Round 4 - Bendigo vs Collingwood at Queen Elizabeth Oval

[MagpieBat]

By the way, I know I say this too frequently MB, but thank you for the updates. They've been great as usual

You're very very welcome, Jezza.

Was great to be sitting through a thumping WIN for once, instead of a thumping loss, in the VFL...

[swoop42]

How many games will ball play in the Vfl, maybe another 1? Is Martin the likely replacement for tooves when goes onto the long term injury list

I had forgetten that we will now be able to upgrade two rookies instead of just one because of the Toovey injury.

Martin and Oxley would seem the obvious choices.

Do it asap IMO.

[Mossi]

By the way, I know I say this too frequently MB, but thank you for the updates. They've been great as usual

Yep Thanks MB Love to keep an eye on how the VFL team and players are going! Any comments are appreciated.

[AN_Inkling]

Oxley would be the most like for like replacement for Tooves. 191cm, good pace, good disposal (okay, except for the last one ).

But I wouldn't be taking that into consideration. The obvious move for me, is Goldsack to defense to play the Toovey role. Perfectly suited to it and can offer even more run and ball use. Might even be an option to take the kick ins.

[melliot]

Was at the game. Wouldn't get to excited about the performance, Gold are a new team starting off this year. They'll struggle till they get funds and get the gun players from around the region.

Was distracted by others with me so take my report with a grain of salt. Wasn't concentrating like usual.

Last Q was junk time.

Of the senior guys .......

-Krack looked slick. Should get into the team over Sinclair.
-Jolly seemed to move well. Got at least 1 inch off the ground when rucking. . He'll be back next week.
-Dids got plenty of it on a wing and forward. Didn't nail those goals like normal. But showed usual class through the middle.
-Ball had a good hit out. Will require another 1-3 weeks I'd think before seniors, unless we have a soft senior game to bring him in.
- Williams showed aggression . Maybe a tooves replacement.
- Thomas seems to fluff things too often for my liking.
-Paine. If the guy could kick for goal, he'd be playing seniors. Misses way to many.
- frosty. Didn't have to do too much. Ball wasn't down back much. When I did a lap in the last Q. He had a shocker of a passage, where he stuffed up twice in a row. He does get shakey at times.

The young guys.....
-Witts was ok. Played mostly forward. Just outstretched his opponent in the air and delivery was good to him. Can't wait to see him in seniors. I wonder if we will consider two rucks in the seniors at any stage?
- Kennedy is class. Will play this year. Got at stack of it and used it well.
- Martin good I think. Not sure how he'll get into our senior side with the mids we have.
- Yagamoor. Classy ball use. But I have a bias about him from previous games. He didn't show me he has changed that. But I may be harsh.
- Oxely . Didn't notice him. But others said he did ok?

So IMO senior possibilities. Krack, Jolly, kennedy. Not sure about a tooves replacement. Maybe one of our current senior guys go back (Daisy, Seedsman, Harry, goldsack,) and we replace with who is in VFL form.

Good night though. Wish I could watch the VFL every week.

[jackcass]

Just some quick impressions from the game, and I'll focus on the senior and rookie listed players.

Jolly and Witts gave Krak, Martin, Josh Thomas, Ball, Kennedy and Dids silver service and some of the resulting clearance work was superb. You'd imagine that Jolly would resume in the seniors next week but don't discount Witts (yes DTM). His ruck work and work around the ground was very good as was his contested marking.

Krak was sensational. He cuts through opposition players like a hot knife through butter.

Ball was very good. The way he hunts the footy is amazing. And he's so creative with his disposal in close. Still a few weeks away from senior footy you'd think but a great first step on the return from serious injury.

Oxley and Martin were both very prominent. Oxley not as quick as I'd previously thought and probably more suited to wing-hf than hb but his marking and reading of the play very good as was his ball use.

The work of Josh Thomas in packs is fantastic. If he could finish his work a little better would probably have been the pies best. Ran into goal a couple of times and sprayed his kick. Use by hand very good, by foot around the ground adequate.

Marley Williams is a tank. His attack of the footy or the player with it was very good. Showed a lot of dash running of half back. Of field issues don't appear to be impacting. Hurt himself late in the last, possible rolled ankle. Returned to the game very late so unsure how serious.

Kennedy is a rocket. Very good working offensively, slacked a little defensively. Use of the ball very good.

