Assistant coach Sean Wellman runs through the 22 players from Melbourne’s 21-point loss against Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday
Rohan Bail: Rohan was used back and forward. He went forward on a defensive role on Brent Guerra and he probably played his better football when he was forward of the ball, rather than behind the ball. He still probably gave away too many free kicks, even though his intent to tackle was really good. He’s just got to have a bit of composure in situations and not give away free kicks. He’s certainly showed some good signs over the past three or four weeks though.
Clint Bartram: Barty played a good defensive role. He had a brief on the likes of Michael Osborne. He won a fair bit of the ball, but probably didn’t use it as well as he would’ve liked in the third quarter. He did give us some run and his defensive work has been good. He’s certainly an improved player this year.
Jamie Bennell: JB was dangerous early and then we had to shift him back. The great thing about JB that he’s learnt as a small forward is that he’s become a better small defender as well, because he’s seen the other side. He wasn’t as good as last week, as we didn’t have the run-and-carry we normally get from JB. He’s certainly improving and it’s important that when we’re not getting his influence up forward that he can go back and do a role. He’ll be keen to finish off the season well.
Cameron Bruce: He played a really disciplined role on Luke Hodge. He also won a lot of his own ball as well and he also gave us some good run and took on the game.
Aaron Davey: It was just unfortunate for Flash. We hope it’s not a serious injury and we get him back as soon as possible. It was disappointing to lose him.
Lynden Dunn: Dunny had a quiet game. I thought he was dangerous early and he looked like the one who would kick multiple goals. He went to Grant Birchall and played a defensive forward role and certainly didn’t get the opportunities he had last week. He needed to push up the ground at times, when he played a bit too close to goal. Now he has to string consistent performances together - he’s not going to kick five every week - but he can still impact games.
James Frawley: He had a great battle with Lance Franklin. In the end, they probably broke even. Franklin kicked three goals, but the amount of ball they do use through Franklin means he does get a lot of opportunities. James was certainly able to stay with Buddy on the lead. It was just unfortunate that he gave away some free kicks, which were 50/50 at least. He should get a lot of confidence out of playing on the really great players, which he’s done and he’s held his own, so it was a solid game.
Colin Garland: Garlo had Carl Peterson. He’s a really important player for us and he was probably solid. I don’t think there was anything outstanding. We didn’t get as much out of his ball-use that we normally do, but his kicking was good. He’s such an important player. He was solid without it being one of his better games.
Brad Green: Greeny had a tough day as a forward with the way we moved the ball. He’s such a good lead player, but we bombed the ball in too much. We had fair numbers against him, but I thought when he played on the wing in the third quarter, he got some important touches when Chance Bateman tried to go to him. He didn’t have the influence as he normally would have, but that was because of our delivery to him.
Mark Jamar: He competed well and I thought he was really important in the third quarter, when he kicked a couple of goals. To be able to have that long target and to be able to play in the ruck - and not just be a resting ruckman up forward, but a dangerous target - is really important. We’d like to use him up forward more, but we were beaten around the stoppages when he wasn’t in there.
Paul Johnson: I didn’t think Johnno had a big impact on the game. He had a few hit outs and he probably needs to take his opportunities when he is forward. With half the chances Mark Jamar has taken, Johnno hasn’t. So to take his game to the next level, he’s got to turn his misses into opportunities to score and take marks around the ground.
Nathan Jones: Jonesy was solid. He played a number of roles, including half-back and in the middle of the ground. He gave us some run through the middle, so he had a reasonably solid game, after one of his better games last week.
Liam Jurrah: Similar to Aussie Wonaeamirri, Liam got some opportunities when the ball was moving quickly early on in the game - before the rain came. I thought they looked really dangerous. He kicked a freakish goal, which he can do. Deeper forwards like LJ, Aussie and Greeny had the numbers stacked against them.
Joel Macdonald: I thought Joel played a good game. His work-rate was really high and he had a number of different opponents. Without Aaron Davey there, he had a fair bit of game-time as well. He’s certainly improved defensively and has a few areas to improve on his game. But he’s eager to improve and I think he’s playing a tighter, more defensive role for the team, which has been good.
James McDonald: James had a good battle with Sam Mitchell. They probably broke even in the end. The great thing about James is his tackling and he had seven and also won a lot of his own ball - 14 of his 19 possessions were contested, so he led the way in that area.
