Game Day Intra-Club Match

[gaskin]

Your right, that was at half time. I'm glad we stayed for the second half after that disappointment occured.

Yeah lucky it wasn't foreshadowing events to come on the field.

 

[Alfonz]

Go and have a look at his footage. The way he moves around people is very similar. Personally, I think his attributes suit a running defender. His disposal is actually decent from what I've seen. I have said it's a big call, but the talent is definitely there. Comparing him to Clayton Collard is pretty ignorant, IMO. He's easily a class above. On natural talent alone he stacks up with Mcleod and Hayden. It's just a question now of whether he puts in the work to become as good as those guys. As for not being willing to take Max Duffy, I disagree. He laid a couple of good tackles yesterday, which was even noticed by the West Australian crew. He's certainly not at the level where he's pushing for a spot in the 22 currently, but if you can't see his potential then I don't know what to tell you. What I will tell you is go back and watch the 1st quarter of the R23 match from last year. Tell me he doesn't do a good job of running the ball out of defence. Go and watch footage of him side stepping opponents and giving excellent disposal under pressure in the WAFL. He just needs to do it more often and on a consistent basis. The talent is there. Now he and the club just have to harness it. Oh and about all this being a huge call, I believe I acknowledged that in my last post.

Sorry, but a comparison with Collard is not ignorant ... both Aboriginal forwards/wings, significant (though not elite) talent levels, sort of similar draft position, with quiet personalities and not comfortable with the workload required for AFL. It is far more appropriate than comparing him with McLeod and Hayden. Saying he has the natural talent of McLeod, one of the greatest players of the modern age, is fairly absurd based on what Simpson has shown in the presence of adults.

I don't doubt Simpson has talent, but his talents aren't really all that above a multitude of others in the league. Without improving his work ethic and willingness to be involved, he'll be delisted before getting another contract. We're not a charity that's going to sit around and wait till 2016 for him to play a game.

I wouldn't blame the kid either, nothing wrong with simply wanting to play footy for the joy of the game, without the burden/pressure of being a professional.

 

[Alfonz]

Whoever the dark guy wearing #13 was, he was pretty good. One of the better players on the ground I thought.

I kept thinking he was Simpson when he got the ball, but no such luck.

Yeah, I was right in front of the Freo non-playing contingent, they were providing some running commentary and seemed impressed with "Mzungu". I wonder who he was, had some toe and seemed a decent sort, albeit a bit short.

 

[Seppo]

Videos are up on DockerTv

 

[Seppo]

 

[The Black Sheep]

Sorry, but a comparison with Collard is not ignorant ... both Aboriginal forwards/wings, significant (though not elite) talent levels, sort of similar draft position, with quiet personalities and not comfortable with the workload required for AFL. It is far more appropriate than comparing him with McLeod and Hayden. Saying he has the natural talent of McLeod, one of the greatest players of the modern age, is fairly absurd based on what Simpson has shown in the presence of adults.

I don't doubt Simpson has talent, but his talents aren't really all that above a multitude of others in the league. Without improving his work ethic and willingness to be involved, he'll be delisted before getting another contract. We're not a charity that's going to sit around and wait till 2016 for him to play a game.

I wouldn't blame the kid either, nothing wrong with simply wanting to play footy for the joy of the game, without the burden/pressure of being a professional.

Got to disagree. The guy was easily in the top 10 for junior talent. And the way he moves and looks with the ball in hand says to me he's capable of becoming an absolute elite player. The big IF is whether or not he can get it together and deliver on his potential. Collard had IMO, nowhere near the natural talent of Simpson.

 

[yakamoto]

Despite looking like a game of Probables v Possibles I thought this was one of the better intra- club scratchies I've seen. As everyone has said, Neale and Crozier were terrific. I also thought that Taberner was very good. Although Sylvia sprayed the ball around a bit he looked a brute at the contest. Will be a great addition to the midfield. Gumby was fairly quiet but was handed mission impossible, being matched up on Zac D as he was. Also as others have found, playing in the same forward line as Pav is not a recipe for a big possession game. The majority of the big guns looked fit and firing.

