VFL Game Day Essendon vs Coburg, Windy Hill, Sunday 10/06/18 @ Midday

[Bunk Moreland]

Okay, player by player reports:

#10 Aaron Francis: BOG. Had around 8 or 9 intercept marks and made Coburg look second rate (which they were, unfortunately). Set up the play from behind beautifully with his kicking.

#17 James Stewart: Was really good leading up the ground, but played from behind too much inside 50 in the first half, but corrected that in the second. Could have kicked 6 or 7 but inaccuracy and unselfishness cost that. Would have had 12 score involvements from his 19 touches.

#19 Kobe Mutch: People will look at his 33 touches and assume he was one of the best. He wasn't, as I said in another thread it was the least impactful 33 touches since O'Brien's been on the list. Still was decent.

#20 Jackson Merrett: Typical Merrett game. Faded in and out of the game and got a few cheapies out the back to kick 3 goals.

#24 Jordan Houlahan: Was okay without being brilliant. Needs to present to the ball better.

#30 Brandon Zerk-Thatcher: His worst game of the year. Payed no respect to Peter McEvoy who is one of the better key forward's in the league and paid the price for it.

#32 Travis Colyer: Really good first half, would have had 16/17 of his 25 touches in it but faded out of the game a bit. Needs another couple of weeks in the 2's IMO.

#34 Jake Long: Polar opposite of Mutch. Only had 14 touches but his impact was great. I call bullshit on only 6 tackles, he would have had 8 or 9 IMO, his pressure was fantastic.

#36 Michael Hartley: Did what he does. Shut down his man for the first 3 quarters, bulleted kick outs to the advantage of our players and then went forward/ruck in the last (swapping with Mauve) and got a cheapie out the back.

#37 Dylan Clarke: Surprised it was 38 touches, however he was dominant inside. Got the ball on the spread as well, the 11 marks show that. Well done on the Quadruple Double young fella.

#38 Sam Draper: Feel he was outpointed by Goodwin but still played his part. Dominated against the second ruckman.

#40 Luke Lavender: Is presenting to the ball better. Shifted into defence in the last quarter to okay effect.

#41 Ben McNiece: Tidy game from the second best Indian to play the game. His kicks were bullet like.

Overall, what you'd expect from the game. Looking forward to playing Box Hille in a fortnight, likely to have Ambrose, Laverde, Ridley, Dea, Baguley back in, with Francis and hopefully Long back into the seniors.

Superb report, appreciate it

 

[ant555]

Thanks for the update eth-dog . Did Colyer actually fade or was he just managed? Also what was his disposal like? If he's tidied it back up to 2015 standards then he could be a real surprise addition to the seniors.

His goal kicking was off. Missed at least 2 he should have slotted. He was a bit in and out of the game but had periods where he was right in the groove for 5 or 10 minutes. I think he would have been around 70% game time.

 

[Donakebab]

His goal kicking was off. Missed at least 2 he should have slotted. He was a bit in and out of the game but had periods where he was right in the groove for 5 or 10 minutes. I think he would have been around 70% game time.

Cool thanks ant. Did he actually use his pace? He has a nasty habit of being the slowest fast bloke around.

 

[eth-dog]

Thanks for the update eth-dog . Did Colyer actually fade or was he just managed? Also what was his disposal like? If he's tidied it back up to 2015 standards then he could be a real surprise addition to the seniors.

He may have been managed but his second half was definitely quieter. His kicking wasn't good.

Superb report, appreciate it

Easy enough to do.

 

[ant555]

Cool thanks ant. Did he actually use his pace? He has a nasty habit of being the slowest fast bloke around.

He backed himself to use his run.

 

[Harlequin Dream]

How did the Coburg kids do against the tide? I feel for Lentini, Podhajski, and Nolan in this situation.

 

[JDavey]

Against better sides. Like Williamstown.

I didn't know 32 touches, 5 marks, 5 tackles was the same as 38 touches, 11 marks, 11 tackles?

Maybe because Myers is capable of getting 28 at AFL level and Clarke had 6

On return to seniors after the 32 touch game and a 27 touch game he came back to seniors to contribute a whopping 13 disposals. He didn't get dropped the week after yet a first gamer was

Credit to Myers though, stood up after Heppell went down and led the midfield inside, I was a huge advocate for him last year too as he was the only person outside Jobe winning a clearance. Just wish we'd give others like Clarke the chance to contribute too - the best our Mids have looked this year was the game he was playing and blocking runs. If you watched what Ablett was doing to help open up Selwood at stoppages you can start to see why its so important to have players like Clarke in the side to open up play for Merrett, Zaka, Heppell etc.

