Preview NAB Challenge: Melbourne v Fremantle, Fremantle Oval - March 5

[RandB]

Yeah, would've liked Salem to get more of it, but I thought he was more encouraging. Also hit a few targets neatly by foot - already looks to be one of our best kicks. I find it hard to get excited about much that Toumpas did. On that evidence, he's not in the round 1 side (IMO).

Still a lot of traing and footy to be had prior to round 1 but Toump is probably touch and go atm.

The thing about improvement is that it isn't always exciting. What Toump did today was pretty tradesman like at times but he clearly played with more composure and confidence (and courage, nearly lost his head going for the footy in that second quarter) than we're used to in the close in stuff.

Both he and Salem spent most of the game in congestion and i thought they both played a competitive brand of footy. Toumpas needs the fundamentals and I think that is what he is working on. It all comes down to what you are looking for in a pre-season game I guess.

Agree about Salem's kicking. He can also do a good aerial spoil and has strong hands.

 

[E Shed]

Good effort from your boys today. The wind was pretty strong as it always is this time of year. The southern end can be very difficult to score at at Freo Oval and our boys had the advantage of knowing how to bring the ball in at that end and yet still only scored 3 goals kicking that way.
Melbourne showed excellent endeavour and some smart play around stoppages. The Tyson kid can really play. Put Viney alongside him with Jones and that is a good clearance unit.
Herry L will be a good addition and Garlett had a few nice moments. The blonde kid (VanDeBerg?) is a huge unit and looks handy. Hogan obviously can play. Things on the up at Melbourne. Excellent support at the ground today too for a scratchy. Very vocal mob behind the goals.

 

[pure demon]

R

I'm doubting the guy, but to be fair, I didn't mind that - thought he showed a bit of balance and endeavor. Had no other options.

RUBBISH, he should have gave the quick hands and sheparded for his teamate. Is shepharding even encourouged these days?

 

[Pera]

Didn't catch the game but how did Lumumba go guys? I reckon he'll be a ripping fit for you this year. Thoroughly underrated with us in 2014.

 

[pure demon]

The usual suspects again! Grimes jones and bail were farking woefull again today. Play someone ahead of them please!

 

[Tempy Tiger]

On the form tonight Vandenberg plays round one Gawn doesn't. His skills were apalling.

B. Jetta Dunn Howe
HB. Frost McDonals Salem
C. Vince Jones Lamumba
HF. Watts Pederson Garlett
F. Kent Dawes Hogan

R. Jamar Viney Tyson

IC. Newton, Vandenberg, Toumpas, Brayshaw.

Pederson and Dunn would want ho improve a lot on tonight's performance too. I'd rather see Fitz get a game if Pedo is gonna play like that.

 

[pure demon]

Didn't catch the game but how did Lumumba go guys? I reckon he'll be a ripping fit for you this year. Thoroughly underrated with us in 2014.

Effort increased as the game went on. Very pleasing debut from lamumbier...top 3 b.o.g

 

[Cannon82]

The usual suspects again! Grimes jones and bail were farking woefull again today. Play someone ahead of them please!

I thought Jones was relatively good, actually. 6 clangers from 6 kicks / 14 disposals... do clangers include handballs? If not, that is an impressive strike rate.

 

[Cannon82]

On the form tonight Vandenberg plays round one Gawn doesn't. His skills were apalling.

B. Jetta Dunn Howe
HB. Frost McDonals Salem
C. Vince Jones Lamumba
HF. Watts Pederson Garlett
F. Kent Dawes Hogan

R. Jamar Viney Tyson

IC. Newton, Vandenberg, Toumpas, Brayshaw.

Pederson and Dunn would want ho improve a lot on tonight's performance too. I'd rather see Fitz get a game if Pedo is gonna play like that.

No Dawes, suspended.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

I would have had Tyson as our best. Thought Frost, McDonald and Vandenberg were good too. Encouraging that we matched Freo for most of the game.

Garland, Grimes and Gawn were all rubbish. Will be playing a lot of footy at Casey this year.

 

[RandB]

Didn't catch the game but how did Lumumba go guys? I reckon he'll be a ripping fit for you this year. Thoroughly underrated with us in 2014.

Played a good no-nonsense game first up. No real stand out plays but nice run, hardly any clangers and seemed chirpy out there at times with instructions.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

No Dawes, suspended.

Switch Fitz for Dawes. Didn't get much from him anyway.

 

[pure demon]

Pedo did the same thing early last year. Drop simple marks, and then you get cut open. He came good but later. More pressing player issues than pedo i feel

 

[Cannon82]

Switch Fitz for Dawes. Didn't get much from him anyway.

I'm no fan of Dawes, but our delivery to the forwards was shitful. Carey in his pomp wouldn't have done that much better.

 

[tasmanlvr]

I was pretty happy with the performance. Jones, Tyson picking up where they left off is always good, liked the look of Vandenberg and Newton as well. I'm a lot happier with our midfield than in previous years.

However we have a lot to work on with inside 50 delivery and we won't see that until mid year I reckon once Dawes and Hogan get to work together, Garlett crumbing at their feet as well.

Still happy with what I've seen despite the loss.

