Trial Games

A great come from behind win against Norwood today and a significant step up from last week. Pleasing to see the intensity increase as the game went on, especially in such hot conditions. Fitness looked good.
Murphy and Gore look to be the best of the recruits. Maguire improved as the game went on but Lovell is struggling to get into the game.
Highlight for me was in the opening minute of the second Q. Murphy took possession in defence and delivered a lovely long pass to a fast leading McKenzie who then converted from 50m out on the boundary. Only mention this as it’s the first time in quite a few years since I’ve seen such classical forward movement from this team.
Logan Hill suffered what seemed to be a serious leg injury. But he recovered to the point he jogged off around the boundary to the bench.
A concern is we lack height. We have few hard running, bigger, utility players. Haysman, Koster, Allan, Maguire, Lovell, Karpany, May, Hill, Boyle, Gore, (etc) are all around the same height and, today, made up half the trial team. Some good players here but can they all play in the first game? We will find it hard to match up with the taller teams. Interested in other views about this.
Koster made an impact up forward late in the game and in combination with Gore will make excellent ‘crumbers’ around goal. Like to see Ellem in the senior team next week. Keough was good, forward or back. Murphy a class act. Never wastes the ball. Allan busy. Some good kids. Joel Stevens one to watch. Ruckmen Rana and Babic competed well but lack experience. Duval improved from last week.

‘BlackandRed’

That’s a very good summary. I agree that we have a number of players that are similar in height and build and I can’t see them all playing in the same side.

At halftime I though we could get beaten easily, but we fought back well, most of our goals came from counter attacks. Beech was good with 4 goals.
We also looked much better when Keough was moved into defence, for me he’s our best defender I would play him there from the start of the season, he can always be moved forward during games. They had to move him back because young Callow from Norwood was causing some real problems. He is a p,Ayer to watch.

We definitely lacked height and despite Ellem not setting the world on fire in the ressies he gives us another tall up forward which we badly need.
Levicki will play next week and hopefully so will Tavener which means Babic will be dropped.
Our Rucks have changed off the bench in the trials perhaps Rana could spend sometime up forward.

‘BlackandRed’ I agree with you regarding the goal McKenzie kicked it was the highlight of the day. Murphy is very classy with his ball use and he could be used in the midfield and up forward at times.
I also agree that Joel Stevens is certainly one to watch he kicked 2 nice goals and his decision making was good. He would certainly be in my team for the first round.
Maguire did kick a very nice goal in the last qrt it was very classy. Lovell will get better.

I watched the ressies today and young Redfern and Fejo were both very good, they may get an opportunity next week. Fejo’s outside run and ball use were excellent. Dunkin will surely be promoted and Anderson was high in our best players.

We have height in the ressies which is good including youngsters in Patterson,Rundle and Faulkner who will all get better with game time.

Re the Reserves:
Recruit Redfern was absolutely outstanding in the middle for the Reserves & beside BJ (Ronald Fejo) the other indigenous lad Wilson set them alight.
They both have sublime skills & great speed. Not too often in recent times have we seen any of our teams kick 7 in a qtr.
The other tall who impressed was Johnson & he has height (about 192cm +) so with Tom Rundle will be both tall players who are developing nicely for promotion at some stage.

ne to watch is Luke Redfern who impressed in the reserves last week and has been rewarded with a league selection.

Entry to Hisense Stadium is free

League: 7:30pm

NO: SURNAME: FIRST:
2 Karpany Kenny
3 Taylor Mitch
4 Redfern Luke
5 Koster Josh
7 Boyle Jordon
8 Maguire Mitch
9 Lovell Kieran
12 Cleeland Jade
14 Haysman Hugh
16 Keough Tom
19 Murphy Tom
22 Duval Mitch
25 Fairlie Pat
27 Gore Josh
37 Stevens Joel
38 McKenzie Matt
40 Chamberlain Bailey
42 Johnson Isaac
44 Dunkin Elliot
55 Rana Angus
58 May Sam
60 Sinderberry Jye
Reserves: 5pm

NO: SURNAME: FIRST:
1 Babic Frane
11 Waite Murray
13 Kirk Kyle
20 Allan Ed
21 Batley Nathan
24 Anderson Aaron
26 Gordon Hamish
28 Rundle Tom
32 Fairlie Connor
33 Johnson Jesse
34 Schiller Josh
36 Elliot Hayden
39 Couroupis Nic
41 Fejo Ronald
45 Steele Nick
46 Allan Charlie
53 Morrish Tom
54 Gilbert Cooper
57 Patterson Cooper
59 Ellem Hamish
61 Sherlock Kane
63 Faulkner Tom
65 Laudato Michael
66 Wilson Luke

An extremely short League team. Assuming Cleeland and Rana ruck, I can only count 2 KPPs - McKenzie and Keough. I'm guessing Murphy and Duval have to play as key defenders. Ruck is a problem here.

Similar in the Reserves A few talls, but mainly Under 18s coming through.

Good idea to rest key players a week before the season starts

I think Mitch Taylor will play Full Back.

Lachlan wrote:I think Mitch Taylor will play Full Back.

Hopefully not on Alex Barns.

‘Aldo’

Good point.

Wow!
Not the kind of performance we needed heading in to round 1.
No goals in the first half is alarming.

Believe Final score

North 21.8
West 4.8

102 points

So we were beaten 21.8 to 4.8. The scoreline was not an accurate reflection of the game in that I don’t know how we managed 4 goals such was the huge difference in the 2 teams. We didn’t kick our first goal until the 19th minute of the third Q!! Thank goodness it was only a trial match.
Thought Dunkin our best. He saw plenty of the ball in our backline. Maguire continues to improve. Redfern deserves a chance at senior level. Karpany tried hard all game. Can’t recall us winning one centre stoppage. It wasn't until Keough went forward late that we could take a mark around goal.
North were so much faster than us. They ran in groups. Their skill levels were in another stratosphere. Some may recall a similar result at Prospect a few years ago. We just cannot deal with their fast, skilful style of play.
Those that put our performance down to resting key players need to be also aware of how many key players North rested.
So we have had 3 trial games for 2 big losses and one narrow win. We were found out by the size and pace of South and were blown away by the speed of North.
Any confidence we took out of last week has well and truly gone and the challenge now is to field a, well prepared and competitive outfit for our first game next week.
On a more positive note our reserves are playing some great footy.

Sincerely hope we get a coach's report on this debacle.