 

[eth-dog]

I didn't know 32 touches, 5 marks, 5 tackles was the same as 38 touches, 11 marks, 11 tackles?



On return to seniors after the 32 touch game and a 27 touch game he came back to seniors to contribute a whopping 13 disposals. He didn't get dropped the week after yet a first gamer was

Credit to Myers though, stood up after Heppell went down and led the midfield inside, I was a huge advocate for him last year too as he was the only person outside Jobe winning a clearance. Just wish we'd give others like Clarke the chance to contribute too - the best our Mids have looked this year was the game he was playing and blocking runs. If you watched what Ablett was doing to help open up Selwood at stoppages you can start to see why its so important to have players like Clarke in the side to open up play for Merrett, Zaka, Heppell etc.

I'd take 32 touches against Williamstown over 38 against Coburg every day of the week.

 

[Seb78]

Maybe because Myers is capable of getting 28 at AFL level and Clarke had 6

Yeh but one is a 28 y.o and the other is a 19 y.o. You'd be staggered if it was the other way around. We definately should be getting more more games into Clarke, needs continuity now at senior level if he is going to get any better.

 

[ant555]

Yeh but one is a 28 y.o and the other is a 19 y.o. You'd be staggered if it was the other way around. We definately should be getting more more games into Clarke, needs continuity now at senior level if he is going to get any better.

I think he needs to keep improving his kicking. Some of his disposal by foot is not even VFL level. Sure he is finding the footy and having an impact and to a degree he has improved his disposal but it is still not AFL standard. He has a slow ball drop / kicking action that as an inside midfielder will be a serious issue at the quicker AFL pace. He went at 22% in his first AFL game. It would be throwing the kid to the wolves to expect him to keep improving his kicking at AFL level right now.

 

[Howard Moon]

People focus too much on numbers.

I blame dream team, it's created a weird dichotomy between numbers and actual impact

 

[The Prosecutor]

I think he needs to keep improving his kicking. Some of his disposal by foot is not even VFL level. Sure he is finding the footy and having an impact and to a degree he has improved his disposal but it is still not AFL standard. He has a slow ball drop / kicking action that as an inside midfielder will be a serious issue at the quicker AFL pace. He went at 22% in his first AFL game. It would be throwing the kid to the wolves to expect him to keep improving his kicking at AFL level right now.

He reminds me a bit of Nick Graham from Carlton.

I'm not confident Clarke will be able to translate these performances into good AFL games.

 

[Zach Package]

Yeh but one is a 28 y.o and the other is a 19 y.o. You'd be staggered if it was the other way around. We definately should be getting more more games into Clarke, needs continuity now at senior level if he is going to get any better.

So give the 19 year old the time and the tools to improve on his deficiencies and when he is good and ready nature will take it's course and Clarke will push Myers out permanently.

We haven't hit that point yet.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Had a look at the replay. Slim pickings at this stage.

Francis was head and shoulders above everyone else but jogs between contests and is gassed on the second effort. Can get away with it here but will get slaughtered at AFL level. Huge conundrum this bloke.

Stewart was decent, looks like he could step back up and play a role at AFL level.

Colyer showed a bit of zip and AFL material.

Clarke is a funny one as he has the same handball and kicking action. There is a massive drop between them. Its quite strange.

Mutch reminds me of a slow Brent Stanton, if that is actually possible.

McNeice was ok but fumbled one too many that he shouldn't have.

Long was average at best.

Houlahan was very average.

 

[Stopher]

What is the logic behind always having a bye the same week as the AFL team? It doesn't make sense. Surely a basic requirement of 'x' AFL games played means that player can't play VFL in the AFL bye round. Looking at the last few weeks, you'd swear they actually don't want Essendon supporters attending VFL games. I'm not sure how this is for other teams, but it's kind of annoying.

 

[eth-dog]

What is the logic behind always having a bye the same week as the AFL team? It doesn't make sense. Surely a basic requirement of 'x' AFL games played means that player can't play VFL in the AFL bye round. Looking at the last few weeks, you'd swear they actually don't want Essendon supporters attending VFL games. I'm not sure how this is for other teams, but it's kind of annoying.

AFL mandate. All state league affiliates have coinciding bye weeks. It's a bye for the club, not the seniors.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Makes sense. You’d be pissed off if you’ve arranged a few days off and you get dropped and have to play VFL.

 

[fairbump_playon]

People focus too much on numbers.

I blame dream team, it's created a dichotomy between numbers and actual impact

This is so true. The good thing about the modern stats barrage is that it draws attention to things the casual eye can miss - contested possessions, tackles etc. But stats still don’t measure impact.