Talking points from match simulation, Round 1 debutants, MRO, Sam Powell-Pepper bump, how many weeks

The season hasn’t even begun, but a landmark test case looms before the AFL and Match Review Officer.

Plus the players pressing their claims for round one as some significant selection headaches loom across the competition.

The big issues from the first week of pre-season analysed in Talking Points!

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TIMELY TEST CASE FOR MRO

In the same week Angus Brayshaw retired and urged the AFL to do more to combat head trauma, Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell-Pepper concussed Adelaide’s Mark Keane with a bump in the first quarter of Friday’s practice match.

Elevated to the club’s leadership group for 2024, Powell-Pepper’s decision is all-but certain to see him miss the opening rounds of the season, with the Match Review Officer to determine his fate on Monday.

The Match Review Officer will determine if Powell-Pepper’s conduct was reasonable in the circumstances and if he was contesting the ball.

It’s a near-certainty Powell-Pepper will be suspended. With Keane in possession of the ball, Powell-Pepper opted to turn his body and brace for contact rather than staying front-on and try to aid Rioli and tackle Keane.

Powell-Pepper could try to argue he couldn’t have reasonably foreseen the spin, but it is as close to an example of what not to do as we are likely to see this year.

The blowback for Powell-Pepper was significant, with Fox Footy analyst David King calling for a “severe penalty”.

“Loads of other options, chooses to forcefully bump to the head,” he wrote.

“Hasn’t heeded any of the warnings given to date and it boggles the mind to think anyone would still take this course of action.

“I’m not apologetic – this must be a severe penalty. I’m sick of this conversation.”

Trying to overturn a likely ban would be difficult at the best of times, but in the current climate, with Brayshaw’s retirement another reminder of the impact of concussion, it would prove nigh-on impossible.

It’s an early test case for the Match Review Officer and could see one of the new procedural amendments come into play.

Should the incident be graded careless conduct with high contact and severe impact and the AFL seeks only the minimum three-week suspension, Powell-Pepper is able to accept the sanction with an early plea and avoid a Tribunal hearing altogether.

Whether the AFL wants to push for more and potentially impose a ban of at least four matches or more, we’ll have to wait and see, but Powell-Pepper’s 2024 season is a virtual certainty to start later than most of his peers.

PLAYERS PRESSING R1 CLAIMS

COLLINGWOOD

Collingwood supporters have been infatuated with the burgeoning progress of onballer Finlay Macrae this pre-season, and he may well be slated for an appearance in the Magpies’ season-opener against the Giants.

The fourth-year midfielder has applied a body of work that is tough to overlook, increasing his chances of being a part of the Pies team that travels to Sydney to play GWS in Opening Round after another encouraging performance on Wednesday against North Melbourne.

Macrae, playing as a pure inside midfielder, registered 18 possessions at 66.7 per cent disposal efficiency from 25 centre-bounce attendances. He also booted a classy, long-range goal.

The 21-year-old has managed just 12 senior games across three AFL seasons, but following the void left by departed midfielder Taylor Adams this off-season, the rising ball-winner appears to be latching onto the increased opportunity.

SSP recruit Lachlan Sullivan was another Pie who impressed those in attendance at AIA Vitality Centre, showcasing his contest work and nifty disposal by foot.

Meanwhile, medium-sized forwards Reef McInnes and Ash Johnson have seemingly been competing for the starting spot in Craig McRae’s side left by the injured Dan McStay.

The duo each snagged three majors against the Roos and presented as formidable forward-50 marking threats with their leading patterns. The pair staked considerable claims to play against the Giants on March 9, but you sense only one gets the final nod from McRae’s match committee.

Meanwhile, former Fremantle livewire Lachie Schultz will absolutely find his name on Collingwood’s season-opening team sheet, having provided Pies fans with another glimpse of his forward-half nous and defensive pressure.

Schultz involved himself plenty in his side’s attacking chains, both as a goalkicker and as a supplier for his teammates; drilling low-hanging bullets inside 50 to the likes of the aforementioned McInnes and Johnson.

Finlay Macrae continued his stellar pre-season, collecting impactful possessions through the middle of the ground and even hitting the scoreboard.

MELBOURNE

While he isn’t a ‘lock’, Caleb Windsor would consider himself pretty unlucky if he’s overlooked by Simon Goodwin’s match committee for Melbourne’s season-opening clash with Sydney.

The 2023 No.6 draft pick’s run and carry was pivotal to the Demons’ forward movement during their match simulation hitout against Richmond last Sunday.

While his disposal was at times shaky, the 18-year-old’s effort was unquestioned, even in a warm-up game.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Colby McKercher is close to a certainty to be included in Alastair Clarkson’s Round 1 North Melbourne side to face GWS.

