While it is a tad late, I thought I would post up some of my thoughts about the game last Friday, which highlighted a few signposts for the year ahead:
The Good:
1) Mark Stevens is our best forward by a mile. He seems to find the ball and is probably our best one on one marking forward. Welshy looked okay too. If these two play consistent footy for the year we will kick some big scores. Of course, things fall away very quickly without one or either of them in our forward line.
2) Rutten did a pretty decent job on Neitz and he freed up Bassett who played an awesome gane running out of defence. Bass plays his best footy when he can run from half back and he has the initiative and ability to leave his man at the rights times and attack. Of course, if he is playing full back, he cant play this role.
3) Goodwin looked like he was back to some pretty decnet form
4) roo and McLeod didnt give us much on the day - which means there is scope for improvement.
5) Meesen and Van Berlo look like they can both play. Meesen rucked for half the game, and did a pretty reasonable job considering he was up against Jeff White. He also slipped free for a couple of marks inside 50 in the second quarter, and while he missed both (one a sitter) he just looks like the type of ruckman that has an all round game and knows where to go at the right time. Van Berlo is quick, good skills and doesnt panic. Expect big things.
6) Skippy played a pretty good game - got plenty of it, goes hard and was pretty constructive. Ladhams and bode are both well behind him at the moment.
The Bad
1) Half Forward. Perrie was atrocious. I dont mind him, but he played a very ordinary game - didnt win enough contests, didnt even make the contest on several occassions. Hentshel was also disppointing. If both of them fall down, things look very ordinary acrodd half forward. Still, we dont have alot of other options which is very cvoncerning for the year ahead.
2) Begley and Shirley. Both were given excellent opportunities to shine and all failed woefully. Begley got carved up by Davey (in his defence- he was just too slow), Shirley spent a heap of time in the midfield and hardly touched it. Matty Bode kicked a nice goal but just didnt get enough game time.
3) Fourth quarter fade outs. We have dropped our bundle in all 3 practice games in the last quarter. I am wondering if we are not fit enough (too much ball work not enough running).
Overall, the most concerning thing is the forward line. None of our big 4 have proven that they are either fit enough or good enough to be a consistent contributor. I have horrible feeling that unless there is a real turn around in either fitness or performance in at least 2 of the 4 miracle, we will struggle to kick a winning score enough in 2005 to have a real impact.
Over and Out.
The Good:
1) Mark Stevens is our best forward by a mile. He seems to find the ball and is probably our best one on one marking forward. Welshy looked okay too. If these two play consistent footy for the year we will kick some big scores. Of course, things fall away very quickly without one or either of them in our forward line.
2) Rutten did a pretty decent job on Neitz and he freed up Bassett who played an awesome gane running out of defence. Bass plays his best footy when he can run from half back and he has the initiative and ability to leave his man at the rights times and attack. Of course, if he is playing full back, he cant play this role.
3) Goodwin looked like he was back to some pretty decnet form
4) roo and McLeod didnt give us much on the day - which means there is scope for improvement.
5) Meesen and Van Berlo look like they can both play. Meesen rucked for half the game, and did a pretty reasonable job considering he was up against Jeff White. He also slipped free for a couple of marks inside 50 in the second quarter, and while he missed both (one a sitter) he just looks like the type of ruckman that has an all round game and knows where to go at the right time. Van Berlo is quick, good skills and doesnt panic. Expect big things.
6) Skippy played a pretty good game - got plenty of it, goes hard and was pretty constructive. Ladhams and bode are both well behind him at the moment.
The Bad
1) Half Forward. Perrie was atrocious. I dont mind him, but he played a very ordinary game - didnt win enough contests, didnt even make the contest on several occassions. Hentshel was also disppointing. If both of them fall down, things look very ordinary acrodd half forward. Still, we dont have alot of other options which is very cvoncerning for the year ahead.
2) Begley and Shirley. Both were given excellent opportunities to shine and all failed woefully. Begley got carved up by Davey (in his defence- he was just too slow), Shirley spent a heap of time in the midfield and hardly touched it. Matty Bode kicked a nice goal but just didnt get enough game time.
3) Fourth quarter fade outs. We have dropped our bundle in all 3 practice games in the last quarter. I am wondering if we are not fit enough (too much ball work not enough running).
Overall, the most concerning thing is the forward line. None of our big 4 have proven that they are either fit enough or good enough to be a consistent contributor. I have horrible feeling that unless there is a real turn around in either fitness or performance in at least 2 of the 4 miracle, we will struggle to kick a winning score enough in 2005 to have a real impact.
Over and Out.
