There are some who don’t put a lot of stock in what occurs during match sims and intraclub matches.
I am not one of them. For me, it is a window into how a team is looking to play in the coming season, and which players look set to take the next step.
After Monday, we have had two broadcast intraclub games, a once-off All-Stars game, and three additional match-sims to soak in. What did we learn from these contests?
Let’s have a look.
CALEB DANIEL WILL BE RECRUIT OF THE YEAR
Kind of called this one a long way out, but I am doubling down after just one game, albeit, an intraclub clash.
Daniel looked completely at home in blue and white, and was entrusted with the role of being the distributor out of defence as the Roos went through their paces. Everything he did had purpose. Every disposal hit the target.
Whilst I understand that the pressure was not at its highest, the way he was able to assess, pull kicks, change direction, and open up the game is EXACTLY what North has needed in a role that has served as the nursing ground for players like Harry Sheezel and Colby McKercher in recent seasons.
Having Daniel in this role simply makes North Melbourne a better team. That’s about as succinct as I can be about this. Mark him down as the most valuable recruit of the season.
SAM LALOR WILL BE JUST FINE
Whilst all the talk is about the extent of his broken jaw, how he has entered concussion protocols, and how pissed Tiger fans are at Reuben Ginbey, the real story is how this kid, with no senior games to his name, was the Tigers’ best player in their match sim against the West Coast Eagles.
In a contest that saw the Tigers play a pretty stagnant brand of football, the number one pick was able to conjure five opportunities to hit the scoreboard. They resulted in three goals (with one going to Rhyan Mansell after Lalor was forced from the field), which amounted to 60% of the Richmond goals.
Richmond fielded a very inexperienced team against the Eagles, and it showed, but having the young star stand up in moments was worth what was otherwise a pretty painful watch for the club.
LIAM BAKER IS WORTH PAYING A BIG PRICE
Forget stats. Forget highlight plays. Leave them for others.
When it comes to hard work and physicality, West Coast have picked up an absolute gem in Liam Baker.
Match Sims can gravitate to being largely bruise-free affairs, but with Baker on the field, there is very little chance of that happening. He cracked in, gave as good as he got against his former mob, and really set the tone for his young teammates.
On commentary, Will Schofield mentioned that he and Jack Graham were setting standards at West Coast this pre-season, in terms of intensity, and you could see how that could be the case when watching the pair in this game. Graham’s run-down tackle on Thomson Dow late in the contest exemplified what he brings to the table, as well.
Many questioned the cost of acquiring Baker. I reckon they’ll be doing that for only a little while longer, as he provides exactly what West Coast requires – absolute mongrel, all the time.
BROCKMAN BREAKOUT?
When Tyler Brockman was recruited to the Eagles from Hawthorn, big things were expected.
They didn’t happen in 2024, however.
Seeing Brockman out there in the game against Richmond, doing the basics and doing them well, made me wonder whether he needed the 12 months to adjust to life as an Eagle? Sometimes, players need that period.
He snagged three goals, with two in as many minutes at one stage, to put his hand up for a role early in the season. West Coast has Liam Ryan and Matt Owies contending for small forward roles, so this was a timely reminder from Brockman that is someone the selectors should not forget about.
CONNOR O’SULLIVAN IS THE NEXT BIG GEELONG DEFENDER
All off-season, my fellow mongrels, Jimmy Day, Nick Sluggett, and Sam Marcolin, have been belting me over the head with the name “Connor O’Sullivan”. Jimmy Day, in particular, has been incredibly high on COS playing in Round One, calling it a long way out.
And now, I see why.
The Cats have a knack of finding these types of defenders. They just kind of slot in and have an impact. Taken at Pick 11 in 2023, he played one game in 2024, but looks set to be the breakout Cat of 2025.
He snagged a goal to open proceedings against the Hawks, almost missed his foot entirely with his second effort at kicking the footy, and then started to look very much at home as an intercept defender.
Yes, Cats fans… I saw what you saw. You’ve found another one… you bastards.
GRYAN MIERS MIGHT HAVE TO BE TAGGED
He played three quarters, and every time he touched the footy, he made something happen.
Geelong fans have loved what Gryan Miers brings to the table for a while, but when you see him cut a team to ribbons like he did to the Hawks, it becomes apparent that he might be ready to take yet another step.
Remember when he started, with that head of hair that make him look like a mushroom? Far out, he has come a long way. He had six inside 50 kicks against the Hawks – every one of them led to a scoring opportunity. Two of them saw him dart inside 50, himself to receive the next kick and have a shot of his own.
Miers is now the type of player that hurts more with 12 touches than someone else does with 25. He needs to be kept under wraps, and if your club has a very solid lockdown player, I’d recommend taking a look at Gryan Miers as one of the options for his deployment in 2025.
