MATCH SIM: Friday 14th February 2025

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A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers made their way out to Casey Field's for the Melbourne Football Club's Family Series day to bring you their observations on the Match Simulation.

HARVEY WALLBANGER'S MATCH SIMULATION OBSERVATIONS

Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars), McVee, Windor, Kentfield, Mentha

Present but not playing: Petracca, Viney, Spargo, Tholstrup, Melksham

Starting Blue 18 (+ just 2 interchange):

B: Petty, TMac, Lever, Howes, Bowey Salem

M: Gawn, Oliver, Langdon, Rivers

Wings: Lindsay, Billings

F: Sparrow, Fritsch, JVR, Chandler, Turner, Langford

Inter: Sharp and McAdam (just these two rotating into the Blue team for the first half.

Seems a signal that these twenty are in the mix re Round 1 considering the number absent and injured.

McAdam's injury looks serious (2nd stanza) - either knee or ankle, no weight at all as he went straight into the rooms. Both Laurie and AMW were treated for minor knocks but re-entered the game.

For three of the stanzas all of the following stayed in white/gray, so I would expect to start with Casey this year:

Adams, Hore, Laurie, Verrall, Brown, Johnson, AMW, Sestan, Fullarton, Campbell, Jefferson

Woewodin rotated with Lindsay between teams.

Wholesale changes between teams only took place in the fourth quarter. Up until then the interchanging was minimal - in my view because the coaches were trying to build cohesion amongst the "probables". Jeffo was white/gray for the first three quarters.

GATOR'S MATCH SIMULATION OBSERVATIONS

In the second half they changed some of the players from Blue to White and vice versa.

I think it’s more interesting as to who started in Blue and who started in White.

Blue (probables): Gawn, Oliver, Rivers, Langdon, Lindsay, Langford, Sharp, Howes, Bowey, Salem, Billings, Petty, Lever, Sparrow, Fritsch, Chandler, Turner, van Rooyen, McAdam, McDonald

White: (possibles): Campbell, Laurie, Culley, Brown, Adams, Jefferson, Sestan, Hore, Fullarton, Johnson, Woewodin, Moniz-Wakefield, Verrall, Adams, plus Casey top ups.

No Mentha and George, or those who you already know about.  It seems Petracca, Viney and Windsor will be back next week.  So, while we do have injuries, I suspect we won’t be far off our best team soon.

Jefferson: He started as a forward for White and was quiet.  To get him involved they moved him into defence in the second quarter.  He looked very comfortable behind the footy and got quite a lot of it.  In the second half he swapped teams and played forward again, but was again quiet, although he took a nice contested mark in the last.

Gawn: Campbell is a handful in the ruck contests.  He competes hard against Max and manages to neutralize many of the hitouts, but Max worked his way nicely into the game.  He took 6 or 7 marks and dropped a couple he’ll take in a few weeks.  He got plenty of it.  He won’t be falling away this year.

Oliver: He’s moving really well and looks back to his best for mine, despite Goody saying supporters will need patience.  He used it well, was clever, and wasn’t rushed like he seemed last year.  In the votes.

Langdon: He was in most centre bounces.  He just gets a lot of it when he’s on ball and uses his quick feet to get out of trouble.  Kicked a goal and missed a few other chances.  Like all of the mids he made a couple of blues but he was in my best.

Salem: Played in defence.  He’s back to his best and moving like it’s 2021.

Bowey: He too played in defence and racked it up.  The odd mistake and sometimes I’d like him to move it on a bit quicker, but he looks a lock for the best 22 to me.

Langford: He just looks comfortable at the level already and around the contest.  His height will be a real asset around the ground and he makes good decisions.  His one Achilles heel is he sometimes overruns ground-balls, but he looks a star in the making.  Kicked a nice long goal.

Lindsay: I thought he was good.  He got it about as much as you’d expect playing a true wing role.  Nice poise and competes/tackles well for a first year player.  Some people think he’s skinny, but I look at the legs and his core looks great for an 18 year old.  His upper body will obviously develop.

Sharp: Not as noticeable today, but still did some nice things, including a smart front and square crumbing goal.

Rivers: Played midfield all game and was good.  In my best along with Oliver, Langdon, Fritsch, Salem, Bowey and Gawn.

Fritsch: Involved, looked quicker than usual and seems set for a better year.

Lever, etc: It was a pretty easy day for the defenders and they did what they had to.  Not much to say.

Chandler: Did some nice things and seems over his shoulder injury.

Turner: Pretty quiet, but he did take a couple of good marks.

Van Rooyen: Was the best key forward on the ground and we know he competes well.  He still seems to drop an easy mark or chest mark every time I watch him, but he also clunked a couple and I reckon he’s ready to stamp himself on the competition.

McAdam: He was playing deep forward and was having a good game before getting injured.

A few for White.

Moniz-Wakefield: I thought he was really good.  Competed really hard, much to Salem’s annoyance at one stage.  He played in defence and wouldn’t be out of place in the best 22.

Brown: The boy was good. He played mainly on a wing and was one of the better players for White.  His Dad was watching on.

Sestan: I really like him down back.  He was very involved and we know he usually kicks it well.  There isn’t a spot for him, but I think he’d equip himself well.

Johnson: Good early with a goal and a nice mark, but largely unsighted from then on.

Fullarton: He’s such a great build.  He did a couple of nice things, but on a whole was reasonably quiet.  But I may have missed some stuff.

Verrall: He did pretty well against the odds.  He took a very good mark in the last and got involved.  His kicking is problematic.

Woewodin: Played wing and was one of White’s best.  Used his pace through the centre in the last when he was switched to Blue.  He and Lindsay were matched on a wing for a while.  I’d say they’re going head to head for a spot in the 22.

Hore: He was good.  He looks a class above VFL level, but will have to bide his time.

Culley: OK, he did a couple of sloppy kicks interspersed with quality left foot kicks, including a great goal on the run from 45.  He was often head to head with Oliver, including the mandatory niggle.  I have to say I really like this bloke.  I haven’t seen enough to know what his pace is like, but in so many other facets he looks a fantastic prospect in the midfield.  We probably have a greater need for a small forward, like George, who I also like, but gee, Culley is too good not to be on an AFL list.