VFL VFL 2023 - Geelong & the greater league

[AnUltimateRessie]

2023 VFL Fixture:

VFL | 2023 Fixture Locked In

Geelong’s 2023 Smithy’s VFL fixture has been released

www.geelongcats.com.au

2023 VFL Practice Matches:

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

2023 VFL Fixture:

VFL | 2023 Fixture Locked In

Geelong’s 2023 Smithy’s VFL fixture has been released

www.geelongcats.com.au

2023 VFL Practice Matches:

I might be naive but is Olympic Park and oval now? I remember running for the state there.

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

I might be naive but is Olympic Park and oval now? I remember running for the state there.

Yeah, there's an oval next to AAMI Stadium. It's the AIA Centre, Collingwood training base.

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

A quick breakdown of Geelong's 2023 VFL Fixture

• First match in Geelong won't be until round 7.
• Easter Monday curtain raiser at the MCG.
• 2 AFL curtain raisers.
• No VFLW matches as curtain raisers/closers.
• 3 interstate trips.
• They won't play Sandringham and Williamstown.

Also here is an article from Brendan Rhodes if you are interested in how it ranks up against other teams.

A look ahead: A review of your club's 2023 Smithy's VFL fixture

Check out all you need to know about your club's fixture for the 2023 Smithy's VFL season

www.afl.com.au

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Who is the St.Marys player who just signed with our VFL side?

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

Who is the St.Marys player who just signed with our VFL side?

Harry Benson.... 2x GFL best and fairest!

Won last years best and fairest after spending two months out with a broken jaw

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Harry Benson.... 2x GFL best and fairest!

Thanks mate. Any relation to Bill?!

 

[AnUltimateRessie]

Thanks mate. Any relation to Bill?!

No idea, Sorry mate

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Harry Benson.... 2x GFL best and fairest!

Won last years best and fairest after spending two months out with a broken jaw

Great news if true. Im glad he has finally decided to give vfl level a proper crack.

 

[Turbocat]

Great news if true. Im glad he has finally decided to give vfl level a proper crack.

care to describe him. Inside mid ? 179cm ?

Geelong Advertiser

No Cookies

www.geelongadvertiser.com.au

St Mary’s star Harry Benson has signed with Geelong’s VFL side​

One of the region’s best local footballers has signed on with Geelong’s VFL side for the 2023 season.

TWO-time Mathieson Medalist Harry Benson has signed with Geelong’s VFL program for the 2023 season.

The 23-year-old Saint is already regarded as one of the GFL’s best-ever talents after polling 25 votes in just 13 games in 2022’s Mathieson Medal count, with the star midfielder missing an extended run with a broken jaw.

St Mary’s co-coach Glenn Keast said he was excited Benson had earned a contract, but was still hopeful to have access to the gun.

“He’s certainly going to share his time between VFL and St Mary’s, he’s been having ongoing conversations about what that looks like,” he said.

Benson has won two GFL premierships to go along with two Mathieson Medals. Picture: Mark Wilson

“We’re quite hopeful that he will be part of our long-term planning.

“It is not beyond the realms of possibility that he got picked up (to play AFL), and if that happened we’d wish him all the best.

“But at this stage he’s definitely going to have a crack at the VFL club.”

It is Benson’s second stint at Geelong, with the midfielder spending a pre-season training at the club in 2018 before being cut.

Benson averaged 27.1 disposals, 4.8 marks, 8.3 tackles and five inside 50s per game in 2022, excluding the match against Newtown & Chilwell when he suffered his jaw injury in the opening minute of the contest.

 

[Two Planks]

An absolute star at GFL level, hope he has a good run at it and shows everyone what he is capable of. Tom Atkins

30

Tom Atkins

Age

28

Ht

180cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.5

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

4.3

5star

MG

123.5

2star

D

6.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.5

2star

M

0.8

1star

T

1.5

2star

MG

100.0

2star

D

11.6

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

4.8

5star

MG

130.0

3star

as a VFL midfielder 3 or 4 years ago is the comparison I'd make.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

care to describe him. Inside mid ? 179cm ?

