Rhylee West

[Grantysghost]

Was it just a case of McNeil being available after he wasn't? He's ahead of Rhylee in that small forward role at this point.
I don't think you should be automatically gifted a block of games but I do see that it probably isn't helpful to the players development and confidence to be dropped after 1 week.

[comrade]

Was it just a case of McNeil being available after he wasn't? He's ahead of Rhylee in that small forward role at this point.
I don't think you should be automatically gifted a block of games but I do see that it probably isn't helpful to the players development and confidence to be dropped after 1 week.

We're making a mess of the development of some of our younger players, particularly West and Young. Being 7-1 gives Bevo credits in the bank of course, we're here to surge towards a top 4 spot rather than focusing on developing kids, but there is a management balancing act to be had and I think he tips too far one way for some and another for others, which is what has set West off I imagine.

We can only hope the players are receiving clear communication as to why they're constantly on the edge of selection/demotion.

[azabob]

I'm neither here nor there on West but dropping certain players after 1 game isn't isolated to this year, so not sure the out clause with match selection is our 2021 win / loss record.

Personally I think fringe players like Young, West, Lipinksi and Schache should be given a block of games (3-4) and told if you do A,B,C you will play the next week.

[bornadog]

I'm neither here nor there on West but dropping certain players after 1 game isn't isolated to this year, so not sure the out clause with match selection is our 2021 win / loss record.

Personally I think fringe players like Young, West, Lipinksi and Schache should be given a block of games (3-4) and told if you do A,B,C you will play the next week.

Can we afford to do that and carry players in a game?

[azabob]

Can we afford to do that and carry players in a game?

I think there is a balance. Obviously you can't carry four players but you could carry 1.

Injuries will come and it is about making sure the players you bring in know what is required and know that the coaching staff and their team mates have confidence in them.

[Topdog]

He needs to be TOLD he will get an extended run in the team. He (fundamentally) needs to know that after his next game he isn't going to be kicked to the curb...if you think previous selection decisions aren't playing on his mind then you are kidding.

We seem to have this problem with quite a few younger players. I really wish we had done it last year when realistically we were a fair way off it.

Young, West and Lip have all been through it.

[bornadog]

Are we judging Rhylee on his ability or because he is son of Scott?

I haven't seen anything special about him at this stage.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Are we judging Rhylee on his ability or because he is son of Scott?

I haven't seen anything special about him at this stage.

I haven’t either. Could he be Mitch Wallis mk2?

[Happy Days]

I’ve really liked his intensity and body work in contested situations as a forward and a mid, and he’s a pretty nice finisher too. Ironically his main issue is struggling to get enough of the ball, which is hopefully something he could speak to his dad about.

I’m all for giving him an extended run.

[Mofra]

Personally I think fringe players like Young, West, Lipinksi and Schache should be given a block of games (3-4) and told if you do A,B,C you will play the next week.

I hope they are - but we wouldn't be privy to what A, B & C are so that may well be happening already.

[Mofra]

I’ve really liked his intensity and body work in contested situations as a forward and a mid, and he’s a pretty nice finisher too. Ironically his main issue is struggling to get enough of the ball, which is hopefully something he could speak to his dad about.

I’m all for giving him an extended run.

he can find it pretty easy at VFL level and he certainly tackles with intent. For me I see traits worth persisting with in Rhylee and he can certainly consider himself unlucky not to have played more AFL football this year.

[soupman]

I have some concerns about him, but think there is enough there to be deserving of more opportunity.

My main issues are that he is an inside mid that is neither big nor good enough there to push the many other mids on our list out the way, so he has to reinvent himself elsewhere. A bit like Honeychurch he is a dominant mid at VFL level and a middling smallish forward who is pacy but not quick at AFL level.

The other big thing is that I don't think he has adjusted how he plays at all for the AFL. He is a meatball, partly out of necessity. He is super short, and then on top of that is built a bit like a toddler where he has short limbs. Some players can get away with that, Daniel Rich has a toddler body but is also elite in areas where it doesn't matter, Caleb Daniel is tiny but is in proportion and is super talented. Callum Brown is the most similiar to me as another undersized mid masquerading as a half forward without any elite traits that are easily usable at AFL level.

