2nds 2023 VFL thread

[Nathan Barley]

Noah's 2 goals were pretty brilliant and unexpected from him

Seems to take charge in the midfield as well moreso than our other mids

 

[twhowler]

Kai Lohman gave a huge fist pump when he hit up a lead early on in the highlights. In the rest of the highlights was very much focused on passing to a player in a better position. I suspect he has been told to get more team first and seems to be embracing it. Good signs.

 

[irel]

It appears there are at least nine, maybe more who have regularly and consistently performed to warrant a place in the best 23.
Fullarton, Fort, Robertson, Mathieson, Answerth, Tunstill, Cockatoo, Prior, Madden.

I have left out Arnold as he is a top up player, but his performances are equal if not better to the above mentioned.

Re: Arnold. It begs the question Why did we give a spot to Joyce when we had a cover right in our back yard? Given the evidence of his development in the twos if Arnold was given an opportunity of consecutive games at AFL level what may he have achieved?

It appears the "Grass is Greener" disiese does not infect just our supporters but it also has infested our football department. Under Fagan we have built a significant “Foreign Legionnaires” squad and when an opportunity arose for an elevation via our reserves, we have gone to fill it with another Foreign Legionnaire.

In this instance I don’t think we have done Arnold justice. Arnold’s elevation would also have sent a quite positive message of value and respect for development and performance in the reserves and a pathway to gaining a spot on a list via top-up system. He should be playing AFL.

 

[Dalions]

It appears there are at least nine, maybe more who have regularly and consistently performed to warrant a place in the best 23.
Fullarton, Fort, Robertson, Mathieson, Answerth, Tunstill, Cockatoo, Prior, Madden.

I have left out Arnold as he is a top up player, but his performances are equal if not better to the above mentioned.

Re: Arnold. It begs the question Why did we give a spot to Joyce when we had a cover right in our back yard? Given the evidence of his development in the twos if Arnold was given an opportunity of consecutive games at AFL level what may he have achieved?

It appears the "Grass is Greener" disiese does not infect just our supporters but it also has infested our football department. Under Fagan we have built a significant “Foreign Legionnaires” squad and when an opportunity arose for an elevation via our reserves, we have gone to fill it with another Foreign Legionnaire.

In this instance I don’t think we have done Arnold justice. Arnold’s elevation would also have sent a quite positive message of value and respect for development and performance in the reserves and a pathway to gaining a spot on a list via top-up system. He should be playing AFL.

There is no guarantee that Arnold is any better than Joyce.
I remember the one VFL game or pre-season VFL trial games that Joyce was one of the best on ground and raved about as to the way he played.

 

[irel]

There is no guarantee that Arnold is any better than Joyce.
I remember the one VFL game or pre-season VFL trial games that Joyce was one of the best on ground and raved about as to the way he played.

I gave no guarantees in my post. My contention is there was no need to go for Joyce when Arnold was already on the list ready for elevation. Arnold IMO deserved an opportunity.

 

[Dalions]

My contention is there was no need to go for Joyce when Arnold was already on the list ready for elevation. Arnold IMO deserved an opportunity.

He is not on the AFL list.
Obviously the Club rated Joyce higher at the time.
Can’t blame the club for making that choice considering the depth issues and that he has played all games bar one.

 

[irel]

He is not on the AFL list.
Obviously the Club rated Joyce higher at the time.
Can’t blame the club for making that choice considering the depth issues and that he has played all games bar one.

He is a top up player on our VFL list. He was eligible as a Supplemental Selection Period signing. The same method Joyce got on our AFL list.

 

[Dalions]

He is a top up player on our VFL list. He was eligible as a Supplemental Selection Period signing. The same method Joyce got on our AFL list.

Correct.
But we can’t be promoting blokes just because he is a Qld’r

 

[irel]

Correct.
But we can’t be promoting blokes just because he is a Qld’r

Sorry, where did I state he should be promoted because he is a Qld'r?

 

[Dalions]

Sorry, where did I state he should be promoted because he is a Qld'r?

Why not Wyllie Buzza? Why not Lachie Rayner? Both VFL top ups, playing well in the Reserves.
There is a reason why Joyce was picked over any of the above.
Harry Arnold was also coming off some shoulder concerns in the off season.
The club obviously felt that Joyce was the most AFL ready.

