Match discussion thread - Nth Melb practice match

[Otiman]

Discussion post for today's match.

Gosaints.

[whiskers3614]

is it telecast free anywhere?

[shrodes]

Fantastic one two from Bonner there, got it back and hit the low flat pass to King. Better ball entry into 50 than I’ve seen from us in a while

[shrodes]

Holiday incoming for Jimmy. Jumping bump on Simpkin, very silly. Good opportunity for the other backs

[shrodes]

Ok quarter. North defense is as porous as I expected. Good signs from Sharman, imo smart player and works hard, deserves game time.

Henry hardly sighted, Arie couple of kicks but nothing much, Garcia few touches was ok. Wilson my pick of the bunch, runs so hard and very good delivery, looks the goods.

Defense looks solid, Wilkie and Doug working in tandem well. Stock looks solid and probably takes Jimmy’s spot imo. Byrnes lots of ball but butchering it and rushed kicking out of backline without much poise. Bonner solid including one very good passage through the midfield I mentioned above

[Otiman]

Wilson backing last week up well. Garcia amongst it. Holiday for Webster which will release some selection pressure on the back 6. IMO you sub off Webster now, there's no use him playing the game out.

The smother from Bonner has earned him a round 1 spot if he wasn't in it already.

[Otiman]

Lets see a goal from the centre square from Bonner or Arie this qtr.

[meher baba]

North Melbourne pretty average playing with the wind. We should kill this.

[Otiman]

I think King has had his hands on every goal so far.

[meher baba]

I'd like to see Phillipou doing more.

[shrodes]

Mitch clearly not happy with his last game, absolutely flying this week. Looks unstoppable all over the ground

[Otiman]

I'd like to see Phillipou doing more.

I'd like to see Higgins do more, Pou is doing alright.

[shrodes]

Lets see a goal from the centre square from Bonner or Arie this qtr.

How’s that one for ya, not from the square but good hit!

[meher baba]

Phillipou going much better this quarter.

[nostalgicsaint]

1st Qtr Notes.
Holding free against Marshall in ruck. 0/2 so far.

Great pressure from Higgins to setup our first inside 50.

Really dumb free from North on King. Who kicks the goal. Disappointing no one remonstrated in my opinion.

Hills workrate to get back and support allows us to exit the backline easily.

Owens first touch a trademark strong mark

Seb Ross pressure = 2nd inside 50

Webster reliable one on one

Xerri outmarked Roma who hasn't won a contest yet

Bonners first touch a great kick to owens who has started well but turns it over.

Steele helping out the backline, moving well.

Garcia has no problem getting to the ball first.

Shoenmaker drops a chest mark which should have been in the hands, costs us a goal.

Webster reliable again.

Hot footy, North had better structure outside the contest leading to clearance and Zurhah goal.


North exited the backline easy from a kickout but had to resort to a bomb from the hbf.

Howard good intercept Mark.

Hill an elite kick to Milera, likewise to Wood then Wilson who kicks inside 50. Showed what I think we are trying to build.

Byrnes has some tricks and runs hard.

King working noticeably harder. Sharman a good mark and goal.
Howard classic dumb key defender holding the ball.

Milera to Wilson to shoenmakers to Hill to membrey and inside 50 again an elite transition.

Owens worries players physically.

Wilkie intercept marks. Switch straight away.

Bonners skill is elite.

Ross and Steele will be much more important than many give credit to. Tackling and pressure first rate.

Kings great work rate creates a goal for owens.

Stocker a strong player. Takes a brave mark and switches straight away.

Bonner a great smother.

Webster going to get suspended for a long time. Commentators (Dixon) burying his character.

Wilson good play to setup a shot for goal for membrey who kicks it.

Center square contests.
Marshall, Ross, Steele and Pou start on ball. Xerri outleaped Marshall. Ross Smothered and we win the clearance through quick hands from Pou.

Marshall Ross, Steele and Garcia- Marshall gives away a free again. 0/3 vs Xerri

Owens, Steele, Garcia and Pou- smashed again but Wood intercepts and Steele locks them up.

Pwens, Steele, Garcia, Pou- Pou and Owens looked good. Eventually a clearance to us due to good pressure.

Marshall, Garcia, Ross and Pou- first good physical ruck contest from Roma. Garcia looks lively.

Marshall, Steele, Pou, Ross- Bonner comes off the back of the square for a fantastic one two play and kicks long to King who marks.

Marshall, Steele, Pou, Garcia- Marshall wins the ruck then the clearance.



2nd Qtr

King to owens ground level. Goal.

Marshall again a free against Xerri

Webster square up leading to another melee. Webster should get 4 to 6 weeks but the square up should get 1 to 2 too imo.

Sharman good intercept Mark playing behind the ball.

Marshall coming into the contest now.

Henry great mark. Bonner an amazing goal.

Bonner gets another shot of goal after a very easy transition

Wilkie another strong intercept Mark. Feels like the game is going to blow out.

Marshall kicks a lovely goal allowing for the wind.

Marshall getting spanked in the actual ruck contests

Saints all over North now. Wood misses an easy shot.

Good short kick and handball transition from North then. Missed shot.

Every St Kilda player forces their opponent to chase them on transition.

Webster a bit rattled and didn't take body like he normally would on a transition then. Larkey gets a shot at goal as result.

Membrey is clearly the get out kick for the saints from the half back line.

Shoenmakers another dropped mark he should have held.

Dixon clearly does not like St Kilda. Still bitter at being sacked as goal kicking coach?

Fisher (north) a good player finding heaps of it

Byrnes has the Jack Stevens tuck his ass take the tackle on running.

Darcy Wilson physically looks afl ready

Xerri still giving Marshall a bath.





Center
Marshall, Ross, Pou, Steele- Henry good pressure off half forward wins the clearance.

Same mids- saints clearance due to pressure.

Missed one

Marshall, Pou, Steele, Garcia- Ross wins the clearance

Marshall, Ross, Pou, Garcia- clearance via the HB line from St Kilda

[nostalgicsaint]

Going to stop taking notes now.

[shrodes]

Inaccurate quarter, both teams finding it hard to judge the distance on kicks and the swing on the wind.

Better quarter from Pou and Henry, both found more of the ball and used it well. Stocker again solid intercept marking. Arie looks notably off the pace compared to his teammates to me - hunched over, just jogging, sucking in the big ones. Better quarter from Ronnie who used it well that term and set up a number of plays

Wilson is an absolute jet. Well done to those who called it early, the kid is absolutely the real deal, fits in perfectly with his more experience teammates.

[MC Gusto]

Went from 8.5 to 8.12

[shrodes]

If anyone didn’t see it. AFL absolutely going to make an example of that (as they should), just so dumb by Jimmy, in a zero stakes preseason game no less

[Otiman]

So our new strategy to avoid our centre bounce deficiencies is to win by kicking points.

[Life Long Saint]

Delivery inside 50 is terrible this quarter.

[shrodes]

Schoenmaker gives away dumb 50m, reckon Ross would have thrown his Dare at the wall

[Life Long Saint]

This is our worst quarter for the year!

[skeptic]

5 goals to North to nothing that quarter

WTF!!!

[shrodes]

If we can kick 5 goals instead of all behinds with the breeze in the last that would be good