List breakdown

[mojo31]

Ryan Jackson

Midfielder

18 years old.
Rookie pick 1 in the 2005 draft.

Strengths: Is an extremely versatile player. Quite tall at 188cms. Has a huge motor and is already at an elite level with his endurance ability. Top 5 at the club despite it being his first year. Very agile and is quick at changing directions and moving from side to side. Smart player who knows his limitations of leg speed so plays accordingly. Instead of letting the player run away from him he will cut down the angles and make it extremely hard for his lack of leg speed to be exploited.
Very hard trainer who possesses a natural work ethic. Very courageous player in the way he puts his head over the ball and also with the way he keeps on running. You can see he is hurting but still pushes to the very limit. Never out of the game and always presenting and giving options and encouraging. Good second efforts. Overall has a good strong game and is effective rather than flashy.

Weaknesses: Pace in a straight line. Lack of real flair in his game. The kicking is okay without being damaging. Pretty lean and skinny body which will need some work to build up on. Can get caught out with the ball at times by taking players on. Might be a problem at AFL level with the increased speed. Hard to see where his position will be at Carlton. These tall flanker/midfielder types really do read well in a profile. Similar to Sporn and Bannister and those types. However when you have to sit down and work out exactly where they will play it is not so easy. Not really tall enough to be damaging with there height and not really a pure midfielder with the smarts and talent to play full time there.

Comment: Carlton knew exactly what they were getting when they took him in the rookie draft. Had been training for a few weeks and was first on the track and last off it and made every session count. Has tremendous heart and dedication to making the grade. Had setbacks already when passed over in the 2004 draft and put his head down and had a good year in the TAC. Then to be overlooked again in the main draft would have been a blow. Turned up to Carlton and impressed with everything he did in the few weeks and was rewarded with a rookie listing. Is a tall half forward flanker type who will play some midfield as well and basically roam all over the ground with great fitness. Capable of kicking a goal and really contesting well in the air and on the ground.
The sort of player who is never beaten in his own mind and will keep trying and showed genuine leadership for the Northern Knights in 2005 with his attitude.
Needs to work on his pace and to build his body up. Kicking will need to be refined and his kicking for goal especially will have to be improved.

Lack of pace meant he was overlooked. I don’t think he will ever become a top liner at AFL level but do find it hard to believe some of the players taken in the main draft and for Ryan to be overlooked twice. The game is getting quicker and quicker but Ryan has such wonderful qualities it would be a shame for him not to be given a chance.
Fair chance of him being upgraded to the senior list with the injury to Jesse Smith now.


2006: promoted onto the senior list and play 5 to 8 AFL games.
Future: Very likely to be promoted full time at the end of the year.

 

[mojo31]

Practice match of 20 minutes on Wednesday.

Blue versus Gold.

Forwards (Blue) versus Defenders (Gold)

FF: Betts – Setanta - Longmuir (Blue team)
FB: Chambers – Bower – Edwards (Gold team)

Betts kicked 2 and had the better of Chambers who played him close but Eddie is too elusive in traffic for him. Eddie led Chambers into traffic deliberately to lose him. Betts moved well and has dropped a lot of weight.
Setanta presented well. Kept on leading and to be honest did it to often sometimes and was thinking to much about he getting the ball instead of what he was doing. Clogged up other forwards by leading into there area and was to disappointed when he did not get the ball kicked to him. Bower was impressive with his body work on the taller and bigger man. Bower also showed some dash out of defense. Setanta is too hard on himself and it is affecting him. Took 1 strong mark in particular when I was starting to get disappointed in him. Just needs to relax more. Bower has class and knows exactly what he is doing. Given another pre season he will be ready for a key defensive post.
Longmuir led many times but could not hang onto any marks. Edwards had superb closing speed and was always there to jump up and punch away. Even when Longmuir had a step on him Edwards closed the gap quickly. Edwards seems suited to playing on someone and using the speed he has to close them down. Liked the look of Edwards again. Longmuir does what he always does. He teases but at the end of the day shows little.

CHF: Kouta – Deluca – Fisher (Blue)
CHB: Walker – Livingston – Russell (Gold)
Walker was playing on Kouta and Stevens depending on who was playing midfield out of those 2. Walker looked big and cut beyond belief in his legs and arms. Real presence about him. He beat whoever he had and especially Stevens was quiet. Walker on the other hand was running hard and providing an option and the kicking action was effective for him. Kicking has come along way for Walker. He had confidence and did not have that look of indecision about what to do like he had in 2005.
Livingston was a class above Deluca. Dominated him and was to strong.
Fisher and Russell were a good match. These 2 I have been told match up at training a lot. Fisher has been owing Russell in the air. However this was not the case in the practise match with Russell right on him all game. Fisher did not get a clean touch. Fisher presented well but Jordan was always there with the spoil. Russell had some possessions also and ran really hard and showed poise.
I would have to say I was very very impressed with Russell.


