Review JLT Community Series | Game 1 | NM vs Sydney - Postmatch Discussion & Review

[rooboy29]

As someone who really gets into the preseason matches, including rolling out to North Ballarat to watch us get trapped in the same back pocket two years in a row against really s**t Carlton and Dogs teams (we were "working on our game plan", I recall)...

That was the best preseason match I think I've ever seen us play.

Not fussed by the sloppiness and rustiness - one of the cleanest teams in the league was sloppy and rusty too, moreso probably - but wrapped with the intent, effort,and in particular the way we placed responsibility on the kids and that they performed pretty well. Durds, EVW, Hrovat, Mountford and Turner in particular. Plus I thought Watson and Taylor did damn well first up. Bit disappointed by Wagner who never really got near it. McKay showed glimpses too.

I did feel a little for Larkey though - life as an AFL stringbean. However he competed well and reckon he's a great late pick. Give him a couple of years in the gym and we could have a real diamond in the rough there.

No idea what this all means for the season ahead, but I really enjoyed this one.

I agree with larkey he just lacked the afl speed and body other then that he seemed comfortable with getting the ball etc another 15 kgs and he will obviously be stronger in the contest and will look a lot better

 

[hilly]

From where he has come from, Larkey playing today is enough of a win imo.

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[rooboy29]

Anyone else sick of seeing these lre season ladders and people having us in the bottom 4! I know its only bigfooty but gee it pisses me off! For me we have only lost boomer and dal of any significance! We made finals 2 years without wells so im counting him out! Petrie was struugling last year and i see wood taking his role! For me hrovat can do what boomer has done and dal was just an accumulator with good skills. A fit shaun higgins can cover him. And after seeing today its not all doom and gloom cant wait til were pushing the top 8 in 6 months and make people eat the words!

 

[tales129]

Thought some of the older blokes were petty poor today, Swallow and Gibson namely.

Passage of play in the last swallow standing flat footed as Clarke hit three separate efforts and chalked up about 50m. We seriously need to phase both gibbo and spitter out this year

 

[rooboy29]

From where he has come from, Larkey playing today is enough of a win imo.

Larkey and watson were suprise selections for me and thought both looked more then comfortable! Other then being undersized look forward to seeing them in the vfl

 

[Donkey Chop]

There was a moment today when Wood went down awkwardly- reckon I didn't exhale till I saw him again.

Rapt to see Durdin coming on. He was looking a bit iffy for a while.

I must have been walking to the fridge when Durdin dropped his marks or Jmac ****ed up, Because neither stood out to me.

That was a greasy ball out there today. TBH that's about the only negative I can take out of the game. The conditions were so unlike anything North will play in this year (maybe the QLD games aside) it's hard to take much out of it.

That was one of the ugliest games of footy I've seen for ages.

 

[Arden]

I agree with larkey he just lacked the afl speed and body other then that he seemed comfortable with getting the ball etc another 15 kgs and he will obviously be stronger in the contest and will look a lot better

Each time he got pinged, he was looking to do the right thing. Seems to have a good head on his shoulders but will adapt to the pace of the game over time.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Despite the disposal being quite scratchy it was actually quite good to watch live. The intensity was there from both sides with a number of players looking like they really wanted to make an impact.

At the ground the players that stood out to me were:

Cunnington: fit and strong. Had a bit more speed than what I've seen from him previously. Hardly went to ground all day.

Ziebell: covered the ground better. Still needs to lower his eyes. Bombs the footy way too much, a number of times he did it there was next to know pressure on him.

Watson: bit disappointed about how tall he is. But he moves bloody well. Elite closing speed and sure hands. His disposal is solid too.

Durdin: he holds his ground significantly better now than what he did when I seen him at werribee a few years ago. Covers the ground with ease. Despite dropping a few sitters, he did quite well against experienced forwards in Reid and Tippett.

EVW: elite closing speed and zones off perfectly. Smart and smooth operator! One thing that really impressed me is that on a number of occasions he stayed down in the contest on his man, when usually we'd have three flying at the contest.

Hrovat: elite workrate, good skill. Tackles really really well. Think he could be one of the best pick up's in the comp.