 

[Nunez]

Yeah I think it was pretty obvious Joyce was picked simply because he is fit, has experience at AFL level and could play a role. Harry Arnold certainly looks like he'll be a better player than Joyce now he's got through his injuries, but it would have taken a brave man to select an injury prone defender to replace two injury prone defenders in Gardiner and Adams. Joyce was a logical choice of the two.

 

[Bobby Beecroft]

I gave no guarantees in my post. My contention is there was no need to go for Joyce when Arnold was already on the list ready for elevation. Arnold IMO deserved an opportunity.

Possibility that Joyce was part of the McKenna package? Timing wasn’t that far apart. Fair bit of courting for Conor & we have a bit of form.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the output of Joyce. Long season but has been positive to this point.

 

[Scubaveg]

Possibility that Joyce was part of the McKenna package? Timing wasn’t that far apart. Fair bit of courting for Conor & we have a bit of form.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the output of Joyce. Long season but has been positive to this point.

Zero.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Nunez]

Possibility that Joyce was part of the McKenna package? Timing wasn’t that far apart. Fair bit of courting for Conor & we have a bit of form.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the output of Joyce. Long season but has been positive to this point.

That is one long straw to grasp. Lol

 

[Bucking Beads]

Fullarton looks like he's starting to develop up forward this season. Surprised we haven't played him down back given how few key talls we have on the list this season.

 

[Nunez]

Fullarton looks like he's starting to develop up forward this season. Surprised we haven't played him down back given how few key talls we have on the list this season.

If he wasn't playing so well up forward I expect he would be.

 

[Bucking Beads]

If he wasn't playing so well up forward I expect he would be.

Yep. Thought he would have been put down back and just developed down there given the Adams situation. Either way i glad he's playing good footy. There's certainly potential with him.

 

[Section 5]

Yep. Thought he would have been put down back and just developed down there given the Adams situation. Either way i glad he's playing good footy. There's certainly potential with him.

Agree
Fullarton already knows enough about how to play forward. Although players should never stop learning.
But playing him and training with the defenders would have been a better preparation for an AFL call up in my opinion.

I just think Fort would be called upon if one of our 3 KPF is out for a week or two.
So, Fullarton is further down the list in a forward call up. Same applies if we have a ruck problem.

However, if one of the KPD goes down or suspended, we will have to scramble for a replacement.
Much better to have someone prepared & ready to fill that role.
The only other VFL players available are undersized utilities.

 

[Quigley]

It appears there are at least nine, maybe more who have regularly and consistently performed to warrant a place in the best 23.
Fullarton, Fort, Robertson, Mathieson, Answerth, Tunstill, Cockatoo, Prior, Madden.

I have left out Arnold as he is a top up player, but his performances are equal if not better to the above mentioned.

Re: Arnold. It begs the question Why did we give a spot to Joyce when we had a cover right in our back yard? Given the evidence of his development in the twos if Arnold was given an opportunity of consecutive games at AFL level what may he have achieved?

It appears the "Grass is Greener" disiese does not infect just our supporters but it also has infested our football department. Under Fagan we have built a significant “Foreign Legionnaires” squad and when an opportunity arose for an elevation via our reserves, we have gone to fill it with another Foreign Legionnaire.

In this instance I don’t think we have done Arnold justice. Arnold’s elevation would also have sent a quite positive message of value and respect for development and performance in the reserves and a pathway to gaining a spot on a list via top-up system. He should be playing AFL.

I have rated Arnold for a couple of years and would have had him listed at the beginning of last year. He has looked like an AFL caliber player for a while and think he has been very unlucky not to be picked up. We do have to be careful not to overrate the guys playing for us but we should similarly not underrate them and I think that is what we have done with Arnold. Personally I would err on promoting the local product if in doubt. That strengthens the pathway for guys coming through rather than it appearing like a dead end no matter how well they play.

On the other players it is interesting. The inside mid group all have the same fatal flaw being that they are all quite poor by foot and none are particularly dynamic from the clearances. Unless they can address those aspects of their game I can't see them breaking into our side on a consistent basis. With that said I do like Answerth being given a chance onball. I am not a big fan of his in defence but through the middle he is showing some reasonable ball winning ability and it would not be the worst idea to develop a run with player (acknowledging that they are few and far between in the current game).

