VFL Rd 13: Northern Blues vs Essendon at Windy Hill

[laj]

He's a long way from senior selection.
I counted one mark for the day and he played much of the second on the ball, but as Crash stated there was very little support for him today and our ball use was barely VFL standard.
The only players who could mount a semblance of a case for senior selection were Armfield and Sheehan in my view, and that would be a bit of a stretch.
Macredie and JGM both showed a bit but Laverde and Langford kicked 10 between them and someone has to own it.
We were way down on personnel and it showed.

He'd just freeze to death playing NB's up forward. Hence we had to ruck him to get him into the game. Not sure he's rucked in his life. I know when the NBs the flying early in the year he was hitting packs and taking marks. Give him the opportunities and he'll go alot better. Right now our NBs teach him nothing and while we''re kicking 4.6 in a game he'll just rot. . Time to give him the feel of what senior is like and what's required. Not as if we're playing finals to may as well play him.

[Baggers]

That's what happens when you don't have a midfield. Simply awful. Some honest efforts from a few, but, generally, awful.

[kruddler]

The big difference in in the centre square: instead of having a dominant ruckman who gave the mids first use, we now have Korchek and Gorringe, neither of whom can provide the mids with any service at all.

The 2nd thing is our mids themselves: instead of having guys like Kerridge, Graham and Cuningham leading the charge, the main mid left is Palmer. He is getting the hard tag each week and no help from the rucks. Then there is Tom Wilson, a real trier and a live wire, but not a 35 possession player whose disposal and pace hurts.

Thirdly, early in the season we had Alex Silvagni, followed by Liam Jones, giving real leadership and desperation to our back 6. Now neither of them is there and guys like Macreadie have to do jobs they are not really ready for yet.

Fourthly, our forward division has been a work in progress the whole time. But now it is a lot harder, as the ball does not come in often, nor does it come in a way that gives the forwards a chance. Kerr and Polson are out injured and their replacements haven't been up to the task.

The coaching box is not coming up with miracles, but in the circumstances, it is difficult to make a silk purse from sows' ears.

Simple isn't it.

For the first time this year we've started getting injuries. That effects not only the AFL side, but the VFL side as well.

[blue4life]

He'd just freeze to death playing NB's up forward. Hence we had to ruck him to get him into the game. Not sure he's rucked in his life. I know when the NBs the flying early in the year he was hitting packs and taking marks. Give him the opportunities and he'll go alot better. Right now our NBs teach him nothing and while we''re kicking 4.6 in a game he'll just rot. . Time to give him the feel of what senior is like and what's required. Not as if we're playing finals to may as well play him.

It's fine by me, we haven't got anything to lose and a few senior games can't do him any harm.
I thought it was instructive that Fraser shifted him into the ruck today, we seem to have been protecting him to some extent so maybe it's a sign that his body is toughening up.

[Professer E]

Don't you just love it when we play that mob and it underlines how deadset awful our drafting was that year.  Great idea. Stupid choices.

Apparently the guy we really wanted was Langford not Laverde.  Great another flanker type.

I dont know what we saw in Gorringe, another in the inauspicious line of Carlton tall draftees with the competitive drive of a tired panda.

[kruddler]

I dont know what we saw in Gorringe...

Same thing we saw in Jones.

Tall, athletic, agile and with potential.

Initially with Jones, he lacked the hunger/desire/drive to make it at AFL level, a bit like Gorringe.

Jones has managed to turn things around.
Gorringe has not....as yet at least.

The idea was right, the luck just wasn't on our side this time.

[laj]

It's fine by me, we haven't got anything to lose and a few senior games can't do him any harm.
I thought it was instructive that Fraser shifted him into the ruck today, we seem to have been protecting him to some extent so maybe it's a sign that his body is toughening up.

Yes, could be well true.

I videoed the game as I was out all day but don't think i'll bother.

[blue4life]

I'm not sure fussed about Gorringe, he was delisted by GC and cost us next to nothing, no club has 40 AFL standard players and there are always a few duds.
Jaksch on the other hand........................  :

[blue4life]

Yes, could be well true.

I videoed the game as I was out all day but don't think i'll bother.

Dont, it wasn't pretty.

[Gointocarlton]

Same thing we saw in Jones.

Tall, athletic, agile and with potential.

Initially with Jones, he lacked the hunger/desire/drive to make it at AFL level, a bit like Gorringe.

Jones has managed to turn things around.
Gorringe has not....as yet at least.

The idea was right, the luck just wasn't on our side this time.

Yes Gorringe has all the physical attributes, his problem is he is made of a balsa wood/glass composite. Jones (I dont want to put the moz on him) is bullet proof injury wise.