Player Watch Josh Rachele - Re-Signed to End of 2029

[BunjiMC]

Very immature still. Goal hog. Left Tex wide open and kicked a point. Missed 2 other easy ones. Really hope he grows up and learns a team-first mentality.

Yep, you expect a pick 6 forward/mid to take that shot.


Tex should have told him to go for it.

Indecision may have affected the shot.

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I actually think he tried to pull his kick at the last moment when Tex had lost his opponent. Rachele then caught in 2 minds.

Give the kid a break.

I actually think at times he is too unselfish....

 

[FR0GGY]

Whatever happened Tex didn’t care at the end of the game, with Rash

 

[Big Dub]

We are playing a top up player in the centre square in the sanfl.

Yeah, that makes no sense.

The SANFL should be purely about developing our future AFL players. Which means playing our future mids in the midfield, even if we are playing them on a flank in the 1s.

 

[Big Dub]

Yeah, that makes no sense.

The SANFL should be purely about developing our future AFL players. Which means playing our future mids in the midfield, even if we are playing them on a flank in the 1s.

OK, I may have overreacted a bit.

Mids in AFL: Berry, Rachele, Dawson, Soligo, Taylor, Rankine, Laird, Dowling, Sholl, Keays
Injured: Crouch, Jones,
SANFL: Pedlar, Cheddar, Schoenberg

So they kind of have to play a top up player in the midfield in the SANFL. Or Bond, who i assume also got a run

 

[George Kramer]

OK, I may have overreacted a bit.

Mids in AFL: Berry, Rachele, Dawson, Soligo, Taylor, Rankine, Laird, Dowling, Sholl, Keays
Injured: Crouch, Jones,
SANFL: Pedlar, Cheddar, Schoenberg

So they kind of have to play a top up player in the midfield in the SANFL. Or Bond, who i assume also got a run

Taylor has only just gone into the AFL side, Keays is no longer a mid.

Cheddar? Did you mean Edwards? Hasn’t he spent time out of the centre square? Pedlar is only recently play full time mid.

 

[FR0GGY]

OK, I may have overreacted a bit.

Mids in AFL: Berry, Rachele, Dawson, Soligo, Taylor, Rankine, Laird, Dowling, Sholl, Keays
Injured: Crouch, Jones,
SANFL: Pedlar, Cheddar, Schoenberg

So they kind of have to play a top up player in the midfield in the SANFL. Or Bond, who i assume also got a run

From what i understand Boyle regularly plays in the middle?

 

[Big Dub]

Taylor has only just gone into the AFL side, Keays is no longer a mid.

Cheddar? Did you mean Edwards? Hasn’t he spent time out of the centre square? Pedlar is only recently play full time mid.

Yes, Cheddar is Charlie Edwards.

We need to have 6-ish mids in the 2s midfield rotation, so if we only had Pedlar, Cheddar, Schoenberg and Taylor we would need some of the top ups to play a (second string) role. Not having Pedlar playing as a starting mid in the 2s makes no sense if we are even considering him for midfield minutes in the 1s (which I was under the impression that we were). Unless his body wasn't up to it in his first couple of games back, which I could excuse.

Happy for Keays to be given zero midfield minutes unless we need a tagger.

 

[Golumless]

Oh, we were this close to a potential breakout game from Rash. That second-third quarter was electric, but alas, the finishing wasn't there.

Still, put up a solid season to this point, all things considered.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Oh, we were this close to a potential breakout game from Rash. That second-third quarter was electric, but alas, the finishing wasn't there.

Still, put up a solid season to this point, all things considered.

Main thing is, games like that clearly tell us he can be (is?) a damaging player. Regressed a tad this year, but I have no doubt he’ll continue to grow his game over the next couple of seasons

 

[Soggy2112]

Main thing is, games like that clearly tell us he can be (is?) a damaging player. Regressed a tad this year, but I have no doubt he’ll continue to grow his game over the next couple of seasons

He hasn’t regressed, his numbers have remained more or less the same despite playing a less favourable role in a worse performing team.

