Positives...

[didaka]

you were impressed with medders performance tonight?

I was. He went about it the right way. he gets on with it.

 

[Z_K]

You are kidding. From the AFL website:

BEST
Kangaroos: Sinclair, Jones, Simpson, Well

I don't to labour a very boring point too much, but the day I take the AFL website's 'best player' list over something I see with my own eyes is the day I pack it all in.

Simpson was awful. Sinclair was good, but not as good as Ben Johnson. Wells is 21 years old FFS.

To clarify:

Collingwood had a bunch of good players out, the majority of which will be included and will make a big difference in the round one game. Predicting which BTW was never going to be effected by tonights result. It's 5 weeks away, for a start.

But, anyone who says that North were propelled to 34 scoring shots and a 10 goal win on the back of senior players isn't watching with their brain turned on. Alot of sub 23yo's played very good footy tonight. Mostly for our side.

 

[DanA]

Hang on, whats the difference between now and then though?

And Buckley and Clement will obviously make a difference, but I seriously think your up the sh*tter if you think Swan and Fraser will, and even Lockyer Licuria. Again I add that I'm only going on tonights game (which is all there is to go on). Some of those names make Collingwoods side look better on paper but I thought the Roos were more the team that looked like having a good year. Just a gut feeling.

Firstly I am not a Pies fan so no refering to them as "your". Lets look at the game.

Collingwood were smashed in tapouts. Do you think their No.1 ruckmen (Fraser) might help there?

Collingwood were smashed in clerances. Do you think their no.1 clerance player (Obrea) might help there?

Corey Jones tore them a new one. Do you think their No.1 defender (Clement) might help there?

Collingwood were smashed across the half forward line. Do you think their No.1 forward (Rocca) might help a bit there?

Were missing their best ball carrier (Swan) and most polished player (Buckley).

If you think the Roos will win fair enough but you can't compare this game to Round 1

 

[DanA]

I don't to labour a very boring point too much, but the day I take the AFL website's 'best player' list over something I see with my own eyes is the day I pack it all in.

Simpson was awful. Sinclair was good, but not as good as Ben Johnson. Wells is 21 years old FFS.

To clarify:

Collingwood had a bunch of good players out, the majority of which will be included and will make a big difference in the round one game. Predicting which BTW was never going to be effected by tonights result. It's 5 weeks away, for a start.

But, anyone who says that North were propelled to 34 scoring shots and a 10 goal win on the back of senior players isn't watching with their brain turned on. Alot of sub 23yo's played very good footy tonight. Mostly for our side.

Simpson may not have been in the best but was not awful. Wells, Jones and Sinclair were clearly Norths best 3 if you can't see that you are on crack.

and Wells is going into his 5th year and will probably hit 100 games this year. He is not a kid anymore.

 

[JerryWexler]

Firstly I am not a Pies fan so no refering to them as "your". Lets look at the game.

Yes lets

Collingwood were smashed in tapouts. Do you think their No.1 ruckmen (Fraser) might help there?

If he ever gets 100% maybe, but I'd still back McIntosh Hale and from what I saw tonight Moran to cover that.

Collingwood were smashed in clerances. Do you think their no.1 clerance player (Obrea) might help there?

As opposed to Harris who has one of the best clearance percentages in the comp? No. And from the game tonight I believe O'Bree's pace or lack of is going to be an issue.

Corey Jones tore them a new one. Do you think their No.1 defender (Clement) might help there?

Thompson was out of it tonight. On a good day Wakelin isn't fit to tie Thompsons bootlaces. Enter Clement. Also the Roos seem to have a lot of rotations through their forward line with guys going in and out of the midfiel/forward line. Clements their only defender. Presti's past it and Wakelins a trier at best.

Collingwood were smashed across the half forward line. Do you think their No.1 forward (Rocca) might help a bit there?

Aside from Buckley although Firrito seems like a good match up there he's Probably the one guy the Kangaroos struggle to find a match up for. But unless he kicks a tenner, I'm with Kim Chambers. They're on the up from what I saw tonight. The Pies have a bit of rebuilding to do.

