Geelong vs Pies
General - Started hot, intensity quickly fell off, Cats fairly strong, Pies fairly strong. 3/4 as usual. Again, didn't notice the man on the mark rule making any real difference.
Cats - Would be happy, first quarter when it was hot they were very well structured on top, when all the steam went out it and they started throwing the magnets around things kind of just fell away. Missing Duncan, Smith and Tuohy who are all deceptively important for other spots.
Stanley - Copped a knock, didn't stand out really. Same player to me.
Parfitt - Solid, basically same role as well, HF with heavy midfield rotations. Mid only kills him off for mine.
Higgins - Solid, HF role it seemed. Played nicely. Should have about the same impact as Ablett last year if he can stay fit.
Cameron - Started well, was pushing up the ground a bit but hard to get much of a read as didn't seem to play too much. What he did was really solid. Think he should push 85+ but not sure he can get to the 95+ range you'd probably be seeking.
Clark - Nice wing role, played well. Hard to really take much from it with Duncan, Smith and Tuohy all impacting that but he looked fit and moved well. Probably better options at his price but if we're forced into that range he could be decent.
Jarvis - Did a few nice things, seemed to be roughly HF as well but could have been wing as most of the work was between the arcs. Would think he gets pushed out by the bigger names but worth watching.
Selwood - Was everywhere, role was solid. Probably not worth the risk but he actually looked fantastic and is bargain priced!
Hawkins - Looked fit, role the same. No idea if he's 85 or 105 this season but he should be in that range somewhere
Menegola/Guthrie - Same roles as last year, both looked good.
Atkins - Playing off HB and actively involved in rebound, probably the 2nd most involved after Stewart (not counting the mids sweeping back). He looked good in the role, probably a bit too expensive to risk but should score decently if he holds the role.
Evans - Because we need more forward rookies... But he looked really solid, basically playing the Atkins role as a pressure forward. Wouldn't want him on field I don't think but did a lot of really nice things and in a strong team he could easily score like Miers did in the same role a couple of years ago. Will be watching closely for his name round 1. Bench option most likely but maybe on-field. Probably goes out for Dahlhaus though.
Miers - Seemed to be higher, was still HF but was certainly up the ground a lot. He actually looked really good and primed for a big year, bit higher role could easily move him towards 90 but it's a big jump he'd need.
Danger - Played only a half but was everywhere and looked fit which is about all he could do. Role was perfect but not sure if that's him only playing half a game and them knowing it or that Cameron makes him surplus to requirements down forward. Either way he looked really solid and if he's playing that role he goes into the potentially underpriced category for mine.
Zuthrie - Playing a pretty pure wing role and really racked up the touches. I have my doubts with Duncan and Smith not there but at 180k as a defender he'd be right in play if that role held up. He genuinely looked good and I've never really rated him. Was just everywhere. Again, don't think the role is there with everyone available and Duncan in doubt for round 1 makes him potential fools gold but he's worth at least watching from here given the back rookies are looking very limited.
Stewart - Looked really good. Started a little slow but got firing and was everywhere, lot of +6s going down. Couldn't tell the preseason was limited if it was.
Blicavs - Mostly in defense, bit of ruck in the 3rd after Stanley was done.
Pies - Not a lot of intensity from them, hard to tell if that's just what they are now, preseason or a bit of both. Played a very mature side and for the amount of potentially relevant rookies they have it's kind of hard to see where the openings actually are.
Quaynor - Solid down back but did nothing to tell me he's going to take the big leap and given the other names down back it seems unlikely. Do rate him as a player.
Grundy - He was probably the best performed of the Pies for mine, especially on an effort level measurement. He looked fit, rucked well and his followup work was very good. Basically looked like Grundy but was neither here nor there, just looked solid and ticked the boxes you'd want. Didn't look to be in the kind of awesome shape set to go to new heights physically or in how he played but saw enough to think he should still be the 120+ version we know and love and a decent pick without making me feel like I need him in the team.