Geelong Advertiser

No Cookies

www.geelongadvertiser.com.au

St Mary’s star Harry Benson has signed with Geelong’s VFL side​

One of the region’s best local footballers has signed on with Geelong’s VFL side for the 2023 season.

TWO-time Mathieson Medalist Harry Benson has signed with Geelong’s VFL program for the 2023 season.

The 23-year-old Saint is already regarded as one of the GFL’s best-ever talents after polling 25 votes in just 13 games in 2022’s Mathieson Medal count, with the star midfielder missing an extended run with a broken jaw.

St Mary’s co-coach Glenn Keast said he was excited Benson had earned a contract, but was still hopeful to have access to the gun.

“He’s certainly going to share his time between VFL and St Mary’s, he’s been having ongoing conversations about what that looks like,” he said.

Benson has won two GFL premierships to go along with two Mathieson Medals. Picture: Mark Wilson

“We’re quite hopeful that he will be part of our long-term planning.

“It is not beyond the realms of possibility that he got picked up (to play AFL), and if that happened we’d wish him all the best.

“But at this stage he’s definitely going to have a crack at the VFL club.”

It is Benson’s second stint at Geelong, with the midfielder spending a pre-season training at the club in 2018 before being cut.

Benson averaged 27.1 disposals, 4.8 marks, 8.3 tackles and five inside 50s per game in 2022, excluding the match against Newtown & Chilwell when he suffered his jaw injury in the opening minute of the contest.

Hes a powerful mid, very much inside and reminds me of atkins in some ways (not saying he will be as good) all bull at a gate, but not a one way runner, works very hard defensively. Im glad to see him test himself at the next level as i think he could be draftable afl wise.

 

[goyoucatters]

An absolute star at GFL level, hope he has a good run at it and shows everyone what he is capable of. Tom Atkins as a VFL midfielder 3 or 4 years ago is the comparison I'd make.

Stop it!

 

[goyoucatters]

Hes a powerful mid, very much inside and reminds me of atkins in some ways (not saying he will be as good) all bull at a gate, but not a one way runner, works very hard defensively. Im glad to see him test himself at the next level as i think he could be draftable afl wise.

And now you as well...




Seriously, though, if he's capable of even 70% of the current output of 'the Axe' as a mid, he's absolutely draftable.

 

[Lana]

An absolute star at GFL level, hope he has a good run at it and shows everyone what he is capable of. Tom Atkins as a VFL midfielder 3 or 4 years ago is the comparison I'd make.

4 years ago Atkins was pressure forward for us. Funny how time works. We're getting a collection of Atkins types.

 

[goyoucatters]

4 years ago Atkins was pressure forward for us. Funny how time works. We're getting a collection of Atkins types.

Sounds great to me.

They can't all be captain, though, right?

 

[Lana]

Sounds great to me.

They can't all be captain, though, right?

Sometimes too much a good thing can be bad for you... you can only fit in so many of them.

I've argued that those types of players are horribly undervalued, each year clubs prefer the 40th inside mid at U18 level over a top 5 inside mid in the WAFL/SANFL/VFL.

I wonder if clubs undervalue the development that a player in his mid 20s has when moving from a semi-pro to professional environment.

 

[Turbocat]

Hes a powerful mid, very much inside and reminds me of atkins in some ways (not saying he will be as good) all bull at a gate, but not a one way runner, works very hard defensively. Im glad to see him test himself at the next level as i think he could be draftable afl wise.

We seem to have several candidate for that type of role ....

 

[goyoucatters]

Sometimes too much a good thing can be bad for you... you can only fit in so many of them.

This is true. Still, I think we can fit at least one more Atkins type on the list before we're maxed out. Or should that be 'axed out'?

I've argued that those types of players are horribly undervalued, each year clubs prefer the 40th inside mid at U18 level over a top 5 inside mid in the WAFL/SANFL/VFL.

I wonder if clubs undervalue the development that a player in his mid 20s has when moving from a semi-pro to professional environment.

