Preview Rd9 St Kilda v Geelong Sat 14th May 2022 @ Colonial 435 pm

[Art Vandelay_]

Evans is starting to concern. I think he would benefit from a handful of games in a row but he probably won’t get that grace. He will really need to dominate at VFL level now to get another look-in. They will go back to Dahlhaus before they pick him again.

How would you rank younger players in the reserves by performances this season?

I'd have Neale, Stephens, Knevitt, Dempsey and Zuthrie as having played better. In no specific order.
Menegola and Rohan will be in the picture soon enough too.

 

[allrighty]

Maybe a little bit of a horses for courses selection. Narkle probably better suited on the faster track where the ball is pinging around (offensively at least).

Evans was poor in preseason and very poor again. Not sure he is an AFL player. Miers is horribly out of form but has shown he can play at the level.

I would have preferred Cooper in, but not overly disappointed with this side.

Miers got into the best position many times last week and was not optioned. As someone above said he is being used as the link guy at the moment as he has the tank. If Rohan or Menenengola were fit they might make the swap.

Agree though he is way down on confidence which is sad

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Narkle over stephens is ridiculous narkle doesnt work hard enough.

At least stanley is back.

 

[Gunf]

Actually don't mind the changes but would of liked to see Cooper stay in instead of Narkle.

Otherwise happy with them as long as Coop is the sub.

 

[SkittleCats]

There's disagreeing. "They should have kept Stephens in the team" and melodrama suggesting he'll seek a trade now.

Because we've had such a good strike rate in the past at keeping rookies who've been on the list for years and barely been given a game despite showing potential.

 

[Gunf]

Because we've had such a good strike rate in the past at keeping rookies who've been on the list for years and barely been given a game despite showing potential.

You may have a case if Stephens was fit for that last 3 years and not getting chances but he hasn't been.

This year is the first time since he was recruited that he has put together enough games in a row to even be considered for selection.

 

[SkittleCats]

Last week was his seventh or eighth full game in about 4 years.

If it was an issue with his fitness then why play him in the AFL at all, give him a good run of games at VFL level and let him build up to it later in the year. If he is "crystal clear" about his future at the club then why rush him into the team in the first place?

He will play 150 games for the club.

I read this same thing about Linc McCarthy and Jordan Clark.

 

[catempire]

How would you rank younger players in the reserves by performances this season?

I'd have Neale, Stephens, Knevitt, Dempsey and Zuthrie as having played better. In no specific order.
Menegola and Rohan will be in the picture soon enough too.

I probably haven’t seen enough VFL to judge but my impression is he’s in that conversation. I don’t think he’s any less deserving on VFL form but he hasn’t taken the opportunities at AFL level.

Just a few weeks ago he played a very good game in the VFL:

 

[Stab Pass]

Because we've had such a good strike rate in the past at keeping rookies who've been on the list for years and barely been given a game despite showing potential.

Ah Stephens barely played in the TAC Cup because of injury, he then got drafted and played a half in two years. He's put in a solid 5 or 6 games in the VFL, had a pretty good debut in the AFL, has been made the sub and he's on the phone to his manager demanding a trade? If that's the case we probably don't want him. By the way, look at the footage after he was presented with his jumper and then tell me he's leaving.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

If it was an issue with his fitness then why play him in the AFL at all, give him a good run of games at VFL level and let him build up to it later in the year. If he is "crystal clear" about his future at the club then why rush him into the team in the first place?



I read this same thing about Linc McCarthy and Jordan Clark.

Some people are so far behind in the race they think they’re actually winning

 

[D BRIDGE]

Obviously I'd like to see Stephens again, but I thought that Knevitt looked like he has more upside from seeing them both last week.

I'm not really sure what skillset Stephens has or will have in the future that will be above average (felt the same about Constable) but I'm hoping that my gut feeling about him will be wrong and he can carve out a decent AFL career.... I also feel the same way about Frank, but we certainly scored a gun small forward in Stengle.

Knevitt has a bit of young Fyfe about him with his size and aerial ability.... also like the way he gets his arms up high and uses that height to handball over smaller midfield tacklers andd will eventually take strong contested grabs (gold for a mid). I'd put my $$$ on him being much more of a headache to oppositions in the future than Stephens.

In saying all of that... Narkle was ultra disappointing last week and is lucky to hold his spot

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I probably haven’t seen enough VFL to judge but my impression is he’s in that conversation. I don’t think he’s any less deserving on VFL form but he hasn’t taken the opportunities at AFL level.

