AFL Player #26: Kaine Baldwin - Out for extended period with stress fracture in foot - 16/2

[Lore]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 33, Zach Package

 

[Schnitzengruben]

He was completely invisible today. The unfortunate part is that he looks physically lame. He moves as well as Hooker did in his final year.

If he is meant to be our great white hope, "could have been a first rounder"; I think we start looking elsewhere.

 

[eth-dog]

Whenever I've seen him at VFL level he looks confident, strong leads and good contested mark work. Somehow weneed to get that into his workat AFL level

 

[eDPS]

Whenever I've seen him at VFL level he looks confident, strong leads and good contested mark work. Somehow weneed to get that into his workat AFL level

For young talls it’s always the case at any club really, ideally he keeps developing in the twos but that’s what happens when you don’t have anybody mature ready to come in. I would consider moving Stewart forward and leaving BZT in down back.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Makes Courtney John's look like Matty Lloyd

 

[bacon buster]

not particularly encouraging to be honest. but our F50 entries are atrocious. he needs to compete a lot better than he did today to be getting regular AFL games

Need Jones back ASAP.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Needs a full season in the VFL, just not up to AFL standard right now and don’t think it is helping his development one bit.

 

[quotemokc]

Don't really get him being played over Francis?

 

[Ati Tude]

Don't really get him being played over Francis?

You forgot how Francis plays I assume. Baldwin was a free pick that probably wont work but was worth the try. He kicked 5 in the reserves last week and Jones wasn't ready so worth giving him a game. Lets him see what's required at senior level and keep working on things. Wouldnt be too harsh on a guy that had 2 knee recos and gets rubbish delivery most of the time. Thought he competed well in the ruck at one point (WTF).

 

[Darealrath]

Needs a full season in the VFL, just not up to AFL standard right now and don’t think it is helping his development one bit.

Agree. Get the impression playing him in the seniors will do him more hard than good because he doesn't look getting near it at the moment.

There was a moment in the last quarter where he was standing next to Pendlebury and they looked about the same size. Apparently Pendles is 2cm shorter but the point is you would want to have a lot of tricks to make it as a key forward at his size given how big some of the KPD are these days (not ours).

 

[Vander18]

Agree. Get the impression playing him in the seniors will do him more hard than good because he doesn't look getting near it at the moment.

There was a moment in the last quarter where he was standing next to Pendlebury and they looked about the same size. Apparently Pendles is 2cm shorter but the point is you would want to have a lot of tricks to make it as a key forward at his size given how big some of the KPD are these days (not ours).

There are guys who make it at more or less his size…..Membrey and Darling spring to mind.

A few tricks absolutely helps but they also have great wheels and the reach/spring to play taller than their height.

 

[goal kicking wingman]

Whenever I've seen him at VFL level he looks confident, strong leads and good contested mark work. Somehow weneed to get that into his workat AFL level

Preying for miracles. His attack in the ball is pathetic.

 

[Highly Evolved]

Is he aggressive in the VFL? It was pretty poor when he just stood and waited for the mark, allowing Moore to intercept.

 

[ant555]

He plays like a player that has missed pretty much two years of football due to injury. He is not close to the level and he may not ever be.
It would be harsh to drop him again but his lack of impact hurts us more when we also have to ruck Wright and there is no one to take up that slack.

 

[BrunoV]

Aggression is as much about timing as anything. Very hard to look aggressive when you're trying to keep up with the play (no criticism).

If you want an example of his aggression and strength pushing Grundy around in the ruck isn't bad.

 

[Vander18]

Is he aggressive in the VFL? It was pretty poor when he just stood and waited for the mark, allowing Moore to intercept.

That’s happened to all of us though…..the kick catches you flat footed and just can’t get moving in time while the other bloke is coming off a long run.

I vividly remember getting dragged by a coach for exactly this and being very unsure of what exactly I could have done.

