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Mantis
27-03-2009, 09:43 PM
From the AFL website: List assessment by Leon Cameron (http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/73532/default.aspx)

(I much preferred Rocket's assessment in the Bulldog mag, a fair bit of wind being blown in this article... everyone has had just the greatest pre-season)

Senior list

Dylan Addison
He had an impressive pre-season. It's another important year for him to keep developing. He was on track to play every game last year, before his knee operation, and with the pre-season he's had, I would be disappointed if he wasn't a regular senior player.

Jason Akermanis
His pre-season started slowly and then he had a good six-week period, before the setback with his calf. Now he's looking nice and sharp and with the clubs and their new zoning, his decision-making ability and kicking will be invaluable.

Jarrad Boumann
He's coming off shoulder and knee surgery and didn't join the main group until the start of March. He's realised how hard it is to stay in an AFL environment, let alone get a kick. He'll play regular Williamstown seniors with the chance to impress late in the year.

Matthew Boyd
He's had a fantastic pre-season with no setbacks. His fitness is outstanding and his work rate has been fantastic. I expect another very good and consistent year from him.

Tim Callan
It's his second year at the club and he hasn't missed a beat. He had one little setback in the pre-season but other than that he's clocked up all sessions and we're looking forward to him adding grunt down in the backline again.

Adam Cooney
He had a major knee operation at the end of the year and stepped into the fray in March. His rehab has been very good. He might not be fully wound up at the start of the season, but as weeks go on, he's going to get better. He's on track for round one.

Ayce Cordy
He's settled in well. He's lightly-built and is coming off shoulder surgery but he's starting to step up his ruck work and forward play. We're looking forward to him playing at Williamstown and he could be in the AFL towards the later part of the season.

Daniel Cross
He's had a fantastic pre-season. As our best-and-fairest winner from last year, he's very keen to keep on playing consistent footy. He just finds a way to get fitter. He had a minor back problem but it wasn't a huge concern.

Nathan Eagleton
He's had a really good pre-season. He sometimes slips under the guard but just doesn't miss a session. His body is holding up well and he's getting plenty of ball. He's had a good summer and he's taken his fitness up. You'll see a consistent year from him.

Andrejs Everitt
He had glandular fever, which put him out for six weeks after starting his pre-season early because he wanted to atone for last year. He had a really good training chunk from October to December and now he's back and hasn't missed a beat.

Daniel Giansiracusa
He's had a really good pre-season. He had a little setback with his hip before Christmas but since then, he's really stepped up. He's played some good practice matches and I'd expect another consistent year after his best year in 2008.

Lindsay Gilbee
He's one that's been in the system for a while but his fitness with our new fitness coach has just excelled. He's picked up five or six spots in running so he's really enjoyed the new fitness regime, and we're looking forward to a consistent year from Lindsay.

Jarrad Grant
His first year was plagued by groin problems but he's had a good pre-season. He's had a couple of setbacks with his body because he's skinny. He's getting stronger and we're keen for him to be consistent at Williamstown. We expect him to play AFL too.

Ryan Griffen
He missed a few weeks when he had a family issue but other than that he's had a really good hit-out. He excelled during the Arizona camp and played good footy in the Sydney practice match. He's a player who wants to stamp himself as consistent.

Mitch Hahn
He had a few setbacks in the pre-season with minor knee problems and he's missed a bit of training but his rehab has been fantastic. In March he picked it up and he's getting back to that grunt in the forward line we saw last year. He'll have a consistent year.

Jarrod Harbrow
He's only missed a week here or there with some shin splints but other than that, he's been fantastic. Deep down, he realises he's a good, regular AFL player. He's hungry, passionate and competitive, and playing every game is a realistic goal for him.

Ryan Hargrave
He keeps on training and rarely misses. He had some good finals and his consistency is coming along. He's a terrific team player – he's played with a lot of injuries in the past, but he's had another good pre-season and we're looking for another reliable year.

Shaun Higgins
He's trying to make up time for the years he's lost with injuries. He's had a good pre-season and there's hype about that, but he's much fitter. He's enthusiastic, a good young leader, and we expect him to play regular senior footy in the midfield and up forward.

Josh Hill
He's had niggles but he's starting to get some flow. He's into his third year now and there have been expectations on him, which are sometimes hard to cope with. He's a confident kid and we look forward to him playing regular AFL footy.

Ben Hudson
This has been his best pre-season in a long time in terms of running. He's a competitive player and his body is raring to go. He carries a heavy load in the ruck so he knows he's got to be fit and cop the bumps, but his body is prepared.

Brad Johnson
At 32, he's been outstanding. His running has been fantastic. We've modified him sometimes; he'd go hard and we'd pull him back, but he's been good and his leadership is getting better every week. If his body can stay sound, he's in for a great year.

Liam Jones
He currently trains with us three times a week in the afternoon because he's doing Year 12 at Scotch College, and will play for both the school and Williamstown. His fitness needs to improve but a year or two you'll see a good player come out the other side.

Brian Lake
He's missed a bit because of his hip but he's been training since early February and is just starting to go 100 per cent. When he's on, he's a fantastic fullback and he wants to play consistent footy. His body is almost right and he should lead our defence this year.

Malcolm Lynch
We've had to be slow with him after hamstring issues last year. He started pre-season in August and his patience has been good and his output fantastic. We're starting to see fruits of it now with his speed and tricks. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't play seniors.

