I've got too much pent up Collingwood energy to spend, so why not waste some time reviewing a meaningless pre-season game? And let's be honest here, how meaningless can a game really be if Collingwood plays in it? And wins it? Against a near full-strength opposition? Without our entire first choice midfield? Take the lid off, premiership here we come...
THE TOP FIVE
1st. Jack Crisp
2nd. Jordan De Goey
3rd. Tom Phillips
4th. Steele Sidebottom
5th. Jack Ramsay, Levi Greenwood, Lynden Dunn, Will Hoskin-Elliott
THE BOTTOM FIVE (this feels like a particularly harsh exercise for a pre-season match, however...)
5th. Darcy Moore
4th. James Aish
3rd. Jeremy Howe
2nd. Chris Mayne
1st. Tyson Goldsack
THE REVIEWS
Jack Crisp: probably our best over four quarters. Led the midfield brigade and won most of his possessions in tight and close. He was the player keeping us in it for the first three quarters when Jobe, Dyson, Merrett and co were still on the field and tearing us up. His contested play was a highlight - led the team for clearances and tackles. Two goals to top it off were just reward. Hopefully he can continue this form when the bigger guns reclaim their spots in the centre.
Jordan De Goey: quiet early, but warmed into it, and his last quarter probably won us the game. He's added some serious size this preseason without losing any pace, and he looked Dangerfield-esque at times breaking through tackles with power and aggression. He's a much more natural midfielder than he is a forward flanker; I'm praying we see him more in the guts this year. His finish for his last goal, on the left, off balance, 40 metres out across his body was pure class. More of the same please Jordan!
Tom Phillips: our best in the first half. He was everywhere. Used his tank to supreme effect and just popped up all over the ground. Won most of his ball uncontested as nobody could go with him - a very Isaac Smith or Brad Hill brand of football. His skills and decision making were neat and composed. He's put his hand up for a bench spot in round one if he can string a few more performances like that together. Also wins the LaLaLand award for best Ryan Gosling resemblance on field.
Steele Sidebottom: He coasted his way through the entirety of the game and still racked up 21 effortless disposals. Well and truly in second gear and happy to leave the heavy lifting in the midfield to the lesser lights of Greenwood, De Goey and Crisp, but still showed poise and class with most touches. His ability to find space in traffic was key in a few of our early forward breaks. I'd like to see him played more up forward this season, where his tank and his ground ball nous could make him a really difficult match up for opposition defenders.
Levi Greenwood: performed his battering-ram role admirably. Never going to be an elite user, but he can be an elite tryer. If he brings that effort to every game, he'll hold his spot, despite the inevitable errors by hand and foot which Levi will always give you. The good, however, firmly outweighs the bad when he's attacking the contest like he was last night.
Jack Ramsay: how wonderful to see him back and breaking lines again. His distinct running action really makes you take notice when he receives the ball across half back and tears up ground, it's exciting to see. His disposal was very solid for the most part and improved as the night went on, and once Sinkers went down he was the main avenue out of defence for us. His precise kicking set up at least three of our forward surges in the last. I'm an unashamed fan. Think he'll start for us in round one.
Lynden Dunn: I had absolutely no idea what to expect here. What it looks like we've got is a Nathan Brown clone with a very good kick. I'll take that. He's built like a tank, can roost it 60+ metres, makes good decisions (barring the one horrendous kickout) and can hold his own in contests. He's going to battle against faster forwards, but I doubt we'll play him unless there's a suitable matchup. As it stands, he looks like a clear upgrade on our Brown/Frost/Marsh setup, for the sole reason that he can actually kick - and to a very high level.
Darcy Moore: much like the intra-club, he had very little impact. But there were some encouraging signs there. He beat his man (Ambrose, for the most part, who is a very handy defender) on several occasions only to get hands to the ball and drop the mark. If he'd stuck all the marks you'd expect him to, we'd probably be raving about a four or five goal game. Not worried in the slightest. He's our next premiership key forward.
James Aish: neat and tidy when he got the ball, a couple of decent grabs, but lacking intensity and involvement. Not much to worry about for a first, meaningless hitout, but his coasting seemed reminiscent of the early-season Aish of last year, and that's a player that we'd all like to forget. Once he gets involved regularly, he'll be quality. Let's hope for James that this is the year. We could use his class on a regular basis.
