Review PAFC 2024 Internal Trial @ Alberton

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I liked the look of Xavier Walsh. Super mobile and competitive. Interested to see how he goes this year
Has the style of play that makes you feel that he might get a regular gig at the tribunal, has a bit of anger about him.
 
Glad they didnt do best 22 bash the rest of the team +sanfl top up players. Rioli and bergman taking the piss couldnt give two shits was good too.

Finally we have a decent ruckman in soldo. Aggressive good ruck craft and work his way around the ground. Sweet was alright too

Walsh was more impressive to me than scully i remember a play early on he spoilt followed up with an absolute bullet of a left foot kick into the coridoor.

The two small boys from last year showed a bit Lorenz did too. Georgiades was okay without being spectacular didnt know what the commentators were going on about

Sinn was good more intensity and run which is good to see
 

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SPP - starting where he left off last year, good attack and expect another competitive year

Marshall - kicked well, sat in 2nd gear most game though, out marked BZT a couple times and was our standout forward

Burgoyne - used the wing well, had a bunch of touches, still a bit to improve on but i'd be happy to see him line up on the wing

Sinn - looked like he had something to prove and showed a lot of pace and penetration in his kick. fingers crossed he stays fit as a full year would put him back on track

Soldo - miles ahead of Sweet, lightyears ahead of Lycett. Great pickup.

Sweet - a good backup option, he looks like he wants to compete but doesn't know how to put his body on the line yet. gentle giant vibes. see how he settles in here but i thought Vis and Sweet were line ball

Rioli - body looks good but he played like sh!t, hope he's just waiting for the real stuff to start, looked straight up uninterested.

Charleson - nice pick up, could play this year if we get some injuries.

Anastasopoulos - looked lively when he was around it. given our options up forward, any small forward should be an option this year.

Lorenz - still running through to the last quarter and kicked a nice goal late. all three draftees were impressive given their draft positions.

Georgiades - looks like he's over his injury... back to the Georgi we last saw this time last year, which wasn't spectacular but at least he has another chance to build on his game with a different forward structure this time.

Lord - He's being used in the ruck, so if he's half a full forward and half a ruckman, by gum he might just make it.

JHF - excellent, buckle up.

Butters - excellent, buckle up.

Rozee - looks like he'll hold the captaincy very well on his shoulders.

Dixon - don't want to see him playing at all tbh, he's mentally checked out, let him contribute some other way.... off field.

Scully - building nicely. He's where Lord was two years ago but i reckon he has a better kick than Lord.

Evans - one of the new draftees should get a game before him in the forward pocket.

Jones - looked lively, still erratic at times but he's got spirit and that's a massive advantage on say.......

DBJ - see above. (can't see how he gets a game this year - he's not a fwd, he's no longer a def)

Mead - had noticeably greater pace than a lot of the others out there. he looks to have taken a step up, let's hope he can make something of it this year as he won't have many more.

Bergman - did some nice things early, keen to see him with the full backline setup as i feel he'll thrive off the new structure without having to be third tall at times.
Geez if true Mead must have spent the whole off season doing sprints (as he should have).

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Walsh was very good too for a first year, rookie listed tall defender. Looked every bit as assured, if not more than McCallum and Marshall last year.

FWIW, that was the highest standard internal trial I can remember watching in many years.
I wonder if Carr coaching v Ken had something to so with it?

Might have added a bit to the contest.

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Was impressed with the attitude of the players , most went in hard right till the final siren . Walsh reminded me of Cox Freos full back , thought he was quite good .
pleasantly surprised with Soldo , . BZT looked quite good , he’s nice and tall .
the young draftees were all quite good with Lorenz the standout for me .
Liked Sinns style , if he can get fit he’s a winner , don’t know why he’s been basically written off by posters on here , but I think there’s a few with a hair trigger on negative calls
Like Visentini, thought he was pretty much on par with Sweet , which was reasonable and I think both can be competitive if called on during the year .
Scully dropped a few marks but his body shape is looking better and he seems to know where to position himself .
Thought Wines was good , granted still miss kicks but he was looking sharp and strong .
Like Burgoyne on the wing , he seems to know how to get up and back and get involved .
Clurey was strong and capable if needed .
Mead was quite good , as he builds his strength to play inside , he could still make it .
I was a litte dissapointed in Lord , I was hoping he’d show a bit more key position smarts .
Overall tough one of the better internal trials I’ve seen
 
That is as impressed I have been with an internal trial in years. We have an insane amount of star power and depth. We look to be playing a quick ball movement Collingwood style of play and i kind of think we can improve like Collingwood did from 2022 to 2023

Butters: playing Ablett-esque superstar afl footy. Enjoys taking on his opponents and rarely comes off second best. His class and disposal was on par with 2023 possibly even better.

