It appears you don't like Artificial Park which creates an atmosphere like a hospital corridor?
HH, I think that comparison is unkind to hospitals - except for the fact they're both government funded.
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It appears you don't like Artificial Park which creates an atmosphere like a hospital corridor?
Saw the length of post and kept reading expecting you to include some analysis...Got to Docklands around 11.40 am yesterday (refuse to call it Marv... - because that's an abbreviation of "marvelous"). And this place is not that. It's basically a characterless sh*thole. It's a dump - a soulless echoing mausoleum - especially with the big tin roof closed - and with all the unfortunates there having to peer at the game through the half light
As far as I'm concerned, bring the bulldozers in tomorrow. If you want to create a good stadium from scratch, just copy the Perth Optus Stadium. A beautiful structure, designed by an architect who knew what he was doing. Wonderful atmosphere, great vision for spectators and perfectly designed to move crowds all at once.
Even experiencing what should be a joyful experience in escaping the Docklands sh*thole, is a frustration as you either have to walk down a tiny little stair case, designed to take 3 people at once, like you get in a 2 storey office building (perhaps the apprentice architects who designed the building knew there'd rarely be decent crowds there in the first place) - or shuffle down those ridiculous ramps which gives you a 2 km zigzag walk just to leave the dump.
Sorry, I got carried away, I was going to post some comments on the game. To follow.
And now a good analysisAnyway, Box Hill is playing great footy - just a continuation of last years's final series, despite a solid change in personnel.
Some selective comments regarding a few of the players yesterday.
Lewis and O'Brien are staring to knock the door down. TOB was terrific - his ability to get where the ball is, and decision making was first class. He has to get another chance soon.
Lewis could have been just as good but he missed some marked he should have cluncked.
Hanrahan is a big no for me. Granted he has the skills but he isn't active enough and should be far more involved in the game. I note 4P's comment above, but Jeeze, he should have built up a reasonable fitness base by now.
Brand must take Frawley's place next week. He's another one who'd reading the ball really well and playing to the structures.
Jiath - I'm one of his biggest fans but I didn't think I'd be saying this. I've though all along that he's so raw, he needs a full season with Box Hill. But not anymore. He's so bloody quick, he tackles well and racking up quality possessions. He's the very thing our senior side needs - pace and enthusiasm. Give him 4 senior games now - and see how he goes.
Andrew Moore - he does a lot of solid stuff, but in my view, yesterday he showed why he's no longer playing AFL. A number of critical errors and turnovers.
Dylan Moore - I was disappointed with him yesterday. Coming back from a taste of senior footy, I thought he would have grabbed this game by the neck. But I thought he was just in cruising mode, a bit like Ollie.
Luke Meadow - yesterday he demonstrated exactly why we should have drafted him when we had the chance. He's a gun. Tough inside mid, racking up possessions, getting the hard ball. What surprised me yesterday was the fact that he covered as much ground as Scully did in the seniors. I'll be really annoyed if another club takes him in the mid-year draft before us. He showed yesterday that he's a much better prospect than Harry Jones. Nothing against Harry, he was solid, but right now, Meadows would be a much more accomplished senior footballer.
Talking of guns, this kid can play - Nathan Boucher. Quick and gutsy, doesn't fumble, strong tackler, chases down defenders, good goal kicker, and strong mark for his size. Looks to me like a genuine prospect. The way St Kilda walked the ball unopposed out of our forward line yesterday, showed that there are openings for players like Bouchier (if drafted).
Jackson Ross - has also come on very quickly and must be given some senior games this year.
With Roughy in decline (although he played his best game for the year yesterday) Ross looks like a good senior prospect because he's got the speed and marking power we need from a tall (he's 193 cm which just qualifies him as a tall) - and he''s a genuine goal kicker.
Our forward line yesterday (seniors) was lumbering. St Kilda walked the ball out with ease because there was no pressure. Admittedly our team balance was shot because of the injuries but yesterday proved to me that we can't play 2 lumbering ruckmen especially when one is playing the role of marking forward. That's why ideally we need Lewis to come on quickly to stand in for Big Boy. Lewis will provide the speed and versatility on the forward line that Ceglar can't. That's obviously why Lewis was given that role to Pitto yesterday, he did a lot of ruckwork.