 

[Golumless]

Main thing is, games like that clearly tell us he can be (is?) a damaging player. Regressed a tad this year, but I have no doubt he’ll continue to grow his game over the next couple of seasons

Oh, definitely, games like that prevent panic.

I wouldn't say Rachele has regressed this year, more he's stagnant, but in the middle of a campaign where he's having to grow up as a footballer. After all, stats wise, he really hasn't regressed - which is backed up by Champion Data rating him as the same as last year (8.97 in 2023, 9.03 in 2024). Outside of a few spots here and there which could easily be a symptom of being in a struggling team (i.e. kicking efficiency, tackling, on lead marks, shots etc).

However, you can't really talk about this year without mentioning he was publicly shamed for being soft, and not getting those midfield minutes we/he seemingly planned for.

 

[Southerntakeover]

There's a quote from the Fogarty article on AFC that I find interesting:

“It (my mindset) has definitely changed over the last few years, I’ve been able to stay a lot more level-headed,” Fogarty said.

“I don’t dwell on stuff that has happened in the past anymore, which is a real positive to where I’m at."

It's interesting because of what it says by implication, which was that there was a period of time he was dwelling on the past too much. I wonder how much the negativity of our coaching of young players contributes to this. The need to constantly focus on the weaknesses, the 'accountability for performance' if they're not stars from day one.

In a large part the repeated debate about younger players in this board for a long time has been between people who think your job is to identify talent, back it in, and try to give them the confidence to play and those that think you drill squad them, break them, and only introduce them once they're the perfect club players.

I ask because Rachelle I think is showing all of the signs most weeks of being mentally fatigued, beating himself up for mistakes, and not enjoying his football.

We might do better with these kids if we just let them play the sorts of games that got them drafted so high.

 

[Soggy2112]

I ask because Rachelle I think is showing all of the signs most weeks of being mentally fatigued, beating himself up for mistakes, and not enjoying his football.

I agree.

He’s copped it in the media very unfairly and I don’t think our coaches have gone in to bat for him anywhere near as much as they should.

Send the message that **** everyone else, we love what you bring, keep being you.

 

[BACCS]

There's a quote from the Fogarty article on AFC that I find interesting:

“It (my mindset) has definitely changed over the last few years, I’ve been able to stay a lot more level-headed,” Fogarty said.

“I don’t dwell on stuff that has happened in the past anymore, which is a real positive to where I’m at."

It's interesting because of what it says by implication, which was that there was a period of time he was dwelling on the past too much. I wonder how much the negativity of our coaching of young players contributes to this. The need to constantly focus on the weaknesses, the 'accountability for performance' if they're not stars from day one.

In a large part the repeated debate about younger players in this board for a long time has been between people who think your job is to identify talent, back it in, and try to give them the confidence to play and those that think you drill squad them, break them, and only introduce them once they're the perfect club players.

I ask because Rachelle I think is showing all of the signs most weeks of being mentally fatigued, beating himself up for mistakes, and not enjoying his football.

We might do better with these kids if we just let them play the sorts of games that got them drafted so high.

He's clearly referring to what people outside the club used to say about him, especially living up to being the 'next Tex' (which he speaks about in that interview too). It's important to improve your weaknesses, but also not take away your strengths.

Isaac Smith is doing a new podcast with senior coaches and had Sam Mitchell on. When talking about kicking on both feet, Mitchell said if you're in the AFL system you can generally dispose of the ball to a better level than most of the population. Therefore, it's then about training uncomfortable situations where a player could be forced onto their opposite leg, as this is what they will default too if it comes up under pressure in a game (and not a skill they often learn in underage footy). Some players have developed skills that gets them out of this situation without using their opposite leg (Dusty kicking with the inside of his foot, Cyril with his evasive skills), but that weakness still needed to be trained so they can execute in games.

