iBeng
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Pleased we didnt get Dixon now, was to much or a risk anyway. With Walker, Close, Schache and Freeman we'll find a decent mix that'll work.
2016 Pre-Season (All news, press conferences, training reports, Photos)
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Likewise. I didn't want to pump him up too much because I'm sure he'll have plenty of quiet games and probably won't start delivering consistently for another 3 or 4 years (if he does at all), but I couldn't help it!
Struggling to keep it on with Schache. Must....be...patient. I love hearing how well he's doing though.
POBT
Brownlow Medallist
Match simulation today at training.
Not playing: West, Close, Dizzy, Beams x 2, Mayes, Rocky, William, Clarke, McStay, Mitch Robbo, Walker, skinner, Green (maybe others). Harwood only played a half.
Martin copped an elbow to the head which opened him up. Came back on later. Schache went off nursing an arm or shoulder but came back on soon after (thank ****!). Someone also hurt an ankle but can't remember who.
It was a typical scrappy affair, as all trial and intraclub matches tend to be. Effort levels were really high though and a few players were getting a bit aggro - Bell, Nick Robbo, Paine.
On the draftees, I can only endorse previous comments about Schache, Keays and Mathieson. All look like they could step in and play a role at senior level. Schache was comfortably the best forward out there. Don't let conservatism get in the road - take the lid off because he's as good a young tall as I've seen. He plays like a man. Merrett did a reasonable job on him and Schache still won the day. Really, it is hard to see a weakness in him right now. He does everything right and his set shot goal kicking is a thing of beauty. We were sitting directly behind him for one goal and everything is in perfect alignment. His second efforts are great, his general play is several classes above our other tall forwards and he wins aerial contests constantly. He's clearly a best 18 player from what I saw and I can't see a reason to leave him out.
Freeman was OK in patches. Work rate isn't great and a few times he needed to work across to give an option and he didn't. But he competed really well in the air and did some defensive stuff that I hadn't seen from him before.
A few lesser lights caught my eye.
- Paine was really solid as a key defender. Really contests hard all the time and was moving quite well.
- Lester was arguably best on ground for me as a mid/forward. He'd play minutes in the middle and was the dominant physical presence when there. He'd then go to full forward for a rest where he was really good. Kicked at least a couple of goals.
- Josh Clayton did some nice things across half forward and really jumped at the footy in marking contests. Liked his game.
- Cutler was eye catching off half back. Kicked a nice goal and also took a kick in where he was prepared to try and split he zone. Seems to daydream sometimes and cops a few sprays because of concentration lapses.
- Bastinac is a hard worker. Not necessarily noticeable in terms of flashiness but is always around the footy.
Few slightly disappointing players:
- Zorko missed a lot of targets. Got a heap of the footy, mind you, but was sloppy by hand and foot.
- I'm not sure Bell hit a target by foot all day. Hits in bloody hard and runs all day but that disposal is a real worry.
- Hanley seemed unusually fumbly. Also got caught once or twice with the footy in hand. Definitely played onball though so I suspect we can forget about him playing half back.
A few comments on gameplan:
- clearly moving the ball a lot quicker
- focus on decisiveness out of back half. "Take a risk." "Pull the trigger". At one point GO'D pointed out how one team had free players leading to the opposite wing but it was wasted because the defender didn't make a decision quickly enough. Going to be a problem all year I reckon.
- there was always a big body at centre bounces. Jansen, Lester in particular.
- half backs and half forwards seem to push up to the midfield a lot. Don't recall a small ever playing deep.
- definitely had wingmen maintaining width. Zorko, Taylor, Bewick, Robertson. Wouldn't mind betting those first two start on the wing for round 1.
Not playing: West, Close, Dizzy, Beams x 2, Mayes, Rocky, William, Clarke, McStay, Mitch Robbo, Walker, skinner, Green (maybe others). Harwood only played a half.
Martin copped an elbow to the head which opened him up. Came back on later. Schache went off nursing an arm or shoulder but came back on soon after (thank ****!). Someone also hurt an ankle but can't remember who.
It was a typical scrappy affair, as all trial and intraclub matches tend to be. Effort levels were really high though and a few players were getting a bit aggro - Bell, Nick Robbo, Paine.
On the draftees, I can only endorse previous comments about Schache, Keays and Mathieson. All look like they could step in and play a role at senior level. Schache was comfortably the best forward out there. Don't let conservatism get in the road - take the lid off because he's as good a young tall as I've seen. He plays like a man. Merrett did a reasonable job on him and Schache still won the day. Really, it is hard to see a weakness in him right now. He does everything right and his set shot goal kicking is a thing of beauty. We were sitting directly behind him for one goal and everything is in perfect alignment. His second efforts are great, his general play is several classes above our other tall forwards and he wins aerial contests constantly. He's clearly a best 18 player from what I saw and I can't see a reason to leave him out.
Freeman was OK in patches. Work rate isn't great and a few times he needed to work across to give an option and he didn't. But he competed really well in the air and did some defensive stuff that I hadn't seen from him before.
A few lesser lights caught my eye.
- Paine was really solid as a key defender. Really contests hard all the time and was moving quite well.
- Lester was arguably best on ground for me as a mid/forward. He'd play minutes in the middle and was the dominant physical presence when there. He'd then go to full forward for a rest where he was really good. Kicked at least a couple of goals.
