2020 Begins

[doddy2731]

I'm not sure if anyone would truely look at Hartley Bennel but if you were might pay to think about a replacement.
This was just posted about the Dees training session.

• #2

Posted 5 hours ago
I’m at training today. I put myself right on top of the rehab group and heard Harley Bennell tell one of the fitness staff he had a tight spot in his calf. HB said he had felt it before on previous occasions. He got a rub on it, and is no longer training. The fitness guy asked him how he was feeling. “Pretty flat”, was the reply.
Let’s hope it’s just awareness.

 

[Happyracoon]

I'm not sure if anyone would truely look at Hartley Bennel but if you were might pay to think about a replacement.
This was just posted about the Dees training session.

• #2

Posted 5 hours ago
I’m at training today. I put myself right on top of the rehab group and heard Harley Bennell tell one of the fitness staff he had a tight spot in his calf. HB said he had felt it before on previous occasions. He got a rub on it, and is no longer training. The fitness guy asked him how he was feeling. “Pretty flat”, was the reply.
Let’s hope it’s just awareness.

Wow. Will the dude actually ever play another game? I reminisce of the Ablett-Bennel Gold Coast days.

 

[keffa]

I'm not sure if anyone would truely look at Hartley Bennel but if you were might pay to think about a replacement.
This was just posted about the Dees training session.

• #2

Posted 5 hours ago
I’m at training today. I put myself right on top of the rehab group and heard Harley Bennell tell one of the fitness staff he had a tight spot in his calf. HB said he had felt it before on previous occasions. He got a rub on it, and is no longer training. The fitness guy asked him how he was feeling. “Pretty flat”, was the reply.
Let’s hope it’s just awareness.

If he ever strings a full season together I’ll run nude down Bourke St

 

[TwentyThree]

Everyone on Twitter is pumping up Houston from Port, seems like he’s in line for a midfield role. He scored reasonably well running through the middle in a handful of games last year. What’s everyone’s thoughts on him?

My immediate assessment was no as it’s almost impossible to nail breakout picks like this

My first thought is that he’d be (at best) behind Boak, Gray and Wines in that midfield, just to start with. From memory he’s about $480k too. He’d have to really turn it on in the PS for me to consider.

 

[keffa]

My first thought is that he’d be (at best) behind Boak, Gray and Wines in that midfield, just to start with. From memory he’s about $480k too. He’d have to really turn it on in the PS for me to consider.

Imagine all the ‘we have a problem’ gags when he puts in a poor one

 

[TwentyThree]

Imagine all the ‘we have a problem’ gags when he puts in a poor one

Problematic.

 

[Happyracoon]

Everyone on Twitter is pumping up Houston from Port, seems like he’s in line for a midfield role. He scored reasonably well running through the middle in a handful of games last year. What’s everyone’s thoughts on him?

My immediate assessment was no as it’s almost impossible to nail breakout picks like this

On the watch list. Michael Voss in an article today “So, he has had a full pre-season uninterrupted as a midfielder and even today watching through some of the stoppages, his movement was really good, his poise outstanding, his kicking is outstanding and the more we can get the ball in his hands delivering to our forwards the better off I think we will be.”

 

[TwentyThree]

My first thought is that he’d be (at best) behind Boak, Gray and Wines in that midfield, just to start with. From memory he’s about $480k too. He’d have to really turn it on in the PS for me to consider.

Behind Rocky too.

 

[doddy2731]

So do we look at Trac??

This was posted on the Dees site a couple od days ago.

After an impressive start to the pre-season, stoppage and contest coach Ben Mathews can see him taking his game to another level in 2020.

“Trac’s put a lot of work in over his off-season, so his September, October, early-November time, and that’s really showing,” Mathews told Melbourne Media.

“He went overseas and did some work in the States, and that flowed through to his pre-season.

“His work on his endurance and repeat speed stuff has stood him in good stead in the footy drills – he’s looking really sharp out there.”

Man I'm tempted again. I wish we would trade him..

 

[TwentyThree]

Trac almost at the price we all took him at a couple of years ago. I’ll probs look at Steven and Smith as mid priced forwards. I’d love to see Trac reach his potential. Great to watch when he’s up and going.

 

[doddy2731]

Trac almost at the price we all took him at a couple of years ago. I’ll probs look at Steven and Smith as mid priced forwards. I’d love to see Trac reach his potential. Great to watch when he’s up and going.

I hear ya but there's no injury concerns for him and this is the first time he has been working solely with the mids.

But man he has to be the most frustrating player to watch. He has a rep built on potential tha I wish he would start showing.
He would be perfect bait for the Dees to throw out the for a good forward target.

 

[keffa]

So do we look at Trac??

This was posted on the Dees site a couple od days ago.

After an impressive start to the pre-season, stoppage and contest coach Ben Mathews can see him taking his game to another level in 2020.

“Trac’s put a lot of work in over his off-season, so his September, October, early-November time, and that’s really showing,” Mathews told Melbourne Media.

“He went overseas and did some work in the States, and that flowed through to his pre-season.

“His work on his endurance and repeat speed stuff has stood him in good stead in the footy drills – he’s looking really sharp out there.”

Man I'm tempted again. I wish we would trade him..

After watching him live last year, I don’t think he has the natural & necessary physical attributes to run through the midfield all day. Footywire says he’s 186cm and 96kgs. I see him as a burst player. Can do magnificent and mercurial things, but I can’t see him getting enough 110+ to counteract the 80s....

 

[Lowrider]

My first thought is that he’d be (at best) behind Boak, Gray and Wines in that midfield, just to start with. From memory he’s about $480k too. He’d have to really turn it on in the PS for me to consider.

