Some encouraging signs in 2009 for our VFL team

[woftam]

I saw a lot of our VFL team this season and thought some of our youngsters really developed well throughout the year.

Here is my take on a few first year players & our rookies. Rookies first.


Scott Reed - Started slowly but has come on in leaps & bounds in the last 5 or 6 weeks. Only turns 19 next month. Has learnt to back himself & take on his opponents with his run & carry. Disposal has improved and I think after one more year on our rookie list next year he will be cherry ripe to make the step up to senior footy. Well done Scotty, you should be proud of your rookie year. Needs to hit the Gym hard in the off season.

Jarryd Blair - Tough hard nut who has impressed me greatly with his ferocious tackling and his attack on the ball. Love the ball in his hands when approaching our forward 50. Great by both hand & foot. Will play senior footy at some stage next year I'm sure.

Lachlan Keefe - They say big guys need more time to mature and this guy does. Definitely improved but will probably see another year on the rookie list. Not ready for senior footy yet but is worth developing.

Tristan Francis - Struggled with injury during the year but has shown enough to suggest he has a bit of mongrel about him & enjoys a hard contest. Will probably stay on the rookie list next year but I expect this kid to make it. Bigger body than most first year rookies.

Johnny Bennell - Has flair, pace & great leap. Needs to put on some size but the skills are definitely there. Missed a lot of footy this year so I expect him to remain on the rookie list next year.

Tobias Thoolen - Has been persevered with at full back for most of the year with mixed results. Struggles for pace on a hard leading forward but does have a big body and stands his ground well. Not sure what the club will do with Thoolen in future. Jury is out.

Kevin Dyas - Missed a fair amount of footy since joining the club. Has come on quite well, just not at the same level Marty did which is expected. Has reasonable foot skills and has held down a small defender type role well. Not sure where he sits with the club rookie wise at the moment.
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Jarrad Blight - Great leap & does not shirk a contest. Will only get better next year after another season of playing against men. A project player but I can certainly see why the club drafted him. Look out for him next year.

Luke Rounds - Another who has taken some time to get used to playing against men instead of boys his own age. His confidence has grown over the last half of the year and has shown enough to suggest he will be well worth persevering with. Very pacy and is clean by hand & foot.

Beams & Sidebottom - Have both played senior footy already & are the future of our club. Big fan of both already. Not much more needs to be said as they have been on show in the AFL a lot this year.

Thoughts?

[jonesy86]

Good summary.

Blight has been really impressive in the last 6-7 weeks, I've got no doubt he will make it.

Rounds is young and small, played as a small forward and didn't do too much. Too early to judge.

Thoolen is gone.

Bennell played his best in the last couple of games. Didn't do much for the rest of the season although did miss a month or so with shoulder injury. Not 100% convinced on him.

Francis was tough and hard at it when he played in the first half of the season. Wasn't sited after that with groin injury. Definitely keep on rookie list.

Keefe, keep persisting with, could be anything. Moves unbelievably well for 204cm tall and has ok skills for someone new to the game.

Blair is quality, could easily be promoted to senior list next year. Probably more likely to be kept as rookie as we might not have 2 veteran listed players meaning rookies can play seniors.

Reed is similar to Goldsack in appearance and the way he goes about it. Started the season off slowly but really impressed in the last 6-8 games. Handy at half back, half forward or wing. Keep on rookie list next year.

[Dave The Man]

Agree there where some really good Signs from the Kids.

Blight.Round and Blair where my Stand Outs

[Madmac]

I've been to quite a few VFL games to. Absolutely spot on but you went a bit soft with Thoolen.....he's gone.

Blair is quality but Blight genuinely excites me. He showed glimpses of something special, just needs some consistency.

[jonesy86]

Yeah, I'd love to see Blight get a bit stronger and have a run in the midfield. He's a similar size to Pendles and he's got no fear.

[woftam]

[Dave The Man]

[Dave The Man]

[Daicos Mullets]

Unfortunately I don't think Dyas will make it, I haven't seen enough there to make me think he will. International rookies get 3 years though, so I reckon it's worth keeping him on for another year.

[Holbrook Bloke]

Thanks for the player updates woftam & Jonesy. We sponsor Scotty Reed but get to see him in action much so it was great to hear how he is progressing. Looking forward to his elevation next year.

Thanks once again.

[Guts42]

Blight will be a gun... with medium sized backs it will be interesting where he is played

[Dr Pie]

"Bennell played his best in the last couple of games. Didn't do much for the rest of the season although did miss a month or so with shoulder injury. Not 100% convinced on him." (Jonesy86)

On other threads people complain about players who don't play as well in finals as they do in home and aways. Here's a bloke who plays his best football in finals. I definitely want to keep him!

[jonesy86]

B&F

1st Ryan Cook
2nd Ben Reid
3rd Jarryd Blair