Which team out of Adelaide, North and Hawthorn has the better youth? Part 2

[Guardian Hawk]

On topic, both North and Hawthorn, despite poor stats to the year, have 'unearthed' or added some additional young talent in 2024.

D'Ambrosio has looked good (probably Hawthorn's best so far), as has Ginnivan (which is hard to do as a small forward in a struggling side).

For North, McKercher has hit the ground running and Powell has taken a big step up (after an injury interrupted '23).

 

[SSSSSS]

On topic, both North and Hawthorn, despite poor stats to the year, have 'unearthed' or added some additional young talent in 2024.

D'Ambrosio has looked good (probably Hawthorn's best so far), as has Ginnivan (which is hard to do as a small forward in a struggling side).

For North, McKercher has hit the ground running and Powell has taken a big step up (after an injury interrupted '23).

Chol has been good.

I also like Fisher for North although his performances can be hit or miss depending on if he has kicking boots on or not. He did on the weekend but the week prior was a bit shaky ball in hand. Maybe just some nerves.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Chol has been good.

I also like Fisher for North although his performances can be hit or miss depending on if he has kicking boots on or not. He did on the weekend but the week prior was a bit shaky ball in hand. Maybe just some nerves.

True (I was really only speaking to youth as per the thread so neither Fisher or Chol counted).

I also think it is only a matter of time before Watson has a big impact on a game. He has improved considerably each week from anonymous in the practice games to quiet but with a few (lower percentage) shots on goal in Round 1 to quite involved but inaccurate in Round 2. Either way, to have 7 shots on goal as a small forward in your first 2 games in a team being thrashed in the middle suggests to me it is only a matter of time before he starts kicking multiple goals (going by his stats as a junior, 1 goal 6 seems to be quite uncharacteristic and likely a result of nerves).

 

[SSSSSS]

True (I was really only speaking to youth as per the thread so neither Fisher or Chol counted).

I also think it is only a matter of time before Watson has a big impact on a game. He has improved considerably each week from anonymous in the practice games to quiet but with a few (lower percentage) shots on goal in Round 1 to quite involved but inaccurate in Round 2. Either way, to have 7 shots on goal as a small forward in your first 2 games in a team being thrashed in the middle suggests to me it is only a matter of time before he starts kicking multiple goals (going by his stats as a junior, 1 goal 6 seems to be quite uncharacteristic and likely a result of nerves).

I'm pretty sure this bloke is about 14.

 

[the big lebowski]

Pretty over-reactive analysis. We've played the game style they are bemoaning for exactly 1 quarter in Sam Mitchell's entire tenure. We are normally a fast, attacking team (and reverted to such after quarter time). We tried something different for a quarter (because May, Lever and Gawn have destroyed us with intercepts in previous encounters). "Avoiding long down the line" was probably implemented far more strictly (and slowly) than planned and it was scrapped after quarter time. We've not played that way in any other game so I don't think it is really worth a big implication analysis.

I’d agree it was a little silly. Especially the would you rather lose like north or win like hawthorn. I’d kill for a win no matter how it occurred.

Re youth, I’ve been blown away by Dursma expectations wise.

11 marks in your second game is staggering.

He took 38% more marks than Dylan Stephens had possessions.

 

[SSSSSS]

I’d agree it was a little silly. Especially the would you rather lose like north or win like hawthorn. I’d kill for a win no matter how it occurred.

Re youth, I’ve been blown away by Dursma expectations wise.

11 marks in your second game is staggering.

He took 38% more marks than Dylan Stephens had possessions.

Surely there are better options than Stephens and CCJ on the list. Is Comben still training with the backs?

I honestly think Kosi is better than CCJ and Kosi freaking sucks.

 

[TheUnicorn]

On topic, both North and Hawthorn, despite poor stats to the year, have 'unearthed' or added some additional young talent in 2024.

