yes
1 Like
Woodend 
2 Likes
RRRRRICKY DYSONNNN!
2 Likes
TTHHHIIIIRRRRDD RROOOOUUUNNNDDD PPIIIICCCKKK
1 Like
Apologies for the late posting. I have been out of town for a few days and only got to watch the game on replay (without knowing the outcome). I donât see a report on the Essendon website, so for anyone who missed the game but is interested how we went, here is my review of each player for the final game of the seasonâŚ
Davey: A busy presence across half back throughout the day. He was often directing traffic and setting up plays back there, but he also pushed up the field to add numbers forward of centre. After over-running the ball at the start of the third quarter, he remained involved and his second effort (actually his third) won him a free kick. This sort of second and third effort has been a real feature of his time playing in defence in the last half of the season. His kicking today was not always his best. He missed a target switching play across half back in the first term and kicked straight to a Zebra early in the third. He took the kick-ins in the second half and at one point in the third quarter he ran out from the goal square, took a bounce, balked around his opponent and ran some more. He then delivered it to Day-Wicks in the centre and we went forward where OâNeill goaled. It was a strong game, but sadly is probably his last for the Bombers.
Gerreyn: Competitive without starring throughout the day, but he did some eye-catching things. He took two strong intercept marks in the second quarter that demonstrated how much he has learned across this seasonâthis bloke will be a terrific AFL player as he continues to learn and to build up his strength and stamina. He took another excellent intercept mark in the third term and shortly thereafter he ran out and intercepted a loose ground ball too. I liked him as a forward early this season, but he has shown plenty in defence later this season. It is difficult to know where he will fit into our side if everyone is available, but that is probably a pipe dream, anyway. I think he is probably most likely to be an AFL forward. He moves really well for a big bloke. I have said before that I see him playing 150+ AFL games and having a really good career.
Johnson: Pushed upfield early in the second quarter and his lethal running kick resulted in a goal from the fifty. Usually taking the kick-ins in the first quarter because he is such a lovely kick of the footy and, pushing up the ground, he kicked beautifully to hit forwards on the chest. In the final quarter he was the beneficiary of a down-field free and kicked a long goal from the 50-metere arc. It was great to see him pushing forward of centre this week, where his elite kicking can be so potent. He tackled well and was excellent on the day. I have him as a future Essendon AFL captain. For mine, it will eventually be him or Roberts after McGrath then Martin.
Day-Wicks: Took possession of an awkward half-volley and his pass to Sellers resulted in the first goal of the day. Later in the first quarter, he took a mark and his kick again hit Sellers, who marked and goaled again. Received from Hately late in the first quarter to mark and kick a goal. Magnificent strong tackle in the middle in the second quarter. His long inside-50 kick set up OâNeill for a scoring opportunity too. He used the ball really well and he was a strong, physical presence throughout the game.
Smartt: Ended with a good fourth quarter last week and won plenty of ball in the first in this game to continue from where he left off. In the third quarter, a run and bounce was followed by a long kick that would have scored a goal except that Sellers soccered it through from the line. He has his critics on here (who doesnât?), but he is someone who works hard and can do magical things in a position where, by nature, it is difficult to win the ball often. I have seen him do incredibly brave things in the VFL. This week he ran back into a pack and avoided being killed but decided to follow up with a fierce tackle when the ball hit the ground. Donât ever doubt this blokeâs courage and competitive nature. He won a free for the tackle but his poor set shot resulted in a sliced point. Just a few moments later, a strong tackle forced a turn-over and Duff-Tytler goal. He kicked an unbelievable check-side goal in the third quarter to cap off a wonderful team play from one end of the ground to the other (starting with Foley in the back pocket all the way to Smartt in the forward pocket). If he stays on the list, he can be a player (and people who criticise small forwards need first to understand what a tough role it is to play. Smartt has the skill, strength, reckless courage, magic X-factor, and desire to win to give him every chance to be a good small forward AFL player). He never takes a backward step and if he can stay on the AFL list and take his opportunities, he is the type of irritating small forward who opposition fans will love to hate and that Essendon fans will take to their hearts (think Jack Ginnivan and Cody Weightmanâthey have the runs on the board but if he gets the chance, Smartt can be that type of player).
