Yesterday was the Captains Run, and Player Sponsors, and others, were invited to the club to watch and mingle.
Here's some of the things you'd want to know from the day.
The audience stood in the indoor training facility looking out at the ground.
Wright was there too, and amongst the crowd, looked like he was conducting interviews for maybe off field roles rather than on field roles.
No one knew who any of the candidates were. Wright didn't seem to mind he was out in the open, and was engaging with the visitors.
Dean, Ison, Walker, Gresham and Clarke were all there. The boys got around them, which was great to see.
Charlie was mucking around, having fun with Walker like an older brother.
The most important thing was to get a feel for the spirit amongst the group, and the club.
No doubt the spirits within the 4 walls are high, but that maybe because the list is made up of an immature bunch of entitled private school kids who like to play up than go to war.
Most important, the spirits were high, and TDK played up/ gave the impression he belonged
Walker was incredible, and at 16yo, could be another Tim Watson, Jim Buckley, Ken Sheldon 16yo who is ready to play so young.
Walker was on boundary with Chinka and Motlop taking shots at goal.
Motlop was still trying to replicate that lucky checkside shot he had in the Final vs Dees, which supporters prematurely announced the arrival of Motlop (AT 19YO)
Pity Motlop hasn't been able to replicate that shot in the last 2 years.
Motlop missed all his shots at goals with checkside kicks, Chinka was 50-50 with his checkside kicks, and then there was Walker kicking straight drop punts, and didn't miss one.
That's something Charlie and Harry could look at at and learn what is needed whjen they have the privilege of a shot at goal in an AFL game.
Motlop is not the answer, and I'd be disappointed if he was offered a contract extension, given we need to add more experience and skill to this team.
Standing next to Dean he doesn't exude anything you'd expect from an AFL player, ie physically he isnt huge, but on the track he looked seriously ready to play AFL.
Like last week's Under 18 game, Dean cleaned up everything that hit the flaw and his kicking is very accurate.
Gresham is tiny, but his first 5 metres is quicker than Motlop's, but his size is a worry.
Clarkey looked really good too. He's Martin's size and stature. Nothing stand out. It was only a captain's run, but he could kick and run and ...who knows?
What I do know is we have our eyes on these new kids (FS and NGA), of which we are hoping we snag Dean with a 2nd round pick, and Ison as an NGA replacement for Monohan, in a team list where we have too many kids and not enough depth, let alone a need to improve on the regulars who get picked every week because of a lack of alternatives because of our lack of depth ie Acres, Doc, Cerra, Gov, Fogarty, Motlop, TDK, Pittonet...when they are down on form, or heart, or should be in the VFL as our depth.
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