 

[BACCS]

I agree.

He’s copped it in the media very unfairly and I don’t think our coaches have gone in to bat for him anywhere near as much as they should.

Send the message that **** everyone else, we love what you bring, keep being you.

That's a load of crap and plainly not true, just listen to his regular spot on 5AA and he speaks very openly about this

 

[Southerntakeover]

He's clearly referring to what people outside the club used to say about him, especially living up to being the 'next Tex' (which he speaks about in that interview too). It's important to improve your weaknesses, but also not take away your strengths.

That's the exact opposite of what he said.

His answer to the question 'did you ever really struggle with the pressure to be the next Tex' was 'nah, not really' and that he hadn't ever thought of it like that.

 

[Southerntakeover]

That's a load of crap and plainly not true, just listen to his regular spot on 5AA and he speaks very openly about this

See, you can fake your 'club discontent' routine for a while, but you always return to your true bearings.

 

[Faaarrk]

I agree.

He’s copped it in the media very unfairly and I don’t think our coaches have gone in to bat for him anywhere near as much as they should.

Send the message that **** everyone else, we love what you bring, keep being you.

Spot on. A decent coach will back his players publicly, not blame them for losses.
It would be nice if we had coaches that did let the players play with their flair and stick up for them.

 

[Soggy2112]

That's a load of crap and plainly not true, just listen to his regular spot on 5AA and he speaks very openly about this

“He speaks very openly about it”

I’m saying that if one of your young players is copping it in the media the coaches should be pumping his tyres PUBLICLY every chance they get.

 

[Sanders]

He's clearly referring to what people outside the club used to say about him, especially living up to being the 'next Tex' (which he speaks about in that interview too).

That's a load of crap and plainly not true, just listen to his regular spot on 5AA and he speaks very openly about this

What the absolute…?

On what planet

 

[BACCS]

“He speaks very openly about it”

I’m saying that if one of your young players is copping it in the media the coaches should be pumping his tyres PUBLICLY every chance they get.

In any random interview a coach does at our club they need to specifically pump Rachele's tyres, is that correct? Even if not asked, just do it?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

There's a quote from the Fogarty article on AFC that I find interesting:

“It (my mindset) has definitely changed over the last few years, I’ve been able to stay a lot more level-headed,” Fogarty said.

“I don’t dwell on stuff that has happened in the past anymore, which is a real positive to where I’m at."

It's interesting because of what it says by implication, which was that there was a period of time he was dwelling on the past too much. I wonder how much the negativity of our coaching of young players contributes to this. The need to constantly focus on the weaknesses, the 'accountability for performance' if they're not stars from day one.

In a large part the repeated debate about younger players in this board for a long time has been between people who think your job is to identify talent, back it in, and try to give them the confidence to play and those that think you drill squad them, break them, and only introduce them once they're the perfect club players.

I ask because Rachelle I think is showing all of the signs most weeks of being mentally fatigued, beating himself up for mistakes, and not enjoying his football.

We might do better with these kids if we just let them play the sorts of games that got them drafted so high.

Particularly the talented players with good natural instincts... just let them play & keep them positive... & don't fill their heads with BS!

 

[Soggy2112]

In any random interview a coach does at our club they need to specifically pump Rachele's tyres, is that correct? Even if not asked, just do it?

Why the **** not?

If people in the media with big influence are going out of the way to put him down, why not go out of our way to pump him up?

 

[kirky]

He hasn’t regressed, his numbers have remained more or less the same despite playing a less favourable role in a worse performing team.

His stats given he is playing on a hff are pretty good

AFL Tables - Josh Rachele - Stats - Statistics

Personally, I don’t understand why he has to deal with the negativity, he is going to be fine. Now if you speak about Murphy or McHenry I’ll stop right here now.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

In any random interview a coach does at our club they need to specifically pump Rachele's tyres, is that correct? Even if not asked, just do it?

Would be a nice break from the boring, muddled junk they usually trot out!