I am Excited for the Future - Young KPPs and the best midfeld in the AFL

[bornadog]

Maybe I am getting carried away after today's game, but during the game, I suddenly thought, when was the last time we had KPPs like Schache, Naughton, Young, and Tim English in the same team. All these players are from 19 to 21 years old and add in 22 year old Cordy. Talls, all capable of holding down their role.

Then there are the mids, Macrae, The Bont, Libba, Hunter, Wallis, Mclean and Dunkley. Look at their numbers, all ball magnets.

The future is bloody exciting.

[EasternWest]

I like how easy Schache makes it look. He's so smooth.

I think he still has a heap of improvement in him, and that's fantastic.

[Mofra]

I like how easy Schache makes it look. He's so smooth.

I think he still has a heap of improvement in him, and that's fantastic.

Schache has clearly turned the corner, I was really impressed with his physicality in JLT 2 and Round 1, and today was just reward for effort.

English is going to be a beast. 1-2 of the marks he gets his hands to each week he'll start taking soon. Unlike Boyd, it's strength not technique that is letting him down.

I'm a huge Cordy, has genuine aggression and is quick for his size. Then there's Naughton who is just Naughton. We need a contract extension ASAP.

[angelopetraglia]

You just have so much confidence when Schache is kicking for goal. Such a beautiful action, especially for a big man. He really stood up today and hopefully he can use today as a massive confidence booster. On today's performance, this trade is looking like a stroke of genius.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Schache has clearly turned the corner, I was really impressed with his physicality in JLT 2 and Round 1, and today was just reward for effort.

English is going to be a beast. 1-2 of the marks he gets his hands to each week he'll start taking soon. Unlike Boyd, it's strength not technique that is letting him down.

I'm a huge Cordy, has genuine aggression and is quick for his size. Then there's Naughton who is just Naughton. We need a contract extension ASAP.

Is part of the reason why Schache has been able to step up down to the fact that Naughton after week 1 has clearly made his classy bonafides known to the world? Naughton's week 1 performance was eyebrow raising, and coaches would've seen the fact he is an A grade threat. Naughton was not as influential today and it looked like Hawks were putting work into him. But it did allow Schache more freedom.

Tom Boyd was not the great foil we presumed he would be for Schache last year. But Naughton may be.

[bulldogtragic]

Former pick 1, shoulda been Norm Smith, Tom Boyd if he gets his body right and matured into form is a cherry on top of our stock. Trengove too. With lots of draft picks, f/s and salary cap space, things will get even better. As Bevo said in the presser, it’s early and they have to mould together, but the signs are positive.

[Doc26]

If there is such a thing, I hope what we witnessed was Schack’s break out game today.

I had become comfortable in thinking that if we do get run over by the Hawks that at least we were witnessing something really special in Schack that we hadn’t seen in a Bulldog KPF for many years. He shows such great composure for a key forward, and has such a natural goal kicking style. The move of Naughton up forward, and with Gowers a player that requires a good defender to hold, will do wonders for Schack’s development. Exciting times up forward and a great afternoon all round.

[FrediKanoute]

Former pick 1, shoulda been Norm Smith, Tom Boyd if he gets his body right and matured into form is a cherry on top of our stock. Trengove too. With lots of draft picks, f/s and salary cap space, things will get even better. As Bevo said in the presser, it’s early and they have to mould together, but the signs are positive.

I think its more Tom needs to get his head in the right place. He has to want it like he wanted it in 2016.

[Ghost Dog]

If there is such a thing, I hope what we witnessed was Schack’s break out game today.

I had become comfortable in thinking that if we do get run over by the Hawks that at least we were witnessing something really special in Schack that we hadn’t seen in a Bulldog KPF for many years. He shows such great composure for a key forward, and has such a natural goal kicking style. The move of Naughton up forward, and with Gowers a player that requires a good defender to hold, will do wonders for Schack’s development. Exciting times up forward and a great afternoon all round.

Love his hardness and attack. He's very ready to put his body on the line. Agile, tall, willing and clunks them.

[Testekill]

Think that Naughton going forward has shifted the attention each player gets. He was getting held down by Frawley all game but he freed up Scache to take their next best defender and left Gowers on Sicily which was a perfect match up.

Additionally Scache is playing with confidence and aggression, like he knows that he can only get better. Even in Round 1, he was crashing packs and keeping defenders honest and those almost games are acceptable when a key forward is still getting the ball to ground level and making it difficult for defenders.

[Twodogs]

Think that Naughton going forward has shifted the attention each player gets. He was getting held down by Frawley all game but he freed up Scache to take their next best defender and left Gowers on Sicily which was a perfect match up.

Additionally Scache is playing with confidence and aggression, like he knows that he can only get better. Even in Round 1, he was crashing packs and keeping defenders honest and those almost games are acceptable when a key forward is still getting the ball to ground level and making it difficult for defenders.

Josh belted a Swans player over the boundary line last week and I remember thinking "I hope we get to see a bit more of that". A tall forward doesn't have to kick a bag every week to justify their spot (although it helps) but he does have to get defenders second guessing him and asking themselves and that if they go back with the flight of the ball where the hell is Josh and is he running toward me? Tony Lockett had every AFL defender thinking that for 15 years and it created a lot of opportunities in the Sydney forward 50. St Kilda were too stupid to make the best of Plugger in that way, they just wanted him to kick 6 goals every week but the Swans turned him into a better team player and reaped the team benefits.