4 hours ago4 hr

A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers managed to get ringside seats for Friday's Match SIM out at Casey Fields to bring you their observations of the intra-club contest.

REDLEG23'S MATCH SIM OBSERVATIONS

Another picture perfect morning down @ Casey☀️👌

Arrived @ 10:15 & you would’ve believe it - THE GATES ARE OPEN!!!🤩First thing of notice, the energy & focus of the boys is super high!

Rehab:

McAdam running 100m gaps accompanied by Reece Conca. Best i’ve seen him move. Running at 3/4 pace.
Adams running the boundary resembling a 50 year old - don’t know what’s the go there but moving very very gingerly early.
Max, AMW, Sharp, Mihocek & Mathews head across to another field with a trainer.
Petty not training at all - whats the go here? Bowey & Vines also in attendance with the latter also not training.
Chandler no show

Few drills early then straight into full blown match sim with umpires. Here’s what I saw.

1st QTR: 20mins

Straight off the jump, Jeffo with a lovely contested pack mark 25 out right in front. Nails the kick & the boys love it🗣️ Jeffo with the first two majors for the game. Fantastic start from the young man. Whites up early.
The deck @ Casey looks a picture. Carpet like👍
Kalani White pegs one back with a goal at the other end. First for the Blues.
Latrelle & Kozzy in-play connection is evident & deadly!
Jeffo with another contested grab along the flank. The most confident I’ve seen the kid.
Deadset SCREAMER from Kozzy👀🤩 You’ll see that on the socials no doubt!!!
Come on Kolt. Better than that mate. Couple turn over kicks.
Kozzy’s been magical with just about with every touch so far. Cant be stopped & just too damn good.
Jeffo again gets separation & marks on the flank. Kick inside 50, lose ball win to Culley, breaks a tackle who then delivers to Luker. White’s with another.
Crunching tackle from young boy Reg. Gone HTB!
Roo getting busy. Assist in the goal square for Bill. Whites up & about
Latrelle with the front and centre gather at break neck speed on the half forward flank. Boy he’s gonna be fun.
Intercept through the mid from Reg (X. Taylor for those who may have missed it) who takes it on immediately with the forward handball to Kozzy. Streams forward with a couple bounces who hits Kolt out the back just about on the line. Goal blues.
Jeffo running back inside the F50 pocket as he finds seperation again. Mark. Set shot just misses to the right. Been the dominant forward so far.
Trelly with the dancing feet, bobbing & weaving through traffic. Chefs kiss.
Reg gets forward & wins the 1-on-1 free. Kicks the set shot like a true back man. Shanks it from 40.

Qtr time: Blues 3.2.20 - Whites 4.3.27

Heath not in match sim. White bib on & been running the boundary at half pace. Not sure whats the go there.

Boys now break into groups of 4 or 5’s running the boundary at a serious clip

2nd QTR: 20mins

Beautiful contested fly from Leb across the back flank.
Nice mark from Luker (playing in defence now), shanks the switch kick across the ground which is intercepted by Mentha @ the top of 50 arc & in full flight runs & kicks truly from 50👏 Goal blues.
Bailey catches Luker HTB, quickly gets it to Kozzy who runs in for the checkside goal.
Laurie dancing & weaving who then hits Culley centre mid, Culley darts it to Trelly on the lead who marks & nails the set shot from 45.
Riv looking solid, so to Sparrow.
Another pressure soccer goal off the deck to Kozz from the top of the goal square.
Lever vocal as heck. Love to hear it
Low deep dart from a running Riley Bonner through the middle. Aiden Johnson with the lovely contested mark 25 out from Goal. Nails it. Well done mate.
Stoppage LHS on F50. Contested win from Onley. Quick hands to Langford with the beautiful kick across his body from 45. What a beauty!👏
You can see why the coined Jeffo the name magician. Bit of flair about him & got 3 or 4 now.
Roo aerial game getting stronger by the minute. Another mark.
Trelly is a jet people. Sold candy twice deep in F50 then check sides the goal. Lollllll what an excitement machine we have🤩
Kalani on the right side of a Shane Warne wrongen which falls into his lap, snaps across his body 25 out. He’s got a couple.
Luker’s had a couple mares across the backline but redeems himself with a beautiful contested pack mark deep in D50. Nice.
Pup is all class. Wins a ground ball crumb, picks up swivels & kicks the snap from 15 out.
Ball’s pinging at serious pace people. Flow state.
Mentha growing. Looking more comfortable & doing some nice things.
Blues making a gap in this game now.
Great to see Sinnema out there & not looking out of place at all. Neet left foot.
Kolt decision making in contested situations is not to the level… yet.
Kolt again with the shank to the boundary with no pressure. It was all perceived pressure & that was enough to throw him off… not good signs tbh.

