Preview 2024 Pre season trial game 2 - Vs West Coast - Hisense Sat Mar 2 @2:40

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Berry absolutely belongs, and given that he performed well alongside Dawson, Laird and Crouch, I think he fits in the side even without any of them missing. Really pleased to see him back to his 2022 form.
He looked very solid.
His tackle-resisting bump in the first quarter was Fogarty-like, fearless, tough:
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He looked very solid.
His tackle-resisting bump in the first quarter was Fogarty-like, fearless, tough:
View attachment 1919313

It was impressive, although he is lucky that Kelly didn't opt to tackle and went for the bump instead.

If I'm going to be a bit harsh, Berry really should have anticipated Kelly coming and dished off to Pedlar who was completely free.
 
It was impressive, although he is lucky that Kelly didn't opt to tackle and went for the bump instead.

If I'm going to be a bit harsh, Berry really should have anticipated Kelly coming and dished off to Pedlar who was completely free.
Yeah, bit harsh, but I get your point.
If he had missed the goal, he looks a bit selfish (but Pedlar might have missed it).
Bouncing off that bump --- "Get outta my way!"--- and nailing the goal is what made it so impressive.
If I'd been a WCE player watching that, I'd have thought "Jeez, we're in for a game today. These blokes have toughened up".
It was an example of the kind of toughness and finishing I've been hoping for since 2017/18.
 
He looked too big last season

Moving much sharper this season
It pains me to have to disagree with you on the first point.. I noted last season that he had trimmed down and looked very fit, not too big at all.
However, he seemed to have lost his punch and seemed to be playing from memory a little. The tackling seemed way down.

I'm not too worried by his kicking. The main problem I had with him is that his one wood when he had got the ball was to run with it and get mowed down. He looked like he thought he could break the tackles, but he couldn't.

On Saturday, he just showed a lot more punch and broke all the tackles: I held my breath for a few, though. I hope he keeps it up!
 
It pains me to have to disagree with you on the first point.. I noted last season that he had trimmed down and looked very fit, not too big at all.
However, he seemed to have lost his punch and seemed to be playing from memory a little. The tackling seemed way down.

I'm not too worried by his kicking. The main problem I had with him is that his one wood when he had got the ball was to run with it and get mowed down. He looked like he thought he could break the tackles, but he couldn't.

On Saturday, he just showed a lot more punch and broke all the tackles: I held my breath for a few, though. I hope he keeps it up!
Respect your opinion on that

When I saw him round 1 and showdown in reserves a few weeks later he wasn’t moving as well and looked massive in upper body from weights , looked really fit but a bit top heavy

Might have just been calf as mutineer mentioned slowing him down , and me thinking too much into it re weights and upper body
 
A calf strain for a 21 year old shouldn't wipe an entire season

No doubt it hampered him early but something was going on with him last year. Off field stuff? On field confusion like Jones went through?

Hopefully back with a vengeance this year. I like that he can impact from outside the centre square roles.
 
I agree he needs to increase his midfield time this year, he looked really good on the weekend when he went in there.

So our midfield group for this year is Dawson, Laird, Crouch, Rankine, Soligo, Berry. With cameos from Rachele and Pedlar. Will be very interesting how they fit them all in!
That should be the order as well.
Of course we won't be able to resist throwing Sloane in there. It's just a matter of time.
 

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A calf strain for a 21 year old shouldn't wipe an entire season

No doubt it hampered him early but something was going on with him last year. Off field stuff? On field confusion like Jones went through?

Hopefully back with a vengeance this year. I like that he can impact from outside the centre square roles.
I seem to recall seeing something that indicated that he was overthinking things too much.
Now, whether that was from the coaching, who knows?
What I saw on Saturday was a bloke getting back to what he does best, and that is hunt the footy and embrace the physicality.
 
My Occam's Razor view of Berry's 2023 is that the coaches wanted him to make adjustments to his game (quality of disposal, decision-making, running patterns etc.) that he didn't make to their satisfaction, perhaps partly because he was carrying slightly too much muscle.
 

This suits ROB more than possibly any other ruck in the League.

The other rule changes announced today are:

  • The sub rule will continue, but clubs will now name an extended bench of five players (an increase from four) and three emergency players. Each team's sub will then be confirmed 60 mins prior to the match
  • The action of a player ruled to have committed a strike when intentionally shoving or fending an opponent will now be graded as Intentional rather than Careless (watch Charlie Ballard incident below, cited by the AFL as an example)
  • Straight-arm blocks will be permitted in a ruck contest, provided the player contests the ball
  • If an offence is graded as Severe impact by the Match Review Officer but only the minimum penalty is sought, the MRO can prescribe a sanction and the player submit an early guilty plea without the case having to be referred directly to the Tribunal
  • The in-finals ranking system has been codified to determine the 'home' club for Grand Finals in both the AFL and AFLW. The winners of the Qualifying Finals will be ranked first and second, the losers of the Qualifying Finals ranked third and fourth (the higher of the two clubs on the premiership ladder will be third) and the winners of the Elimination Finals ranked fifth and sixth (the higher of the two clubs on the premiership ladder will be fifth)
  • Whistling from the interchange bench is prohibited
This rule is massive for ROB , and just quietly it is also the sort of rule that the new crows ruck coach like have thrived on so he should be good at coaching it

I personally don’t see the need to introduce this rule at all

Sometimes the AFL over complicated things , no wonder it’s hard for umpires to umpire the game
 
This rule is massive for ROB , and just quietly it is also the sort of rule that the new crows ruck coach like have thrived on so he should be good at coaching it

I personally don’t see the need to introduce this rule at all

Sometimes the AFL over complicated things , no wonder it’s hard for umpires to umpire the game
I’ve always wondered how a player that wasn’t good enough for afl can teach a player that’s played 100 more afl games, something that he doesn’t know.
 
This rule is massive for ROB , and just quietly it is also the sort of rule that the new crows ruck coach like have thrived on so he should be good at coaching it

I personally don’t see the need to introduce this rule at all

Sometimes the AFL over complicated things , no wonder it’s hard for umpires to umpire the game
Does it make it easier for the umps? One less thing to look at?

I agree about over complication in the AFL , Im just curious who cuased this

Whistling from the interchange bench is prohibited
 
I’ve always wondered how a player that wasn’t good enough for afl can teach a player that’s played 100 more afl games, something that he doesn’t know.
Dunno about that

Some of the best players of all time could potentially be horrible coaches eg Gary Ablett senior

No comment on Baulderstone as a coach though as I don’t know either way , just that he rucked in a style that would benefit from this new rule - ie show of strength and technique rather than athleticism
 
I’ve always wondered how a player that wasn’t good enough for afl can teach a player that’s played 100 more afl games, something that he doesn’t know.
There are many facets which go to make an AFL footballer - skills, desire, competitiveness, fitness, athleticism. It's quite feasible that a player can have all the skills, but lack the fitness & athleticism to make it at the top level. Fitness & athleticism are not pre-requisites for being a good coach.

What matters most when coaching, particularly skills coaching, is an understanding of the skills and the ability to communicate. Neither of these require having played at the highest level.

History has shown that few real champions go on to make good coaches. Leigh Matthews is an obvious exception - but most other champions have failed badly as coaches (think Voss & Hird). Players who often seem to make the best coaches are the gritty back pocket types, who had to work hard for everything they got. Examples of this type include Chris Scott, Damien Hardwick, and Alastair Clarkson.

I don't know whether Baulderstone will make a good coach, or not, but I am certainly willing to see how he performs before passing judgement.
 

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