Will make it

[BigMart]

Not sure I'd agree with much of that

Webster skinny? He's a running HB or small defender... 188cm and ripped, it's not about size, it's about attitude and strength ! And one on one he's very strong

Eli is rated an elite runner... One of three players at the club to run a sub 10m and has the best recorded beep test at the club

Sean will not retire this year

Not sure a player is ever too old to learn ... Especially an American who doesn't have to 'unlearn' re:Holmes

Jack Lonie burnt out at 19???

Jack Sinclair... Small body??? He's far from...

Wright.. Headless chook? He plays a defensive role... How can that be descibed as such??

McKenzie
Not able to be a lock after 9 games.... (I love McKenzie, he has every tool except experience. Game breaker)
But
Goddard, White, Rice will make?? That is a strange contradiction

Goddard and Rice have huge queries athletically ... Even at VFL level
White is almost the most under developed player on the list... Raw and unlike Webster, but is skinny

[desertsaint]

8 Acres, Blake - Yep - could be very good if he finds consistency
20 Armitage, David - Yep - peaked
15 Billings, Jack - Yep - Not as good as we hope but good enough
27 Bruce, Josh - Yep - Will improve further
2 Carlisle, Jake - Yep - peaked
38 Coughlan, Nicholas - no idea
26 Curren, Thomas - No
21 Delaney, Luke - Doubt it - depth only
24 Dempster, Sean - Champion - two years
7 Dunstan, Luke - Yep - will be most dependable of current young mids
25 Fisher, Sam - Champion - last year
10 Freeman, Nathan - no idea - doubt he'll make it
14 Geary, Jarryn - Yep - dependable then depth
19 Gilbert, Sam - Yep - two years
23 Goddard, Hugh - Maybe
22 Gresham, Jade - Yep - decent mid
1 Hickey, Tom - Yep - will become one of the better rucks in the league
45 Holmes, Jason - No
9 Lee, Thomas - Unlikely
18 Longer, Billy - Unlikely
13 Lonie, Jack - Unlikely
32 McCartin, Patrick - Injury permitting could become the premier full forward in the comp.
36 McKenzie, Daniel - No
28 Membrey, Tim - Yep
41 Minchington, Darren - No
11 Montagna, Leigh - Champion - one more year
30 Murdoch, Brodie - No
16 Newnes, Jack - Yep - okay player
33 O'Kearney, Nick - no idea
43 Payne, Brenton - no idea
42 Pierce, Lewis - no idea
37 Rice, Bailey - no idea
12 Riewoldt, Nick - will develop into a decent wing
17 Roberton, Dylan - No - depth at best
6 Ross, Sebastian - Yep - very dependable mid
35 Saunders, Joshua - No
5 Savage, Shane - Yep - will get more consistent
39 Shenton, Cameron - No - will marry a bear and live in a cave
40 Sinclair, Jack - Maybe, not as a mid
3 Steven, Jack - Peaked - long, respected career
4 Templeton, Eli - Unlikely
29 Webster, Jimmy - Probably - depth
44 Weller, Maverick - Yep -could become as good as Peckett, but I doubt it.
31 White, Brandon - No idea
34 Wright, Nathan - No

[saintsRrising]

Not sure a player is ever too old to learn ... Especially an American who doesn't have to 'unlearn' re:Holmes

True, but Holmes is about to turn 27 and so he really needs to be arriving now and not in several years time.

The part of his game that is not really coming on is the footballing part. Knowing where to run and where to give off to etc. Hickey by contrast has really improved that aspect of his game this year. Ruckman that can do this add a lot of value to your team.

Pierce was able to be slotted into the seniors and performed the second ruck role well and was handy around the ground. Holmes does not offer that versaitilty.

If he stays, I suspect it would be more of a cheap back up in case of a bad injury run. If Longer is not traded then Holmes is more likely to be given a reprieve.

[lintonstreet]

Interesting that so many don't see Mav as a lock.
He's the first small forward picked for both his attack and his relentless defensive pressure.
Senior coach recognises his value, albeit it often goes unnoticed on the stats sheet, and rest assured he is a lock on the half forward for next 5 years.

[BigMart]

Holmes could play until 33.... 6-7 more years. Not sure he will but he could...

But realty is, he is just a tap ruckman who can be effective a clearance.. But that's all Nic Nat is...

[saintsRrising]

Holmes could play until 33.... 6-7 more years. Not sure he will but he could...

Well yes many players can play football when they are 33, but I am not sure of the wisdom of a strategy to have them coming online at that age.

But realty is, he is just a tap ruckman who can be effective a clearance.. But that's all Nic Nat is...

While Nic Nat lacks around the ground he also wins the ball in the ball-ups and breaks away with his pace which can be very damaging. No other ruckman does that and Holmes certainly does not. He does a lot more than tap at the ball-ups. Nic Nats tapwork though is also far better than Holmes's and that quality of delivery makes Priddis a happy man.

