Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Thanks to all for the reports and comments - I wasn't able to watch or even listen on the radio It's all sounding very positive for 2011!

[SlimPickens]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

This is what I’ve learnt from yesterday (watched both games on the telly).

Tom Liberatore- has the best hands for a rookie I have seen. His awareness on where his players are around him is a big positive.

Pat Vez- liked his strong lead out and goal. Will definitely be in contention for round 1 and should play.

Mitch Wallis- stripped the ball from an opponent and handball to Gia for an easy goal, made me jump off the couch.

Markovic- Was pretty good, if Lake is underdone have no issue with him possibly stepping up. Will be better suited on slower forwards like Drew Petrie.

Stack- Will get to know Point Gellibrand very well this year.

Djerrkura- went to the Nathan Eagleton School of ball handling, needs to marinate his hands in Grippo before every game.

Higgins- Looking very sharp.

Happy with how we played and not overly concerned with the result. Anyone know who and where we play next week? Hopefully not the back of Bourke!!

[Mantis]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

I might as well have a go:

Higgins - Big positive, seemd to have his 'zip' back which allowed him to hit the ball at pace and accelerate away. His decision making was still questionable at times, but he looks set for a big year.

Grant - as with others I thought he was a big plus. His set shot kicking was ice like which is a big turnaround. He really dominated inferior opponents, but the test will be playing on guys who can play a bit.

New guys - all bar Howard were servicable and showed some good signs, I guess after another 2 or 3 games we will be able to draw better conclusions on where they are at for season 2011.

Ball use - Still poor, our field kicking was terrible - Cross, Boyd & Griffen all very poor in this department. Our kick to handball ratio against Geelong was 0.7, Geelong's was 1.3. At times our handball was good as we spread from the contest, but handballs to stationary players who are under pressure is not the answer.

Forward pressure - Still a massive concern.

[chef]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Only really saw the highlights.
How long was Stack on Johnson for, who else played on him? Was he the difference?
If Stack is going to simple drop marks in the backline, he might playing Williamstown 2nds soon.

Looked to me like Stokes spoiled him at the last second and then in the next motion bump into Morris who was Johnson's opponent allowing him a clean run at the crumbs and a snap goal.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

One thing to say:

(John Kennedy Snr undertones)

Easton would, would you?

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

History will show that for the second year runnning the swans never ended up giving us that 2nd pick that we were all told we were getting in the deal so Skinner has nothing to do with that trade deal with the swans.

Not according to the 2011 AFL Record season guide.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

The 2 things that upset me the most today.

Another thing, I think Gerard Healy could be classed as legally blind and may seriously need to consider giving someone he trusts Power of Attorney.

Some of his calls an plays and players leave me baffled, and it's not because they're insightful.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Panos has obviously been flogged in the pre-season because there was no evidence of his fat arse anywhere to be seen.

Player highlight for mine was Jarrad Grant. Looked very dangerous in both games and will provide a massive handful for opposition coaches.

I've been lost with him in the intra club game and the NAB Cup until i heard the callers say his name. i don't know what his weight between start of 2010 and now was but he appears visually to have dropped a massive amount of weight.

He looked like a solid built player last year, maybe a little heavy, now he's built like Shaggy!

[ReLoad]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Very disappointed in the D-Jerks game. simply was not competitive, not from effort, but was just found lacking.

I was very impressed with Libba's quick hands and excellent decision making.

I am also more confident in Grants kicking style he seems to have worked hard on that in the summer.

Some definite highlights from the weekend, however our ability to close down a player, no matter how good they are is a concern. It cost us dearly in finals and cost us again on Sunday.

[Desipura]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Libba Snr played 15 years ago- "hello"

The point is if you're small you'd want to have a couple of oustanding attributes to overcome it, from what I can see Djerrkura doesn't.

I have heard those exact words somewhere before

[Sedat]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Our kick to handball ratio against Geelong was 0.7, Geelong's was 1.3. At times our handball was good as we spread from the contest, but handballs to stationary players who are under pressure is not the answer.

Did you get the feeling that our players were instructed to handball at all costs? It appeared as though we experimenting with our playing style and handballed at every available opportunity come hell or high water, with a bigger goal in mind for when the season proper starts. It looked as though we were almost deliberately rushing at the defensive zone en masse.

