VFL 2024 - Reserves Game Day discussion Rnds 2 - 21 (Merged threads)

[AlecDuncan]

He was a free hit NGA,

Yep. Playing the long game. Hopefully it encourages other African kids to pick up the game.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

I50 entries are our weakness, especially with Cerra out. Who's best able to fill that gap? Binns?

I reckon the issue is our forward structure. Our guys setup too close to each other so defenders like May and Moore can mind them and still help each other out. We need to be smarter and draw defenders away or create loose options if they don't follow

 

[gbatman]

Binns more likely to be a Sidebottom type than a Mitchell clone.
Still time for Lemmey and O’Keefe. Wilson and Carroll showing enough.
Cuningham unlikely to be at Carlton next year IMO.

I agree on Binns. I don't know about time. Been there a few years and need to show a bit more than they have. Reckon O'Keefe stays if we can't find another ruck. Reckon Lemmy is in the same boat, if no other key forwards bob up that would be his only chance. I'm not seeing enough from a lot of our young guys. If there is no improvement by the end of the season I don't see much happening.
Agree on Cuningham.
Thought Binns and Wilson were the only AFL listed players who didn't treat this like a training run. Carroll was ok but we know his best at this level is better. Simply not good enough from the rest. Can't see the coaches being happy with this.

 

[GoBlues!]

Marchbank shouldnt be considered for seniors until hes dominating vfl games for a 3 week stretch. Would love to see him play the rest of the vfl season and be ready to go in 2025.

Agree. Bringing Marchbank straight into the seniors for his first game a few weeks ago was a mistake.

I could be wrong but I feel that our stock of defenders is pretty good atm and we should keep playing and developing the likes of Kemp and Cowan at senior level, to be ready as our older players like Newman and McG transition out.

Saad coming back soon probably means one of Cowan or Kemp will need to make way.

 

[blues4flag]

Binns was phenomenal. AS

I agree on Binns. I don't know about time. Been there a few years and need to show a bit more than they have. Reckon O'Keefe stays if we can't find another ruck. Reckon Lemmy is in the same boat, if no other key forwards bob up that would be his only chance. I'm not seeing enough from a lot of our young guys. If there is no improvement by the end of the season I don't see much happening.
Agree on Cuningham.
Thought Binns and Wilson were the only AFL listed players who didn't treat this like a training run. Carroll was ok but we know his best at this level is better. Simply not good enough from the rest. Can't see the coaches being happy with this.

Both O'Keefe and Lemmey are second year players. 19 and 20 years old respectively.

 

[gbatman]

Binns was phenomenal. AS

Both O'Keefe and Lemmey are second year players. 19 and 20 years old respectively.

I think second year players need to show more, the odd overhead mark for instance. I don't think their list spots are safe by a long shot but there is plenty of time to play out yet. I've seen plenty of young talls who end up being good AFL players and these guys are well behind them.

We were playing the second bottom team in the VFL, the opposition could not have been worse and we had a lot of players do nothing outside of a few opportunistic possessions.

Binns is a genuine magnet and he plays at an intensity that was probably only matched by Wilson in this game.

 

[beowulf]

I think second year players need to show more, the odd overhead mark for instance. I don't think their list spots are safe by a long shot but there is plenty of time to play out yet. I've seen plenty of young talls who end up being good AFL players and these guys are well behind them.

We were playing the second bottom team in the VFL, the opposition could not have been worse and we had a lot of players do nothing outside of a few opportunistic possessions.

Binns is a genuine magnet and he plays at an intensity that was probably only matched by Wilson in this game.

We were the 2nd bottom team: they were above us on Percentage. I think we're firmly entrenched as 2nd bottom now.

That said, yes, we have players who need to step up, especially taking a few clutch marks. The number of times our players get their hands on the ball and fail to complete a mark is one of the reasons why we sit on the bottom rungs of the comp.

Mirkov doesn't take many marks. He gets out-bodied far too easily. I'm willing to cut him some slack due to his heart issues, but he hasn't yet got back to the form he was in before he was injured.
His tap work isn't bad, but the 2nds don't have a dynamic midfield to make the most of them. When our mids can run onto his taps, we look like world-beaters.

Harry Lemmey needs about another 10 kg of muscle on him, as he get out-bodied as well. Mind you, we don't give him a lot of opportunities. The number of times our mids kicked the ball to him that landed in front of him on Friday night ... I don't want to go there. But Harry really needs to take some contested grabs.

Dom Akuei: where do I start? Dom has great athletic qualities and may someday take mark of the year, but he is also a poor body player. He makes terrible errors and still lack intensity. I can't remember him ever taking a truly contested mark, although he has taken a couple over the top with his great leap.

Ron Monahan doesn't take many contested marks yet, but he is a beginner who shows some nice traits. In time I believe he will take more marks, but that is probably not going to happen this season.

VFL listed Liam McMahon can take a mark, but he is also poor at body work. He also drops more than he takes. Like Lemmey, he needs another 10 kg of muscle on him and some good training at how to out-body his opponents.