Training Pre-season updates 2024-2025.

[Pragmatic Shill]

I think the hyperbole is off the charts by saying 'Not fired a shot'. He's shown a lot, just not for long periods or consistently and that has not been entirely his fault.

Can you please point me to examples of the bolded? Otherwise the phrase "a lot" is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

 

[AmericanMustard]

Are we able to put a board-wide moratorium on pre-season hype on individual players that are as yet unproven for at least a couple of seasons if Reef ends up continuing his trend of a game here or there plus subbing in 2025?

I get wanting to be positive and excited but the comments about how he's an absolute lock to be our long-term Murphy replacement because he's had a couple of good training sessions before Christmas against teammates are going to be nauseating to look back on if he doesn't make it.

Reef is actually my have you seen him?

 

[IlovethePies]

You would know.

I think there's a bit of missing of the point of my comment. Reef is entering his fifth year on an AFL list and so far as not fired a shot, yet the hype is off the charts. It's happened before with Macrae.

All I'm suggesting is if Reef ends up not doing anything marginally different next season maybe going forward we should all temper expectations a bit and not get sucked in and making sweeping statements.

Sure. But I think we all agree that he has next season to prove himself.
Don't believe there's any hype.
Just the recognition that he has got potential, which maybe for reasons we will never know was not fully expressed in 2024, and he has another chance in 2025 to show that he is the real deal.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Given he's never been given a chance in the middle, that's pretty expected.

Zero clearances and barely any contested marks is not an acceptable combination.

If your argument is that you're not a midfielder, then you must be a big man taking clunks.

Brody Mihocek doesn't play in the middle either, but he's got clearances in his career.

To this stage, Reef isn't doing enough to be a successful tall or small when he plays AFL.

Hopefully his role down back will suit him better and we'll see more production from him.

 

[Jen2310]

Zero clearances and barely any contested marks is not an acceptable combination.

If your argument is that you're not a midfielder, then you must be a big man taking clunks.

Brody Mihocek doesn't play in the middle either, but he's got clearances in his career.

To this stage, Reef isn't doing enough to be a successful tall or small when he plays AFL.

Hopefully his role down back will suit him better and we'll see more production from him.

The sample is very small and diluted by the fact most have been sub games.
The game against hawks in gather round, he took some good contested marks against Sicily.

But this new role down back I think has the ability to shotgun his career. Looks a natural. Where he can use his attacking nature, pace and is good at reading the ball well coming in. He's much stronger now, having put on more size.

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

You would know.

Sure. But I think we all agree that he has next season to prove himself.
Don't believe there's any hype.
Just the recognition that he has got potential, which maybe for reasons we will never know was not fully expressed in 2024, and he has another chance in 2025 to show that he is the real deal.

I have seen the direct phrase that Reef is a lock for the second key defensive post after Moore. Replacing both Frampton and Dean who have experience in that role. And it's not even Christmas.

If that's not hype, I don't know what is.

 

[loki04]

I think there's a bit of missing of the point of my comment. Reef is entering his fifth year on an AFL list and so far as not fired a shot, yet the hype is off the charts.

I actually disagree that he hasn't "fired a shot". Imo he has shown he can mix it within games and had quarters of good footy including his debut game as a whole.

 

[Pendles!]

Re Reef: I remember the game in which he was concussed. From memory, he took several great marks, and was hitting some kind of form, before leaving the field.

I remember thinking at the time, at last Reef is starting to prove himself.

But after the concussion incident, he never seemed to get a real chance for the rest of the year. Always in and out of the team, and when in, only with very limited game time.

I never understood why that happened.

Did he struggle to recover from the concussion?

It seemed that he was hitting excellent form in the VFL, but still he never was able to win senior selection.

I have always believed he has lots of ability and potential. I am rapt that he is looking so powerful and confident, and look forward to see what he can give us next year.

That game he dropped 3 absolute sitters, got concussed and then finally took a mark.

IMO he’s just not got enough footy nouse. He’s extremely athletic, can’t find the ball and his skills are so so. Mihocek is the marker for him, and unfortunately Reef is nowhere near in terms of marking, strength and intensity in the contest.

Hopefully he can make it as a defender.

 

[Do_Beta_Rapport]

I think there's a bit of missing of the point of my comment. Reef is entering his fifth year on an AFL list and so far as not fired a shot, yet the hype is off the charts. It's happened before with Macrae.

All I'm suggesting is if Reef ends up not doing anything marginally different next season maybe going forward we should all temper expectations a bit and not get sucked in and making sweeping statements.

I get your point. I do want to add that last year Tom Mitchell mentioned Reef as the breakout player to cement a spot.

No it didn’t happen but they players are seeing things at training etc over the journey that has them excited.

The issue for mine has actually been a role he can play. He is not a key forward.

 

[The Magnificent Seven]

Can you please point me to examples of the bolded? Otherwise the phrase "a lot" is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

I'm reticent to do this because the old "Stats can prove anything" malarkey... but compare his 2024 to Beau. For example (I'm time poor today).

Reef McInnes and Beau McCreery AFL Stats Comparison

Reef McInnes and Beau McCreery AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

More marks, better DE, fewer clangers, more goals. Half as many games and even less TOG. But no, he's not the tackling/pressure beast that McCreery is.

