VFL Rd 12: Northern Blues vs Sandringham at Preston

[laj]

Well he looks bloody terrible out there, fluffing kicks, no intensity. I can see (in just a half of VFL footy), why he isn't playing in the 1's.

Emphasising today, not the season, a huge difference. Hasn't had a good season and kicked a number of goals for nothing. Take the season into account, not a crappy half game and you'll get a better perspective. You've seen crap for half a game I was at the Geelong game where he dominated, took a number of great contested marks and kicked 3 goals, which he has a done a number of times this year. Which one's right? If you judged everyone on one bad game they'd all be duds including the greats.

[blue4life]

Vojo-Rainbow hasn't been bad but by gee there aren't too many putting pressure on the senior team, at least Vojo-Rainbow looks as though he's a decent kick of the ball.
I was hoping to see Sheehan show a bit more and I agree that Jaksch won't make it, too slow in mind and body for AFL footy, a bit like Watson.

[crashlander]

Half way through the last quarter and we are NOT going to win, especially as there is a little fatigue on show. However, that is not the reason we are going to lose. Our structural issues are the reason we are not going to win.


[1] Ruck: Cam Wood is cooked. For a guy who was so good early in his career for us, he is just not providing what we require. Especially as we need experience and leadership. I am really disappointed as he looked like he had 'matured' and raised his intensity. Alas, he couldn't keep it up. We will need another ruckman in 2016.
Korchek is just learning, but he is coming along quite reasonably. He isn't the answer yet, as he is not getting a lot of possessions.

[2] Midfield: We are really struggling in that area, especially as we are NOT getting 1st opportunity. Our centre structure requires improvement, as I have mentioned a number of times. We do not have a lot of pace in the middle, and our structures do not handle losing in the ruck well. Today Nick Graham was reasonable, but he spent a lot of time seeing the ball going down his opponents' throats. Tom Wilson was reasonable and Jones was really down today.
Buckey was OK and needs to spend more time in the middle.

DISPOSALS: Dick 33, Wilson 28, Viojo-Rainbow 23, Graham 21, T. Jones 19, Kerbatieh 19, Ballard 18.

Dick was good value, while Skittles played his best game for the year.

[laj]

Vojo-Rainbow hasn't been bad but by gee there aren't too many putting pressure on the senior team, at least Vojo-Rainbow looks as though he's a decent kick of the ball.
I was hoping to see Sheehan show a bit more and I agree that Jaksch won't make it, too slow in mind and body for AFL footy, a bit like Watson.

Jaksch first shocker today in a season that's been terrific. Like I said before, there's more to a career than one game, something which is foreign to many supporters. I've seen other games where he's marked well, led well and kicked multiple goals a number of occasions. Today nothing but two of the 3 previous games kicked 4 each. 17 for the season and played well in defence when he's played there. Contested marking isn't far off Casboult's. Has a few workrate issues, which are holding him back but he's nothing like Watson.

[LP]

Jaksch first shocker today in a season that's been terrific. Like I said before, there's more to a career than one game, something which is foreign to many supporters. I've seen other games where he's marked well, led well and kicked multiple goals a number of occasions. Today nothing but two of the 3 previous games kicked 4 each. 17 for the season and played well in defence when he's played there. Contested marking isn't far off Casboult's. Has a few workrate issues, which are holding him back but he's nothing like Watson.

Depends what you think far means!

[crashlander]

AFL Victoria Development League
Northern Blues  3.1  6.3  11.4  13.5 (83)
Sandringham  3.4  5.8  7.10  10.10 (70)

GOALS:
Northern Blues: Corboy 2 Stevens 2 Dawson  Malual  Bolger  Cripps  Payne  Iermano  Hawkes  Strachan  Jacques
Sandringham: Dobosz 3 Haidon 3 Iudica  McKay  Fox  Davis

BEST:
Northern Blues: Stevens Jordan Casley Dawson Lamanna Jacques
Sandringham: Wallace Kelso Haidon Weickhardt Dobosz Hooy

This is a pretty decent effort, especially considering that Harry McKay only played half a game (making us effectively a man down thereafter) and our only real ruckman, Aurrichio, did not play. Good kicking is good footy, and we did it today.
Julian Dobosz is a Tasmanian lad who looked very draftable a few years back. I thought he might be worth going after: I was wrong. However, he has come over to the VFL this year.

[crashlander]

Peter Jackson VFL 2016
Northern Blues  3.1  4.3  8.5  9.8 (62)
Sandringham  4.5  9.9  11.16  13.24 (102)

GOALS:
Northern Blues: Viojo 3 Silvagni 2 Buckley 2 Jones  Kerbatieh
Sandringham: O'Kearney 3 Shenton 3 Murdoch 2 Dennis-Lane 2 Holmes  Pierce  Payne

BEST:
Northern Blues: Wilson Dick Viojo Kerbatieh Totevski Graham
Sandringham: Murdoch Templeton Simpkin Fisscher O'Kearney Shenton

DISPOSALS: Dick 33, Wilson 28, Viojo-Rainbow 23, Graham 21, T. Jones 19, Kerbatieh 19, Ballard 18.

