In BDB presser he made note that some of MSD/SSP players seem like best few on our list
Martin has been dominating preseason
What a gem of a find
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supercoach lock?
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lock, doubt he will have second year blues. more improvement left in him $$$ plus will produce some good scores along the way.
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Was looking at Sportsbet to get on him. Can only find Nick Martin @251-1
Dont want to invest my hard earned on the wrong Martin
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So I’m sure everyone on Blitz will agree that Dodoro is a genius for finding a player of Martin’s calibre with an SSP pick, and that this is a clear indication that his tenure in his role should be extended…?
*ducks*
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Does anyone know if Martin has a basketball background?
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1903 - Hoorah for the Same Olds!
2011 - Stand As One
2012 - I’m EssendOne
2016 - Don the Sash
2018 - Back Our Boys
2023 - Less Fartin Around
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2013 Whatever it Takes
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2014 They took from us, everything
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As in, one touch per game?
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Oh yeah - forgot about that one
No that’s Wanganeen from what I saw today lol
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Whats going on with Tex? His development seems to have stunted based on chatter around here.
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I’d be very surprised if Draper doesn’t go to another level this year. He’s a man who looks supremely confident in his ability now. He’s sticking a lot more marks around the ground and his kicking has improved. Reckon he’s ready to go beast mode.
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Yeah I was very impressed with him in the match sim on the 25th Jan. Quick, clean, and very decisive with the footy. Pick 45, lol.
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First time training watcher - so excuse the lower quality report!
I left midway through the last quarter, so report is based on primarly the first 3 quarters. A lot of positional changes in the last too… so probably more experimental
Overall it was a very good training session nothing of note in terms of game structure really.
The teams were pretty evenly split but the red team was had more I guess best 22 starters and the midfield battle was really good. At the start it was Merrett, Parish, Setterfield vs Shiel, Perko and Hobbs. It mixed and matched throughout but Merrett, Parish, Perko and Shiel were the mainstays.
What I do think is gonna be the real cornerstone of our season this year is gonna be our back back 7 so Ridley Lav, Kelly, McGrath, BZT, Redman and Hind/Mass? They look a really really solid unit and what we lack in height we may make up in unity and courage. A lot of 3rd man efforts and intercept marks. But the success of this of course depends on our up the ground defence.
It definitely looked like we kicked the ball more than previous years, and our skills were better than I would say they have been too.
Some notes on players.
| 1. McGrath - nothing huge or amazing from Pidge today, he played completely off the HB line and he looks so much more at home there. A few kicks that missed the mark but overall looking set for a big year in his preferred position | |
|---|---|
| 2. Draper - Started forward and had a little impact, a few marks but some horrendous set shots. Moved into the the ruck as the game wore on and dominated there. Kicked a beautiful running goal from the centre square in the 3rd | |
| 3. Parish - was everywhere, kicked a lot, and used the ball well. Hopefully gets a full run at it again this year and he’ll be right up there in Brownlow’s, Crichton etc | |
| 4. Langford - was on the black team (2nds) and didn’t notice him overly much to be honest. At best he is on the bench in the starting round 1 team, and possibly sub. | |
| 5. Tsatas - Injured | |
| 6. Caldwell - Played full time forward and got a lot of opportunities to score, from memory he kicked a few and missed a couple. Stood out with his lime green hat. There’s a spot in the round 1 team for him, and I think it’s at the expense of Hobbs | |
| 7. Merrett - does what Merrett does, uses the ball well, never looked like he was out of 2nd gear. Should be the captain and will produce as we always expect and know he will | |
| 8. Hobbs - Pretty sure he got injured in the 2nd quarter but before that was starting midfield for the black team, and to be honest looked a class below. Which is fine considering he was up against Parish and Merrett, but for me he’s not in the round 1 team. Would prefer he gets some full time mid games in the VFL this year | |