 

[Vander18]

He plays like a player that has missed pretty much two years of football due to injury. He is not close to the level and he may not ever be.
It would be harsh to drop him again but his lack of impact hurts us more when we also have to ruck Wright and there is no one to take up that slack.

It’s harsh but it has to happen.

Bryan needs to come in this week unless Harry Jones is ready to gr play both of them

 

[ant555]

It’s harsh but it has to happen.

Bryan needs to come in this week unless Harry Jones is ready to gr play both of them

Think Harry had some a minor issue with his ankle after the Port game and did not play on the weekend because of it.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Hate to say it off a tiny sample size but so far he strikes me as a total spud. He's never done anything that is remotely good, let alone would make me think he's a player; in fact, quite the opposite. He seems to mess up absolutely everything. He's like a footy reverse-Midas.

Hope he comes good. And haven't seen any of his VFL. But not optimistic at all

 

[ant555]

Hate to say it off a tiny sample size but so far he strikes me as a total spud. He's never done anything that is remotely good, let alone would make me think he's a player; in fact, quite the opposite. He seems to mess up absolutely everything. He's like a footy reverse-Midas.

Hope he comes good. And haven't seen any of his VFL. But not optimistic at all

His 5 goal game was good against Port but as you say he has not done anything at the next level in the small sample size.

 

[BrunoV]

My concern is the list spot.

The comparison with Cahill was a good one, sorry I've forgotten who made it, in the sense that there is clearly a smart, league level footballer in the body of a non-league level footballer.

The question to ask is how is he going to kick goals on AFL key defenders? I just don't see it. Eyre, on the other hand, he's a more physically gifted version of Harry Jones. He might be a long burn like Taberner was but 198cm with all the physical tools Eyre basically becomes Taberner if it clicks.

What's Baldwin going to look like? A less explosive Tom Hawkins

26

Tom Hawkins

Age

35

Ht

197cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.9

4star

G

2.1

5star

D

12.7

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.1

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.0

3star

G

2.2

5star

the height of Darling? Super long odds on that coming off.

 

[Bjchan13]

Its great that he's got a taste of AFL so he can see where he needs to get to fitness wise to make it. But its always been the case that this needed to be a majority VFL season for him, kicking bags, improving fitness and building confidence in his knees.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Kills it in the 2's but disappears in AFL games. Maybe that's an indicator that he's a VFL player at best.

 

[citizen-erased]

Kills it in the 2's but disappears in AFL games. Maybe that's an indicator that he's a VFL player at best.

2 acl's as a kid
Year of building match fitness.
Still 20....ideally he's in the vfl continuing to build.

But we spent 10 years not recruiting key forwards.....so.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Not the first 20 year old KPF to look very average

His smarts in the ruck last week were quite something, and his tackling has impressed

Not inspiring in the elevation, height or speed departments. Or set shots. But does deserve more time at the club (in the 2s)

 

[Yoda_]

My concern is the list spot.

The comparison with Cahill was a good one, sorry I've forgotten who made it, in the sense that there is clearly a smart, league level footballer in the body of a non-league level footballer.

The question to ask is how is he going to kick goals on AFL key defenders? I just don't see it. Eyre, on the other hand, he's a more physically gifted version of Harry Jones. He might be a long burn like Taberner was but 198cm with all the physical tools Eyre basically becomes Taberner if it clicks.

What's Baldwin going to look like? A less explosive Tom Hawkins the height of Darling? Super long odds on that coming off.

The list spot is a reasonable point/ How many young KPF's can we hold on the list? How many young KPD's can we hold on the list? how many small flankers can we hold on the list?

The thing going for Kaine is that he is young and only Eyre as competition in that role (developing KPF) so perhaps he may very well be given a third year on the rookie list. Be it make or break but I don't necessarily see it with Kaine... Yet.

Baldwin I don't think makes it but one more year on the rookie list will be offered imho, unless we have an intention of taking a KPF with our first round pick in this years draft.