Anyway, Box Hill is playing great footy - just a continuation of last years's final series, despite a solid change in personnel.
Our forward line yesterday (seniors) was lumbering. St Kilda walked the ball out with ease because there was no pressure. Admittedly our team balance was shot because of the injuries but yesterday proved to me that we can't play 2 lumbering ruckmen especially when one is playing the role of marking forward. That's why ideally we need Lewis to come on quickly to stand in for Big Boy. Lewis will provide the speed and versatility on the forward line that Ceglar can't. That's obviously why Lewis was given that role to Pitto yesterday, he did a lot of ruckwork.
"was" the 23rd player.Boucher was/is the 23rd player, which means he can only play a maximum of 4 games for us (I believe), so only two more. Shame.
Kilpatrick had an amazing game in round 1, but didn't really notice him yesterday. I'm sure he will bounce back. Very nifty player....could easily become AFL standard if he puts the hard work in.
Cegs in the AFL....well he had an off day. Guaranteed he'll bounce back. Seemed to me that McEvoy played less game time, certainly less in the ruck. Playing with a niggle perhaps? I think he started off with a bandage on his head before the game even started....at first I laughed...but then thought wtf?
Edit: Haynes was actually 23rd player. Oops. Good that Boucher can play all season for us.
Haynes"was" the 23rd player.
Not this year.
Was someone else yesterday whose name escapes me.
Yep Walker has been good 2 in a row. Good size.M&M looks handy. Nice size and jumps aggressively when rucking. Moves smoothly and kicked a nice goal. Looks very under-developed for a bloke with two years on the Doggies list. Walker has impressed me. Good size and does some nice things. Mid-season draft I'd look at these two very closely.
Meadows competes well but not overly quick or elite. Minchington is a better player, would be handy at the moment.
I perhaps haven't seen as much of Box Hill as you, but the general consensus here at the end of 2017 seemed to be he was going to feature for Hawthorn early in 2018. A lot of folks had him in our 22 or on the cusp. He started off in our JLT games but then seemed to get further back in the selecton queue as the year went on. By the end of last year, from what I can see, he was as far from selection as he ever has been. Same as now.Well I thought Ollie improved quite a bit last year
He was an AFL emergency in round 1 or 2 this year so is perhaps closer than the sentiment here. He had some key moments in the VFL finals last year without starring. His first 2 VFL games this year have been average at best which is why he is being questioned particularly when guys like Boucher come in and fire immediately.I perhaps haven't seen as much of Box Hill as you, but the general consensus here at the end of 2017 seemed to be he was going to feature for Hawthorn early in 2018. A lot of folks had him in our 22 or on the cusp. He started off in our JLT games but then seemed to get further back in the selecton queue as the year went on. By the end of last year, from what I can see, he was as far from selection as he ever has been. Same as now.
Luke Meadow - yesterday he demonstrated exactly why we should have drafted him when we had the chance. He's a gun. Tough inside mid, racking up possessions, getting the hard ball. What surprised me yesterday was the fact that he covered as much ground as Scully did in the seniors. I'll be really annoyed if another club takes him in the mid-year draft before us. He showed yesterday that he's a much better prospect than Harry Jones. Nothing against Harry, he was solid, but right now, Meadows would be a much more accomplished senior footballer.
4P has mentioned Ollie has a dodgy tank, that never helps. But this is the VFL, AFL trained guys versus part-timers. Without slagging the guy too much he did not seem interested in doing much team stuff such as running to create space for his teammate or going for the easy short target. Even when he kicked the snap goal he did not look happy. He'd need to pull his finger out.
Brand hasn't lost a one-on-one contest yet and killed or marked every ball that's come his way, but he's only doing okay. Played on a Melbourne list KPF with AFL experience, and backed that up with a job on Sam Rowe, a 99 game AFL player.Brand - doing ok, really doesnt have many big forwards to play on so looks for more intercept marks and structure in defence