Ruck

French (Blue) versus Bryan (Gold)
French was good in the ruck and won the position. However Bryan actually timed his jump better and was able to put some body pressure on Barnaby. Bryan actually showed an ability to adjust things and would seem to have learnt some things of Dempsey already. Barnaby was to big and strong but Bryan tried hard and showed improvement from last year.

 

[mojo31]

Midfielders

Murphy – Houlihan – Scotland (Blue)
Sporn – Davies – Prendergast (Gold)

Sporn started on Murphy and both got some ball. Murphy showed his usual poise and class and ran to the right spots. Sporn however was also good and moved a lot better than last year and his dipsosal was good.
Houlihan dominated and has beefed up and was moving with speed and urgency. Really a class above. Improved his speed while adding 5 kgs at a guess. Really put his head over the ball and was clean as usual with what he did.
Davies I was annoyed about his efforts. Just the same petutulance and not effective.

Prendergast started on Scotland and then switched over to Murphy (I think it was). Prendergast actually player quite well and moved freely and his kicking was fine. A bit of a surprise there. Scotland was good also and he is moving well and ran much harder than last year.

Ruck rover: Bentick (Blue) versus Blackwell (Gold)
Rover: Stevens (Blue) versus Bannister (Gold)

Bentick won his position over Luke. However Luke has improved his pace and size. Moving well and positioned himself well in packs and won some ball and did look quite good. Not to far off is Blackwell now. Maybe later in the year he will play senior games. Good poise and has class.
Bentick was pretty impressive in the packs with his strength and hardness. Is improving and looks quicker now. A real unit is Bentick now.

Bannister had Stevens and then Kouta. Whoever it was he won. He was pretty dominant. Not sure where the pace came from or just had confidence to use it but he looked quick. Ran around, or through players in his way. Bigger and quicker and more confidence. I hope it is just not an aberration because the improvement he showed was nothing short of sensational. Kicked a goal and a few us just looked at each other as if it was not Bannister such was the surprise with how he did it.



CHB: Carrazzo-Lance-Lappin (Blue)
CHF: Jackson-Aisake-Teague (Gold)

Aisake and Lance was an intereting macth up. The rumours of Lance being sub 95kgs look right to me. Leaner than for at least 4 years. Aisake moved magnificently. Not a trace of awkwardness despite it being so new to him and his height. Attacked the ball and made a lot of leads and looked to dish off. Good kicking on the left side. Would not like to see him kick on his right though. Could be ugly. Lance was directing traffic and zoning off and not playing to tight. He moved well and knew what he was doing. Very attacking defender. Will get goals kicked on him but will set things up.
Carrazzo had Jackson and then later it was Flint. Not much done by the 2 rookies with only 10 minutes each. They worked hard and preseneted but Carrazzo beat both of them and ran away downfield as his his want. Carrazzo played some midfield as well later on.
Lappin had Teague I think it was (not so sure?). Lappin was attacking and backing his judgement to get the ball before his opponent did. Teague has slimmed down and was playing an alomst tagging role as a defensive forward.
Teague also was put into the midfield later on.

 

[mojo31]

FB: Saddington-Thornton-McGrath (Blue)
FF: Batson- Hartlett-Wiggins (Gold)
Batson presented quite well and is moving better than last year even with a lot more weight on. However Saddington was to classy and quick for him and ran off him. Impressed with Saddington he had poise and class with the ball and knew what he was doing.
Hartlett was thrashed by Thornton apart from 1 mark he took. Thornton was to good, and really looked like he did prior to last year. Knocking the ball away and then running off downfield at will and. Hartlett did not chase enough. Disappointed with his effort.
McGrath looked very strong and was running around with confidence. Wiggo never had a sniff and McGrath was to clean and precise in what he did for him.


Overall

Bannister and Houlihan for me were the standouts. Both are bigger and quicker and showed more vigour and class with the ball. Walker was also very good. Set for a big year. Aisake continues to impress me. Edwards and Bower also showed they are talented defenders and slightly in front of what I expected of them at this early stage.
Lance was good. Cant fault him really. Moving well and fined way down now.

Prendergast was also a surprise.

May well a few of the obvious candidates in the chopping block may not be destined for a delisting. Early days though and time will tell.

Thats basically a few of my thoughts on it. Might have got a few of the matchups a bit off but its hard watching 36 players instead of just Carlton.

