Wellingham

[joffa corfe]

Havnt been to a Willy game for three weeks now...busting to get to Sandy on Saturday to see the Towners play at Sandringham.
Can someone please tell me how young Sharrod Wellingham is coming along ?

[WKB]

Much like when you have seen him Jof. He shows at times that he has uncanny knack to do the special things but can also knows when to settle himself and do the expected football things. The last couple of weeks he's had periods where he's dropped out of the game for periods but without focusing on him I couldn't really tell if he was on the bench for times or playing on the roadside flanks when the Seagulls really like to use the bay side of the ground (I think I made sense there). Certainly fair to say he was reasonably quiet on the weekend, not bad in anyway mind you just didn't get as much of the football as he has in past weeks.

There is enough there to show that we may have sharked another decent player through the rookie draft and like many of the others he is only going to get better as he continues to apply himself.

[joffa corfe]

[wasis]

To my eyes he had a quiet one Sunday Joff.

Here's what I thought of our other players:

Overall: Frankston weren't the most intense opposition, but Willi was organised and efficient, looked very well drilled (by the likes of one N Buckley ...)

Goldsack: looks a readymade defender. Poise, a bit of pace, good spoiling ability and plenty of height. He was very good to excellent, didn't make mistakes, used the ball well from the middle of packs. Got a bit of it when moved from deep defence to the wing in the last quarter. Couldn't find any negatives, I'm sure if we get an injury down back he will get a game.

Cook: pleasant surprise, especially in the first half when the game had a bit of heat. Played half back and provided plenty of rebound, had neat skillls in close, a bit of poise in sizing up the right option. Looks a competent player, certainly a viable flanker option and much better than the likes of Shackleton and Nixon etc. The hard thing is to estimate how he would go at the higher level, but if he continued this form, he would justify getting a go to find out.

Stanley: pleasant surprise #2. Tough, hard at it, and a superb mark. Took two magnificent grabs in the third quarter. Seemed to use the ball well. Might be a question mark on his pace, but this must have been one of his best games for Willi, because I have heard nothing but negatives about him, and I saw nothing but positives. What his role would be in seniors is the question, as he lacks the kind of pace Harry and the Shaws possess off half-back, but good contested ballwinner, so maybe long-term they want him as a centre clearance man.

Ben Reid - kicked two good goals in the first half playing as a deep, leading forward. Very smart footballer, leads to good places, runs hard. Kicking is OK, though technique is a little iffy. It is his marking that worries me - drops a lot after getting to the front. If his hands improve, he will be a good prospect, because he has too big an engine for most full backs. Would probably get some of his hard running honoured at the higher level as well.

Leon Davis - played very well, especially early. Worked hard, caused turnovers, no reason he wouldn't go straight back in to the team. Whatever his crime was, he reacted to his demotion in the best possible way, no sulking or petulance, a whole-hearted effort

Wellingham - moved well, butI didn't notice him have any impact at all. Perhaps he got a few touches in close, but I didn't see much of him.

Brown - spoiled well playing full back, but hardly had a touch otherwise, a little hard to assess. Did what he had to well, but nothing more. Just needs game time by the looks. Very strongly built for a kid.

Guy Richards - looked to have found his level. Did a couple of good things, but provided more than enough clangers to keep Bryan in the firsts. Also outmarked a couple of times by his direct opponent.

Ego - tried hard, but just couldn't get into it. Effort OK, results not enough to get him a senior game next week.

Nicholls - worked away without huge impact. Has a go, but I doubt whether there is enough improvement in him to justify a game at the higher level, at least on his current form.

Davies - disappointing disposal, and not a huge impact otherwise. Made some glaring errors by foot.

Cox - did not play

Medhurst - did not play

Clarke - thought he was really good. Not super quick, but by no means slow, kicks it well - it is almost as if having to learn later in life the Irish kick better, because they concentrate harder. Made a couple of mistakes, but to my eyes, got a heap of it, often putting us inside fifty. There is definitely something to work with here - he runs all day and finds the footy.

Macaffer played reserves

[joffa corfe]

[rand corp]

Greatly appreciated Wasis

[loki04]

cheers wasis

[xtcc]

thanks for taking the time wasis

[JAJH]

I thought this was a thread on Wellingham, not a game report from Sunday??

[HieroHero]

Wellingham really should have been put on our list ahead of clarke. How many great games has he had for Willi this year. We should have him in our senior side while he's in form.

[David]

Well, perhaps there is an argument for seeing whether he CAN keep that form up in the seconds for a while... no point promoting him if he's already done his best work at Willy.

Personally, though, I would have thought he'd earnt promotion ahead of Clarke.