| 9. Shiel - Played in the black team to even the midfields up and did as well as you could expect against Merrett and Parish, won his fair share of Centre clearances and used the ball pretty well. Pace is very evident | |
| 10. Weideman - Ran laps, and a lot of laps | |
| 11. Snelling - Black team - played pretty well, bubbled up a lot and got a bit of the ball. He understands and reads the game so well. Unfortunately is not a set starter anymore, and would be fighting for his spot come round 1. Not in round 1 team for me | |
| 12. Setterfield - Started so well and dominated the first quarter. Quietened down a bit as the game wore on, but he does offer something that our midfield lacks. A big body who knows where the ball is going | |
| 13. Cox - injured, no laps, nothing. Saw him though, and he’s looking good | |
| 14. Ridley - Part of a back 6 that desipite it’s lack of height is working EXTREMELY well together. Kicked a goal and took plenty of marks as did the whole back 6 | |
| 15. Laverde - see Ridley minus the goal | |
| 16. Perkins - Black team starting midfield - and held his own. Was clearly outclassed against parish and Merrett but he got his fair share of ball, used it well and showed off his core | |
| 17. Stewart - unsighted | |
| 18. Hayes - Impressive. Black team backline, matched up against Baldwin typically. Did very well | |
| 19. Hind - Injured | |
| 20. Wright - ran laps | |
| 21. Heppell - played well, typical heppell game. I think he’s best 22 for now, but I would hope he gets passeded t | |
| 22. Duz - Played well first half, but had a brain fade where team got a 50m pen and he non chalantly kicked a behind. Ran laps 2nd half | |
| 23. Jones - Looked much better for the run. Held a few big grabs and used the ball fairly well | |
| 24. Bryan - matched up in the ruck against Draper and Phillips - did pretty well. I think Phillips may be ahead thoug tbh | |
| 25. Stringer - Ran a few laps and leading drills | |
| 26. Baldwin - Forward line for red team and played well, has a presence, can hold a mark, unfortunately missed a couple of easy set shots though that you’d expect a forward to nail 99/100 | |
| 27. Redman - solid, again part of the back 6 that for me will be the cornerstone of the team this year | |
| 28. Lord - nothing huge, can’t see him making it TBH | |
| 29. Kelly - See Redman | |
| 30. BTZ - I think came off in the 2nd half, but he’s an integral part of the back 6 | |
| 31. Reid - unsighted | |
| 33. Davey - See post above. He’s something special, and I’m very excited to see him this year | |
| 34. Phillips - a journeyman that we are lucky to have as a back up ruckman. Just does what he needs to do | |
| 35. Guelfi - unsighted | |
| 36. Davey - ran laps, said he did about 6.5km at a fairly quick clip | |
| 37. Martin - shhh…. Keep it all under wraps. | |
| 38. Montgomerie - Going to be a very good back up defender for us if we ever need. | |
| 39. Voss - honestly has so much presence out there, and I’m not being too silly when I Say he looks a bit like Jon Brown when he plays | |
| 40. Tex - played a bit but didn’t see anything | |
| 41. McBride - played a bit of backline Red and looked fine, again back up and development again this year | |
| 42. Massimo - looks to have lost something since last year. Uses the ball well, and was designated kicker for the black team, but didn’t seem to set the world on fire today at all | |
| 43. Walla - sneaky chance for round 1- he along with davey just have something that the rest of the team do not have | |
| 44. Munkara - unsighted | |
| 47. Menzie - looks to have a few tricks, he for me is right on the cusp of the round 1 team and possibly in it tbh. Him or walla really. |
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First match sim since a long injury. Relax, man, find your neutral space. You got a rush. It will pass. Be seated.
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Woweeeeee
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I think we have to remember that it wasn’t as though he was highly sought after as a junior. Port Adelaide weren’t all that interested. Not knocking him in saying that, it’s just putting it in context that yeah you’ll get your Nic Martin SSP success stories but most don’t become raging successes. And unlike Martin he’s a kid and one who has had some injury interruptions.
The odds are that he doesn’t make it more than him making it but he gets to write his own story.
Let’s hope he builds his fitness and finds his groove in the VFL throughout the season. We saw in that Doggies pre-season game last year that there’s something there.
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thanks for the report, great job. Any observations on the train on guys (Cleaver, Tom Phillips, Lynch)?