AFL Player 40: Zak Johnson

[VelvetSledge]

 

[andleanback]

Ages of teams that played last round:

HAW 25yr 5mth
WCE 24yr 11mth
CAR 26yr 2mth
GEE 26yr 6mth
GCS 25yr 0mth
SYD 25yr 11mth
GWS 26yr 1mth
WBD 25yr 8mth
PTA 25yr 2mth
NM 24yr 9mth
STK 25yr 10mth
BRI 26yr 8mth
FRE 24yr 11mth
ADE 25yr 6mth
COL 28yr 11mth
ESS 25yr 7mth

Under 25 is basically below the 'average' aged side, so it's a reasonable enough line to draw.

I'd say 25 is about the age where players should be reaching their primes

Being forced to play back up ruck goldy skews this

 

[joey_jo_jo]

I think what some may be after is a Bevo style of play the kids.
Move players that I think everyone agrees aren't the future out of the side and put the kids in the deep end.
If they are 2-3 weeks away or close, play them now.

To be fair the only ones I'd say that are being played at the moment that I would say aren't part of long term planning are goldstein, setterfield and arguably wright who all came in after key players went down (draper, caldwell, bryan).
You could argue tsatas should be playing over setterfield but the finger injury complicates that, does sound like he may be back in this week though.
Now that we are a quarter of the season in I think they should have enough data to see jones as a winger isnt working so I would like us to give johnson or saad el hawli a go ahead of him (either they play wing or play back with prior/Roberts shifting up to wing).

The other one we could argue is adj ahead of menzie or gresham although it looks like he is still inconsistent in his output at vfl level and whilst menzie and gresh were down the last 2 weeks they were both good earlier in season.

 

[Mercurial89]

Bulldogs have done this by moving out a few players at the end of last season plus a lot of the players they have that have played under 30 games are actually in the 20-23 year old age group and have been on their list for 2/3/4 years. They are not pushing through big numbers of 18/19 year old players at any one time. Most have had to earn their stripes through the VFL.
There will be two telling things to watch IMO.
First up if Johnson and to a slightly lesser extent Visentini get games in the near future and also if Day-Wicks and Gerryn can maybe get a game in the back end of the year if they hold their form.
Secondly what they do at the end of the year. Realistically Laverde and Shiel should be in line to be moved on. They should be advertising Parish as gettable. Same with Nick Cox.
If we are looking at moving on 3 or so of these blokes at the end of the year then they are serious as far as list turnover goes.
Johnson really should be playing this week but 100% should be picked in the next 3 weeks based on form.

I think this year and last year is kind of what I'm talking about with the change up of the side.

He realized certain players weren't future, in form or able to adapt and pushed them out.
I must admit I like that proactive move.

I think Tsatas, Johnson and hopefully Visentini are in this side in the next 4 weeks. I'm not too worried about the wins when they are in either, just get that exposure, treat it like 2016. Low draft pick and AFL exposure to as many on the list as possible.

From reading what you and others have written about Johnson, I'm keen to see how he goes.

 

[jdstorm]

Of the 6 sides we've put out we are 16th for average age:

View attachment 2298276

And 15th for average games played:

View attachment 2298278

And I'm pretty sure before the weekend we were bottom 2/3 for both.

The Goldy effect

 

[Old Campaigner]

He means Chris Scott surely. Brad never plays the kids

 

[Atavistic]

Strange of Brad to be aware of a young player's existence.

 

[Bjo187]

I think we have a few issues, of which being a younger side is just one of them.

I'm not a fan of rolling out a midfield with both Shiel and Setterfield it in while Tsatas plays VFL (or seemingly, doesn't) and the ruck situation is what it is, I'd like to see Visentini get a few runs at AFL level since I doubt Goldy can run out the season anyway, and guys like Johnson and ADW both look like they should feature at AFL level during the season.

Johnson I agree with but I don't get the hype on day wicks he has been nowhere near it in the past 2 vfl games (granted I haven't seen the others this year).

 

[faible]

Johnson I agree with but I don't get the hype on day wicks he has been nowhere near it in the past 2 vfl games (granted I haven't seen the others this year).

ADW mostly on the basis that he's in competition with Menzie, Gresham and Kako for a spot. Kako might well need to be managed at some point, and both Menzie and Gresham aren't setting the world alight.

