Always Right Match Committee R23 vs West Coast Eagles 2025

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I know the highlights for draftees/ potential draftees are cherry picked to show the ''best bits'', but the vision of Sanders running forward from the centre with ball in hand at under age level, and then delivering the ball with precision to leading forwards had me extremely excited... I'm yet to see much of that at all at AFL level.

Yeah I preferred Watson but I was not unhappy at all with Sanders. His vision and decision making looked incredible and although not fast, he looked quick.

That first preseason last year looked to show those traits but since being dropped its like he plays timid. I don't know if he's become overwhelmed by AFL level but as soon as a poster on here compared him to Mitch Wallis, that's all I've seen of him. Not suited to the modern game.

I hope he can turn it around and find his place.

[mjp]

I'm a little concerned about Sanders. Not looking like a first round pick at all let alone top 10.

Isn’t there a thread about that?. :-)

[SquirrelGrip]

I saw a reasonable amount of Ryley in his Coates League years. He's definitely suited to the modern game and has great skills and football awareness.. His hands in close are elite.

The differences I notice in how he plays in the AFL are:

• he's not the number 1 banana like he was in junior footy, so plays to support his high profile teammates rather than go for it himself.
• his first instinct now seems to be to avoid making mistakes, so takes the safe option rather than the attacking option. I'm sure the coaches are talking to him about this but I'd like to see him take more risks.

A few games back we saw a couple of contested marks, as I'd seen him do before AFL. I thought he might have turned the corner. Each week I'm just waiting for his breakout game because I know he can do it, as he was equal with the Ashcroft brothers at the Dragons. He's not far off.

[Axe Man]

Davidson & Croft confirmed ins for VDM & Poulter. Final bench TBC.

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[Hotdog60]

Who's out from the bench?
Smith, Jones and Hynes

[comrade]

Very happy to see Davidson and Garcia back into the 22, instantly makes us better with them instead of Poulter and VDM. With Croft also a confirmed in, I think we’ll see Sanders or McNeil as sub.

[doggies ftw]

I saw a reasonable amount of Ryley in his Coates League years. He's definitely suited to the modern game and has great skills and football awareness.. His hands in close are elite.

The differences I notice in how he plays in the AFL are:

• he's not the number 1 banana like he was in junior footy, so plays to support his high profile teammates rather than go for it himself.
• his first instinct now seems to be to avoid making mistakes, so takes the safe option rather than the attacking option. I'm sure the coaches are talking to him about this but I'd like to see him take more risks.

A few games back we saw a couple of contested marks, as I'd seen him do before AFL. I thought he might have turned the corner. Each week I'm just waiting for his breakout game because I know he can do it, as he was equal with the Ashcroft brothers at the Dragons. He's not far off.

Definitely not far off, it’s his 2nd year it’s till a development year and I think he’s made huge strides this year. I don’t think he’s really put everything together across a full game once yet but he’s shown plenty of signs to how he’s developed his game. Hes shown he can kick goals, use the ball really well by foot - especially kicking inside 50, became comfortable in an outside role (which is completely foreign to him as a natural ball hunter), developed his running capacity hugely from where he started, started to show a bit aerially pretty strong overhead in the contest, shown his ability to break lines and attack on the spread (maybe less than we’d like but he’s shown it at times)

These are all little traits to his game he absolutely did not have last year, it’s just about putting it altogether and doing it all consistently rather than bits and pieces here and there. This takes time and he’s 19yo. His development curve is looking great as far as I’m concerned. Next year and another preseason hopefully he can start to have a few break out games, if not this year.

[GVGjr]

Harmes has been ill and hasn't trained for two weeks

Just to add a bit more detail to this he's probably only trained twice in 4 weeks.

[doggies ftw]

Good changes if as expected Sanders or McNeil start sub - right call on Poulter, Garcia & Davo. I’d go McNeil sub but can see us doing Sanders with Garcia & Davo in - which I’d be fine with, he could probably use a bit of a rest and is sort of struggling for a role at the moment. Won’t be Baker or Croft and shouldn’t be Buss.

[GVGjr]

I'm assuming it's Davidson and Croft in for Poulter and Vandermeer.
At a guess Sanders might be the sub.

[Mofra]

I'm assuming it's Davidson and Croft in for Poulter and Vandermeer.
At a guess Sanders might be the sub.

Sanders as sub might give him a nudge to recapture his early season form. He's still a pup

[Aidan7557]

I saw a reasonable amount of Ryley in his Coates League years. He's definitely suited to the modern game and has great skills and football awareness.. His hands in close are elite.

The differences I notice in how he plays in the AFL are:

• he's not the number 1 banana like he was in junior footy, so plays to support his high profile teammates rather than go for it himself.
• his first instinct now seems to be to avoid making mistakes, so takes the safe option rather than the attacking option. I'm sure the coaches are talking to him about this but I'd like to see him take more risks.

A few games back we saw a couple of contested marks, as I'd seen him do before AFL. I thought he might have turned the corner. Each week I'm just waiting for his breakout game because I know he can do it, as he was equal with the Ashcroft brothers at the Dragons. He's not far off.

He can play. Confidence has been the big issue for him but clearly has a lot of tricks. Some of his poise makes him look like pendlebury out there. Don't get those writing him off. Was awesome in that big win against Sydney.

[jeemak]

Very happy to see Davidson and Garcia back into the 22, instantly makes us better with them instead of Poulter and VDM. With Croft also a confirmed in, I think we’ll see Sanders or McNeil as sub.

Do you reckon Davidson was "spelled" or do you think there was something he was asked to work on? If the latter, what would it have been?

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I’m absolutely rapped for Croft. I don’t cardbif it’s only one game but will pay off in spades for next year. Have a great one and hope your remember it for ever

[1eyedog]

Definitely not far off, it’s his 2nd year it’s till a development year and I think he’s made huge strides this year. I don’t think he’s really put everything together across a full game once yet but he’s shown plenty of signs to how he’s developed his game. Hes shown he can kick goals, use the ball really well by foot - especially kicking inside 50, became comfortable in an outside role (which is completely foreign to him as a natural ball hunter), developed his running capacity hugely from where he started, started to show a bit aerially pretty strong overhead in the contest, shown his ability to break lines and attack on the spread (maybe less than we’d like but he’s shown it at times)

These are all little traits to his game he absolutely did not have last year, it’s just about putting it altogether and doing it all consistently rather than bits and pieces here and there. This takes time and he’s 19yo. His development curve is looking great as far as I’m concerned. Next year and another preseason hopefully he can start to have a few break out games, if not this year.

Good to know I'm being overly harsh.

Big gap between the top 3 (i.e. Watson / Mckercher level) and 6-8 the Sanders level.

He has time.

BTW Curtain would be useful right now (and nice).

Watson would be nicer.