The former Allies and Tasmania Devils standout notched 25 disposals and three marks against Collingwood on Wednesday, but it was his distribution and navigation with ball in hand that elicited the most positive reactions from onlookers.

McKercher’s relentless run and carry from defensive 50 through the corridor reminded of reigning Rising Star – and half-back flank teammate – Harry Sheezel. Those two, working in tandem, pose as a daunting proposition for opponents this year.

“I can’t remember North Melbourne having a player who kicks the ball as well as McKercher, if there has been I’m sorry, but it’s been a long time!” said King on Wednesday evening, taking to X to impress praise upon the young Apple Isle native.

“All the clubs in the bag, but his lob wedge that finds targets in among zoning oppo (opposition) players, unreal. Larkey (is going to) love him!”

Added teammate George Wardlaw: “Oh that (a Round 1 debut) is pretty safe to say, I think.”

Fellow off-season Kangaroos recruits Zac Fisher (18 disposals in first half) and Dylan Stephens (25 possessions) were also influential in their first official hit-outs and have in all likelihood carved out Round 1 spots in Clarkson’s side.

Fisher, one of McKercher’s blistering partners in crime across the half-backline on Wednesday, battled a minor hamstring strain earlier in the pre-season but appears to be healed and prepared to attack the season-opener.

RICHMOND

Mykelti Lefau, while his SSP contract was well-deserved after a strong pre-season body of work, is unlikely to feature in Richmond’s Opening Round side to take on Gold Coast.

However, the Tigers will be glad to be able to call upon the New Zealander’s physicality throughout an enduring campaign.

AFL’S BIGGEST SELECTION HEADACHE EMERGES… AGAIN

One of biggest, literally, selection squeezes in the AFL this year will surround the Western Bulldogs – and how many big men they can play in the same side.

It’s a conundrum the Bulldogs faced last season, but one that was made somewhat easier considering Sam Darcy endured a second consecutive injury-interrupted season.

Now, father-son gun Darcy, who produced an eye-catching match simulation performance against Hawthorn at Whitten Oval on Friday, is firing after a strong pre-season with great continuity.

The versatile 208cm young star against Hawthorn worked well in tandem with Rory Lobb and split his game time between the ruck and forward line and thrived in both positions.

He kicked three goals from his inside 50 opportunities, while he was strong at ruck contests against the likes of Ned Reeves and Lloyd Meek.

Darcy, 20, also showed off his excellent aerobic capacity and freakish skills, picking the ball up cleanly below his knees and using both feet to kick with aplomb.

“Reeves is a really good tap ruckman for the Hawks, so for ‘Darce’ to compete against him and do well – I think he kicked three goals as well – it was good for him to push forward and do that,” Bulldogs assistant coach Brendon Lade told reporters post-game.

“He’s had a great pre-season, so hopefully that keeps transferring into games.

“Darce has been training as a ruck the whole pre-season. He can obviously play forward too … but we’re just excited that he’s gotten through a full pre-season. Who knows where he will end up.”

Plagued by foot, quad, jaw and lung issues since being drafted by the Bulldogs with Pick 2 in 2021, Darcy has managed just seven games in two seasons. But he’s completed the full pre-season program over summer to put himself in a strong position for a Round 1 berth.

And as well as Darcy and Lobb worked together on Friday, there are some suggestions the duo are competing for one spot and can’t play in the same side.

All-Australian Tim English, who instead played in the second game against the Box Hill Hawks on Friday, clearly walks back into the Dogs’ starting ruck position.

And then there’s star duo Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who are the Dogs’ two go-to key forward pillars.

Darcy did play as a key defender during his junior career, but has spent the summer training as a ruck/forward. So too has Lobb – and he was strong against the Hawks, consistently competing in the air to either mark or bring the ball to ground, although he didn’t get any scoreboard reward for effort.

Considering all that, can the Dogs play all of Darcy, Lobb, English, Naughton and Ugle-Hagan in the same side?

“We tried four or five last year and it didn’t work too well early,” Lade said.

“There’ll be injuries and form (to consider), but they’ve all just got to keep playing well and training well when they get the opportunities.”

Lobb was the big-name recruit two years ago. But Darcy is the top-two pick with an enormous ceiling.

MAGPIES MIDFIELD WILDCARD SET TO BE UNLEASHED

Fox Footy pundit David King might get his Beau McCreery wish answered this year.

King midway through last year declared on First Crack that McCreery possessed “bona fide top-liner” talent with his speed and kicking ability, but added: “I don’t think he understands how good he is – and until he firmly believes that he’s a bona fide top-liner, he’ll never become one.”