NicNat is an extra mid at the clearances. But yes like Holmes he does not read the ball well for around the ground work and that is why I do not rate NicNat as high as some do. However there is a large gulf between the two.


The decision on keeping Holmes at present is mainly (apart from asa ceap back-up) if one can see him going past Hickey. Right here and now I cannot see that happening in the at leastr the next 2 seasons if ever as Hickey is still improving. From what I have seen of Holmes this season he seems to have plateaued. That is why his age is a factor. Longer is young and so can still do it. Pierce is even younger. But Holmes is older.

[Long Term Injury]

Yes.

Ch7 replay

Agreed with comment about Billings, he got a lot of soft ball, used it well.... But often had no opponent.

McKenzie, goes real hard!!! Sinclair has Poise... Eli is a gut runner... OKearney a ball magnet .... White good overhead, and a bullet kick... Leonie has pace around the footy...

For us international members do you know of any other way to get access to the game. Not able to download the plus7 app

Cheers in advance

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/vfl/-/wat ... -essendon/
Doesn't seem to be GEO restricted. Just watch it directly on any device.

Thanks boyz

[Bluthy]

Bluthy you seem obsessed with height for the rovers. Every team has a number of small men, and needs them. Loney at 174 is too small, the rest are alright. Although it does appear otherwise if too many are played in the same team.

I wouldn't say obsessed but I must admit when I see a smaller player I can't help but to think he is up against it in modern AFL and especially in 5 years time when the all players including mids will just keep getting bigger and bigger. There was an article that researched the smaller players and said the ones that make in AFL tend to be indigenous as they have the explosiveness to give them an edge. So Gresh is pretty well placed also having a stocky frame. But it would worry me with the ump bouncing the ball in the centre 20 mins into the 3rd qtr of the 2020 grand final where we are down a goal, having both Steven and Gresh trying to win the footy against monster mids.

And I worry about the likes of Sinclair, Lonie, Minch, Curren, NOK - as they are going to be hammered for most of their career with almost all players bigger than them. It must be hard to keep your physical and physiological edge when you are up against it, week after week, year after year. You'd have to be incredibly mentally tough to keep throwing yourself into the brutal fray without the size to back you up. I feel like Lonie has lost some of his mojo being played too much in the seniors and copping big hits each week. Richo wants a lot of tackling with his pressure brand and that is exhausting and even physically damaging.

Everyone points to Hawks with Mitchell and Pops but they also have a high possession system (and a cutting edge zoning system to open the game up). I don't know if we will. Yes one or two in your team is probably not issue. But if we are backing all of Steven, Gresh, Lonie and Sinclair (and who knows maybe NOK) to get into our final 22 it just seems a worry to me in 4 years time when we may be having a flag tilt.

[Bluthy]

Not sure I'd agree with much of that

YOU SHOULD

Webster skinny? He's a running HB or small defender... 188cm and ripped, it's not about size, it's about attitude and strength ! And one on one he's very strong

HE'S GOT A SKINNY FRAME (AND A SMALL HEAD). I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE TO POINT THIS OUT. ALL PLAYERS ARE "RIPPED" AS THEY SPEND STACKS OF TIME IN THE GYM.

Eli is rated an elite runner... One of three players at the club to run a sub 10m and has the best recorded beep test at the club

RUNNING BEEP TESTS DOESN'T MAKE YOU ELITE. HIS JOURNEY IS TO BE ABLE TO RUN ALL DAY AT AFL LEVEL AND BE LIKE DAISY THOMAS AT HIS PEAK WHO JUST RAN UP AND DOWN THE WINGS ALL DAY LINKING UP PLAY AND BEING LIKE AN EXTRA MAN ON THE FIELD AS IM NOT SURE HE HAS A LOT OF WEAPONARY. HAS GREAT ENERGY THOUGH AND ADD ELITE RUNNING AND HE CAN BE A WEAPON

Sean will not retire this year

SEAN SHOULD. HES BEEN A WARRIOR BUT IF HE PLAYS NEXT YEAR HE BECOMES A LIST CLOGGER. EVEN NOW I WOULD PREFER DELANEY OVER DEMPS IF WE ALSO HAVE FISH, GILBO AND GEARS. BOTH DO A VERY DEFENSIVE ROLE BUT DELANEY CAN TAKE A HUGE FORWARD UNIT AND FREE UP THE OTHERS.

Not sure a player is ever too old to learn ... Especially an American who doesn't have to 'unlearn' re:Holmes

YES YOU CAN AS IT TAKES TIME TO LEARN

Jack Lonie burnt out at 19???

AT THE MOMENT. WAS PLAYED TOO MUCH IN THE BIG SHOW WITH HIS LITTLE BODY. HOPEFULLY CAN GET HIS MOJO BACK HE SHOWED EARLY. ALSO THIS TACKLING/PRESSURE BRAND OF RICHO'S MAY BE COACHING SOME OF THE MAGIC OUT OF OUR SPECIAL GUYS EG BILLINGS, LONIE, SINCLAIR - TURNING THEM INTO GRUNTS. YOU DON'T USE PRIME STEAK FOR A STEW. CONCERNED.