[DJC]

Jaksch first shocker today in a season that's been terrific. Like I said before, there's more to a career than one game, something which is foreign to many supporters. I've seen other games where he's marked well, led well and kicked multiple goals a number of occasions. Today nothing but two of the 3 previous games kicked 4 each. 17 for the season and played well in defence when he's played there. Contested marking isn't far off Casboult's. Has a few workrate issues, which are holding him back but he's nothing like Watson.

Jaksch jagged his goals last game and his effort was far off what was required of a VFL player.  My observations of Jaksch in the two games I've seen seem fairly close to Fraser's appraisals over the season and I suspect that Jaksch won't make it.  I hope I'm wrong because we desperately need a genuine key forward and one who can go back when required is like gold.

[crashlander]

My take on today's loss:

Jack Silvagni: struggled to get into the game, but seeing that we had so few forward 50 entries and almost no decent ball movement, out forwards were never going to have big days. His footy smarts were good, but his kicking boot was not on: 2 goals 3 behinds could well have been 4 or 5 goals.
I didn't see him leading much, but we didn't play in a way that would have helped a leading forward.
A possible for Collingwood, but I probably wouldn't promote him on this game.

Dylan Buckley: There were times today when Buckley was REALLY good. He had some fantastic passages with some real dash. But them he periods where he simply did not get near the ball. I liked his endeavour and his finishing, but he needs to be given some time in the middle.
I wouldn't be promoting him on this effort, but I would be looking forward with some hope.

Liam Jones: Liam was very dangerous today and took a number of really good pack marks. However, he got most of his kicks well up the ground - it was his only chance to get near the ball. I did NOT see the fanatical chasing and tackling of a few weeks ago in the seniors, but he did have 2nd efforts and he was a useful contributor.

Matthew Dick: started slowly, but really warmed up. He was very close to our best player, not just through weight of possessions.
Maybe worth a spot of Tutt is dropped.

Jayden Foster: not too bad and got some ball, but he was beaten when it really mattered and he made some terrible choices by foot.
At this point I would say that he probably will not be with us next year. However, I do freely admit he is developing and has shown something at times. Just not enough. He loses crucial 1 on 1 contests.

Nick Graham: very good early, but drifted out of the game. I loved the way he put himself in, but with us struggling in the ruck for most of the game, he was rarely in the position to stop opposing mids in the centre.
I wouldn't be promoting him on this game.

Jesse Glass-McCasker: probably his best game for us so far. He got quite a few possessions, showed some run and (mostly) good decision making in defence. He took some nice marks and made some nice spoils. I almost didn't recognize him with his hair cut. He looked to have a real future on this effort.

Cameron Wood: In his first season for us, and early last year, Wood made a believer out of me. His ruck work wasn't great, but he took the game on and took some fine marks and kicked some crucial goals. But now he is not playing with that same enthusiasm or spirit. Maybe he knows that guys have gone past him? Whatever. His game lacked the leadership we really needed. He rarely jumped off the ground and he took very few marks. He is not going to be with us next year.

Billy Gowers: truly he has bulked up from last year and he showed a lot of enthusiasm and spirit. he also made some lethal mistakes. He was definitely down compared to his recent form, but was not our worst by a long way.

Ciaran Sheehan: Gussy was looking pretty good until he got injured. After that he came back on a couple of times, but he was struggling. Get him fit and he will be a senior player.

Kristian Jaksch: this was probably his worst game for some time. Things did not work for him. he struggled to get to contests and wasn't holding his marks. His kicking was off target and he was merely serviceable in defence. He can't be judged on this game alone, but he really hurt his supporters with today's disappointing effort.

Dillon Viojo Rainbow: Starting on the wing did not help him, as he was out of the play early. St Kilda - sorry, Sandringham - went mainly down the centre and spotted their kicks well, giving him little chance to make an impact. However, he really lifted his game and showed how dangerous his kick can be. He put his head over the ball and ended up with 23 possessions.
He might be in the thoughts of selectors if he can repeat this sort of thing, as it was this sort of play that got us excited early in the season.

Clem Smith: does some nice things but does not get enough of the ball. Simple as that.

Matt Korchek: coming along nicely. he only had a few possessions today, but he moved well, he competed well and he got our only real taps to advantage. He still has a LONG way to go, but he is looking promising.

[Baggers]

Jaksch first shocker today in a season that's been terrific. Like I said before, there's more to a career than one game, something which is foreign to many supporters. I've seen other games where he's marked well, led well and kicked multiple goals a number of occasions. Today nothing but two of the 3 previous games kicked 4 each. 17 for the season and played well in defence when he's played there. Contested marking isn't far off Casboult's. Has a few workrate issues, which are holding him back but he's nothing like Watson.

Flogging a dead horse, LAJ, pumping up Jaksch's tyres. I've seen most of his games this year and today's was only a little down - made the usual mistakes and demonstrated his poor movement, it's as if his hips and lower spine are all fused together! He has had some very good quarters and reasonable games but his lack of consistency is what keeps him out of senior contention.