VFL VFL: Elimination Final - Sandringham v Port Melbourne -

[cooperrules]

longer bog mmmmm shenton was bog easily 10 shots on goals for 4.3 plus a number of assists. the panthers rising will be interesting to see if his form will give us more midfield flexibility. Sending weller and members into a midfield rotation with the trio playing together. i could live with that.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

I have thought about why Eli doesn't see to be able to show his VFL form at AFL level and I reckon it's his game style. In the VFL he's much more able to front run with out having to mind an opponent. He's not quick so doesn't shut down space like Lonie etc. He's having to play as a defensive forward often which highlights his weaknesses. He's really suited to an inside outside mid role but is behind too many might now. Hard to know if he can adapt his game or is trusted with time on the ball but he's capable. If you are a fringe player you really have to have a multiple dimensional game or you can miss your opportunity.

Yep, all of that crew have had relatively brief or unremarkable opportunities. Difficult spot to play. For me, most of them, including Eli, are still too young to discard altogether and could bounce up with opportunity. Good enough to keep rolling along though. As others have said, there is a bit of Joey about him, even if that level seems a pipe dream right now.

 

[Saintbloke]

It's becoming obvious that under Richo's coaching, you don't get regular senior games unless you have good tackling and a good defensive game. That's why Sinclair and Eli are back in the VFL, but I think Sinclair is definitely improving that side of his game at Sandy, but Eli needs more work on his defensive game.

 

[cooperrules]

although shents isnt playing afl his rise of confidence and ability would have to be up there with gearys. he just looks so comfortable on the forward flank. his late surge this year has me very excited from a depth perspective. pretty darn good for a guy whos played a dozen games as a forward.

 

[aussierulesrules]

A dozen games as a forward where? Panther came to us as a "forward", who had kicked 40 or more goals in his last season in the SANFL. From memory he struggled up forward initially in his time with us, so we tried him down back and he did better there.

 

[King_Steele]

although shents isnt playing afl his rise of confidence and ability would have to be up there with gearys. he just looks so comfortable on the forward flank. his late surge this year has me very excited from a depth perspective. pretty darn good for a guy whos played a dozen games as a forward.

Drafted Shents on the back of a 40+ goal year for Norwood, I think it was..

The bloke can obviously play up fwd

 

[cooperrules]

Drafted Shents on the back of a 40+ goal year for Norwood, I think it was..

The bloke can obviously play up fwd

so weve been playing him in defence all this yeah makes sense.

 

[plugger66]

so weve been playing him in defence all this yeah makes sense.

Well it does when he wasn't good enough initially as a forward. I still think he is in trouble. At least 2 or 3 more players will go and he certainly must be in the mix. Also with Holmes re signing I still cant see how 3 talls works at Sandy. I couldn't give a stuff about them winning or losing but how do you develop 3 ruckman when they play together. I don't think it is possible.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Well it does when he wasn't good enough initially as a forward. I still think he is in trouble. At least 2 or 3 more players will go and he certainly must be in the mix. Also with Holmes re signing I still cant see how 3 talls works at Sandy. I couldn't give a stuff about them winning or losing but how do you develop 3 ruckman when they play together. I don't think it is possible.

Agreed there, Sandy looked a lot better when they didn't have to carry Holmes in the forward line.

 

[Olliver]

longer bog mmmmm shenton was bog easily 10 shots on goals for 4.3 plus a number of assists. the panthers rising will be interesting to see if his form will give us more midfield flexibility. Sending weller and members into a midfield rotation with the trio playing together. i could live with that.

I've never understood the "send Membrey into the midfield" notion. He regularly hits the scoreboard - leave him there! Same could be said for Billings IMO. Let the natural mids get the ball and natural forwards kick goals. Cyril is prime example. Multiple AAs and a Norm Smith as a half forward.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Agree fully re Membrey, but Billings doesn't regularly hit the scoreboard these days. Has only kicked goals in 7 of his last 26 games, with the great majority of that time spent forward!

