VFL Rd 16: Northern Blues vs Footscray at Ikon

[crashlander]

Peter Jackson VFL 2017
Northern Blues   1.2  5.3  10.5  10.7 (67)
Footscray   2.1  5.1  6.3  12.8 (80)

GOALS:
Northern Blues: Jaksch 4 Sumner 2 Gallucci  Declase  Ballard  LeBois
Footscray: Gowers 3 Roberts 2 Jamieson  Dunkley  Lipinski  Goodyear  Dalgleish  Nash  Greene

BEST:
Northern Blues: Wilson Russell Palmer Byrne Blakey O'Shea
Footscray: Gowers Hayes Dunkley Dalgleish Roberts English

I note with interest (and no small amount of irritation) that Gowers was the best for the Dogs.
I also note that, while Jaksch kicked 4 goals, he was NOT named among the best players.

[crashlander]

Ciaran Byrne played 3 quarters only, as he was being 'managed'. Not how many possessions he got in his 3 quarters. He did not go off injured. That is the sort of form that made him stick out last year.

Interesting that Gowers was named best with 4 possessions.

Glass McCasker had 12 possessions until he went off injured. Must have been having one of his better games until then.

LeBois had 7 possessions and 1 goal in what was described by some as his best game in our colours.

[blue4life]

Amazing stats for Byrne, surely he'll play seniors next week.
Good numbers also for Buckley including 9 tackles which is very encouraging, maybe he's not quite done and dusted.

[RiverRat]

He didn't cut it at GWS and he's shown precious little in his 6 or 8 senior games at Carlton.
I'm all for giving him a last chance to prove himself but I'm not confident that he can, I think it comes down to a basic lack of ability.

Regarding Jaksch; I don't think he is bereft of ability - I just think he has limitations that our team cannot conceal and he could be an effective lead-up forward under different circumstances. 

He has decent hands and can take a clean one-grab mark; he just struggles against any serious defensive pressure. He is also a pretty good kick for goal. 

Everyone says big guys take longer and he is a few years younger than Jones so, although I am a long way from being a fan, I wouldn't mind if we kept him on the list for another season.

[DJC]

Amazing stats for Byrne, surely he'll play seniors next week.
Good numbers also for Buckley including 9 tackles which is very encouraging, maybe he's not quite done and dusted.

Yes, I can't imagine how a defender can only lay one tackle in four quarters of footy 

Palmer would seem to be the most deserving of a spot in the seniors but I think he'd have to be very lucky.

[flyboy77]

Palmer kicked a stack on goals in the seconds for GWS...but any mid who plays for Carlton/NBS seems to lose that ability?

Josh Dunkley anyone? contracted till end 2019 but where there's a will...?

Good size, can play....send them Jaksch and Graham?!

[cookie2]

Palmer kicked a stack on goals in the seconds for GWS...but any mid who plays for Carlton/NBS seems to lose that ability?

Josh Dunkley anyone? contracted till end 2019 but where there's a will...?

Good size, can play....send them Jaksch and Graham?!

Would Dunkley be available? I thought he was only out due to injury and would be a required player at the Dogs?

[ElwoodBlues1]

Palmer kicked a stack on goals in the seconds for GWS...but any mid who plays for Carlton/NBS seems to lose that ability?

Josh Dunkley anyone? contracted till end 2019 but where there's a will...?

Good size, can play....send them Jaksch and Graham?!

Agree...looked at his name in the Bulldogs twos and then remembered his finals series and cant figure out why he cant get a game.....I'd be asking him does he want to play seniors
every week and be part of a rebuilding team under a coach who values the type of blue collar worker he is....

[kruddler]

Regarding Jaksch; I don't think he is bereft of ability - I just think he has limitations that our team cannot conceal and he could be an effective lead-up forward under different circumstances. 

He has decent hands and can take a clean one-grab mark; he just struggles against any serious defensive pressure. He is also a pretty good kick for goal. 

Everyone says big guys take longer and he is a few years younger than Jones so, although I am a long way from being a fan, I wouldn't mind if we kept him on the list for another season.

Thing with Jaksch is he doesn't have the same upside that Jones has/had.

He is shorter, less agile, slower and appears to have less of a tank.

I'd prefer to keep Gorringe than Jaksch for the same reasons.

[DJC]

Thing with Jaksch is he doesn't have the same upside that Jones has/had.

He is shorter, less agile, slower and appears to have less of a tank.

I'd prefer to keep Gorringe than Jaksch for the same reasons.

How do you know what upside Jaksch has and, apart from RR, who really knew that Jones had an upside?  Jaksch hasn't really shown much, apart from those first few games when he seemed equally at home in defence or the forward line. 

I have been very critical of Jaksch's inability to play with the intensity necessary at AFL level but, if it came down to a choice between Gorringe and Jaksch, I'd keep Jaksch.