DeeSpencer

Haven't been since the season started but what I saw over summer was a player who was leaner, fitter, faster and more decisive with the ball with some real class at times. His practice game against Carlton was very strong, then he had a stinker against Sydney in round 1. I don't think he's all that far away from being a useful contributor but it's going to take a few small improvements (especially nailing tackles and not getting caught flat footed on transition) as well as the side either getting their ball movement game up to the level that utilises half forwards in space, or giving Laurie high half forward/on ball opportunities so he can offer something at stoppages.

Read the training thread, the 23 has been (unofficially) named

I wish we had proper journos covering this side because that rest needed to come against Adelaide rather than the short break. Still staggered it didn't happen. We don't seem to ever be proactive with resting players, instead we wait until BBB hits zero on the tank and now he has to get back in form at Casey, the tall forward graveyard.

Seems it will either be Laurie as sub for fresh midfield legs, Disco forward with the ability to swing if we need a change. Or, Tracc forward (post centre bounce) with Laurie forward/mid and Disco sub. Weather might play a role. Super warm the last 2 days so might be rain coming although forecast suggests not. It’s far from an ideal prep for Disco, one Casey game after a decent lay off. But before you knock it I’d ask, did you watch the VFL game?

Meh, was a one game replacement as the only guy with some pace for Pickett. He’ll get plenty more chances. I worry about continuity for guys in years 3-4 on the fringes, like Laurie and even Taj.

From what I’ve seen of Fullarton he isn’t any good in the ruck at all. In fact, I’d be fairly confident if they wanted the best result JVR would still be the second ruck. A position he does well in. He can get beaten by height and movement but he has no issues with weight/strength. Fullarton’s best attribute is he’s slippery on a lead. He’d give us another lead up option to go with Petty. Whether a 200cm lead up tall is worth picking I’m not so sure. That is kind of most of what BBB is, but BBB can occasionally reach the big mitts up and mark or bring it to ground. JVR hasn’t really worked out how to set up his leads at half forward. He gets stuck in between. He’s great on the charge out of the square but our coaches are reluctant to take Fritsch away from that role.

Take it to the Benkh?

100%? Great time to join the Gold Coast suns, that’s what I’d be doing

A VFL review. What on earth! How, why, amazing! Personally I think it's best for the coach to just go through the best 5 performances because trying to say nice things about guys who had stinkers isn't worth the effort, young guys don't need that publicly. But I'll take the full thing over nothing at all. Love including a couple of the VFL guys. Paddy Cross was excellent. Worth watching if he can keep up that kind of form.

Need to do a Collingwood with Howe to him. Bring him in as a forward, watch him battle to get a kick, find an opening down back, move him and watch him flourish as the rebounding 3rd tall we need.

And here comes one who could fit the bill - AFL clubs lining up to sign former BBL bowler Zak Evans as Category B rookie


Correct and you can only compare Cat B to other cat B. Honestly cat B should probably be replaced by giving each state league club scholarship funds to develop a bunch of athletes from other sports, Ireland, the NGAs at a semi pro level, as well as the best guys who miss the draft through bad luck not lack of talent. Some kind of system where you give students and trade apprentices some form of extra payment/allowance and a couple of fitness and skill development sessions above the VFL norm. I’d rather give 100 guys 20 grand extra to work on their game than 20 guys getting 100 grand.

