Toast Michael Apeness

[One_Wing]

Had pretty good numbers on the weekend I think. Some bullet handballs and good tackles, snagged a goal as well which is nice. Only the one mark though which is bad. Would like to see how he goes as a number two ruck with Sandi or Darcy in the side.

 

[nurries]

Had pretty good numbers on the weekend I think. Some bullet handballs and good tackles, snagged a goal as well which is nice. Only the one mark though which is bad. Would like to see how he goes as a number two ruck with Sandi or Darcy in the side.

I actually think Darcy and Apeness would work well in Tandem, resting forward, both can split packs

 

[george2]

I actually think Darcy and Apeness would work well in Tandem, resting forward, both can split packs

I was pretty happy with the way he went about his business and just kept on competing which was great to see. He definitely tired as the game went on and Grundy started to really control the taps. Has a long way to go if he wants to remain on the list though i feel.

 

[LeftFootBanana]

I was pretty happy with the way he went about his business and just kept on competing which was great to see. He definitely tired as the game went on and Grundy started to really control the taps. Has a long way to go if he wants to remain on the list though i feel.

Given how interrupted his preparation his has been over the last few years, he'd still be a long way from peak match fitness. I seem to remember Ross saying at some stage that he was one of the best runners at the club a few years ago?

I'd like to see him stay in the seniors for a least the next four games and see how he goes as a second ruck/forward which is really his likely role. At this stage Darcy has dibs on the number one ruck spot when Sandi retires, so we're really looking for someone to grab the dual role and make it theirs. Personally I still like his physicality and I think he makes the blokes around him walk a little taller.

 

[TheMcManusNose]

Honestly I was pretty pleasantly surprised with how he went. Expected him to fade harder and have a lot less impact than he did.

Given how Tabs is looking pretty unlikely for a while let's persist with him and let Strnadica sit at Peel and hopefully dominate that role.

Who knows, maybe he offers a bit more than Tabs in the ruck/fwd role and you can maybe play both of them, with Tabs as permanent forward, with Darcy in future.

 

[george2]

Given how interrupted his preparation his has been over the last few years, he'd still be a long way from peak match fitness. I seem to remember Ross saying at some stage that he was one of the best runners at the club a few years ago?

I'd like to see him stay in the seniors for a least the next four games and see how he goes as a second ruck/forward which is really his likely role. At this stage Darcy has dibs on the number one ruck spot when Sandi retires, so we're really looking for someone to grab the dual role and make it theirs. Personally I still like his physicality and I think he makes the blokes around him walk a little taller.

Agree with this. I dont think he has ever managed more than maximum 4 games in a row for Freo, maybe even less than that before injury struck. Darcy and himself definitely add a lot more aggression around the contest and would have a few players looking over there shoulders with those two running at a marking contest. The only problem being is that they are both quite slow and not mobile at all which would make it a lot easier for teams to run it out of the back line when one of them is playing forward. Definitely like to see them in the same team for a while to see how they go however.

 

[scon]

Previously when I've watched TBA perform at WAFL and AFL he's has been very good at getting to contests and at least halving them.Good reader of the play and the ball in flight. Given his size he's hard to block out of the contest and he hits packs with aggressive momentum.
More often than not he's also been short of a proper gallop as well.
Be great if someone like Switta gets on top of the hammy issues but we've got other crumbing options.
The coaching staff have said earlier on that his tank is similar to Taberner's so he's a big lump to chase all day.Him, Darcy or Tabs will play with Sandi when fit which will straighten things up for us.
Then it's down to the crumbing and locking the forward 50 pressure.
Be great to see big Mick out there for the next few seasons.I've always been a big fan and I reckon he'd surprise a few and improve our inside 50 effectiveness significantly.
Longer term we may try to fit Darcy, Tabs and the big Ape into the same team if they are fit, available and still developing.
Maybe not but there's forward tall potential on the list at least.

