Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

[Billy Not Really]

No issue with Wardlaw in the VFL now and then, he’s not at the point where he can freely do as he pleases at AFL level. Its very clear he has down patches and struggles in the centre, you just don’t notice it as much because he moves like a rabid dog at every contest.

 

[king rising]

I think he'll spend a season or two learning off Luke Parker to eventually take that role off him. Wouldn't be surprised if he spends some time in the VFL being the main man while we wait. Time and the age of guys like Parker and Simpkin helps resolve the problem, but I'd hate to be below George in the pecking order if I'm aiming for good midfield minutes.

That would be a shocking revelation should Wardlaw play any VFL at all in 2025. Just won’t happen

 

[Junk yard]

Simpkin and Parker will split the half forward role if we continue with the extra on baller.

Kerch/Wardlaw/Powell probably competing for about 30-40% on ball time between them.

Don't be surprised if Colby doesn’t push his way in further throughout the pre season, his contested work at under 18s was good and his burst and tank will shine. Looks to be built strong enough already and his pace will assist in him in not getting smashed too often.

 

[Themanbun]

Don't be surprised if Colby doesn’t push his way in further throughout the pre season, his contested work at under 18s was good and his burst and tank will shine. Looks to be built strong enough already and his pace will assist in him in not getting smashed too often.

100% mate he's blowing all expectations out of the water with how he's come back after the break. I'd say he's the front runner out of the three I mentioned.

 

[Jasemon]

That would be a shocking revelation should Wardlaw play any VFL at all in 2025. Just won’t happen

Agreed. If George gets dropped there’d be more clubs sniffing around him than a cackle of hyenas.

That’s not to say that George is above any player that warrants demotion should his form warrant it (though one would argue this mantra doesn’t appear to apply to LMac) but he is an absolute demon onballer with elite power, intensity and skill with the ball that requires continuity at AFL level to counter what has been a somewhat disrupted start to his career due to various injuries. He won’t get any better in the VFL (IMO).

He also strikes me as a fairly confident young player in his own way who would hate the very thought of being dropped more than just about any other player on our list.

 

[Chip Scab1]

I would hate it, forget George who would despise every second of it. Interesting thoughts but I'd be the first one at Hardon St demanding answers, placard in hand wanting blood, if we didn't appreciate his efforts at applying some heat to the ball and clown about to smashed by George (holding it). Just strikes me as a ridiculous decision on many levels, if it's true.

 

[Themanbun]

but he is an absolute demon onballer with elite power,

Totally agree, but that's what makes him susceptible IMO. He is an out and out onballer, probably the purest onballer we have on our list. That's what makes him susceptible if he's not in the top 3-4 mids, because he can't play anywhere else.

You put Colby on a wing or half back and you're not really harming his development. Someone like George would, IMO, be better off getting a full game in the guts at VFL level than spending 20% game time there at AFL level.

Parker will be in there to teach and then will hand it over at some point and shift to a mostly flank role. In the short term that means I wouldn't be surprised to see George spend the odd game in the VFL.

 

[Themanbun]

I would hate it, forget George who would despise every second of it. Interesting thoughts but I'd be the first one at Hardon St demanding answers, placard in hand wanting blood, if we didn't appreciate his efforts at applying some heat to the ball and clown about to smashed by George (holding it). Just strikes me as a ridiculous decision on many levels, if it's true.

No one has said he's in the VFL and it's decided...in December, lol.

**** me we're sensitive to a bit of chat here.

 

[ferball]

We didn't have anywhere near the midfield depth then that we have now.

Higgo and Cunners were the locks but third/fourth/fifth were wide open.

Jed Anderson was a lock. So three harder mids, wouldn't call Jed older but turns out he was around 25 that year, same as LDU, that was last season. Jy Simpkin started playing midfield as well. We have three older mids this year really. Parker, Jy and LDU.

Our midfield depth is young.

 

[GS WARRIORS]

Wardlaw's evolution is a quiet watch for mine.

The query for me is his exact place. He's ferocious, athletically gifted and can use it exquisitely (at times).

But what is he? The ballwinning inside mid? The defensively accountable guy in there? The burst out of the middle type?

He can be all of the above.

 

[Sphynx]

I think this undersells the latter guys.

LDU has a level of class to his movement and run which is above Wardlaw's top level imo.

Cunnington's poise, vision and disposal are as good as I've ever seen.

This is not to denigrate Wardlaw or his potential but him shading those guys on certain metrics age for age doesn't tell the full picture imo.

For mine Wardlaw has to play "hectic" to succeed. He doesn't have Cunnington's ability to hover in place and calmly execute the right option. So any comparisons are inexact.

