We’ve taken a look at the top 5 players from Friday’s intra-club, now here are some of the players that we’ve noticed a big difference in this pre-season.
Joe Daniher:
Fans will likely notice a big difference in Daniher when they see him for the first time in 2016. The tall forward has packed on some serious muscle which will allow him to better contest against the bigger bodied defenders that he will come up against in the season. His presence in the forward line is also noticeable as he has become extremely vocal in leading his teammates and directing traffic throughout the forward line, creating blocks and helping to create space. Daniher’s work off the ball will be particularly important during the season.
Jackson Merrett:
Jackson has continued to develop in many ways this pre-season. During the game, Merrett was trialled in a number of positions but found his best rhythm when playing on the wing and pushing toward the forward line. His accuracy via foot was a major standout, with his bullet like kick hitting the target with great efficiency. Merrett’s pressure around the stoppage in the forward half saw him slot a couple of goals as well as lay several tackles, keeping the defence on their toes.
Orazio Fantasia:
Fantasia’s improvement this pre-season has not gone unnoticed. Picking up where he left off at the end of the last year, Fantasia has shown a dramatic change on and off the field. Having stacked on some muscle , Fantasia provided great run through the centre when playing off the half-back line. His run and carry was hard to match on the day and, once he receives the ball, opposition defenders will find it hard to catch the speedy youngster.
Nick Kommer:
It will be music to many fans' ears to hear that Nick Kommer has been enjoying his best pre-season to date. Playing mostly in the forward half, Kommer’s famous pressure was on show on Friday as he worked hard to get to every single contest and ensure that he was getting body on the opposition. Kommer was also extremely vocal on the field, with his maturity and football smarts shining through. His run and ability to get free also saw him sneak a goal in towards the end of the game.
Shaun Edwards:
Edwards was a standout performer in the second half, with his run and natural flair on display. His quickstep and upper body strength made it hard for the opposition to stick a tackle on him, and his high flying marks made him dangerous in the air. Playing primarily off the half-forward line, Edwards finished with a couple of goals for the day. He was also trialled in the middle where he showed some good signs.
Honourable mentions:
Jason Ashby played well off the half backline and was given the freedom to run more. His fitness has improved dramatically as well as his two way running.
Will Hams showed great signs especially when it came to getting to the bottom of the back and feeding the ball out. He looks to be in good shape as we edge closer to the season.
Jake Long was trialled in a number of positions but looked most at home when playing on the wing. He will still need more time to develop, but showed signs of improvement when it came to his ball use and running.