Maybe HH - same games in 2024. https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy...d2=5&type=A&pid1=6853&pid2=6993&fid1=S&fid2=S

I think we'd all agree that HH has "shown a lot". And Reef is near parity for more stats.

I have not said anything other than I like what I see. To say he "has shown nothing" though is just ridiculous.

 

[RobJD]

The sample is very small and diluted by the fact most have been sub games.
The game against hawks in gather round, he took some good contested marks against Sicily.

But this new role down back I think has the ability to shotgun his career. Looks a natural. Where he can use his attacking nature, pace and is good at reading the ball well coming in. He's much stronger now, having put on more size.

My concern with Reef is that I've never seen him dominate at VFL level. There's been flashes of class at times, but nothing consistent or indicates he's a class above.

 

[Jen2310]

My concern with Reef is that I've never seen him dominate at VFL level. There's been flashes of class at times, but nothing consistent or indicates he's a class above.

Some players don’t dominate at vfl level. Harrison. Richards ginni being three that didn’t but suit the higher level. Sometimes it happens. Also sometimes it depends on the role you are playing.

 

[manicpie]

Some players don’t dominate at vfl level. Harrison. Richards ginni being three that didn’t but suit the higher level. Sometimes it happens. Also sometimes it depends on the role you are playing.

I have no idea why I'm thinking this because reef has been very hot and cold but I actually think he's in for a very good year. What a bonus it would be if we could get him playing good consistent footy

 

[Jen2310]

I have no idea why I'm thinking this because reef has been very hot and cold but I actually think he's in for a very good year. What a bonus it would be if we could get him playing good consistent footy

Sometimes a change is what players need to kickstart their career. And hopefully this is the case for reef. Looks really good and has been a standardout in every session. Hopefully he can keep this momentum going into the new year and pre-season games. But he has put on more size, and he is stronger, while it hasn't affected his athleticsm, which is always the key.

 

[Eric Shin]

Not bad for someone that had a setback with his groins




Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Pistol Night]

Not bad for someone that had a setback with his groins

View attachment 2189234


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Suddenly with Checkers, McStay and Membrey we have an abundance of KPFs so Jordy is going to have to tear the midfield to shreds all year. Surely Wadey is putting everything into his plans for this bloke as an explosively fit midfield Jordy come next September will be the catalyst for cup number 17 and much joy and merriment

 

[Horaceg]

I would just like to quote myself to point out the powerful jinx I put on Curnow that now sees him facing another bout of knee surgery.

I would prefer to beat that Club that guys plays for with him in it, no filth covered excuses.

 

[Pistol Night]

I would prefer to beat that Club that guys plays for with him in it, no filth covered excuses.

We do every time anyway apart from when the cue was in the rack in 2023 when the minor premiership was sown up. Didn't they get excited that night! If only they knew what would happen 2 months later.

 

[Mick F]

I would prefer to beat that Club that guys plays for with him in it, no filth covered excuses.

It is the players who are going ‘toe to toe’, on the field, that build up ‘rivalries’ with the opposition players - not people watching on TV, having a mill (or beer).

 

[Big Bryza]

Are we able to put a board-wide moratorium on pre-season hype on individual players that are as yet unproven for at least a couple of seasons if Reef ends up continuing his trend of a game here or there plus subbing in 2025?

I get wanting to be positive and excited but the comments about how he's an absolute lock to be our long-term Murphy replacement because he's had a couple of good training sessions before Christmas against teammates are going to be nauseating to look back on if he doesn't make it.

May as well shut the whole thread down.

 

[No SPIN]

I think there's a bit of missing of the point of my comment. Reef is entering his fifth year on an AFL list and so far as not fired a shot, yet the hype is off the charts. It's happened before with Macrae.

All I'm suggesting is if Reef ends up not doing anything marginally different next season maybe going forward we should all temper expectations a bit and not get sucked in and making sweeping statements.

Heaven forbid that people should have some optimism.
Stop being a kill joy.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

The sample is very small and diluted by the fact most have been sub games.

No, I was only using stats from games that he played at least 70% game time for his averages.

The game against hawks in gather round, he took some good contested marks against Sicily.

No he didn't, Jen, because he's never taken more than 1 contested mark in a game, so that's very clearly not an accurate recollection by you.

 

[Jen2310]

No, I was only using stats from games that he played at least 70% game time for his averages.

No he didn't, Jen, because he's never taken more than 1 contested mark in a game, so that's very clearly not an accurate recollection by you.

Even so, thats pretty decent for someone of his experience. I reckon he started to only take contested marks last pre-season, so it was a pleasant surprise. But even so, I think this move down back, it suits him even better than as a forward. It was never where he was suited. He reads the ball well, is attacking, uses his pace to run off half back. He is good in the air as well. This feels like a really good move, and showed good signs in the last few VFL games and that was even without a pre-season. Looking forward to seeing what he can do next year

 

[Jen2310]

Christmas party for the boys today.

They return January 9, I wonder if they'll have a session then, or the friday, 10th. I'll find out closer to the time.

 

[Pragmatic Shill]

Heaven forbid that people should have some optimism.
Stop being a kill joy.

Saying it's premature to declare Reef McInnes a lock for a permanent 23 spot after a couple pre-season training sessions isn't being a killjoy.