Jeremy Howe: must have had his minutes managed, because aside from an early attempt at mark of the year, he was barely sighted. His few touches were good, but they were indeed few - two kicks and three handballs. Interestingly he set up across the back half - let's hope that's where he stays. He could have an AA year if he can play a full season at last year's levels.
Chris Mayne: another who barely had an impact - even his goal was a bit of a shank which dribbled through against the odds. Clearly still learning structures and patterns, as he could hardly get near it. Showed some trademark defensive effort but will want to become more involved over the rest of the JLT series, or he might find himself behind the growing list of medium forward options at our disposal. Which brings us to...
Will Hoskin-Elliott: has class, poise, pace, goal sense and X-factor. Also has the ability to look a little soft and go missing for chunks of the game. But he's exciting to watch and if his consistency can be improved, we've got a genuine player on our hands. The look on Baguely's face after WHE pulled down that one-handed grab in the last was priceless. He's done enough to pique our interest ahead of round one; he might nab a spot ahead of the likes of Aish or Mayne if he continues to impress in the JLT.
Tyson Goldsack: had a bit of a 'mare. Got skinned by Fantasia and Green a few times early, which cost us goals. Failed to intercept a floating kick forward by the Dons which gave Fantasia his second or third. That kick in the last to put the ball out on the full under zero pressure was groan-inducing. I like Tyson, I think there's a place for him in the back six if he's on song; but on last night's performance, he's got some work to do to retain his place ahead of Dunn, Ramsay, Howe, Reid, Maynard and, when fit, Sinclair, who are all ahead of him at this stage.
Matthew Scharenberg: no injuries! Move on from there and build into the season, Matt. Won't be in line for a round one spot based on last night, but after such a long time out of the game, nobody should be expecting to see his best for a few months at least. When he gets an extended run at it, I suspect we'll all be pleasantly surprised by what he can offer.
Ben Sinclair: injuries! So unlucky, our Ben. It's a shame because I think he's almost our first choice small defender these days. He and Ramsay were combining really nicely. His chase down on Fantasia running into an open goal was immense. He's all heart and deserves a fair break for once. Let's hope this hamstring is the last hurdle he has to jump for quite some time.
Jarryd Blair: was part of a solid midfield rotation which competed with a near first-choice lineup for Essendon. Competed hard and linked up well. No brainfade moments, either. He always seems to play better in these pre-season games when the bigger guns aren't there to take midfield minutes away from him. I suspect he'd be a handy 6th or 7th mid in the rotation, but there are just too many ahead of him for that role. As it stands, I'm struggling to find a spot for him in our top 26 players. He was good last night, but we might be seeing less of him going forward.
Travis Varcoe: kicked a couple of important goals, and was clean in possession. Led the team for tackles and generally played like we know he can, just toned down one or two (or three) gears. Solid, if a little unremarkable. Would love to see him get back to his 2015 form after a poorly timed hamstring really interrupted his 2016 campaign.
Jesse White: Very, very Jesse White game. Kicked an important goal and directly assisted two others, including a remarkable outside of the boot pass to Varcoe. Then dropped some easy marks. Then won a couple of excellent 50/50 contests and burnt off his opponent with pace. Then missed a target or two. Then crashed a pack and set up another goal. Overall, the good was better than the bad was bad. If he can keep contributing, hitting up on the lead, and chip in with one or two goals most games, he'll do enough to hold his spot. There's 30+ goals on offer for him this season. I think he could surprise a few of us.
Brayden Maynard: looks to have gained a yard or two of pace - was keeping step with Colyer for much of the night, and that guy has got some serious wheels. Hard as nails and his disposal looks to have improved from last season, where you could always bank on a howler per game. No egregious errors last night. Looks bigger but with less puppyfat. He's really coming along. If he plays on Lindsay Thomas he might kill him.
Lachie Keeffe: rusty, but showed some signs, which is all you could really ask for after so long out of the game. Wasn't embarrassed in the ruck by any stretch, and had one or two involvements around the ground that made me think we might have something to work with in the 2nd ruck position. Like Blicavs, he's too fit for most other 200+cm guys to go with, so he found himself unmarked in the forward half a couple of times. Pretty certain two of our last quarter goals went through him in the scoring chain. I think he's probably behind Cox in the ruck stakes, but there's a glimmer of hope there.
