Discussion 2021: Round 1: Teams & In Game Discussion

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Maybe I'm just on a strong dose of Gawndy copium, but it's hard to get a read of the rookie ruck situation based off this game. The GWS/Saints game is much more of a slog due to the conditions. 47 ruck contests already - the Haw/Ess game only had 59 total. Will give it another week.
Writing on the wall for me. Going early on one this weekend. And another the next... Just need to decide which one first.
 
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North vs Port

General - North brought it for a quarter but when the pressure fell off the game went south really fast. Such a young team that even that kind of style is hard to maintain. Another one with nothing special in the ruck scoring, both were decent but just lacking contests.

North - Good first quarter but their pressure really fell away and they had no answer for Port once that happened. Some positives there though for a team that's missing senior players as well.

Stephenson - Pure wing role and was legitimately good. Be interesting to see if he can back it up, his role at the Pies was always a very difficult one and this is much easier. Will watch very closely next week.

Ziebell - Exactly as expected, role too good to not score basically. Took almost every kick-in, was intercepting as well and the extra time and space allowed his good kicking to actually show.

Goldstein - Best of the premium rucks, nothing special here, was probably outplayed for the most part but a goal and a bit of junk gets the job done.

LDU - A tale of one quarter being vastly different to the other 3. He was absurd in the first, best on field, and just dominating, he did almost nothing for the rest of the game. I didn't notice any work put into him or anything, just blew up it seems. Still that quarter was magical.

Powell - Really solid debut, pops up in dangerous spots. Did enough to play again, needs to do a bit more to demand a spot in SC though, basically if you had him, good, if you didn't, wait and see.

Simpkin - Not a great game for him, just couldn't find a lot of it or stick tackles or find marks. Solid but needs more.

Tyson - Burned it badly while the game was on the line and never could recover. Will have work to hold his spot.

Lazzaro - Came on late, showed some run but no chance to earn a spot next week in that amount of time so just needs to get lucky to get picked.

Port - Outworked in Q1 but they sustained their level and North didn't so they whooped them from there. Class going forward with no pressure was obvious.

Boak - Monster game, picked up a corkie in the 3rd and didn't do much after that but had already done the work. New rules are going to suit him big time but other teams will actually go near him also.

Wines - Junked his way to something respectable but didn't do much.

Lycett - Solid. Same old for him. Like his around the ground skills given the ruck issues right now.

Houston - Also junked, did nothing early on.

Fantasia - A true vulture feasting on a dead carcass, once the game was done he bobbed up in everything and did so much he even milked a SC score out of it. Looks in ripping shape, have to be happy with that, Port are probably going to thrash a few teams so getting the skis out is going to be worth money!

Drew - Really solid outing, good role.

Butters - Very good game, the clangers early when the game was on really hurt him but he was every bit of his ratio for mine, played great and looks a ripper.

DBJ - Not a lot of switching and that hurt him. Basically all his scoring was when it slowed down or hard won.

Bergman - Was really solid except for a few bad kicks, which were when the game was on the line and absolutely smashed his ratio. Settled and was better as the game went on. Bonner hamstring probably the best thing for him as should get another game for sure with that.

Aliir - Solid, role was good, dropped a few marks and a few sloppy FA really stopped his score from going any further but looked good.
 
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