Some good signs but also some familiar bad ones. Midfield looked good at times with our A graders Trac, Oliver Viney and our contested ball was back to its best. Sparrow was great in his new role and when Oliver starts kicking goals it puts a smile on your face. With JVR going down it did seem we were back to our forward deficiencies again from the past few years. Even with JVR in there and Disco having a good pre-season our forward line looks dysfunctional and unorganised. Billings should only be able to kick it into the 50 and not run inside as I am sure he looks at the goals and only sees points. Fingers crossed there is a plan for all this and we head into round 1 with a white hot team ready to rise up the ladder. Go Dees.

Positives - Clarry, Trac and contested footy dominance in the second half 

Negatives - poor skills and decision making from some of our lower tier players, as well as getting sliced open on turnover in the second quarter

Overall a good hit out and just glad that we escaped with no injuries (except back spasms) and were able to avoid another blowout loss to Freo  

21 minutes ago, gs77 said:

2nd quarter was a real worry. Good signs oft spoiled by poor finishing across the other 3 qtrs.

Nice not getting utterly eviscerated by Freo for a change, though.

Can't wait to have Kozzy back, he looked a cut above the rest there in the last. What a talent!

2nd whatever looked bad but when it was a 5 goal wind the real damage was done in the first quarter with really poor inside 50’s and coversion and sloppy transition work.

Scores followed the wind in the middle quarters and we fought it out more in the last and were aided by a fresh Pickett being worth a lot more than a fresh Erasmus 

10 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Billing’s…….just no

Agree. 

But Billings….. yes, if he can improve his goal kicking. His coverage up and down the ground was first rate and field kicking better than several of his teammates.

7 minutes ago, Older demon said:

Howes looks too light on to man the big bodied forwards

Really not on his man - where he belongs - right across the first half of the game. When employing closer checking, his game improved from whence he could create spaces to utilise the ball. 

The old firm were back and firing, Clarrie, Viney, Tracc, Gawn were great. We won all the stats that supposedly count, clearances, contested & uncontested possessions, inside 50’s. But still lost by 3 goals. It’s only a practice game but I ask what value has the coaching squad added to our game plan/style over the off season? 

Gut feeling is that we will have a better than expected year. Our two 'new' recruits just happen to be in the top 10 players in the league and we're introducing some young top talent. 

In short, start engraving 'Melbourne Premiers 2025'

20 minutes ago, SPC said:

Negatives- Backline look to panic and cannot handle fast entry. Howes, Lever and Bowey shouldn’t play together.

Billings is not in our best 25. Koz will be missed the first few rounds.

Positives- Trac and Oliver look to have the chemistry back. Clearances are our biggest asset and will allow us to setup behind the ball! 

We have found Pedo 2.0 in Johnson. Works hard, competes hard. 
 

U are kiding right kicked one flukey goal but offers limited forward strike power!

We are disgusting the spoon for us I don't care if it was a practice match. We are done for the season I hate this club they do it to me all the time.

8 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

The one thing I’ll add. Whilst the second half looked better, I’m pretty sure Freo took off a few of their a-graders. Treacy, Ryan and Serong were all subbed out of the game at some stage in 3Q whilst most of our best remained on the ground. 

They had a big game against the Indigenous All Stars. If they were a real team that had time to gel as a team they'd be top 4, at least. I suspect that that game was a better 'blowout' than a match simulation against lowly North. On top of that it was hot, we'd flown across the country and virtually were one player down the whole game. ( Was there a sub? I didn't hear)

Freo probably should have been fitter.

Well, I'm going to do what I have done for the last 40 years: pay no attention to expectations until after round 6. Then you can get guage on how they will go, so settle down, put the razor blades down, and wait.

Lindsay better than Billings, purely on disposal.

Rivers little impact today

Sparrow, four quarters and you would be approaching A grade, today B

Fritsch, you trained better than that!

Disco… you’re the man if JVR is down, don’t play like a schoolboy!

Chandler do you aspire to being a leader at Casey?

AJ intensity goes a long way

I think Campbell was required today

Tom Mac is better than Howes

Bowey is fortunate that Judd and AMW are out

 

Just kidding haven't watched the game yet. At least we didn't get belted like we always do against Freo. Forward line still sucks.

25 minutes ago, SPC said:

Negatives- Backline look to panic and cannot handle fast entry. Howes, Lever and Bowey shouldn’t play together.

Billings is not in our best 25. Koz will be missed the first few rounds.

Positives- Trac and Oliver look to have the chemistry back. Clearances are our biggest asset and will allow us to setup behind the ball! 

We have found Pedo 2.0 in Johnson. Works hard, competes hard. 
 

Bowey had a good game. He'll step up this year. Agree on Lever & Howes.

Just now, adonski said:

Bowey had a good game. He'll step up this year. Agree on Lever & Howes.

He did some good things but he seems to have mastered the panicked dump kick turnover that can be so costly, as it was today. He didn’t have that in his game in the early days. 

Ok some reasoned thought..

HOW THE FURG DOES CHANDLER GET A GIG?

Disco??Cameos only

Johnson.... a poor mans Jeffo

Fritsch..... Just! 

JEFFO needs to play,gets separation and in good positions FFS needs to be played and get an extended run!

Edited March 2Mar 2 by picket fence

I’m sure plenty wrote the season off at half time. 

It was a practice match. 

I’m principally concerned with the JVR injury and how we tried to move the ball. From the looks of it, we’re trying new things. It’s ok for them not to have worked well today. 

However we’d dearly want the goal kicking to be a cobweb-blow out sort of thing. Doesn’t matter how well we move the ball this year if we still can’t kick it between the big sticks.

11 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

The old firm were back and firing, Clarrie, Viney, Tracc, Gawn were great. We won all the stats that supposedly count, clearances, contested & uncontested possessions, inside 50’s. But still lost by 3 goals. It’s only a practice game but I ask what value has the coaching squad added to our game plan/style over the off season? 

If we kick a bit straighter we win. Every team has the occasional inaccurate day. We have been notorious for bad kicking in recent years. But if we end up top 5 or 6 most accurate team this year worries about today will look silly.

I know stats don’t always.ays mean much, but our efficiency really, once again, wasn’t up to scratch.

A couple of quick things, still no short sponsor and Kozzie is our most important player. 

17 minutes ago, Fanatique Demon said:

Agree. 

But Billings….. yes, if he can improve his goal kicking. His coverage up and down the ground was first rate and field kicking better than several of his teammates.

He hasn’t till this point so highly doubt he ever will. Not sure you can play someone who is that bad in front of goal

It was a good hit out in trying conditions. We were the better team in the 2nd half after it looked like a potential blowout.

I hope one of Tmac or Petty are good for Round 1. Adams and Howes are not ready.

Kozzy will win us plenty games of footy this year, looks ready to explode. Freakish talent, can't afford to lose him.

6 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

We are disgusting the spoon for us I don't care if it was a practice match. We are done for the season I hate this club they do it to me all the time.

Cmon mate man up, im here in shockingly cold no name ice block called Port Mc Donell where it is as cold as a.mother in laws kiss!! I watched it in my Caravan and my good Wi fi said, you are pretty quiet considering the result...I said.. yes dear and thought of Slithera Central!!

1.8 from set shots in the first half killed us.

Field kicking not great but hopefully will improve due to rust 

Freo are very good

Still being undone on the quick transition/turnover which isn't great

20 minutes ago, Bmac1242 said:

Sparrow was great in his new role 

I couldn't even work out what his old role was. What's his new role?