Mason Cox: I actually really liked his ruckwork, especially in the centre square. A few of his taps went straight down the throat of Crisp and De Goey for clean, deep F50 entries. We were mercilessly slaughtered in the centre bounces the last two seasons, so any signs of life in that department are very welcome. Took a couple of strong marks, but missed an easy chance up forward and stupidly tried to pass instead of kicking from 30 metres out. Bonus points for sitting on Goddard's head.
Henry Schade: was very good defensively, other than being unfairly pinged for a holding the man free kick on Stewart in the second. Links up well enough and his disposal is a definite upgrade on Frost/Brown/Marsh/Williams (that gives me shudders just typing it out). He's still a beanpole, but there's plenty to work with here. Looks to be a shrewd recruit, ready to fill a role if required, and with scope to improve even further.
Alex Fasolo: didn't do a lot - eight possessions and no goals - but still looks dangerous when he's around the ball. Clearly lacking for touch, as he fumbled and shanked a few kicks, and we all know how clean and skillful this guy can be when he's switched on. Will be better for the run. He and Elliott together and in form would be a (k)nightmare proposition for any opposition coach. Speaking of which...
Jamie Elliott: welcome back! Only played the first half, but kicked a goal, took two really strong overhead grabs, showed real pace and agility - everything you'd hope for in a return match. Most importantly, there was literally zero indication that his back was bothering him. Watching Tomahawk carry a back injury a couple of years ago was like watching a bricklayer on worker's comp; watching Jamie last night was like watching the spring-heeled Jack we all fell in love with two or three seasons ago. His absence last year really can't be understated.
Josh Daicos: didn't play the first half, didn't touch it in the third quarter, then gathered 7 possessions in the last, including an assist or two. I saw more than enough to get excited. Clean with the ball and moves exceptionally well in traffic. His anticipation is also very sharp - he got a disrupting hand on a series of Bombers handballs in the last which set up De Goey's first goal. I don't necessarily think we'll see him early; but I don't think he'd look out of place at senior level, either. For a guy that was taken with our last live pick in the draft, he's already miles ahead of where I thought he'd be.
THE TOP FIVE
1st. Jack Crisp
2nd. Jordan De Goey
3rd. Tom Phillips
4th. Steele Sidebottom
5th. Jack Ramsay, Levi Greenwood, Lynden Dunn, Will Hoskin-Elliott
THE BOTTOM FIVE (this feels like a particularly harsh exercise for a pre-season match, however...)
5th. Darcy Moore
4th. James Aish
3rd. Jeremy Howe
2nd. Chris Mayne
1st. Tyson Goldsack
THE REVIEWS
Jack Crisp: probably our best over four quarters. Led the midfield brigade and won most of his possessions in tight and close. He was the player keeping us in it for the first three quarters when Jobe, Dyson, Merrett and co were still on the field and tearing us up. His contested play was a highlight - led the team for clearances and tackles. Two goals to top it off were just reward. Hopefully he can continue this form when the bigger guns reclaim their spots in the centre.
Jordan De Goey: quiet early, but warmed into it, and his last quarter probably won us the game. He's added some serious size this preseason without losing any pace, and he looked Dangerfield-esque at times breaking through tackles with power and aggression. He's a much more natural midfielder than he is a forward flanker; I'm praying we see him more in the guts this year. His finish for his last goal, on the left, off balance, 40 metres out across his body was pure class. More of the same please Jordan!
Tom Phillips: our best in the first half. He was everywhere. Used his tank to supreme effect and just popped up all over the ground. Won most of his ball uncontested as nobody could go with him - a very Isaac Smith or Brad Hill brand of football. His skills and decision making were neat and composed. He's put his hand up for a bench spot in round one if he can string a few more performances like that together. Also wins the LaLaLand award for best Ryan Gosling resemblance on field.
Steele Sidebottom: He coasted his way through the entirety of the game and still racked up 21 effortless disposals. Well and truly in second gear and happy to leave the heavy lifting in the midfield to the lesser lights of Greenwood, De Goey and Crisp, but still showed poise and class with most touches. His ability to find space in traffic was key in a few of our early forward breaks. I'd like to see him played more up forward this season, where his tank and his ground ball nous could make him a really difficult match up for opposition defenders.