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Agree fully re Membrey, but Billings doesn't regularly hit the scoreboard these days. Has only kicked goals in 7 of his last 26 games, with the great majority of that time spent forward!

He actually played most of his senior footy this year on the wing and drifted back more often than forward.

Richo just teaching him a few different roles as part of his development.

 

[pebblesofsand]

so weve been playing him in defence all this yeah makes sense.

In his 15 odd games in 14 and 15 AFL games he got to play on people like Steve Johnson, Gunston and Le Cras and had to be attacking whilst at the same time learning how to play defence.

 

[aussierulesrules]

He actually played most of his senior footy this year on the wing

Definitely disagree with that. Early in the year he was playing mostly on the wing in most games (eg. the Hawthorn and Collingwood ones), but before he injured his ankle against Essendon he had gone back to playing mostly forward again and then when he returned later in the year he again played mostly forward, with the odd spells on the wing.

I sit on the wing at Etihad each week and tend to pay pretty close attention to who is playing on the wings and in the guts and I also watch most replays at least once and again look out for who's lining up across the middle at a lot of the centre bounces and I would say with a very strong degree of confidence that he lined up in the forward line a lot more than the wing this year.

Newnes and Roo were the two who spent by far the most time on the wings for us, with Jack a distant 3rd and Acres probably not too far behind.

 

[gringo2011]

Definitely disagree with that. Early in the year he was playing mostly on the wing in most games (eg. the Hawthorn and Collingwood ones), but before he injured his ankle against Essendon he had gone back to playing mostly forward again and then when he returned later in the year he again played mostly forward, with the odd spells on the wing.

I sit on the wing at Etihad each week and tend to pay pretty close attention to who is playing on the wings and in the guts and I also watch most replays at least once and again look out for who's lining up across the middle at a lot of the centre bounces and I would say with a very strong degree of confidence that he lined up in the forward line a lot more than the wing this year.

Newnes and Roo were the two who spent by far the most time on the wings for us, with Jack a distant 3rd and Acres probably not too far behind.

It's not like he's a resting true forward though. Not too many players camp these days, Billings is up the field once the ball bounces and the whole team gets back to help out in defence. They are like wingmen but don't line up on the edge of the square. He breaks for space if he's required and is often in the swarm for the running over lap and link up. Members and Bruce double back as hard and fast as they can to create a forward target. It's why our game plan doesn't suit two tall immobile rucks.

 

[aussierulesrules]

It's not like he's a resting true forward though. Not too many players camp these days, Billings is up the field once the ball bounces and the whole team gets back to help out in defence. They are like wingmen but don't line up on the edge of the square. He breaks for space if he's required and is often in the swarm for the running over lap and link up. Members and Bruce double back as hard and fast as they can to create a forward target. It's why our game plan doesn't suit two tall immobile rucks.

I agree with all that but it doesn't change the fact that he's meant to be this "natural goalkicker", yet he hardly kicks goals, even when playing or at least starting forward. So he might as will play wing going forward, once he has the tank.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Definitely disagree with that. Early in the year he was playing mostly on the wing in most games (eg. the Hawthorn and Collingwood ones), but before he injured his ankle against Essendon he had gone back to playing mostly forward again and then when he returned later in the year he again played mostly forward, with the odd spells on the wing.

I sit on the wing at Etihad each week and tend to pay pretty close attention to who is playing on the wings and in the guts and I also watch most replays at least once and again look out for who's lining up across the middle at a lot of the centre bounces and I would say with a very strong degree of confidence that he lined up in the forward line a lot more than the wing this year.

Newnes and Roo were the two who spent by far the most time on the wings for us, with Jack a distant 3rd and Acres probably not too far behind.

Well I sit on the F50 at Etihad & I see Jack getting lots of touches in the back half of the square! He probably lines up across half forward then drifts down. He's definitely not played a hell of a lot as a 'stay in the 50' forward.

