Learnings from the JLT and scratchy

[DeanS]

.. Banfield should be promoted off the rookie list.

Haven't the rules changed? I thought you could play rookies without promoting them nowadays?

 

[mad4freo]

We learnt that Ryan is going to improve due to an increase in responsibility plus natural growth and confidence that comes from being an automatic selection in the b22. He will finish top 10 in the best and fairest. Astounding that his supposed 'weakness' was that he wasn't laying enough tackles, considering that it genuinely looks to me to be a strength of his game. He would be our second best tackler down back behind Blakely for mine, some of his tackles on Darling in the JLT were delicious. Last year he had multiple games of 6 or 7 tackles which for a defender is very good, it just shows his commitment to improve. The only thing i am worried about is his off field stuff, but if he keeps that in check the sky is the ceiling for him.

 

[Joao]

Haven't the rules changed? I thought you could play rookies without propmoting them nowadays?

You can. The only difference now is contract length (1 year) and salary.

 

[Docker82]

Category B rookies still have to be upgraded to the senior list. Freo don’t have any so pretty much irrelevant from a Freo perspective.

 

[DaveLister]

Something that hasn' been talked about is Mundy's role. For the first 3 quarters he played almost entirely inside the forward 50, in the last quarter he went back inside mid and dominated.
I don' think he's spent any time inside 50 since that game, he dominated the centre in the practice match. It came clear pretty quickly that he is still one of our best in the contest and entering forward 50 by foot.
Add in the success of Banfield who has been influential offensively and defensively inside 50. Mundy will probably still have a lot of time in the forward half but not much in the 50.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Just got around to watching the game, as I was out of TV range all weekend.

The beauty of that game was not that we won, although that pleasure can never be understated against West Coast. For me it was the fact that we have so much talent still "in the shed" and yet we made them look second rate. Apart from the "proven" performers like Hill (x2), Sean Darcy, Ethan Hughes, Griffin Logue, Brady Gray, Brennan Cox, even Michael Apeness - we have Harley Bennell who may or may not come into the side, but if he does it could be massive for us. Then we have a whole raft of exciting youngsters, some of whom have already got a couple of WAFL seasons under their belts (Nyhuis and Duman) and some who have shown in training and scratch matches that they will likely be good AFL players. In the case of Adam Cerra maybe a lot better than good.

Contrast that against the team we smashed on the weekend, and apart from Naitanui and Kennedy, almost all of their improvement will have to come from the guys they had on the park yesterday, and I don't see that as being anywhere near good enough. Granted, a lot of them were well down yesterday and I don't expect them to be that easy to beat in the season proper, but I just see them being on a downward trend whereas we have hopefully bottomed out and are starting the upswing.

Some delicious tears from my Eagles supporting family and other acquaintances over the last two weekends and I expect that trend to continue for the next several years at least. I bet one of my clients at the end of last season that we would finish above the Eagles this year - this morning he messaged offering me a 6 pack to cash out now

 

[FreoMonocle]

Haven't the rules changed? I thought you could play rookies without promoting them nowadays?

Yep, was a long overdue and sensible rule change.

We should promote him just to pay him better than rookie pay if (as he looks), he's in our best 22.


edit

Category B rookies still have to be upgraded to the senior list. Freo don’t have any so pretty much irrelevant from a Freo perspective.

Interesting info, didn't know that Methinks we still upgrade him and pay him as B22

 

[scon]

Only those who will not see have missed what Luke Ryan,Nathan Wilson and to a lesser extent Alex Pearce offer offensively/counter punching. Maybe not so eyecatching is their defensive quality and intensity.Someone mentioned how ferocious Luke's tackling is and we all know about his intercept marking to destroy opposition attacks.I think Nathan is a great spoil and he also tackles with intent. Alex is also a really competitive defender and as many have noted is way ahead of where many thought he'd be on returning to the game.
Opposition forwards are going to have to bring their best.

Loved it yesterday when Jonathan Brown said in commentary yesterday '...that is a shellacking'!!

 

[theGav56]

Pearce versus Dixon is going to be BIG.

 

[theGav56]

Yep, was a long overdue and sensible rule change.

We should promote him just to pay him better than rookie pay if (as he looks), he's in our best 22.


edit


Interesting info, didn't know that Methinks we still upgrade him and pay him as B22

He probably earns more as a Rookie plus game payments if he's best 22 than someone like North will.

 

[malpaso]

I love the fact that you've written 2 paragraphs trying to excuse the match committee to leaving him at Peel for most of last year.

It was a mistake and it hurt his (and the clubs in general) development rather than helped. It's great that he developed anyway though.

Our forward line last year was one of the worst ever seen in the AFL and it was utter madness not to pick him. 2017 was basically a wasted year in the forward line.