 

[sherrif]

For those expecting for a miracle performance from either Silvia or Gumbelton I have to say "Practice Match".
The thing that did suprise me was the early intensity that some senior players put into the contest .
Fyfe and Mundy where quite fired up .

MBD was making a statement about his position in the team I noticed that he was very phyisical early .

Menegola was trying to impress as well but Hill gave him a lesson in positioning .
Menegola did show that the longer the game went he has the fitness and his confidence is growing but 3 years a rooky has me wondering about how far he can improve ,similar to Crytown .
Hannath has really hit the weights and has added a lot of Size to Arms ,Chest aud thighs .

Moller really impressed me with his reading of the play and where to run when his team had the ball .
He has improved his ruck work as well .
Taberner's development has come on in leaps and bounds . I'm loving the way he is developing into a man .

For those that have an interest in the Peel boys it was hard to pick who was who due to the sheet handed out didn't name them all and jumper numbers were mixed up as well but despite that there was a blond haired well built 20 year old that I was impressed by and a young aboriginal kid that I would like to see play some more .
Not knowing their names does make it hard but knowing the BF boys they will know and tell me in no uncertain way who they are

I think you are being overly critical of Menegola. I think he only played on him on Hill for ten to fifteen minutes. In that time I thought Menegola looked terrifiic with Hilly barely getting a touch.

 

[Purple Suit]

MJ was just ridiculous. Probably on the 2nd line of BOG with Walters and Fyfe. He looks on another level when he's selling candy out there, like an adult toying with a bunch of kids during kick-to-kick at a BBQ.

Great line.

 

[couldhavebeen]

I think you are being overly critical of Menegola. I think he only played on him on Hill for ten to fifteen minutes. In that time I thought Menegola looked terrifiic with Hilly barely getting a touch.

sherrif I respect you comments and you have a keen eye when watching how players are performing .
Menengola struggled in the first half to get into the game and his kicking was below WAFL level .
He improved as the game went on and he started to do some good things BUT Hill ran off him and had an impact when Mems was his direct opponent .
Steven does that to some of the best players in the AFL so its not suprising .
Mems is not a bad player and in the last quarter he started to have an impact due to his superior running ability . Thats his strengh .
3 years a rookie has taken its toll on his confidence and he hasn't become a regular star in the WAFL .
Viv Mitchie was tearing it up in WAFL and couldn't get a game so what are Menengola's prospects .
You tell me who gets the chop for him to get a game .

 

[bruzaar62]

Myself and the missus were just across in the next block and had a laugh at that. Have to agree on the rookies, they looked very comfortable out there.
My two cents worth: Barra was a clear standout last night, gliding all around the park and dominated clearances. Sonny's field kicking was superb and looked at home off the wing/high forward. Crozier really put his hand up for best 22 with Neale not to far behind. Sheridan looked good though he appeared to have a quiet 2nd quarter.
Highlights: an intriguing battle between Elvis and Pav in the first half, i think Elvis just won. Neale matching up with Fyfe at center bounces in Q1 - he wasn't disgraced by any means. Solid hit by Balla on young Simpson which the young fella shrugged off - last year he would have been carted off on a stretcher.

Just before the guy's went down to sign autographs i asked crowls who was wearing his guernsey on the white team 'dunno mate, must be one of the WAFL guy's ... he fills it out better than i do' That guy was a nugget.

 

[couldhavebeen]

The one thing I was really looking forward to in this game was the super match ups that didn't happen stuff it .
Fyfe Vs Mundy
Barlow Vs Crowley
Clancee Vs Walters
D Pearce Vs Suban
Gumbelton Vs Elvis
Johnson Vs Mayne
I was robbed .
D pearce Vs Silvia
RTB Vs Sumich .
Bond Vs Kirk ( no contest Kirk would meditate then transform into a winner)

 

[sherrif]

sherrif I respect you comments and you have a keen eye when watching how players are performing .
Menengola struggled in the first half to get into the game and his kicking was below WAFL level .
He improved as the game went on and he started to do some good things BUT Hill ran off him and had an impact when Mems was his direct opponent .
Steven does that to some of the best players in the AFL so its not suprising .
Mems is not a bad player and in the last quarter he started to have an impact due to his superior running ability . Thats his strengh .
3 years a rookie has taken its toll on his confidence and he hasn't become a regular star in the WAFL .
Viv Mitchie was tearing it up in WAFL and couldn't get a game so what are Menengola's prospects .
You tell me who gets the chop for him to get a game .

