Past #32: Mason Wood - 65 NM games/76 NM goals - delisted end '20 - SSP selection for STK '21 - GL Mase

[Thewlis Dish]

Two massive tackles in the last minute.

 

[Flawed Genius]

There was a passage of play in the last where Wood was in a marking contest on the wing. Nobody had a clear mark and the ball spilt over the back, within touching distance of Mason, who had stopped moving, not forward, not backward, not remonstrating with the umpire, or players from either team. He was just standing there. After about a second and a half he realised the ball was still live and turned around, by then it was gone.

Absolutely bizarre decision making. He also appears to be just a half second too slow (ie, the shot on goal where he took a millennium to have a shot running inside 50 and eventually got tackled). But then he does great things, like the HTB in the last, where his manic pressure is evident and he realises the game has gone up a notch. And the kick after the siren was brilliant, as was the milking of the shot clock, entirely within the rules.

There is no doubt a player there. I'd just love to see him become a touch more consistent with his decision making. That being said, he is a 10 game player. Has oodles and oodles of time to work on his craft.

 

[remfan101]

There was a passage of play in the last where Wood was in a marking contest on the wing. Nobody had a clear mark and the ball spilt over the back, within touching distance of Mason, who had stopped moving, not forward, not backward, not remonstrating with the umpire, or players from either team. He was just standing there. After about a second and a half he realised the ball was still live and turned around, by then it was gone.

Absolutely bizarre decision making. He also appears to be just a half second too slow (ie, the shot on goal where he took a millennium to have a shot running inside 50 and eventually got tackled). But then he does great things, like the HTB in the last, where his manic pressure is evident and he realises the game has gone up a notch. And the kick after the siren was brilliant, as was the milking of the shot clock, entirely within the rules.

There is no doubt a player there. I'd just love to see him become a touch more consistent with his decision making. That being said, he is a 10 game player. Has oodles and oodles of time to work on his craft.

yeah I saw that too haha you'd have to assume he thought it got punched out of bounds and was catching his breath then suddenly had an "oh ****" moment pretty funny now, probably didn't please Scotts too much though...

 

[Benno_900]

Seems a bit lost and overwhelmed - it's clear that the intensity at VFL level does not compare.

The kid needs a long run of games to adjust. You can't keep dropping him and expect that he'll instantly have a huge impact.

 

[Mjs94]

Was impressed by his defensive efforts today. Looked a little slow at times but what do you expect when he's been playing VFL. Another 2 games and he'll be adjusted and its pretty clear he has all the tools to be a very good contributor.

 

[TwentyNine]

I like Mase, there's a lot of things to like about his game, that said he has areas to work on as any inexperienced player does. But yeah, the composure in the last minute there was very impressive, and he wasn't alone in lacking accuracy up forward today. Holds his spot, certainly.

 

[Harris 10]

The best thing about his game today was not trolling the Saints at the end but the tackle he laid that gave him the opportunity to do it.

That's what will keep him in the side.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

I think it's a good thing that he was rushed a number of times. At Werribee, no one catches him in the 3rd quarter running into goal, but in the 1s he takes too long, is hurried and messes up the shot. Moments like those make you learn a valuable lesson.

 

[TwentyNine]

The best thing about his game today was not trolling the Saints at the end but the tackle he laid that gave him the opportunity to do it.

That's what will keep him in the side.

Ripper tackle, big moment. Of course most would rather whinge about umpiring and shot clocks.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

He is a star. Should never have been dropped.

Just let him do his thing, he is now tackling and harassing to an AFL standard and the rest of his game is an awesome mix of class and power.

Playing a Naha's or even a Gibson ahead of him beggars belief.

 

[XU1-ROO]

His lesson in the VFL to apply more pressure paid off. Like to see Wood stay in for the rest of the year. Need to get games into him and Brown for post Petrie and Waite.

 

[Flawed Genius]

He is a star. Should never have been dropped.

Just let him do his thing, he is now tackling and harassing to an AFL standard and the rest of his game is an awesome mix of class and power.

Playing a Naha's or even a Gibson ahead of him beggars belief.

He and Gibson play different positions. Agree on Nahas though, and had Turner been fit Nahas no doubt plays for Werribee on Saturday night.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

lost to like about Mason,

he'll get up to speed if given a few games to adjust.

 

[Kimbo]

He is a star. Should never have been dropped.

Playing a Naha's or even a Gibson ahead of him beggars belief.

Ahh, Mr Hyperbole is back, and he's bigger than The Beatles. Or should that be Jesus? Whatever, keep making wild and exaggerated statements mate and pay no heed to comments comparing you to IUB. All comparisons are odious, but that has to be the most odious comparison anyone could make about anyone.