- Josh Clayton did some nice things across half forward and really jumped at the footy in marking contests. Liked his game.
- Cutler was eye catching off half back. Kicked a nice goal and also took a kick in where he was prepared to try and split he zone. Seems to daydream sometimes and cops a few sprays because of concentration lapses.
- Bastinac is a hard worker. Not necessarily noticeable in terms of flashiness but is always around the footy.
Few slightly disappointing players:
- Zorko missed a lot of targets. Got a heap of the footy, mind you, but was sloppy by hand and foot.
- I'm not sure Bell hit a target by foot all day. Hits in bloody hard and runs all day but that disposal is a real worry.
- Hanley seemed unusually fumbly. Also got caught once or twice with the footy in hand. Definitely played onball though so I suspect we can forget about him playing half back.
A few comments on gameplan:
- clearly moving the ball a lot quicker
- focus on decisiveness out of back half. "Take a risk." "Pull the trigger". At one point GO'D pointed out how one team had free players leading to the opposite wing but it was wasted because the defender didn't make a decision quickly enough. Going to be a problem all year I reckon.
- there was always a big body at centre bounces. Jansen, Lester in particular.
- half backs and half forwards seem to push up to the midfield a lot. Don't recall a small ever playing deep.
- definitely had wingmen maintaining width. Zorko, Taylor, Bewick, Robertson. Wouldn't mind betting those first two start on the wing for round 1.
How did Jansen and Bastinac go in your eyes? Steele had them in his best.
iBeng
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Lester and Paine could be surprises this year. Paine might end up playing if Merrett or Clarke goes down. If he can reinvent himself as a defender his career could be salvaged. Merrett started as a forward but made a career of being a defender. Same as Leppa.
- Aug 15, 2011
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On mobile sorry. You know what i mean though
pulpdriver
Brownlow Medallist
Really like hearing Lester is continuing to play that big bodied mid and resting forward role well. He had a couple games last year in that role where he was very effective. Times we could have used two of him. Maybe Jansen can be that doppleganger.
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I wanted Lester at Essendon at the end of 2014 and 2015. He had a good year 2-3 years ago when he was really starting to improve as a midfielder. I liked what i saw then couldnt believe he didnt get as much of a go last year when all the injuries were there. Maybe he was injured aswell.
Is going to be hard to fit them (all the mids) in ive seen him played deep back before which doesnt work. Hes a wingman/onballer.
Is going to be hard to fit them (all the mids) in ive seen him played deep back before which doesnt work. Hes a wingman/onballer.
pulpdriver
Brownlow Medallist
He was looking very good at times last year but you're right, he was injured and didn't play after that from memory. Knee or quad. Can't remember.
I didn't really bother mentioning people he had to avoid repeating, but Jansen did a couple of nice things, kicked a good goal. To be honest, I didn't notice Bastinac as much as last week, but it's a bit hard to see what's going on in the packs or on the other side of the field sometimes, so I probably just missed him.
Lace Out
Fitzroy Flasher
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Great reports on Schache.Hard to believe he's even touching it this early on against the bigger faster bodies.
Or Ryder!!!
Len S
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Great summary ...appreciated.
3rd tall size now - think he plays most of the pre-season for sure. It'd be great for us if he could demand a regular spot down back.
HowYouDoin
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Looks like schache is well ahead of Freeman and Close in terms of receiving a round 1 spot.
iBeng
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Hes listed as: 194cm / 98 kg on his wiki, although we list him as 192...Thats barely forward height, thats midfield height these days...
Still, theres hope for him!
how much lunch money do you get?
Len S
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Thanks for the excellent summary. ..great to hear guys like Paine and Lester putting on the pressure. Interesting that Merrett is struggling. ....might be battling for a spot. ..which would open up a lot of possibilities and flexibility.
POBT
Brownlow Medallist
I definitely didn't say Merrett was struggling. He did a reasonable job, I thought. Perhaps sagged off Schache a bit too much and then couldn't make up the space but it was a really good contest between the two of them.
I'd go so far as to say that Merrett is moving better than I've seen him for a few years.
chopperduck
Brownlow Medallist
Old Rog might be a bit more fresh then he has been the last few years. Has missed a bit with injury, might be a bit rejuvenated.
Hard to beat real talent, with all due respect to Jono and Close.
Like everyone else here I'm hoping that the hype proves to be accurate, Schache making the grade in his first year would massively help with our structure and really accelerate our improvement as a team.
- Dec 1, 2013
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Pretty glad we got Schache and not McCartin or 4 meter Peter.
Would be interesting to know where Schache rates in relation to the other big forwards of the comp (Boyd, Hogan, McCartin etc) when they were in their last year of the u18's comp. At this stage, l would probably only take Hogan infront of Schache for a young key forward.
Would be interesting to know where Schache rates in relation to the other big forwards of the comp (Boyd, Hogan, McCartin etc) when they were in their last year of the u18's comp. At this stage, l would probably only take Hogan infront of Schache for a young key forward.
A fiver
chopperduck
Brownlow Medallist
Think it might have been Shifter, but not sure, but i do recall someone saying Schache wasn't the just the best forward in this draft, but one of the best in the last 10 years.
Soren Lorenson
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Interested in how Lewy Taylor went. The big criticism of him has been his indirectness and we have defended him in that he hasn't had a functioning forward line to go direct to. Sounds as though that might be changing so was wondering if anyone there could comment on how he went about it when he had the ball.
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