 

[LeftFootBanana]

The Big Ape took a couple of nice contested grabs today. I really hope he can see out the rest of the season uninterrupted. Barring any injury problems I'd give him another contract based on what he's shown in the last two games at senior level.

The thought of Cox, TBA and Sandi in the same team next week is godamn exciting.

 

[Freoforever86]

Solid game by Apeness! Showing a bit.
Him & Sandi for this year and Darcy moving forward is exciting

 

[Wizard]

The Big Ape took a couple of nice contested grabs today. I really hope he can see out the rest of the season uninterrupted. Barring any injury problems I'd give him another contract based on what he's shown in the last two games at senior level.

The thought of Cox, TBA and Sandi in the same team next week is godamn exciting.

He was excellent in the second half.

If he can string some footy together he's going to be a weapon for us.

 

[Righteo]

Post-Sandi I can see Darcy and Apeness being a pretty formidable duo. It's still a bit surreal seeing TBA actually playing given everything he's gone through

 

[free at last]

Great to see those contested marks.

He'll be training at Cockburn next summer imo.

 

[dockshark]

Post-Sandi I can see Darcy and Apeness being a pretty formidable duo. It's still a bit surreal seeing TBA actually playing given everything he's gone through

Yep...so stoked for him that his body has held together enough to break back into the team. Think he should hold his spot for the rest of the season now.

 

[masai]

Big thumbs up from me, hope he gets a good injury free run.

Thought he and Jones were massive in the second half, tackles that stuck !!.

 

[nurries]

Jones had a crack he is slow but uses his bulk quite well

 

[yakka man]

Post-Sandi I can see Darcy and Apeness being a pretty formidable duo. It's still a bit surreal seeing TBA actually playing given everything he's gone through

Yeah, it is. Seems like he's been through hell and been written off by many on here (for good reason). It's great to see him playing, hopefully for the rest of the year.

 

[Fyfster]

Jon

Jones had a crack he is slow but uses his bulk quite well

Jones ???? he was easily our worst player , Tall players need to take marks . Full stop.

 

[ydraw]

Jones isn't going to make it as an AFL player but he gave great effort today and impacted the contest, especially in the final quarter.

 

[Fyfster]

Jones isn't going to make it as an AFL player but he gave great effort today and impacted the contest, especially in the final quarter.

I think you impact the contest far more when you clunk the mark like Cox did today and Tabs before his injury , Also Apeness looked far more likely than Jones , Not a big fan of the get the ball to ground theory , Once it is on the ground it is a 50/50 ball .

 

[Heart Of Purple]

Bit harsh on Jones I think, he's slow yes - but boy does he compete. Is he best 22 ... No. But can you ask a big boy like him to do anything other than what he did today ... No.
Probably the reason we won today was his real effort and intensity at the contest in the last quarter, if he had've bailed or worried about his own safety and not played the ball (like some others we've had before) I'm not sure we win.

 

[Fyfster]

Bit harsh on Jones I think, he's slow yes - but boy does he compete. Is he best 22 ... No. But can you ask a big boy like him to do anything other than what he did today ... No.
Probably the reason we won today was his real effort and intensity at the contest in the last quarter, if he had've bailed or worried about his own safety and not played the ball (like some others we've had before) I'm not sure we win.

his contests in the last quarter were good given , But how many times in the the first three quarters was the ball kicked to him in a 50/50 situation , Where he was much bigger than his opponent and the best he could do was halve the contest.

 

[DeanS]

Jon

Jones ???? he was easily our worst player , Tall players need to take marks . Full stop.

Have you forgotten the groans around Optus Stadium earlier this year when Sandi was continually dropping marks?

 

[MrDanggazz]

Can’t wait to see how a side with Darcy and Apeness in it looks, the youth at Freo is strong

 

[Allikat]

Gee I love Apeness. Please don't get injured again!! I don't think he won v Jacobs, but some of his tapwork was beautiful, straight down the throat of his mids

 

[LeftFootBanana]

TBA and Darcy would be a physical pair who are both capable of giving their mids first use of the ball. I think they could also both be effective resting forward. Happy days.