Player Watch #32: Mason Wood -

D23D

Premium Platinum
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Posts
1,196
Likes
2,257
Location
Brisbane
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Dal Santo has played 300+ games and his pressure of the ball carrier and defensive intensity has always been substandard.

Not sure why a young rookie is held to higher standards just to stay in the side, when like Dal clearly he brings other quality attributes to offset that.
I agree. The experienced player has more 'runs on the board' so in a rough patch they may get a bit longer to get out of the hole.
But standards should be mandatory for all, all of the time.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
1,616
Likes
2,450
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I agree. The experienced player has more 'runs on the board' so in a rough patch they may get a bit longer to get out of the hole.
But standards should be mandatory for all, all of the time.
Agree also but NDS and Boomer (and others) have regularly disregarded "team rules" (if Scott applied them that is) regarding defensive application.

I watched NDS in Hobart against Melb - his defensive running and attention was frankly, pathetic. He coasted around looking for space/kicks, and we leaked goals because of it. If he was dropped based on your 'standards', I would support it.

Wood has very obvious positives and I think will be a player. If it is ok for other senior players to be deficient defensively (don't think Wood is that bad actually) then i'm not sure why he should be excluded purely on that basis.
 
Last edited:

D23D

Premium Platinum
Joined
Apr 27, 2008
Posts
1,196
Likes
2,257
Location
Brisbane
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Agree also but NDS and Boomer (and others) have regularly disregarded "team rules" (if Scott applied them that is) regarding defensive application.

I watched NDS in Hobart against Melb - his defensive running and attention was frankly, pathetic. He coasted around looking for space/kicks, and we leaked goals because of it. If he was dropped based on your 'standards', I would support it.

Wood has very obvious positives and I think will be a player. If it is ok for other senior players to be deficient defensively (don't think Wood is that bad actually) then i'm not sure why he should be excluded purely on that basis.
We wont win a premiership without adhering to strict standards. End of
 

shniko11

Beneath the blue and white
Joined
Nov 6, 2015
Posts
3,925
Likes
5,822
Location
Australia
AFL Club
North Melbourne
The game he had over the weekend is about good as its gonna get when share a forward-line with Petrie, Waite & Brown.
I coudn't have put it any better !

15 disp(10 cont) 5 marks (4cont) 1 goal 1.

North supporter next to me said after he kicked a point.
"That's why ur a VFL player"

Seriously!!! Get games into this kid he can do it all...
 
Last edited:

Firestarter

Premium Platinum
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Posts
20,615
Likes
24,792
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I coudn't have put it any better !

15 disp 5 marks (3 contested) 1 goal 1.

North supporter next to me said after he kicked a point.
"That's why ur a VFL player"

Seriously!!! Get games into this kid he can do it all...
Wonder if he had anything to say about LT or Harvey... both also 1.1 ...

And don't no one read that as slights on the players.
 

Only Forwards

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Posts
17,410
Likes
37,124
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Seriously!!! Get games into this kid he can do it all...

Agree entirely with the sentiment.

We 100% need to give the kid games.

Until he shows that he can turn a game on its head and into our favour. When we have to choose between him and Boomer, it's gonna be Boomer that stays. :D
 

Only Forwards

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
Posts
17,410
Likes
37,124
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
How have you deduced that from the prior discussion?

Agree also but NDS and Boomer (and others) have regularly disregarded "team rules" (if Scott applied them that is) regarding defensive application.

I watched NDS in Hobart against Melb - his defensive running and attention was frankly, pathetic. He coasted around looking for space/kicks, and we leaked goals because of it. If he was dropped based on your 'standards', I would support it.

Wood has very obvious positives and I think will be a player. If it is ok for other senior players to be deficient defensively (don't think Wood is that bad actually) then i'm not sure why he should be excluded purely on that basis.
If you line all three up and they all break the same team rule, but only one is getting dropped, it's gonna be Wood. Like it, lump it, recognise that is how things are.

It really ain't that long of a bow from the conversation that was going on.

Boomer would still be one of the first picked.
Damn Straight.

If Mason Wood winds up being half the player Boomer has for this club we'll be streets ahead.

We'd be 2-2 without Boomer this year.

Who is currently tracking at 20-3, just because you know that is like ridiculous.
 

boneofshin

Premium Gold
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Posts
4,423
Likes
8,015
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I'm still not entirely sure whether he can be the player in the future we'd like him to be. I'd much rather Black at his best than Wood, but he definitely needs an extended run in order to properly settle at AFL level.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Kimbo

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Posts
18,040
Likes
24,852
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Sturt, Liverpool
I'm still not entirely sure whether he can be the player in the future we'd like him to be. I'd much rather Black at his best than Wood, but he definitely needs an extended run in order to properly settle at AFL level.
Yeah, I'm not as bullish on Wood as some and agree re Black 'at his best' however, what I'd concede is that we haven't yet had the opportunity to see Wood at his best in the seniors. So, while I'm reserving judgement on his ceiling, I can see the potential there and would like him to get some continuity at senior level to provide the opportunity to see.