Levi Greenwood: performed his battering-ram role admirably. Never going to be an elite user, but he can be an elite tryer. If he brings that effort to every game, he'll hold his spot, despite the inevitable errors by hand and foot which Levi will always give you. The good, however, firmly outweighs the bad when he's attacking the contest like he was last night.
Jack Ramsay: how wonderful to see him back and breaking lines again. His distinct running action really makes you take notice when he receives the ball across half back and tears up ground, it's exciting to see. His disposal was very solid for the most part and improved as the night went on, and once Sinkers went down he was the main avenue out of defence for us. His precise kicking set up at least three of our forward surges in the last. I'm an unashamed fan. Think he'll start for us in round one.
Lynden Dunn: I had absolutely no idea what to expect here. What it looks like we've got is a Nathan Brown clone with a very good kick. I'll take that. He's built like a tank, can roost it 60+ metres, makes good decisions (barring the one horrendous kickout) and can hold his own in contests. He's going to battle against faster forwards, but I doubt we'll play him unless there's a suitable matchup. As it stands, he looks like a clear upgrade on our Brown/Frost/Marsh setup, for the sole reason that he can actually kick - and to a very high level.
Darcy Moore: much like the intra-club, he had very little impact. But there were some encouraging signs there. He beat his man (Ambrose, for the most part, who is a very handy defender) on several occasions only to get hands to the ball and drop the mark. If he'd stuck all the marks you'd expect him to, we'd probably be raving about a four or five goal game. Not worried in the slightest. He's our next premiership key forward.
James Aish: neat and tidy when he got the ball, a couple of decent grabs, but lacking intensity and involvement. Not much to worry about for a first, meaningless hitout, but his coasting seemed reminiscent of the early-season Aish of last year, and that's a player that we'd all like to forget. Once he gets involved regularly, he'll be quality. Let's hope for James that this is the year. We could use his class on a regular basis.
Jeremy Howe: must have had his minutes managed, because aside from an early attempt at mark of the year, he was barely sighted. His few touches were good, but they were indeed few - two kicks and three handballs. Interestingly he set up across the back half - let's hope that's where he stays. He could have an AA year if he can play a full season at last year's levels.
Chris Mayne: another who barely had an impact - even his goal was a bit of a shank which dribbled through against the odds. Clearly still learning structures and patterns, as he could hardly get near it. Showed some trademark defensive effort but will want to become more involved over the rest of the JLT series, or he might find himself behind the growing list of medium forward options at our disposal. Which brings us to...
Will Hoskin-Elliott: has class, poise, pace, goal sense and X-factor. Also has the ability to look a little soft and go missing for chunks of the game. But he's exciting to watch and if his consistency can be improved, we've got a genuine player on our hands. The look on Baguely's face after WHE pulled down that one-handed grab in the last was priceless. He's done enough to pique our interest ahead of round one; he might nab a spot ahead of the likes of Aish or Mayne if he continues to impress in the JLT.
Tyson Goldsack: had a bit of a 'mare. Got skinned by Fantasia and Green a few times early, which cost us goals. Failed to intercept a floating kick forward by the Dons which gave Fantasia his second or third. That kick in the last to put the ball out on the full under zero pressure was groan-inducing. I like Tyson, I think there's a place for him in the back six if he's on song; but on last night's performance, he's got some work to do to retain his place ahead of Dunn, Ramsay, Howe, Reid, Maynard and, when fit, Sinclair, who are all ahead of him at this stage.
Matthew Scharenberg: no injuries! Move on from there and build into the season, Matt. Won't be in line for a round one spot based on last night, but after such a long time out of the game, nobody should be expecting to see his best for a few months at least. When he gets an extended run at it, I suspect we'll all be pleasantly surprised by what he can offer.
Ben Sinclair: injuries! So unlucky, our Ben. It's a shame because I think he's almost our first choice small defender these days. He and Ramsay were combining really nicely. His chase down on Fantasia running into an open goal was immense. He's all heart and deserves a fair break for once. Let's hope this hamstring is the last hurdle he has to jump for quite some time.