 

[Salaryman]

Great read again Mojo

Great to hear those things about Bower and Edwards especially. You know Aloisi was my boy from the beginning

 

[Pivot]

Practice match of 20 minutes on Wednesday.

Blue versus Gold.

Forwards (Blue) versus Defenders (Gold)

FF: Betts – Setanta - Longmuir (Blue team)
FB: Chambers – Bower – Edwards (Gold team)

Betts kicked 2 and had the better of Chambers who played him close but Eddie is too elusive in traffic for him. Eddie led Chambers into traffic deliberately to lose him. Betts moved well and has dropped a lot of weight.
Setanta presented well. Kept on leading and to be honest did it to often sometimes and was thinking to much about he getting the ball instead of what he was doing. Clogged up other forwards by leading into there area and was to disappointed when he did not get the ball kicked to him. Bower was impressive with his body work on the taller and bigger man. Bower also showed some dash out of defense. Setanta is too hard on himself and it is affecting him. Took 1 strong mark in particular when I was starting to get disappointed in him. Just needs to relax more. Bower has class and knows exactly what he is doing. Given another pre season he will be ready for a key defensive post.
Longmuir led many times but could not hang onto any marks. Edwards had superb closing speed and was always there to jump up and punch away. Even when Longmuir had a step on him Edwards closed the gap quickly. Edwards seems suited to playing on someone and using the speed he has to close them down. Liked the look of Edwards again. Longmuir does what he always does. He teases but at the end of the day shows little.

CHF: Kouta – Deluca – Fisher (Blue)
CHB: Walker – Livingston – Russell (Gold)
Walker was playing on Kouta and Stevens depending on who was playing midfield out of those 2. Walker looked big and cut beyond belief in his legs and arms. Real presence about him. He beat whoever he had and especially Stevens was quiet. Walker on the other hand was running hard and providing an option and the kicking action was effective for him. Kicking has come along way for Walker. He had confidence and did not have that look of indecision about what to do like he had in 2005.
Livingston was a class above Deluca. Dominated him and was to strong.
Fisher and Russell were a good match. These 2 I have been told match up at training a lot. Fisher has been owing Russell in the air. However this was not the case in the practise match with Russell right on him all game. Fisher did not get a clean touch. Fisher presented well but Jordan was always there with the spoil. Russell had some possessions also and ran really hard and showed poise.
I would have to say I was very very impressed with Russell.

Ruck

French (Blue) versus Bryan (Gold)
French was good in the ruck and won the position. However Bryan actually timed his jump better and was able to put some body pressure on Barnaby. Bryan actually showed an ability to adjust things and would seem to have learnt some things of Dempsey already. Barnaby was to big and strong but Bryan tried hard and showed improvement from last year.

Where does Russell sit in the pecking order then? Walker also?

Are they ready to play midfield or as tall running defenders?

Russell was listed at 188cm last year but seems taller so do you think he is 190cm?

Livingston playing well is a good sign? Look good at CHB or better at FB do you think?

Where does Prendergast play now? Wing?

Bannister sounds good, midfield or backline for him? Bigger than the listed 88kg from last year?

 

[tara]

Where does Russell sit in the pecking order then? Walker also?

Are they ready to play midfield or as tall running defenders?

Russell was listed at 188cm last year but seems taller so do you think he is 190cm?

Livingston playing well is a good sign? Look good at CHB or better at FB do you think?

Where does Prendergast play now? Wing?

Bannister sounds good, midfield or backline for him? Bigger than the listed 88kg from last year?

Russells actual height is 187.5.

 

[murphster]

Forgot about Prenders but this is about about footballers and not track stars.

What position at AFL level for him?

Midfielder ? no
Ruck ? no
KPP ? no

Tall utility who cant kick is not really sought after.

Thanks for that DIG. Will slot him somewhere when I have finished.

Still useful as a second man up in ruck contests or to come over the top.

Teague will be better this year as a third or fourth tall defender that can play off his man and help out the other defenders

 

[Sheik Mathious]

What a great read mojo31.

Prenda's best posi is Ruck-Rover. IMHO.

 

[mojo31]

Lance Whitnall

Utility

26 years old. 179 AFL games.
22 games in 2005.

