Jump to content

Players that need the most development

Wrecker45
Wrecker45
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

 

I don’t think we’ll see Luke Jackson this season, I think he’ll have a massive development year building his tank and body. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Bradke. But we always knew that he was a long term project.

    Bedford would need to improve a hell of a lot on last year to get a game. Training reports have been positive though.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     
    1 hour ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

    I don’t think we’ll see Luke Jackson this season, I think he’ll have a massive development year building his tank and body. 

    I'd love to have a wager on that.

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    • Love 1

    34 minutes ago, demonstone said:

    Young Neita will kneed developing.  (sorry!)

    Don't be that is very clever.

  • Quote
    • Thanks 1

    Such an open question. 
    In terms of fitness?

    Skill work?

    Game plan/rules understanding?

    I realise it’s a combination of all of these and other things so we are really narrowing it down to the newbies and the rookies...

    For me it’s probably Bedford. His time trial running has been fantastic so he’s got that right... shown a few glimpses last year so I reckon the staff should be investing heavily into Toby.   
    He and Kozzie could prove really dynamic in the forward half as a pairing. 

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    • Love 1

    The Weird, has to go from an occasional contributor to dynamic KPF.

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    • Love 2
    • Haha 1
     
    2 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

    Based on last year we need about 21 players to undergo very serious [censored] development 

    That probably covers it Bbo.

  • Quote
    • Haha 1

    3 hours ago, Matt Demon said:

    I'd love to have a wager on that.

    Jacko Will play at least 10 games IMO.

    Too competitive,  classy and smart at getting the ball to not play forward or even in tuck or midfield.

    FWIW Kossy similar no To LJ and Rivers betw 5 and 15 Depending  upon Hibbo and Lord Nev form and fitness Plus his development.

    sounds desperate I know and I also think Sparrow And Jordon Especially will get 8/10 games and Chandler/Bedford a small no of opportunities but more if injuries or form to our crumbing players.

    Devrlopmental all of these young guns but I believe they will prosper from fitness prep pre season and blend of youth and more experienced players in team developing as season goes by!!

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    6 hours ago, demonstone said:

    Young Neita will kneed developing.  (sorry!)

    Baker will knead more development that Neita will kneed (sorryx2)

    Edited by John Demonic

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
    • Author

    I’m not sure either of the Wagner brothers will get a game.

    I hope they go James Harmes like but unlikely.

  • Quote

    I think (hope) we can be competitive this year with Burgess and the recruits but to win the big games we need Oliver Brayshaw and Petracca to go to another level and be A grade match winners....

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    2 hours ago, grey wolf said:

    I think (hope) we can be competitive this year with Burgess and the recruits but to win the big games we need Oliver Brayshaw and Petracca to go to another level and be A grade match winners....

    Agree.

    And i'd add tmac. He is critical I reckon.

    I also think melksham is super important.

  • Quote
    • Like 3

    5 hours ago, Wrecker45 said:

    I’m not sure either of the Wagner brothers will get a game.

    I hope they go James Harmes like but unlikely.

    I said at the start of last season the tif either Wagner, especially Corey, end up playing bulk amount of games, then we're in for a troubled year.

    Think it was @dazzledavey36 that shot me down for calling Corey "depth at best".  I haven't changed my stance on this.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    18 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

    I don’t think we’ll see Luke Jackson this season, I think he’ll have a massive development year building his tank and body. 

    We'll likely see him for 10 games or so barring injury, but I think people need to temper their expectations with him. Just because he's a pick 3, doesn't mean he'll play and dominate immediately. Tall players take longer to develop, and going by the few bits I've seen from training Jacko appears a long way off it. He's brilliant with ground ball for a bloke his size, but he really struggles with contested marking and was getting schooled by Omac last time I saw him. All his best moments I've seen at training have been using his smarts to avoid a contest - floating across a pack to take an uncontested mark or not going up with a pack and gathering the ball like a crumber when it's not marked. He's got potential, but fans need to have patience with him.

    Most development required for genuine best 22 candidates in my view are Weid and Baker.
    Weid has shown he can play well at the level, but needs to cement himself and play his role consistently at AFL level. He needs to stay on the park, kick a goal a game, provide a marking target and repeat leads. If he stays fit, works hard, and his teammates honour his leads, then he'll come on in a hurry.
    Baker has some great traits and his pace could be a godsend for us, but he needs to learn how to use it at the right time eg. running to create space, running away from content, when to slow run to make sure his kicking is effective etc. Still not convinced he'll make it, but I hope he does.

