Certainly playing wing so far. Scotts issues is Cox, Tsatas and Duursma all struggling in some areas. I expert Duursma to
Improve from here on but i haven’t seen anyone claim the Martin left wing spot to my eyes yet. Kelly was the better form player on Saturday but for me not the long term answer at all
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If jake kelly is a better option than two top 10 picks and a bloke we traded in, then i don’t really know what to say.
Kelly is what he is, it says more about the other 3
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People were saying that about Weidman last year, I guess Brad likes a good trainer.
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As I mentioned in my report, I still see a lot of improvement in our training habits. The focus should be about doing everything professionally all the time. I want them to take the mark then nail the kick back to the coach every time, not just dribble the ball back or miss them by 10 meters. The coaches themselves seem like friends rather than coaches at times, which I guess has a lot to do with the maturity of the group.
Heppell takes his training seriously, but I would like him, Merrett and others to call out the professionalism of others. I know there is a fine line between making training fun and making it professional, but we have been crap too long to worry about fun.
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Kelly has been finding the ball a lot in match sim and looks in ripping shape.
But every time he gets it, play seems to slow, he stops and props and does the easy sideways kick. He doesn’t have the skills to do the brave kick and doesn’t seem to pick the easy options quick enough in transition.
I really hope he doesn’t play round 1
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I would argue that Ridley is the same and that after a mark instinctively turns 90 degrees and kicks it 15m to Kelly. Ridly is a star, but that part of his game frustrates the crap out of me.
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Sure, but give me a know it all armchair expert any day…
It says we will struggle big time!
Yeah, training means Jack ■■■■. Just look at Weed, apparently most of his pre seasons are the best ever.
I’m with WOB, and Kelly is not AFL.
Decisions like that also have the potential to set us back years, it’s frustrating because you look at the Hawthorne model of cleaning out and playing the kids while we are still selecting older players that are not taking us anywhere and never will.
I agree also, but preseason training is the only way to tell until the practice matches begin.
The wing position is a pretty nuanced and disciplined role that we haven’t yet nailed. It requires a lot of sacrificial running, maintaining width where the compulsion may be to go to the contest while continually keeping one eye on your direct opponent.
Martin conceded more uncontested ball to his direct opponent than any other player in the comp. I reckon half-back is a position that requires less discipline than wing and Martin will do well there, though I suspect he will still play plenty of wing minutes when there is an opportunity to expose the right opponent. Durham similarly is a see-ball-get-ball type who doesn’t have the discipline of some of the best wingers going around. He may be better suited to playing more on-ball or half-forward.
So I can understand Kelly and Heppell playing wing at times. Both are disciplined and selfless types who are fit and willing to do a job. You can’t be allowing the opposition as much ball in space as we do and not expect to get burnt. Some pretty average players got big numbers against us, and some very good players had days out.
Also, the work that the likes of Kelly and Heppell in particular is persistently underrated by footy fans. Heppell has been in great form since April and looks in great nick again this preseason. He was clearly held back by injury in previous years. Similarly Kelly had concussion issues last year that caused him to consider his future in the game. It’s good to see him in such amazing condition training the house down.
I agree that Kelly has his limits as a player, but so does every player. It seems that many fans discount the short-comings of players who are flashy ball winners, and emphasise the short-comings of those who are not as skilled, but play with honesty and discipline. The coaches don’t have this luxury and know the value of Kelly and Heppell. The reason we have been so poor for so long is not because we do not have enough players who are as committed to the team.
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Imagine, Martin half back, Durham, half forward, duursma VFL, Kelly and hepp wings.
Having two very defensively minded wings who read the play well, are strong in the air, can play with extreme discipline and can run all day would certainly help our full ground defence.
It’s not as crazy as it sounds at first glance
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It would actually really restructure the balance and size of the midfield which has otherwise been quite undersized and one way.
I’m more into this than I would have thought possible
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You could actually eskew picking a 7th defender and just roll Durham Martin hepp and Kelly through a wing / 6th and 7th defender rotation
McGrath McKay Reid
Redman rids Martin
Kelly parish hepp
Draper Merrett setterfield
Perkins 2mp Durham
Fresh Langford stringer
Hobbs tsatas Menzie Bryan - Caldwell
It’s different but an interesting line up. Probably lacks a bit of pace through the middle but you can sprinkle that in with tsatas and shiel and play a much tighter, more contested brand
*Edit - Given its the caddy thread I should probably pick him ahead of Bryan and force 2mp to pinch hit in the truck
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We definitely need at least one of Heppell or Kelly playing significant wing minutes IMO. You can’t have the likes of Kane Farrell, Bailey Scott, Mitch Hinge and Liam Henry having a day out on the wing. Seeing the likes of Gulden of Josh Daicos towel us up I can deal with.
The Freo game was the one that prompted the coaches to move Martin from the wing to half-forward, and for good reason. Martin’s direct opponent all day was Liam Henry, who got 32 touches and three Brownlow votes. Henry’s previous most productive day was 21 touches. The Nobby had Martin one of our best that day, so that goes to show how much emphasis Blitz puts on defensive work.
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If Caddy and Jones are AFL ready, we are in a strong position for providing ruck relief from our forward line while maintaining a marking presence. A run in the ruck gets 2MP into the game, so he is also a beneficiary. And Jones could also be an option for some relief ruck minutes.
But I’m pretty sure Scott has his heart set on two rucks, so it will almost certainly be a Goldstein and Bryan pairing, or a Goldstein and Draper combo should Draper beat the clock for R1.
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I’m with WOB on this one. Yes Kelly is decent overhead for a mid-sized player and probably has good defensive instincts and discipline - but the bloke just can’t cover the ground well enough - both speed and laterally to close down space. He would be absolutely exposed if left guarding the fat-side on fast transitions against the Liam Henrys of the world.
Heppell I could consider in that role due to his exceptional reading of the play.
PS - Caddy for PM.
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I disagree. Even at second or third glance it is still borderline crazy. Heppell and Kelly on the wings would be a near disaster. Both of them lack pace and are at best ordinary kicks, and coming from defence, they will have a decent defensive mindset, but will offer us very little going forward, in particular Kelly, who is reaching McPhee levels of indecision and hesitation. Opposition teams would love nothing more than to see them line up on the wings, knowing they have easy avenues to goal. Heppell should stay in the rotations for the defensive unit, and Kelly should start in the VFL. Training intent and form doesn’t come into it, match sim and practice match form is where the team should be chosen from.
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