Nic Naitanui's Round 6 v Western Bulldogs
Q3
12:25 – is subbed into the match and comes on to loud applause.
12:13 – punches the ball from a contest in the back 50.
10:28 – competes in the ruck for the first time this year. Wins the centre ruck contest straight down to Kerr who is tackled straight away.
9:26 – Centre bounce ruck contest. Belts the ball 20m forward to a running Shuey who is caught high but slips under the tackle and shorts the ball to LeCras.
8:25 – big fist in a Dogs kick out.
8:20 – perfect palm down to Priddis from a boundary throw-in.
6:33 – wins centre bounce again.
6:28 – umpire pings him for being over the ball once it hits the ground.
5:22 – picks up loose ball and releases Gaff into the centre of the ground. Gaff takes a handful of bounces and hits Cox 20m out from goal.
4:23 – centre bounce recalled. Naitanui wins comprehensive tap to a running Selwood.
4:10 – is beaten by Minson but likely just the throw-in conspiring against him.
3:22 – wins a tap down to the front of a boundary throw-in which is grabbed by Masten. Not a hitout to advantage technically.
3:11 – wins a tap down to the front of a boundary throw-in which Gaff fumbles. Again good but not a HO to advantage.
2:41 – beaten by superior position to Minson in a forward pocket throw-in.
2:29 – beaten by Minson in a ball up in West Coast's forward 50.
1:34 – beaten in strength by Minson in a boundary thrown-in on the wing.
1:27 – beats Minson in a further boundary throw-in on the wing but sharked by Dogs player.
Q4
20:00 - starts in the middle. Wins the tap but it is not comprehensive and Minson smacks the ball away once it bounces.
19:29 – wins centre bounce but not to advantage.
19:00 – wins tap at bounce in Dogs forward 50. Not to advantage.
18:43 – receives free kick in back pocket for ruck infringement. Hands the ball to Hurn.
18:23 – wins boundary throw-in on wing. Not to advantage.
17:52 – boundary throw-in seemed to be missed by both ruckmen.
17:15 – wins boundary throw-in but not to advantage.
17:00 – comprehensive double tap to a full-flight Priddis on the offensive side of the wing from a ball up. Eventually results in a Cox mark and goal.
16:30 – wins the centre bounce tap. Not to advantage.
15:15 – Minson wins the boundary throw-in but to no advantage.
15:00 – another Minson win from a boundary throw-in but not comprehensive.
9:57 – wins a soft touch tap from the centre bounce which Priddis runs on to setting up a forward 50 entry.
9:05 – wins tap from ball-up. Good idea but not read properly by Priddis.
8:18 – again wins the centre tap. No advantage.
3:45 – strong lead and grab from a pinpoint Gaff kick. Quick hands off creating a scoring opportunity.
0:19 – edged illegally out of a marking contest on the wing. Receives free kick. Goes really long for a mark to Hill just before the final siren.
Summary
Naitanui still looks underdone but that is to be expected. Some of his ruckwork was glorious to watch. Particularly in the centre bounces Naitanui dominated when he came on in the 3rd quarter. He competed in 8 centre bounces and won every single one of them, some of them were comprehensive HOs to advantage. In the boundary throw-ins Minson was just as good when he could find Naitanui's body. As Minson is in great form at the moment this is no indictment on Naitanui.
Naitanui only really took the one big mark (and it was on the lead out of the forward 50). Obviously he had significantly reduced game time but one would hope that he would impact the game a bit more frequently with his aerial skills in marking contests. Hard to judge without a full game mind you.
Naitanui was involved in a couple of plays where he was instrumental. In the third he gave a great handball to a running Gaff who hit Cox lace out. In the final he took a strong mark on the lead with an immediate handball that should have resulted in a scoring opportunity. Again, need more of this but as he had limited game time there's enough to suggest he'll have an impact outside of his ruckwork.
Q3
12:25 – is subbed into the match and comes on to loud applause.
12:13 – punches the ball from a contest in the back 50.
10:28 – competes in the ruck for the first time this year. Wins the centre ruck contest straight down to Kerr who is tackled straight away.
9:26 – Centre bounce ruck contest. Belts the ball 20m forward to a running Shuey who is caught high but slips under the tackle and shorts the ball to LeCras.
8:25 – big fist in a Dogs kick out.
8:20 – perfect palm down to Priddis from a boundary throw-in.
6:33 – wins centre bounce again.
6:28 – umpire pings him for being over the ball once it hits the ground.
5:22 – picks up loose ball and releases Gaff into the centre of the ground. Gaff takes a handful of bounces and hits Cox 20m out from goal.
4:23 – centre bounce recalled. Naitanui wins comprehensive tap to a running Selwood.
4:10 – is beaten by Minson but likely just the throw-in conspiring against him.
3:22 – wins a tap down to the front of a boundary throw-in which is grabbed by Masten. Not a hitout to advantage technically.
3:11 – wins a tap down to the front of a boundary throw-in which Gaff fumbles. Again good but not a HO to advantage.
2:41 – beaten by superior position to Minson in a forward pocket throw-in.
2:29 – beaten by Minson in a ball up in West Coast's forward 50.
1:34 – beaten in strength by Minson in a boundary thrown-in on the wing.
1:27 – beats Minson in a further boundary throw-in on the wing but sharked by Dogs player.
Q4
20:00 - starts in the middle. Wins the tap but it is not comprehensive and Minson smacks the ball away once it bounces.
19:29 – wins centre bounce but not to advantage.
19:00 – wins tap at bounce in Dogs forward 50. Not to advantage.
18:43 – receives free kick in back pocket for ruck infringement. Hands the ball to Hurn.
18:23 – wins boundary throw-in on wing. Not to advantage.
17:52 – boundary throw-in seemed to be missed by both ruckmen.
17:15 – wins boundary throw-in but not to advantage.
17:00 – comprehensive double tap to a full-flight Priddis on the offensive side of the wing from a ball up. Eventually results in a Cox mark and goal.
16:30 – wins the centre bounce tap. Not to advantage.
15:15 – Minson wins the boundary throw-in but to no advantage.
15:00 – another Minson win from a boundary throw-in but not comprehensive.
9:57 – wins a soft touch tap from the centre bounce which Priddis runs on to setting up a forward 50 entry.
9:05 – wins tap from ball-up. Good idea but not read properly by Priddis.
8:18 – again wins the centre tap. No advantage.
3:45 – strong lead and grab from a pinpoint Gaff kick. Quick hands off creating a scoring opportunity.
0:19 – edged illegally out of a marking contest on the wing. Receives free kick. Goes really long for a mark to Hill just before the final siren.
Summary
Naitanui still looks underdone but that is to be expected. Some of his ruckwork was glorious to watch. Particularly in the centre bounces Naitanui dominated when he came on in the 3rd quarter. He competed in 8 centre bounces and won every single one of them, some of them were comprehensive HOs to advantage. In the boundary throw-ins Minson was just as good when he could find Naitanui's body. As Minson is in great form at the moment this is no indictment on Naitanui.
Naitanui only really took the one big mark (and it was on the lead out of the forward 50). Obviously he had significantly reduced game time but one would hope that he would impact the game a bit more frequently with his aerial skills in marking contests. Hard to judge without a full game mind you.
Naitanui was involved in a couple of plays where he was instrumental. In the third he gave a great handball to a running Gaff who hit Cox lace out. In the final he took a strong mark on the lead with an immediate handball that should have resulted in a scoring opportunity. Again, need more of this but as he had limited game time there's enough to suggest he'll have an impact outside of his ruckwork.