VFL Game Day Essendon v Carlton

[andleanback]

Yet people still call for him to be in senior team!

It’s laughable. Kicks a couple goals and has 14 touches and he deserves a call up, that should be his floor for vfl level.

 

[BrunoV]

kind of what i thought, would you say that he's been lacking around the ground in terms of making a presence?

Putting May aside, who was pulling down marks like it was a warm autumn day, today wasn't really a day for around the ground marking.

It hasn't been a stand out feature of his game. But I'm not really sure what that means for a young ruck. I've closely followed Draper and Bryan from day one on an AFL list and he's ahead of both but is far from prolific. Joe Daniher, for example, could mark the ball as a first year VFL player like he was an adult in the school yard but that did not translate to dominant marking at AFL level until about year 4.

My impression is that contested marking is probably the last thing that ruckmen develop if they're going to develop it. If he's noticeably better than it than Draper, and to this point I think he is (bearing in mind that marking and that explosive power is something that really came on late in year 2, early in year 3, for Draper) then it should be pretty good by AFL standards.

 

[ant555]

Will do a write up after I have another look at the game tomorrow morning but in the end without seeing the last quarter the difference for me was their small guys where better than our small guys and we where a bit tall but we have to play the guys we have.

 

[jdstorm]

ADJ was interesting. Seemed to play better when the game ramped up. Was pretty poor most of the game especially when moved on ball. Overall was pretty average but unquestionably got burned by teammates enough that he would have had 15-20 if guys weren’t content with terrible dump kicks to Carlton players.

Honestly an awful performance by most of the side with a few highlights mostly blackison, may and the other mid season tall forward.

 

[brutus76]

2 x Visentini's and Bryan competing for #1 ruck would be great

 

[Blind Turn]

Essendon 4.1.25 Carlton 3.5.23
Even scrappy contest as you would expect.
No Shiel.
May has done a couple of good things.
Blackiston playing defence. Looks a little foreign to him but has not been too bad.
Goal for McMahon.
Pittonett having his way with Vigo.
Smartt has kicked a good goal.
Tsatas. Section of play between the 7 and 14 minute mark basically sums up my frustrations with him. Does not attack a contest he had to. One minute later he does attack the contest and wears the tackle. Then the next two he just stands two meters off waiting for someone to happen rather than using his best asset and trying to extract the footy.

What’s the go with Shiel?

 

[ant555]

What’s the go with Shiel?

Hold over for tonight’s game in case of an issue with someone.

 

[Freezin]

Interesting to see Blakiston play solely in defence.....never done that in his time at East Fremantle, played purely as a ruckman....and pretty sure was noticed by Essendon for playing well in that role to be selected in the MSD as a mature age selection. Hopefully he gets a crack in the ruck, to show the Essendon fans what he really can do.

 

[ant555]

Interesting to see Blakiston play solely in defence.....never done that in his time at East Fremantle, played purely as a ruckman....and pretty sure was noticed by Essendon for playing well in that role to be selected in the MSD as a mature age selection. Hopefully he gets a crack in the ruck, to show the Essendon fans what he really can do.

He showed he was decent enough today by handling KPD well enough. Was a good effort for a bloke who plays ruck.

 

[faible]

Interesting to see Blakiston play solely in defence.....never done that in his time at East Fremantle, played purely as a ruckman....and pretty sure was noticed by Essendon for playing well in that role to be selected in the MSD as a mature age selection. Hopefully he gets a crack in the ruck, to show the Essendon fans what he really can do.

We have no tall defenders fit atm, Laverde at 193cm is our tallest playing tonight.

Having Blakiston as a possible option to come in and cover as a KPD or Ruck is probably the shortest pathway to AFL level for him, gives him two ways to get a game.