After the first weekend of Match Sims, we may have learnt a couple of things. There has been a bit of water under the bridge since then, and we’ve learnt a little more.
Here is part two of what the Match Sims taught us.
CLARRIE IS BACK
Fitter, faster, cleaner… if you were looking for three takeaways from the Dees’ hit out against North Melbourne, they’re the words you would have liked to associate with Clayton Oliver.
And after three quarters of footy, that’s exactly what Melbourne got.
Looking in much better shape than this time last year, Oliver was back to doing what he does best, winning the footy, and using those lightning-fast hands to move the footy and get the Demons off and running.
Pre-season issues last year aside, Oliver’s hand injury severely impacted his ability to glove the footy cleanly, and with every double grab, or fumble, the pressure increased. What would have normally been an easy take and dish became a battle for control of the footy. Not so in this game.
Oliver was right up the top of the disposal count, finding the footy with ease, and looking a lot like the player the Melbourne faithful have got used to seeing. Considering the Dees were without three quarters of their fabled midfield (no Gawn, Petracca, or Viney), Clarrie carried a big load in there, and did it well.
Yes, he played last year, but it is nice to see the real Clayton Oliver back.
THE SAINTS ARE BEST WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE WALL
Within minutes, it appeared as though the Blues were going to tear the Saints to bits. Harry McKay was clunking marks, Tom De Koning was doing the same, and the Saints looked like a team without a clue.
With one goal just before the quarter time siren, they were on the ropes, but after some adjustments, they came out swinging in the second quarter, and never looked back.
With a defence now collapsing on McKay, the Saints were able to pick apart a predictable Carlton attack (without Charlie Curnow) and used their legspeed on the rebound to hurt the Blues.
The kids were good, the new faces stood up, and after all the pre-season injuries, there was a definite feel that this group could emulate the feats of the 2023 group, who were also quickly written off by many experts.
Some people thrive when they’re told they cannot do something, or that no one believes in them.
I reckon that is this St Kilda group. Us against the world, stuff.
JAKE SOLIGO IS READY TO BECOME A STAR
Soligo had his breakout season in 2024, but after another year in the gym, and another pre-season under his belt, he looked like the best midfielder on the park as the Crows laid waste to Port in their Mt Barker Mini-Showdown.
Soligo’s burst from traffic, his hard run forward (he finished with three goals), and an improved tank, demonstrated a killer instinct that was still being developed last season.’
It looks close to fully developed right now.
His stiff-arm on Jordon Sweet as he darted out of the middle at one stage made me smile – he has the pace and mongrel the Crows have been missing in the guts for a while, and 2025 should be a monster year for him.
DO THE SUNS FINALLY MEAN BUSINESS?
People are a bit torn on the way the Suns approached their round-robin clash against the Pies and Lions, with their two quarters against the reigning premiers garnering the most attention.
In particular, their treatment of Levi Ashcroft, dropped by Ben Long, and then again by Leo Lombard (who injured his own shoulder in the hit) have been the focal points, but the overall way the Suns played was good, hard footy.
The argument against them is that it is February, and this was a practice game. The argument for them is that you train and practice the way you want to play, and the Suns were definitely looking to take no prisoners.
Did I like it?
Yeah… I kind of did.
Some may brush off their attitude as pre-season posturing and little more, but when Damien Hardwick said this group had to “grow the fuck up” If this is an indication that the players are going to be more physical (you don’t have to worry about that with Long), then I am a big believer that there is no time like the present to start.
They have t back it up, though. Playing like that once, and not actually progressing on the field is a ‘nothing’ statement, and this is a team that needs to make continuous statements until they achieve some form of success.
It’s a start.
THERE ARE A FEW KIDS READY TO HIT ROUND ONE
Let’s step outside the obvious top five picks and have a gander at a couple a bit further down the draft order.
Firstly, Cody Angove, despite having a build tat makes Orazio Fantasia look like a gym rat, showed plenty in his first hit out against genuine opposition, playing largely forward and finding plenty of the footy en route to snagging a couple of goals.
GWS is not exactly short when it comes to small forward talent, with Brent Daniels, Darcy Jones, and Harvey Thomas all having proved themselves int he role, but Angove, a surprise pick from the Giants in the first round, displayed good goal sense, and was willing to put himself in the middle of the action. Keep an eye on him in this coming week’s AAMI Series. He could play himself into an opening round debut against the Pies.
The other that made me sit up and take notice, was Hugh Boxshall from the Saints. I had to actually stop and check his age, because he did not play footy like an 18-year-old, but there we go… he was in there, crashing and bashing against the likes of Patrick Cripps, as the Saints took it up to the Blues.
Taken at Pick 45, Boxshall thrust his name into the minds of selectors with a hard approach to the contest, some fierce tackling, and a tank that enabled him to run out all four quarters. I’m sure Saints fans would have loved what they saw from their kids in this contest, but Boxshall was the standout for me.
