VFL and development coach, Craig McRae, provides an exclusive summary of the AFL and VFL-listed players from Sunday’s Round 14 VFL match against Collingwood.
AFL LISTED PLAYERS
Taylor Hunt
26 disposals, six marks, four clearances, three goals.
Played as a midfielder but also went back and played on the wings. One thing that’s for certain about Taylor is that when the game is up for grabs, he will have a big influence. Kicked a critical goal to put us in the lead late in the game. He’s really been enjoying his time at VFL level in recent weeks.
Jacob Townsend
25 disposals, seven tackles, six clearances, two goals.
Really important in the outcome of the game, particularly in getting us back into the contest. His third quarter was outstanding, his will to win and his fight were on display for all to see. Kicked a few nice goals, including one from a stoppage across his body.
Oleg Markov
23 disposals, seven marks, four tackles.
One of our better players. Played across half-back, and was pleasing to see him jumping at the ball and marking well. Good to see him playing to his strengths with a high number of handball receives off the back flank.
Sam Lloyd
22 disposals, seven marks, four clearances, one goal.
Returned from AFL level after not playing in the VFL for a number of weeks. He showed everybody what he’s good at, kicking a nice goal at ground level and having an influence in the midfield. A solid performer.
Tyson Stengle
19 disposals, six marks, two tackles, four goals.
Had a complete game for a small forward. His contest work and decision making were real features.
Jake Batchelor
20 disposals, five marks, one tackle.
Played his best game for a number of weeks. A really dominant display down back on Kayle Kirby, the leading goalkicker of the competition. Great presence in the air and used the ball well. Our best player on the day.
Ben Lennon
17 disposals, four marks, two clearances, one goal.
Wasn’t as dominant up forward this week. Had stints in the midfield where he had a larger influence on the game, His aerial influence wasn’t as obvious as it has been in recent weeks. Looking forward to him coming back strong this week.
Callum Moore
14 disposals, two marks, one tackle.
Had a quiet match compared to recent weeks, but still showed his strong marking ability and got his hands on the football.
Shai Bolton
Nine disposals, two tackles, one mark, one goal.
Was heavily tagged this week after a really solid performance two weeks ago against Werribee, in which he kicked five goals. This week he managed one goal, a spectacular one form the boundary in the first quarter. A good lesson for him, being tagged for the first time in his career.
Todd Elton
Eight disposals, three marks, two tackles, two goals.
Another player who didn’t influence the game as much as he has in recent weeks. Zero contested marks is something we’ll be working on this week.
Ryan Garthwaite
Eight disposals, four marks, two tackles.
Returned from a persistent finger injury that is a bit frustrating, but he’s managed it well. As a key back, he’ll be better for having been out for a few weeks.
Ivan Maric
Seven disposals, 31 hitouts, three clearances.
Had the duties of rucking against Mason Cox, and battled well. Lost the hitouts on the day, but won hitouts to advantage 14-8, which shows he still impacted the game for us.
Connor Menadue
Six disposals, four uncontested possessions, two tackles.
Played the first half before being used as a carry-over to the AFL squad. He started slowly but his second quarter was more influential.
Mabior Chol
Five disposals, five spoils, one rebound-50.
Played as a key defender. Rolled his ankle in the second quarter, which limited his impact on the game.
Ben Griffiths
Unfortunately Ben injured his shoulder in the second quarter.
VFL LISTED
Brandon Wood
28 disposals, eight clearances, six tackles, one goal.
I thought Brandon was the player who changed the shape of the contest. When we were 27 points down, he was the one who imposed himself on the contest, and started to get the ball out of stoppages and gain territory for us. His intent and desire for us to win was outstanding.
Jacob Ballard
24 disposals, eight tackles, six clearances, four marks.
Continued his great form. His inside work is a feature for our team and he is one of our best leaders.
Daniel Coffield
16 disposals, seven marks, one clearance, one tackle.
One of our mainstays down back, always reliable and hard to play on. This week he found himself on his heel a few times instead of coming forward, which is something we’ll work with. Still had a very strong presence in the game.
James Fletcher
12 disposals, four clearances, two tackles, one mark.
Continues to show his growth as a VFL player. Played mainly wing, and was getting into better positions and proving more reliable in his role. A solid contributor.
Jake Aarts
11 disposals, two tackles, one mark, one clearance.
Returned after missing a few weeks with injury. A really important player for us, his tackle pressure is something we really rely on. Good to have him back in the team.
Hugh Beasley
11 disposals, three marks, two tackles.
Had a tough challenge playing on Mason Cox, and did a reasonable job for most parts of the game. Didn’t have the dominance he’s had in recent weeks, but is still a key component of our team.
Thomas Silvestro
10 disposals, eight tackles, one mark.
Played wing and forward. Last week he was one of our best players, this week had less impact. Struggled to get his hands on the football, but looking forward to him getting back to what he’s capable of.
Shaun Mannagh
Eight disposals, five tackles, one spoil, one inside-50.
Struggled to impact the game, playing predominantly on the wing. We’ll be looking for a spike in his output.
