Player Watch #3: Harry Sheezel - 23 AFL RS/NM SBM, AFLPA BYP, '24 AA squad, '24 AFLCA BYP

[Psicosis]

You guys can call HBF a waste of talent and hiding him away or whatever you want, but the reality is that moving the 18 year old kid from the forward picket to the HBF completely changed the entire structure and flow of the team on the weekend.

You could not ask for a bigger impact from a positional change. It was night and day.

I wish that we had two of him.

Daicos has shown that it isn't a waste of talent.

He's so good in both areas. We want him hitting the scoreboard as much as we want him distributing from half back. It's why I want him to continue to be swung around (as long as he can handle it/doesn't affect his form).

 

[TheBigHorne]

I think a few years ago half of the BnF winners across the competition were HBFs. Not a waste of talent by any means.

 

[Themanbun]

Weirdly I agree with both sides of this

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Weirdly I agree with both sides of this

 

[King Corey]

The difference between Sheezel and Daicos IMO was that Daicos was a high accumulation mid at junior level. Not a forward. Sheezel showed an exceptional ability as a forward in his junior years.

Yes Harry has a skillset that most likely could move to the midfield (in time) or the backline. But his major point of difference looked to be a rare ability around goals.

 

[Samsquanch]

The difference between Sheezel and Daicos IMO was that Daicos was a high accumulation mid at junior level. Not a forward. Sheezel showed an exceptional ability as a forward in his junior years.

Yes Harry has a skillset that most likely could move to the midfield (in time) or the backline. But his major point of difference looked to be a rare ability around goals.

And heaven knows, we need just that!

 

[Masked Avenger]

The difference between Sheezel and Daicos IMO was that Daicos was a high accumulation mid at junior level. Not a forward. Sheezel showed an exceptional ability as a forward in his junior years.

Yes Harry has a skillset that most likely could move to the midfield (in time) or the backline. But his major point of difference looked to be a rare ability around goals.

That's true but debutant forwards now contend with defensive structures not just direct opponents.

Half Forward flank can be a graveyard for even the most experienced players.

Playing HB won't hinder is development as a forward in the longer term because young players need time to pick up the general tempo of the game anyway.

 

[king of the road]

You guys can call HBF a waste of talent and hiding him away or whatever you want, but the reality is that moving the 18 year old kid from the forward picket to the HBF completely changed the entire structure and flow of the team on the weekend.

You could not ask for a bigger impact from a positional change. It was night and day.

I wish that we had two of him.

Exactly.
What’s best for the team in all this?
We were so much better in the last with him starting things off half back.
There’s your answer.

 

[r_boy]

Team needs a half back just to function at the minimum required standard in the modern game.

If the team isn't functioning, how is anyone supposed to develop?

So if it's Sheezel it's Sheezel. If we can get away with Bergman or an MSD pick then fine but it needs to be someone who can do the bare minimum required of a modern half back which is get in position to receive the ball then spot up the right target.

The fact we have 10 blokes on the list assigned to this role but only 3 or so look sort of up to it is incredibly frustrating.

 

[FlyHigh18]

We're still developing, ball will be in our back half.

Being a HF and waiting to defend opposition kick outs sucks balls. It's why Turner kept getting picked in the team all these years. He was half decent at applying pressure up there. From the opposite end it's also not like we're cleanly moving the ball up to forward 50 either.

Just go where the ball will be this year and be an attacking HB. Swap later.
If you think that's wasted talent, then it's even more wasted up forward until we improve.

 

[Event Horizon]

The difference between Sheezel and Daicos IMO was that Daicos was a high accumulation mid at junior level. Not a forward. Sheezel showed an exceptional ability as a forward in his junior years.

Yes Harry has a skillset that most likely could move to the midfield (in time) or the backline. But his major point of difference looked to be a rare ability around goals.