JAMES WORPEL IS GOING TO COST $$$
Did you know that James Worpel is out of contract after the 2025 season?
A restricted free agent, to be precise. Watching him win clearance after cearance against the Cats, the Hawks would be very determined to hold onto him, and every time he picked up another one, I could just see the Hawks’ list managers doing the calculations in their heads… he is going to be worth a bomb.
At 26, and with a Peter Crimmins Medal under his belt, he is now in his prime, and will receive plenty of interest outside the club. With the Hawks playing a high-tempo style, players like Worpel, with his No-BS manner of winning the hard footy, are vital to the club’s success. Get him signed, and get him signed early, Hawks.
DAN CURTIN LOOKS READY TO REPAY THE FAITH
For a large part of the Adelaide intraclub clash, it was the “aves” versus the “have-nots”, and finding Daniel Curtin setting up on a half-forward flank provided a fair bit of interest for me.
We learnt a bit about Curtin last year. First, we learnt he was not a defender. Second, we learnt that he possessed a great pair of hands, and covered the ground quickly. Third, we learnt that as a defender, he makes a very good half-forward.
And that’s where we find him right now.
Curtin was incredibly impressive in the hit out, often the first to react when a footy was dropping short, or going over the back – that is a great instinct to have.
Many were crying out for him to play more footy in 2024. He will in 2025, and he will early.
THE REAL JY SIMPKIN IS BACK
The last time Jy Simpkin had 30 touches in a game was 2022. Ten clearances? Again… 2022.
He has been a lesser version of himself the last couple of seasons, and it started when Jimmy Webster cheap-shotted him in the 2023 pre-season. However, in a game that meant a heap to the North captain, he turned it on against the Dockers, and led the Indigenous All-Stars to a great victory.
This version of Simpkin is the one the Roos need. I want to see him play with that same passion and excitement in 2025, as he drags his team along with him, and helps make North great again.
If the All-Stars game is any indication, Simpkin looks to have turned the corner, and maybe now we can see him resume the trajectory he was on before things fell apart, health-wise.
JUSTIN LONGMUIR BETTER HAVE A BETTER PLAN…
The preseason is a time to experiment and change things up. Sometimes, things work. Sometimes, they don’t.
Whatever Freo was doing in the All-Stars game didn’t work, and that should have been that. To talk about not playing the style they intend to in the home and away season… it kind of detracts from the All-Stars’ victory, and wasn’t the wisest choice of phrase from the Freo coach.
I’m sure Richmond don’t want to emulate the style they played against West Coast, either.
Whatever Freo were doing out there, supporters would be imploring the club to NOT try it again. They looked slow, inefficient, and weak in the contest, and for a team I personally rate as one of the real chances in 2025, what we saw was a poor representation of what that club could be this season.
If this was Plan B, C, or D, turf it. If it was actually Plan A… time to get a better plan.
ISAAC KAKO IS WORTH THE HYPE
The Bombers have been missing a legitimate small forward since Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti threw the towel in a few years ago (the first time), but they have found one, in Isaac Kako.
The young man’s effort and pressure in the game against the Western Bulldogs rammed home what the Bombers have been operating without, and it just felt… right, to see someone with level of speed off the mark, and the willingness to chase, even if he knew the chances of making the ground were low.
Mark him down for a very early debut.
JOEL FRIEJAH IS PUTTING HIS HAND UP
The Dogs’ defence is under the pump, with Liam Jones sidelined to start the season. As such, they are looking for options, and Joel Freijah has wasted no time in staking his claim.
Matched up against Kyle Langford, Freijah was arguably the Dogs’ best performer against the Bombers, finding the footy at ease and making Langford look laclustre in their contests. A reshuffle after halftime saw Langford relegated to the role of spectator, whilst Freijah continued on his merry way.
He had a good run at it in 2024, playing the last 13 games of the season. He will be there when the first ball is bounced in 2025, as well.
JAKE WHO?
So, where are Jake Stringer’s goals going to come from at Essendon?
Aside from the more publicised avenues, there was one bloke who put his hand up, snagging four in a half for the Bombers.
Tom Edwards entered the contest after halftime, and demonstrated what some clubs attempt to manufacture in their forwards – goal sense. He took good marks, found the footy on the deck, and ran to the right spots. He was fighting for an SSP spot at the Bombers, and as I write this, word has come through that the Bombers are signing him for the 2025 season.
Similarly, I remember another bloke fighting for a spot on the Essendon list who made an impact in these preseason games. His name is Nic Martin, and he has not looked back. Could Tom be the next one to grab hold of this opportunity?
Tell me again how these games mean nothing…
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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