The young ones are better with the ball. Much better. There's a wave of this coming. And right now, our young one, Noah Balta, is at the head of them.
From the Geelong game, these plays are one or two seconds-
2Q 13:10 remaining. Deep back pocket. Panic time. A pack of ten spread over 30sq metres. In the chaos Grimes wins against Dangerfield but it's loose. Parfitt wins the ground ball against Grimes. Vlastuin instantly tackles. The ball jars free 1m. Balta gathers the ricochet deliberately in the left and so forms up in a nanosecond for a 12m handball though two opponents into the path of the forward running Ross. There is nobody else in the game who could do this.
2Q 08:16 Panic time. Deep back pocket. Grimes down. Jarvis gathers, is instantly tackled by two. Balta closes the outlet and gathers a 100mm spill. While tackled he rotates 135 and shoves a handball/spill 1.5m into the path of the running Cotchin. Clear.
2Q 06:51. Deep back pocket. It’s panic time. Under siege again. Grimes, trapped by three, handballs 2m back to Balta who is facing the boundary and 300mm short of it. Close about to push him over the line. His right foot is over the line as he kicks with the outside behind and under the outstretched arms of Jarvis? To Baker on the boundary who is clear. If he had been near the goals we would be talking about the greatest goal of all time.
4Q 07:45 Back pocket. You know what time it is. Balta flies but has run under it. Ouch. Gets another touch in the air. Nank? Spoils and falls. Noah keeps his feet. Ball spills to Henry who fires a handball backwards to Ratugolea. Balta gets a hand to it. Misfires. Hits it again. Misfires. Hits it again. It's a pinball. Ball to ground. Dangerfield roves. Balta strips him. Spills it. Rucks it by foot to the unattended Cotchin. Ball cleared.
Remember that flat 35m handball off a step? I used to think that was the mark of a freak but I know now we aint seen nuthen yet.