06-04-2023, 12:30 AM
Considering who we had available, I reckon we can take a fair bit from that win. There wasn't a lot of talent available and we missed the dominant big man and the guy who gets 30 touches every week (Mirkov and Dow). It showed a lot more grit and determination than we 've shown for a lot of season.
On the the other hand, there is still a lot of things to work on. We can play a LOT better. Martin and Cuningham can only get better as they get fitter (assuming they can stay on the park). Same goes for Marchbank. who needs a decent run at it.
We're not getting a lot out of Lemmey, Akuei and O'Keefe, all of whom are projects of some sort. Akuei had improved a lot, but he still a long way off a senior spot. O'Keefe looks like a VERY long term project.
Then there are the perennials like Honey that never seem to grab the game by the neck. I can't see Honey remaining on our list: he doesn't do enough and he doesn't make enough of the chances he gets. But then, do our other small forwards? You'd have to answer 'no'.
Last year we got a fair bit from our VFL listed players who were generally pretty consistent performers. That hasn't been the same this year. We've had a few really good performers, but the consistency hasn't been there.
Parks is OK, but he doesn't get a lot of the ball.
Lewis and Leiu have gone backwards.
We lost Zavier Maher to a knee injury for the season in the first game.
Crocker's form has been spasmodic, and his role has been more upfield. That said, his kicking for goal this year has been excremental. (Doesn't that sound familiar?) I don't know if he's been a good captain or not, but playing the role he does often doesn't allow good captaincy to shine through.
Ronke has been decent, and a goal kicker every week.
Ned Cahill hasn't been as consistent either, but he has been better than Honey. We missed him through injury this week.
McMahon has been patchy: some weeks he looks like he might be worth looking at, the next week he gets less than 10 possessions and sprays his kicks all over the place.
Archie Stevens has been one of our best VFL players. He is getting good numbers most weeks now as a mid, after being a small forward last year. His disposal isn't bad. As Vice Captain he has been a real positive this year.
Patrick Dozzi, on the other hand, has not been all that consistent. He looked better last year.
Heath Ramshaw has played a very different role this year, he's been a mid all year after being an attacking back pocket last year. He's had a few quiet games, but not that many. Not sure he has improved as much as I had hoped, but he is worth his spot.
A lot of the others are very much project players: Gill, Prout and Mills don't get a lot of ball, but have been doing a job when AFL listed players have been unavailable. Same goes for Kuipers, Brereton and Swaney: Brereton has had1 VFL game and played against the Academy kids.
Mitch Moschetti hasn't been sighted much, which is disappointing: he can kick a ball. Not sure why he hasn't been a regular.
Overall, our VFL list appears to lack some of the depth that other clubs can claim. There appears to be little in the way of experienced players to give the youngsters much guidance.
Is it the money? Or is it that we simply don't put the resources into the VFL side of things? Or is it that we don't appear to be contenders? I don't know, but I don't like it.
On the the other hand, there is still a lot of things to work on. We can play a LOT better. Martin and Cuningham can only get better as they get fitter (assuming they can stay on the park). Same goes for Marchbank. who needs a decent run at it.
We're not getting a lot out of Lemmey, Akuei and O'Keefe, all of whom are projects of some sort. Akuei had improved a lot, but he still a long way off a senior spot. O'Keefe looks like a VERY long term project.
Then there are the perennials like Honey that never seem to grab the game by the neck. I can't see Honey remaining on our list: he doesn't do enough and he doesn't make enough of the chances he gets. But then, do our other small forwards? You'd have to answer 'no'.
Last year we got a fair bit from our VFL listed players who were generally pretty consistent performers. That hasn't been the same this year. We've had a few really good performers, but the consistency hasn't been there.
Parks is OK, but he doesn't get a lot of the ball.
Lewis and Leiu have gone backwards.
We lost Zavier Maher to a knee injury for the season in the first game.
Crocker's form has been spasmodic, and his role has been more upfield. That said, his kicking for goal this year has been excremental. (Doesn't that sound familiar?) I don't know if he's been a good captain or not, but playing the role he does often doesn't allow good captaincy to shine through.
Ronke has been decent, and a goal kicker every week.
Ned Cahill hasn't been as consistent either, but he has been better than Honey. We missed him through injury this week.
McMahon has been patchy: some weeks he looks like he might be worth looking at, the next week he gets less than 10 possessions and sprays his kicks all over the place.
Archie Stevens has been one of our best VFL players. He is getting good numbers most weeks now as a mid, after being a small forward last year. His disposal isn't bad. As Vice Captain he has been a real positive this year.
Patrick Dozzi, on the other hand, has not been all that consistent. He looked better last year.
Heath Ramshaw has played a very different role this year, he's been a mid all year after being an attacking back pocket last year. He's had a few quiet games, but not that many. Not sure he has improved as much as I had hoped, but he is worth his spot.
A lot of the others are very much project players: Gill, Prout and Mills don't get a lot of ball, but have been doing a job when AFL listed players have been unavailable. Same goes for Kuipers, Brereton and Swaney: Brereton has had1 VFL game and played against the Academy kids.
Mitch Moschetti hasn't been sighted much, which is disappointing: he can kick a ball. Not sure why he hasn't been a regular.
Overall, our VFL list appears to lack some of the depth that other clubs can claim. There appears to be little in the way of experienced players to give the youngsters much guidance.
Is it the money? Or is it that we simply don't put the resources into the VFL side of things? Or is it that we don't appear to be contenders? I don't know, but I don't like it.
Live Long and Prosper!