VFL Rd 5 V Collingwood @ KGM Centre- Friday 24th April 2026 - 2:05pm

Football Discussion Essendon VFL
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He’s still growing (described as 204 below, but then 205 officially, and now 207).

STRENGTHS:

  • Clean hands
  • One-on-ones
  • Ruck craft
  • Strength

IMPROVEMENTS:

  • Endurance
  • Speed

Like a number of Country region players before him, Boston Dowling made the switch from Murray Bushrangers to Oakleigh Chargers in his top-age season. There, he played 14 games where he got the chance to stand out as his club’s number one ruck at different points. Though athletically he still has areas to improve, Dowling’s bread and butter comes in his ruck craft and strength around the contest.

He is good one-on-one, clean by hand, and towers over quite a few of his opponents at 204cm. He can compete well in aerial contests, and is not afraid to out-body an opponent and clear the ball himself once it hits the deck. A raw prospect of good size and with some handy traits, the Vic Country Under 17s representative is a long-term talent, but one who could benefit from further development.

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22

Gresham omitted from the seniors but not named in the vfl.

23

AFL emergency hold over.

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24

Nice that Huss is back too.

Huss, Unwin and Nguyen in that forward line should be fun to watch.

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25

Has Hus played VFL since leaving the senior side?

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26

He was ill last week

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27

From Shepparton, up my way in Northern Vic. I watched big Boston training with us in the pre-season games. He IS big but moves fluently and can take an impressive grab. He will give a good account of himself tomorrow. Pity we don’t have a mid-season draft pick!

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28

But, but … we have Setterfield!

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29

Has Hus played VFL since leaving the senior side?

He played VFL round 3 and kicked a goal but was generally quiet that day.

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30

Hopefully he can get his fitness up to scratch in the next month or two and be back in the seniors.

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31

Keen for this today. Huss vs Nguyen vs Unwin for the Small Forward Cup.

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32

Bryan out with just general soreness

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33

How do fill ins work at VFL level? Can you just play anyone from any lower comp if you need?

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No, they need to be signed as a VFL player. I think you can do replacements and add-ons during the season, but they need to be registered as VFL players.

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35

So where do they play when they are not playing VFL?

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At a local club.

VFL players (as in not AFL listed but playing VFL) can be co-registered at a VFL team and a local team. I guess it would be more common among the fringe VFL players but last season Heppell played at Port Melbourne and Leongatha.

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37

Judging by the jumper numbers, the Collingwood team is full of AFL listed players (admittedly I do not recognise many of them). Still think we should be winning this.

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38

It’s weird they actually had VP at 105pm on the afl app until yesterday. Glad I checked here!

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39

That is our smallest HF line that l can ever recall.

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40

Looking at the pies list. Lot of players that have played VFL and either haven’t cracked the AFL side or barely been able to get any AFL games.

Without following their vfl form. That backline looks very unimpressive and very gettable in my opinion.

Forward line of buller, west and a likely managed Hill looks most damaging.

Think we should also stack up well in the guts. Smit should have advantage in the ruck but Allan and Sullivan definitely shouldn’t be too threatening vs setters and Perkins you would hope!

With Dowling being ruck I wonder who relief rucks this would be a perfect opportunity for some ruck minutes for Gerreyn as if not now then when?

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