Strengths : The often used football smarts is the best way to describe Lances strengths. That means anticipation, when to lead, where his opponent is, picking the right option and a number of other things that become second nature for him. A very unselfish player who will not hesitate to pass the ball off or to run his opponent out of position if another forward is in a better position to mark the ball.
Can make a real mess of a defender in traffic by leading into congestion and losing them out the other side. Numerous dummy leads and then suddenly he is in space and its hard to know how he did it. Opponents who zone off him and don’t pay him enough respect often get embarrassed. The number of times he has given Leppitsch a bath always makes me laugh. A tight, disciplined opponent is needed on him at all times.
Shows genuine leadership out on the field and when at his best is directing traffic and controlling the game. Very good at doing the small things like tapping the ball on or using his body to block an opponent, or to make a lead to leave the goal square open for an easier shot for goal for a team mate. All part of his unselfish nature. Small subtle things that are not easy to pick up on.
Versatile player now who can play as a defender and did a good job there last year. More of a zoning off type rather than beating his opponent in contests but he was good in his roles down back.


Weaknesses : Unfortunately Lance’s superb football brain has not been a help to him off field. So he has not prepared himself well enough in the last 5 years and has regular and well publisized weight problems. Anything that requires athleticism Lance struggles with. Has a poor leap and is slow off the mark. Endurance is not great either and regularly is quieter in the last quarters and when opponents have worked him over. Takes a long time to recover after a marking contest and is beaten on the ground by opponents. Kicking for goal is poor and is going backwards as his career progresses. Really shocking hook foot at times and is inaccurate and not reliable.



Comment: Hard to know where he will play in 2006. His best position when fit is up forward. Not sure that is where he will be best suited for Carlton though. Looks to be a position at CHB rather than a marking forward for him. If the club wants to play Setanta or Deluca as a forward pocket that may well mean Lance he will be pushed back to fit one of those giants in.
He will have goals kicked on him but will be a very attacking defender who will always use the ball well. Pick the right option and demand the ball and be a real general in the backline.
His superb anticipation makes up for a lot of the pace deficiencies. Very good field kick and has all the poise in the world. Will hold up play when needed and wait for the right option. When he is fit and can get to many contests he is a very good player. The second efforts improve and he gets off his opponents well. Gets that bit of space he needs and if it is kicked to advantage will win the ball more often than not. If he is not fit and is overweight then he will react the same but once in motion the opponent will close him down straight away and he will not win the ball.
The inevitable opponents running him all over the field will also not help him when he is unfit.

Pre season so far he looks magnificent. Is on a slightly modified program to avoid oestitus pubis occurring as it did in a mild case last year. Would be 2 or 3 kgs lighter than last year when he had a good year and if injury does not strike and he holds his discipline he should step up even further.
Plenty of talls at the club now and Lance will really need to show he is too valuable Carlton to contemplate a trade at seasons end.


2006 : Another top 5 in the best and fairest beckons if his fitness holds.
Future : Depending on form and young player development he could be surplus to needs over the next few years. Will struggle to play longer than 4 years at most anyway with his body type.


Simon Wiggins

Midfielder

23 years old. 63 AFL games.
13 games in 2005.


Strengths : A team player who is capable of performing a number of jobs. Very hard at the ball and will never shirk the issue and put his head over the ball without hesitation. Very strong and has developed his body and fitness and got the most out of himself in that regard. Good around the club and a good influence on the kids in the Bullants. Good size at 187cms and has the discipline to play as a tagger or as a decoy forward (on James Clement for example last year).
Hard tackler and a physical player.

Weaknesses : Poor hands and a tendency to fumble the ball. Overall his kicking has never really improved to the level needed. Does win enough of the ball and players run around him to easily. Not much agility and its all pretty much straight line from Simon. Once he has to turn or change direction in a contest he is usually beaten. Lacks that acceleration that would give him some time to dispose of the ball. Always under pressure it seems when he gets the ball. Some is actually there and some is implied pressure that he puts on himself. Lacks that ‘time’ on the ball that separates the class players from the also rans.

Comment: Not good enough at any one thing to really have a position at AFL level. Disposal is poor and he is not a really a good mark for his size either. Basically the same player he was when he was first drafted. Not developed like it was hoped. Trains hard and has a great attitude to everything he does but does not have the talent. You cant fumble the ball like Simon does at his height and expect to be given opportunities at senior level consistently. Under the slightest pressure his kicking falls apart and he is not smart enough to play as a midfielder or rebounding defender. A role player at the club who will do his job but has severe limits. Will likely play as a defensive forward who will act as a decoy or aim to tag the oppositions dangerous back man. Lead away from the ball or drag them to the goal square and chase them hard when they hard down field. Just depending on coaches instructions as to what to do with the match up.

2006: A few AFL games when injuries hit.
Future : Unlikely to be retained after this year.


Callum Chambers

Midfielder

26 years old. 64 AFL games.
10 games in 2005.