Correct. Add to that the fact our team isn’t blessed with natural goal kickers of any type, having averaged around 8 goals a game for couple of seasons - hence why I believe it’s a waste to play him at half back. Not against swinging him down back when the ball isn’t getting up to our forward line much but the starting point should be forward for him IMHO


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[swaeney]

Correct. Add to that the fact our team isn’t blessed with natural goal kickers of any type, having averaged around 8 goals a game for couple of seasons - hence why I believe it’s a waste to play him at half back. Not against swinging him down back when the ball isn’t getting up to our forward line much but the starting point should be forward for him IMHO


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

I agree mate. We have two natural forwards in Sheezel and Stephenson, yet this idea of throwing them both in the back line astounds me

 

[JGreezy]

This whole argument is just a testament to how much of a freak Sheezel is.

It's also an indictment of guys like McDonald and Ziebell that an 18 year old is showing them up, but lets focus on the positive.

 

[Mixed Results]

I watched at the ground, so I had no idea this happened.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

I watched at the ground, so I had no idea this happened.

Can't teach that sort of spatial awareness and vision. Thing of beauty.

 

[DesertRoo]

I watched at the ground, so I had no idea this happened.

Powell, Sheezle and Phillips are going to be fun to watch together.

 

[Mav]

Can't teach that sort of spatial awareness and vision. Thing of beauty.

Actually the wrong option. A One Two with McDonald would have seen LMac be able to carry and kick with little pressure as opposed to Perez having to kick under pressure. So yeah, really cute bit of play but the wrong play.

 

[The acurate one]

Oh he reminds me of a certain team and yes I seem to be correct

 

[The acurate one]

Actually the wrong option. A One Two with McDonald would have seen LMac be able to carry and kick with little pressure as opposed to Perez having to kick under pressure. So yeah, really cute bit of play but the wrong play.

well maybe Sheezel felt it was pointless giving it to the Cpt as he'd turn it over. hard to argue with young Harry there.

 

[Mixed Results]

He has a very fun game style and it's perfectly suited for this generation of tiktok and youtube shorts.

I think he'll end up being very popular once he hits his prime and we climb up the ladder. He just needs to keep up the level of influence that he has had on these practice matches and he'll be our most marketable player for sure. Everyone loves a goal kicker and Sheezel looks to be the most exciting one to enter the league since Eddie Betts.

He seems like a great kid too, he'll be everyone's favourite player from another club once he starts kicking 50 goals a year. You won't even be able to go to an Auskick session without hearing a bunch of kids shout out SHEEZEL as they attempt a snap at goal.

 

[Passmore]

well maybe Sheezel felt it was pointless giving it to the Cpt as he'd turn it over. hard to argue with young Harry there.

The captain looked like he’d had enough.

 

[The acurate one]

The captain looked like he’d had enough.

Actually after watching it again, McDonald was sandwiched between two Bulldogs players, would have been tackled or a hack kick. Sheezel had Perez on the move and heading in the right direction.
Was the correct decision

 

[Passmore]

Actually after watching it again, McDonald was sandwiched between two Bulldogs players, would have been tackled or a hack kick. Sheezel had Perez on the move and heading in the right direction.
Was the correct decision

May have been the right or wrong option, I dunno. But it was good to watch. All I ask for right now is little snippets of brilliance to keep me entertained.

 

[Mav]

Actually after watching it again, McDonald was sandwiched between two Bulldogs players, would have been tackled or a hack kick. Sheezel had Perez on the move and heading in the right direction.
Was the correct decision

na, he had the guy behind beat, and if the guy in front was drawn to Sheezel. If he did come to LMac we had the over lap. But your point about the turnover still stands.

 

[DesertRoo]

Actually after watching it again, McDonald was sandwiched between two Bulldogs players, would have been tackled or a hack kick. Sheezel had Perez on the move and heading in the right direction.
Was the correct decision

If I were Clarko, I’d have a team rule you’re not allowed to pass to anyone over the age of 25 either.
To bring the kids into the game of course, nothing to do with gaps in skill level.