I can agree to disagree on this one coulda. I didint think that Mene struggled in the first half at all. I dont get how you can say his kicking was awful. To my recollection he turned the ball over less than De Boer and C.Pearce did in that half. I also dont think he is currently in the top 35 players. But in my view he has looked a ton better playing as a tagger in both training and yesterday compared to his form early last year before his injury. We need him on our list just in case Crowley and DeBoer are injured. My view is that he shows a deadset ton of potential in the role of a tagger, which is a role he has only played this preseaon. I also dont have a problem saying he did a very good job tagging Hill yesterday for around a quarter and a bit in my opinion. Zero problem with anyone who sees things differently.

 

[Dockernut]

Apparently we just need to get Menagola workng on running his mouth to make him the incumbent Crowley. Wigarus was telling me yesterday that Creepy just talks all game to his victims. Reckon Wig would make a good tagger himself.

 

[Wigarus]

Apparently we just need to get Menagola workng on running his mouth to make him the incumbent Crowley. Wigarus was telling me yesterday that Creepy just talks all game to his victims. Reckon Wig would make a good tagger himself.

That's the video I was talking about.

 

[Rob]

I wouldn't blame the kid either, nothing wrong with simply wanting to play footy for the joy of the game, without the burden/pressure of being a professional.

That is true - the AFL system forces most players to make major life decisions very early in life. Like whether you want to commit to the life of an AFL player - which is a very very hard decision on a 19 year old. And most only get one chance to decide that. It's possibly unfair, but that's the way it is.

However, when he's 28 and broke, i'm sure he'll be thinking back about what could have been. Just because most of us would make very different decisions now compared to when we were 19 or 20, it doesn't mean you don't have to put up with the consequences of those decisions later in life.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I still struggle to see how Fremantle picking Simpson was somehow the fault of Simpson. If Freo are exempt from the dumb, smarter-than-thou move (which was always very dumb: family-oriented young father from the country at pick 77 is a risk – first round is stupidity. Maybe if he was as good as Ben Cousins was as a 17-year old; but he isn't) then surely Freo can't take the credit for a steal like Fyfe or Neale.

I mean come on, it was Bond and Co. (I'm not sure if that sounds like an online bondage store or a quaint shopfront in a western) who made that choice to draft him. The blame for a lack of effort goes undeniably to Simpson. But the blame for picking him over someone else is only the clubs.





Anyway... on Saturday night I met someone from the same tiny town as Taberner. Apparently he has a younger brother who's had a few chats with AFL clubs. When I said "yeah Taberner's a tall guy" she went on to say how this younger brother is already bigger and taller. I hope we're on the radar with Tabs Junior. But more importantly, apparently barely anyone back home has seen Taberner as he's been doing nothing but running and doing gym stuff. So even if he didn't set the world alight in the scratchy, it's good to hear how much effort he is putting in.

 

[Dockernut]

Thought Tabs did all he needed to do. Took a great running mark that I saw. Kicked a nice long goal. Two for the scratchie. There were worse players out there - in case you weren't sure.

 

[couldhavebeen]

That is true - the AFL system forces most players to make major life decisions very early in life. Like whether you want to commit to the life of an AFL player - which is a very very hard decision on a 19 year old. And most only get one chance to decide that. It's possibly unfair, but that's the way it is.

However, when he's 28 and broke, i'm sure he'll be thinking back about what could have been. Just because most of us would make very different decisions now compared to when we were 19 or 20, it doesn't mean you don't have to put up with the consequences of those decisions later in life.