Strengths : Athletic fitness comes to mind. Has genuine speed and sensational endurance and wins all the time trials at Carlton and did so at West Coast also.
Capable of running and carrying the ball and is a long kick on the run.
Not much here to say so I will leave it at that.

Weaknesses : Does not run into dangerous places and therefore gets very little of the ball. Not capable of winning his own ball and fumbles far too often when the ball is in dispute. Pushed off the ball in pack situations and lacks body strength to hold his position. Runs and carries the ball but is limited to just blazing away and lacks the composure to really do much else.
Does not get enough off the ball for the reasons already stated and has in his career so far not shown the ability to tag a player and use all that endurance and speed to shut an opponent down.
Will get himself lost when attempting to do that and then some ball watching and an opposition block or 2 and suddenly his opponent is away downfield and cutting up his side. So lacks the awareness and football smarts to really do any defensive job. So is limited to playing on the half forward flank or wing and waiting for an easy kick or handball to be given out and then run and carry the ball.
In a good side that could be tolerated but at Carlton it’s a luxury we really cannot afford. The possessions from Callum are not dangerous enough and he has no defensive side to his game.
Just runs around up and down the ground and is lost.

Comment : Does not look up to it in my opinion. All the fitness in the world but does not use it to advantage. At 26 years old and at 2 clubs has not shown any real football ability. Was injured in the Wizard Cup and some small excuse for his lack of output in 2005 after that. However when he plays VFL he still looks lost and does get enough off of the ball or impose himself.
Just an athlete who dominates at the running drills at training but is not good enough as a footballer. A waste of a trade and the sooner Carlton make a conscious decision to not go after these type of players the better off we will be.

2006 : Depth player and play most of the season in the VFL.
Future : Would be very unlikely to get another contract after this year.

 

[mojo31]

What a great read mojo31.

Prenda's best posi is Ruck-Rover. IMHO.

On the wing for mine on a taller opponent. Tagging them and using his endurance to stay with them. Can do a job on the right opponent but against a quick agile player will have problems.

 

[mojo31]

Where does Russell sit in the pecking order then? Walker also?

Are they ready to play midfield or as tall running defenders?

Russell was listed at 188cm last year but seems taller so do you think he is 190cm?

Livingston playing well is a good sign? Look good at CHB or better at FB do you think?

Where does Prendergast play now? Wing?

Bannister sounds good, midfield or backline for him? Bigger than the listed 88kg from last year?

I would not read to much into the practice match positions of each player.

Blackwell was playing on Bentick. They are similar players. They really went head to head and no doubt Bentick is in front of him but Blackers is gaining. I doubt in the future we can have both on the ground at 1 time .

Russell and Fisher was also another hard contest. Russell is being groomed for the half back flank so they want him to macth up on aplayer like Fisher for his development. May eventually become a midfielder/winger but for the next few years he will be targetting David Teagues spot on a flanker.
Russell I think will have Teagues spot by the end of the year.

Walker has no problems he will play all year in the seniors. He is cherry ripe to go.

Prendergast wont play ruck anymore.

These blokes with 1 year left on there contract are in front of others at this stage in there fitness and preparation. They have clearly been training as soon as the year finished and are basically as fit as they can get. Come the start of the season when the senior players have had more training it might well be a different lstory.
I am talking about Prenda, Bannister, Wiggins, Davies, Longmuir, Chambers and some others.

 

[Pivot]

I would not read to much into the practice match positions of each player.

Blackwell was playing on Bentick. They are similar players. They really went head to head and no doubt Bentick is in front of him but Blackers is gaining. I doubt in the future we can have both on the ground at 1 time .

Russell and Fisher was also another hard contest. Russell is being groomed for the half back flank so they want him to macth up on aplayer like Fisher for his development. May eventually become a midfielder/winger but for the next few years he will be targetting David Teagues spot on a flanker.
Russell I think will have Teagues spot by the end of the year.

Walker has no problems he will play all year in the seniors. He is cherry ripe to go.

Prendergast wont play ruck anymore.

These blokes with 1 year left on there contract are in front of others at this stage in there fitness and preparation. They have clearly been training as soon as the year finished and are basically as fit as they can get. Come the start of the season when the senior players have had more training it might well be a different lstory.
I am talking about Prenda, Bannister, Wiggins, Davies, Longmuir, Chambers and some others.

Cheers.

 

[HighReeve]

Very good read. Top work.

 

[mojo31]

Dylan McLaren

Ruck

23 years old. 46 AFL games.
17 games in 2005.

