Bigman’s Training Reports

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spenze said:
Yeah and that's cool, once again, didn't give up much to get them but if they are double grabbing to get the ball in match sims...it ain't getting better on the big stage.
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They are one season in an AFL environment, it's a bit early to write them off. Particularly Dowling, who has shown many positive aspects and his knock is:
"He can crab it a bit when approaching the ball and slows down a bit too much for my liking. If he wants to be an inside mid this is an area he will need to improve. Everything else is in good order at the moment."

If you focus only on the negatives, no one will make it as an AFL player. From Bontempelli's draft profile:
"Whilst he does like to run with the ball, he doesn’t possess elite speed. He’s a fairly decent athlete without being exceptional. Having said that, he does have a fairly decent tank so he can get to a lot of contests and therefore wins plenty of the ball. Whilst he has the 30-plus possession games, he can also go missing, particularly if he’s playing off half back. This might be something that is exposed more at AFL level, as he won’t have the strength to play an inside role straight away and he hasn’t proven himself when he goes forward. At this stage he hasn’t found a ‘back up plan’ when he’s getting tagged."
 
Big Dub said:
They are one season in an AFL environment, it's a bit early to write them off. Particularly Dowling, who has shown many positive aspects and his knock is:
"He can crab it a bit when approaching the ball and slows down a bit too much for my liking. If he wants to be an inside mid this is an area he will need to improve. Everything else is in good order at the moment."

If you focus only on the negatives, no one will make it as an AFL player. From Bontempelli's draft profile:
"Whilst he does like to run with the ball, he doesn’t possess elite speed. He’s a fairly decent athlete without being exceptional. Having said that, he does have a fairly decent tank so he can get to a lot of contests and therefore wins plenty of the ball. Whilst he has the 30-plus possession games, he can also go missing, particularly if he’s playing off half back. This might be something that is exposed more at AFL level, as he won’t have the strength to play an inside role straight away and he hasn’t proven himself when he goes forward. At this stage he hasn’t found a ‘back up plan’ when he’s getting tagged."
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Great post. The original assesment literally had the phrase “everything else is in good order” and he gets labels of “depth” thrown at him because he slows down as he attacks the ball.

im actually really bullish on Dowling as everything I watched of him through his first SANFL season was very positive. He was behind Crouch, Hately and Schoey for most of the year as inside mid, so had to work on his game on a flank, and really improved to the point that he was a genuine threat by finals time. He also seems very coachable and willing to do the work needed to succeed, and although he obviously has some workons, he actually has weapons. He is quick, finds the ball a lot and seems composed with good game awareness. These are things that are very hard to improve if you don’t have them, while strength, fitness and explosiveness are all things you can get better at.
 

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Hodgy said:
Great post. The original assesment literally had the phrase “everything else is in good order” and he gets labels of “depth” thrown at him because he slows down as he attacks the ball.

im actually really bullish on Dowling as everything I watched of him through his first SANFL season was very positive. He was behind Crouch, Hately and Schoey for most of the year as inside mid, so had to work on his game on a flank, and really improved to the point that he was a genuine threat by finals time. He also seems very coachable and willing to do the work needed to succeed, and although he obviously has some workons, he actually has weapons. He is quick, finds the ball a lot and seems composed with good game awareness. These are things that are very hard to improve if you don’t have them, while strength, fitness and explosiveness are all things you can get better at.
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Is he quick? I didn't think so, I thought that was going to be the biggest issue. I can see a Josh dunkley style player developing.

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cleanhands said:
Preferred him there late last season to Sloane
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Don't get me started on Sloane!!!

I'm worried how much he'll get selected this season to the detriment of the team and a young player needing the senior exposure.

I'm very excited by this season, we're two years ahead of where I expected us to be. Dawson recruitment was the catalyst for mine.
 
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whattagun07 said:
Where would Nank, Dowling, Jones on a wing leave smith?
Hinge and Milera are our two back flanks surely. Spots getting tight for smith, but we know how Adel treat senior players regardless of form or better youngsters ..
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Likely with one or both of Nank or Dowling in the SANFL waiting on injuries.