Just let him do his thing, he is now tackling and harassing to an AFL standard and the rest of his game is an awesome mix of class and power.

After all of ten games he isn't a star and nothing statistically or otherwise says he is (now). I reckon you go earlier than a Jake Stringer marking attempt. Spectacular, but ultimately fruitless and you only give your opposition the ball back.

But yeah, he has always shown that he has some class, size, mobility, skills and now seems to have added defensive work rate. Let's hope your comment comes to fruition for, on this guy, we can agree.

 

[kangaspurs]

A little confused by the thoughts behind Masons game?

Had four tackles. Kicked 2.2. Had as many marks as Waite and Petrie, was close to stealing that mark at the death. Wasn't near the worst on and played amongst higher rated targets up forward. Also has played ten games. I wish all our ten gamers were as poor TBH.

I think you may have pointed it out recently, but the criteria by which many people judge Wood is strange and completely different to the way some people judge other, similarly experienced players.

I thought he was ok-good without being great but he deserves to hold his spot and deserves a reasonably extended crack in the seniors more than most of the other fringe players.

 

[motlopfan]

Does Mason have an ego? If so he will have a head the size of a pumpkin tonight, heard his name at least 50 times today. On FM stations as well as the usual news services on the ABC, Sen and Fairfax radio. Expect it to continue tonight on TV. "Mason Wood North Melbourne" now a name to remember.

 

[Psicosis]

There was a passage of play in the last where Wood was in a marking contest on the wing. Nobody had a clear mark and the ball spilt over the back, within touching distance of Mason, who had stopped moving, not forward, not backward, not remonstrating with the umpire, or players from either team. He was just standing there. After about a second and a half he realised the ball was still live and turned around, by then it was gone.

Absolutely bizarre decision making. He also appears to be just a half second too slow (ie, the shot on goal where he took a millennium to have a shot running inside 50 and eventually got tackled). But then he does great things, like the HTB in the last, where his manic pressure is evident and he realises the game has gone up a notch. And the kick after the siren was brilliant, as was the milking of the shot clock, entirely within the rules.

There is no doubt a player there. I'd just love to see him become a touch more consistent with his decision making. That being said, he is a 10 game player. Has oodles and oodles of time to work on his craft.

consistency comes with continuity - hard to expect consistency from someone who gets minimal opportunity

 

[shintemaster]

He's got a lot to work with but he's not even close to there yet. Intensity is up and down (can be a fitness thing as well) and he clearly struggles a little with the change of pace. Saw him lead his player towards a 1 on 1 marking contest on a couple of occasions. If I can spot things like this I have no doubt the coaching staff could find twice as many without even trying. He can get there but now is the time for him to knuckle down and take on board everything that the coaches will no doubt be telling him.

Has plenty of confidence so if he works at his issues I think he'll improve quickly. Would love to see him play the next couple at least and hopefully have form leading into the Sydney game.

 

[arden station]

He's got a lot to work with but he's not even close to there yet. Intensity is up and down (can be a fitness thing as well) and he clearly struggles a little with the change of pace. Saw him lead his player towards a 1 on 1 marking contest on a couple of occasions. If I can spot things like this I have no doubt the coaching staff could find twice as many without even trying. He can get there but now is the time for him to knuckle down and take on board everything that the coaches will no doubt be telling him.

Has plenty of confidence so if he works at his issues I think he'll improve quickly. Would love to see him play the next couple at least and hopefully have form leading into the Sydney game.

It'd be easier for Wood if he was playing as the third tall with three other small/medium sized forwards playing their role. Instead we have three in form tall forwards and we need him to do a role at times during the game which he's probably not that suited to - getting to the fall of the ball, crumbing and or tackling. He didn't really do that at all on Sunday and with his height, he doesn't have the low centre of gravity to do it consistently. I have no doubt about his talent and ability to play as a dangerous mobile marking forward, especially with his leap and fitness but time and time again on Sunday we didn't have anyone at the fall. It's easy to say Harvey, Nahas and Higgins should have been there, but we're playing a 4 tall - 2 small set-up and it didn't work very well.

The tackle he made at the end (and a couple of others) was great, but what we've been doing well this year is hammering opposition defenders in tackles when they take possession at the fall deep inside 50 - it has stopped opposition rebound, made them panic and meant we haven't had to waste energy chasing. That's a different tackling situation and we need three small/med forwards to do that. You could say if we stopped bombing it long and hit up leading targets including Wood, you wouldn't need the 3 small/med forwards but sometimes that long kick is the best option, especially with the three talls we have.