Jack Sinclair... Small body??? He's far from...

SMALL FRAME. YES HAS MUSCLES BUT THEY ALL DO.

Wright.. Headless chook? He plays a defensive role... How can that be descibed as such??

HE DOES BARN STORMING RUNS AND THEN JUST DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. BEEN LIKE THAT HIS WHOLE CAREER. HIS LAST CHANCE WOULD BE TO BE THAT RUN DOWN DEFENSIVE SMALL FWD USING HIS SPEED

McKenzie
Not able to be a lock after 9 games.... (I love McKenzie, he has every tool except experience. Game breaker)
But
Goddard, White, Rice will make?? That is a strange contradiction

SURELY LOCK MEANS "ALMOST CERTAIN TO MAKE IT". I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST A GUESSTIMATE OF WHO WILL MAKE IT. OF COURSE I CANT BE SURE BUT JUST HAD SOME FUN MAKING EARLY CALLS.

Goddard and Rice have huge queries athletically ... Even at VFL level

YES YOUNG. GOOD TO HAVE SOME SOLID BODIES. ADVANTAGES THERE PLENTY OF CHUNKY PLAYERS WHO COME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALLLLLLLLLL. ALSO A SOLID BASE TO KICK FROM.

White is almost the most under developed player on the list... Raw and unlike Webster, but is skinny

LOOKED ALRIGHT TO ME. WOULD LOVE FOR HIM TO A SENIOR GAME THIS YEAR.

[Wombat15]

i do think the biggest knock with these youngsters coming in is they just cant find the footy. Dont come at me with stats im going pure barber shop.
Lonie doesnt seem to be able to convert his chances, looks for the pass to often. I dont know if this is a role change but i would like to see him like a milney and be more selfish in front of goal and just have a crack. He's probably too short to be a midfielder and probably needs to work on his craft inside the 50.
Mckenzie everything about him oozes a classy footballer but he just cant seem to find the footy again whether thats a role related issue i dont know but i would like to see him get the ball more and not just at reserves level.
Templeton never seemed to regain full confidence after cutting his hair and breaking his arm. I'm a big fan of the kid and i liked it when he was hellbent on taking the game on. (needs to bring back the dreadlocks)
I think a big knock on Sinclair is that he does go missing on game day and just doesnt do enough. He doesnt have the acres factor of where he'll take over a quarter and you can go right we've got a real talent here. A goal a game is good and ill take that from almost anyone but thats all he seems to do at this stage.
Lastly is Billings. I do think because he was pick 3 theres some added expectation and also that Bonts, Cripps, Lever and a few others have kicked on and will play finals this year or in the next. Theres that frustration that he just hasnt seemed to kick on and be a real game winner (only really had the dons game in 2014 & Doggies comeback win last year). The other picks (for us) in that draft have shown exactly what they'll bring. Dunstan is going to be our bull in a china shop and really will be a 200 game player and be a real inside threat, Acres has these quarters in games where he has Leather Poisoning and hes got the pill on a string. I get that hes only had 1 proper preseason so far and will probably need 1-2 more to condition his body. Now im sure he could turn into a deledio style footballer and that would be awesome but i would like to see more of that skill set that he has. He kicked a goal against north i think it was and more of that would be brilliant. Even if its like Gresham how he seems to almost always make the right decision. If hes going to be our future game winner id like to see more Final third polish from him or even better more glimpses of that.

[BigMart]

I should not... Because if I agreed with any of that, I'd be very ignorant to reality.

To even suggest Sinclair has a small frame is so strange, he's had to strip unnecessary weight off and trim down. Is very similar in build to Sam Mitchell only bigger.

Webster is lean, but ripped. Not skinny. Big enough for the position he plays.

Some of the other stuff is just flat out strange.

[Griggsy]

Next year will be a massive year for people to step up or get out IMO.
Could cut 1 of the 5 smalls, with 1 to play vfl ( in are gresham, lonie, sinclair / one gone of templeton & minchington) Gonna say Mav does everything asked of him extreme pressure act and hits the score card, Billings locked in.)
No issues in the forward line talls, we play out best on the park already when they are fit and no one in vfl being held back.

Mids - Dunstan Acres need to take it up a couple notches by the end of 2017 . We will hopefully have our FA mid by that offseason... The rest are locked in.

Defense - Goddard going down really backtracks his development so much and hurts future plans, Carlisle solid inclusion, Webster looking good, Should only play 1 of roberton/gilbert out of backline..(not midfield). This area might now have the most questions to ask, who takes the next step Wright, mckenzie, rice, white
Rucks - Need to lock in Longer contract, too valuable to give up. Pierce solid development as a backup, Holmes gone, hickey locked in.

[BigMart]

What valuable position does longer play?

He's right now IMO

Possibly equal in value to three of our ruckmen because one has jumped aheaf