  • Quote
    • Like 4
    9 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

    We'll likely see him for 10 games or so barring injury, but I think people need to temper their expectations with him. Just because he's a pick 3, doesn't mean he'll play and dominate immediately. Tall players take longer to develop, and going by the few bits I've seen from training Jacko appears a long way off it. He's brilliant with ground ball for a bloke his size, but he really struggles with contested marking and was getting schooled by Omac last time I saw him. All his best moments I've seen at training have been using his smarts to avoid a contest - floating across a pack to take an uncontested mark or not going up with a pack and gathering the ball like a crumber when it's not marked. He's got potential, but fans need to have patience with him.

    Most development required for genuine best 22 candidates in my view are Weid and Baker.
    Weid has shown he can play well at the level, but needs to cement himself and play his role consistently at AFL level. He needs to stay on the park, kick a goal a game, provide a marking target and repeat leads. If he stays fit, works hard, and his teammates honour his leads, then he'll come on in a hurry.
    Baker has some great traits and his pace could be a godsend for us, but he needs to learn how to use it at the right time eg. running to create space, running away from content, when to slow run to make sure his kicking is effective etc. Still not convinced he'll make it, but I hope he does.

    Good summation there LT agree with 95% of that. The 5% I disagree with is the Weid has to average better than 1 goal per game. 1.5 is my mininium. I expect  an average of 2.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    5 hours ago, grey wolf said:

    I think (hope) we can be competitive this year with Burgess and the recruits but to win the big games we need Oliver Brayshaw and Petracca to go to another level and be A grade match winners....

    Totally agree. We need our best 6-10 players (which includes above 3) to improve that little bit and play to full potential plus the last 10-15 players to go up 10-20% and we'll be right up there.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    7 hours ago, Wrecker45 said:

    I’m not sure either of the Wagner brothers will get a game.

    I hope they go James Harmes like but unlikely.

    I actually think both the Wagner brothers are not that far off being pretty decent, solid footballers in their respective positions.  Good athleticism, reasonable skills and bucket loads of courage (thinking mostly of Josh in this respect).  The things I guess that are a bit questionable about Josh in particular are his decision making and skill execution under pressure.

    I think players  like the Wagners could probably be categorized as nearly, but not quite playing at the required standard to be regular firsts players.  It's probably is these kind of players and guys like Lockhart, Spargo etc that we need to take a step up and play a role for the team when required, such that their presence in the team is seamless and helps us get those 3 or 4 more wins during the season to take us from finishing just inside the top 8 to inside the top 4.

    Not to say that their development can be mismanaged, but players like Jackson, Pickett and Co are probably going to be good players regardless and their talents will push them up to playing seniors where they will have plenty of opportunities to develop an understanding of what is required to play at the top level.

    Edited by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

  • Quote
    • Like 4

    1. Nietschke

    2. Bradtke 

    3. KK

    After that we have 40+ players who should play well enough at VFL to have a chance. We don’t know much about the first and even second year kids but I’d expect most to impress at Casey. The gap on our list between 20th and 40th best player is very slim. 

    Baker and Spargo seem to have done the least training so it’s unlilely we see them in the early rounds. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    19 hours ago, Matt Demon said:

    I'd love to have a wager on that.

    I'm with Ethan......can't see Jackson playing seniors for at least 2 years & although some say he can play forward, not sure hes going to tip Wiederman , T Mac, Petracca, Melksham, Hunt or a fit Vanders out of a spot. Throw in ANB & Goody's love child's Hannan & Spargo & the Dees just don't have the luxury & time to blood in 2020. 

    Wins are a crucial for SG future.

    I will take that wager Matt.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Shocked 1
    20 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

    I don’t think we’ll see Luke Jackson this season, I think he’ll have a massive development year building his tank and body. 

    I hope the Weid and Preuss perform and we let him develop in the background. as it should be for a tall. and bring him in when he knocks the door down and some. 

  • Quote
    • Like 3
     
    1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

    1. Nietschke

    2. Bradtke 

    3. KK

    After that we have 40+ players who should play well enough at VFL to have a chance. We don’t know much about the first and even second year kids but I’d expect most to impress at Casey. The gap on our list between 20th and 40th best player is very slim. 