LDU didn't have the same class to his movement at 20 either.

Cunnington didn't have the poise and vision he had in his later years at 20 either.

Remember the shitcanning Paul Roos gave Cunnington and the calls that LDU was a bust on here?

You are comparing LDU and Cunnington from memory (i.e at their peaks and their best) with Wardlaw who is nowhere near his peak.

Confident he will be better than both of them. He currently is WAY better than either of them were at 20.

Both of those two would absolutely be in the VFL at that age in this current side.


And with respect, whilst LDU might have top level acceleration, neither of them are even a patch on the overall athlete that is GW. He's only scratched the surface of what he will do on the football field athletically during his career.

 

[ferball]

Without going to the tape, who was in our midfield back then other than those guys?!

Basti, Swallow and Boomer had gone, Tarryn hadn't been drafted yet.

Dumont?

Ziebell?

It was 2019.

 

[Sphynx]

To further enforce this point.

Champion Data have him rated as the 3rd best u/22 player in the competition.

Behind only Daicos and Sheezel.

Ahead of JHF, Callaghan, Ashcroft, McKercher, D'Ambrosio, Soligo, Reid, Rachele, Wilmot, Darcy.


Are we really debating whether a side who has won about 5 games in 3 years can fit in someone currently projected to be in the best handful of players in the game in a few years?

 

[Themanbun]

Jed Anderson was a lock. So three harder mids, wouldn't call Jed older but turns out he was around 25 that year, same as LDU, that was last season. Jy Simpkin started playing midfield as well. We have three older mids this year really. Parker, Jy and LDU.

Our midfield depth is young.

He was my FAVOURITE. Username made after him and I refuse to change it.

But he averaged 20 touches man and struggled on the spread. Absolute menace in the clinches though. He was our preferred third but to compare his quality to say, Parker as our third, just shows the difference in depth.

Jy was far from a lock at that point. 2020 was his breakout year as a mid.

 

[Reagan Smash]

March 15th can't come fast enough

 

[Themanbun]

To further enforce this point.

Champion Data have him rated as the 3rd best u/22 player in the competition.

Behind only Daicos and Sheezel.

Ahead of JHF, Callaghan, Ashcroft, McKercher, D'Ambrosio, Soligo, Reid, Rachele, Wilmot, Darcy.


Are we really debating whether a side who has won about 5 games in 3 years can fit in someone currently projected to be in the best handful of players in the game in a few years?

Champion data helped destroy our rebuild.

And yeah we are. People may think I'm a loon, but whatever. Don't be surprised if he starts in the B team in the intras and don't be surprised if he ends up spending some time in the 2s to get some more midfield time.

It's one thing to say he's gonna be a gun and we're shit so we can fit him in.

The question is - where do we play all these blokes?

If Colby and Powell earn midfield rotations on merit and result in a better team doing so, do you just boot them out because our fave can't play elsewhere? Yeah Colbs I know you worked harder in the off season than anyone, bar none, but you can't have the spot you earnt because other blokes aren't as flexible.

Do you put arguably our best midfielder (Sheez) forward into his third position in three years, when he's already shown he's one of the best in the comp in the guts?

Maybe you chuck LDU onto a flank and watch him walk at the end of the year?

Do you rob our midfield of Parker's experience and leadership when the rest of the AFL world knows that it's not talent, but THAT we lack, especially when we need to win games and soon?

Or do you take some time with his development knowing that Parker will shift to a flank after his teaching is done and that will shift everyone up a rung in the pecking order, and that will also give him time to get his fitness up?

No one here has said "he's shit, drop him", which you wouldn't be able to tell looking at the absolute hysteria my comment invoked.

You simply cannot play 6-7 blokes >50% time in the guts each and every game. No team does. It was always a fantasy that we convinced ourselves of. It's even harder if Clarko shifts our game plan to using a spare rather than a contest extra. I'm not even sure it's mathematically possible. Someone will miss out. While Parker is a preferred midfielder, that is likely to be one of our beloved youngsters.

And that is more than ok.

 

[King Corey]

LDU didn't have the same class to his movement at 20 either.

Cunnington didn't have the poise and vision he had in his later years at 20 either.

Remember the shitcanning Paul Roos gave Cunnington and the calls that LDU was a bust on here?

You are comparing LDU and Cunnington from memory (i.e at their peaks and their best) with Wardlaw who is nowhere near his peak.

Confident he will be better than both of them. He currently is WAY better than either of them were at 20.

Both of those two would absolutely be in the VFL at that age in this current side.