No point comparing Cat B to regular players tho. To me there are 4 main types of Cat B rookie and how I'd rank them: 1. Genuine former footballer with a proper pedigree of under age success who've gone to another sport for 3+ years. Alex Keath, James O'Donnell and I'm not sure who else even fits this category - Wil Parker to the pies? This is the dream. But they are incredibly rare and all 18 clubs will be spying the same names on the rare occasion a proper young footballer goes to another sport. 2. Former NGA/Academy player - think Andy MW for us. This is probably the best common use of it. You get genuine footballers who are in the draft system. But our academy stocks seem pretty ordinary so generally getting a guy who's worth any kind of list spot is rare and often times we'll just draft them straight up. Northern clubs have an advantage here having far bigger talent pools and more money invested and even the WA and SA clubs with a stronger indigenous contingent. Should we have cat B listed Riak Andrew or Orlando Turner? I've got no idea but I'd suggest not, but we need more of our academy guys progressing to good Coates league form and state under 18's level. 3. The Irish. The hit rate is still very low. Geelong have 2 or 3 good ones but Tuohy was developed elsewhere from a bunch of guys Carlton tried. McKenna and Keane are at new clubs are going home, so that's a big risk. I like Cal Brown, I don't love Nash even if he's carved out a lot of games. 4. Basketball/other sport without a proper junior Aussie rules pedigree. Be they rucks or any other position. I'd have no issue with keeping on churning through rucks hoping to find premiership players like Mason Cox, Mike Pyke, Mark Blicavs. They are all as useful as any Irish guy to play since Tadhg Kennelly. And rucks are hard to find, most of them drafted as footballers in late rounds or rookies are no good either. I'm less upset that Bradkte and KFW are no good than I am that the King's and the other big lad from Ormond were bad and we used real main or rookie list spots on them. TLDR: I'd really consider an Irish program but I suspect history says you have to try 3-4 to get 1 half decent player and the best guys are probably going to Brisbane, Geelong or Sydney who have been trying it more than other clubs. And it's entirely possible you do an Essendon - grab a bunch of them, get a good one then lose him for nothing. And I'd keep turning over the rucks with a realistic expectation they are complete dice rolls on very tall non footballers. But the main investment could be just trying to get luckier with the academy by spending if possible, with the proviso being you're just developing players for other clubs if you make top 40 guys.

Petty’s played 2.5 very decent CHF games. Then one stinker against great opposition. Was ok but not great in his half a game down back. Got beat deep a couple of times. (One on one defending was always his weakness though, just like Lever, better when in position to intercept.) Honestly I think he just needs the freshen up from the bye and will come out and be very good. And he needs some sports psychology against Brisbane because he’s been awful the last 2 times he’s played them and clearly they are in his head. Needs to find a way to get through that.

He’s repeatedly tracked opponents all the way to the back 50. After May gave up the 50 he went and reassured the backline. There’s not a lot of evidence for this CBF’ed except maybe some confused efforts against Brisbane where everything he tried didn’t work.

Yeah he needs to be playing full games at a suitable local level. That's how you develop. He's long odds to make it but at least he'd be a chance if he could play at the right level, get 40+ ruck contests a game and a bunch of marking contests too. Right now it's like he's trying to learn a language and getting 1 word a week.

After missing half a year injured Verrall was very quickly playing solid VFL footy last year. Finding the ball and halving ruck contests despite low game time and clearly underdone fitness. Not sure which 3 games you saw but he showed more than enough for a first year rookie ruck. Hunter exceptional? Probably just a pass mark in the second half for a player of his pedigree. Still huge concerns about his kicking and his ability to win the ball in congestion.

Either way, someone connected needs to ask the question. Honestly a waste of carbon emissions moving 110kg down to Frankston to play 20 minutes at full forward. For the sake of the planet get the kid in local footy.

Hunter’s been very professional late but he’s still fallen over when there’s any kind of contest and had penetration in the legs, couldn’t get near picking him on this performance

I don’t think he’d be terrible, but not sure he’d offer much and he’s super light. Kolt without the size. But the zip and left foot gives him a chance. They seem to be training him for a set role rather than giving him midfield time

No, I just decided to be nice and not add the second part of the sentence, his class is legit, the rest of his game is….

Jefferson lives! back from the dead with the goal assist, there’s so much class in that boy

Getting beaten purely by the Port’s strong bodies ability to get hands out whilst being tackled. And umpires giving them a ridiculous amount of leeway to do so

Verrall’s mastered the Gawn move (hit it straight to the opposition mids)

You don’t lose skills in a few weeks and we have no small defensive depth, but the moment we have any defenders back he needs to go forward again.