Jordie McKenzie: Jordie is similar to James McDonald. He wins a lot of the hard ball and a lot of the things he does goes unnoticed. He gets a lot of handballs and does a lot of work at the stoppages. He’s a very, very tough, courageous player. In the conditions, for a young player, to be able to play against Brad Sewell, Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell was a really good learning experience for him - and he certainly didn’t shy away from it. That was good for Jordie.
Jared Rivers: I thought he had a really good game. Defensively he was able to beat Jarryd Roughead one-on-one and he had a good duel in the air. He was able to use his body well and not wrestle too much with Roughead, because he’s a big, strong guy. He again showed some leadership and I think his last five or six weeks have been really, really good.
Tom Scully: I thought Sculls was good early in the game. He gave us some run through the middle of the ground and at times he had to play on Chance Bateman, which was a really good indication for him. Bateman is a really smart player and a runner. Tom has shown the ability to shut players down and also run off them. His run late in games is really important for us, so for a first year player, it’s a real credit to the way he prepares himself.
Col Sylvia: Col was really good around the stoppages. He had seven clearances, so he was our leading clearance player and he also won a lot of contested ball and was really physical. His big body and possessions really helped us try and move the ball forward out of the stoppages.
Jack Trengove: Jack probably had a quiet game. He’d be determined heading back to Adelaide next week to finish off the end of the year well. He almost looks as though he’s trying a bit too hard, but he’ll certainly bounce back, because he’s a fantastic young player. He probably had a frustrating day, because he didn’t handle the ball as well as he normally does, but he’ll certainly bounce back and I’ve got no doubt he will against Port Adelaide next week.
Jack Watts: Wattsy probably had a quiet game. He presented forward and got a lot of ball from rebound 50, as he’s the guy who is coming up and covers the ground well. But he didn’t seem to find the space that we thought he would. He didn’t get as much of the ball or have the impact as he would’ve liked as well. It was a good learning experience playing in those conditions as well. He did it a little bit tough, when there are a few extra numbers, and he had to find another way to impact the game.
Austin Wonaeamirri: He was very dangerous early in the game. Aussie and LJ (Liam Jurrah) looked like the likely ones to score and he kicked a goal. The thing about Aussie is that he does get involved in scoring chains and he does use the ball really well. He probably just died out of the game as it went on and that’s due to his preparation just catching up with him. The importance of Aussie playing four quarters is really important and that comes with having a really solid preparation coming into a season.
Rohan Bail: Rohan was used back and forward. He went forward on a defensive role on Brent Guerra and he probably played his better football when he was forward of the ball, rather than behind the ball. He still probably gave away too many free kicks, even though his intent to tackle was really good. He’s just got to have a bit of composure in situations and not give away free kicks. He’s certainly showed some good signs over the past three or four weeks though.
Clint Bartram: Barty played a good defensive role. He had a brief on the likes of Michael Osborne. He won a fair bit of the ball, but probably didn’t use it as well as he would’ve liked in the third quarter. He did give us some run and his defensive work has been good. He’s certainly an improved player this year.
Jamie Bennell: JB was dangerous early and then we had to shift him back. The great thing about JB that he’s learnt as a small forward is that he’s become a better small defender as well, because he’s seen the other side. He wasn’t as good as last week, as we didn’t have the run-and-carry we normally get from JB. He’s certainly improving and it’s important that when we’re not getting his influence up forward that he can go back and do a role. He’ll be keen to finish off the season well.
Cameron Bruce: He played a really disciplined role on Luke Hodge. He also won a lot of his own ball as well and he also gave us some good run and took on the game.
Aaron Davey: It was just unfortunate for Flash. We hope it’s not a serious injury and we get him back as soon as possible. It was disappointing to lose him.
Lynden Dunn: Dunny had a quiet game. I thought he was dangerous early and he looked like the one who would kick multiple goals. He went to Grant Birchall and played a defensive forward role and certainly didn’t get the opportunities he had last week. He needed to push up the ground at times, when he played a bit too close to goal. Now he has to string consistent performances together - he’s not going to kick five every week - but he can still impact games.
James Frawley: He had a great battle with Lance Franklin. In the end, they probably broke even. Franklin kicked three goals, but the amount of ball they do use through Franklin means he does get a lot of opportunities. James was certainly able to stay with Buddy on the lead. It was just unfortunate that he gave away some free kicks, which were 50/50 at least. He should get a lot of confidence out of playing on the really great players, which he’s done and he’s held his own, so it was a solid game.
Colin Garland: Garlo had Carl Peterson. He’s a really important player for us and he was probably solid. I don’t think there was anything outstanding. We didn’t get as much out of his ball-use that we normally do, but his kicking was good. He’s such an important player. He was solid without it being one of his better games.
