Player Watch #6: George Wardlaw - two-time RS nominee ('23 &'24) - the Warlord - now modelling for the club

[DuckYeah]

Loved Wardlaws game vs GWS.
Is he the only one of our mids who shows some urgency when he doesn’t have the ball?

Yep

 

[AnEmptyChair]

It’s tough to get your meaning without capitalizing and, it seems, punctuation. These are important in written communication.

so I didn't say it then. good to know

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

No he wasn't. 29 disposals and 6 tackles. What game were you watching

A game where he did his signature run through a pack three times. The rest of the time he was watching the GWS midfield stream forward.

It is not news, but it would be good to see him apply the same effort with his defensive running as his offensive.

And before you quote me tackle numbers, if you didn’t see him flat footed as GWS streamed away on about ten occasions, then you may have been listening to the game on the radio.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Loved Wardlaws game vs GWS.
Is he the only one of our mids who shows some urgency when he doesn’t have the ball?

That is why bringing in Phillips increases this number by 100%.

 

[koshari]

Hard markers around here.

He was pretty special in the second quarter with his ferocity. He got us back into the contest and definitely impacted their midfield patterns with his tackling and second efforts.

He's got a 9 game tank.

agree, wasnt as creative with ball in hand as a couple of games last year ( v swans last year he was electric) but was still chasing and applying pressure late in all quarters, tank building, another half a foot of pace and he had a couple of those tackles cold. he pounces like a cat. deffo has the oppo 2nd guessing wieh in the tight contests,

 

[koshari]

That is why bringing in Phillips increases this number by 100%.

phillips and wardlaw could be the new cunners and jed going forward,

 

[SMaturin]

Watching him tackle.

It’s like when your little brother tried to run past you when they were four and you were eight.

Only takes two fingers to get a grip on the shirt. Take down time.

 

[Souup]

I think there's a lot on here that don't understand that every single midfielder doesn't need to show the same defensive pressure and intent as Wardlaw. In fact, doing that is going to have a detrimental impact offensively.

If every centre bounce midfielder applied the same defensive pressure as Wardlaw, they're going to be gassed going the other way and spend much less TOG.

Wardlaw can do what he does defensively because LDU does what he does offensively and vice-versa.

Noah Anderson

15

Noah Anderson

Age

23

Ht

192cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

4star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.0

1star

CL

0.0

1star

doesn't need to be as defensive minded because he has Rowell. Petracca doesn't need to be because he has Oliver and Viney. Neale doesn't need to be because he has Dunkley. Walsh doesn't need to be because he has Hewett and Cripps.

You don't need to hack at one to compliment the other - both of them are bloody elite and we should be more than thankful that they'll be the core of our side for hopefully the better part of the next 10 years.

 

[Caracas]

I get the impression that George is trying to pace himself a bit better right now. This could go towards explaining the relatively fewer “wham bam” explosive highlights. I think he’ll feel his way a bit, initially, this season.

 

[Caracas]

Essentially, I suspect George is already trying to transition from a highlights package player to a more sustainable, consistent player. This will, probably, prove to be a tad frustrating for those of us up in “the Gods” section. We really enjoyed those spectacularly destructive cameos from last year. Unfortunately, that approach results in him fatiguing and blowing up too quickly. It’ll take a while before he becomes the finished product. It will be a hard wait for us…

 

[Roostorm]

This is going to be fun..watching him develop over the next few years…he’s going to be darn scary….
But credit to his manic pressure…leading to a goal….we have an unbelievable talent here.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Essentially, I suspect George is already trying to transition from a highlights package player to a more sustainable, consistent player. This will, probably, prove to be a tad frustrating for those of us up in “the Gods” section. We really enjoyed those spectacularly destructive cameos from last year. Unfortunately, that approach results in him fatiguing and blowing up too quickly. It’ll take a while before he becomes the finished product. It will be a hard wait for us…

An issue for a lot of our mids is their tanks are average
Jy the exception

 

[Frank Thring]

A game where he did his signature run through a pack three times. The rest of the time he was watching the GWS midfield stream forward.

It is not news, but it would be good to see him apply the same effort with his defensive running as his offensive.

And before you quote me tackle numbers, if you didn’t see him flat footed as GWS streamed away on about ten occasions, then you may have been listening to the game on the radio.

Lol, picks out 1 example and that's his assessment. Go have a lie down, you're cooked. LDU in our best 3

 

[Themanbun]

massively underwhelming today imo. pressure is good obviously but his kicking and decision making leaves a lot to be desired.

Would be on the cusp next week with Simpkin back and phillips a possibility, who i think had a better preseason than him overall

Actually can't believe you got smashed for this opinion.