Visentini: Was managed last week after looking tired the previous few games. Was back to his bustling, competitive, bullocking best today. He had a size advantage in this game and used it well. He dominated the ruck contests and on occasion his tap work to advantage was excellent. A great spoil from behind in a marking contest led to an Essendon goal in the last quarter. He didnât get a tonne of the ball, but one has to love his physical work and his desire to tackle.
Foley: Tidy and composed, as seems always to be the case. I do this bloke a disservice by focussing on what a lovely smooth mover he is with ball in hand. In reality, he also does some nice hard tackling and body work in heavy traffic. He is just so eye-catching offensively that one sometimes overlooks his strong defensive work like spoiling and chasing. He was a good player in a good overall team performance.
Hoare: Very strong intercept pack mark on the wing early in the game. In the second quarter, he effected a spoil in a one-versus-two marking contest and followed up with a strong tackle. He undid those two excellent defensive efforts by giving away a pathetic, undisciplined free kick to round out the play. There is so much to love about Hoare, but this sort of self-indulgent thing is not acceptable. He turned over a kick from defence in the second quarter and Sandringham goaled from the mistake. As usual, he took many marks. He is an outstanding mark of the football. If he was only a little taller, he could be an outstanding AFL prospect. His kicking is sometimes questionable, but he took a strong intercept mark on the wing in the last quarter and hit a leading Sellers on the chest inside 50. Just before the end of the game he took a mark deep in the backline and threaded his kick through bodies to hit Visentini on the chest near the middle of the ground. He was good all day, but was especially good in the second half.
Nyko: Combative scrapper who worked hard like he always does. He played around the wing but often pushed back to help out in the defence. In the last quarter he marked outside 50 and used his lethal left foot for a long bomb goal.
McKay: Ran and competed hard throughout. Won important contested balls on the wing and helped out in the back half with his hard running. He tackled and pressured all dayâworking offensively and defensively from the wing. He was excellent.
Busuttil: Busy early with two important possessions from the opening bounce of the game to set up the first goal and then took a mark in defence to turn back the Zebras a moment later. His first quarter was brilliantâskilful and tough and he won a tonne of footy. His final three quarters were not as good as the first, but he remained a good contributor throughout the game.
Uerata: As I have said before, I like this young bloke because of his speed and skill, but even more so for his willingness to put his head over the ball and win a hard ball. I think he is a chance to have a good career if someone will pick him up. He won a hard ball early and gave it out to Busuttil to set up the first inside-50. Shortly thereafter he completed a run-down tackle to further demonstrate his willingness to do the hard stuff. He received a hand ball from Smartt and his beautifully weighted kick inside 50 hit Sellers at the start of the second term. Later in that quarter a great chase and tackle forced a Zebra turn-over. My immediate reaction was, âGet this bloke on an AFL list now.â Throughout the second half he worked hard defensively and won important ball to keep the Bombers moving forward. His marking is good, but his ability to know when to spoil in a marking contest is excellent too.
Sellers: His mark close to goal was followed by a set shot goal to start proceedings for the day. Shortly thereafter he took a strong mark and kicked another first quarter goal. Toward the end of the quarter he took a fantastic contested mark and got another set shot for goal, but unfortunately hooked it left. He then executed a smother in what was easily his best quarter for the whole season. In previous games, the concern with Sellers has been that a good quarter was usually followed by disappearing, so it was good to see him remain involved in the second quarter and then soccer through a goal at the start of the third quarter. He marked on the lead to kick another goal later in that same quarter. Early in the final quarter he led and received from Hoare to have another set shot for goal, but missed. The Zebra kick-in was marked by Johnson who (of course) hit Sellers for another set shot at goal, but Sellers hit the post. With a little more luck, he might have finished with eight goals for the game to really send a message to recruiting staff. This was his best game of the season and this sort of performance can keep his AFL dreams alive.
Brodie: Was fiercely competitive in the first half after a quiet game last week. His second and third efforts and his tackling were excellent. Roved a crumb in the second quarter but his dribble kick under pressure didnât quite have enough energy to get there. Roved from Visentini and set up a goal for Scott in the last quarter.
Monteath: Mostly he was fairly quiet, but he did some good things. His highlight was when he roved from a marking contest and snapped a great first quarter goal. He is not big enough to be an AFL ruckman but he will be a very good AFL third-tall forward and occasional back-up ruck. He has great skill and when he puts on muscle and weight, he will be a really good player.