I've heard mention previously Gray will never again spend large chunks in the midfield, too much strain on his knees. Boak is good. Rocky seems on the outer and his disposal provides little in the modern game. Wines attracts it like a magnet and kicks it like a fridge.

What they desperately need is quality disposal and defensive pressure, which Houston provides. The question is can he get enough ball to justify being there? Based on the end of last year, yes. And can you trust Hinkley to make the right tactical call? Based on history, probably not.

There's also Duursma and Butters to factor in also and how they've progressed.

Definite watch over the preseason, but can't find a spot for him currently.

 

[Rupert]

I think Houston is getting a lot of attention because he was almost the no.1 CBA attendee for Port late last year.
Here are his CBA attendance numbers and ranking among the Port mids:
rnd.17 - DNP
rnd.18 - 5, #6-> Lycett - 26, Boak - 22, R Gray - 19, Rockliff - 18
rnd.19 - 16, =#1->Boak - 16, Rockliff - 13, Ryder - 11
rnd.20 - 20, #3-> Rockliff - 26, Boak - 21, Ladhams - 20, SPP - 19
rnd.21 - 21, #1-> Wines/Ryder - 16, Rockliff - 14
rnd.22 - 22, #1-> Ryder - 26, Boak - 21, Wines/Rockliff - 19
rnd.23 - ?
His SC scores for these rounds: 0, 62, 85, 134, 88, 105, 117

If he plays mid-field I'd pick him without any hesitation.
The problem for me is that I remember Sam Gray being in a similar situation in 2015-16.
He finished 2015 playing mid-field and scoring very well: 111.33 av. over the last six games of the season.
In 2016 he played mid-field all pre-season and scored very well: 97av at 116 points per 100min.
He played mid-field in rnd.1 and scored 97. Then he was kept to a hff/fwd pocket role and had a highest score of 80 until he was injured in rnd.6.

I don't trust Voss/Hinkley.

 

[TwentyThree]

I think Houston is getting a lot of attention because he was almost the no.1 CBA attendee for Port late last year.
Here are his CBA attendance numbers and ranking among the Port mids:
rnd.17 - DNP
rnd.18 - 5, #6-> Lycett - 26, Boak - 22, R Gray - 19, Rockliff - 18
rnd.19 - 16, =#1->Boak - 16, Rockliff - 13, Ryder - 11
rnd.20 - 20, #3-> Rockliff - 26, Boak - 21, Ladhams - 20, SPP - 19
rnd.21 - 21, #1-> Wines/Ryder - 16, Rockliff - 14
rnd.22 - 22, #1-> Ryder - 26, Boak - 21, Wines/Rockliff - 19
rnd.23 - ?
His SC scores for these rounds: 0, 62, 85, 134, 88, 105, 117

If he plays mid-field I'd pick him without any hesitation.
The problem for me is that I remember Sam Gray being in a similar situation in 2015-16.
He finished 2015 playing mid-field and scoring very well: 111.33 av. over the last six games of the season.
In 2016 he played mid-field all pre-season and scored very well: 97av at 116 points per 100min.
He played mid-field in rnd.1 and scored 97. Then he was kept to a hff/fwd pocket role and had a highest score of 80 until he was injured in rnd.6.

I don't trust Voss/Hinkley.

Good to see you back mate. Hope you had a great off-season!

Love that I knew you’d drop a Voss reference into that comment, even before I’d read more than the first line! Look forward to reading your in-depth analysis over the PS.

 

[Rupert]

Good to see you back mate. Hope you had a great off-season!

Love that I knew you’d drop a Voss reference into that comment, even before I’d read more than the first line! Look forward to reading your in-depth analysis over the PS.

Thanks.
Yeah, I'm back. Had a decent off-season. Kept my fantasy skills in practice with the NFL and BBL.
I trust all is well with you and yours?

I'm not quite ready for the AFL just yet but I'm dipping my toe - so to speak. Doing some preliminary number crunching.
I usually only get serious when I receive the Prospectus.

 

[TwentyThree]

Thanks.
Yeah, I'm back. Had a decent off-season. Kept my fantasy skills in practice with the NFL and BBL.
I trust all is well with you and yours?

I'm not quite ready for the AFL just yet but I'm dipping my toe - so to speak. Doing some preliminary number crunching.
I usually only get serious when I receive the Prospectus.

Yeah I play NBA and NBL which keeps me going. Started to fiddle round with my team a week or so ago. Starting to look forward to just watching some footy. Work about to get hectic so trying to do some research and posting now whilst I can!

 

[jester5au]

Speculative picks I’m looking at are Sier and parish. Both should only play mid this season. Parish needs to be more consistent. Sier is mature age looks in ripping shape and at low 200’s maybe the risky pick in the midfield I would look to take.

 

[Happyracoon]

Speculative picks I’m looking at are Sier and parish. Both should only play mid this season. Parish needs to be more consistent. Sier is mature age looks in ripping shape and at low 200’s maybe the risky pick in the midfield I would look to take.

Have eyes on both too. Parish actually averaged 89 excluding his injury affected 26. Surely he naturally progresses? Prob won’t start him but keen on him as a trade-in target.

 

[Lowrider]

Parish looks good, but he's a bit expensive for what you're getting. Be keener if he was closer to $400k. Not going there currently, but watching.

Reckon there's a lot of potential cheap buys at Carlton. Dow, O'Brien, Stocker are all sub $300k and will be watching them in the preseason.

Freo as well have plenty of cheaper options in FWD and DEF I'll be looking at.