Pruess: My God, legs like tree stumps. He monstered Tippett + Cameron. Cameron beat him around the ground a bit. He wants to hurt people with his tackles. I really rate his tap work too, it's excellent.

Higgins: class above. Looks significantly stronger through the hips than he has done in previous seasons. Hopefully he doesn't cop a tag too much this year.

Dumont: Bull. Tackles stick. Covered the ground a lot better than previous times I've seen him live. Has elite vision on the inside, especially by hand.

Atley: loved his game. Strong, just a good point of difference, in our midfield. I just want him to make the transition so bad!

Mountford: very impressive 2nd half. Didn't play the first half. 8 tackles, 7 touches and a goal (should have been two). He is my smoky for round one, so strong through the hips. P

Taylor: keeps his feet really well and has very neat skills. Bit of toe too. May have found a bit of a gem there.

Larkey: didn't get much of the pill, but this kid is a natural footballer. Knows where and how to run, times his running very well. When he gets a bigger body could see him competing as a mid.


Williams: Stoked. So stoked. Keeps his feet and never got beaten one on one, his kicking was a little hit and miss, but I'll take that if he keeps his feet and contests the way he did today. Very quick and reads the play well.

Clarke: kicking was pretty averaged but he moves so well. Hope he replaces Gibson on the wing.


Neither here nor there:

Wood: showed a bit but didn't get involved as much I thought considering how much he has been talked up this pre-season. Delivery to him sucked however.

Hibberd: some good signs, but he was let down with a few wayward handballs and limited defensive application.

Wagner: showed some really solid skills and looked more composed with the footy but didn't have much of a chance to impact the game with only a half of footy. Has really filled out.

Turner: always good on the contest but needs to find the footy more. Bigger and stronger especially through the legs.

Thomas: field kicking was on show. Nothing too amazing from him though.

McKay: has intensity and his 2nd efforts stand out. Hope he gets given a few games because he will be something special.

Swallow: nothing special. Nice kick inside 50 but too man handballs at the feet of his teammates. Still looks a bit slow.

Disappointing

Waite: just didn't get involved. Really should have dominated considering his inexperience opponents.

Gibson: so many howlers. Too many of them were when he had absolutely no pressure on him. Really limited footballer.

 

[tazaa]

-I thought Marley Williams was really good. Lock down defender who can do the job and provide run. Allows Atley to run in the middle and this suits us as we need speed in there.
-Preuss was really good. Weve never had poor rucks at North.
-Lindsay I really want to see if he has the tank to run thru the midfield. If its that or coaches unwilling to is it because hes all attacking mindset?
-If we are being serious Swallow starts the year at Weribee. No shame in that because I just dont see what he brings to the midfield dynamic.
-Play McDonald in the midfield. No use placing him at halfback where he clearly isnt as effective as we want him to be. If Ziebell gets used as a forward more to accommodate Luke in the midfield than Im all for it.
-Froggy with 12 tackles! sensational
-Im a massive fan of Gibbo but if by years end there arent competitions for his spot than Id be concerned. Hes a senior player but knowing his limitations he still decides to kick off one step kills me. I know not to do this at amateur level.
-Hrovat is really important to help out Higgins. Not enough class forward of centre.
-Ed was good in defence. Can see why hes highly rated.

 

[Steele7]

Really impressed by the younger group today. Durdin & EVW look like solid players in defence. Clarke to take over NDal's spot in the team. Others good for the run. Most impressed by Hrovat. Just knows where to be. And pushes forward as that extra link. A natural footballer.

 

[Pykie]

Simpkin and Ahern in the bank is huge for us looking at that side today.

Confident both of them will completely change the dynamic of that midfield in a couple of years.

Both have elite footskills, pace and agility.

We are desperately lacking a game breaking HBF with pace and footskills. We look slow coming out of half back, when most of the top teams atm are absolutely lightning though there.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Weve never had poor rucks at North.

Brad Moran and Mark Porter would like a word with you.