Quigg: Took his turn in the midfield and showed his ability to win hard balls from the middle. In the second quarter he took a mark directly in front but unselfishly gave a handball to his captain to run into an easy open goal. He hit Sellers lace-out with a run and inside-50 pass in the third quarter. A free kick from inside the forward 50 resulted in an unsuccessful fourth quarter kick at goal.
OâNeill: Excellent run-down tackle prevented a Zebra shot for goal in the first quarter. As usual, he was winning lots of ball, but this sort of tackle is where he really sets a great example as captain. Received from Quigg for an easy goal in the second quarter (only a few minutes after his own handball gave Johnson a goal, so it was just reward). He roved from a pack marking contest in the third quarter and snapped his second goal. He narrowly missed a quick snap from the goal square in the final quarter too. He was outstanding all day. If there was still any doubt, this game wins him the best and fairest.
Hately: Unselfishly passed to Duff-Tytler to gift him a goal in the first quarter when Hately could have kicked it himself. Later in the same quarter he passed to Day-Wicks for another goal that Hately might have kicked himself. These two acts were typical of him as a great team player and team leader. He won lots of ball, used it well, and competed in close quarters to set up his outside teammates. His absence from an AFL list shows how hard it is to have an AFL career and how lucky one must be. He is one of those footballers who is a much better player now (when not on an AFL list) than he was when he was younger (and was on two AFL lists).
Akuei: Dashing run through the middle set up Duff-Tytlerâs goal in the first term. Throughout the day, he moved well and got involved more than he usually does further upfield. He spoils and harasses in marking contests and was important for the Bombers in defence. Although he didnât get a lot of the ball, from a team perspective, this was one of his better games for the Bombers this season.
Gallagher: After promising signs earlier in the year (he played his first game in round 6 and then played really well in rounds 7, 9, and 10), he lost form (and his spot in the side), but he showed a return to his best today. His bravery and run from defence was outstanding. He intercepted on the wing in the second quarter and hit Monteath lace-out inside-50. His run and inside-50 kick in the third quarter set up a scoring opportunity for Duff-Tytler that ended in a point, but later in the same quarter another Gallagher inside-50 kick ended with a goal to Duff-Tytler. He took marks in defence and won a lot of the ball. This was certainly one of his best games for the year.
Eckersley: With Sellers, Monteath, Duff-Tytler, and others, this bloke was pushed to the periphery in the forward line, so it was interesting to see him get some time in the midfield alongside OâNeill and Hately in the second half. Without being a star, he was a solid contributor for his team.
Scott: One has to love how this bloke refuses to give up an easy ball. He can kick goals as a small forward, but he scraps to keep the ball in there too. Won a free in a marking contest in the second quarter and calmly slotted a goal from the boundary. His second goal came in the final quarter after receiving a handpass from Brodie (as the end result of an excellent Visentini spoil). His long shot at goal in the last quarter would have been a third, but Nyko fumbled a mark on the goal line.
Duff-Tytler: This 17-year-old fancy was held in a marking contest and won a free to shoot for a goal in the first quarter. Moments later he received from Hately and kicked his second goal. He roved his own ruck tap for another scrambled missed shot for goal later in the same quarter. In the third quarter he was the beneficiary of a Smartt tackle that forced a turn-over that Duff-Tytler accepted and goaled. As well as being a danger up forward all day, he took some ruckwork duties in the last quarter. He will develop into a massive unit and will have a huge career. He will be a ruckman, but his three goals today showed that when he is developing as a young player, he will still be handy and dangerous as a forward.
My best players for the day: OâNeill, Sellers, Hately, Johnson, Busuttil, McKay, Day-Wicks, Gallagher, Visentini, Hoare (in reality, they all contributed in an excellent team performance).
We won every quarter, including narrowly winning both quarters against the wind. Our previous win was more than three months ago. After 11 straight losses, this was a great showing with excellent leadership from the likes of OâNeill, Hately, Sellers, and Busuttil, with kids like Duff-Tytler, Monteath, Gallagher, Scott, and company all being energetic and showing talent. Assuming that OâNeill and Hately will not get picked up by an AFL club, the VFL priority must be to somehow convince them to stay on Essendonâs VFL list again (however, I expect they will likely be forced to give up on their AFL dreams and will be able to attract bigger money elsewhere).
Non-AFL players who will be on an AFL list next year: Monteath and Duff-Tytler.
