Cameron leads Cats in clinic against Hawks; Alwyn Davey junior and McDonald-Tipungwuti impress

Geelong v Hawthorn – match simulation, GMHBA Stadium

Hawks overwhelmed

When Jarman Impey opened the scoring in the first minute thanks to a clean counter-punch off half-back, Hawthorn looked as though they were prepared to take it up to the Cats.

But the reigning premiers asserted their dominance not long into the contest, and overwhelmed the inexperienced Hawks two periods into the clash at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong.

The visitors, led by new captain James Sicily in defence and Jai Newcombe in the midfield, moved the ball well in patches, but when the ball was in dispute, it was the Cats who won it and were able to transition the ball forward without much trouble.

Not surprisingly, Jeremy Cameron was the star of the show for the home side, who led the Hawks by 85 points after the first four periods.

Patrick Dangerfield gets heard from the boundary line.Credit:Getty Images

Tall stocks shuffled

With champion forward Tom Hawkins still recovering from foot surgery, the reigning premiers took the chance to try some of their big guys in unfamiliar positions.

Esava Ratugolea, who has spent most of his career as a ruck-forward, played at full back and had a real impact, making and spoiling against the likes of Jacob Koschitzke and Lloyd Meek.

His performance was one of the highlights in his side’s comfortable win, given the different look he added to the premiership side.

Jack Henry played two periods at full-forward, teaming up with Cameron – who played a bit higher up the ground – and his brother Ollie. Jack Henry has displayed his swingman qualities before, kicking 20 goals in his 107-game career to date, and provided solid foil for Cameron.

Sam De Koning started the match in defence, but was experimented with up forward in the third period.

The Cats also played two rucks, with Rhys Stanley and Jon Ceglar rotating duties off the bench, until Stanley went to the goal square in the fourth period.

Hawthorn had their own new-look ruck combo, with former Docker Lloyd Meek playing mostly forward supporting No.1 ruck choice Ned Reeves. The Hawks are without key forward Mitch Lewis for at least the first month of the season as he recovers from a sprained ACL.

But Meek filled a suitable role as a target inside-50, and his pressure and cleanliness below the knees impressed, making him a likely round one selection. Former Magpie Max Lynch came into the game in the third period, but appears behind Reeves and Meek in the pecking order.

Cats’ recruits shine

Ollie Henry, former Giant Tanner Bruhn and former Sun Jack Bowes all impressed in their first outing for the blue and white hoops.

Bruhn spent most of his time in the midfield and warmed into the match as it went on, while Bowes rotated through a half-forward flank and displayed a touch of class with the footy in hand. Both put their hand up for a spot in the Cats’ best 22.

Ollie Henry gets his hands on the ball.Credit:Getty Images

Henry also showed the sort of talent he displayed at the Pies, finding space within range to take a number of marks and set up scoring opportunities. He goaled in the first period, but missed a number of other scoring chances as well as a mark of the day contender.

While not a recruit, Max Holmes enjoyed his opportunities at the centre bounces, creating plenty of dash from the stoppages. Oliver Dempsey didn’t look out of place either.

Young Hawks show glimpses

Lachlan Bramble is yet to play 20 games of AFL footy, but looks ready to take the next step as a small defender. With Changkuoth Jiath out of the match at late notice due to soreness, Bramble provided some spark out of the back 50, and used the ball well.

Josh Ward fits a similar bill, playing 14 games in his debut season last year. He played in the guts and on the wing, and his work rate to help out in defence stood out. Connor Macdonald also had some highlights as a mid-sized forward, while Finn Maguinness played a defensive forward role, spending some time on Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Stewart.

Gold Coast v Essendon – match simulation

In conditions that would test the most seasoned of footballers, father-son recruit Alwyn Davey jnr showed he has poise to match his talents during Essendon’s match-simulation against the Gold Coast Suns on Thursday night.

With a blustery wind pounding towards one end of the very open Austworld Centre Oval in Carrara and both clubs rotating 30 or more players over six periods of 25 minutes, Davey jnr was one of the Bombers who made an impression including kicking a classy snap goal.

Davey jnr, who was drafted to Tullamarine alongside his twin Jayden Davey last year, still has plenty of work to do to challenge for a round one role in Brad Scott’s side but his speed stood out, as did his poise in a rare successful move down the left wing against the wind where he picked up the ball on the boundary and sent in a kick to a teammate.

Alwyn Davey junior shows his dash.Credit:Getty Images

Another Bomber who grew with each stint on the field was returning forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti who showed his talent and ability to pressure opponents and crumb goals hadn’t been lost during his brief retirement.

The man known as Tippa came up with a signature goal in the third period as Essendon relished their time with the wind.

McDonald-Tipungwuti bolted across the front of the pack, leapt for a contested ball, landed and instantly snapped a goal with his left-foot, his teammates mobbed him with Davey jnr among those quick to his side.

There is plenty of talent in Essendon’s team but few players will have the prowess to energise supporters as Davey jnr and McDonald-Tipungwuti in 2023.

Judging the changes to the Bombers under Scott was much-harder to do in such unusual conditions as the wind had a heavy influence on the contest while the Suns played more of their leading players early where as Essendon used more of their stars in the latter three periods.

Recruit Sam Weideman made the ideal start to his time in red and black taking mark in the forward pocket and kicking the opening goal of 2023 for the Bombers with an assured left-foot banana kick.

But the Bombers struggled to win enough of the footy with the Suns running most of their best available side in the early periods of the game and taking a lead after two periods.

When the Suns packed their forward line in those early moments, Essendon struggled to move the ball with enough accuracy to beat the defence but they gradually found some success in that area.

With the wind at their backs, the Bombers dominated proceedings in the third period turning a 17-point deficit into a lead, ruckman Sam Draper made an impact with his arrival in that period.

Miller racing clock

One player missing from Thursday night’s contest was Brownlow Medal candidate and Suns captain Touk Miller who is racing against time to be fit for round one.

Miller, who has missed just one match in the past two seasons, felt for his hamstring last Friday which the club described as a low-grade hamstring injury.

The Suns still expect he will be available for the season-opener.

“Touk felt some discomfort in his hamstring on Friday and on assessment, has a mild hamstring injury,” Suns physio Lindsay Bull said in a statement.

“Touk will reintegrate into full training over the next couple of weeks leading into the start of the season.”

Goal of the match sims?

It’s unlikely the AFL will have an award for goal of the match simulations but Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders would be right among the candidates.

The Suns forward booted a goal in the first period with a scissor-kick from the top of the goal square striking the ball in mid-air into the goals.

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