Rob
I can tell you that these kids start the dream within weeks of starting junior football .
Junior football coaches can tell you within the first 2 years of under 10 teams and under 12 teams the kids that will make it and the ones that won't .
Yes there are exceptions but very rare .
These kids are encouraged to do the extra training sessions and skill sessions .
By the time they are under 14's they are in State squads and looking at the Nationals as well as AIS ,AFL and what colts team they want to play in .
One of my good mates in Mandurah ,a school teacher can tell me through their sports development department the names of every kid in his squad that will be good WAFL players and the kids destined for the AFL and the age group is 12 to 15 years olds .
Those older are doing 60% of their time at High School training ,sports medicine ,Physical education or sports administration .
The only thing that changes their outcomes is the hormones and they get more interested in girls ,parties or just hanging with their mates surfing ,other sports .
So Simpson might be a kid from Yalgoo but he has been in the system for years and his Grandmother was his driving force .
as is well noted .
If he doesn't put in the hard yards and slacks off he is the father of 3 unemployed,on the dole and in a state house living hand to mouth .

 

[Rob]

Rob
I can tell you that these kids start the dream within weeks of starting junior football .
Junior football coaches can tell you within the first 2 years of under 10 teams and under 12 teams the kids that will make it and the ones that won't .
Yes there are exceptions but very rare .
These kids are encouraged to do the extra training sessions and skill sessions .
By the time they are under 14's they are in State squads and looking at the Nationals as well as AIS ,AFL and what colts team they want to play in .
One of my good mates in Mandurah ,a school teacher can tell me through their sports development department the names of every kid in his squad that will be good WAFL players and the kids destined for the AFL and the age group is 12 to 15 years olds .
Those older are doing 60% of their time at High School training ,sports medicine ,Physical education or sports administration .
The only thing that changes their outcomes is the hormones and they get more interested in girls ,parties or just hanging with their mates surfing ,other sports .

Yeah, I can believe all of that. But i'd still imagine it's a world away from being a full time professional. It's one thing telling yourself, your family and your mates that you want to be an AFL footballer knowing that you have the ability (which Simpson clearly does). That's the easy bit. The hard bit is committing to the life. The regimented training. The strict recoveries. The dietary requirements. The limitations to your social life. Some kids just don't want to or think they don't have to. And I can't entirely blame them for that.

Your last sentence especially I can fully understand. I was that age too once.....

So Simpson might be a kid from Yalgoo but he has been in the system for years and his Grandmother was his driving force .
as is well noted .
If he doesn't put in the hard yards and slacks off he is the father of 3 unemployed,on the dole and in a state house living hand to mouth .

Yep, sad. A lot of AFL footballers don't have much outside of football (no idea whether Simpson is one of those, but i'm guessing he probably isn't also studying law or medicine).

 

[couldhavebeen]

Yeah, I can believe all of that. But i'd still imagine it's a world away from being a full time professional. It's one thing telling yourself, your family and your mates that you want to be an AFL footballer knowing that you have the ability (which Simpson clearly does). That's the easy bit. The hard bit is committing to the life. The regimented training. The strict recoveries. The dietary requirements. The limitations to your social life. Some kids just don't want to or think they don't have to. And I can't entirely blame them for that.

Your last sentence especially I can fully understand. I was that age too once.....



Yep, sad. A lot of AFL footballers don't have much outside of football (no idea whether Simpson is one of those, but i'm guessing he probably isn't also studying law or medicine).

Fremantle actually leads every other Club in the AFL with players doing university courses .

 

[Bicco]

Great write ups guys, really good to read all of your reports.
On Simpson, all of those thinking he won't make it, I hope you're not the same ones that wrote off Walters a couple of years ago. The new Freo under RTB has a happy knack of brining out the best in players, indigenous or otherwise. My money is on him being in the best 22 of our 2017 premiership year.

 

[estibador]

On Simpson, all of those thinking he won't make it, I hope you're not the same ones that wrote off Walters a couple of years ago. The new Freo under RTB has a happy knack of brining out the best in players, indigenous or otherwise. My money is on him being in the best 22 of our 2017 premiership year.

Different cases though. Walters always had that cocky self-belief in his own ability, he was just a lazy, fat fooker.

Simpson looks to me like someone who doesn't think they belong at this level (atm anyway).

 

[mike91]

Fremantle have just posted up the full, quarter by quarter intra club match replay. (not sure why they didn't stream it then)

 

[Wigarus]

Fremantle have just posted up the full, quarter by quarter intra club match replay. (not sure why they didn't stream it then)

Not sure why its worth whinging about then?

Are you upset that someone gave away the result?