Well, I've not long finished watching the magoos game against Casey Jones, so I suppose I should opinionate on it. Probably should dig myself a trench n put on my tin hat first though.
Game was actually more enjoyable than watching an AFL game n not just because we won in the end, or because our seniors are going bloody ordinary at the moment. It simply looked n felt more like watching an old school style of footy game, without the old school head hunting. Plenty of up n down the ground kicking game of footy with proper contested marking, ground ball contests without the scrumby, turnovers n rebounds. Plus a scoreline that was mega competitive and in the balance until late in the game, excellent balance of attack n defend and best of all the maggots never felt the need to " impose " themselves on the game, they let them play n adjudicated where necessary.
Now is probably where I need my hat. The Sonz. FMD I could wish, but geez there is still bugger all about his game that tells me he'll make it up at senior level at this point in his development.
Yes he reads n understands the game, right from the start at centre bounces and round the ground he's helping set up the structures n positioning, then often positions himself behind his opponent n scuffling, so he can react to the play maker.
He lopes n shuffles up n down the ground all game lurking in space like a humungous seagull. Can read the drop of a hot chip, dive n flap hard to get space n create. But then again he can also play rushed and ineffective possession or worse fancy millionaire with the ball and get nailed.
He laid some tackles, a couple early were tackle from behind because his opponent was unaware or hadn't quite got rolling. A few were second man into the tackle to support and a couple were good one out front on, bloody good to see. But on the other hand he also got caught a few times in tackles and either lost the ball or turned it over.
The problem I have with a stack of possessions from the Sonz is that it was firstly, in an open spacious magoos game. Second, was a lack of hard physical aggression and commitment at the times of contested congestion. It was always lurking just off n outside for the loose ball to dribble out or a team mate to get it out, there was a few times where he timed an attack on the loose ball from a ruck or mark superbly n stepped through a gap. Third and probably the biggest issue was a lack of hurt factor with the ball from an outside player, there was simply to many pissy little short disposals that didn't hit the target clean or put players into decent advantage at times. He plays well balanced, smart and very pretty footy at magoos level, but without that incisive edge of either hardness or game opening that gets you into regular senior footy or a finals playing contention team. Might be that I'm way to hard on him, but with all the natural skills n polish that anyone can see. He shouldn't be faffing around in the magoos on a regular basis. There's a fair bunch of kids with probably 65% of the talent getting games ahead of him simply because they play with 100% more grunt n commitment.