VFL Rd 9: Northern Blues vs Werribee on TV

[pinot]

Our young tall forwards are down at the moment but NB yesterday had alot of players missing - Jones, Smedts, Boekhorst, Lamb, Sumner.. no doubt we have depth issues but Werribee is a flag favourite and we did pretty well

[ElwoodBlues1]

It was informative to watch Jaksch in a one on one situation.  Jaksch was goal side and should have had his opponent cold but the defender simply made body contact and Jaksch was out of the contest.

Got bodied out of a contest by a young kid called Neilsen and it was embarrassing.....not sure what happened to the Jaksch I watched beat Lachie Henderson when he played CHB in a GWS game, was physical and looked a senior player...looks like he is a 1st year player and looking for easy kicks..

[cookie2]

Got bodied out of a contest by a young kid called Neilsen and it was embarrassing.....not sure what happened to the Jaksch I watched beat Lachie Henderson when he played CHB in a GWS game, was physical and looked a senior player...looks like he is a 1st year player and looking for easy kicks..

Maybe he believes he's going to be gone and can't be bothered?

[ElwoodBlues1]

Maybe he believes he's going to be gone and can't be bothered?

Reckon you are right Cookie...first part of the NB's season was playing better and probably felt close to senior selection but it seems obvious he isnt in Boltons plans
and after watching him Saturday I can see why....

[crashlander]

AFL Vic Development League 2017
Northern Blues  2.4  6.6  9.8  13.12 (90)
Werribee  1.1  1.4  2.6  6.8 (44)

GOALS:
Northern Blues: Korcheck 2 Jordan 2 Bolger  McCabe  Adams  Romero  Ballard  Roos  Corboy  Jones  Barrett
Werribee: Ellard 3 Amarantidis  Liberatore  Miller

BEST:
Northern Blues: Jones Russell Declase McCabe Ballard Adams
Werribee: Pinnuck Laracy Miller Crofts Edwards Jones

This is a good win, no matter how you look at it. The Blues simply could not have done in the last few years. Tim Jones probably should be promoted, as he showed last year that e has what it takes at VFL level.
It was also good to see Korchek kick a couple of goals. He will play in the VFL seniors next week: there is nobody else.

[crashlander]

Peter Jackson VFL 2017
Northern Blues  7.4  9.5  12.10  15.13 (103)
Werribee  4.0  9.6  16.7  18.9 (117)

GOALS:
Northern Blues: Jaksch 3 Palmer 2 Pickett 2 Graham 2 Kerridge  Gallucci  Russell  Phillips  McKay  LeBois
Werribee: Larkey 4 Maishman 3 Daw 3 Thomas 2 Williams 2 Fordham  Augerinos  Nielson  Munro

BEST:
Northern Blues: White Palmer O'Shea Graham Kerridge Pickett
Werribee: Swallow Hanson Gribble Nielson McFarlane Larkey

Not sure I agree with the best players, but....
I was very disappointed to lose after the start we had, but considering that we didn't have a ruckman after half time, we did pretty well.
This shows one of the real structural weaknesses we still have: a dearth of decent ruckmen. Phillips was probably best on ground until he got hurt. He totally destroyed Preuss. But with him off and Daniel Gorringe unable to return to the field, we lost the drive from the middle.
I'm afraid we rolled the dice with Gorringe and it didn't work out. He has the ability, but can not stay uninjured, nor does he have the inner motivation to make it. A pity, but there it is.

I did like what Palmer, Graham and Kerridge did, but they lost their edge before half time when Phillips first went to the bench.

I saw more in Pickett, but he hasn't managed to put it all together yet. Maybe next year. LeBois looks well of the pace to me. I saw him in under age football, and he didn't look as slow as he did yesterday. But he has a kick you can't help but love.

I thought O'Shea probably played his least effective game for us.

Overall I was angry at the time, but perhaps I over-reacted. We missed the dominant tall defender (Silvagni or Jones) we've had for most of the year and our key forwards didn't make the most of their opportunities. In some ways we showed our relative inexperience. We will improve.

[Baggers]

Real pity about Flip. Was dominant in the ruck and around the ground. Hope it's not a long term injury.

I agree, (strangely  ), with the club's nominated best, especially in terms of White and Palmer. White lacked support down back but still did a terrific job, considering. I thought Palmer was the most effective mid-fielder though his disposal stats wouldn't be as numerous as Kerridge and Graham, who were also good for the most part.

Agree that it was O'Shea's best outing for us thus far. And Pickett is not far off 'clicking', provided he keeps up the work/intensity. Hate to say it but I thought Russell (8) was a real liability and hopefully will be replaced.

Casey wasn't quite as clean as his first game back but will be better for the run.

[crashlander]

The statistics make interesting reading:
[1] Swallow got 7 possessions after half time, and most of his possessions were handballs. Kudos to Cameron Polson after half time, even though he managed only 11 for the game.
[2] Phillips had 12 possessions, of which 9 were in the 1st quarter (when he first went to the bench). By half time he had had it. No drive from the middle thereafter.
[3] Preuss ended up with 18 possessions and 48 hit outs. He had 3 possessions in the 1st quarter, when Phillips and Gorringe were fit.
[4] Graham, Palmer, Kerridge and White all managed their usual possession number (25 - 30). That is a pretty good effort in the circumstances. But after that our mids were noticeably down. Wilson had only 15 when he normally gets close to 30.
[5] Buckley had more than half of his 15 possessions in the 1st quarter. He did an OK job, but he really stopped running out of defence from about half way through the 2nd quarter.
[6] Casey Byrne managed 20 possessions, but he looked quite rusty. But Gussy Sheahan had less than 10: very much down.
[7] Glass-McCasker spent all day I defence and did not have a good day. he had 5 possessions. I really think he should be tried more up forward, as he has the weapons. He just can't seem to use them effectively down back. Working to his strengths appears (to me) to be a better use of his talent at this point.
[8] We REALLY missed having a dominant defender, as Jones and Silvagni have been until now. Their ability to hold good forwards at bay while getting considerable ball themselves has been badly missed. Glass-McCasker and Macreadie just haven't been able to provide the same drive.

[pinot]

Good to see Byrne doing well on the stats and finding the onion. Our youngsters need to push themselves a little more. None of them except Byrne, Graham and Pickett will be getting a game any time soon.

[DJC]

Thirteen tackles apiece by Graham and Palmer; good work by a couple of experienced players.