Strengths : Mobility and fitness for his size. A good leap and a fine mover who has good endurance and reasonable pace. Good kick of the ball for a ruckman. Hard trainer and fine person. Team player who will do whatever job he is asked to the best of his ability. Does not look completely out of place when playing as a tallish defender on another ruckman. Pretty reasonable at the centre bounces with his leap.
His best asset is his work ethic on the field and off it on the training track. Gets the best out of himself.

Weaknesses: His height for a ruck is a huge problem. Struggles against the taller and better ruckmen. Shortish arms for his size also is not a help in this regard. Not a strong mark and drops far too many and is not capable of taking a contested mark regularly. Not a big build and pretty skinny and can be pushed around in contests. Shown up in the boundary throw ins where it is more a question of strength and body positioning rather than leaping. Not a particularly skilled ruck with his ability to palm the ball down to the midfielders. Just seems to tap to a set position and while that works with a strong Brisbane midfield it will be different at Carlton.

Comment: Carlton needed a ruckman ready to play in 2006. We were slaughtered when French was out the last 2 years and something had to be done. So we went after McLaren who was offered a new contract by Brisbane but decided to forego it and put himself in the PSD knowing we were going to take him. Spoken very highly of by Brisbane for his attitude and character.
Not convinced McLaren will help us that much and it will come down to French and his fitness. If we only need McLaren for 10 minutes a quarter then he will fill the role well. However if we need him more than that I would not be confident in his ability to perform. Coming from a strong club his attitude and professionalism should be of some benefit to our young list.
The “no dic-kheads rule” used by the Sydney Swans seems to be the recruiting/drafting mantra of Carlton these days. I certainally can’t argue with that and feel it is in Carlton’s long term interests to keep things that way.
He is a ruckman trapped in a key position size body. Not really cut out for either role long term and is a role player who will do his best but has to many physical limitations to be the long term ruck replacement for French. Just recruited to allow Carlton to be competitive in the next few years in the ruck. More a sideways step than a huge step forward.

2006: Play most games in the AFL as the backup ruck.
Future: Will struggle in 3 years to be on the list.



Luke Blackwell

Midfielder

19 years old.
Father/son pick in the 2004 draft.

Strengths : Winning the ball in dispute with an uncanny knack of being able to read where the ball is going to go. Good disposal by hand and foot and is a very clean and composed player. A ball magnet before he was drafted and just keeps moving to the right positions. Shown the same thing in the VFL with his ball winning abilities.
Very clean hands in traffic and would be as good as anyone at the club in that regard. Has composure under pressure and his skills very importantly don’t seem to drop away under heavy scrutiny. Not the type of player who needs space to execute.

Weaknesses: Fairly short but could be taller than the 177cm he was drafted at. Put on some size but is still to light to play the inside game he will need to at AFL level. Kicking is improving but still prefers to handball to much and would like a bit more depth in his kicking. Lacks genuine pace for his size. Has improved that by quite a margin but would still be well below average for a player under 6 foot in the AFL. Not a huge running tank and again has improved his times in the pre season but is not in the top 10 at the club where he will need to be if he is to make it as an AFL midfielder. Lacks versatility and will be an inside midfielder or bust. Not a nippy forward pocket or a tagger or a small defender.

Comment: Haas made significant physical improvements since he first came to the club. Has put on 5 kgs and gained speed and endurance. Is still behind where he needs to be to become a midfielder at senior level but is about half way there by my estimation. Has skills that cannot be taught such as really clean hands that wont fumble and a very good football brain. Body positioning in a pack or anticipation in the centre square are some of the skills he has naturally. This means he gets a small start on most players by moving first and makes up for some of his lack of athletic abilities. Will be judged by how much physical improvement he can achieve over the next year. As that develops he can start to improve his game by running with the ball more and breaking a few tackles as well as continuing to feed the ball out by handball which he is forced to do now. The game is changing and we need players who can kick well and run the ball as well as win the contested ball. Luke will always be better at winning the hard ball but still needs to have the ability to carry the ball and kick to advantage and to have enough speed and endurance to not be exploited by opponents.


2006 : Break into the team later in the year after a good VFL season.
Future : Will need physical improvement to become an AFL midfielder.

 

[mojo31]

Marc Murphy has added 4 kgs so far in the pre season. Already being groomed for a leadership role and Carlton are going to cash in on him with marketing and PR as much as they can.
Should have known he would improve a lot after half a pre season considering he has never really done 1. Always playing cricket in the off season for football and does not do a football pre season.

Here is the link

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18032220%5E2722,00.html

 

[mojo31]

Jesse Smith

Midfielder

19 years old. Rookie listed.
Rookie pick from the 2004 draft.