Personally I like the potential of the outside players more than the inside ones. I really like Sharp's running ability and he is developing the other aspects of his game nicely. Fletcher has also shown his skills have translated well to senior football and picking up goals on a regular basis makes him even more attractive. Again though both have the same issue preventing them from really pushing for a first team spot. That is neither finds enough of the ball at the moment. Admittedly our game plan does our wingers absolutely zero favours but they do need to get their hands on the pill more. If either can do that I would have them in the firsts very quickly.

The only two guys I would have in the firsts at the moment are Fort and Madden. Fort gives better service than O and Oscar is not really providing anything great around the ground to justify keeping his spot. Madden has continually improved and should be playing first team football. His pace would allow him to cover up errors and pressure opponents where others do not. His skills now seem fine and he can break a line and have the opposition out of position very quickly when he runs. I remember Leigh commenting a couple of years ago after a game in the firsts that he would play a lot of football if he continued to play as he had but he has not been given the opportunity to really show what he can do. Hopefully that changes because I think his strengths would help make us a better side.

 

[On the quiet]

certainly would like to see him elevated to the main playing list next year

Fullarton, Fort, Robertson, Mathieson, Answerth, Tunstill, Cockatoo, Prior, Madden.

I have left out Arnold as he is a top up player, but his performances are equal if not better to the above mentioned.

Re: Arnold. It begs the question Why did we give a spot to Joyce when we had a cover right in our back yard? Given the evidence of his development in the twos if Arnold was given an opportunity of consecutive games at AFL level what may he have achieved?

It appears the "Grass is Greener" disiese does not infect just our supporters but it also has infested our football department. Under Fagan we have built a significant “Foreign Legionnaires” squad and when an opportunity arose for an elevation via our reserves, we have gone to fill it with another Foreign Legionnaire.

In this instance I don’t think we have done Arnold justice. Arnold’s elevation would also have sent a quite positive message of value and respect for development and performance in the reserves and a pathway to gaining a spot on a list via top-up system. He should be playing AFL.

I gave no guarantees in my post. My contention is there was no need to go for Joyce when Arnold was already on the list ready for elevation. Arnold IMO deserved an opportunity.

hopefully he gets elevated to the main list (rookie) for next year.

 

[M Malice]

Madden has continually improved and should be playing first team football. His pace would allow him to cover up errors and pressure opponents where others do not. His skills now seem fine and he can break a line and have the opposition out of position very quickly when he runs. I remember Leigh commenting a couple of years ago after a game in the firsts that he would play a lot of football if he continued to play as he had but he has not been given the opportunity to really show what he can do. Hopefully that changes because I think his strengths would help make us a better side.

What James Madden would bring to our senior team is underrated, if given a decent run of 5+ matches to settle in he would be a lock best 22 player IMO, very hard to make an impact if you come in and out for the odd game or 2.

Hopefully he will get a decent crack in 2024 (OOC this year so hopefully he is kept on) in place of Richy.

 

[McIvor]

I think one guy that deserves special mention is Taj Abberley - not necessarily saying we should roookie him, but I think he has been a very consistent player this season and moreso than some of the listed players. The fact he keeps getting selected with a strong team and next to no injuries speaks volumes. If its not us, I hope one of the other 17 AFL teams give him a go.

 

[MSB ROYS]

I think one guy that deserves special mention is Taj Abberley - not necessarily saying we should roookie him, but I think he has been a very consistent player this season and moreso than some of the listed players. The fact he keeps getting selected with a strong team and next to no injuries speaks volumes. If its not us, I hope one of the other 17 AFL teams give him a go.

Agree, people who watch and didn't know who was listed would definitely include Taj.

 

[Dalions]

I think one guy that deserves special mention is Taj Abberley - not necessarily saying we should roookie him, but I think he has been a very consistent player this season and moreso than some of the listed players. The fact he keeps getting selected with a strong team and next to no injuries speaks volumes. If its not us, I hope one of the other 17 AFL teams give him a go.

Would have been better off on the list over Carter Michael at this stage.

 

[mattsmob]

Would have been better off on the list over Carter Michael at this stage.

I remember watching Abberley pretty closely in a few games of his draft year and his kicking was genuinely horrific which I thought was strange considering it doesn’t look like a bad kicking action. He seems to have cleaned it up a bit but still is quite small and not particularly athletic. I think Carter has the higher upside and more AFL attributes even at this stage.