North v Eagles 30 April Prospect Ovsl

Toumpas out again with concussion. At least Cameron got through a game unscathed, although there is training to get through.

Will be a very interesting match and a lot closer than I think many punters expect. We deservedly go into the match underdogs but much will depend on the following:

- Will the Eagles' form be enhanced by getting important game time into Knights, Menzel and Collier-Dawkins who you'd imagine would be better for the run?
- Can Brinker-Ritchie/Lukac at least break even with North's ruckman?
- If BR/Lukac can achieve the above, to what extent can our very good midfield of Hardie/Knights/Rowe/Collier-Dawkins expose a weakened North midfield given the absence of last year's Magarey Medallist (Young)
- Can we find multiple avenues to goal?
- Can our mid sized and small players somehow prevent North's taller defenders from taking easy marks? Ditto for our mid-sized and small defenders against their tall forwards?

Once more a long interchange bench with Firns, Lukac, Comma, Weckert, D'Aloia, Cameron, Studham currently named.

I'd go with Lukac, Weckert, D'Aloia and Studham.

Comma has done nothing this season, has probably run out of chances, and needs to find form in the reserves
Firns also a slow start to the year (a bit unlucky though) and feel that perhaps Lukac can do the minutes in the ruck, Weckert can do the minutes up forward.
Cameron needs to show he can go full steam ahead for multiple matches in the reserves without injury before being considered despite our need for height.

I can see D'Aloia, Lukas named in the 2's. Any others off the list?

I thought they may have brought D'Aloia straight back in. Our lack of intensity around the ball and the ease Glenelg exited from centre in the 2nd half was alarming. Purely looking at the tackling count - there was no one in the middle against Glenelg that got close to matching his output from the first 2 games.

I thought the only difference between the two sides was that North had a couple of key forward marking targets who could take a strong grab whereas we had to scrounge for all our goals

You put a Casselini into our side and we win.

Our undersized backline did very well all things considered - Litser, Beecken, Bruce and Studham very good. In particular the latter had an excellent first game. His kicking is a treat to watch.

The entire midfield very impressive and importantly great to see Knight back in form. Rowe excellent and Hardie came good after a slowish start.

Cameron - very good in his first game in about 12 months for us. Lets hope he can build on this.

A lot of frustrations with Ballenden and Weckert getting their hands to lots of footy in the forward 50 in the first half in particular and having it bounce out. We were spoilt for many years with the strong hands of the Hayes brothers. Also Menzel is badly out of form and looks like someone who is severely unfit or whose age has finally caught up to him. Slow and loss of craftiness and creativity is not boding well.

Brinker-Ritchie - 37 hitouts, 0 marks and 1 disposal. Make of that what you will but the kid at this stage is miles off the pace. Once he wins the tap at the centre bounce he just hangs back and seems to become an observer. Would love Sheedy to just tell him to follow up the ball whatever the cost and get down on hands on knees to try and get it - doesn't matter if you don't get a possession - but just get involved!!

Surely D'Aloia comes in for Comma next match???

I think that a few of our players need to go back to the seconds to get some form. Can we afford to play a (young) Wekert just to have 1 kick for the whole game? Th e bright spark that I saw was Buck into the forwar lines for the last quarter: not much polish but plenty of pace and effort. He actually chases!!! to keep the ball in the forward line.

The good:

Riley Knight - Looked more like the Riley we know today, will again be better for another run.
Zac Buck - Doesn't rack up the numbers but makes up for that by giving 110% all day, not afraid to throw himself in against much bigger bodies.
Clay Cameron - We are a better team with him in it.
Joey Sinor - Bit of a different role today, did some good things.
RCD - Got a bit more of it today, will only get better.
Rory Lehmann - Kept us in the game with some of his work.
DBR - Only the 1 touch...yes, but he does get his hand to it in the middle and in his 2 games we have won the hit outs. (Hit Outs - Round 1: -20, Round 2: -16, Round 3: +7, Round 4: +13) and he had 4 tackles.
The 2's finally got a well deserved win.

Not so good;
A few guys are battling, as has already been mentioned, 1 i think we can risk, the other 2 may need a run to get some confidence.
The efficiency in the forward line (we had 6 more inside 50's today for 1 less shot)
Sam Rowland in a moon boot in the grandstand.

Im trying to focus on the positives, the next two games are vital and it will be good to get back home, if we can get to 3 and 3 after that it won't be all doom and gloom.

Menzel is a liability at the moment. His man comes off him to add another player to a contest and we get outnumbered.

Ballenden needs to ruck. He is Andrew Ainger Mk II as a forward, but he is bloody good around the ground.

Cameron looked good. Go with him while he’s fit. Persist with Weckert, who can relieve Ballenden in ruck.

No bombing into the forward line. Keep it low and into space. Create space/work hard.

Aerie wrote:Menzel is a liability at the moment. His man comes off him to add another player to a contest and we get outnumbered.

Ballenden needs to ruck. He is Andrew Ainger Mk II as a forward, but he is bloody good around the ground.

Cameron looked good. Go with him while he’s fit. Persist with Weckert, who can relieve Ballenden in ruck.

No bombing into the forward line. Keep it low and into space. Create space/work hard.

Agree on all points. Weckert has been disappointing as well, We need a breakout game for him. Loosing Thommo has been massive as well.

Zack Buck reminds me of a young Poole.has the hard game and gets into the pack. Hope he can turn into a Poole. Give him a chance

A bit off topic, but what has happened to Tom(?) Welsh. He was very good in Under16s last season?

whybother wrote:A bit off topic, but what has happened to Tom(?) Welsh. He was very good in Under16s last season?

Don't know but its Tyler. Was injured earlier in the year. Must be bad. We don't have a friendly/up to date club website.

whybother wrote:A bit off topic, but what has happened to Tom(?) Welsh. He was very good in Under16s last season?

Tyler Welsh has a back issue and is being brought along slowly, last I heard he might be a couple of weeks away.
Also missing from the U18s are Oscar Pearce - ankle, Charlie West - knee and Rome Burgoyne - knee, Burgoyne might even be ready next game.

Thanks for the info re T Welsh