So I don't know how Wood fits in to the set up but I hope they find a way that works because he is very talented - that vertical leap is massive when you're sitting at ground level.

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Mason could do worse than get some advice from Craig Sholl about how to play as a 4th banana forward - Mason plays with Petrie, Waite and Brown while Sholl played with Carey, Carey and Carey. Could learn a thing or two.

I see what you did there....

In all seriousness though, Sholl was in the same forward line as Carey, Corey and The Horse at times.

 

[Gasometer]

Mason could do worse than get some advice from Craig Sholl about how to play as a 4th banana forward - Mason plays with Petrie, Waite and Brown while Sholl played with Carey, Carey and Carey. Could learn a thing or two.

Call the Doc.

 

[shintemaster]

It'd be easier for Wood if he was playing as the third tall with three other small/medium sized forwards playing their role. Instead we have three in form tall forwards and we need him to do a role at times during the game which he's probably not that suited to - getting to the fall of the ball, crumbing and or tackling. He didn't really do that at all on Sunday and with his height, he doesn't have the low centre of gravity to do it consistently. I have no doubt about his talent and ability to play as a dangerous mobile marking forward, especially with his leap and fitness but time and time again on Sunday we didn't have anyone at the fall. It's easy to say Harvey, Nahas and Higgins should have been there, but we're playing a 4 tall - 2 small set-up and it didn't work very well.

The tackle he made at the end (and a couple of others) was great, but what we've been doing well this year is hammering opposition defenders in tackles when they take possession at the fall deep inside 50 - it has stopped opposition rebound, made them panic and meant we haven't had to waste energy chasing. That's a different tackling situation and we need three small/med forwards to do that. You could say if we stopped bombing it long and hit up leading targets including Wood, you wouldn't need the 3 small/med forwards but sometimes that long kick is the best option, especially with the three talls we have.

So I don't know how Wood fits in to the set up but I hope they find a way that works because he is very talented - that vertical leap is massive when you're sitting at ground level.

Agree with all of this. Spot on. Unfortunately he's not a round peg into a round hole in that forward line at the moment - that might change pretty quickly, either due to injuries or retirements. In the meantime he can either bide his time in the 2s or try is hardest to find a way to be a roundish square peg as much as possible.

 

[king of the road]

It'd be easier for Wood if he was playing as the third tall with three other small/medium sized forwards playing their role. Instead we have three in form tall forwards and we need him to do a role at times during the game which he's probably not that suited to - getting to the fall of the ball, crumbing and or tackling. He didn't really do that at all on Sunday and with his height, he doesn't have the low centre of gravity to do it consistently. I have no doubt about his talent and ability to play as a dangerous mobile marking forward, especially with his leap and fitness but time and time again on Sunday we didn't have anyone at the fall. It's easy to say Harvey, Nahas and Higgins should have been there, but we're playing a 4 tall - 2 small set-up and it didn't work very well.

The tackle he made at the end (and a couple of others) was great, but what we've been doing well this year is hammering opposition defenders in tackles when they take possession at the fall deep inside 50 - it has stopped opposition rebound, made them panic and meant we haven't had to waste energy chasing. That's a different tackling situation and we need three small/med forwards to do that. You could say if we stopped bombing it long and hit up leading targets including Wood, you wouldn't need the 3 small/med forwards but sometimes that long kick is the best option, especially with the three talls we have.

So I don't know how Wood fits in to the set up but I hope they find a way that works because he is very talented - that vertical leap is massive when you're sitting at ground level.

Great post. Was going to say something along these lines. In the 2's, he plays the role of marking froward which come naturally to him. When he comes into the 1's, he has to change that role and he gets a bit lost in between.
I watched him pretty closely at the game and although he did some good things, we lost structure and he was a little lost at times - a bit ineffectual, out of position and didn't quite know where he was meant to be - understandable for a 10 game player though!
An example of where he was a little confused is when he went up against Petrie in the last quarter. He essentially spoiled that Petrie marking attempt and should have stayed down. Still ,he did well with those 2 tackles in the last, first to hold it in to get the Goldie free kick, then kick the goal. Mixed bag really.

 

[astrovic]

I see what you did there....

In all seriousness though, Sholl was in the same forward line as Carey, Corey and The Horse at times.

And Fridge and Crocks.

And Choppy and Welsh.

[and Hewitt and Lange...]

The bloke knew a thing or two about playing his role.

 

[Kanga1996]

I guess the whole footy world knows who Mason Wood is now.. The Kid was everywhere last night