Northern Blues senior coach Josh Fraser looks at the games of the 14 Carlton-listed players who fronted up in his side’s 40-point loss to Sandringham at Preston on Saturday.
7. Dylan Buckley
Stats: 20 disposals, 5 marks, 3 inside 50s, 8 handball receives, 2 goals
From the coach: ‘Bucks’ had more of an impact on the game as it wore on, and was again used in a variety of roles. He’s been building form nicely in the last few weeks.
Dylan Buckley was a shining light for the Northern Blues in their loss to Sandringham. (Photo: Tim Murdoch)
26. Matthew Dick
Stats: 33 disposals, 6 loose-ball gets, 14 handball receives
From the coach: He found plenty of the ball but didn’t use it as well as we would’ve liked and he wasn’t as tight defensively as he has been. He’s got a couple of focus areas to work on this week, and he remains one of our most important players in setting up down back.
31. Jayden Foster
Stats: 9 disposals, 5 handball receives
From the coach: ‘Foz’ was beaten in some one-on-one contests, but there were also times where he managed to get off his man at the right time and give his teammates some support in the air. He continues to work on his consistency throughout the game.
34. Jesse Glass-McCasker
Stats: 14 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles
From the coach: Again he showed some encouraging signs at times, but he needs to stay engaged in his role as a defender. He also needs to start driving other defenders in helping set up structures.
38. Billy Gowers
Stats: 16 disposals, 3 marks, 4 loose-ball gets, 3 inside 50s
From the coach: It was probably a step back if you compare it to his Box Hill game, but he continues to impress in his defensive actions as well as providing run and rebound. He’s becoming more consistent as the season goes on.
32. Nick Graham
Stats: 21 disposals, 6 hard-ball gets, 3 tackles
From the coach: Nick worked fairly hard, won his fair share of footy and had a bit of an impact, but he coughed the ball up at times. He wasn’t at the level he would’ve liked, and not the level we’ve come to expect from a player of his quality.
Nick Graham was a solid contributor for the Northern Blues on Saturday. (Photo: Tim Murdoch)
48. Kristian Jaksch
Stats: 14 disposals, 5 marks, 4 handball receives
From the coach: ‘KJ’ presented well at times and got some marks on the lead, however he failed to hit the scoreboard and he needs to continue to develop and build his work-rate to provide an option as a forward.
14. Liam Jones
Stats: 9 disposals, 5 marks (3 contested), 1 goal
From the coach: Similarly for ‘Jonesy’, he competed well in air but he needs to build capacity to work when work is down the ground and he’s 80m off the ball. He continues to be very important for us.
80. Matthew Korcheck
Stats: 1 disposal, 14 hitouts
From the coach: It probably wasn’t his best game as a ruckman and he struggled to have an impact. In Matty’s case, it’s about his continued development and education. Getting game time under his belt and constantly having him learn is only going to be beneficial for him.
47. Ciaran Sheehan
Stats: 10 disposals, 4 marks
From the coach: Had a really good back with the flight mark and stood up in some important one-on-one contests, as well as building his capacity to rebound. He continues to try and build confidence after missing a fair chunk of footy.
2. Jack Silvagni
Stats: 11 disposals (7 contested), 4 marks (3 inside 50), 2 goals
From the coach: ‘SOS’ was lively as a forward, and probably did a lot of unrewarded work in presenting up the ground. He had some important contests and hit the scoreboard: he keeps working hard in facets of his game.
67. Clem Smith
Stats: 5 disposals, 2 inside 50s, 2 score assists, 4 tackles
From the coach: He showed a strong appetite to work hard at different times, but didn’t impact the game as much with ball in hand. His appetite to work and pressure as a small forward on a number of occasions was pleasing and he needs to bring that for four quarters every week.
Clem Smith didn't have a strong impact against Sandringham. (Photo: Tim Murdoch)
65. Dillon Viojo-Rainbow
Stats: 23 disposals, 7 hard-ball gets, 8 handball receives, 3 goals
From the coach: Dillon had a really good third quarter where he was able to hold his position as a winger, kick three goals and look dangerous. He needs to be more consistent in the contest, and - as a second-year player - more vocal in helping his teammates organise structures out on the ground.
36. Cameron Wood
Stats: 8 disposals, 4 marks, 19 hitouts
From the coach: It wasn’t the impact we’d expect from a seasoned AFL/VFL ruckman. He showed good signs early but he couldn’t capitalize. We need to see him get around the ground more to provide an option through his mobility and aggression.