Others who should be / could be on a list: Scott, Hately (Hately wonât be, but should be), Uerata, Nyko (mid-season prospect), Foley (wonât be, but I think he could be a real prospect with a full-time gig in an elite system), OâNeill (wonât be, but will win the B&F and, after a podium finish last year, he couldnât do any more to win back a spot on an AFL list), Busuttil (has probably missed the boat by now, but he can play and would be a mid-season prospect if he starts well next year).
18 Likes
Stats: 13 disposals, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 6 hitouts, 1 clearance, 2 inside 50s, 3 goals, 2 behinds
FIRST QUARTER:
With AFL-listed Bomber Vigo Visentini taking on the primary ruck duties, Duff-Tytler was thrust into Essendonâs forwardline alongside fellow tall target Tyler Sellers. He was initially occupied by St Kilda-listed defender James Barrat, but went on to be manned by Zebras youngster Jack Cheep.
Duff-Tytler occupied space deep inside 50 and kicked three consecutive scores for a first term tally of 2.1. His maiden state league goal came via a holding free kick while jostling with Barrat one-on-one, slotting the set shot from 35m to continue Essendonâs early ascendancy.
He extended the Bombersâ lead once more after Jackson Hately found him over the back for a straightforward overhead mark. A late push from Barrat brought him from the angle to the goalsquare to make a sure thing of his second major. It was all Essendon, taking a 30-point lead into the first break.
Needless to say, Duff-Tytlerâs start was ultra impressive. He looked active and engaged, staying on his toes ahead of the ball to provide a marking target. His ability to follow up was also evident; getting a handball up for Nicholas Quigg to shoot, and nabbing a minor score after an initial ruck effort inside 50.
SECOND QUARTER:
Starting on the pine despite his hot start, Duff-Tytler continued to perform his role without the same scoring reward. He presented well on the lead and stayed upright when competing in marking contests, even in a one-on-two situation where he brought the ball to ground deep inside 50.
He couldnât quite stick his marks with Cheep breathing down his neck and other Zebras defenders becoming privier to his talent, but again showed good intensity and engagement. That also translated to covering ground out of possession to apply pressure and help set up the ground.
THIRD QUARTER:
It was more of the same for Duff-Tytler in term three, and he produced arguably the highlight of the day out of half time. The nimble tall dribbled home his third goal on the move, intercepting an errant Sandringham handball under pressure and finishing with aplomb in the right pocket.
He also attended his first centre bounce, briefly chopping out for Visentini in the ruck and featuring up the ground. A late passage saw him help surge the ball forward with a handball receive and dish on the wing, matching Essendonâs intent to keep the ball moving in transitional waves.
Forward was where he continued to do the majority of his work though, rising in packs and creating another scoring opportunity. While he still couldnât quite clunk a contested mark, Duff-Tytler used his body well to nudge Barrat under the ball and break towards goal, only to miss his shot on the run.
FOURTH QUARTER:
Duff-Tytler again got his chance to ruck just past midway through the final quarter, competing against the athletic Isaac Keeler. He leapt nicely at the centre bounces but was tested in jostles around the ground, perhaps a result of having to physically compete against more senior bodies late in the day.
He showcased his ability to stay involved in the play outside of the ruck contest, again getting involved to move the ball by hand. He also snuck free at half-forward to mark and quickly launch the ball inside 50, only for his target to fall over at the unideal moment to see a good chance go begging.
CLOSING THOUGHTSâŚ
While he hasnât necessarily produced a breakout or âpick meâ kind of game this year, Duff-Tytler continues to show glimpses of why he is rated so highly. Being able to impact with five scoring shots almost exclusively as a forward is a big tick for recruiters, who will be keen to see how his craft holds up.
His rate of development in that area, and overall, makes for plenty of upside heading into this yearâs draft. The youngsterâs bodywork and ability to arrive at the contest were positives, complimenting his nimble work below his knees and unique ground coverage. He does things few other talls can.
If he can begin to stick contested marks against senior opposition, heâll be a hard player to stop given how well he moves and how well his footy IQ is coming along. Expect him to be among the first bunch of names called out on draft night, potentially among the top three and in West Coastâs sights.
3 Likes
A professionally written and comprehensive report on the players and their match highlights, as well as their future prospects. Thank you very much for sharing your observations and keen knowledge.
2 Likes
Outstanding post, thank you.
3 Likes