Were missing their best ball carrier (Swan) and most polished player (Buckley).

Might make a 2-3 goal difference in the grander scheme of things. But I doubt it'd make a 9-10 goal difference.

If you think the Roos will win fair enough but you can't compare this game to Round 1

I agree. But FWIW I think they will.

 

[nameless]

was going to start a new thread about pendlebury, fast becoming my favourite youngster. Watched him very very closely last year and i am amazed at his poise and decision making, very advanced players. I thought he was a big chance for rising star last year had he played half a dozen more games. If he added a defensive side to his game i think he will constantly be a top 5 player at your club in the future.

Came off the bench tonight and really did nothing wrong. Looks like hes continued his fine form from last year.

How much game time will he be given this year do u think? might be hard to find a permanent role in that midfield. Expect him to come off the bench?

Oh and i really dont think much can be read into these matches, apples and oranges - NAB cup and season proper. Lets just hope the roos can turn in a few members.

 

[Shane Hird]

Watchin that game mad me relise how imortant Clement is to your mob.


But I really like the look of Travis Cloke (when he actually gets the ball) and that goal of his taking the handpass at CHF and goaling from way out ...the pies should use him more for those..like you did with Lonie

Medhurst better get his act together


Wakelin has still got that run in him...real workhorse that guy..


I agree with someone who said Mick wasn't too interested in winning this match....good hit out it was and Rocca to come back in the side when the real stuff starts.

 

[Jabso]

Geez talk about losing your grip on reality kimpossible.

Just on Wakes, I don't see why pies fans were writing him off He is in his twighlight years and will never ever stand out at training apart from the usual "model professional" he is like part of the furniture, he may not stand out in the preseason but that doesn't mean he has lost it.

 

[Curto]

You say they had a full strength team but their two top goal scorers haven't played a game yet and

Ummm.... Thompson played and Rocca is kicking them further than ever.....please explain? Not certain about Rocca being 2nd..perhaps it was Archer or Hay (lol)?

Quack quack...or do gooses go honk honk?

 

[KissStephanie]

Judst an outsiders looking in opinion but I really don't think you'll be flogging the Kangas this year. But good luck for the season nonetheless.

An outsider looking in? Is that what you call yourself? To me you appear to be a vulture that is trolling instead because Collingwood lost a practice-match cup game and you'd like to rub it in. How wonderful it would be to win that competition though, then Collingwood could follow the steps of the past two winners, Carlton and Geelong.

There isn't much between any of the teams these days. If any team is slightly off, then they can be beaten by any other team. If one of those teams is only one or two players short of full-strength, and the other is missing up to a dozen, then a thrashing is quite likely.

Also, North actually wanted and needed to win, while Collingwood did not. North doesn't have any money or members and Collingwood has both. North had to perform in front of their 'home' crowd, while a severley depleted Collingwood obviously treated it as a practice match, so a comfortable loss was always likely.

Good luck to North on the win and the prize money, and I hope that the Gold Coast crowd support them to help them survive, but if you're going to use that match as a guide for Round 1, then you know little about footy. Last year Collingwood beat North by 77 points and 68 points, and I have no doubt that something similar can happen again in Round 1.

 

[ant22]

Hang on, whats the difference between now and then though?

And Buckley and Clement will obviously make a difference, but I seriously think your up the sh*tter if you think Swan and Fraser will, and even Lockyer Licuria. Again I add that I'm only going on tonights game (which is all there is to go on). Some of those names make Collingwoods side look better on paper but I thought the Roos were more the team that looked like having a good year. Just a gut feeling.

You obviously didn't see alot of collingwood last year. Fraser and swan where in our top 5 and will make a massive difference.

Truth is that this game meant and proved nothing. We played half a side and as a result it was an average low intensity game of footy. Neither side will know where they stand. It was nothing more than a few blokes blowing cobwebs out and both sides can take a few possitives out , the main one being that apart from harry obrien both sides got through unscathed.