    Baker and Spargo seem to have done the least training so it’s unlilely we see them in the early rounds. 

    I don't think KK really needs development as much as he does to get over his concussion problems.  Unless you are talking about him learning to better position his body and be smarter about which balls to go for like Gus Brayshaw reportedly did post his concussion problems.

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    3 hours ago, The Chazz said:

    I said at the start of last season the tif either Wagner, especially Corey, end up playing bulk amount of games, then we're in for a troubled year.

    Think it was @dazzledavey36 that shot me down for calling Corey "depth at best".  I haven't changed my stance on this.

    Wrong guy. In saying that I would rather Corey in the side then ANB. Corey is depth for now.

    His brother on the other hand shouldn't even be on our list.

    Edited by dazzledavey36

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • FEATURE: 1925

      A hundred years ago today, on 2 May 1925, Melbourne kicked off the new season with a 47 point victory over St Kilda to take top place on the VFL ladder after the opening round of the new season.  Top place was a relatively unknown position for the team then known as the “Fuchsias.” They had finished last in 1923 and rose by only one place in the following year although the final home and away round heralded a promise of things to come when they surprised the eventual premiers Essendon. That victory set the stage for more improvement and it came rapidly. In this series, I will tell the story of how the 1925 season unfolded for the Melbourne Football Club and how it made the VFL finals for the first time in a decade on the way to the ultimate triumph a year later.

        • Love
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREVIEW: West Coast

      Saturday’s election night game in Perth between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne represents 18th vs 15th which makes it a tough decision as to which party to favour. The Eagles have yet to break the ice under their new coach in Andrew McQualter who is the second understudy in a row to confront Demon Coach Simon Goodwin who was also winless until a fortnight ago. On that basis, many punters might be considering to go with the donkey vote but I’ve been assigned with the task of helping readers to come to a considered opinion on this matter of vital importance across the nation. It was almost a year ago that I wrote a preview here of the Demons’ away game against the Eagles (under the name William from Waalitj because it was Indigenous Round).  I issued a warning that it was a danger game, based on my local knowledge that the home team were no longer easybeats and that they possessed a wunderkind generational player in Harley Reid who was capable of producing stellar performances playing among men a decade and more older than he.  At the time, the Eagles already had two wins off the back of a couple of the young man’s masterclasses and they had recently given the Bombers a scare straight after their Anzac Day blockbuster draw against the then reigning premiers.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 1 reply
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 08

      Round 08 of the 2025 AFL Season kicks off on Thursday with a must-win game for the Bombers to stay in touch with the top eight, while the struggling Roos seek a morale-boosting upset. Friday sees the Saints desperate for a win as well if they are to stay in finals contention and their opponents the Dockers will be eager to crack in to the Top 8 with a win on the road. Saturday kicks off with a pivotal clash for both sides asthe Bulldogs look to solidify their top-eight spot, while Port seeks to shake their pretender tag. Then the Crows will be looking to steady their topsy turvy season against a resurgent Blues looking to make it 4 wins on the trot. On Election Night a Blockbuster will see the ladder-leading Pies take on the Cats, who are keen to bounce back after a narrow loss. On Sunday the Sydney Derby promises fireworks as the Giants aim to cement their top-eight status, while the Swans fight to keep their season alive. The Hawks, celebrating their centenary, will be looking to easily account for the Tigers who are desperate to halt their slide. The Round concludes on Sunday Night with a top end of the table QClash with significant ladder implications; both Queensland teams are in scintillating form. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • 148 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: West Coast

      The Demons hit the road in Round 8, heading to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. With momentum building, the Dees will be aiming for a third straight victory to keep their season revival on course. Who comes in and who goes out?

        • Thanks
      • 563 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Richmond

      The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember. They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

        • Love
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Richmond

      The match up of teams competing in our great Aussie game at its second highest level is a rarity for a work day Thursday morning but the blustery conditions that met the players at a windswept Casey Fields was something far more commonplace.They turned the opening stanza between the Casey Demons and a somewhat depleted Richmond VFL into a mess of fumbling unforced errors, spilt marks and wasted opportunities for both sides but they did set up a significant win for the home team which is exactly what transpired on this Anzac Day round opener. Casey opened up strong against the breeze with the first goal to Aidan Johnson, the Tigers quickly responded and the game degenerated into a defensive slog and the teams were level when the first siren sounded.

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All