Reserves?

[midaro]

The reserves' pre-season final was played before the game, right?

How'd we go?

Especially:

Doyle
Rogers
Powell
Buchanan

[Bron]

They won by bucketloads, sorry can't remember the details. Amon played well.

[Captain]

Potter kicked 3 goals

[Triple B]

Powell our best, mainly at CHF.

Just looked a solid performance all round.

Doyle rucked for long periods and gained a heap of match fitness in the process.

[midaro]

Originally posted by BBB
Doyle rucked for long periods and gained a heap of match fitness in the process.

Excellent.

For next week I'd like to see Doyle and Buchannon in, for LRT and Micky.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by midaro
Excellent.

For next week I'd like to see Doyle and Buchannon in, for LRT and Micky.

LRT really did look to struggle a bit today, was where the football was quite a bit, but struggled to get his hands on the ball and use it effectively IMO. But I still think he'll stay in the 22 coz, as I've said before, he's Roos' lovechild. And really, I have no problem with that, coz this guy will continue to grow into a class act, and the seniors is the best place for him at present

[midaro]

Originally posted by sharpie
LRT really did look to struggle a bit today, was where the football was quite a bit, but struggled to get his hands on the ball and use it effectively IMO. But I still think he'll stay in the 22 coz, as I've said before, he's Roos' lovechild. And really, I have no problem with that, coz this guy will continue to grow into a class act, and the seniors is the best place for him at present


I disagree that the seniors is the best place for him. IMO he needs to go back to the reserves and touch the ball 20-odd times a game for a while.

I've used this stat before, but it remains a fact that in now 18 games of seniors, he has had more than 10 disposal only once.

He has still only played very few games of AFL of any grade, and IMO he still has much to learn.

The fact that he is Roos' lovechild may be an issue, but Roos seems to have given away his other pet project (of turning Saddo into a CHB in his likeness) so I don't think Roos would ever be pig-headed about anything, (jeez he's a good coach - how could anyone have favoured Terry Wallace? ;) )

I believe Doyle is a certain inclusion next week, especially with Ball looking a bit rusty, (someone needs to develop a new team rule that Ball is only allowed to handball - he has the kicking yips worse than Mick McGuane ever did). So LRT really micght have to go - just temporarily.

[motorace_182]

If Abletts out, that two out, two in. Doyle would have to get a run you would think

[midaro]

Originally posted by motorace_182
If Abletts out, that two out, two in. Doyle would have to get a run you would think

If it's wet again though, could we really have Ball, Doyle and LRT in the team? For mine, if Doyle plays, another beanpole has to go.

[barry]

I dont think there is any need to bring in Doyle just yet. As a beanpole ruckman, he should be absolutely dominating the Canberra league, if he is up to AFL quality.

LRT is going ok. Got to lots of packs today, just didnt handle the slippery conditions.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by barry
LRT is going ok. Got to lots of packs today, just didnt handle the slippery conditions.

Yep - I was pleased with some of the efforts LRT put in. Flew for the ball quite well a few times and went close. Of course he didn't do heaps in the game, but he's still learning how to play, and he seems much more confident and also seems to be able to find the contest better.

[penga]

LRT does not need over 10 possessions a game as he is not being bred into a midfielder, he is being bred into a KPP... therefore it is the involvements in contests that make it important

i had a chat with meiklejohn after the game and he said that he played at FB and he loved that move ("just a bit of a change up mate, you know") i was really impressed with his willingness to have a a proper conversation as i kinda interrupted him trying to sms someone :)... nice bloke, he didnt know about micky at that stage

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by midaro
The reserves' pre-season final was played before the game, right?

How'd we go?

Especially:

Doyle
Rogers
Powell
Buchanan

Doyle rucked virtually the whole game, he'll be ready for the firsts soon.
Rogers really looks the goods down back.
Powell was clever, but it wasn't the day for marking players.
Buchanan was amazing, he's so much better in midfied than as a goalsneak.

Thewless, also did well, he got into the square and was really forcefull ~ the weather suited him.
and
Miekeljohn seemed a lot happier down back than what I've seen of him in the ruck.

[floppinab]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Yep - I was pleased with some of the efforts LRT put in. Flew for the ball quite well a few times and went close. Of course he didn't do heaps in the game, but he's still learning how to play, and he seems much more confident and also seems to be able to find the contest better.

His positioning in the marking contests allowed others (ROK was one, there was at least one or two others) to mark and goal on a few occasions, by holding off a key defender. His confidence is definately up when he gets hold of the footy as well. He is probably going to struggle to get a lot of the footy at times with the other 3 lynchpin talls we had out there (particularly at the SCG) but he doesn't look out of place at all.
Question is whether a game back in ressies where he could get 10 or 15 possessions might be useful, particularly if Doyle comes back.
Given this stage of his development it probably wouldn't be a bad thing IMO.

[sharpie]

Is it possible that we could very soon have the luxury of 3, yes THREE, key defenders available for senior selection? That would be amazing flexibility given that Schauble will be back soon, James is doing great and Rogers is promising in reserves.

[chammond]

Originally posted by floppinab

Question is whether a game back in ressies where he could get 10 or 15 possessions might be useful, particularly if Doyle comes back.
Given this stage of his development it probably wouldn't be a bad thing IMO.

I'm not usually a fan of dropping players back to the reserves just to give them a 'run'.

But in LRT's case, the biggest imperative is that he learns as much about the game as quickly as possible. I'm not sure that that is being met by him picking up a small handful of possessions in the seniors.

Giving him four quarters on the ball in the reserves might kick-start him again?