Review JLT Community Series | Game 2 | NM vs Hawthorn @ Arden Street | Postmatch discussion & review

[Flawed Genius]

Quick thoughts

Simpkin has me cautiously excited, I've been burnt before

Daw nowhere near it today

Preuss could be a legitimately good 1st ruckman at a lot of clubs in Round 1

Atley might be about to do the shit

Mountford is exceptionally disciplined defensively and creative offensively

Dumont is better than Swallow and the gap is widening

Thomas was grouse when he was around the footy in the first half

Durdin reads the play better than any other defender we have bar Tarrant

Goldstein was average

Swallow had a good second half but his best is behind him

Turner has me worried

Hibberd had me worried until his very good second half

Tarrant is a beautiful individual

Cunnington probably best on

Higgins so good and so smooth

Ditto the Rat

Vickers-Willis makes the correct decision every single time he has the footy - Firrito with a software upgrade

Williams is a very good defender who will play 22 games

 

[The Nostradamus]

Very exciting.
Less cringeworthy moments which is what happens when you leave Gibson out and stop Macmillan from taking kick outs.

Enjoyable game.
No limits on the youth taking us far this year.
Just keep playing them, something special about the young brigade coming through

Special mention to the 2 first gamers Zurhaar and Simpkin who both looked dangerous and ready for senior football

 

[trooroo4life]

Marley and Preuss the two standouts from the first 2 games.

If Ats can consistently bring to the table the stuff he's done in the last 2 weeks, he'll have a terrific year.

Simpkin, exciting. 2 weeks of training in over 12 months and he was selling candy to Hodge, and side stepping and evading the rest of them exciting player.

 

[billnats]

I just don't get why Daw is rated above Preuss... I know people will say but Preuss has only played 2 games etc. But his a better ruckman than Daw and doesn't run under the ball up forward. Plus he hurts people... I mean really hurts people.

Goldy and Preuss for me play Rnd 1. Ziebell and Cunners rotate forward/midfield.

Oh and Swallow is a clearance machine and we know that but he still clears it straight to the opponents.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Not convinced Wagner has it

 

[Flawed Genius]

Zurhaar is better than Taylor and therefore deserves the senior list promotion

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Durdin reads the play better than any other defender we have bar Tarrant

EVW?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Not convinced Wagner has it

Thought the complete opposite after his game today.

 

[Flawed Genius]

EVW?

EVW makes smart decisions once he has the footy

Durdin consistently leads his player to the footy. Did it to Roughead several times today. Superior reading of the flight

 

[Flawed Genius]

Thought the complete opposite after his game today.

He fumbles the ball a hell of a lot. If he can clean his game up just a touch he could be very good

 

[Reagan Smash]

David King in the 3rd. 'Kicking has become a important part of the game'

And I thought his player rating shite at half time reached the pinnacle of his stupidity.

Bloated peanut needs to get a larger size jacket.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

He fumbles the ball a hell of a lot. If he can clean his game up just a touch he could be very good

He does a little, yeah.

But he's pacy, agile, can tackle and can kick. Well.

He's ahead of Turner going by these two JLt games.

 

[Route57]

Can't tell if Pickers is just extremely critical of North because he has quality expectations. Or if he just really dislikes us. I'm going with the latter.

 

[Flawed Genius]

He does a little, yeah.

But he's pacy, agile, can tackle and can kick. Well.

He's ahead of Turner going by these two JLt games.

Agree on the Turner thing

Think Wags starts in the VFL this year though

 

[Reagan Smash]

I think we're in for a real roller coaster year.

We'll look like millionaires at times during games then moments later look like paupers.

 

[kangaspurs]

For the second week in a row I have finished watching us play and my first thought was that it was just fun. I don't mind the skill errors because we're so bloody enjoyable to watch this pre-season. I'd rather see us turn the ball over playing high-risk, fast football than the slow, turgid stuff we were producing last season.

A lot of talk about O'Meara in that game, but Trent Dumont was a clear best on ground for me and it wasn't even close. I've said from the start that he is just different gravy and he proved it again today. For someone who is nominally an inside mid, every single thing he does is just class. I don't think it's outrageous to say that he very well could be in our best handful of players in 12 months time. He's even a BnF smokey for this season imo.

Atley wasn't as good as he was last week, but again I think he showed that he will be valuable in this game plan. Almost every single thing we do well in transition comes from him, Higgins, Thomas and Clarke.

LT and Higgo are brilliant. Anyone worried about a drop in class from us this season just needs to look at those two. Crucial that we get 22 H&A games from both of them.

Williams and Hrovat look like astute recruits for very little outlay. Hrovat is so impressive in that high half forward role and gets in dangerous positions when we are in transition. His movement and game awareness are top drawer. Williams is exactly what we've needed for years; a small defender that is quick and can actually defend and he only cost, what pick 105.