[Ozza]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Happy enough that the guys looked fairly sharp at stages in what were two good hit outs.

Highlights as others have said were;

- Higgins' movement, looked sharp and clean.
- Wallis and Libba's hardness. Super competitive kids - its not outrageous to suggest they could both be in our best 22 by the end of the year.
- Easton Wood was very good.
- Vez and Sherman did enough to impress.
- Gia and Grant were sharp up forward - and busy in Baz's absence.

Without taking too much from what is only two short practice matches really, the less than impressive aspects were probably Brannan Stack overall, and Djerrkura's ball use/decision making.

Sounds harsh I know...but Stack is one we could have let go from the list.

Tommy Williams looks more confident - hope he carries that into Round 1 and beyond.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Sounds harsh I know...but Stack is one we could have let go from the list.

Except he has a contract.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

I went today, combining both games I thought we had a quite a few that just went, not poor but not particularly good either. Noticable players for mine were-

Higgins- A class above everyone, easily the best against Norf, and good against Geelong

Grant- Was excellent, demands the ball on the lead more and it seems obvious he feels like he belongs out there. He also took a mark and kicked a goal from 50m after the siren that went through at half goal post height. Still too skinny to take pack marks, but has everything up up to the level now. Could be in for a big year.

Wood- Provided great run out of defence, quick and evasive, and strong at the contest. Still looks best when kicking long, needs to work on his disposal but looks an emerging star.

Markovic- Some very good spoils, good use of the ball at times, and marshalls the defence quite well, but gets exposed for pace by leading forwards and also with the ball in general play. My concern is when the pace of the game increases he won't be able to match it.

Jones- Competed in the air, but generally unsighted.

Panos- Lead up the ground, but again pretty much unsighted.

Vezpremi- Looked really dangerous, lead to some good spots, and burns sides with his kicking. Think he could be a chance for round 1.

Skinner- Very raw, but looks to have something.

Djerrkura- Out of his depth. Small, average skills, ordinary decision making, and generally lacking class. Not an AFL player judging by today.

Libba- Didn't play the first game, but some nice touches in the second. Certainly looks a good prospect.

Sherman- Some good runs but a little hit and miss, looked like it was early in the year for him.

Williams- Played a lot more attackingly than previously, pretty much like the intra-club match. I still have my heart in my mouth when Tommy takes the game on, but it looks clear that he's going to make that a focus this year.

Stack- Played half back, better suited to the forward line, so things don't look good for him.

Howard- Looks a long way off. He may be able to kick the ball long and flat, but where it's going to end up is anyone's guess.

Plenty of upside for us, plus a lot of quality to come back in, I think we're a better side the Geelong this year, and North are in a league below. I didn't think our forward line defensive pressure looks to have improved greatly, and disapointingly our midfield pressure hadn't improved at all. Hopefully we were just taking it easy for the NAB Cup.

On a positive note, North Melbourne look shithouse

I pretty much agree with your summary there Greystache.

Higgins, Wood, Grant were great and V should be playing round 1. Stack, Howard and Djerk were a class below at least Djerk kept trying real hard but his efforts seemed to come to very little of substance.

Skinner was probably the favourite for the day in the lounge room, who knows what he will become.

Markovich seems ok as a depth player for Lake and Williams which is somewhat of a relief.

Will made a bad mistake or two but did some nice ruckwork on occasion, Roughy kicked a great goal but did little else of note. One of these guys really needs to stamp 2011 as their season.

Seem to remember Jones being a far better player than he showed yesterday.

Mitch and Libba showed exactly where they are at, all class just a little young. Superstars.

Ward and Picken are as hard as nails. Ward is class too, Picks wins the ball by putting himself in danger. Addison is up near these guys for guts.

Gia I thought was class but also played with guts and got his own ball.

All in all I was pretty happy with the hitout and seeing the new/younger players go at it. One criticism of the boys in general was the over abundance of hair. Boyd and Ward nead to go the shave while Wood and grant need to realise that they are on telly.

[Desipura]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Guys I have not yet watched the game, lets not forget it was the equivalent to a 20/20 game. Lets get some perspective here. Last week everyone was saying how ordinary Vespa looked in the intra club game, yesterday they were saying how he looked good in the 1st game against North.

Real stuff is still some 6 weeks away.