Because he has doubled down on the strength aspect to compensate he plays like a wrecking ball at VFL level. There he is strong enough to shrug tackles and use his intensity in contested situations to burst out to his advantage. His go to move when faced with an opponent in close proximity is not to avoid them but rather run into them and use his strength to bounce them off him. At AFL level he isn't big enough for that. Think about how many times he runs into tackles or tries to shrug one and gets done. This happened in the Richmond game. He needs to learn quickly that he needs to employ a different move when he wins the ball in tight, and I'm not sure he can learn that in the VFL where the move works.

So atm he isn't in the mix to play his best role and a key component of playing his current role as a contested small forward is to show an ability to find space and his move to do that isn't a good one.

The other thing he does that I worry about is that he flies for everything. Like Cody Weightman despite being a short arse and playing in a side (either AFL or VFL level) with very good marking targets already West loves to launch himself at contested marks. He has to stop doing this immediately, unlike Cody he isn't even a good mark for his size and is only making it harder for Naughton/Bruce/JUH/Schache/English/literally everyone else on our list who has ever played forward because they are all much better marks than him. He can fix this, Hunter used to fly a lot and doesn't anymore, but I'm a bit annoyed that 3 seasons in he is still doing this.

I think there is potential there, but his skills aren't amazing, he isn't big enough to play his preferred role, I'm not sure he is clever enough to be good at his adopted role, and I'm not sure he has anything about him aside from tenacity (like speed, aerial ability, goal sense, versatility) that really sets him apart. Maybe his ability to win the ball in tight but I've covered his limitations with that already. Even as a pressure forward I think it is clear guys like McNeill and Scott cover the ground much better and have other attributes for the role West doesn't naturally have.

I actually think he is a bit like Lin Jong without the most important part of Jongs arsenal, the strength, size and athleticism. He plays as a bash and crash inside mid or as a "general forward" who goes for his marks and doesn't really crumb. This needs to change if he is to make it.

Tbf I have not seen much of him at VFL level, so maybe he has improved significantly there, but based on the very limited opportunities he has had with the seniors I am sceptical of what we see him becoming. I do agree though that I hate it when we give young guys and opportunity and then seem to change our minds by halftime so if we think there is something there and he has earnt selection then give him an actual run at it.

[soupman]

Having written all that I think I have reached the conclusion that I just don't know what he becomes. I mean I don't see him making it as a proper inside mid, and I think for all the other roles he can pinch hit in I think I'd just rather pick someone who is actually that instead of trying to turn him into one.

I mean if we want a small forward with tenacity, energy and goal sense then I think Weightman is much better equipped than West, and I'm not super hot on Cody.

[bornadog]

Having written all that I think I have reached the conclusion that I just don't know what he becomes. I mean I don't see him making it as a proper inside mid, and I think for all the other roles he can pinch hit in I think I'd just rather pick someone who is actually that instead of trying to turn him into one.

I mean if we want a small forward with tenacity, energy and goal sense then I think Weightman is much better equipped than West, and I'm not super hot on Cody.

Agreed, these are my thoughts as well.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Having written all that I think I have reached the conclusion that I just don't know what he becomes. I mean I don't see him making it as a proper inside mid, and I think for all the other roles he can pinch hit in I think I'd just rather pick someone who is actually that instead of trying to turn him into one.

I mean if we want a small forward with tenacity, energy and goal sense then I think Weightman is much better equipped than West, and I'm not super hot on Cody.

Hard to argue with any of that.

I was really disappointed in his game v Richmond as I want to see him succeed, but those issues of flying for marks / trying to break tackles were really evident.

Despite this I think he's good in the contest and can use his body well, but he needs to focus on bringing other players into the game. At the moment he's selfish but that can be fixed.

I haven't given up on him and I think he can be a mid/forward but he needs to become team oriented and he needs to be given a decent run at it.