SUB NO MORE?
If I asked you what Braeden Campbell was as a player, what would your reply be?
Wingman?
Half-back?
Midfielder in waiting?
How about small forward?
Campbell added another string to his bow, kicking four first-half goals against the Giants and looking like a genuine threat whenever he was within 70 metres of goal. Of course, the Swans were playing without Tom Papley, who would normally rule the half forward roost, but the way Campbell went about his footy would have to give Dean Cox a bit to think about when it comes to deploying the former number five pick.
The knock on him until now, is that he does a lot of things well, but nothing exceptionally. Maybe that’s about to change?
SAM TAYLOR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER ON THE GWS LIST
Here I am, writing about a bloke that didn’t even play. Why is that?
Joel Amartey snagged six goals against the Giants, that’s why.
I am not sure that happens if Taylor plays. Amartey had both Leek Aleer and Harry Himmelberg to contend with over the course of the game, and was too much to handle for both. Jack Buckley was otherwise occupied with Tom McCartin, and when he made the switch for five minutes at the end of the third quarter, both that (and the rain) seemed to stall Amartey’s progress.
Having Taylor not out there is like the Brisbane Lions losing Harris Andrews. He is the key to making things click in that back fifty, and if you ever needed proof of it, then Amartey’s bag of goals would be it.
NORTH ARE NOT FIT ENOUGH
Sorry, but this stood out like dogs balls.
Melbourne were playing without a heap of their top-line stars, and after halftime, managed to outscore the Roos by eight goals.
Whilst the Demon mids worked hard into defence, their North counterparts ambled back to “help”.
The issue at North is not talent – they have oodles of it, but there were some really telling comments from Ben Brown during the game when he emphasised the difference between the clubs and their base-level of fitness. He said he was always mid-to back of the group at North in time trials. Upon arriving at Melbourne, he was always at the tail end.
If this team is going to get better, this needs to be addressed in a hurry. After watching them fade out of games all last year, we saw it again in the match sim against a healthy dose of Melbourne second stringers. It’s gone on long enough.
WHICH TEAMS ARE BATTING DEEP?
You get to see a fair bit of the “next” group of players during these games. As such, you gte a good feel for those teams with a great second unit of players to draw from.
Adelaide look great, especially in defence. They have Borlase and Butts as ready-made key position players, Brodie Smith back there, as well. Thenyou have Luke Nankervis, Sam Berry, Harry Schoenberg, Zac Taylor, and Luke Pedlar all banging down the door. This, after adding Alex Neal-Bullen, James Peatling, and Issac Cumming.
Melbourne looked good, as well. Players like Xavier Lindsay, Harvey Langford, Harry Sharp, and Aidan Johnson add to a group already boasting several A-Graders. I know they have copped a heap of flak, but if this mob put it all together for one season… look out.
And I am really liking the way the Suns’ list is shaping up, as well. They have so many players that can switch in and out of roles through the midfield and across half-back at the moment, that if they’re going to pull their fingers out and make a run, it has to be this year, doesn’t it?
But we’ve been saying that for a while, I guess…
THE FUTURE OF THE BRISBANE FORWARD LINE LOOKS BRIGHT
We all know about Logan Morris. He came along beautifully in 2024 and is a premiership player at just 19 years of age.
So, just as Joe Daniher rides off into the sunset, sans moustache, and we’re wondering how the Lions go about filling the huge void he leaves behind, not only do they have Morris ready to step up in support of Eric Hipwood, but they unearth another prospect by the name of Ty Gallop.
Gallop is also just 19, but he attacked the contest like a veteran and dragged in a couple of big grabs over the games against Collingwood and Gold Coast.
There’ll eb ups and downs for both these guys – it is the way of things with young forwards. However, going forward, these two look as though they have all the right tools to become the next pillars the Lions build around up forward.
JED WALTER IS LOOKING SOLID
Whilst Ben King had the kind of day where nothing went right for him, Jed Walter was imposing as the second marking option for the Suns.
Already looking like he has more intent to hit packs than his senior teammate, Walter showed signs that were missing from his game in his rookie year, and looks set to fill the backup option left vacant by the departed Jack Lukosius.
I like Walter. I like a key forward with a bit of mongrel in them (Josh Treacy, Jacob van Rooyen), so to see Walter stating to exhibit those traits… it bodes very well.
JAGGA SMITH JUST TORE THE HEART OUT OF THE BLUES
It didn’t look too bad, did it?
It was.
It was very bad.
Scans have come back indicating that number three pick, Jagga Smith, will not play at all in 2025 after rupturing his ACL.
This is a kick in the guts for the Blues, and such a horrible setback for a young kid who showed plenty in the intraclub clash, ans would have been considered a very strong chance to not only play in Round One, but in every Carlton game in 2025.
Whether you love the Blues or hate them, seeing a young kid cop an injury like this without registering an official game… you hate to see it.
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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