Finals Round 1

[OldSchool]

Ward was superb effectively as a CHF. He is a very different player now to at the start of the year and really does look like one of the few contenders for that tall ruck-rover role. He might not be Jordan Lewis-like at the moment but he will be next year if not drafted. Should be a top-20 pick now.

More like a top 10.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Lobbe rucked almost unchanged and did well to nullify Cordy, Stavenuiter, Scott and Henderson at various times. Cunningham had a great first quarter and faded.

Anyone know what Renton's injury was last week? I noticed he only got a few touches and then wasn't named for the final this week.

 

[macca69]

Anyone know what Renton's injury was last week? I noticed he only got a few touches and then wasn't named for the final this week.

I think he dislocated his knee-cap.

 

[ford_dealer]

Ward was superb effectively as a CHF. He is a very different player now to at the start of the year and really does look like one of the few contenders for that tall ruck-rover role. He might not be Jordan Lewis-like at the moment but he will be next year if not drafted. Should be a top-20 pick now.



... and Oakleigh would have had the beating of all 4 of those sides yesterday. They should be very angry with themselves for not getting it.

I thought Western were going to win by 80 after the first quarter. The Ballarat showed them too much respect and the coaches got too clever with their match-ups. Bell in the backline, Cheney up front, Radley at FF, Tickner out of the game at FB.

Once Ballarat put their team back into their preferred positions and played the game on their own terms they ran over Western who just never responded. Western barely had any moves of their own. Banner, Ward, Morris, Black were barely unsighted in the midfield.

In the end none of the Western prime-movers really gave a yelp. Banner, Morris, Black, Lyons, Cartelli, Kennedy all chose the same day to turn in some of their worst performances of the year. In the end half of them were tagging.

Jordan Robbins was good for Western. Ward as a CHF. Jayden Post is an improved player and did OK. Lunardi probably had his best game of the year.

BOG for mine was Clayton Hinkley who burnt off a reasonable player in Kennedy. Used the ball so well and kept going all day. Suban was good early but copped heavy tags. Nick Peters was good but was a bit so-so with his ball use. Bryn Weadon out of the back-pocket played the quarter-back role superbly. Grant Bell was the one who turned the match when he went forward. Ryan McKenzie was the other good one, hadn't seen much of him before now.

In the Geelong-Eastern game. It was all over at quarter time. Geelong won the next three quarters but it didn't matter.

Rory Sloane was the killer. Destroyed them at the stoppages with good help from Brad Jones. Geelong had their match-ups wrong and Trent Zomer killed Andrew Scott in the first to set up the win.

Mid-way through the second Geelong came back and it was all lead by Dangerfield. He single handly turned the game around at the stoppages and brought some teammates with him notably Donahue off HBF. Scott was good when released to a flank. Barham did OK. Hornsey beat most guys he played on. Ayce Cordy was close to the best big man on show. Great mobility, agility, balance. He is a huge prospect.

Did the Falcons lose Kane Smith early? He was unsighted. Hunter did next to nothing until the last 10 minutes. Mugavin was stuck in a back-pocket. After leading the Falcons back into the game, Dangerfield was taken off the ball and returned to HBF. Curnow did little. Lynch only popped-up in the last 10 minutes. Geelong's midfield did not show-up ready to play.

Zac Ward was the difference in the end. Getting the goals for Eastern to pad the lead. Jack Steven got a hold of him in the end, but that cost Geelong a good onballer. Gysberts is going to be great. Not elligable for this draft, not elligable for the NEXT draft, and already in the top-3 at Eastern. Lobbe rucked almost unchanged and did well to nullify Cordy, Stavenuiter, Scott and Henderson at various times. Cunningham had a great first quarter and faded.

Falcons might have won if Henderson was able to kick more than 35 metres. He really should have finished with 5.

Only saw the Western V Nth Ballarat game.

Nth Ballarat were disciplined, and Western undisciplined. Too many handballs under pressure cost Western heaps. They had no answers to Nth Ballarat when they started running and kicking long. They used the switch well, and brought the ball into the middle early and always seemed to find someone to take an easy uncontested mark and drive the ball in long inside 50.

Nth Ballarats midfield ran both ways hard. Suban played a lone hand early, but then faded in and out of the game, but thats when thier other on-ballers started working hard.

In the last quarter, Ward almost single-handedly got Western another week of finals, but Nth Ballarat were able to choke the supply coming from the midfield with the final few clearances.

Ward and Robbins were the best for Western
Hinkley, Suban and Bell were the best for Nth Ballarat

 

[daveyboy3]

Any one know why austin didn't play for the rebels?