I think you're right about this as well. The drafting model lends itself to the notion that choosing players with a notionally superior skill set to others will almost always result in a linear progression in their footballing career that will exceed what's possible from a less 'talented' (but potentially more committed) alternative.

And yet the harnessing of a superior work ethic with a keen desire to be sharpened by higher coaching/playing standards (and topped off with a solid dose of actual maturity) can end up reaping dividends that go well beyond the conventional wisdom of a notional draft order. For me, Atkins is clear and conclusive proof of this. And I would also see our current #45 in much the same way.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

We seem to have several candidate for that type of role ....

We do but if you create value from vfl list into late or rookie picks (which you are good at) it creates currency elsewhere for eg if benson or another vfl mid performs and ends up on our afl list it gives you more capacity to trade parfitt or another mid for a pick etc.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

4 years ago Atkins was pressure forward for us. Funny how time works. We're getting a collection of Atkins types.

He was although in his vfl days he was a nuggety defender and part time mid for us before he was an afl fwd. In those days circa 2018 i felf atkins was a ball of energy and effort who would give everything when on the field but just needed a bit more polish to make it at the next level. Stylistically i see benson the same.

 

[Turbocat]

We do but if you create value from vfl list into late or rookie picks (which you are good at) it creates currency elsewhere for eg if benson or another vfl mid performs and ends up on our afl list it gives you more capacity to trade parfitt or another mid for a pick etc.

True ..I just find it interesting that some talented players seem to shrivel on the vine. Plenty on here like the potential of the 2021 draft Willis for example.. can they all succeed? Its better than having no talent I guess. Just wish it was a GFL kid who was a Brownless type reincarnated..or a 200cm local prodigy. A bit greedy I guess.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

4 years ago Atkins was pressure forward for us. Funny how time works. We're getting a collection of Atkins types.

Then he was a defender!

 

[Lana]

He was although in his vfl days he was a nuggety defender and part time mid for us before he was an afl fwd. In those days circa 2018 i felf atkins was a ball of energy and effort who would give everything when on the field but just needed a bit more polish to make it at the next level. Stylistically i see benson the same.

He was a full time mid the year we drafted him. My worry at the time was with his lack of athleticism, he wasn't right as small forward, it clear to compare him who we use in that role now, but back then we weren't spoilt for choice.

His last two years, are masterclass in talent ID and coaching. Just maximising the ability of a player and hiding his weaknesses completely. In the 2020 grand final we were murdered by an inability to gather clean D50 groundballs. In 2021 our backline was super tall, Blicavs, Henderson, Kolodjashnij, Henry. His ground ball get numbers were elite to cover those guys. Despite pulling those number again last year he just wasn't needed down back with our smaller defence. Our midfield was misfiring at the contest by round 9 and we were out of options, it was him or bust. It was a gamble for him, if he failed in the midfield and the defence worked without him it could have made him redundant

He isn't making a run at it due to polish but he is durable, fit and strong. We have no shortage of good ball users, goal scoring threats or players who can cover the ground at pace, so it is fine for him not to be well rounded he just needs to blunt the opposition's mids at the contest anything more was a bonus. He is one of those guys who looks out of place when the game is clean, but when the game is messy he gets brought into the game.

I don't think he'll last long term in the midfield rotations eventually we're going to need someone who can do more. But as long as we have post prime Danger and Guthrie providing the inside out star power and Blicavs covering the gaps in work rate there will be have a spot he can fill.

I haven't seen Benson play, but I've seen the name referenced in the context in that he didn't want to play at VFL level, I wonder what changed for him now. For guys like him it must be a shock to him when he goes from being the best player in a lower league to being a cog in a more complicated system. Atkins has a bunch of quotes demonstrating his lack of ego which is why he is a premiership AFL player, he'll end up playing 100+ games at AFL level ahead of many more talented players. It is why many have Atkins as a smokey captain option. I've said in the past there are 50 players every year with he same level of talent as Tom Atkins who get overlooked every year. We overlooked the actual Tom Atkins as well.

It'll be interesting to see how the best GFL player stacks up, though Lang with a crippled dominant foot came had the most votes in the competition BnF.

 

[cats_09]