Something on which to build

[paul]

I went to my first game for since the Port Adelaide loss today and say what I believe is the nucleus for 2001 and beyond. I assume that Rowdy, Monkey and Crosisca will have moved on or be lesser lights by then.

With a forward setup that includes Tarrant, Michael and A. Rocca we are assured of some creativity and excitement in the tall man area. If you throw Sav in it makes it a bit more predictable but frees Pebbles to return to CHB.

We know the cababilities of Buckley, Burns and Williams. Add Lane, Licuria, Lockyer and Betheras and we have a midfield and running backs with plenty of go. Ollerenshaw may fit into this group. He showed a bit in the half he played today.

The tall defenders are improving but haven't yet proven themselves worthy of elevation to the status of the others mentioned.

This means we have about half a team which leaves plenty of opportunities for current
younger players, fringe players and next two batches of recruits.

It also indicates that we need to develop/recruit rucks, key position backmen and crumbing goal kickers.

[foxy]

i reckon presti has shown his worth throughout the second half of the year. his work on carey in the second half today was as good as anyone in the league. anyway i better shut up i'm always talking about bloody presti.

[Damien]

But Foxy, Presti has made a significant leap forward in maturity this year and deserves the praise. Wazza hasn't done that yet.

Intersting to hear Mick McGuane on the replay on Sunday arvo attribute Presti's improvement to Danny Frawley's one on one work with him.

Good to see Spud has at least made one contribution since he came to the club.

[Pugsville]

No Wasly has improved significantly this year. Last yer in his first year he got a couple of games. But this year he was playing almost every game until the last few. He has developed from a fringe player to a major contributor when he plays. He is a great running half-back rebound player. Great athleticism. His kicking is pretty average but he normaly hits the target. But he provides some great run and dash out of the backline. I reckon next year he will play every game. Presti has been around longer, (and wears 35! ) but has really taken the step this year. But he needed to, he had been around a while. Presti in the past tended to freeze or stop to think or something and not back his own judgement which made he look a lot slower than he was. This year a little bit of confidence and he's much improved player. Schuab's fall could just be confidence, becuase he's not quick but looks a good player when he reads the play attacks the ball across half-back.

Pugs.

[foxy]

i agree with you pugs. i thought wazza was playing great footy in the first few rounds of the year. he's just injury prone, which is a problem - although in a sense it's good because you value his play more when he actually plays. unlike buckley who you seem to just expect to get 45 possies a week, and we all take it for granted, which is silly. it's also great to see presti doing so well. he's found the confidence to lead for the ball on the goal-square kickouts, and when he does you can see he's actually bloody mobile, and he has a solid kick. his short kicks out of defence to a loose player on the wing are also impressive. he set up maybe 3 goals during the north game through accurate kicks out of defence. one goal especially was fantastic - he took a strong mark over carey, kicked it to schauble, who kicked it inside 50, resulting in a goal. it was great to see schaubs and presti working together. if we had wazza on the weekend i suspect we might've won, because our run out of defence was set up by some brilliant hand skills by burnsy, but betho and lica seemed to rush their kicks inside 50. if we had a fast ball-carrier running off half-back we might've exposed north's lack of speed more effectively.

[foxy]

another thing - two years ago schaubs' reading of the play was brilliant. that's a natural talent, so if he gets some confidence back he's sure to play better. while he reads the ball through the air beautifully, he's pretty sloppy when it hits the deck.