Will Minson
He hasn't missed a beat. He'll mix his university with footy and he's just a professional young man that prepares himself well. He's at that age where he can become a very good ruckman/forward, and he's in a really good place with his enthusiasm.

Dale Morris
He's a great trainer and consistency is the name of his game. He's fit, hard and ready to go, and good luck to all forwards that come across him this year. He was All Australian last year because he loves to compete, and we have no doubt when it comes to Morris.

Robert Murphy
He's played two practice matches now and he'll step it up again before the season starts. He's also coming off a major knee and his rehab has been outstanding. He knows what it's all about because of the reconstruction he's had, but he's just been fantastic.

Guy O'Keefe
He knew he had to lift his fitness levels and had a good run up until Christmas. He had a setback with a knee for about five weeks after Christmas. He's a clever young player, a good decision maker with a good left boot and he'll play Willy seniors, looking to AFL.

Paul O'Shea
He tried to push through hip pain in the pre-season but he needs an operation. He'll miss a couple of months and we've just got to get it right for him. It's not fair on anyone if he's trying to train under duress so we'll see what happens after the season’s halfway point.

Sam Reid
He's had an injury-interrupted pre-season with a few shin and knee problems so he's going to take a little while to bounce out of the box. He's naturally fit but you'll see the best of Sam mid-year when he's been back for awhile. We expect him to play seniors.

Jordan Roughead
He's a good kid and is different to Ayce because he's much heavier and you can already see him rucking against men. He's a strapping lad and is professional, and we're looking forward to seeing him play. Don't be surprised if he bobs his head up to play AFL footy.

Wayde Skipper
Skip knows it's an important year for him. He got his body right after a horrendous run with injuries. He wants to play in the ruck, he wants to play forward, and he's got a good base to do that. There's a lot of competition for the ruck spots and he's one of them now.

Brennan Stack
He's had some minor setbacks but his fitness, his general output and professionalism has improved. He's been playing in the practice matches but he's still got a fair way to go to become consistent. I'd expect him to play Willy seniors with the opportunity to play AFL.

Stephen Tiller
He's had a bad run with injuries but as a whole, he's had a good pre-season. He's never stopped believing he can play AFL footy, and we saw he could in the finals last year. He could be playing a lot of AFL this year.

Callan Ward
Callan’s probably done about 80 per cent of the pre-season. His fitness and work rate has picked up, and he's latched onto Cross, Boyd and Gia, and learns about the midfield from them. I'm looking forward to a lot of AFL games from him.

Scott Welsh
His fitness is going up and he just loves playing footy. He knows he's getting older, he's still a great kick and mark, and we think he'll be a valuable contributor again this year. We just have to get it into his hands.

Cameron Wight
He's had another good pre-season running-wise, and he's had a recent setback with his hamstring. He's fighting for a spot in the backline but we've also done some ruck work with him, and he's confident he can have a year at AFL level.

Tom Williams
He's playing his first game late in the pre-season. His program has been very monitored with his injuries, but he's been fantastic. He trains as hard as anyone I've seen whether he's in rehab or out on the ground, so he's fit. He just needs some luck.

Easton Wood
He's one that has stepped up this pre-season. He had a shoulder operation but started the pre-season on time and improved his running. He's quick and is vying for a spot in the backline. He should play regular Willy seniors with the chance for up to six AFL games.

Rookie list

Jamason Daniels
He's a young kid who is flat out. He likes to get it and run, and get it off and run again. He's starting to realise that decisions are required but he works hard. I think he'll play Williamstown seniors nearly the whole year.

James Mulligan
He played against the Swans and had a good game. He's developing and has a really good training work rate. He's a Queenslander that wasn't bought up with footy so he's still learning, and I'd be disappointed if he wasn't a regular Willy seniors player.

Chris Ogle
He's our young fella from NSW and is coming off a shoulder injury. He has just started to do full training and now has glandular fever. He's going to take time but he's quick and reads the game well and he'll be in and out of Willy seniors. We'll be patient with him.

Liam Picken
He's been fantastic. He could play AFL footy tomorrow. He's a mature-age player and has done well. He's tough and hard and he'll get his chance. He'll play regular Willy seniors but he'll get his chance to play AFL this year.

John Shaw
He's a rookie ruckman and has missed about five weeks with a quad after Christmas but he's really starting to step back into it now and we look forward to him being one of the ruckmen down at Williamstown seniors.

Henry White
He's played three AFL games and is developing on the wing. It's his second year and he's coming along. He often does the right thing at the right time and is working on disposal. He does the easy things well, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he goes at Willy.

LostDoggy
27-03-2009, 10:13 PM
hmmm... not a lot of substance here except for pointing out that many key players have had a less than ideal preseason, I was feeling confident about freo...

LostDoggy
28-03-2009, 03:05 PM
I don't know how the whole team can play as often as Leon Cameron says when there's only 22 spots avaliable. It'd be good if everything he said was true, but I doubt this is 100% honest. His assesment of Josh Hill isn't that overly positive, I wonder what it would've been without the sugercoating.

Scraggers
28-03-2009, 10:50 PM
I much preferred Rocket's assessment in the Bulldog mag, a fair bit of wind being blown in this article... everyone has had just the greatest pre-season


Agreed Mantis ... THis one seems a little sugar coated

LostDoggy
16-04-2009, 12:47 AM
good to see gilbs had a good 1