Dids was a bit hot and cold. Did some good things, took some short steps on at least 2 occasions. Not reading too much into it, he's not in the team to play the Luke Ball bash n crash role. Still very creative with his ball use and spreads as well as anyone.

Yagmoor, Frost, Paine, and Gualt serviceable. Special mention for Yagmoor's use of the footy by foot. Paine clunked a few and kicked a few goals.

Johnson was a late withdrawal. I asked one of the pies officials what the issue was and he just said not playing.... very insightful!

Hartley was kicking a footy around pre-game and appeared to have no issues with his shoulders.

Of the VFL listed players Hellier was the standout. As hard as a cats head! Heagney-Steart, Gray, Ferguson, and Riddle all good.

Jolly, Krakouer, Thomas, Witts, Martin, Williams, Kennedy, and Oxley could all come under consideration for the seniors.

[MOTR]

For those tipping the promotion of Oxley, how do you reckon he'll go in an aerial 1 on 1 contest. Looks a very likely prospect, tackles well, great disposal but at this stage in his career it's a big ask for him to replace the best medium-tall defender in the competition. I remember Oxley getting shown up severa times in aerial contests in the NAB cup, has he improved in this area?

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

Nice to hear Witts did well.
Despite the crap being piled on DTM in regards to the Witts love, I also feel we should gets some games in him sooner rather than later. Hudson is 34 and Jolly 30, anything could happen to those 2 injury wise. Better to have a handful of games in Witts earlier in the season than tempting fate closer to the finals

[AN_Inkling]

For those tipping the promotion of Oxley, how do you reckon he'll go in an aerial 1 on 1 contest. Looks a very likely prospect, tackles well, great disposal but at this stage in his career it's a big ask for him to replace the best medium-tall defender in the competition. I remember Oxley getting shown up severa times in aerial contests in the NAB cup, has he improved in this area?

I doubt he's even close to a match for Toovey in one on ones, given Tooves is one of our best and Oxley is quite skinny. Can't see him coming in and playing Toovey's shutdown role. More of a half back runner or wingman at this stage I'd say. Goldsack's the perfect replacement for Toovey, even though his one on one work is not as good either, it's the best we have.

[jackcass]

For those tipping the promotion of Oxley, how do you reckon he'll go in an aerial 1 on 1 contest. Looks a very likely prospect, tackles well, great disposal but at this stage in his career it's a big ask for him to replace the best medium-tall defender in the competition. I remember Oxley getting shown up severa times in aerial contests in the NAB cup, has he improved in this area?

I doubt he's even close to a match for Toovey in one on ones, given Tooves is one of our best and Oxley is quite skinny. Can't see him coming in and playing Toovey's shutdown role. More of a half back runner or wingman at this stage I'd say. Goldsack's the perfect replacement for Toovey, even though his one on one work is not as good either, it's the best we have.

This. Agree Goldsack looms as the most likely option to replace Tooves although not as confident he can match the opposition small forwards.

[Dr Pie]

So maybe Goldsack to the backline, and Witts or Paine as a third tall forward? I thought Cloke got double teamed far too often on Thursday because Lynch was playing (well) upfield. A third tall forward would stop that nonsense.

[Pies4shaw]

Not Paine, I think, until his work rate becomes more consistent (he still looks to me like he loses concentration for periods of games) and his goal-kicking less erratic.

[think better]

By the way, I know I say this too frequently MB, but thank you for the updates. They've been great as usual

Yep Thanks MB Love to keep an eye on how the VFL team and players are going! Any comments are appreciated.

Make that three - thanks MB

[Duff Soviet Union]

Oxley would be the most like for like replacement for Tooves. 191cm, good pace, good disposal (okay, except for the last one ).

But I wouldn't be taking that into consideration. The obvious move for me, is Goldsack to defense to play the Toovey role. Perfectly suited to it and can offer even more run and ball use. Might even be an option to take the kick ins.

Agreed with most, but God no on the bolded part. He did it a bit back in 2010/11. He pulled off a torp that resulted in a 10 second end to end goal. Every kick in from then on he tried to do the same and shanked every single one of them. Remember when we had Leon kicking in and he literally didn't miss a target all year? Good times.

[AN_Inkling]

^^Yes, I remember Goldsack's efforts well, which is why I only said option. Right now we don't have any good options, so Goldsack comes into consideration again. He has the depth of kick and if he could leave the risk taking till the right time, he could be okay.

Leon is sorely missed. Since his departure our kick-ins have been atrocious. Although Russell, despite his travails, has stepped us up slightly from last year off a very low base.