With Johnson though, he’s been resigned thru 2028 and is coming of a load related injury.
Prob best to play out season in reserves and then get a full preseason into him while letting some veterans ‘carry the load’ (and be cannon fodder) in the afl in these next few losses to round out the year and scoop up some draft concessions.
We’re rebuilding, and need to get games into these kids asap.
The more games these kids play together, the faster we’ll get better as a club.
Too many say to just play the kids, but a young guy coming back from injury and playing an important role in a side that is winning games and pushing for finals will potentially be better for him long term then being thrown to the wolves in a side getting belted each week.
Does the same “baseline” for tackles apply to Tsatas who similarly attends most stoppages?
Do you have the stats for both CBA’s and general stoppages? I couldn’t find them.
Only stat I’m anxious on with johnson playing AFL is he currently sits 28th of all players all time for longest loss streak without winning a game and jumps to 22nd with another loss. Save him for the port game end of year potentially?
Probably not for a player at his stage who appears to be playing as a ball hunter and outside receiver a lot presently and doing it very well at VFL level. But gosh yes he needs to improve his tackling and defence! Wouldn’t it be great if he could do that along side Robey, Sharp, Roberts, Kako, Caddy and co, who all need to improve heaps about their own games?
Yep, and this the problem with Nguyen. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I’ve seen from him, but small defenders are the last thing we need. He’s currently behind McGrath, Roberts and probably Johnson.
It’s a shame because he’s the type that small forwards would hate to play on. Hopefully he takes his chance when injuries/form create one
If you split the roles between defensive small backs and rebounding small backs our depth chart looks very different.
VFL PLAYER REVIEW TO THOSE WHO CARE
Parish - had a good game statistically. I think it flatters the performance. 21 touches, 10i50s and 9 clearances at 90%. No way he had that accuracy. Did his work inside at contest but regularly won a clearance and fanned balls wide inside 50 to no one and squandered the i50/clearance and went back the other way and goaled. I did say I liked everything he did in the last 50 minutes of the game but thought he was just okay the rest of it. Don’t think it would warrant a call up but who tf knows.
Tsatas - 36 and 2.1. Now I liked Tsatas’ game much more. Kicked GOTY. Thought he had good impact with his touches and got his touches across the ground and got back hard and linked up regularly in transition across the ground. If you asked me who’s closer to a call up between Tsatas and parish it’s Tsatas by a bit IMO.
Gresham - same as last week. I liked Gresham’s game. Don’t think he gets a callup but he’s been nice and handy at VFL. Had 1-2 poor touches. But overall positive game.
Setterfield - 25 and 1. Again solid contribution from setters. I really do like setters as that mature player on the list as depth that you can depend on at VFL level. I don’t think with the young mids coming through we keep a list spot for him but he’s a great soldier and contributor for this VFL program. Really liked his game today.
Cox - COXZILLA. 7.1. BRING HIM IN. Has such good size to his frame finally and can actually clunk and throw his body around at contests. He’s had a really good year at VFL level. Absolutely deserves another 1-2 year contract and so glad he’s getting reward for his persistence he looked done the last 24 months. He can be a contributor to this list going forward and looks like he’ll get a proper opportunity as a forward next week! BOG
Visentini - good showing by Vigo. Won the hitout battle. Did some nice things. Sprayed a shot on goal. Has the physicality and can get around the ground think the next step for Vigo is doing more around the ground and hitting the scoreboard. But for now at the contest he’s coming along great!
Jones - down back not the move. Find him and blakiston very similar. They’re not forwards they’re not rucks they’re not wings and they’re not defenders. That said he has some really good intercepts today and almost every time burnt the ball. Had a few plays early that were the exact same as last week at afl level where he dumped it out of defense direct to opposition and then sailed back over his head. Was less offensive with his game as it went on and was pretty serviceable second half.
McKay - have been saying for weeks get him back. Had his circuit breaker reset as a forward. Think his confidence is back. Showed it today. Was a solid pillar down back. Intercepted at will 11 total for the game. Shows he still has it. Hopefully builds back into afl squad from here.
Guelfi - 2.1 from his first 3 kicks. Also dislocated his finger early so played the game with some discomfort. Didn’t do much for the rest of the game but played it out obviously under duress and again did his work early to help the team. Don’t think he’s there next year but serviceable game in the meantime.
Unwin - great return for the onion. Just getting through the game will give him confidence. This last month he’s probably playing for another contract. Could see him build in confidence with his body as the game went on. 5 score involvements did some really nice things and was really slick setting some of them off.
Bourke - stinker. I’ve liked his last few weeks. He looks to have the read of play and moves well his kicking can be hit or miss. Today his kicking was atrocious. Started off with some horrendous turnovers. He had some really good intercepts for the game. As always have to temper expectations as a rookie picking up the game and I think he’s taken some good strides forward don’t think today was one of them.
Johnson - the inverse of parish were the statistics flattered his game. Thought he was legitimately strong across the board 31 touches 2nd game back from injury. 8i50s, 4SI, 5R50s and 3 intercepts. The most promising stat was 5 tackles. I commented earlier in the thread his kick outs were dangerous in the first half took a lot of distance and hit players in good spots and went coast to coast for goals. His touches became a bit scrappier as the game went on but still moments of brilliance like his checkside to set up setters goal. But last week in his return was him slotting back in comfortably with ball in hand this was him ramping up his physicality spoils, tackling and defensive efforts were there on display all game. Thought a bit soon for a call up last week think definitely should be in seniors from here.
El Hawli - dr Jekyll and mr Hyde. 26 touches 8I50s, 6R50s and the big one 8 intercepts. He took some of the most impressive intercept marks with some huge intercepts and then repeatedly immediately turned the ball over every time. He’s so creative ball in hand but sometimes just does some really dumb things with it and undoes a lot of his really good hard work. Almost needs to temper the brilliance back a fraction. Excellent game defensively good game overall but could have been a big one all Round.
Nguyen - okay game. Bobbed up for his 1.1. He’s just so strong inside at contests. Repeatedly cracked in hard and just refused to be tackled and breaks through with his strength. I just don’t know if there is anything more to his game other than strength and effort. Can win it in tight and get it out. But don’t think he does too much ball in hand in open play and doesn’t have enough scoring power. There was a snap he had that he only got it to go 20M in open play that should have been a shot on goal from 40. I don’t know what the solution is. Is a good lockdown defender and an alright small forward. Don’t think he’ll ever be elite or a lock at selection or where he goes. But at VFL hes a solid contributor and again will give you maximum effort at every contest.
McMahon - would have been dirty to not get a call up this week and imagine that’s his papers stamped because if he’s not getting called up now when is he? Kicked a goal early then had a really nice kick over the top i think to set up cox and that was his game. Was consistently picked out by the umpires for holding his defender out of contests and was clearly frustrated that the calls were consistently going one way and that they were not being paid the same at the other end. Looked like he copped some sort of ankle knock part way through the game that also probably didn’t help things. Shame as I mentioned last week he’s the Ben King of the VFL kicks his goals and that’s it but that might just be his ceiling unfortunately.
Solid game from the boys it’s actually been the most entertaining team to follow this year consistently this VFL team. Buoyed by the AFL teams win today so looking forward to both sides backing up next week!