 

[astrovic]

Anyone else sick of seeing these lre season ladders and people having us in the bottom 4! I know its only bigfooty but gee it pisses me off! For me we have only lost boomer and dal of any significance! We made finals 2 years without wells so im counting him out! Petrie was struugling last year and i see wood taking his role! For me hrovat can do what boomer has done and dal was just an accumulator with good skills. A fit shaun higgins can cover him. And after seeing today its not all doom and gloom cant wait til were pushing the top 8 in 6 months and make people eat the words!

Don't worry about it - opposition supporters masturbate at the thought of us struggling, and then make up all kinds of excuses when we don't.

In 2008 they were typing with one hand when discussing the North to Gold Coast issue, When that got defeated, they've turned to assuming we'll finish bottom 4 year after year, as that's the next best demise they can come up with. Which hasn't happened.

None of which is new. Opposition supporters/opposition clubs/at times the VFL and AFL have wanted us dead for decades. It feeds their feelings of superiority. It burns them up that not only can't they get rid of us, that more often than not they can't defeat us.

Personally I love it.

 

[hilly]

Anyone else sick of seeing these lre season ladders and people having us in the bottom 4! I know its only bigfooty but gee it pisses me off! For me we have only lost boomer and dal of any significance! We made finals 2 years without wells so im counting him out! Petrie was struugling last year and i see wood taking his role! For me hrovat can do what boomer has done and dal was just an accumulator with good skills. A fit shaun higgins can cover him. And after seeing today its not all doom and gloom cant wait til were pushing the top 8 in 6 months and make people eat the words!

Don't worry about it mate, everyone is guessing and if they tell you otherwise they are FOS.

 

[the big lebowski]

Simpkin and Ahern in the bank is huge for us looking at that side today.

Confident both of them will completely change the dynamic of that midfield in a couple of years.

Both have elite footskills, pace and agility.

We are desperately lacking a game breaking HBF with pace and footskills. We look slow coming out of half back, when most of the top teams atm are absolutely lightning though there.

I know it's early but given the above, and your knowledge of young footballers, what sort of player do you think we would be targeting with a top 6 pick in the draft? Accumulating mid, outside pace, KPD, best available regardless of position?

 

[LuvtheKangas]

^ Who do you think we are going to trade to get a top 6 pick this year?

 

[Flawed Genius]

^ Who do you think we are going to trade to get a top 6 pick this year?

Goldstein. Duh.

 

[Pykie]

I know it's early but given the above, and your knowledge of young footballers, what sort of player do you think we would be targeting with a top 6 pick in the draft? Accumulating mid, outside pace, KPD, best available regardless of position?

Our midfield is nowhere near set.

Given our investment in talls the last 3 years and the likes of Brown and Wood being top class young forwards, Tarrants form etc.

I could see us taking midfielders with our first pick for the next 3 years.

Tarryn Thomas will more than likely be one of those next year.

As I said, people don't realize it yet, but Simpkin and Ahern are already huge inclusions on the list. I'm hoping Simpkin is declared match fit soon, so people can get an idea of his talent.

 

[LT Smash]

Compared to the dill who wrote the afl.com.au review, they were awesome. At least they noticed that the hyphen, Durdin, Hrovat and Williams were among our most influential players and it wasn't all about the old hands steadying the ship (how the **** could anyone watch that game and STILL say it's all about the old guys at North Melbourne?).

It's like a cut and paste article - North too reliant on senior players Harvey, Petrie, Wells and Dal Santo. Oh wait, didn't those blokes all leave? Never mind, just look up the bio-stats and replace the them with the next oldest on the North list.

Oddly enough the Foxsports report was even less informed as they described Trent Dumont as an "established player" who was "prominent".

 

[DarkPhoenix]

So.. you were wrong?

If you can say anything about FS, he's wrong a lot but he'll admit to it.

 

[Gasometer]

It's like a cut and paste article - North too reliant on senior players Harvey, Petrie, Wells and Dal Santo. Oh wait, didn't those blokes all leave? Never mind, just look up the bio-stats and replace the them with the next oldest on the North list.

Oddly enough the Foxsports report was even less informed as they described Trent Dumont as an "established player" who was "prominent".

What about Bwian Lake referring to our backline as Forwards....pause....kept going

 

[tazaa]

Brad Moran and Mark Porter would like a word with you.

No 1s! haha