Trial Games

Based on trial game form, who is our second best ruckman after Parella?
Cleeland, Majok, Rana, or Middleton?

Firstly I hope Parella doesn’t get injured. I don’t think we should Ruck Middleton at all, therefore I would use Cleeland. I do however think he needs to get into the weights room to build his upper body.

I would like to see Cleeland spend more time forward in the trial against Central firstly to see if he can take a strong mark and secondly it would help Middleton if we have another tall marking target.

aldo russian wrote:Based on trial game form, who is our second best ruckman after Parella?
Cleeland, Majok, Rana, or Middleton?

On what I saw last week, Jade looked a bit off the pace, but it's early days for him.

Chol battled well in ruck most of the day, but also still has a way to go.

Angus Rana was very impressive in ruck and some of his hitouts were down the throat of his midfielders. However, he was playing Reserves against Reserves ruckmen. He's still developing, but looks very promising.

In a much improved second half of footy we outlasted Centrals to win by 2 pts (!!.10 to 11. but a price was paid for the win. In the third term we lost Dustin Head to, what seemed to be, an ankle injury (hopefully not knee) and Haysman to a left hamstring. Haysman has displayed terrific pre-season form and looked to be a real forward option.

We had kicked a miserable 3 goals by half time but enter Gibson Turner with his pink boots. We have waited a while for him to show something and he kicked 3 goals in the third term to get us back in the game.

I also liked Cleeland’s game both in the field and his ruckwork. His flexibility should see him start next week. Schmidt, Stevens and Snelling showed their class. Noble was busy and Dunkin solid across the last line despite some uncharacteristic fumbles late in the game..

The first half was a comedy of errors and at the 43min mark of the game we had only a single goal on the board. Dropped marks, short kicking, missing easy shots for goal and dreadful delivery into the forward line were all evident in this shambolic effort. Thankfully we were able to move up a few gears in the second half.

The seconds had a runaway win, 16.9 to 7.5.

So going on your last paragraph we are much the same as last year then?

Good summary, B&R.

As you said, how can a team kick 3 goals in 2 and a half quarters, playing the most turgid football possible and then kick 6 goals in the next 20 minutes?  Gibson Turner had played the first half in the early game and coach Colville obviously saw something he liked and planted him at full-forward after half-time of the main game.  Instead of being the 'crumber' and opportunist, he became a focus and delivered.  He led quickly and became a worry for the opposition defenders.  As well as his goals, he made a terrific goal assist in congestion in a pocket.

Our first half was awful.  Centrals opened with enthusiasm and intensity and we didn't look ready for it, soon trailing by 3 goals to zero, with Troy Menzel looking too classy for us.  Things weren't helped by atrocious kicking turnovers in defence and we could have been punished more.  The second quarter was a stalemate, with play between the arcs most of the time.  Mason Middleton was taking marks, but his kicking seemed back to 2017, rather than his excellent kicking last year.

Most would have paid money to leave at half-time, but then the Gibson Turner show started.  It wasn't all down to him, of course, as our game plan seemed to click into gear to get the ball forward far more cleanly.  Hugh Haysman had added some welcome run, but he went off with a hammy, Jono Beech was rested for the second half, Andre Parella was used sparingly (if he gets injured, we're in strife), Chris Schmidt didn't play the last quarter.  Dustin Head did an ankle.

We led nicely early in the last quarter, but in true West Adelaide style, may well have lost except for poor goalkicking late by Central.  On the other hand, having played a full Reserves game, Kyle Kirk and Angus Rana played in the last quarter and we were running on empty.

For better players, Beechy was good when he was on, Mason was a great target but has a kicking issue, Josh Ryan, first game back, was terrific, Snelling was excellent and even appeared to be tagged for a while (in a trial game!), while Dunkin and Noble were good.  Dunkin looks a lock for next week and all season and his kicking is elite.

Willsmore, Keough, Waite, Hill, Agostino and one or two others missed.

Every now and then a Reserves game throws up something to excite and last night was no exception.  There can be a tendency to raise a 'one-off' above its importance, but I think we saw a player with a future last night.  To me, the Reserves have a lot of similar medium-size type players, but they looked a lot quicker than Centrals.  I was impressed by Tom Morrish as an on-baller. Made good decisions, gave off quickly and to three-quarter time had also kicked a goal.

He finished with 5 goals, kicking 4.1 in the last quarter, playing up forward.  By then, we had got on top and bombarded the 50, but he made the most of every opportunity.  He had two set shots from just short of 50 out, straight in front, within minutes.  Each went dead-centre, goalpost high.  The point was from a quick left foot snap, executed well, although just missing.  Only one quarter, but one to watch.

Jayden Klemke played ptretty well, bar one howler.  Nopt quick, but knows how to get the footy.  Think Ben MacReadie.

Oh, Kyle Kirk looks a much more confident player and was excelelnt.

All in all, nice to catch up with some genuine friends and fellow posters and enjoyed being in the rooms again afterwards.

Lee, A good summary. What is really noticeable is the lack of another marking target other than Middleton. I would definitely play Keough up forward against Port. Levicki and Ryan both played well in the key defensive posts against Central. Secondly when we move the ball quickly we can score we just need to be BRAVE for LONGER in matches.

Disappointing both Haysman and Head sustained injuries,especially the former who had been playing well.

I watched Cleeland closely last night and he is very much a work in progress.

I do hope young Tilthorpe who didn’t play last night due to injury shows enough this year to play a few league games

I agree with Lee about Morish, he was excellent in the last quarter, the 2
goals he kicked from the 50m line were effortless.

Rana the young ruckman in the ressies has shown some good signs in the trial games. He certainly needs to get into the weights room, I’m sure that will happen in his next Pre-season.

Morrish's ability to convert might put him ahead of some other small forwards, some of whom would need 15 shots at goal to kick 5 goals.

I short-changed Morrish, he kicked 6, not 5.

-6’s win again, this time 9 goals against Norwood


This team should win the premiership, if you get the chance get out and watch them play