Anyone who thinks they can gauge a whole lot out of last night is kidding themselve

 

[nossi5]

I disagree. On what I saw tonight I think they'll eat you in round one. You say they had a full strength team but their two top goal scorers haven't played a game yet and Archer and Brown never played. Buckley and Rocca are the only two additions that will make a difference but the trouble I see for Collingwood round one is midfield. You got smoked out of the middle and the likes of O'Bree and Lockyer aren't quick enough to alter what I saw tonight. Also their ruck stocks are clearly better even with Fraser in the equation.

What Nathan Thompson not one of there main goal scorers?

 

[Tarkyn_24]

I disagree. On what I saw tonight I think they'll eat you in round one. You say they had a full strength team but their two top goal scorers haven't played a game yet and Archer and Brown never played. Buckley and Rocca are the only two additions that will make a difference but the trouble I see for Collingwood round one is midfield. You got smoked out of the middle and the likes of O'Bree and Lockyer aren't quick enough to alter what I saw tonight. Also their ruck stocks are clearly better even with Fraser in the equation.

So putting Presti and Clement back in won't help us?
Work that one out.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Don't stress, folks, we have a pretty decent understanding of what difference Buckley, Clement, Presti, O'Bree, Swan, Fraser, Licuria etc. will make to the side. NAB Cup means bugger-all in terms of the start of the real thing.

We will have to play well to beat the Roos in Round 1, as they've been in pre-season so long and will be as match fit as anyone, but I would still expect to win at this stage.

Positives:
Pendlebury - got lots of ball, which is what we need almost above all else. He also used it reasonably well but ultimately will have to become more damaging (ie. penetrating). Very promising performance against a full-strength Roos side.

Brad ******** - Was I the only one who was super-impressed by this kid? He had a knack of being where the ball is, used it well when he got it, and his tackling and 2nd and 3rd efforts set an example. Wonderful debut.

Medhurst - Not very damaging but looked like he had come to play. When we get some more direction and leadership on the paddock, we'll be able to utilise him a lot more effectively. Pleased overall.

 

[FIGJAM]

Our senior blokes were ordinary tonight. Thompson was spanked, Simpson was ordinary, Rawlings unsighted, Harvey and Grant very patchy.

Alot of work done by alot of kids tonight. We had two teenagers kick 6 between them and a few kids in the ruck. Riggio, Hansen, Edwards, Thomas, Campbell all played their first 'games' tonight.I know Collingwood had a bunch out, but let's not pull stuff completely out of our arses eh?

Riggio and Hansen played rubbish. Jones, Sinclair, Wells, Simpson and McIntosh controlled center clearances and dominated over the kids.

Well said DanA.

And irrespective of mild performance from Norf senior players, they were all there abouts and positioned themselves far better than our kids, which is a result of experience, and the seniors set up many goals.

North's kids did well, but I reckon some of our kids would have performed better if surrounded by more seniors too. And if we were desparate for a win. A win to the Kangas tonight was more essential thhan Led Zeppelin IV!

 

[Coin_Toss]

And from the game tonight I believe O'Bree's pace or lack of is going to be an issue.

O'Bree's pace is a non-issue. He's our best clearance player and would have made a difference in the midfield.

Presti's past it

How did you come up with that assumption? Obviously not on last year's form!

 

[The Royal Sampler]

A player is "past it" when no-one can kick goals on them. Presti has been past it his entire career.

 

[doppleganger]

Positive was

PENDLES

negative

Rus, firrito is a bloke that taz would take to the cleaners, rus needs to do more against these types of players

 

[yeah-nah]

Positives

Pendlebury, Heater, BJ. Ken Doll

Negatives

Everyone else.

 

[jimmy35]

Positives ,

Pendles , I've been trying to tell ya' .


It was February 23rd and it looked like it for us . If you think North weren't better prepared for that game than us you are kidding yourself . It was good to get a run in , no major injuries and get a few kids with a run under their belts . Never good to lose a game and confidence can be everything but with another few weeks to go and a bit of quality in Buckley , Fraser , Presti , Rocca , Clement etc I'm still confident .
Some of the Roos' kids looked pretty good but it's a bit harder to replicate that in the season proper .

And one positive was Pendles . The lads going to be a star .