Strengths : Very hard at the ball and player. Strong work ethic with his work on the field. Hard trainer who prepares well. Very good team player and does the small things in games which are of benefit. Things like blocking and shepherding and chasing his opponent as hard as he can.
Has good endurance and a strong body and is a physically tough player who does his work in contested situations.
Good hands for winning the ball below his knees and it is an inside midfielder that he is best suited with his physical characteristics and style of play.

Weaknesses : Lacks leg speed and agility. A bit heavy on his feet for a midfielder and over commits at the contest and gets wrong footed too much by opponents. Not light on his feet like a Marc Murphy.
Did not get enough of the ball in the VFL last year. Did a good job closing opponents down but would want to be winning more of the ball than he did. Kicking is not up to standard yet for a senior position. Its okay at the slower and less intense VFL level but given less time and space he would be struggling. Lacks that polish I would like to see from midfielders at VFL level. That really clean ball handling and disposal that Blackwell, Bentick, Simpson and Walker show when they are playing at that level.
Add that to his lack of real toe and we have a solid and unspectacular work horse.

Comment: Was training very well and really improved his deficiencies in the pre season until tearing his pectoral muscle when lifting weights. Had improved his sprint times and endurance and his agility was better.
A pretty big setback for Jesse who has a few in front of him now and will be under real pressure to get promoted at the end of the year. In a team with a poor midfield to not get promoted shows that the club is still worried about his disposal and pace.
Has to show some flair this year. Take a few players on and start to carry the ball. Really make the possessions count and start to dominate the clearances at VFL level. Keep working on his pace and fitness and model himself on Bentick who has taken his game to a new level with improved fitness all across the board.
He is a terrific kid and has a genuine desire to want to be at Carlton and take his chance.

2006: VFL after recovering from injury.
Future : I have my doubts he is going to make it. We lack skill and leg speed and these 2 attributes Jesse does not really have in abundance.



Ian Prendergast

Utility

25 years old. 62 AFL games.
13 games in 2005.


Strengths: A very athletic player for his size. Superb endurance and can match midfielders with his running ability over long distances. Hard at the ball on the ground and in the air. Versatile player who has been asked to play everywhere. Very hard trainer and good influence around the club. Greatly respected for giving his all and persevering despite limited football ability. Never complains when he is dropped and always tries his best.

Weaknesses: Absolutely atrocious kick of the ball. Extremely awkward kicking action and while he can kick the ball a long way it usually goes everywhere but where he intends it to. Is pretty slow and one paced and lacks that zip and acceleration. Not football smart with where to run to and does not read the play well. Has size but rarely takes a strong mark and is not a ruck or a key position player. So the height is basically useless to him. The match committee has tried to convert him into a defender and a ruck over the last few years and he has been found lacking in both roles. To slow to react and with the pace deficiency and lack of smarts he is destroyed on a quality forward. Undersized ruck as well and is not more than a pinch hitter and is embarrassed against the top ruckmen.

Comment: To many experiments with Prendergast for mine. He is a tall running utility and should be played that way. Onballer or wing or to follow around a mobile ruckman, like a White or Goodes. He lacks acceleration and is better off where he is able to run over longer distances rather than small sprints. That means more midfield roles and using his size around the ball to block and apply pressure. Then feed the ball off and avoid having to kick it. An athlete who has been tried to be converted into a footballer. There is no substitute for football intelligence and skill no matter how much character a person has. An awkward kicking action can be slightly improved but that’s about it. Under pressure old habits come out and the action fails over and over.

2006: VFL all year.
Future: This will be his last year.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

great imput Mojo, lovely read

just a question ... seeing as though we are able to promote 1 rookie during the year without an LTI ..who would you say would be the front runner for the promotion ?

 

[mojo31]

Daniel Batson

Ruck

19 years old.
Rookie player.

Strengths: Sheer size is his main strength. Over 2 meters tall and his once skinny frame has responded to a weights program and is high 90kgs now. Has a decent leap to go with that height and is fairly athletic. Good trainer and is very coachable. Well liked and has a good temperament.
Good in the tap outs and his technical ability in palming the ball is actually quite good. Kicking is quite a reasonable standard for such a tall inexperienced player.

Weaknesses: Can look lost out on the field. Unsure of where to move to, what his role might be and how to go about it. Needs more confidence and hopefully will feel more at home now in his second year. Does not mark the ball well and is easily pushed around. Some muscle being added should help him to hold his ground more. Needs to line his body up better in marking contests and really crash the pack. Does not read the flight of the ball well and can get caught to far under it (ala McKernan).
Gets caught out on the field a lot and seems to lack awareness.