On Wednesday, we saw a glimpse of McCreery in the midfield – a role he’s set to take on more in 2024. And that could help the premiership Magpie emerge as a genuine AFL star.

McCreery played a crucial role as a high-pressure forward in the Magpies’ 2023 flag campaign, kicking 17 goals and playing all 25 games.

He only averaged the 10 disposals. But that number should increase in 2024, with the 22-year-old primed to spend more time on the ball.

Pies assistant coach Jordan Roughead explained said the Pies are keen for McCreery to play more midfield minutes this year.

“I know that fans and football fans generally will know him as a pressure forward who is a beast and has a real aggressive streak with how he plays,” Roughead told reporters.

“But he’s one of the more powerful athletes that I’ve seen in football and he’s another one that we want to get some minutes into at centre-bounce.

“Some of the stuff he can do whether it’s offensively breaking out of the pack or defensively pressuring the opposition and forcing fumbles or repeat stoppages is a real feature of his game as well.”

‘MOVED LIKE A GAZELLE’: NEW BIG CAT EMERGES

While Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron will again have a big say in how Geelong fares in 2024, Shannon Neale looms as another key forward option that could catch a few opposition defences off-guard.

Cameron and Hawkins booted one and two goals respectively during Geelong’s match simulation win over Carlton on Thursday, but Neale played with great presence inside forward 50 and took several strong grabs as he added one goal himself.

“He looks like an athlete from here: 203cm, far out!” ex-Blues midfielder Ed Curnow said.

“He’s going to be the prospect going forward for Geelong. You look at Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron, they’re going to be some great players to learn under. There’s an opportunity there for Neale.”

Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie said in the lead-up to the came that Neale was capable of playing in the same forward line as Hawkins and Cameron – and his output against the Blues suggested it can work.

“What is he, 203cm? Moves like a gazelle. He competed pretty well today,” Cats assistant coach James Rahilly told reporters on Thursday.

Asked if Hawkins, Cameron and Neale could all play in the same side, Rahilly said: “There’s no doubt.”

“Obviously you want Jeremy everywhere, he’s dangerous around goals but we’ve seen him get up around stoppages and be pretty dangerous. You see when he gets the ball he can just find a target where others don’t so you’ve got to use both of those strengths.”

TIGERS STAR CAN BE ‘BEST PLAYER IN THE GAME’

Richmond star Shai Bolton sure was impressive in the club’s first pre-season hitout against Melbourne, starring with a game-high four goals as one of his side’s best.

Playing exclusively as a forward – where he’s expended to remain for the season proper after drifting up into the midfield in recent years – Bolton led a new-look Tigers attack alongside Noah Balata sensationally in promising signs for the yellow and black given it’s a part of the ground with some question marks beyond Tom Lynch.

With Adem Yze taking over the coaching reins in the start of a new era at Tigerland, Bolton – and what heights he can reach – is clearly key in the club’s bid to, against the odds, bounce back and challenge for finals.

So how good can Bolton be?

After a career-best 2022 season where the now 25-year old looked primed to become a bona fide superstar, he struggled to have the same impact last year despite averaging a career-best 21.7 disposals per game to go with 1.4 goals.

Clearly, the bar was set high by the dual-premiership player, and rightfully so for a player of his calibre. Some have even claimed in recent years Bolton has surpassed Dustin Martin.

Dual All-Australian Kane Cornes thinks it’s a defining year ahead for Bolton, saying he has the tools to become the number one player in the game.

“In 2022, I saw him as absolutely a top 10 player in the league, maybe pushing top five with what he’s got and his numbers were amazing – 400 touches and 41 goals in 2022,” Cornes told SEN radio.

“Whilst his numbers were really good last year, it was more possessions and less impact.

“He’s 25 now, entering his prime, and what he is capable of is being the best player in the game.

“Is he going to get there? I don’t know, and it changes all the time from week to week and the best player in the game is a difference of opinion, but he should be in that conversation by the end of this year.

“He was terrific (against Melbourne) … but too often last year I thought he just drifted for seven or eight minutes. Some more consistency will be critical for him for reaching those heights, that I think he’s capable of.”

Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley believes “instability” at Richmond in 2023 including Damien Hardwick’s departure as coach might’ve affected Bolton.

“Last year was the first year I thought he was frustrated as a player – and whether that’s midfield time versus forward time, whether that was the win-loss ratio, whether that was the changeover of coach and the instability,” Buckley told SEN.

“There was a few reasons why there was a drop off for him last year. Five or six pre-seasons in you start to build that depth of cardiovascular strength.”