Half time: forgot to catch the scores

3rd QTR: 20mins

Noticed that the boys have swapped around a bit. Magnets have been flipped all over the place. Jeffo now in defence, Luker now up forward etc
Off the opening bounce. Riv with the centre clearance to a leading Luker who marks on the top of the 50. Luker’s real good on the eye when in flight. Thumps it home from 50👏
Bills clearly got talent, just gotta be given a chance I reckon. Kicks another.
The transition from Kozzy is amazing. It started with him deep in defence with an outlet kick to the HB Flank. 30 seconds later he marks the ball 35m out from goal & of course he goals again⭐️
May up forward, kicks a goal & celebrates ah la the Duursma bloke
An unnumbered small HF named crossy? Looks ok. Kicked a couple
Sinnema gets on the end of one.

3 QTR time: Blues 10.3.63 - Whites 12.8.80

Now some team running in between the arcs - aim is to get there within 10 seconds. Rest for 10 then back at it again. Over and over again. Boys are gassed.

4th QTR: 10mins

Stoppage corner F50. Roo in the ruck who body’s his opponent, quick hands to Kozzy at pace, breaks one tackle, avaids and weaves, snaps from 40. Taking the absolute [censored] now ✋
So impressed with Roo today. Another contested mark top of the RHS 50 & bangs it home. Got 3 or 4 now. Looks in rippling nick, hardened & covering the ground beautifuly.
Scores level now 81 apiece and the few in attendance are being treated here this morning.
Liking what I’m seeing from Bill. Very creative, balanced. Surely he gets a good go at it this year under King.
Fritta with consecutive goals now.
In game scenario - 4mins left and a goal up. Aim for a more controlled / tempo game.
Jeffo got a bag now. 5 at least 👏👏
For a nice looking kick, Xlindsay has missed a few kicks he would usually nail.
Another one to Roo

Full Time: Blues 17.3.105 - Whites 15.10.100

It’s now 12:45pm & the boys are still out there busting a gut, but thats me done.

THE ANALYSER'S MATCH SIM OBSERVATIONS

I was at training today. Couldn't believe how long it went. From 9.30 till after 12.45. Didnt spot Chandler. Also absent was Bowey of course. Campbell only walking in a neck brace. Rehabbers were Viney, Gawn, Melksham, Matthews, McAdam, Heath, Mihocek, Sharp, Petty, Henderson (not sighted). I have no knowledge on their availability.

There were quite a few fill ins.

DEFENDERS: May, Lever, Turner, CJ, Taylor, Howes, TMac, Salem

MIDFIELDERS: Langford, Lindsey, Windsor, Steele, Tholstrup, Culley, Langdon, Laurie, Rivers, Fritsch, Sparrow, Trelly, Kozzy, Onley

FORWARDS: JVR, Jefferson, Johnson, Kentfield - A lot of mids rotating as forwards as well

RUCKS: White, Johnson & JVR

Overall the vibe was good. Lots of talk especially Lever. May instructing a lot.

Stand outs: Roo was great Lawrie did well! Culley was great Kosi exceptional

Was awesome to see Stephen King stop plays to instruct groups of players clearly. Was a lovely morning!

Lots of flexibility with players. Big improvers in Roo, Culley and Jefferson (at one stage was marking very well and kicking quite a few goals)