Comment: Needs to step up this year to be promoted at seasons end. Looked out of place at times last year but this is understandable for such a young ruckman. Needs more vigour at the contest and to compete harder around the ground. Hold onto some more marks and involve himself in the play more. Keep working on his fitness and strength and develop the ruck skills more and more. Has the size and leap that is needed to dominate the hit outs but needs to understand the position more and work on his around the ground skills. He has made significant improvements in his physique and fitness in the pre season and looks to have more confidence in what he is doing. Dempsey is working him over at training and he is beaten to easily still in the body on body duels. Will take a long time to really get the core strength he needs but it is coming.

2006: VFL reserves full time ruckman. Maybe some VFL as he develops.
Future: 50/50 of being promoted at seasons end at this stage.



Troy Longmuir

Medium Forward

26 years old. 82 AFL games.
10 games in 2005.

Strengths: Has a very big leap and is capable of taking a big pack mark. That makes it hard to match up on with the ability to play much taller than his height. Very good kick for goal and is reliable in that regard. Never had an injury free run to show what he really has got over a decent length of time. Showed in some VFL games he was quite a good ball winner. Decent pace for a marking forward.

Weaknesses: Hard to know where to start. Soft at the contest. Has a body made of tissue paper and not shown the ability to be able to withstand the rigours of AFL. Injury after injury and interrupted pre seasons and modified programs. Not physical enough for a 26 year old mature player and pushed aside to easily. Poor field kick and panics under pressure. No composure and never won enough of his own ball. Does not do the small team things or help others out enough. Drops easy marks and loses concentration. No intensity in his game and is worked over by opponents. Fumbles a lot and has poor hands below his knees. No second efforts and will stand and watch his opponent run away from him. To skinny and light and never put on the muscle he needs to be more competitive.

Comment: To be fair to Troy he has never had a clear run with being injury free. However 82 games is enough to show what he has got. Is a one trick pony who will take the odd huge mark and jump on someones head. Once his opponent blocks this and does not allow him a clear run for the ball then he is ineffectual. Not capable of pinch hitting in the midfield and does not have the base fitness for that. For his size he should be roaming all over the field and playing like an extra midfielder. Does not put enough defensive pressure on and can be a liability if not kicking goals.
Has had an injury free pre season and is moving better at training but still does not stand out and there first and second year players are already more impressive on the track.
He is not good enough. Has limited talent and his body is not up to standard. Not improved over his career at all and changed his game.
A waste of a trade even though it was a late draft pick swapped for him.

2006: Depth player.
Future : Looks gone in my opinion after this year.

 

[mojo31]

great imput Mojo, lovely read

just a question ... seeing as though we are able to promote 1 rookie during the year without an LTI ..who would you say would be the front runner for the promotion ?

Ryan Jackson I would say. He is versatile and has elite fitness already. A bit skinny but will be an okay link player and runner.
He is ready to go now and be a good solid utilty. He and Jesse Smith I think will be fighting hard for 1 senior promotion at seasons end. I dont think we can carry both of them and Luke Blackwell and Adam Bentick on the senior list.
3 of the 4 yes maybe but not all 4.

I know Luke is rated quite highly by the coaching staff and Bentick is also now. Jesse and Ryan are behind both those 2 in the long term plan as of right now. So they will likely be head to head opponents when the hard decsions are going to have to be made about the list. Just depends on how they both develop this season.

I hope Jesse recovers quickly and gets a good shot at it as he deserves his chance.

 

[Pivot]

Too early to call, let's wait and see how all these kids go before making a call. Alot of water to pass under before end of season.

 

[mojo31]

Too early to call, let's wait and see how all these kids go before making a call. Alot of water to pass under before end of season.

You do that. I will express my opinion and put it on BigFooty.

Hope thats okay with you.

 

[Salaryman]

You do that. I will express my opinion and put it on BigFooty.

Hope thats okay with you.

You guys remind me of a married couple, keep at it

 

[mojo31]

9 players left to do.

Setanta O’hAilpin
Andrew Walker
Brendan Fevola
Jarred Waite
Adrian Deluca
Eddie Betts
Ryan Houlihan
Aisake O’hAilpin
Chris Bryan

I was going to finish them over the next few days but apparently its "Too early to call, let's wait and see how all these kids go before making a call. Alot of water to pass under before end of season."

So I have seen the error of my ways and bow to greater minds than my own.

Anybody want to know some more about these players ask Pivot or Gilly.

 

[Blue70]

Too early to call, let's wait and see how all these kids go before making a call. Alot of water to pass under before end of season.

Hey guy's step back or speak for yourself, Mojo's reviews are fantastic to read and give the supporters something to digest during the drought!

Mojo keep them coming as we are all interested and waiting in anticipation!