One thing is for sure, and that is that it would be a shame to see the development we've put into him go to waste. While Tom Curran didn't make it due to injury, it'd fall into a similar category for me regarding a young tall, mobile forward with attitude not making it.
 

Psicosis

Club Legend
Joined
May 7, 2012
Posts
2,714
Likes
2,860
Location
Bird Rock
AFL Club
North Melbourne
From some of the "expert" opinions on here you'd think he's had 50-100 games to prove himself.. He has played 9 AFL games, not in succession... Any formulated opinion of his ability at AFL level lacks any real substance as he has not had genuine opportunity to prove himself at the level... Give the kid some continuity and a chance to prove himself, then judge him on that, until you can do that you have NFI.
 

Psicosis

Club Legend
Joined
May 7, 2012
Posts
2,714
Likes
2,860
Location
Bird Rock
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I'm still not entirely sure whether he can be the player in the future we'd like him to be. I'd much rather Black at his best than Wood, but he definitely needs an extended run in order to properly settle at AFL level.
Well ofcoarse it isn't clear that he can the player we'd like him to be yet... he's played 9 games, not in succession, so clearly hasn't had the opportunity to get comfortable at the level.

By Blacks best I assume you mean his 2013 form... Form from 3 years ago that he has been unable to replicate since despite extended periods in the ones to prove himself...

I struggle to understand how you can come to such a conclusion
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2016
Posts
6
Likes
50
Location
Hobart
AFL Club
North Melbourne
We have the same issues with Wood as heaps of others players at ATM, there probably isn't room in the team for him to play his natural position. Could end up as a great 3rd tall, but we have three of those now, depending on form on the day. Showed flashes as in the pre-season when when isolated or going for contested marks. It would be great to get games into him, but if Jed was ready to go Mason would be the one to make way.

Did himself no harm on Sunday and there was plenty of pressure on. The last floating pack mark showed what he can do, an in 1-2 years that's what we are going to need to partner BBB. At least the future fwd line featuring the best of BBB, Maj, Wood, Durdin, Black or McKay is starting to look like it might have some potency.
 

boneofshin

Premium Gold
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Posts
4,423
Likes
8,015
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Well ofcoarse it isn't clear that he can the player we'd like him to be yet... he's played 9 games, not in succession, so clearly hasn't had the opportunity to get comfortable at the level.

By Blacks best I assume you mean his 2013 form... Form from 3 years ago that he has been unable to replicate since despite extended periods in the ones to prove himself...

I struggle to understand how you can come to such a conclusion
Calm down Mason. I wasn't writing the lad off at all; I'd like nothing more than to see him succeed.
 

Jasemon

All Australian
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Posts
763
Likes
1,899
Location
Brunswick
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Yeah, I'm not as bullish on Wood as some and agree re Black 'at his best' however, what I'd concede is that we haven't yet had the opportunity to see Wood at his best in the seniors. So, while I'm reserving judgement on his ceiling, I can see the potential there and would like him to get some continuity at senior level to provide the opportunity to see.

One thing is for sure, and that is that it would be a shame to see the development we've put into him go to waste. While Tom Curran didn't make it due to injury, it'd fall into a similar category for me regarding a young tall, mobile forward with attitude not making it.
I'm curious as to whether Black and Wood are necessarily mutually exclusive or whether we could fit them into the same side in the future.

Both at face value appear to be very similar types. Wood seems to have better marking credentials especially in a pack situation. Black I really value as that CHF type that funnels the ball between centre and forward. Both have massive engines and probably would play their best footy as wing/utility drifting down to forward. Both also appear to be slightly fragile when it comes to self belief. Probably will come down to who believes in themselves the most. Personally I'd love them both to be a part of the team moving forward. Can't shake that nagging feeling however that they're both competing for exactly the same spot.
 

Kimbo

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Posts
18,040
Likes
24,852
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Sturt, Liverpool
I'm curious as to whether Black and Wood are necessarily mutually exclusive or whether we could fit them into the same side in the future.

Both at face value appear to be very similar types. Wood seems to have better marking credentials especially in a pack situation. Black I really value as that CHF type that funnels the ball between centre and forward. Both have massive engines and probably would play their best footy as wing/utility drifting down to forward. Both also appear to be slightly fragile when it comes to self belief. Probably will come down to who believes in themselves the most. Personally I'd love them both to be a part of the team moving forward. Can't shake that nagging feeling however that they're both competing for exactly the same spot.
If they're both still on the list post Petrie and Waite it would be interesting to see what's possible. In competition now, but then?!
 
Top Bottom