Wasn't a mistake and the proof (so far) is in the pudding but keep driving your negative drivel everywhere, probably one of these people whose greatest achievements was in high school and you keep referencing it...

 

[Sweetback]

Pearce versus Dixon is going to be BIG.

Also Pearce vs Lynch and vs Daniher and vs Brown.

 

[theGav56]

Also Pearce vs Lynch and vs Daniher and vs Brown.

It is a bit daunting looking at those names after 2 years out. MJ and Spurr are going to be important. Interesting situation.

 

[enoenoeno]

I wonder if the egirls hierarchy are regretting trading next years 1st round pick ... Might be a good one this year!

 

[Sweetback]

It is a bit daunting looking at those names after 2 years out. MJ and Spurr are going to be important. Interesting situation.

Also Hamling, who would have gone to those forwards, and may still do with some of them. With Pearce and Hamling we have the makings of a great backline to build around.

 

[Quay Club]

I really liked how Brayshaw was running hard at the end of the game.

I noticed some other draftees taking short steps but Andrew was running his arse off.

Spot on!
It was a very hot day and he was still chasing and tackling right up until the last minute.
He has a serious tank on him and will run out games where others are wilting.
Can't wait to see him on the the wide expanses of the new stadium.
We have picked a gem here who will do the job for us week in and week out.
He is not as flashy as some of the other top draftees but he uses what he has got to the max and will do it for longer.

 

[Ranger245]

I wonder if the egirls hierarchy are regretting trading next years 1st round pick ... Might be a good one this year!

Doubt they’d be worried, they’ll likely get it back as an emergency priority pick.

 

[theGav56]

Doubt they’d be worried, they’ll likely get it back as an emergency priority pick.

Haha. Realistically they are going to cop it from their supporters. Seems like a huge gamble that is already tasting sour.

 

[Freeeoo]

At one stage Brayshaw had the most tackles in the game, not sure if it finished that way but that is very impressive for a kid that hasn't even debuted yet. He can do it all! It'll be like having two Lachie's.

 

[go_the_dockers]

The back line looks solid, our midfield has good depth and our forward line is starting to look good.

The forward line structure is dependent on Taberner, if he plays good football it lets the other players play there natural role.

We have a good 25 to 28 players, but our bottom 10 to 15 players are below average, past there best or 1st year draftees.

If we get injuries we will struggle (not as bad as last year, but still struggle).

 

[eastfreo75]

I wonder if the egirls hierarchy are regretting trading next years 1st round pick ... Might be a good one this year!

If they don't make the finals and no major free agents leaves eg Lynch leaves the Suns, they would have given a top 10 in an extreme talent draft and pick 52 for O Allen, L Ryan, Petruccelle and suns 2018 second round pick.

lol. Hope it's like an Ian Hill or something they would have got.

 

[Bluto]

Something that hasn' been talked about is Mundy's role. For the first 3 quarters he played almost entirely inside the forward 50, in the last quarter he went back inside mid and dominated.
I don' think he's spent any time inside 50 since that game, he dominated the centre in the practice match. It came clear pretty quickly that he is still one of our best in the contest and entering forward 50 by foot.
Add in the success of Banfield who has been influential offensively and defensively inside 50. Mundy will probably still have a lot of time in the forward half but not much in the 50.

So I think this is going to be a tactical move this season. Play him forward for the first 3/4 where I think it is fair to say he won't expend as much energy due to less up and back running. Then for the last quarter he plays full mid - essentially when the opposition are hitting the wall he comes into the stoppages as almost a super-sub. Maximise his value and provide a midfield boost in the last quarter.

 

[go_the_dockers]

So I think this is going to be a tactical move this season. Play him forward for the first 3/4 where I think it is fair to say he won't expend as much energy due to less up and back running. Then for the last quarter he plays full mid - essentially when the opposition are hitting the wall he comes into the stoppages as almost a super-sub. Maximise his value and provide a midfield boost in the last quarter.

You can add Fyfe, Walters, Blakely to the list of people who may not start in the midfield but will have a run through for periods.

Mundy, Blakley and Walters in the midfield for the last 5 minutes of each quarter would be good.

 

[Deathly]

Who would of thought that my boy Luke Ryan is set to be our most important defender by the end of the season.

 

[wayToGo_]

Who would of thought that my boy Luke Ryan is set to be our most important defender by the end of the season.

He was pretty special - hitting Neale inside 50 especially. Wilson seems to be just warming up as well. And Blakely for that matter.

I think Alex Pearce will be the main key to fortunes down back though. If he can be accountable on the big key forwards, contest in the air and rebound like he did on the weekend we are in for a very good year. Thought Hamling was very good in tough circumstances last year - and this season he'll have some support so looking forward to seeing what that means.