 

[aussierulesrules]

He certainly does push up the ground if the ball doesn't go forward from the centre bounce, but for someone who does spend a lot of time in the forward line (over both of the last two seasons- last year he played, or at least started almost exclusively forward) he rarely kicks goals these days, so I don't agree with the earlier point that we should ditch his midfield push and play him mostly forward, for his goalkicking, on the recent evidence.

His set-shot kicking for goal has also been pretty rank for most of his time at the club (this year he was something like 1 goal 9 from set shots, with a couple of rounds to go and in his first year he was regularly missing complete sitters, which I heard he did in school footy as well) which is again not what you want from someone who you're playing close to goals for his goalkicking.

 

[cooperrules]

Agree fully re Membrey, but Billings doesn't regularly hit the scoreboard these days. Has only kicked goals in 7 of his last 26 games, with the great majority of that time spent forward!

pretty avg return for an elite goal kicking mid forward.

 

[JG22]

Agree fully re Membrey, but Billings doesn't regularly hit the scoreboard these days. Has only kicked goals in 7 of his last 26 games, with the great majority of that time spent forward!

You haven't been watching very closely.
Played midfield and wing this season not as a forward.
He's better than his first year were he played forward and kicked a goal a game.
Only had minor stints forward, i.e Carlton, North games.
He has kicked his goals from usually on the paint not leading up

 

[Persevering Saint]

You haven't been watching very closely.
Played midfield and wing this season not as a forward.
He's better than his first year were he played forward and kicked a goal a game.
Only had minor stints forward, i.e Carlton, North games.
He has kicked his goals from usually on the paint not leading up

Dude, I'd say the length of aussierulesrules 's posts would indicate he watches VERY, VERY closely!
#insultorcompliment?

 

[Persevering Saint]

Who and where do we play now???

Willy Penguins... er, Seagulls next week, at their place.

I know we have to play Willy because they lost to Pies. NFI where

At North Port again.

Beaudy, just up the road

Hey Joff, I just thought I'd clarify - it IS at North Port again. I'd hate for you to rock up at the wrong spot... and then blame me!

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

He certainly does push up the ground if the ball doesn't go forward from the centre bounce, but for someone who does spend a lot of time in the forward line (over both of the last two seasons- last year he played, or at least started almost exclusively forward) he rarely kicks goals these days, so I don't agree with the earlier point that we should ditch his midfield push and play him mostly forward, for his goalkicking, on the recent evidence.

His set-shot kicking for goal has also been pretty rank for most of his time at the club (this year he was something like 1 goal 9 from set shots, with a couple of rounds to go and in his first year he was regularly missing complete sitters, which I heard he did in school footy as well) which is again not what you want from someone who you're playing close to goals for his goalkicking.

Two words.

Confidence.

Experience.

I have no doubt that JB will be a match winner for us when it counts. We know all the history of his career up until now and I suspect (but don't know for sure) that there might be a bit more to his form and confidence struggles than meets the eye. He's a very quiet and introspective kid who looks like he takes his set backs very personally.

I think that we're very lucky to have a nurturing coach like Richo who will support kids like JB when needed and then kick them in the arse when its appropriate too.

I think people expect and want him to be the 28 touch, consistent effort mid that Dal was generally thought of as. Personally I agree with thepoyz that he'll be the icing on the cake when our midfield is fully built and developed. The kind that will frustrate for a half then explode when we need it most. A different kind of Cyril if you like.

 

[Persevering Saint]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2016-09-05/vfl-stunning-zebras-stun-port-melbourne

I get the impression the club were as shocked as anybody that we won on Sunday!

 

[sammm]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2016-09-05/vfl-stunning-zebras-stun-port-melbourne

I get the impression the club were as shocked as anybody that we won on Sunday!

I think everyone is, especially since how the vfl team played over the the last few weeks.