VFL Rd 10 Sandringham Vs Frankston

[Con Gorozidis]

Hope Connellan gets a run in the seniors soon.

[skeptic]

On Billings, obviously I have to concede the point. I was looking more at the players I hadn’t seen before and obviously missed a lot of what he brought to the table.

On Longer, beyond being the dominant ruck I don’t get the hype in this match. Yes he smashed the hit outs but so what... he’s always been the best tap ruckman we have... I wanted to see something to suggest he’d improved his all round game and the fact that he kicked a goal in a team that had 40 scoring shots doesn’t do it for me.

On Freeman... this was the first time I’ve seen him play and have likely struggled to recognise him when he went into the middle. I was hoping to see a bit of zip from him but for me Connellan, Armo and #20 for Sandy (Carnovale?) were all much more prominent.

[samoht]

Freeman played well and got a fair bit of the ball - and he did this on the bit - I'd like to see him start breaking some lines.
He is amazingly fit aerobically - at one stage of the game he was in the forward pocket, and I literally blinked and then suddenly he's deep in the back pocket.

Billings was throwing himself into packs (not only skirting them), ran himself ragged and had the ball on a string - as did Wright - I was impressed with their intensity.

Connellan and Joyce look very fit and sharp; their kicking is top notch - they keep the ball low and kick it long and accurately. They look like they're chiselled from stone.

Armo had a lot of possessions, but is wasteful and rushes. He tries to catch the opposition out with quick kicks and handballs - which end up being sloppy.

The selectors need to be bold - Wright, Joyce, Connellan and Freeman should all be considered - I'd bring all 4 in. Billings and Bruce should be a given (but who knows).

6 changes this week - roll the dice!!
Half a dozen saviours.

[saynta]

Hi everyone, just got back from the game... report as follows

Now as many have noted, this was a walk in the park for Sandy so it’s hard to take too much away from it but there were a few nuggets (IMO) of gold.

First of all, I’ll start with the Sandringham experience...

It is hard to fathom that Sandringham and St.Kilda are aligned or have cross overs regarding players because they are absolutely nothing alike.
I don’t know if it’s coaching or not but Sandringham to me looked like a completely different outfit...

if in a marking contest that they’re not going to win, any Zebra looks to bring the ball down to a teammate positioned in front of them. When under pressure in a contest the players kick the ball without looking forward to a designated spot where a tall has run to provide a contest.
The Sandy players get numbers around the ball, run through the line and decisively kick it to their forwards. And when players take marks in the forward 50, their instinct is to go back and drill it and they look completely self-assured.

All in all I’m going to say don’t but fooled by the board... set shots were accurate... kicking for goal in general play was significantly less accurate

I don’t know if this is directly related to Aaron Hamil or was more a case of an easy game, but it looked to me like Hamil has imparted his influence on the team... tough at the contest, follow team rules and adhere to structure.
Was super impressed.

With regards to Sandy... there was a real emphasis of inclusion/acceptance with the rainbow 50m arc and goal padding, the announcement at the ground and unfortunately the numbers on the players backs were rainbow which made them very difficult to read... I liked everything but the latter.

As a result I struggled a little bit with identifying some players (was reliant on the numbers) but here I go.

David Armitage - clearly a class above. Won the ball all day, hit everyone hard and often his opponents just bounced off him. He’s Dustin Martin at this level... and whilst there was a lot to like, he failed to do anything that indicated he was demanding his spot back.
Guys like Milne, Ball, Dal, even Ralph made it impossible to overlook them when dropped because they demonstrated they were too good and above the VFL, Armo was bigger and stronger but he lacked any type of brilliance... no pin point kicking, no bags of goals, no 45 possessions.
Sorry to say but I leave the line through him.

Billy Longer... was eagerly awaiting Pierce vs Longer but the former didn’t play from what I can tell.
Now this may be harsh but I didn’t like Billy’s game. Let’s be clear... as a tap ruckman he was a class above everyone else. He DOMINATED the taps, lots to advantage. Everyone else was second rate.
However that was it... Billy DOES NOT WORK EVEN REMOTELY HARD ENOUGH. He doesn’t get to contests, lay tackles, take marks... wasn’t impressed with his shepherding or bollocking. He doesn’t drop back that much, doesn’t chase hard... From the tap, the only way he gets involved is if we kick it to him in a contest and in that sense he will bring the ball to ground but that’s it.
I don’t know what the answer to our ruck situation is.

