- Jun 7, 2019
- 5,345
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- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
I don't have the prestidigitation skills of Passmore, so my match comments have to wait until I get back to a keyboard. In general, I thought it was a pretty good performance, given Sandy were a noticeably bigger side all over the ground (as you'd expect, with Zac Jones playing in the centre and Jake Carlisle at full back). The only exceptions were of course Tom Campbell (easily BOG for North) and No. 80, who is either Damian Monkhorst's love child, or the world's largest human refrigerator (and unfortunately, with about the same mobility)
With Campbell, he's not likely to be renewed at the end of the year, but if budget allows, give him a contract as the VFL captain - he's a colossus of the game at this level, and makes them all walk taller.
In terms of game plan, they are trying to replicate what Noble wants from the one - attack the corridor by hand or foot at every opportunity. The best passages of play were all running by hand or short kicks through the corridor - when it works, it's a picture; turnovers are going to be the problem in the learning phase. North were out of gas with 5 minutes left in the 3rd qtr, and that's when the scoreline blew out.
There are no VFL squad numbers, so I can't really make any sensible comment on the VFL squad, but of the Afl list:
Phillips; played a half, was busy, kicked a good goal - you'd think having played a quarter against Hawks, and then a half today, then it's his tank they are working on.
Will Walker; played mostly in the centre, and not particularly effective. I'm not a believer like some on here, but first hit out so can't be too harsh, but needs to work on his contested ball - eg, lost one contest in the back pocket in the second quarter that cost a goal
Spicer: played forward in the first half, on the wing in the second. Set phillips up for a goal, tackles (so doesn't mind the contest), and had a particularly dazzling run in the last quarter (and then kicked out of bounds looking for Ford - oh well)
McGuiness - played as advertised, as a forward. Had some moments marking in transition, but has a lot of work to do with his kicking - missed a set shot soda in the second quarter, and jinked nicely in the 3rd to give himself a shot on goal, and missed what he should have kicked. Hopefully not one of those blokes who's a nice field kick, only for it to go to fertiliser when it has to go through two white poles.
Ford - played with a busted snoze; had some moments in hand ball chains, but drifted out of it
Xerri - played a half; provided a contest in the ruck, and not much around the ground. Presumably will be better for the run
P. Walker - played HBF in the first, on a wing in the second; rangey type, neat kick - can he get enough of it?
Atu - played in the back pocket; lost a one on one to concede a goal in the second, but then won his share. Responsible for igniting the best play of the day with a run down the corridor in the second qtr, so I can answer Ricky's concerns about him being recruited as a small forward to then find himself in the backline - he can run and use it, so my take is that they are working on the game plan first, and worrying about small forwards later. Atu fits the bill nicely as a running back, and his defensive work got better as the game went on
With Campbell, he's not likely to be renewed at the end of the year, but if budget allows, give him a contract as the VFL captain - he's a colossus of the game at this level, and makes them all walk taller.
In terms of game plan, they are trying to replicate what Noble wants from the one - attack the corridor by hand or foot at every opportunity. The best passages of play were all running by hand or short kicks through the corridor - when it works, it's a picture; turnovers are going to be the problem in the learning phase. North were out of gas with 5 minutes left in the 3rd qtr, and that's when the scoreline blew out.
There are no VFL squad numbers, so I can't really make any sensible comment on the VFL squad, but of the Afl list:
Phillips; played a half, was busy, kicked a good goal - you'd think having played a quarter against Hawks, and then a half today, then it's his tank they are working on.
Will Walker; played mostly in the centre, and not particularly effective. I'm not a believer like some on here, but first hit out so can't be too harsh, but needs to work on his contested ball - eg, lost one contest in the back pocket in the second quarter that cost a goal
Spicer: played forward in the first half, on the wing in the second. Set phillips up for a goal, tackles (so doesn't mind the contest), and had a particularly dazzling run in the last quarter (and then kicked out of bounds looking for Ford - oh well)
McGuiness - played as advertised, as a forward. Had some moments marking in transition, but has a lot of work to do with his kicking - missed a set shot soda in the second quarter, and jinked nicely in the 3rd to give himself a shot on goal, and missed what he should have kicked. Hopefully not one of those blokes who's a nice field kick, only for it to go to fertiliser when it has to go through two white poles.
Ford - played with a busted snoze; had some moments in hand ball chains, but drifted out of it
Xerri - played a half; provided a contest in the ruck, and not much around the ground. Presumably will be better for the run
P. Walker - played HBF in the first, on a wing in the second; rangey type, neat kick - can he get enough of it?
Atu - played in the back pocket; lost a one on one to concede a goal in the second, but then won his share. Responsible for igniting the best play of the day with a run down the corridor in the second qtr, so I can answer Ricky's concerns about him being recruited as a small forward to then find himself in the backline - he can run and use it, so my take is that they are working on the game plan first, and worrying about small forwards later. Atu fits the bill nicely as a running back, and his defensive work got better as the game went on
