Set down for Saturday at 1300 at Coburg.
In theory we should win, but the reality is that we don't have a lot of talent to put on the park. The VFL has been strengthened by 2 new players, including ruckman Luke Goetz, but we still have very little height in our line-up and not a lot of inside ball-getters.
I assume the team will come out soon, but it hasn't been seen yet.
Backs: Cooper Stephens Stefan Radovanovic Ryley Stoddart
Half-backs: Brodie Kemp Luke Parks Sam Ramsay
Centreline: Matt Cottrell Lochie O'Brien Tom North
Half-forwards: Joel Trudgeon Toby Wooller Josh Honey
Forwards: Corey Durdin Ben Crocker David Handley
Followers: Luke Goetz Jack Carroll James Parsons
Interchange: Dale Marshall Matt Shannon Zavier Maher Cody Hirst
Emergency: Lachlan Gawel Lachlan Bond Ben Caluzzi Aaron Gundry
Our defence is still very small and I doubt that Ramsay will play at Half back.
The forward line also has height issues.
It will be interesting to see how Zavier Maher and David Handley go. They are debuting and should improve our inside work.
Basically, the team simply has to put in like they did in the first couple of weeks.
It will be interesting to see how Trudgeon goes as well. he found the extra pace and physicality a bit of an issue last week. he should be better for the run.
I don't like Lachie O'Brien in the middle. he isn't an inside player and isn't going to get the clearances we need.
He needs to toughen up and if forcing him to get the contested ball doesn't do it, then nothing will.
He simply isn't the great user of the ball we all hoped he was....he panics too much.
So add another string to your bow now, there won't be a next year otherwise.
If it was just about wins, swap Cottrell and LOB. But its about development IMO.
I'd be interested to see how well Crocker does as the main man up forward. Could he have a day out being the main target or could he succumb to the pressures of being the #1 guy defenders will want to stop?
I don't think he'll have too many problems. He been the #1 forward for most of the year. It will depend on how the ball gets down there, as he isn't 200 cm tall.
I wouldn't be playing him as an inside mid. He is a winger/half back type. I don't agree he is a bad kick. Technically he is a good kick.
For mine he tends to make poor decisions when fatigued. His errors in the Richmond game were late in the game or after repeat sprints.
Ironically for a player recruited for his endurance I don't think he is fit enough.
Seems to be a common theme amongst our list at the moment as we concede goals late in quarters and late in games.
Let him play the role he was recruited for. We should have learnt by Dow, Setterfield, ZWilliams, SPS and co that playing players out of position doesn't work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv7ivzfiei0
Carlton 1.1 (7)
Coburg 0.0 (0)
Crocker is interesting to watch, at VFL level he is so strong one on one they have to stand big heavy lumbering players on him, and he's got them easily covered across the ground. He wouldn't get that advantage in the AFL.
I agree on your take. I think you misunderstand mine.
He makes poor decisions because he is playing scared IMO. Let him get hit a few times by playing as an inside mid and see that he will be ok. Then put him back on the wing and let him build his confidence back up. Then he is ready for AFL level.
His issue is he panics and has no confidence, avoids contact. Get that out of him and we might be able to salvage something......but i think its too late personally.
Does anyone have a player/jumper list?
The problem is that the have changed the numbers recently. Not for everyone, just a few.
4 goals down at half time. :(
Carlton 4 - 3 - 27
Coburg 8 - 4 - 52
That is a bad sign indeed.
https://twitter.com/CarltonReserves/status/1411173404879687686/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1411173404879687686%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url= (https://twitter.com/CarltonReserves/status/1411173404879687686/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1411173404879687686%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=)
Not all of the players are listed. I don't know who 7 is. for example.
(https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/attachments/img_0411-jpg.1169852/)
Backs: Cooper Stephens Stefan Radovanovic Ryley Stoddart
Half-backs: Brodie Kemp Luke Parks Sam Ramsay
Centreline: Lochie O'Brien Tom North
Half-forwards: Joel Trudgeon Toby Wooller Josh Honey
Forwards: Corey Durdin Ben Crocker David Handley
Followers: Luke Goetz Jack Carroll James Parsons
Interchange: Dale Marshall Matt Shannon Cody Hirst
Lachlan Bond Ben Caluzzi
No Zavier Maher at the last moment, which is very disappointing.
