Sandringham Zebras v Collingwood today

[shrodes]

I watched most of the game on stream, my thoughts

Arie just about BOG, had a chance to slot a couple of goals for a complete game (1 miss, 1 OOTF) but otherwise looked solid.

Campbell was very good in tap work and around the ground. Swung forward in the second half and presented well. Kicks like a ruckman

Garcia was alright, didn’t win much of his own ball but 14 tackles and a goal playing midfield. Still looks a bit off a debut but not far

Keeler ok without being outstanding.

Heath ok, better in the second half after being made full time ruck I thought. Tap work and wrestling in contests was good. Making him play the second half after Campbell rucking majority first half may be doing him a disservice. I’m not 100% sold on him tbh

Hastie did some nice things at times, went missing at others. Confidence to get through traffic and deliver nicely by foot was a positive

McLennan ok but made some costly mistakes down back

Butler trademark harrass and pressure. Didn’t really set the game ablaze at the level I would expect from an AFL grade player but the whole forward line was dysfunctional after quarter time

Caminiti two goals in Q1 including one very tough one from the boundary then went almost unsighted

Crouch solid first half (like Butler without tearing the game apart) then pulled at halftime, presumably will come into the AFL side this week.

Hotton barely noticed

Collard couldn’t get much going. Tried and missed a couple of hangers, took a big hit and came up sore and missed a shot on goal. Like Butler the forward line didn’t really work for much of the game so hard to read too much into it

[cwrcyn]

Forwards didn't stand a chance after quarter time. Tony Lockett at his best would barely have got a kick with the absolute rabble of a midfield that played today. It would be impossible to fairly rate any forward's performance in that environment

Hotton was almost completely invisible. I reckon he got both hands on the ball three times after quarter time. Horrible game for him. he needs to get more urgency and attack into his game

Crouch had a solid first quarter, was non existent in the second and didn't return after half time. Looked wobbly on that sore knee.

Schoenmaker gets a lot of the ball but it's mostly by hanging out in space and getting a short kick to him. Easy to get possessions that way. At least 3/4 of his possessions were gathered like that. However, he did play well.

Mclennan was good, particularly in the first half. He's one of the few who played well in my view.

Campbell battled hard and did his bit, as usual

Heath tried hard but was mostly ineffectual. Still gets pushed out of the way too easily. Doesn't seem to have developed his game in the past 18 months

Keeler did a few cameos, but that was it. He's a natural athlete and would be a better player in the AFL where there's decent structure and ball movement

Garcia plays with serious intensity . His lack of body weight is holding him back at this stage, as he's an inside player. He's a fighter, and hard at it.Once he gets another 8kg on his frame, he'll be a better player.

Butler played forward and moved up the sound quite a bit. Just got stuck doing the tackling duties. In an utterly chaotic environment, even high quality AFL players can look ordinary

[Killa]

In scanning the stats, 11 of the Sandringham players are not on our AFL List

This is what injuries and suspensions do - noting Wood, Henry and King join those ranks

Then you look at the AFL Listed players and note their is very little experience especially with Crouch withdrawn after the first half

So the experience was down to Campbell and Butler

These games are about experience for the kids, not necessarily the scoreboard

Jones as the emergency will come into the starting side

Hopefully Crouch was withdrawn because we again play Thursday night and not because of his knee

Past that, I thought Schoenmaker performed OK v Essendon so with those figures will be looked at no doubt

I thought the limiting players were Cordy and Bonner both of whom contributed to soft opposition goals

With these absences it would be nice to see Phillipou make a statement - and join Windhager, Owens and Wanganeen-Milera in terms of impact

It will happen - and now is the ideal time

Also noted is that Marshall will be up against Draper so our mids will have to continue to work given Draper is getting first hands to the contest - Marshall then doing what he does at clearances and around the ground

No doubt our Coaches will instruct

[Impatient Sainter]

Well, watching Sandy hasn't got any better. Just awful to watch. I didn't see the first 20 minutes, so I missed the good stuff.

McLennan and Schoenmaker have been solid. Garcia playing with energy. Hotton barely getting near it. Moose looking like a lumbering 1960s ruckman. Midfield is a rabble. Just looks like the usual Auskick standard we're used to with Sandy.

100% agree. The Sandringham top up players are the weakest of any club in the comp and the Saints List is very shallow with the amount of injuries we continue to have year in year out. All in all it is the worst alignment by a long way in the VFL. If our club want to get serious about player development they need to get rid of Sandringham, put their hand in their pockets and go it alone.

Whilst we continue to penny pinch and not support our own VFL side that rubbish we saw today will continue to occur. It's simply not good enough for a team wanting to develop a sucessful AFL team.

[bigcarl]

Arie Schoenmaker demanding selection now.......26 disposals and 10 marks, not even 3 quarter time yet.....bring on the Superboot!

Could he replace Wood on a wing? Tall, aerially strong and a big hoof on him … from what I hear. I haven’t seen him play I must admit. Is he quick?

[meher baba]

Arie Schoenmaker demanding selection now.......26 disposals and 10 marks, not even 3 quarter time yet.....bring on the Superboot!

Could he replace Wood on a wing? Tall, aerially strong and a big hoof on him … from what I hear. I haven’t seen him play I must admit. Is he quick?

I’d say not so quick but tall and loping: covers the ground well but can’t burst away from opponents, so probably more of a backman than a wingman. He’s a wonderful kick: potentially in the same orbit as NWM and Sinclair.

I’m inclined to see him as a long-term replacement for Webster. He might even have some potential as a forward (although his two shots on goal yesterday were not great, so a way to go there).

But he’s far too good to stay at Sandy too much longer..what a pick up!

[SaintWiki]

Crouch playing well with Zebs proves nothing

Who's place does he take?

Jones or Byrnes? Or does he take Windhagers spot?

I heard Ross in the after mach presser talking about how young the group is. We need to keep blooding the next gen. I watched Ross in the coaches box with 5 minutes to go after Higgins kicked the miraculous goal and he was as proud as punch with his young chargers.

Crouch is not a half back flanker and he hasn't got the aerial impact that both Sharman and Phillipou provide.

Many critics of Pou don't give him credit for how many marking contests he competes in. You don't always have to take the mark to be involved in the game.

Ross spoke of the forwards and how important it is to 'bring the ball to ground'.

Indeed, the criticism of some posters on this site rightfully complained why he didn't bring the ball to the ground enough, and he is now following orders - he personally gets less marks and kicks now but it suits our game plan.

[Otiman]

Crouch's ability should not be in question. If fit is a clear part of our starting midfield.

[Bernard Shakey]

Arie must be in the 25 this week.

[seano1]

Well, watching Sandy hasn't got any better. Just awful to watch. I didn't see the first 20 minutes, so I missed the good stuff.

McLennan and Schoenmaker have been solid. Garcia playing with energy. Hotton barely getting near it. Moose looking like a lumbering 1960s ruckman. Midfield is a rabble. Just looks like the usual Auskick standard we're used to with Sandy.

100% agree. The Sandringham top up players are the weakest of any club in the comp and the Saints List is very shallow with the amount of injuries we continue to have year in year out. All in all it is the worst alignment by a long way in the VFL. If our club want to get serious about player development they need to get rid of Sandringham, put their hand in their pockets and go it alone.

Whilst we continue to penny pinch and not support our own VFL side that rubbish we saw today will continue to occur. It's simply not good enough for a team wanting to develop a sucessful AFL team.

Spot on ….Sandy needs to get more professional if we are going to get support from them and game plan needs to be similar

[magnifisaint]

I'm not sure Caminiti will make it.