 

[bucksisbest]

I liked Pendlebury's game very much. His hands and poise are really quite beautiful.
Travis Cloke had a poor game , but his attack on the ball when in dispute I liked.
Wakelin was very good after a shocker last week.

Now , I really thought Heater should have been playing in the square tonight , as I would like to see him,Dane and O'Bree as our starting set-up this year. Ben Davies game was ********ing appalling , had goals kicked on him and did ******** all in giving some drive off half back , it's all fine and good to be dominant in intra-club games but if you can't perform against other clubs then you will get the arse. Illes has to start getting some ball and please keep him out of the backline , he has to just tag wingers or on-ballers , otherwise some hff kicks a bag. I'll give Toovey a break because they are trying to develop him in a new role , but please it is not hard to kick the ball 15 metres to someone standing alone under no real pressure. Rhyce was another who made plenty of bloopers , I was actually soothed by him stating after the game that if he made another error he would drag himself , atleast he knew. N.Brown actually attacked it well but his kicking was deplorable , looked better forward than back.Nicholls is more effective than he showed.
******** was good , has nice hands.
Robo-Cop was a non-event , part delivery,part him playing like a little timid girl , speaking of timid girls Lonie was piss-weak , Leon OK , BJ prolific but wasteful.
It is a pre-season game and they did play more of an experienced line-up , but we really did put up a ******** effort regardless and if we continue on the attitude of brushing it off with excuses , we will go backwards real quick.

 

[BoundforGlory]

Hang on, whats the difference between now and then though?

And Buckley and Clement will obviously make a difference, but I seriously think your up the sh*tter if you think Swan and Fraser will, and even Lockyer Licuria. Again I add that I'm only going on tonights game (which is all there is to go on). Some of those names make Collingwoods side look better on paper but I thought the Roos were more the team that looked like having a good year. Just a gut feeling.

Get back in your volvo MORON!

Fraser, Presti, Bucks, Clement, Rocca, Swan, Licuria, Obree, Didak, Holland & lockyer would all be in your best 22 at your pathetic club!!

Unlike your rabble of a club we dont need to win pre season games for money or members. Our club is that strong we simply just care about H & W season.

With these players bar for Holland & Didak, we will give north an absolute hiding in rnd 1, just like we did last year TWICE!

PS.. SO cant wait for Queens Bday, I suggest you head off to the snow that weekend!

 

[AsianWithAFro]

• Pendlebury
• Nicholls, Toovey, Brown, ******** all had an impact
• Forward line works well when ball is transferred quickly, this will happen more when the experienced ones come back in
• Wakelin still looks up to it
• Bryan is clearly a better ruck than Richards
• Johnson is a worthy leader of the team and was brilliant

All in all, we got done by 50 missing half of our team, while the Roos were pretty much full strength. Now we go back to proper rules (by the way that hands in the back rule is f*cking disgusting), slowly integrate our players back in, and build for round 1.

North did nothing to suggest they will be a force, we should knock them off in the real stuff I believe.

I wasn't convinced by brown scewed a lot of kicks a player that really suprised me was Nicholls he deserves a promotion.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I wasn't convinced by brown scewed a lot of kicks a player that really suprised me was Nicholls he deserves a promotion.

Dont worry too much about footskills - firstgamers often struggle with the pace of senior footy and rush their kicks.

Agree with Nicholls, looks exciting although he too many heaps of mistakes.

 

[Jabso]

I thought we wen't ok, not great but not terrible. We just never got a run on in the first half, in turn the kids went in to their shells and just reverted to stop-start football and tried the safe option far too much. It's hard to guage what our gameplan was like but I still think we were trying our running game that we excelled at in the first half of last season. Johnson, O'Brien, Shawx2,Johnson, Toovey, Egan were all trying to run with each other and create numbers but in the first half we were let down by poor disposal and decisions which without many leaders in the midfield alot of the kids went into their shells.

The second half was good but still nothing special.

My notes on the players.

1. Davis: Not much game time. Nothing special. He will never be a midfielder, apart from a couple of solid cameo appearances. Looks pretty bulky, let's hope that translates on the field.