Rowan Marshall: definitely my preferred ruck. He had a rough’ish day for skills, made a few basic errors e.g. dropped marks, kicked to the man on the mark at one point but he worked hard all over the ground, took marks, tackled, spoiled, presented all day. Whilst not as dominant in the centre as Billy, liked his game a lot more... the kid has presence and IMO should play regularly for us as the main ruck ahead of both Billy and Hickey. Clearly the best prospect... has this way of influencing contests to our favour.

Josh Bruce: clearly a grade above this level. His first touch was a contested mark that he passed accurately to a team mate for a goal and he kicked his first from a strong mark a few minutes later. He looked dangerous everytime he was near the ball... he’d look like he’d either take the mark or hurt the sucker that got in his way.
My impression was he got a bit tired in the middle there but a very encouraging return.

Jack Billings: what’s to say... he played the game at this level that we want him to play at AFL. Ran all day, kicked goals, heaps of possessions, spread etc. that being said, it was the goals that made his game standout... if it was the same game with 3 less kicks and no goals he doesn’t standout.
I’d give him another week.

Ray Connellan: why has this kid not played yet? Loved him. He is a jet, gets the ball, runs it down the line and kicks it long an accurately. Is exactly what we need in the seniors at the moment.
Super impressed with his game. Thought he was close to our most damaging player. Has after-burners on and very confident and skilled. Kicked a couple of goals too.

Hugh Goddard: He was my surprise packet... now people will say how much defending could he have done against a team that kicked 3 goals but he’s the reason why they only kicked three goals... he gave 5cm and 5kg to his opponent but wore him like a glove, always brought the ball to ground and often left his opponent to help a team mate spoil. Was super impressed with him.
If you watch Hugh, he looks a little manic... when the opposition have the ball forward of centre he is extremely restless and is watching everything trying to figure out where the play is going. He needs a bit of size but IMO, I reckon he could be our next FB after Brown. He doesn’t get much ball and won’t provide run... but he is switched on, blocks, is very team orientated and could from up a guy like Logan Austin to be more of a tall runner.
Def my surprise

Nathan Freeman: my disappointment of the day. My wife and I made a conscious effort to watch him all day... he started at halfback and struggled to get in the play and to be honest, half way through the third we thought he was off injured. I was shocked to find he had 20 touches.
This might just be me because he played HBF in the second to the opposite end of the ground where he was harder to spot and I think he must have switched to HFF after half time and stayed there. He didn’t seem to spend much time in the middle, certainly didn’t provide much drive or get to many contests. I saw him miss a goal in the third he should have kicked and give away a free kick by getting late to a contest. Was really hoping to see a player a cut above the rest here but really struggled to notice him.
Again though... must really emphasise that he may have just spent the majority of the game on the other side of the ground.

Amongst the rest
Nathan Wright wasn’t much chop. Didn’t do anything to even remotely suggest a call back
Oscar Clavarino: got better as the game went on. Quiet in the first half but took a few marks in the second half
Darragh Joyce: liked his game. Good defender, runs well, decent disposal, took a few marks. Beat his opponent all day
Doulton Langlands: actually quite liked the look of this kid too. Was zippy across HB all day... got a bit of ball, ran hard, decent disposal. Watch this space in my opinion. Not afraid to take the game on which I liked.
Brandon White: prominent early and looked damaging... kind of faded after that. Was a player I found a little hard to make out.

Didn’t really notice Paton or Miller



Don’t think Minch played... If he did he was quiet

For Sandy... I really liked #20 Christian Carnovale (according to the record)... not listed on the website though... was an absolute livewire... tough, good skills, was involved in everything and ran all day. Rookie him for sure.
Tom Lamb is decent and this Seccull guy I’ve heard so much about is good too but I didn’t see anything to suggest that either could play at the next level.

I'm sorry, but a lot of what you have written is just not right
Nathan Freeman started the game in the middle and actually won the first clearance, he also contested almost every centre square bounce whilst he was on the ground, he never played off half back all game, he played mid/half forward. He won a lot of inside ball and got first hands in tight situation
Brandon White hurt his knee in the first quarter and never played after half time he didn't fade out at all.
Nathan Wright was in the top 3 or 4 on the field, he was outstanding with his run and carry and unusually for him, hardly missed a target by foot, his manic attack on the ball and opposition was fantastic.
Billy Longer was by far the best big bloke on the ground dominated taps and took at least 5 contested marks also kicked a goal.
Billings was so far and above the best player on the ground its was just ridiculous, his goals just put the icing on probably the best individual game I have ever seen at this level.