He's my favourite player but he hardly touched it and his kicking was pus. He'll improve but with competition for spots it wouldn't be a surprise to see him on the cusp.

 

[tazaa]

He will be fine. Reckon not getting the right to draft Sanders also, and getting McKerchar and Duursma in was spot on too.
Kerch, Wardlaw and Sanders are all different players but Sanders butchered the footy today.

 

[Flawed Genius]

This is going to be fun..watching him develop over the next few years…he’s going to be darn scary….
But credit to his manic pressure…leading to a goal….we have an unbelievable talent here.

Drop him f***.

A 200 game player in Coniglio absolutely shat them because big bad George Wardlaw was on his hammer. All nine games of him.

 

[koshari]

Drop him f***.

A 200 game player in Coniglio absolutely shat them because big bad George Wardlaw was on his hammer. All nine games of him.

 

[The acurate one]

Actually can't believe you got smashed for this opinion.

He's my favourite player but he hardly touched it and his kicking was pus. He'll improve but with competition for spots it wouldn't be a surprise to see him on the cusp.

He can’t kick for shit and that’s well known inside the four walls of Arden St.

They reckon it will be 2/3 years until his kicking is on point.

True story that

 

[Sphynx]

Actually can't believe you got smashed for this opinion.

He's my favourite player but he hardly touched it and his kicking was pus. He'll improve but with competition for spots it wouldn't be a surprise to see him on the cusp.

“Hardly touched it”.

4th highest amount of disposals for every u20 in the comp that played this weekend.

Only Sheezel, Weddle and McKercher ahead of him and about 3 dozen behind him.

Had the highest defensive pressure rating of all u20s in the league also and top 25 for the round AFL wide.

He was THE main reason the side clawed its way back as his pressure resulted in direct scores on a few occasions in the 2nd QTR.

 

[Flawed Genius]

He can’t kick for s**t and that’s well known inside the four walls of Arden St.

They reckon it will be 2/3 years until his kicking is on point.

True story that

Not doubting your mail old mate as it's been fairly spot on over the journey but George has played nine games and I reckon multiple times has hit kicks that I've audibly exclaimed at. If the club reckons he can't kick then they must think half our list has had leg amputations

 

[DesertRoo]

Not doubting your mail old mate as it's been fairly spot on over the journey but George has played nine games and I reckon multiple times has hit kicks that I've audibly exclaimed at. If the club reckons he can't kick then they must think half our list has had leg amputations

Geez I’d love to hear the unedited version of how Clarko described our skills under Bradley.

 

[Themanbun]

“Hardly touched it”.

4th highest amount of disposals for every u20 in the comp that played this weekend.

Only Sheezel, Weddle and McKercher ahead of him and about 3 dozen behind him.

Had the highest defensive pressure rating of all u20s in the league also and top 25 for the round AFL wide.

He was THE main reason the side clawed its way back as his pressure resulted in direct scores on a few occasions in the 2nd QTR.

That would be awesome if he were playing in an under 20s league. As for an AFL level midfielder, he didn't get near it enough.

 

[Flawed Genius]

That would be awesome if he were playing in an under 20s league. As for an AFL level midfielder, he didn't get near it enough.

In the absence of the bloke getting it 30+ times a game, I'm pretty comfortable settling for his mid-teens touches from <75% game time, and being the only player in our midfield who satisfies both criteria of being manic defensively and offensively. After nine senior games

 

[Themanbun]

In the absence of the bloke getting it 30+ times a game, I'm pretty comfortable settling for his mid-teens touches from <75% game time, and being the only player in our midfield who satisfies both criteria of being manic defensively and offensively. After nine senior games

I think dealing with the nuffies here who develop obsessions with whipping boys here has caused a huge over correction.

I'm fine with his development. He is going fine. I'm fine with, after nine senior games, him getting 18 touches or whatever it was. I'm fine with him doing that in 75% game time. I have no doubt he's one of the best in his age group. And of course I'm rapt with his defensive stuff.

I'm also fine with gun youngsters having to go back to the twos and work at it if they have someone displace them. It's not the end of their career to do so.

This. Is. Not. Writing. Him. Off. Not even close.

He started well, but he had 5 touches in the last half from the third most midfield time. And his disposal was sub-par.

It doesn't mean there's a lynch mob forming to merely suggest that the return of our second best and most experienced midfielder, and another highly touted youngster waiting in the wings, might displace him or be close to displacing him soon with performances like Saturday's.

 

[Sphynx]

That would be awesome if he were playing in an under 20s league. As for an AFL level midfielder, he didn't get near it enough.

My point being, most other sides (some much better than us) have a player his age who is peforming to a much lower standard in their best 22