 

[NeutralFan]

Newton had 13 possessions and a goal in a game where 15 of the 20 minutes is time on. And that was a half, he plays round one. So does Vandenberg (or is it vandenBerg) idk dutch names, similar stats and mature same as Newton. But I think your best recruit was FROST. A 6"5 + defender running away from midfielders and carrying kicking inside 50 just to go back to post in defensive 50. They weren't kidding when they said he had elite athleticism. He replaces Garland as centre half back.

Frawley couldn't run up the ground and carry the ball, and not break a sweat

 

[Cannon82]

I was pretty happy with the performance. Jones, Tyson picking up where they left off is always good, liked the look of Vandenberg and Newton as well. I'm a lot happier with our midfield than in previous years.

However we have a lot to work on with inside 50 delivery and we won't see that until mid year I reckon once Dawes and Hogan get to work together, Garlett crumbing at their feet as well.

Still happy with what I've seen despite the loss.

Garlett didn't seem to be trying to crumb in the forward line... unless standing still and staring at the forwards is crumbing. Kent was the only one to snag a goal off the pack. Garlett's kicking further up the ground was his strongest suit today, I thought, but I thought he was average at best. JKH is competing for a spot with him but didn't have much of a day at the office.

 

[pure demon]

How big is vandenburg? I really though he was gawn wearing the number 37.
And what a debut from "frosty" , ive allready gone the frosty call, loved what i saw

 

[pure demon]

We will be better this year, no question. A number of blokes who didnt play for us last year, were among the best tonight. Frost, lamumbier, hogan, newton for a half, vandenberg for a half.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

We will be better this year, no question. A number of blokes who didnt play for us last year, were among the best tonight. Frost, lamumbier, hogan, newton for a half, vandenberg for a half.

Going to be lots of regular senior players from 2014 playing for Casey. M. Jones, Bail, grimes, Garland and Gawn. Depth is getting much better. Did Dpencer play tonight? I hope not because I did not see him once... Think he has more to offer in the ruck than either Gawn or Jamar. Watts, Vince, Viney and Howe would be handy additions to that lineup.

 

[Cannon82]

Going to be lots of regular senior players from 2014 playing for Casey. M. Jones, Bail, grimes, Garland and Gawn. Depth is getting much better. Did Dpencer play tonight? I hope not because I did not see him once... Think he has more to offer in the ruck than either Gawn or Jamar. Watts, Vince, Viney and Howe would be handy additions to that lineup.

The cat is out of the bag, Jake. Time to stop pretending.

 

[Bluelegs]

Didn't catch the game but how did Lumumba go guys? I reckon he'll be a ripping fit for you this year. Thoroughly underrated with us in 2014.

His kicking and run through the middle is still his best asset. And an element of our game that has been missing for a long time. If he can link up to our forwards throughout the year he'll be invaluable.

 

[Righteo]

His kicking and run through the middle is still his best asset. And an element of our game that has been missing for a long time. If he can link up to our forwards throughout the year he'll be invaluable.

I think the acquisition of Lumumba in combination with Hogan makes you a completely different side this year, hard running long kicking wingman and a big and mobile key forward to be on the end of said long kicks, chuck in Jeff Gartlett and your offensive potency just looks infinitely greater.

Salem surprised me a little, at time I thought he was some unheard of mature-age inside mid you'd recruited he looked so comfortable in the thick of it. For what it's worth I'd say 99% of the dropped marks were due to the sun so I wouldn't despair too much, our mob did the exact same thing at that end.

BTW your quote summing up this game on the main board, perfection. Never was going to be an exhibition of great skills, was very willing as you'd expect from games coached by these two though.

 

[CM Sean]

Lumumba dominated. So poised. - Delivery to Hogan was pretty s**t, so it's not his fault. Plus conditions, style of play (being a praccy match) etc. It's all coming together nicely though. The good glimpses were great. Newton and Vandenberg killed it. Jonesy still the heart and soul. Tyson did his bit. Frost has fit in well. Plenty of encouraging signs. And I STILL can't get over how FIT Chris Dawes is. He looks great! Should be in for a massive season I reckon.

 

[Topkent]

Watched this on replay and was reading through some of the comments at the same time , thought we were gonna be 100 down at half time


Good- ball movement , had runners from behind quite often and we moved it quickly , hardly any occasions where we kicked it across goal 7 times then bombed it down the line to a 7-1 Dawes contest

Tyson and jones doing the same thing again
Midfield depth- I'm not sure how often they rotated blokes around but it seemed like every 5 minutes there was a new group of on ballers and you wouldn't see the others at all
Newton Vanders Frost Lumumba and 2nd half Garlett all look like they improve the team which is really good

Hogan looked rusty as hell but he did miss 12 months, at least he gives himself a chance by running straight lines and with game time will improve his feel for it and make more contests , though to be fair the kicking to the forwards was abysmal

Bad- can't complain too much because there all rusty but same old same old with a few of them

Toumpas looked to be more involved in the contest but he still looks so bland to me , wouldn't have him in the round 1 side playing at that level

Garland - picked up where he left off in 2014 , play frost please

Usual vfl blokes doing the usual vfl stuff



At the end of the day I was happy , we played a more open attacking brand and still only conceded 61 points whilst also upping our I50 count on last year