flyingmagic
Cancelled
- Sep 24, 2020
- 455
- 1,516
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
At least we have learnt a few things this year:
1. Sinclair and McKenzie are elite. Sinclair in particular but Mckenzie when he was healthy had really good ball use, running, overhead marking and general physicality.
2. Our recent draft was very good. Windhager has been one of the few recent draftees who has come in and actually been able to play in the midfield in his first year (Clark still isn't able to do that). Owens is a beast. And NWM is our best kick and has been able to play 16 games - with another preseason he is clearly going to occupy a wing for us (can take overhead marks and is taller than he seems).
3. I think we have figured out that Zak Jones isn't really a long term player for us. He is alright, but nothing special with the ball in hand and doesn't get enough contested possessions/clearances to make up for it.
4. King has a lot to work on. Clearly he has a lot of talent, but is not physical enough and not strong enough. Obviously his goal kicking is a work in progress. He could become the best player in the comp, but at the moment he just falls over way too easily.
5. Wood has been a good find. His running and overhead marking means it is easy to see him playing a connecting role on the wing/hff moving forward. Think he has done enough to get an actual contract for next year.
6. Battle only looks good when he is back. Looks lost forward or when playing on the wing. Has played well down back but I still wonder if he is good enough to lock down the position for the next 5 years.
7. Jack Steele took a big step backwards. Went from being a top 10 player to being a top 50 player which has meant our midfield looks a bit lost. Seb Ross has stepped up and been really strong (his ball use has been awesome) but we need more from Steele. Crouch has been good without being special.
8. Hill has been ok, but definitely not the player you want to be paying 800k to. He runs all day which is good, but his ball use has been disappointing which was the key reason we got him.
9. Rowan looks like he will be able to carry the number 1 ruck responsibility. Ryder is clearly on the way out and I guess we already knew this from 2019, but good to be reminded.
10. Byrnes and Bytel probably aren't good enough. They are still young but have been overtaken by Windhager and Owens so not really sure how they get back into the team. Connolly is on the way out, Lienert has been ok but Wood has been better. Paton has been average and really needs to tick up a notch in order to keep his spot with Mckenzie and Coffield coming back next year.
11. Sharman is an interesting prospect for next year. Seems to be able to read the play well as a backman and can see him developing. Not sure he makes it, but interesting to watch.
12. Dougal Howard would have to be the most frustrating player to watch. He has all the tools to be elite but isn't quite there (gives away silly free kicks or has brain fades with the ball). Webster and Wilkie are solid citizens but aren't setting the world on fire. Still need one of these (or battle) to really become an elite interceptor as we still don't really have one.
13. I really wish we would experiment with Sinclair as a permanent Mid. Yes he is an AA half back, but just think that with his added confidence, he has all the tools (pressure, decision making, ball use, physicality) to turn into a top tier mid. Hope that there is some experimentation in the preseason.
14. Not sure what the long term future of Billings is. He isn't damaging enough with the ball, doesn't have enough speed and doesn't provide enough pressure. Don't think he can play wing (isn't the best runner) and don't think he can play small forward (not enough pressure). Maybe he comes back from the injuries and is able to lock down a HFF but I wonder if we experiment with him at half back at all?
15. Curious to see what Jack Hayes looks like coming back from injury. If he can play forward/ruck he is the perfect complement to Marshall and can give us a bit more structure in our forward line.
Here were our top 5 in AFL player ratings this year which is interesting:
1. Sinclair - 15
2. Seb Ross - 12.6
3. Jack Steele - 12.6
4. Rowan Marshall - 12.2
5. Jade Gresham - 11
Delistings: Dean Kent, Jack Bytel, Leo Connolly, Jarryn Geary, Daniel Hannebery (maybe rookie list), Tom Highmore, Darragh Joyce, Jarrod Lienert, Josiah Kyle, Tom Campbell, Zak Jones
1. Sinclair and McKenzie are elite. Sinclair in particular but Mckenzie when he was healthy had really good ball use, running, overhead marking and general physicality.
2. Our recent draft was very good. Windhager has been one of the few recent draftees who has come in and actually been able to play in the midfield in his first year (Clark still isn't able to do that). Owens is a beast. And NWM is our best kick and has been able to play 16 games - with another preseason he is clearly going to occupy a wing for us (can take overhead marks and is taller than he seems).
3. I think we have figured out that Zak Jones isn't really a long term player for us. He is alright, but nothing special with the ball in hand and doesn't get enough contested possessions/clearances to make up for it.
4. King has a lot to work on. Clearly he has a lot of talent, but is not physical enough and not strong enough. Obviously his goal kicking is a work in progress. He could become the best player in the comp, but at the moment he just falls over way too easily.
5. Wood has been a good find. His running and overhead marking means it is easy to see him playing a connecting role on the wing/hff moving forward. Think he has done enough to get an actual contract for next year.
6. Battle only looks good when he is back. Looks lost forward or when playing on the wing. Has played well down back but I still wonder if he is good enough to lock down the position for the next 5 years.
7. Jack Steele took a big step backwards. Went from being a top 10 player to being a top 50 player which has meant our midfield looks a bit lost. Seb Ross has stepped up and been really strong (his ball use has been awesome) but we need more from Steele. Crouch has been good without being special.
8. Hill has been ok, but definitely not the player you want to be paying 800k to. He runs all day which is good, but his ball use has been disappointing which was the key reason we got him.
9. Rowan looks like he will be able to carry the number 1 ruck responsibility. Ryder is clearly on the way out and I guess we already knew this from 2019, but good to be reminded.
10. Byrnes and Bytel probably aren't good enough. They are still young but have been overtaken by Windhager and Owens so not really sure how they get back into the team. Connolly is on the way out, Lienert has been ok but Wood has been better. Paton has been average and really needs to tick up a notch in order to keep his spot with Mckenzie and Coffield coming back next year.
11. Sharman is an interesting prospect for next year. Seems to be able to read the play well as a backman and can see him developing. Not sure he makes it, but interesting to watch.
12. Dougal Howard would have to be the most frustrating player to watch. He has all the tools to be elite but isn't quite there (gives away silly free kicks or has brain fades with the ball). Webster and Wilkie are solid citizens but aren't setting the world on fire. Still need one of these (or battle) to really become an elite interceptor as we still don't really have one.
13. I really wish we would experiment with Sinclair as a permanent Mid. Yes he is an AA half back, but just think that with his added confidence, he has all the tools (pressure, decision making, ball use, physicality) to turn into a top tier mid. Hope that there is some experimentation in the preseason.
14. Not sure what the long term future of Billings is. He isn't damaging enough with the ball, doesn't have enough speed and doesn't provide enough pressure. Don't think he can play wing (isn't the best runner) and don't think he can play small forward (not enough pressure). Maybe he comes back from the injuries and is able to lock down a HFF but I wonder if we experiment with him at half back at all?
15. Curious to see what Jack Hayes looks like coming back from injury. If he can play forward/ruck he is the perfect complement to Marshall and can give us a bit more structure in our forward line.
Here were our top 5 in AFL player ratings this year which is interesting:
1. Sinclair - 15
2. Seb Ross - 12.6
3. Jack Steele - 12.6
4. Rowan Marshall - 12.2
5. Jade Gresham - 11
Delistings: Dean Kent, Jack Bytel, Leo Connolly, Jarryn Geary, Daniel Hannebery (maybe rookie list), Tom Highmore, Darragh Joyce, Jarrod Lienert, Josiah Kyle, Tom Campbell, Zak Jones