If Kako needs a spell or Menzie gets dropped than I'd be happy to see ADW get a run to see how he goes. The others look a bit off AFL ready as yet.

ADJ also in the mix for the above.

Johnson clearly looks the most AFL ready at the moment though, hopefully we see him before June.

 

[Ambrosia]

I see Trent Rivers

24

Trent Rivers

Age

24

Ht

188cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.7

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

2.0

4star

MG

171.3

3star

D

10.7

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

2.0

3star

MG

171.3

3star

D

10.7

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

4.7

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

171.3

3star

in the highlights

 

[bombreys]

You've been itching to trot this out all season, haven't you?

Just ignore the exceptional circumstances that forced Goldy in the side and waiting for he or Lav not to be playing VFL to trot it out.

Settle - and read the post I was replying to. We aren't a 'really young team' - that's a fact.

 

[bombreys]

ADW mostly on the basis that he's in competition with Menzie, Gresham and Kako for a spot. Kako might well need to be managed at some point, and both Menzie and Gresham aren't setting the world alight.

If Kako needs a spell or Menzie gets dropped than I'd be happy to see ADW get a run to see how he goes. The others look a bit off AFL ready as yet.

ADJ also in the mix for the above.

Johnson clearly looks the most AFL ready at the moment though, hopefully we see him before June.

Agree Johnson the most ready. And perhaps the best suited for a promotion given his position. I'd personally not be bringing ADW in yet, but who knows.

Hayes (aside from Johnson) is probably the only other one I think is really ready - I think his best (and maybe only) chance is if/when they decide to give Reid a week off.

 

[eth-dog]

Settle - and read the post I was replying to. We aren't a 'really young team' - that's a fact.

16th youngest on average. So yes, we are.

 

[Don Won]

Settle - and read the post I was replying to. We aren't a 'really young team' - that's a fact.

16th youngest on average. So yes, we are.

Most weeks we have been the youngest or second youngest team listed. And moreover our spread of guys below 100 games, and below 50 game have been considerably higher than most teams. Getting Peter wright, Goldstein and Langford back in helps

 

[bombreys]

Most weeks we have been the youngest or second youngest team listed. And moreover our spread of guys below 100 games, and below 50 game have been considerably higher than most teams. Getting Peter wright, Goldstein and Langford back in helps

For sure - without checking, I'm pretty sure it's been us, West Coast, North & Freo in the bottom four the first 4-5 weeks.

The post I was responding to had to do with being hesitant on bringing Johnson in due to the side currently being too young - last round, we were bang in the middle age-wise. My point was simply that we shouldn't not bring someone in, who's in form, for the fact it would make us younger - especially when the current 22 is league average.

 

[Don Won]

For sure - without checking, I'm pretty sure it's been us, West Coast, North & Freo in the bottom four the first 4-5 weeks.

The post I was responding to had to do with being hesitant on bringing Johnson in due to the side currently being too young - last round, we were bang in the middle age-wise. My point was simply that we shouldn't not bring someone in, who's in form, for the fact it would make us younger - especially when the current 22 is league average.

Sorry - I agree then

 

[wichidi]

Strange of Brad to be aware of a young player's existence.

I suspect Johnson has nude picks. Or is that nude picks of a Johnson? Blackmail for sure.

 

[Happyskeret]

Good old Goldy has lifted the average age up.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Reading the last page or so of this thread, makes me think that you all need to go back to school and learn about measures of central tendency.

 

[Bjchan13]

Reading the last page or so of this thread, makes me think that you all need to go back to school and learn about measures of central tendency.

 

[Agronomus]

Reading the last page or so of this thread, makes me think that you all need to go back to school and learn about measures of central tendency.

That would be me and I haven't even posted

 

[Yoda_]

another free wheeling day for Zac, was hoping to see him higher up the ground but looks assured behind the ball none the less.

With another 25 under his belt, surely he's getting closer again to a debut

 

[andleanback]

Another solid game
For me the best part was him standing up for coxy and dropping the north pest. Another kid who has a bit of go in him.

 

[ant555]

Another solid game
For me the best part was him standing up for coxy and dropping the north pest. Another kid who has a bit of go in him.

Competitor with skills. What is going on. First Roberts and now this bloke. How un Essington.

 

[FlyingV]

Competitor with skills. What is going on. First Roberts and now this bloke. How un Essington.

With picks 50 and 70… we tried our best not to take them as well!

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

It’s time. Prefer this guy over Prior