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I think he dislocated his knee-cap.

Thanks mate.

Dislocated patella shouldn't affect his draft position, I wouldn't think. Not being able to play TAC Cup finals might though.

 

[ant555]

Ward was superb effectively as a CHF. He is a very different player now to at the start of the year and really does look like one of the few contenders for that tall ruck-rover role. He might not be Jordan Lewis-like at the moment but he will be next year if not drafted. Should be a top-20 pick now.



... and Oakleigh would have had the beating of all 4 of those sides yesterday. They should be very angry with themselves for not getting it.

I thought Western were going to win by 80 after the first quarter. The Ballarat showed them too much respect and the coaches got too clever with their match-ups. Bell in the backline, Cheney up front, Radley at FF, Tickner out of the game at FB.

Once Ballarat put their team back into their preferred positions and played the game on their own terms they ran over Western who just never responded. Western barely had any moves of their own. Banner, Ward, Morris, Black were barely unsighted in the midfield.

In the end none of the Western prime-movers really gave a yelp. Banner, Morris, Black, Lyons, Cartelli, Kennedy all chose the same day to turn in some of their worst performances of the year. In the end half of them were tagging.

Jordan Robbins was good for Western. Ward as a CHF. Jayden Post is an improved player and did OK. Lunardi probably had his best game of the year.

BOG for mine was Clayton Hinkley who burnt off a reasonable player in Kennedy. Used the ball so well and kept going all day. Suban was good early but copped heavy tags. Nick Peters was good but was a bit so-so with his ball use. Bryn Weadon out of the back-pocket played the quarter-back role superbly. Grant Bell was the one who turned the match when he went forward. Ryan McKenzie was the other good one, hadn't seen much of him before now.

In the Geelong-Eastern game. It was all over at quarter time. Geelong won the next three quarters but it didn't matter.

Rory Sloane was the killer. Destroyed them at the stoppages with good help from Brad Jones. Geelong had their match-ups wrong and Trent Zomer killed Andrew Scott in the first to set up the win.

Mid-way through the second Geelong came back and it was all lead by Dangerfield. He single handly turned the game around at the stoppages and brought some teammates with him notably Donahue off HBF. Scott was good when released to a flank. Barham did OK. Hornsey beat most guys he played on. Ayce Cordy was close to the best big man on show. Great mobility, agility, balance. He is a huge prospect.

Did the Falcons lose Kane Smith early? He was unsighted. Hunter did next to nothing until the last 10 minutes. Mugavin was stuck in a back-pocket. After leading the Falcons back into the game, Dangerfield was taken off the ball and returned to HBF. Curnow did little. Lynch only popped-up in the last 10 minutes. Geelong's midfield did not show-up ready to play.

Zac Ward was the difference in the end. Getting the goals for Eastern to pad the lead. Jack Steven got a hold of him in the end, but that cost Geelong a good onballer. Gysberts is going to be great. Not elligable for this draft, not elligable for the NEXT draft, and already in the top-3 at Eastern. Lobbe rucked almost unchanged and did well to nullify Cordy, Stavenuiter, Scott and Henderson at various times. Cunningham had a great first quarter and faded.

Falcons might have won if Henderson was able to kick more than 35 metres. He really should have finished with 5.

Smith started really well with around five touch's in the first 6 or 7 minutes but he copped a pretty heavy front on hit and had to come off. Didnt find much of the footy once he came back on. Had a few kicks in the last quarter but that was about it.

 

[footyman]

Nth Ballarat were disciplined, and Western undisciplined. Too many handballs under pressure cost Western heaps. They had no answers to Nth Ballarat when they started running and kicking long. They used the switch well, and brought the ball into the middle early and always seemed to find someone to take an easy uncontested mark and drive the ball in long inside 50.

Nth Ballarats midfield ran both ways hard. Suban played a lone hand early, but then faded in and out of the game, but thats when thier other on-ballers started working hard.

Very true, I agree with all of that. The way they switched it across the centreline all day, then drilled a pass into their forwards (despite the fact the Jets had dropped numbers back) was very well done. Almost as if they'd done a lot of work on it during the week.

Nth Ballarat's strength is probably the midfield where they can rotate Suban, Cheney, Peters, Hinkley among a few lesser lights. They haven't got a true ruckman - yet still seem to win plenty of clearances.

They're by far the worst attacking side in the competition all year - yesterday was their highest score of the season and only the second time all year they've kicked over 100 points in a match. They probably don't have a player among the top dozen in the competitions goalkicking either.