Just a few weeks ago he played a very good game in the VFL:

I struggle to get the hype. He plays alright in the VFL but can’t figure out how it translates at AFL level.

Could end up as one that falls between the cracks.

 

[catempire]

Truly not surely what skillset Stephens has or will have in the future that will be above average

His first step or two when getting the ball is something special. I will regret saying this but the only player I’ve seen do something like it is Judd.*





*I AM NOT SAYING HE WILL BE THE NEXT CHRIS JUDD

 

[cats_09]

He should be a regular now, Miers isnt keeping him out based on performance, nor is O'Connor. But here we are, with both Miers and MOC still in and Stephens gets dropped after a week. He has probably been hearing that line for the last three years and it's bullshit. Our list management is awful when it comes to anyone under 28 years of age.

Why should he toil away in the VFL gaining nothing when he could be playing in the AFL and actually developing at almost any other club?

The recruitment train might continue but you dont let kids like Stephens jump off at the next station while keeping plodders like Miers in the team, and that is after the Linc and Clark experience.

Why would O'Connor have been omitted? He'll slot in down back replacing Bews who's out with concussion - pretty simple & obvious selection, so not sure what's continuous about it

 

[cats_09]

Miers got into the best position many times last week and was not optioned. As someone above said he is being used as the link guy at the moment as he has the tank. If Rohan or Menenengola were fit they might make the swap.

Agree though he is way down on confidence which is sad

I was looking at Miers heat maps just before - he's had 79 disposals at an average of 15.8 across his 5 games this season, only 19 (less than 25%) of those disposals have been in the forward 50

I'd rather see him playing closer to goal & be that small forward target we've seen in recent years, but it's not his role at the moment

 

[SkittleCats]

Why would O'Connor have been omitted?

Because he is a useless waste of space?

 

[cats_09]

I struggle to get the hype. He plays alright in the VFL but can’t figure out how it translates at AFL level.

Could end up as one that falls between the cracks.

I know some will compare Miers to Evans and question how the former keeps his spot in the side

But I think it's more like Evans is currently competing with Stengle & Close for a spot as a small forward, and he's behind both those guys based on the output of all three this year

I liked the look of Evans in his debut game last year, but he seems quieter this year when given his chance

 

[Gunf]

I was looking at Miers heat maps just before - he's had 79 disposals at an average of 15.8 across his 5 games this season, only 19 (less than 25%) of those disposals have been in the forward 50

I'd rather see him playing closer to goal & be that small forward target we've seen in recent years, but it's not his role at the moment

Yep he is playing a role that doesn't really suit him apart from his massive tank.
Once Menegola comes back i feel we will push him back forward or drop him completely.

 

[cats_09]

Does this look like a guy who's on the phone to his manager to request a trade because he's been selected as the medical sub this week & not the starting 22 on the Thursday night team sheet?

 

[Gunf]

Because he is a useless waste of space?

If you want to be upset at anyone be upset at Narkle for being rubbish in the first half and being good in the second as he is most likely to get dropped for Stephens if anyone

 

[feelinfeline]

I struggle to get the hype. He plays alright in the VFL but can’t figure out how it translates at AFL level.

Could end up as one that falls between the cracks.

Is there 'hype' about Evans. If so, I've missed it.

A few people have said they'd like him to get two or three games in a row rather than just one.

He was average at best last week, although I disagree he was 'very poor'.

Anyway, he has to go back and dominate in the twos if he wants another chance then put his best foot forward if he gets it.

 

[allrighty]

I was looking at Miers heat maps just before - he's had 79 disposals at an average of 15.8 across his 5 games this season, only 19 (less than 25%) of those disposals have been in the forward 50

I'd rather see him playing closer to goal & be that small forward target we've seen in recent years, but it's not his role at the moment

Yeah he's playing a role that may not be his 101. He is still in the team so assume his doing ok,

 

[SkittleCats]

If you want to be upset at anyone be upset at Narkle for being rubbish in the first half and being good in the second as he is most likely to get dropped for Stephens if anyone

Why cant i be upset at both?

 

[SkittleCats]

Does this look like a guy who's on the phone to his manager to request a trade because he's been selected as the medical sub this week & not the starting 22 on the Thursday night team sheet?

Good point, you got me, i conceded, there is absolutely no way, based on this tweet alone that a player, any player really, could ever choose to leave Geelong for lack of opportunity.

 

[Gunf]

Why cant i be upset at both?

You can but it makes no sense to be upset at a player playing defence or forward when you want a midfielder in.