bit in the subsequent fb post where the author reports not noticing Ah Chee at all. Reading on the Brisbane board they were quite happy with his play and mentioned that he took a number of the kick outs for them.

In all seriousness, quite differing takes from various posters and formal media about the better players which is one of the best things about our game. 'Good play' is often open to interpretation and in the eye of the beholder. Everyone seems bullish on Sharp and Rowell in particular.
 
Aug 17, 2010
12,795
17,062
AFL Club
Gold Coast
The Facebook review reads very familiarly..
Liked the bit in the subsequent fb post where the author reports not noticing Ah Chee at all. Reading on the Brisbane board they were quite happy with his play and mentioned that he took a number of the kick outs for them.

In all seriousness, quite differing takes from various posters and formal media about the better players which is one of the best things about our game. 'Good play' is often open to interpretation and in the eye of the beholder. Everyone seems bullish on Sharp and Rowell in particular.
Ah Chee was quite good I thought.
 
Aug 17, 2010
12,795
17,062
AFL Club
Gold Coast
The Facebook review reads very familiarly..
Liked the bit in the subsequent fb post where the author reports not noticing Ah Chee at all. Reading on the Brisbane board they were quite happy with his play and mentioned that he took a number of the kick outs for them.

In all seriousness, quite differing takes from various posters and formal media about the better players which is one of the best things about our game. 'Good play' is often open to interpretation and in the eye of the beholder. Everyone seems bullish on Sharp and Rowell in particular.

Everything from where you are in the stands to where the play is, to distractingly attractive girls in the crowd, to how long you have to queue for a beer can affect one’s assessments. Watching on TV is probably the best way to get an accurate assessment of the best players but nothing beats being at a live game to soak in the atmosphere, see a lot of the work done off the ball and appreciate the skills / athleticism of the players and how fast / hard the game is!!! We moved from the wing above the players’ benches in the first half where I didn’t notice Ah Chee much, down to the forward pocket at the little scoreboard end in the second half where he was quite prominent.
 
Mar 18, 2011
19,310
14,589
Everett
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
New England Patriots
My main concern with Rowell is that we don't protect him in the early years. Eg: David Swallow. We must play him on the outside for as much as possible this year and even next year to really help set him up. His dual side skills and clean hands will make it really tempting to put him in the guts. Hopefully Stewie can resist that urge and not make the same mistakes Bluey did to Swallow.
 

OB11

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 4, 2010
6,706
10,351
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
76ers
My main concern with Rowell is that we don't protect him in the early years. Eg: David Swallow. We must play him on the outside for as much as possible this year and even next year to really help set him up. His dual side skills and clean hands will make it really tempting to put him in the guts. Hopefully Stewie can resist that urge and not make the same mistakes Bluey did to Swallow.

He's not built like 18 yo David Swallow, he's built like a 18 yo Michael Voss. Wherever the Lions played him early days seems like it worked out for him/them.
 
Jun 7, 2018
3,482
6,205
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Subiaco Lions
He's not built like 18 yo David Swallow, he's built like a 18 yo Michael Voss. Wherever the Lions played him early days seems like it worked out for him/them.
This. He's also gonna have far better inside support than Dave did. We have some big bodies to rotate in the midfield these days.

James Brayshaw IQ = 4
 

Peel67skin

Norm Smith Medallist
May 21, 2017
8,387
3,941
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
Liverpool
Pretty sure a guy like James Worpel played largely midfield from minute 1.
With our inside mid depth we are going to have Rowell playing a fair few minutes out on the wing or on a forward flank.
He won't be in the guts non-stop.
In my opinion with Greenwood ,Brodie , Ellis ,Weller ,swallow, Florini there is enough protection for Rowell ,Rankine , Anderson and Sharp type to play AFL.
 
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