D'Ambrosio has looked good (probably Hawthorn's best so far), as has Ginnivan (which is hard to do as a small forward in a struggling side).

For North, McKercher has hit the ground running and Powell has taken a big step up (after an injury interrupted '23).

I tried to tell ya’ll what a gun D’ambro would be for you guys but ya’ll just kept calling him a spud

I’m glad he’s doing well. He was one of my favourite players.

 

[the big lebowski]

Surely there are better options than Stephens and CCJ on the list. Is Comben still training with the backs?

I honestly think Kosi is better than CCJ and Kosi freaking sucks.

Hugh Greenwood is a better option than CCJ.

I don’t believe we will start winning until there is a genuine second tall forward. I backed them in with CCJ but it’s been a clear fail. He’s no where near the answer.

Yes Comben has been playing chb. First game at vfl level there on the weekend and whilst I didnt see the game, I saw the highlights and to me he doesn’t look like he knows what he’s doing.

The move down back was mooted by rattan and Viney in a Q&A last year when clarko wasn’t even at the club. We were sold on it as a way to protect his body and get games into him.

Doesn’t make sense to me at all.

Playing him forward is what 50% of what north people want and it’s getting more each week.

He’d instantly become our best pressure forward (which is another unresolved issue).

Talk that sellers will debut soon. Kicked 6 in the vfl last week and has been kicking heaps prior to that. Is he the answer? Who knows.

All we know for sure is that CCJ is not afl standard and it’s hurting us.

 

[SSSSSS]

Hugh Greenwood is a better option than CCJ.

I don’t believe we will start winning until there is a genuine second tall forward. I backed them in with CCJ but it’s been a clear fail. He’s no where near the answer.

Yes Comben has been playing chb. First game at vfl level there on the weekend and whilst I didnt see the game, I saw the highlights and to me he doesn’t look like he knows what he’s doing.

The move down back was mooted by rattan and Viney in a Q&A last year when clarko wasn’t even at the club. We were sold on it as a way to protect his body and get games into him.

Doesn’t make sense to me at all.

Playing him forward is what 50% of what north people want and it’s getting more each week.

He’d instantly become our best pressure forward (which is another unresolved issue).

Talk that sellers will debut soon. Kicked 6 in the vfl last week and has been kicking heaps prior to that. Is he the answer? Who knows.

All we know for sure is that CCJ is not afl standard and it’s hurting us.

I like Sellers in the VFL but I think he's too small and too slow to make it as a KPF in VFL level. Maybe he can be a Mihocek type who is a similar size and not athletically blessed but can utilise his tank and positioning to find marks around the ground and outwork his opponent.

He will be an upgrade on CCJ who is useless though.

 

[gungho]

North are starting to put together an impressive group of youngsters. If they can keep them all they will come back up the ladder soon enough.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Laying into the 1st quarter like Mitchell wanted us to not take meterage is a bit dumb, but Buckley was right, the rest of what they said about Hawthorn in the first two weeks is spot on.

We were a very good clearance side last year and so far this year we’ve been rubbish.

That being said, we’re 2nd in the comp currently, behind Port only, for Marks inside 50 per inside 50, so if we can start to win a few clearances we should be a lot better off.

 

[BennyGan]

North's top end young talent I'd say is the best of the 3 teams but they have absolutely nothing in the way of key position players coming through. Assume they are probably gonna have to target that in free agency over the next few years

 

[Makeshift Park]

North's top end young talent I'd say is the best of the 3 teams but they have absolutely nothing in the way of key position players coming through. Assume they are probably gonna have to target that in free agency over the next few years

"Absolutely nothing" is a pretty harsh description of 1st round pick Wil Dawson, 1st round pick Taylor Goad, and second round selection Charlie Comben.

But if Comben remains as a defender, then yes, a partner for Larkey has to be a trade priority.

Though it would make more list sense if the long-term plan is Logue and the Dawsons down back, with Comben re-joining Larks.