You really notice the difference when big Mirkov is out there. He guides his taps and allows us to get really good centre breaks.
Goetz is doing OK, but he doesn't have a feel for team mates at the moment. He gets a tap and it is up for grabs.
For all that, we are playing better this quarter and have a few goals. The score is close.
Now we're kicking points. I think we are in front: hard to tell, to be honest. The ball is living in our forward line. It just isn't going through the middle.
Can't read the scoreboard: too far away when the camera doesn't focus on it.
We are in front, but it could have been much better. We really had the ball live in our forward 50. Goals came early. Points followed. But the guys picked up their game a lot.
GOALS: Crocker, Bond, Honey 2, Durdin, Wooller.
DISPOSALS: Carroll, Kemp 18, Stephens 14, Handley, Marshall, North, Ramsay, Stoddart 12.
We're 2 points up, but it could have been 4 goals.
Trying to copy the example set by 1's v Crows last q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv7ivzfiei0
2 points up 3-4 time. 8.7 to 8.5.
3/4 TIME
Blues by 2
8.7 (55)
8.5 (53)
Coburg with the wind in the last
Goal to Coburg. That hurt.
Bombing it long to Crocker like he is a key forward.
Lost by 37 in the end.
Another disappointing result in the end.
Undermanned, we have to be realistic, just because we are a team associated with an AFL club doesn't mean we can field a group of B-Graders and get a result.
The reality of a "standalone" Reserves team. You still have to have quality players, like Crocker, who aren't quite AFL standard but can get the job done in a second tier competition. Having so many injuries doesn't help either.
With the probability of only getting a couple of guys back anytime soon, life is looking difficult for our VFL boys.
The positives:
[1] we appear to have picked up a ruckman with promise at that level in Goetz.
[2] We have seen that Crocker is not far off being a senior player. If we had a decent game plan, Crocker would fit in. But with our bomb it to the square idiocy, I don't think he would work.
{3] Radovanovic and Stephens look worth keeping. Parsons looks reasonable. Wooller is a hard worker and North is going OK.
[4] Bond kicked 3 today, which was promising.
(https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/attachments/img_0412-jpg.1169892/)
Possessions at 3/4 time.
Perhaps LOB has been given the 'don't come Monday (2022)' already?
GOALS: Bond 3, Crocker, Honey 2, Wooller, Durdin.
DISPOSALS: Carroll 23, Kemp 21, Ramsay 20, North 19, Stoddart 18.
Looked at Coburgs list and apart from Corey Ellis ex Tigers/Suns it not exactly stacked high with
known names, must have been a very ordinary effort from our blokes to lose to such a no name Coburg lineup.
re: LOB...yep, the body language the previous week wasnt good IMHO and I think he knows its over at senior level with us..
Think he might get a rookie spot somewhere....
5 tackles states he was trying. Thing is he's a bit short on talent is lob.
There's no such thing as a "no name Coburg line up"!
Apart from my hometown loyalty, Coburg has a dozen or more players with VFL experience and three blokes from AFL lists. They also have a lot more size than our little fellows.
All no names imo and with limited experience, not like the Coburg teams I remember.
Why do we always end up with small bodies?
We got knocked over by the Bullants too who are also terrible.. Would be struggling to beat some of the better suburban teams imo. Lentini and Bunker were the Burgers two best players and are both lightweights at less than 80kg
I remember Lentini won some award, ex Northern Knights both of the them..
I think that our lack of KPP and ruck depth has had a knock on effect with the VFL side. With the exception of Parks and Kemp, the AFL-listed players running round in our VFL team are all on the small side. The bigger-bodied VFL-listed players are mostly “utility-sized” and are being played in key positions.
We have added another ruckman with a bit of size and potential, but he’s green as grass.
That’s another factor, with the exception of O’Brien, the AFL-listed players who ran around on Saturday only have a handful of AFL games between them. On the other hand, most of Coburg’s list have several VFL seasons under their belts, have senior football bodies and are used to playing together.
re:ruckman.. Goetz doesn't have much idea and is very lime green.
Hasnt got a clue from what I have seen...more not fit for VFL or AFL footy.
We must be paying in Zimbabwe currency if he is the best we can attract.......