2024 pre-season hit-out

[Pies2016]

Clubs have different aspirations and focusses when it comes to these types of games. I wouldn’t read much into it. Hard to win when you’re starting midfield is closer to your VFL centre square set up.
We lacked a lot of leadership and experience in defence and we were opened up way to easily and regularly ( courtesy of that rookie midfield and being caught out of position to easily) Neither Frampton or Dean could curb Larkey one on one, so that area remains an issue for 2024.
I thought generally we fumbled way to often ( which is why we have practice games) and that resulted in costly turnovers.

Few positives from the game -
Sullivan. I would possibly have him ahead of MacRae right now. His ball use and decision making is particularly good and it’s hard to believe no one could find a spot for this bloke on their list other than the reigning premiers.
McInnes - looked really sharp when our midfield was on top in the first quarter.
Johnson - Today the good far outweighed the bad but it was his bad that saw him "only" kick three goals instead of five.
Schultz - didn’t do a lot but his smarts and ball use around goals is as good as anyone. Has a lovely, weighted kick inside 50.
Lipinski - back to 2022 form. So good forward of centre.
Hill and DeGoey both look to have benefitted from strong preseasons.
Steene - still very raw but he does some nice things. I can see why they elevated him.
Jaith - loves to back himself and take the game on. Has all the tools and there’s a lot to like. Ball is in his court.

They will all be better for the run and a few players would now have a better idea of where they’re really at in terms of their preparation.
Looking ahead to the season opener, the Dean vs Frampton choice (assuming Murphy doesn’t play), the Johnson vs McInnes outcome and the Sullivan vs Macrae battle all loom as the biggest question marks. Not sure any of those were answered on todays showing.

[Rex]

Hangover? Seriously? Look at the first quarter.
You are aware that in the second half we didn't have a couple of players?

forwards: Mihocek, Elliott
mids/centre: Pendlebury, de Goey, Crisp, Mitchell, Sidebottom, N Daicos, J Daicos
backs: Moore, Howe, Murphy, Maynard and Q.

[BazBoy]

I just saw a snippet. A Notf player had pocession till Shultz ran him down with a fierce tackle putting a stop to fwd thrust. Dragging him across the boundary McCreery style
Loved it

[Clifton Hill-Billy]

Heard that our defence wasn't great?

[Piesnchess]

Practice game, ?? yeh, Nah.

[gurugeoff]

Larkey kicked a bag the last time we played them, and they killed us in clearances, so nothing new here.

[stui magpie]

The second half was basically our VFL team playing plus new recruits and Beau getting some midfield time.
Ash and Reef played well together, very contrasting styles of player despite similar height. Not fazed by the result at all, it was literally practice, a glorified training run.
A couple of observations ~
Harrison looks like he's been on the beach weights but is still quick.
Sarge looked good when he came on, spearing low pass off the ball and good set shot.
Reef also looks bigger in the body and is playing taller.
Ash always looks like he took a valium rather than a salt tablet pregame but played well.
Steene rucked most of the game with support by Cameron in the first half and Cox in the second and acquitted himself well. Any reason Begg wasn't playing?

[What'sinaname]

[LaurieHolden]

^Maynard didn't get a touch either...

[Culprit]

[Woods]

Preseason hit-outs are meant to give players the opportunity to practice new things that they’re not used to.
Over the last few years we've had very little practice at losing. So we lost.

[Charlie Oneeye]

As usual, nobody is ever going to remember a practice match in terms of winning and losing.
Even though it's a praccy match, todays game serves as the first official hitout against opposition. Importantly, officially the first build towards the best 22.

[burnsy17]

Did Ed Allen play?

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

Well I've seen enough.
When is the President going to get proactive and organise the transition between Fly and Pendles?
Fly has clearly lost his passion, by all accounts he was unsighted this morning
You know it makes sense! The time has come, to either sack Fly...or Fack Sly!

[Lone Ranger]

Very happy with today.
We showed what we could do in the first quarter and looked fantastic. Then we put the cue in the rack and experiemented.
When we were running we looked even faster than last year.
The score in these sort of games is utterly irrelevent.