You are 100% spot on mate.

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... be334cf167


"AXED St Kilda midfielder Jack Billings made a statement to Saints’ selectors in Sandringham’s 122-point rout of Frankston yesterday.

Billings had 14 disposals and a goal in the first quarter and finished with 53 disposals and three goals, putting his hand up for an immediate return after he was dropped for Saturday night’s clash against Sydney.



Sandringham coach Aaron Hamill said Billings’ best-on-ground display could win him a recall for St Kilda’s clash against fellow struggler Gold Coast on Saturday.
Jack Billings picks up one of his 53 disposals for Sandringham. Picture: Michael Klein

Billings’ highest disposal tally in the AFL this year is 26 in Round 1. In 75 AFL games he has never had more than 32.

“He came back with the right attitude and gave himself the best opportunity to perform,” Hamill said.

“However long he is at VFL level, who knows, that will be up to match committee and we’ll sit down during the week but he’s certainly thrown his magnet back up there.”

Returning forward Josh Bruce made an impact, kicking three goals in the first quarter on his way to four majors for the day before sitting out most of the final term.

It was Bruce’s first game since Round 3 against Adelaide, when he suffered bone stress in his back.

David Armitage also continued to push his case for a senior recall, collecting 37 disposals in the 22.18 (150) to 3.10 (28) thumping at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

The veteran midfielder, who turns 30 this week, has averaged 35 touches in his three VFL games after he was dropped for the Round 10 clash with Richmond.

In his first game in three weeks after a shoulder injury, luckless midfielder Nathan Freeman put his hand up for an AFL debut with 26 disposals.
Jack Billings picks up another touch. Picture: Michael Klein

But Hamill said Freeman needed to continue to build his match hardness before receiving a senior call-up.

“I think he’s got a little bit more continuity to get but he’ll certainly be in (AFL) discussions at some stage,” he said.

[samoht]

But Hamill said Freeman needed to continue to build his match hardness before receiving a senior call-up.

“I think he’s got a little bit more continuity to get but he’ll certainly be in (AFL) discussions at some stage,” he said.

I disagree - I think he's ready to go; he should get the continuity at AFl level - it'll help his confidence and he'll do better than whoever he's replacing and there'd be less risks for him at AFL level, anyway (on better grounds and with cameras - less chance of stray elbows and incidents behind play).
He needs some positive reinforcement - he should be guaranteed the next 6 AFL games so he can get continuity where it counts - at AFL level.

[The Peanut]

Thanks heaps Skeptic

[saynta]

But Hamill said Freeman needed to continue to build his match hardness before receiving a senior call-up.

“I think he’s got a little bit more continuity to get but he’ll certainly be in (AFL) discussions at some stage,” he said.

I disagree - I think he's ready to go; he should get the continuity at AFl level - it'll help his confidence and he'll do better than whoever he's replacing and there'd be less risks for him at AFL level, anyway (on better grounds and with cameras - less chance of stray elbows and incidents behind play).
He needs some positive reinforcement - he should be guaranteed the next 6 AFL games so he can get continuity where it counts - at AFL level.

Yeah, thought Sammy was a little harsh. Probably wants to,keep him for himself.

[stonecold]

But Hamill said Freeman needed to continue to build his match hardness before receiving a senior call-up.

“I think he’s got a little bit more continuity to get but he’ll certainly be in (AFL) discussions at some stage,” he said.

I disagree - I think he's ready to go; he should get the continuity at AFl level - it'll help his confidence and he'll do better than whoever he's replacing and there'd be less risks for him at AFL level, anyway (on better grounds and with cameras - less chance of stray elbows and incidents behind play).
He needs some positive reinforcement - he should be guaranteed the next 6 AFL games so he can get continuity where it counts - at AFL level.

Yeah, thought Sammy was a little harsh. Probably wants to,keep him for himself.

No, needs two more games in the VFL at least!!!!!

[kosifantutti]

[saynta]

Great stats for a number of players.

Thanks.

[elizabethr]

Great stats for a number of players.

Thanks.

Thanks for the post .