Analysis General Player Discussion Thread (formerly 'breakout year' thread)

[The Y Factor]

Strong hands, mobile around the ground, nice kick.

He can also kick multiple goals and tackles like a machine,I can absolutely see Xerri making it a AFL level.

Issue he has is that we are blessed with two young big key forwards in Larkey and Brown and a resilient ruckman so he’ll struggle to find a spot without injuries.

Probably 12 months away still though so who knows in 12 months.

 

[Wonderdog]

Ben Jacobs

We all know the story. One of the best taggers in the game but can’t get on the park. We have stuck with him so must think there is a chance that he overcomes the mystery illness. Tough as nails, shuts down the best & hurts them going the other way. The stats show the difference he made to our mid field. Playing for his career.

 

[Wonderdog]

Nick Larkey

Had the big breakout year. Good footy IQ and worked well with Browny. A great set shot albeit without a long kick. Huge upside and can only get better as his body develops. Important structurally as we do not have another big fwd to support Browny. I wonder if he’ll do more chop out ruckwork this year.

 

[Wonderdog]

Jamie Macmillan

Divides BF. I recall when he was drafted his coach said he had no elite traits but was competent in all areas. Huge competition for his role now. We are likely to play 2 big lockdown backs, an interceptor plus Marley as the small lockdown man. That leaves only 2 spots and he is behind Pittard on last years showing. Leadership traits can only take him so far so needs a big year and most improve his ability to hit a short target.

 

[Wonderdog]

Jack Mahony

We were last in the league for ground ball gets in the fwd line in 2019 so were always going to draft a small fwd. His draft profile says he has a high foot IQ and that is what we need. Browny is excellent at bringing the ball to ground and we must make more of this. A real chance for games next year. His profile makes him sound similar to the Rat but let’s hope he can have more luck.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

He can also kick multiple goals and tackles like a machine,I can absolutely see Xerri making it a AFL level.

Issue he has is that we are blessed with two young big key forwards in Larkey and Brown and a resilient ruckman so he’ll struggle to find a spot without injuries.

Probably 12 months away still though so who knows in 12 months.

Seems to me the planning for Goldy injury or retirement is well underway with Xerri. Campbell is the short-term ruck backup, Xerri the long.

Comben is more a forward (according to Luffy), and is probably Benny Brown's replacement (in the long term of course ...).

 

[Heaps of fun]

Seems to me the planning for Goldy injury or retirement is well underway with Xerri. Campbell is the short-term ruck backup, Xerri the long.

Comben is more a forward (according to Luffy), and is probably Benny Brown's replacement (in the long term of course ...).

Problem is that Xerri has shown more as a forward than a ruck so far. Probably need to draft a developing ruck next year.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Problem is that Xerri has shown more as a forward than a ruck so far. Probably need to draft a developing ruck next year.

His palm work is actually quite impressive. Nice soft hands.



He's just not much of a leaper, so I can't see him being a centre square ruckman.

 

[King Corey]

His palm work is actually quite impressive. Nice soft hands.



He's just not much of a leaper, so I can't see him being a centre square ruckman.

If the young midfield gels and blossoms as hoped we may not need the extra mid in the way Goldie has had to provide.

Therefore a more grunty 'compete and contest' ruckman with moderate skill a la Nankervis might suit us better circa 2023+. Tristan might fit in with this structure.

 

[The Y Factor]

His palm work is actually quite impressive. Nice soft hands.



He's just not much of a leaper, so I can't see him being a centre square ruckman.

Agree with all comments, thanks for posting footage.

I don’t think he’s a terrible leap.

Also - he’s playing forward largely because we have a full time Ruck who won the b&f!

He’s still had lots of games with 15+ hit outs and given more time , depending on club needs could come on.

Great news is we have Comben and Xerri that both look like very agile hard working types with good strong marking and tackling skills.

The club will work it out - they have the cattle

 

[Wonderdog]

Luke Mac

I think the plan for him was to start on the backline & then progressively move into the midfield. It hasn’t worked & we still don’t know his best possie. A groundhog player still to have a breakout year. No longer a guaranteed starter. A long, if erratic, kick and strong in the core but he hasn’t strung it all together. Perhaps a lock down defender is his go a I think other mids have gone past him. Perhaps he can play on tall and smalls in this role. A key year coming up for him.

 

[Wonderdog]

Matt McGuinness

Did everything we have asked since last year. Will need a couple of years in the gym. The skills seem there and he is a good size to play multiple roles. Can he translate his skills into the big time? Wouldn’t expect him to play seniors in 2020.

 

[Wonderdog]

Ben McKay

We need one or both of Ben & Sam D to have big years & nail down a spot. They seem to be competing for the same spot, the lock down tall defender. I wonder, given our lack of tall forwards outside of Brown & Larkey, if it is worth trailing one or both of them forward. I know it has been tried B4 but perhaps another go wouldn’t harm. He seems to have the tools, big and strong but hasn’t put it all together. Still young in terms of big guys.