They'll most likely be light on for draftees - and Austin who is arguably their best chance didnt play yesterday.

As Sezzac said they were lucky to sneak through last week, but they've earnt it and deserve a second final. I still think they'll cop a flogging next week but with a lot against them they have managed to achieve a finals victory - something they couldn't manage last year with a side who went through unbeaten during the season and had 6 draftees (including four in the top 20).

Disappointing the Jets weren't able to register their first finals victory in a while, but they improved a lot this year. Seeing blokes like Post grow from a fringe player to a reliable defender who took on highly rated forwards and beat them (barring one disaster last week), Lyons improved all the time, Ward popped up and is off to the draft camp, Kennedy similar and is off to screening, and theres a few there who look exciting for next year headed by Banner. I'm sure they've earnt a lot of respect in their local area so their year hasnt been a disaster either.

 

[ford_dealer]

Disappointing the Jets weren't able to register their first finals victory in a while, but they improved a lot this year. Seeing blokes like Post grow from a fringe player to a reliable defender who took on highly rated forwards and beat them (barring one disaster last week), Lyons improved all the time, Ward popped up and is off to the draft camp, Kennedy similar and is off to screening, and theres a few there who look exciting for next year headed by Banner. I'm sure they've earnt a lot of respect in their local area so their year hasnt been a disaster either.

You seem to rate Post a bit. How do you rate him comparison to other TAC defenders like Laidler, Dulic, McKenna, Saker etc

 

[KING-JAMES]

Highlight of sunday was the dog running onto the field, and the players trying to shoe him off. Couldnt believe that a thing like that could happen these days.

Cotchin made a strong case for #1 pick today, might end up being the flavour of the month at the end of the season which certainly does lift your stock, ala Boak last season.

 

[footyman]

Highlight of sunday was the dog running onto the field, and the players trying to shoe him off. Couldnt believe that a thing like that could happen these days.

Dead set what sort of halfwit takes their dog to a game of footy at Optus Oval (hardly a place you'd take the pooch for a walk) and lets it off the leash?

The bloody thing ran onto the field three times all up, but the second one which stopped play for a couple of minutes was the funniest. Seeing a few players blot after the thing and the umpire and one player nealing on their knees clicking their fingers trying to get it to come over to them!

Was pretty funny though

 

[Bomberz_pacers07]

the owner certanily didnt make a case to get the dog off either.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I took my dog to the National Champs at Casey Fields, kept him on his lead though.

 

[KING-JAMES]

I wouldnt be surprised if the dogs owner didnt know a thing about it. Reminded me of local footy, but even then that rarely happens. I was a bit pissed off i didnt have a video camera on me, surely would take out almost footy legends for the week.

 

[footyman]

You seem to rate Post a bit. How do you rate him comparison to other TAC defenders like Laidler, Dulic, McKenna, Saker etc

A couple of those guys arent true defenders anyway, but I know what you're getting at. Take out Laidler cos hes not really in the same category and McKenna who I think is more a forward. Fellas like Saker, Dulic, McDonald and Post are good honest players who do their job - they probably don't catch the eye like Hurley or Kangars do with their athleticism - and the fact none of them are going to draft camp or screening probably reflects that. But someone like Post as example has probably taken on 4 or 5 key forwards this year who are going to draft camp and only slipped up once. Not bad for someone who in my book was frustrating and struggled to find an ideal position in the first quarter of the season, which was the reason for my comment.

 

[footyman]

I took my dog to the National Champs at Casey Fields, kept him on his lead though.

At least there is grass for it to run and shit on in the spectator area at Casey Fields!

I was a bit pissed off i didnt have a video camera on me, surely would take out almost footy legends for the week.

You and me both! An easy $500 to be made for anybody who had the camcorder going.

 

[HighFlyers]

Disappointing the Jets weren't able to register their first finals victory in a while, but they improved a lot this year. Seeing blokes like Post grow from a fringe player to a reliable defender who took on highly rated forwards and beat them (barring one disaster last week), Lyons improved all the time, Ward popped up and is off to the draft camp, Kennedy similar and is off to screening, and theres a few there who look exciting for next year headed by Banner. I'm sure they've earnt a lot of respect in their local area so their year hasnt been a disaster either.

Extremely disappointing for the Jet boys, and I agree they were a completely different side come 2nd quarter. They had such a successful year it would have been great to see them win a final, they looked pretty heart broken after the game, and I have to admit I felt for the boys too, I really hope like footyman said they have earnt some respect in the competition because they sure as hell deserve it from going from a 3-15 season in 2005 to a 12-6 season in 2007, its a shame they dropped those two games against Dandenong and Power, they would have definately had more confidence going into the finals with a double chance.

