Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

There is no question that he has ability and good size and strength but there is a lot of key forwards that he just couldn't play on because he doesn't have the right sort of pace.

I agree with you though that he looked OK on the weekend after I thought was a disappointing outing in the intra club game. Lets see how he goes against the Lions on the weekend.

Not sure about him being disappointing at the intra club. He was playing on the best tall FF in the comp. It was a good learning experience.

[GVGjr]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Not sure about him being disappointing at the intra club. He was playing on the best tall FF in the comp. It was a good learning experience.

I suppose my view is that Markovic should match up better against the likes of Hall than say a Franklin and just didn't provide enough good contests against Hall.

I wonder if he could be used in a 5 to 7 minutes a quarter back-up ruckman role on occasions?

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

I finally got to watch the replay last night. I must have been watching a different game as I thought Djerkurra was always in the play provided some link up play, laid some tackles, sure he got caught holding the ball once but overall I was happy with his performance.

Nice write up. Cheers.

[chef]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

I suppose my view is that Markovic should match up better against the likes of Hall than say a Franklin and just didn't provide enough good contests against Hall.

I wonder if he could be used in a 5 to 7 minutes a quarter back-up ruckman role on occasions?

Not sure I agree. Markovic being slow off the mark stands no chance against a great leading forward like Hall, who is still pretty quick.

He should be better suited against the slower forwards, like a Hawkins I guess.

[GVGjr]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Not sure I agree. Markovic being slow off the mark stands no chance against a great leading forward like Hall, who is still pretty quick.

He should be better suited against the slower forwards, like a Hawkins I guess.

I probably should have been a bit clearer. Given that he has seen a lot of Hall, in an intra club type game I think he should have been able to match up better. Thought he was OK on the weekend though.

[Maddog37]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Knowing how someone plays and being able to stop them doing it are two different things.

He has neat skills, is a good mark, stays in the contest well and reads the play ok. There are positives to offset his negatives but it will depend on the opposition week by week. He certainly looked better than I expected on the weekend.

[boydogs]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Hall knows Markovic as much as Markovic knows Hall.

Most weeks there will be a slower tall or resting ruck for Markovic to play against. Kosi, Hawkins, Dawes, Hale from some of the top sides.

[Desipura]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Hall knows Markovic as much as Markovic knows Hall.

Most weeks there will be a slower tall or resting ruck for Markovic to play against. Kosi, Hawkins, Dawes, Hale from some of the top sides.

Yes that is true however if Markovic plays on the above, you rob the team of providing any run against the abovementioned. Sure he may break even or even beat these type of opponents however a Williams could potentially not only beat his opponent, he could also provide alot of rebound.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Managed to see both games and thought it was a typical first round NAB Cup hit out. Skills were rusty and established players tended to cruise through the match whilst the kids bust their guts to try to impress. Given the type of match I don't think you can read too much into how guys went. You would hope that those who didn't play well will get a chance later in the comp. Of those the following caught my eye:

Grant - superstar in the making. If he stays fit, keeps his ego in check then his great form of last year should continue;

Higgo - just how good he is and just how much he means to the side was on display on the weekend. He stays fit and we are a 4 or 5 goal better side.

Panos - first time I've seen him and from what I saw I was impressed. Led well, marked well and generally used the ball ok. Had limited opportunities, but I like what I saw.

Skinner - has the potential to be a gun. Quick, tall and super athletic. Just needs to learn to do the basics well.

DK - reckon he copped a little bit of stick from a few people. First competitive hitout and he did ok. Got a bit of the ball and used it ok. I think he'll improve and add to our side.

Wood - star. He will be the pick of the guys from hisn draft (grant aside). Reckon if I were GWS he would be on my list!

Vez - thought he was good. Moved well, kicked well, marked well. Doesn't get much of the ball, but makes his possessions count.

[comrade]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Wood - star. He will be the pick of the guys from hisn draft (grant aside). Reckon if I were GWS he would be on my list!

Better than Ward?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Most interesting thing to come out of the comments for me in a list management sense is that Markovic is not going to be hopeless at AFL level (which he was never going to be anyway considering his VFL form last year which was very good).. my only concern was that it didn't seem that the match committee had any faith in him, but if he's done well (which he did from all reports), then he becomes a very important part of our depth. No one expects him to come in and be Lakey, just to be able to do a stopgap job.

Also interesting that some are proposing him as part-time ruck relief, which pushes him into the category of 'utility player' -- how does Lucas compare to Leigh Brown, who would be his closest match in terms of a 'utility'? Brown doesn't have the greatest pace or skills, and certainly wouldn't be as smart a defender as Markovic, but became a very important cog for the Pies last year just because he was such an awkward customer in many positions (too big/strong etc. especially late in games) and he worked hard on his kicking for goal.

[Mofra]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Also interesting that some are proposing him as part-time ruck relief, which pushes him into the category of 'utility player' -- how does Lucas compare to Leigh Brown, who would be his closest match in terms of a 'utility'?

I'd guess that Leigh Brown with years of experience at AFL level is way ahead of Markovic at the moment.
I'd suggest most sides will use a pinch hit ruckman that plays forward rather than one that plays back. with that in mind, Roughy is both a better forward and ruckman than Markovic, as is Minson.

[Bornadog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Lets face it, this is NAB cup, or practise match time. Marcovic is a below average player from what I have seen of him. I wouldn't take any notice of his or any other players performance in the preseason comp.

[Mantis]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Lets face it, this is NAB cup, or practise match time. Marcovic is a below average player from what I have seen of him. I wouldn't take any notice of his or any other players performance in the preseason comp.

That's an extremely simplistic way to look at things.... and I can't agree at all.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

I'd guess that Leigh Brown with years of experience at AFL level is way ahead of Markovic at the moment.
I'd suggest most sides will use a pinch hit ruckman that plays forward rather than one that plays back. with that in mind, Roughy is both a better forward and ruckman than Markovic, as is Minson.

Have you seen Markovic play forward? He was drafted as a forward.