 

[Wonderdog]

Tom Murphy

Recruited cos he is an elite, long kick. Did ok in 4 games in 2018 without starring. Opposition clubs will seek to deny him the ball or the time & space to use so he has to learn to win one on one contests. Pittard is the HB distributor ATM & does it pretty well. Tom now needs to perform well in pre-season to get a look in. He is the type we need with his foot skills so if he can string a few sessions together he is fair chance. Must get stronger in the contest.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Therefore a more grunty 'compete and contest' ruckman with moderate skill a la Nankervis might suit us better circa 2023+. Tristan might fit in with this structure.

Our glaring shortage is with a centre square ruckman to take over from Goldy. IMO, Tommy Campbell is still the standout number two for that role.

Brown, Larkey & Xerri can all do some around the ground rucking, that's not an issue. Comben also looks like one of these types at the moment.

 

[osaka mick]

Luke Mac

I think the plan for him was to start on the backline & then progressively move into the midfield. It hasn’t worked & we still don’t know his best possie. A groundhog player still to have a breakout year. No longer a guaranteed starter. A long, if erratic, kick and strong in the core but he hasn’t strung it all together. Perhaps a lock down defender is his go a I think other mids have gone past him. Perhaps he can play on tall and smalls in this role. A key year coming up for him.

LMac is the most disappointing player on our list, that has survived. Wood is a close second, but I really thought LMac would be tearing it up last year. He is an average player, which isnt to say he is bad, but he has been surpassed by so many on our list. After his first 2 years, I thought he would develop into a strong MF who could go forward and use his raking left and kick some goals. As a shut-down DEF he is good, but offers very little offensively. I think he has 2 years left on the list, unless he develops. He is NOT in my starting 22 for 2020, and as a 6-7 year player, the writing is on the wall (same for WOOD, who I never thought would make it.)

 

[Wonderdog]

Flynn Perez

Went earlier in the draft than most projected. A quick, outside ball user according to most write ups which is exactly what we need. Missed a fair bit of footy after a knee reco. Should think he will start down back in the VFL and see what happens from there. Time will tell.

 

[Wonderdog]

Jasper Pittard

The steak knives in the Polec deal had a good year. Still had the odd brain faces that PP fans go over the top about but was also the backline distributor we were after. Good overhead and consistent, he is starting best 22. He filled a need we had for some time. Now must back this up.

 

[Wonderdog]

Jared Polec

Had a solid first year with this. Kicked more goals than with PP, he provided the ball use into fwd line we were after. He is one of the guys you want to see delivery the pill into the fwd line. His right foot is only for standing on but the depth in his kicking and his ability to break lines is important. Should have a better second year as he becomes more familiar with the players around him.

 

[Luke72]

Jared Polec

Had a solid first year with this. Kicked more goals than with PP, he provided the ball use into fwd line we were after. He is one of the guys you want to see delivery the pill into the fwd line. His right foot is only for standing on but the depth in his kicking and his ability to break lines is important. Should have a better second year as he becomes more familiar with the players around him.

I don’t reckon we made the most of Polec. We seemed to get the ball to him when he was under pressure or he had to win his own ball in the contest. Often he was free in good position but they didn’t seem to go to him, if we can get the ball to him in space I would expect his influence on the game to through the roof.

 

[Wonderdog]

Bailey Scott

An endurance machine. The outside accumulator we need. A big pre-season should see him come on in leaps & bounds. Was really good in 2019 pre-season games & first few games of season proper. Showed composure & the ability to get from contest to contest. Now it is the ability to up the hurt factor that matters.

 

[Wonderdog]

Jy Simpkin

Each season has been an improvement on the one before. No longer a fwd who can have midfield minutes, he is a fully fledged midfielder. His hardness improved and the evasion was still a factor. If he stays on trend 2020 should be a beauty. Got huge numbers in some games and now needs to make this a norm. We need more goals from our mids & he seems a natural goal kicker so this should be a focus as well.

 

[Wonderdog]

Robbie Tarrant

So, so underrated. Should have been AA last season. Rarely beaten one on one esp in the air. Just does his job, week in, week out. Unlike Rance et al he takes the best big fwd each week. He also seems a good organiser and unruffled. His defensive technique is so good he doesn’t seem to give away many free kicks. The key to our defence.

 

[Wonderdog]

Curtis Taylor

The big slider of last year’s draft. Got multiple goals, multiple times in the VFL. His two AFL games were solid. Is a natural forward who knows how to find space but we have a few who can play that role & provide midfield minutes so that is his next challenge. In a Brown focussed forward line there is definite room for a smart alternative target. Starts behind Garner & Turner in that role.

 

[Wonderdog]

Tarryn Thomas

Could be anything. Oozes class. Great overhead, high footy IQ. Let’s hope he gets more midfield minutes in 2020. He has teased so far without tearing a game apart which is fine for a first year player. Can’t expect consistency yet but it would great in 2020 if has a real breakout game or two. Not super quick but quick enough in the mind to hurt teams.