Brad Green: Greeny had a tough day as a forward with the way we moved the ball. He’s such a good lead player, but we bombed the ball in too much. We had fair numbers against him, but I thought when he played on the wing in the third quarter, he got some important touches when Chance Bateman tried to go to him. He didn’t have the influence as he normally would have, but that was because of our delivery to him.
Mark Jamar: He competed well and I thought he was really important in the third quarter, when he kicked a couple of goals. To be able to have that long target and to be able to play in the ruck - and not just be a resting ruckman up forward, but a dangerous target - is really important. We’d like to use him up forward more, but we were beaten around the stoppages when he wasn’t in there.
Paul Johnson: I didn’t think Johnno had a big impact on the game. He had a few hit outs and he probably needs to take his opportunities when he is forward. With half the chances Mark Jamar has taken, Johnno hasn’t. So to take his game to the next level, he’s got to turn his misses into opportunities to score and take marks around the ground.
Nathan Jones: Jonesy was solid. He played a number of roles, including half-back and in the middle of the ground. He gave us some run through the middle, so he had a reasonably solid game, after one of his better games last week.
Liam Jurrah: Similar to Aussie Wonaeamirri, Liam got some opportunities when the ball was moving quickly early on in the game - before the rain came. I thought they looked really dangerous. He kicked a freakish goal, which he can do. Deeper forwards like LJ, Aussie and Greeny had the numbers stacked against them.
Joel Macdonald: I thought Joel played a good game. His work-rate was really high and he had a number of different opponents. Without Aaron Davey there, he had a fair bit of game-time as well. He’s certainly improved defensively and has a few areas to improve on his game. But he’s eager to improve and I think he’s playing a tighter, more defensive role for the team, which has been good.
James McDonald: James had a good battle with Sam Mitchell. They probably broke even in the end. The great thing about James is his tackling and he had seven and also won a lot of his own ball - 14 of his 19 possessions were contested, so he led the way in that area.
Jordie McKenzie: Jordie is similar to James McDonald. He wins a lot of the hard ball and a lot of the things he does goes unnoticed. He gets a lot of handballs and does a lot of work at the stoppages. He’s a very, very tough, courageous player. In the conditions, for a young player, to be able to play against Brad Sewell, Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell was a really good learning experience for him - and he certainly didn’t shy away from it. That was good for Jordie.
Jared Rivers: I thought he had a really good game. Defensively he was able to beat Jarryd Roughead one-on-one and he had a good duel in the air. He was able to use his body well and not wrestle too much with Roughead, because he’s a big, strong guy. He again showed some leadership and I think his last five or six weeks have been really, really good.
Tom Scully: I thought Sculls was good early in the game. He gave us some run through the middle of the ground and at times he had to play on Chance Bateman, which was a really good indication for him. Bateman is a really smart player and a runner. Tom has shown the ability to shut players down and also run off them. His run late in games is really important for us, so for a first year player, it’s a real credit to the way he prepares himself.
Col Sylvia: Col was really good around the stoppages. He had seven clearances, so he was our leading clearance player and he also won a lot of contested ball and was really physical. His big body and possessions really helped us try and move the ball forward out of the stoppages.
Jack Trengove: Jack probably had a quiet game. He’d be determined heading back to Adelaide next week to finish off the end of the year well. He almost looks as though he’s trying a bit too hard, but he’ll certainly bounce back, because he’s a fantastic young player. He probably had a frustrating day, because he didn’t handle the ball as well as he normally does, but he’ll certainly bounce back and I’ve got no doubt he will against Port Adelaide next week.
Jack Watts: Wattsy probably had a quiet game. He presented forward and got a lot of ball from rebound 50, as he’s the guy who is coming up and covers the ground well. But he didn’t seem to find the space that we thought he would. He didn’t get as much of the ball or have the impact as he would’ve liked as well. It was a good learning experience playing in those conditions as well. He did it a little bit tough, when there are a few extra numbers, and he had to find another way to impact the game.
Austin Wonaeamirri: He was very dangerous early in the game. Aussie and LJ (Liam Jurrah) looked like the likely ones to score and he kicked a goal. The thing about Aussie is that he does get involved in scoring chains and he does use the ball really well. He probably just died out of the game as it went on and that’s due to his preparation just catching up with him. The importance of Aussie playing four quarters is really important and that comes with having a really solid preparation coming into a season.