And with respect, whilst LDU might have top level acceleration, neither of them are even a patch on the overall athlete that is GW. He's only scratched the surface of what he will do on the football field athletically during his career.

Man I hope you're right.

To my eyes he has immense potential. But he's not an innate run and carry LDU type, he will be a guy who always plays full throttle. When he has time and space his disposal is weaker.

 

[king rising]

Champion data helped destroy our rebuild.

And yeah we are. People may think I'm a loon, but whatever. Don't be surprised if he starts in the B team in the intras and don't be surprised if he ends up spending some time in the 2s to get some more midfield time.

It's one thing to say he's gonna be a gun and we're shit so we can't fit him in.

The question is - where do we play all these blokes?

If Colby and Powell earn midfield rotations on merit and result in a better team doing so, do you just boot them out because our fave can't play elsewhere?

Do you put arguably our best midfielder (Sheez) forward into his third position in three years, when he's already shown he's one of the best in the comp in the guts?

Maybe you chuck LDU onto a flank and watch him walk at the end of the year?

Do you rob our midfield of Parker's experience and leadership when the rest of the AFL world knows that it's not talent, but THAT we lack, especially when we need to win games and soon?

Or do you take some time with his development knowing that Parker will shift to a flank after his teaching is done and that will shift everyone up a rung in the pecking order, and that will also give him time to get his fitness up?

No one here has said "he's shit, drop him", which you wouldn't be able to tell looking at the absolute hysteria my comment invoked.

You simply cannot play 6-7 blokes >50% time in the guts each and every game. No team does. I'm not even sure it's mathematically possible. Someone will miss out. While Parker is a preferred midfielder, that is likely to be one of our beloved youngsters.

And that is more than ok.

Wardlaw will be a better player than Davies Uniacke. Bookmark it.

 

[Themanbun]

Man I hope you're right.

To my eyes he has immense potential. But he's not an innate run and carry LDU type, he will be a guy who always plays full throttle. When he has time and space his disposal is weaker.

He's the bloke that'll make the oppo midfield rush when he's not winning the ball himself.

That's his go and he'll be bloody good at it. Jed Anderson on steroids.

Totally different player to LDU and Cunners so I agree though, you just can't compare

 

[Ura]

Sheez, George and LDU will be at the first bounce of the game… I don’t see that changing.

Numbers will change. Sheez will float forward more. Kerch will run through at times. In bigger moments when momentum is swinging you will see Parker go in there

 

[Themanbun]

Sheez, George and LDU will be at the first bounce of the game… I don’t see that changing.

Numbers will change. Sheez will float forward more. Kerch will run through at times. In bigger moments when momentum is swinging you will see Parker go in there

Less go - $50 bet to the children's hospital if it's not Sheez, Parker and LDU at the first bounce of the first game of the season. Loser donates.

Bet null and void if you want if there's injury to any of our midfielders.

It's a win win for me. I lose the bet and a young gun has earnt their spot.

 

[DuckYeah]

Needs to be able to tag. Brought in for specific players and clubs.

Rubbish. He just needs to be fitter. If he can be 30% fitter than last season he will have no issues competing for a mid spot.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Wardlaw in the vfl

Well there it is.

The dumbest thing I’ve ever read on Bigfooty

 

[chubbspeterson]

Totally agree, but that's what makes him susceptible IMO. He is an out and out onballer, probably the purest onballer we have on our list. That's what makes him susceptible if he's not in the top 3-4 mids, because he can't play anywhere else.

You put Colby on a wing or half back and you're not really harming his development. Someone like George would, IMO, be better off getting a full game in the guts at VFL level than spending 20% game time there at AFL level.

Parker will be in there to teach and then will hand it over at some point and shift to a mostly flank role. In the short term that means I wouldn't be surprised to see George spend the odd game in the VFL.

I reckon George could rest forward and apply tackling pressure in our F50.

 

[Jasemon]

Right now I see serious midfield depth in our team and I’m loving it.
I’d personally rate in terms of locks for centre bounce clearances the following on-ball options:

1st choice:
LDU
Sheezel

2nd choice (one to move into starting 3)
Parker
Wardlaw

3rd choice (first rotation)
Simpkin
McKercher
Powell

4th choice (depth as per injuries, form and game requirements)
Phillips
O’Sullivan

Curtis
Zurhaar

Ideally we need players from one group applying serious pressure to the group above (e.g. WilPhil pushing someone like Simpkin out, which I personally think he can do or Powell pushing further up, again something I believe he’s capable of).

It does highlight however how much of a reliance we have on Xerri right now so hopefully he displays Goldy like levels of durability and Goad starts to come on sooner rather than later.