 

[BennyGan]

"Absolutely nothing" is a pretty harsh description of 1st round pick Wil Dawson, 1st round pick Taylor Goad, and second round selection Charlie Comben.

But if Comben remains as a defender, then yes, a partner for Larkey has to be a trade priority.

Though it would make more list sense if the long-term plan is Logue and the Dawsons down back, with Comben re-joining Larks.

Goad is a ruck, which I don't classify as a key position.
I'm not a Comben fan.
Will Dawson I was probably a little harsh on. He probably has the upside to be something but he is for sure a project. I hope North let him settle down in the backline cause I think that's where his best position will be.

 

[the big lebowski]

I'm not a Comben fan.

Out of interest, why?

 

[BennyGan]

Out of interest, why?

Hasn't shown anything to me in 4 years that suggests he's an AFL player.
Even at VFL level he is very inconsistent.
Maybe that's cause he has been moved around a bit and hasn't found a position yet.
Seems like a nice dude and I hope he can find a spot down back but I'm yet to see anything from him.
The fact that Pink walked in and took a spot over him in just one preseason suggests he still has a lot to learn.

 

[Sphynx]

Goad is a ruck, which I don't classify as a key position.
I'm not a Comben fan.
Will Dawson I was probably a little harsh on. He probably has the upside to be something but he is for sure a project. I hope North let him settle down in the backline cause I think that's where his best position will be.

Dawson was drafted where he was as a backman, why would he settle anywhere else?

 

[the big lebowski]

Hasn't shown anything to me in 4 years that suggests he's an AFL player.
Even at VFL level he is very inconsistent.
Maybe that's cause he has been moved around a bit and hasn't found a position yet.
Seems like a nice dude and I hope he can find a spot down back but I'm yet to see anything from him.
The fact that Pink walked in and took a spot over him in just one preseason suggests he still has a lot to learn.

Each to their own.

I would have thought his vfl form was ultra consistent even for getting he was a 20 year old playing in a poor vfl team.

Goals/Behinds

2.3 (2021)
2.1 (2022)
1.1
4.1
1.1
2.3
3.1
0.1
3.4
3.2

When we drafted pink, Comben had never played a game in defence.

Hopefully he’s back in our forward line soon as Larkey needs help.

 

[Sphynx]

On topic, both North and Hawthorn, despite poor stats to the year, have 'unearthed' or added some additional young talent in 2024.

D'Ambrosio has looked good (probably Hawthorn's best so far), as has Ginnivan (which is hard to do as a small forward in a struggling side).

For North, McKercher has hit the ground running and Powell has taken a big step up (after an injury interrupted '23).

Probably add Xerri to that also from our perspective.

Had a massive start to the year.

Xerri and Powell the two biggest development leaps so far.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Who are Adelaide's young talent bar Rachele, Soligo and Michalanney

Seems bare

 

[Sphynx]

Who are Adelaide's young talent bar Rachele, Soligo and Michalanney

Seems bare

Rankine, Pedlar, Thilthorpe, Sholl.

Borlase has only had a few games, but looks promising.

Dawson is only 18 months older than Worpel and Moore, so has plenty of footy in him.

 

[Themanbun]

Parnell too

 

[Chadwiko]

That's such a damning statistic.

 

[Engimal v3]

North Melbourne

 

[SSSSSS]

View attachment 1940731

That's such a damning statistic.

I would like to say it speaks more about Melbourne than it does for Hawthorn. I mean they kept the Bulldogs to just 5 goals in 3 quarters of footy the week prior after a leaky first quarter and the Bulldogs are much better than us. We also kicked 5 goals in 3 quarters after making some much needed adjustments at the quarter time break.

Defensively they are elite.

Our ball movement was fantastic against the Bombers and it was a highlight of our game last year. We had a metres gained per disposal of 17.6m for the entire game, not just isolated to the one quarter. Really should have won last week but didn't take our chances.