Jarryd Blair: was part of a solid midfield rotation which competed with a near first-choice lineup for Essendon. Competed hard and linked up well. No brainfade moments, either. He always seems to play better in these pre-season games when the bigger guns aren't there to take midfield minutes away from him. I suspect he'd be a handy 6th or 7th mid in the rotation, but there are just too many ahead of him for that role. As it stands, I'm struggling to find a spot for him in our top 26 players. He was good last night, but we might be seeing less of him going forward.
Travis Varcoe: kicked a couple of important goals, and was clean in possession. Led the team for tackles and generally played like we know he can, just toned down one or two (or three) gears. Solid, if a little unremarkable. Would love to see him get back to his 2015 form after a poorly timed hamstring really interrupted his 2016 campaign.
Jesse White: Very, very Jesse White game. Kicked an important goal and directly assisted two others, including a remarkable outside of the boot pass to Varcoe. Then dropped some easy marks. Then won a couple of excellent 50/50 contests and burnt off his opponent with pace. Then missed a target or two. Then crashed a pack and set up another goal. Overall, the good was better than the bad was bad. If he can keep contributing, hitting up on the lead, and chip in with one or two goals most games, he'll do enough to hold his spot. There's 30+ goals on offer for him this season. I think he could surprise a few of us.
Brayden Maynard: looks to have gained a yard or two of pace - was keeping step with Colyer for much of the night, and that guy has got some serious wheels. Hard as nails and his disposal looks to have improved from last season, where you could always bank on a howler per game. No egregious errors last night. Looks bigger but with less puppyfat. He's really coming along. If he plays on Lindsay Thomas he might kill him.
Lachie Keeffe: rusty, but showed some signs, which is all you could really ask for after so long out of the game. Wasn't embarrassed in the ruck by any stretch, and had one or two involvements around the ground that made me think we might have something to work with in the 2nd ruck position. Like Blicavs, he's too fit for most other 200+cm guys to go with, so he found himself unmarked in the forward half a couple of times. Pretty certain two of our last quarter goals went through him in the scoring chain. I think he's probably behind Cox in the ruck stakes, but there's a glimmer of hope there.
Mason Cox: I actually really liked his ruckwork, especially in the centre square. A few of his taps went straight down the throat of Crisp and De Goey for clean, deep F50 entries. We were mercilessly slaughtered in the centre bounces the last two seasons, so any signs of life in that department are very welcome. Took a couple of strong marks, but missed an easy chance up forward and stupidly tried to pass instead of kicking from 30 metres out. Bonus points for sitting on Goddard's head.
Henry Schade: was very good defensively, other than being unfairly pinged for a holding the man free kick on Stewart in the second. Links up well enough and his disposal is a definite upgrade on Frost/Brown/Marsh/Williams (that gives me shudders just typing it out). He's still a beanpole, but there's plenty to work with here. Looks to be a shrewd recruit, ready to fill a role if required, and with scope to improve even further.
Alex Fasolo: didn't do a lot - eight possessions and no goals - but still looks dangerous when he's around the ball. Clearly lacking for touch, as he fumbled and shanked a few kicks, and we all know how clean and skillful this guy can be when he's switched on. Will be better for the run. He and Elliott together and in form would be a (k)nightmare proposition for any opposition coach. Speaking of which...
Jamie Elliott: welcome back! Only played the first half, but kicked a goal, took two really strong overhead grabs, showed real pace and agility - everything you'd hope for in a return match. Most importantly, there was literally zero indication that his back was bothering him. Watching Tomahawk carry a back injury a couple of years ago was like watching a bricklayer on worker's comp; watching Jamie last night was like watching the spring-heeled Jack we all fell in love with two or three seasons ago. His absence last year really can't be understated.
Josh Daicos: didn't play the first half, didn't touch it in the third quarter, then gathered 7 possessions in the last, including an assist or two. I saw more than enough to get excited. Clean with the ball and moves exceptionally well in traffic. His anticipation is also very sharp - he got a disrupting hand on a series of Bombers handballs in the last which set up De Goey's first goal. I don't necessarily think we'll see him early; but I don't think he'd look out of place at senior level, either. For a guy that was taken with our last live pick in the draft, he's already miles ahead of where I thought he'd be.
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