 

[darcytiger]

Cotchin was brilliant today, his disposal is beautiful. wtf was goin on with Kruezer, zero effect on the game and a couple of his kicks were shocking

 

[ant555]

I wouldnt be surprised if the dogs owner didnt know a thing about it. Reminded me of local footy, but even then that rarely happens. I was a bit pissed off i didnt have a video camera on me, surely would take out almost footy legends for the week.

Not many had an idea of how to catch the dog. Too many guys trying to run after it and catch it. At least it wasnt interested in going after the footy.

 

[borntigerfan]

Cotchin was brilliant today, his disposal is beautiful. wtf was goin on with Kruezer, zero effect on the game and a couple of his kicks were shocking

He is tanking doesn't want to play for carlton.

 

[Salaryman]

Dead set what sort of halfwit takes their dog to a game of footy at Optus Oval (hardly a place you'd take the pooch for a walk) and lets it off the leash?

The bloody thing ran onto the field three times all up, but the second one which stopped play for a couple of minutes was the funniest. Seeing a few players blot after the thing and the umpire and one player nealing on their knees clicking their fingers trying to get it to come over to them!

Was pretty funny though

I thought Totino had come out for a second run . Actually would have thought that some of the country boys would have shown better dog-catching skills.

 

[HBF]

I thought Totino had come out for a second run . Actually would have thought that some of the country boys would have shown better dog-catching skills.

You're a scumbag Gilly.

 

[Weaver]

But someone like Post as example has probably taken on 4 or 5 key forwards this year who are going to draft camp and only slipped up once. Not bad for someone who in my book was frustrating and struggled to find an ideal position in the first quarter of the season, which was the reason for my comment.

Post looked all at sea in the first quarter of the year at CHF as you suggest. His last few weeks have been very solid. He held down CHB well. I certainly see more upside in him than some others. He might be a good candidate for Western to invite back for a year as an overage kid. He has played a bit of footy but needs another year and as a December birthday only just dips out on another year by right.

Dead set what sort of halfwit takes their dog to a game of footy at Optus Oval (hardly a place you'd take the pooch for a walk) and lets it off the leash?

It twice exited the field through one of the races and went straight out into Princess Park. It might not have been attending the footy - but come in for a look.

 

[-VC-]

OK, a lot has been said of Cotchin and Veszpremi's game, but seriously, Totino was also fantastic today, especially in the first quarter. I really want him to grow! Is 5cm asking too much? Meredith also won heaps of the ball and was pretty good with it. Didn't mind Stanton's game either. I reckon 16 year old Tindarra Hood showed a fair bit. Not that many touches but his pressure was fantastic. The kid worked his arse off. Maybe I'm just a sucker for short people from Northern.

Not many stood out for Gippsland and I can't think of anyone that put in a four quarter performance. Blair started well but faded out dramatically. Hall and Heyne were OK at stages. A couple of less knowns in Michaelides and Oldmeadow were good in patches too. But even their players that won a bit of ball weren't really damaging. Kay was basically unsighted.

In the other game all I have to say is Thomas Rockliff. Well, I actually have a bit more to say than just that but I was remarkably impressed with him today. I've seen him play some pretty good footy before, but he was something else today. Seven goals and he would've taken a heap of marks too. Was influential whenever the ball came his way. I also loved Ash Hockey's game too. I'm a big fan of this kid and reckon he'll end up being a good value selection come draft time. McEvoy really lifted in the last quarter for Murray and would've taken about 10 marks for the game. I was also very impressed with big Dawson Simpson. The kid has balls and with his extreme height and good athleticism I'm starting to believe more and more. Also was amused when there was a mini melee in the middle when he just brushed aside a smaller opponent but the bloke went down like he'd been shot. Simpson has cult hero written all over him.

For Calder they've got something special with 16 year old Jake Melksham. I was impressed with his composure. I haven't seen the best players in that game but I reckon he would be close to their best. Laidler was solid and launched them into attack a fair few times. Dylan Joyce was exciting when he got the ball and looked the most damaging Calder player but probably didn't get enough of it.

 

[footyman]

For Calder they've got something special with 16 year old Jake Melksham. I was impressed with his composure. I haven't seen the best players in that game but I reckon he would be close to their best.

You can say that again, I just loved the way he kept going and going and going even though he was starting to look stuffed in the second half. We'll see Calder v Eastern next week where there are going to be a handful of 16 year olds going around that will be the foundation of Metro sides and this competition for the next two seasons. Exciting stuff.