Elliott - Bit of midfield time but not enough to move the needle.
Daicos - More inside role but didn't really do anything with it to convince me it's actually a better role for him for fantasy purposes. He was decent but at his price point and position I'd really like to see him dominate. If he was at 180-210k I'd have really liked his game.
Bianco - Came on in the 3rd and I barely noticed him outside his role actually was decent but I'm not sure how he forces his way into the side with Adams and De Goey to come in to that same basic role.
Noble - Seemed to be on the wing and was bloody everywhere. Would have picked him as the Pies top scorer (maybe Grundy with hitouts) but for the Pies he looked like the guy who had done a full preseason with the league team going down and playing in the 4s with the way he was moving and covering ground compared to the rest of the Pies. I don't think I'd considered him at any point but his name is at least on the board of options now.
Pendles - The motions, going through. Calf rub down in the 3rd but pretty sure it was just a massage rather than an issue.
Cameron - Was alright, I don't get why Buckley wants two rucks given his superstar ruck plays considerably worse and this guy is just nothing special as either a ruck or forward but he definitely seems to be ahead of Cox right now and they seem pretty committed to it.
Ruscoe - He's at a price where if he'd done something special I'd consider him but he did nothing to stand out or draw my attention. Reckon he's holding the spot for De Goey.
Sidebottom - If you could go through the motions more than he did in this game I'd be surprised. If you were looking for a reason to pick him he gave you absolutely nothing. Started HF, drifted through the middle a bit at times but seemed to be on a pretty strict no-contact diet and for a guy whose workrate is normally incredible, was also on a no sweat plan. It's actually weird to watch him give no effort given how he normally plays. I'm not really concerned and he's still in the mix but I was kind of hoping he'd give me a reason to pick him!
Crisp - Seemed to be mostly off half back to me but like most of the senior guys he didn't stand out to me and it was hard to really place where he was playing.
Moore - Still down back, no change here.
Hoskin-Elliott - Playing as a de-facto full forward, rarely saw him outside the F50.
Henry - Was really solid, nice leading patterns, nice work-rate, nice hands. Tough role for such a young guy to score well in. Bit of Adelaide Tom Lynch in him for mine in the way he presents high up onto the wing. Tough role and a slight premium on his price would say to me he's probably one of the weaker choices of what is appearing to be a very loaded rookie crop up forward but I think he put his hand up for round 1 and that's always step 1 for rookies!
Sier - Great role, was alright but did nothing to wow me and knowing Adams role is exactly what he did and De Goey is wanted in the same area I just don't see how he holds a spot. Strikes as a very pure inside midfielder and nothing he's done indicates to me he really has any other position he's AFL level at. He's the kind of guy a team needed his type should pick up for a bargain. In many ways he reminds me of Josh Kennedy when he was stuck at Hawthorn, not beating Hodge, Mitchell, Burgoyne et al for the midfield role and just not good enough in other roles so ends up dominating VFL. Needs to play a lot better, imo, if he's going to change the equation. I really like him as a player too.
Maynard - Same role as last year, took a few kick-ins but a bit of committee going on there.
Howe - Scott Selwood (coaches at Pies) said he's definitely underdone and not as fit as they want him and that he had a few hiccups in the recovery process(explains not playing last year) but despite that he looked alright. Again, like most of the senior Pies I'm not sure he really got out of 1st gear but he still moves well and the rest goes with that. Given his recent durability record and that he's priced at his career best scoring rate, I don't have a lot of interest this year.
I realise I probably sound a bit down on the Pies but they really weren't there when the game was hot in the 1st quarter and and it was really hard to judge them once all sting had gone out of it, they did close the scoring gap and actually almost won it but I just wasn't impressed by the intensity from that point by either team and the Cats did take off most of their senior guys at half time. I rate the Pies and think they should be fine but I'm certainly hoping they come out with a lot more intensity to the next game so I can get more of a feel.