Rozee: Elite evasive speedy mid. Looks like a leader out there.

JHF: looks faster and stronger than 2023, is more involved in the contest. We legit have 3 superstar midfielders.

BZT: super impressed with his game, I don't think he got beaten in a one on one. A upgrade on Jonas as the 3rd defender

Ratugulea: Embarrassed Dixon, a better one on one defender than Aliir

Soldo: I did not realise how quick and competitive he was. While his ruck work wasn't perfect he is certainly an upgrade on Lycett.

Burgoyne: was that Peter Burgoyne out there? Has definitely improved and will only get better

SPP: elite, same as last year

Marshall: strong and confident, expect him to be our leading goal kicker this year

Wines: Thought he was poor, we looked better without him in the middle. Can never consistently hit targets

Boak: fumbled, missed kicks. He looked fit and I think he will be a solid sub for experience

Dixon: I don't know if he is finished or Esava is an elite defender. Still seemed to hobble out there like the GWS final, i really hope that we can evolve past an unfit Dixon.

Houston: good game, not his usual high standards

Bergman: solid and reliable.

Burton: defended well but didn't get alot of the ball

Rioli: looked fit and dangerous but went missing alot

Lord: had a poor game and barely got a look at it

Georgiades: Looked solid and even more competitive than before his knee

Sinn: looked quick and composed, nothing like the player I have seen the past few years

Scully: something about him, I think he is more talented than Lord as a forward. Just a bit raw

Walsh: what a rookie pick will play games

Mead: tries hard but seems vanilla compared to our other mids

Anastolopolous: looks competitive, ready to play. Kicked a nice goal

Charleson: played ok, kicked a goal and missed a few

Clurey: thought he was fit and reliable down back.

Sweet: at this stage looks like a b grade ruck, could improve

Visentini: the best out of the rucks in terms of ruck work. Just a little weaker than the other boys

Watched the first half of the Crows trial and we looked far more polished and classy than they did. In fact of all the trial footage I've watched I have been most impressed with us and Collingwood.

We will be top 4 again, bookmark it

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I was pleased with the recruits who have come in.

Soldo was really good. Mobile with grunt. Takes marks around the ground. Can kick a goal.
I thought Sweet played a better game than most thought on here.
Ratugolea looked great until he was cautioned with injury.
I was very happy with Zerk and think he will improve.

I really like Anastasopoulos. He is fast and wants to kick goals. He could get some games this year. Just has that thang.
Charleson was good for a rookie.
Lorenz did a fair bit as well. Good to have another up and comer on the wing.

For me, the stand out for players outside the 23 was Josh Sinn with his pace and kick. I was very surprised to see him kicking out. I hope he gets his chance and takes it this year.
I was super duper happy to see Bergman has improved his kicking. He is in for a massive year.
Jase Burgoyne had a lot of good moments.

I thought the Hornet dominated in the last half. In for a massive year.
Georgiades was good but it usually takes a year to fully come back from a knee.
I was happy to see Clurey doing well.
Dante is looking good for the future.
Mead good in the midfield.

Wines looks much more spritely than last year. Still not huge impact though, for a midfielder.
Boak serviceable.
Dixon looking old.

Our backline should be a huge intercept team this year. We have so much marking down back it is not funny.

I would love an out and out A grade key forward for our team.

The team definitely had a vibe of the younger guys taking over and having their place in the Sun.

We've got the list, just not the coach.
 
nope, played div 2 for golden grove last year.
no wonder we're leaving the snafl, this is the barrel we're scraping to field a team of top up players.
I can only find the Norwood guy, maybe Golden Grove is where he'll play if not picked?
 
From everything I’ve read on here, we could conceivably go into the season without a single 30yo in our best 22.
Boak sub / final year?
Dixon carrying injury / final year?
McKenzie overtaken by Rat/BZT
Clurey depth (on a wing?)

Then Aliir and Ollie as our only 29yo
Willie, Finlayson (and DBJ) as our 28yo
Soldo and Burton 27
Houston and SPP 26.


Thats a pretty young group.
 
Not sure if it was by design, but don't think Georgiades tried to go for any big leaping leading marks that he usually went for and instead just roamed around half forward/wing to be a marking option.

Thought he did it well, reminded me of what Tredrea used to do. Maybe he studied the game while being out.
 
To the people that watched the stream, can anyone give me some names of any of the unlisted players that played?

There was a little indigenous lad who wasn't on the team sheet also.

Cooper?

Tiwi Islands

May have been on Gold Coast list as a rookie?

Maybe with the Goodwood Saints ? Not sure on that .

Think contracted to Port Magpies this year.

Pretty vague I know just they said a little about him in the commentary but can't find too much about him on google.
 

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