VFL Senior Coach Daniel O'Keefe analyses the performances of the eight AFL-listed Blues in the VFL.

2. Paddy Dow
Stats: 24 disposals, 15 contested possessions, 12 clearances

Not for the first time this season, Paddy got plenty of attention from the opposition but managed to will himself back into the game around the contest. In particular, he produced a big last quarter that gave us the chance to win the game. It was at stoppages where he had the biggest impact, finishing with 12 clearances for the game. He gave us good balance at stoppage situations and it was good to see him have an impact forward of centre, where he not only kicked a goal but also recorded three assists. 

8. Lachie Fogarty
Stats: 29 disposals, seven inside 50s, six tackles

On a night where a lot of players were fumbling, ‘Fog’ was very clean while also tackling with real intent. His ability to identify space around the contest allowed him to provide great balance, while also giving him a strong base to react from. He was connected in both offence and defence: we loved his reaction speed and ability to get back to goal, where he was able to impact a number of times by getting to the drop of the ball both by retrieving possession or laying forward-50 tackles.

13. Liam Stocker
Stats: 30 disposals, eight rebound 50s, five score involvements

‘Stock’ influenced the game both through his offence as well as some big defensive moments. When positioned close to his opponent, he rarely lost a one-on-one battle. His positioning was really good on the night - finishing a game-high for intercepts - and he dropped off when appropriate. He made good decisions with his ball use, whether that was finding a target or taking territory when he needed to: recording 20 kicks at 85 per cent efficiency while registering eight rebound 50s. 

16. Jack Carroll
Stats: 16 disposals, 11 handball receives, six inside 50s

Jack got back to what works best for him in the final term of Saturday night’s game. He started to initiate contact and own more space, which sets a foundation for him to create movement around the contest and then transition off the back of that. It was a good response from him after missing a few opportunities to get into the game early. His decision-making of when to take ground in a pressure situation was a strong point in his game. 

35. Ed Curnow
Stats: 19 disposals, 12 contested possessions, five tackles

It was great to see Ed back playing and moving freely. His contest was really strong, including a number where he was able to absorb pressure to dispose of the ball while also having a number of repeat tackle efforts. It was no surprise that his work rate was really strong both ways, in terms of pressing forward while also outnumbering in defence. 

38. Sam Durdin
Stats: 14 disposals, five marks, three rebound 50s

Returning to the team this week, Sam often played as one of our deeper defenders. Watching live, he stood out on the night with his positioning which in turn allowed him to record nine intercept possessions. He saw the game well and shifted across behind the ball when the situation called for it. The thing we loved about Sam is his voice and direction, considering the time he has been at the Club, is outstanding. He’ll continue to get better with more time out there alongside his teammates. 

41. Dom Akuei
Stats: Four disposals 

It was a decent return for Dom: he sustained a concussion early in his last game and then we had the bye. He got through the game without making too many mistakes while he also had a few good moments: notably, a couple of goal line saves which came on the back of good positioning. He was quite assertive with this all night, allowing him to roll off his opponent and help his teammates. He also recorded a team-high for spoils on the night. 

45. Alex Mirkov
Stats: 12 disposals, 43 hitouts, six clearances

‘Mirk’ had a big day in our last-quarter fightback on the weekend, registering eight hitouts in the final term. This gave our midfielders first use which allowed us back into the contest. It was a strong performance from him, given it was once again against an opponent with AFL exposure — this is valuable experience for him. He held his own in ruck contests throughout the course of the night and his follow-up work at ground level continues to grow, winning six clearances.