Durdin and Vickers-Willis have proved that they deserve an opportunity. EVW genuinely looks like a 100-gamer, his footy IQ is through the roof and he composure and poise by the bucket load. He will be an improvement on Spud imo. Durdin was quiet in the first half but I really liked his second. He's a smart defender who reads the play well and has smart body positioning. He has a bit of work to do with his marking and his 1 on 1 strength but that will come. Both of these guys should be in our round 1 defence.

LMac looks to have matured a lot and it looks like he's already taken on a leadership role in that defence. I've liked his pre-season this year and should pick up from where he was before his injury.

Really like the look of Mountford. He's defensively disciplined, but also has a bit of class in the contest. One of those players who also looks like he has time.

Finally, Simpkin. It's been said, but he's a bit special. It was only glimpses, but to think he could even do that much with no football for the last 12 months and 2 weeks of full training is exciting.

Edit: LOL I forgot Preussy. What a bloke. Love his aggression, but he also has genuine ruck and forward smarts. Was the best big man on the ground today.

Also, I've seen a bit of criticism of Hibberd, but I thought he was mostly good. Turned it over a fair bit in the first half, but improved a lot in the second. Most importantly though, he showed that he can actually find the footy which is a valuable skill in and of itself.

 

[Egga]

He does a little, yeah.

But he's pacy, agile, can tackle and can kick. Well.

He's ahead of Turner going by these two JLt games.

Sorry, I'm with FG. Thought Wagner was very scrappy.

 

[Moti]

I just don't get why Daw is rated above Preuss... I know people will say but Preuss has only played 2 games etc. But his a better ruckman than Daw and doesn't run under the ball up forward. Plus he hurts people... I mean really hurts people.

Goldy and Preuss for me play Rnd 1. Ziebell and Cunners rotate forward/midfield.

Oh and Swallow is a clearance machine and we know that but he still clears it straight to the opponents.

Preuss looked better than Goldy, but you aren't going to make Goldy number 2? Daw and Preuss would be almost level pegging at the moment but the big guy has had a great pre-season and Daw played his first game for the year. Maj can hurt people as well as evidenced last year. I am not sure Preuss could be a consistent forward with Goldy rucking 80% of the time minimum. Majak is more flexible at this stage and his patch at the end of the season showed why.

 

[Shinboner '07]

Gee I seriously cannot wait to see us in 2-3 years.. Very exciting times

 

[rippersnipper]

I'd be tempted to give some of the newer players a bit of a run each over the course of the season. Mountford needs to be in the 22

 

[the big lebowski]

Most impressed with the backline. Thompson aside, they all play in front and know when to go. Durdin hasn't put a foot wrong and will only get better and if he doesn't play 15 games plus this year I will personally burn down Arden St. McDonald and Williams very good.

Preuss. He's coming quickly. Has to play round 1 surely given Goldy looks like coming from a long way back.

Simpkin. Heard all the reports but there actually wasn't much draft footage of him given he missed the year. Wow. He really does have dancing feet. He's like boomer the way he gets around opposition.

McKay worked hard but he has a long way to go and develope.

Dumont simply has to play every game this year too. I had swallow written off at half time but he came back into it well. Still dumont has to play in front of him.

Cunners absolutely dominated and was best on for mine other than those two poor kicks at goal.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Agree on the Turner thing

Think Wags starts in the VFL this year though

Fair enough.

I think he'll play a fair chunk of games for us this year.

 

[Jindrrk]

And to think we still have Ahern to come into the team next year.

Picture this:

Simpkin + Hrovat + Higgins + and then Ahern. Class. Building blocks. And with bulls of JZ, Cunnington in the middle. And with Froggy becoming a similar player to Sam Mitchell with a bit of everything as well as adding tackling to his game. Which I hope he does as Swallow is at the latter half of his career.

I dont like the people criticizing Swallow so much. He is the one at the bottom of every pack qtr in qtr out. He will be fine. Very frustrating to watch today and latter half of last year but I have faith.

Goldy at this stage doesnt look right for round 1 but still some time away. I'd say he will be starting regardless though.

Hibbered was frustrating at times but I was impressed by his output. He will get better. How you can call him a spud already is just plain ridiculous. Looks like he needs to drop some kilos though.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I'd be tempted to give some of the newer players a bit of a run each over the course of the season. Mountford needs to be in the 22

Looks like with Jacobs' foot being ****ed he may get the tagging gig.

EVW and Durdin have shown enough for us to go with them in a back six with Taz, Williams, Thompson and LMac for round one. As others have mentioned they show smarts and though they have other deficiencies their nous will hold them in good stead. Very encouraging.

 

[Drew23]

Here are the locks for rd 1 in my view:

Williams Tarrant Mc Donald
EVW Durdin Thompson
Atley Cunnington Clarke
Rat Brown Higgins
Waite Daw Thomas
Goldy Swallow Ziebell
Gibson (doesn't matter if you want him or not, he will play)

So 3 spots left in my estimation.

Dumont is a lock surely.