2. Rusling: Disapointing but I'm not slashing my wrists over him since Royce Hart would have trouble playing well in a game full of flooding, crap kicking and stop-start football.

3. Lonie: I will not pass judgement on him until the season proper. I still feel he may suprise many. A nothing performance though, I don't know why people are calling his game soft just because he didn't bust heads.

7. Medhurst: Not bad. May offer something different.

10. Pendlebury: Me likey. Stick him in the midfield and watch him accumulate. His inside work is fantastic. He really does distribute the ball with his hands like a point guard. 29 disposals and 11 contested possesions (most on the ground) is a great outing. Just need someone to tell him to look further up the field and try to damage the opposition with his foot as he chips sideways a bit.

13. Thomas: Ok. Played a part, probably would of played much better if he had better players around him. His kicking to a short leading target is disapointing but nothing to worry about. More often than not he makes the right decision in regards to which spot to kick it to and even which kind of kick to use, he just needs a little more composure which comes with age.

14. Wakelin: He's still got it. Even though it's early doors and he may still decline he isn't going to disappear off the face of the earth.

15. Egan: Really needed better players around him. He can't get into the stop-start footy. All in all a typical Egan performance, however he is quickly eliminating errors in his disposal.

16. Brown: It's kinda hard to convince anyone you have good kicking skills when you only get about 5 of them and stuff up 2 or 3 of them. Nothing of concern really. He read the flight of the ball really well in one contest against two Swans players and spoilt really well. Most players wouldn't try to get in that contest.

17. Burns: See Wakelin. He still has a lot to offer.

19. Davies: Not up to it. Didn't have an abysmal game as people are saying but he did show that he was not up to it. Just has too many flaws and not enough outstanding strengths. Have a look at Nicholls, there is a player who knows what to do.

21. Richards: a so/so game. Some of his taps were ok. Still had some shocking moments where he just stands around. Nothing to encourage or discourage me.

22. R.Shaw: He could be a good player for us he offers something different. Just needs to slow down sometimes and not get too far ahead of himself. His errors don't show up as much as they used to but they still are there. However he has improved his kicking.

26. Johnson: Great line breaking. Great kicking. Great game. I thought he played really well and was not wastefull at all, in fact his disposal was damaging and if it wasn't it was tidy. He has 18 kicks and 11 of them were effective. The 3rd highest amount of effective kicks on the ground.

27. Maxwell: A very underrated performance. He is like a dynamic Jason Cloke. If we can free him up for the loose man in defence role he will kill it. However he can also man up on talls and smalls. A real asset.

29. Cook: seems to be a good mark and kick player. looks pretty composed. I still can't put my finger on his role though.

30. O'Brien: I like him and hope he plays good enough to be in the 22 because he is a good spoiler and loves to run. I'd actually like to see him play a loose HBF role. Is quicker than I thought he was. However, someone should tell him in defence that when he gets it use his great pace to get out of trouble rather than to try and dance around the issue.

32. Cloke: Worked very hard and looked bigger and more mobile. The best thing was his aggresiveness. Perhaps the chopping of his brothers has let him come out of his shell. Saw him barking out orders to some teammates which is a good sign to a player who can sometimes be passive.

33. Asterix: I like the kid! Not afraid to go in, good hands and confidence.

34. Toovey: Seems to be chasing arse alot but I liked his guts and second efforts. He is a bit lost in the midfield and is prone to errors though. Back pocket/medium defender is his role IMO.

37. Iles: A mixed bag. If he is going to be in our best 22 and release johnson/lonie/h.shaw I'd rather O'Brien do it. Still at least he's a straight-ahead player.

39. Heath: Same old heath. Would of liked him in the middle but oh well.

40. Bryan: I like him a bit better than Richards at this stage. His ruckwork reminds me a bit of McKee but a fair bit better. However what sets him apart from Richards is he is never standing still, he is floating down back or looking to lay off a shephard.

44. Nicholls: see davies. He knows what to do, he keeps it simple. Grabs the ball, runs with it, and kicks it long. I don't really see much problem with his height. His kicking is by no means the most damaging but it is long and direct.