Both are mid-tier prospects and Smith has been nowhere near the level of performance that sees someone get axed for a mid-tier prospect.
 
Golumless said:
Likely with one or both of Nank or Dowling in the SANFL waiting on injuries.

Both are mid-tier prospects and Smith has been nowhere near the level of performance that sees someone get axed for a mid-tier prospect.
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Easy to forget we spent half the season with Hinge, Milera, Smith, Jones and Sholl all in the same side. Nankervis would be an easy swap for Sholl if not for Curtin. If we opt to play Curtin in a more loose defensive role it would surely be at the expense of the extra winger in the side.
 
Eddie Murphy said:
Easy to forget we spent half the season with Hinge, Milera, Smith, Jones and Sholl all in the same side. Nankervis would be an easy swap for Sholl if not for Curtin. If we opt to play Curtin in a more loose defensive role it would surely be at the expense of the extra winger in the side.
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Sholl isn't best 22 anymore, however that is a fair point, as it's quite likely there are players who are more replacable even if it requires a structural changs.

I doubt we'll make any structural changes with Curtin though and will just flick one of Keene/Butts/Worrell out of the side. My read is we'll flick Butts and give Worrell first crack at CHB.
 
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whattagun07 said:
Where would Nank, Dowling, Jones on a wing leave smith?
Hinge and Milera are our two back flanks surely. Spots getting tight for smith, but we know how Adel treat senior players regardless of form or better youngsters ..
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We do know how Adelaide treat senior players, but I don't think it's what you think it is.

In 2023 we had 8 players (excluding Seedsman) who were 27 or older. Tex, Laird and Smith were all top 10 in the b and f. Crouch and McAdam both played only 7 games. We only have 2 rucks, and played the better of the 2.

The only player you might complain about would be Sloane. But that's one guy and he was an average ranked AFL player, so not really a massive issue of not deserving a spot (and holding out guys like Berry and Hately).

For 2022 you could add Luke Brown, but he only got 11 games and then retired.

Mackay, Lynch, Gibbs and Talia were exited after a combined 30 games in 2021.

In the same time we made best 22 players out of Max, Rachele, Soligo, Thilthorpe, Pedlar, Worrell, Murray, Butts and Jones and got games into Nankervis, Borlase, Cook, Parnell, Berry, Gollant, Keane and Harry.

So, I expect that at least one of Sloane and Smith will get 11 games or less for 2024 and then be delisted, while a bunch of young players will get games.
 
Pugsley said:
Sholl is our modern day David Gallagher.
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i haven't much time for Sholl and think he'll be gone in 12 months, but did you ever see David Gallagher play?
He was like a deer in headlights in slow motion who made you hold you're breath before each disposal.
They're not even in the same league
 
whattagun07 said:
Where would Nank, Dowling, Jones on a wing leave smith?
Hinge and Milera are our two back flanks surely. Spots getting tight for smith, but we know how Adel treat senior players regardless of form or better youngsters ..
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I don’t think any of those 3 are in our best team as wingmen. Dowling will be half forward and inside mid if he makes it and Jones showed last year that he is definately a backman if he makes our best team, and I think he does. I love the idea of Nank on a wing but he has work to do to get there. Smith and Hinge should be first chosen there as both have real weapons for the position, and both are not needed at half back this year with Mileras form as well as Curtin and Max coming into the team.

I really don’t understand the talk about Smith. He and Tex both played at an extremely high level last year (unlike Sloane unfortunately) and both could easily have 2 years left.
 
Apsaalooke said:
i haven't much time for Sholl and think he'll be gone in 12 months, but did you ever see David Gallagher play?
He was like a deer in headlights in slow motion who made you hold you're breath before each disposal.
They're not even in the same league
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Yeah, Gallagher is among our all-time worst players. I remember in his first few games I thought "wow, this kid has some confidence, loves to take the game on and run with the ball etc.". Then after a little while it became apparent that he was just running with the ball until he inevitably got caught because he had absolutely no idea what else to do with it once he got it.
 

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