2007 - Preseason Preview - 3rd of 16 - Kangaroos

[pahoffm]

Kangaroos
The Kangaroos were disappointing in 2006, especially after looking so promising in 2005.
Much can be attributed to the burning down of their change-rooms early in the season, and their declining financial situation, culminating in the loss of their CEO, Geoff Walsh.
Dean Laidley is in for another season, but he only has 2 assistants, Darren Bewick & Darren Crocker.
Only two assistants indicates a lack of coaching resources, especially when none of the big three have key position/ruck experience.

Fig.1 - The List
Hamish McIntosh	203	108	22
David Hale	201	105	22
Todd Goldstein	201	106	18	new
Brad Moran	200	103	20
Drew Petrie	197	103	24
Lachlan Hansen	197	90	18	new
Tim Hutchison	196	82	18	new	rookie
Nathan Thompson	194	100	29
Jonathan Hay	194	93	27
Leigh Brown	194	101	25
Shannon Watt	193	99	26
Jesse Smith	191	85	20
Michael Firrito	190	95	23
Ben Hughes	190	92	18	new	rookie
Josh Gibson	189	95	23
Daniel McConnell	189	88	20
Matthew Riggio	188	83	19
Kasey Green	187	87	27
Corey Jones	187	90	26
David Trotter	186	84	21
Ed Lower	186	85	19
Ben Warren	186	78	17	new
Adam Simpson	185	89	31
Daniel Pratt	185	90	24
Brady Rawlings	184	83	25
Aaron Edwards	184	88	23	new
Callum Urch	184	89	22
Scott McMahon	184	83	20
Andrew Swallow	183	77	19
Glenn Archer	182	91	34
Jess Sinclair	182	84	28
Eddie Sansbury	182	85	23
Gavin Urquhart	181	80	18	new
Shannon Grant	180	84	29
Leigh Harding	180	85	25
Daniel Harris	180	81	24
Blake Grima	180	84	22
Daniel Wells	180	81	22
Lindsay Thomas	180	76	18	new
Djaran Whyman	177	75	23
Ben Ross	176	75	18	new
Leigh Adams	176	79	18	new	rookie
Brent Harvey	172	75	28
Matthew Campbell	169	66	19	new	rookie

The List, from fig.1, has 44 players with 11 new players, of which 4 are rookies.
Of the players, 30 of the 44, 68%, are below 190cm, which is a good proportion. 31 of the 44, 70%, are below 25yo, which gives them a good future. Also, 22 of the 44, 50%, are from 21 to 28yo, so they should be doing better currently.
So why weren't the Kangaroos in the top half of the 2006 ladder.

Fig.2 - The Spread
	<175	175-179	180-184	185-189	190-194	195-199	200+
28+	Harvey 172 28 M		Archer 182 34 D	Simpson 185 31 M	Thompson 194 29 F
			Grant 180 29 F
			Sinclair 182 28 D
25-27			Rawlings 184 25 M	Green 187 27 D	Hay 194 27 D
			Harding 180 25 F	Jones 187 26 U	Watt 193 26 D
					Brown 194 25 D
22-24		Whyman 177 23 F	Harris 180 24 M	Pratt 185 24 D	Firrito 190 23 M	Petrie 197 24 F	McIntosh 203 22 R
			Edwards 184 23 F	Gibson 189 23 D			Hale 201 22 R
			Sansbury 182 23 D
			Urch 184 22 D
			Wells 180 22 M
			Grima 180 22 M
18-21	Campbell 169 19 M	Ross 176 18 M	McMahon 184 20 U	Trotter 186 21 U	Smith 191 20 D	Hansen 197 18 D	Moran 200 20 R
		Adams 176 18 M	Swallow 183 19 M	McConnell 189 20 F	Hughes 190 18 F	Hutchison 196 18 F	Goldstein 201 18 R
			Urquhart 181 18 F	Riggio 188 19 D
			Thomas 180 18 M	Lower 186 19 D
				Warren 186 17 F

The Spread, from fig.2, gives us some indication of where the Kangas might be falling down. Six of their regulars are in the twilight zone, i.e. over 27yo. In 2006 it was clear that these six were not running as hard, nor as fast, as in previous years.
Also indicated is that in 2006 there was almost an absence of speedy smaller, less than 180cm, types. Too much has previously been carried by Harvey. 2007 sees the addition of three new small midfielders.
This year sees the addition of a handful of excellent talls. This should boost the Kanga's future.

Fig.3 - Positional Depth
B:	Sansbury 182 23 D	Hay 194 27 D	Gibson 189 23 D
		Watt 193 26 D	Smith 191 20 D
HB:	Green 187 27 D	Brown 194 25 D	Archer 182 34 D
	Pratt 185 24 D	Hansen 197 18 D	Sinclair 182 28 D
	Urch 184 22 D		McMahon 184 20 U
	Riggio 188 19 D		Lower 186 19 D
C:	Firrito 190 23 M	Rawlings 184 25 M	Wells 180 22 M
	Trotter 186 21 U	Swallow 183 19 M	Grima 180 22 M
		Thomas 180 18 M	Ross 176 18 M
HF:	Jones 187 26 U	Petrie 197 24 F	Grant 180 29 F
	Edwards 184 23 F	Hughes 190 18 F	Harding 180 25 F
	McConnell 189 20 F		Urquhart 181 18 F
	Warren 186 17 F
F:	Hale 201 22 R	Thompson 194 29 F	Whyman 177 23 F
		Hutchison 196 18 F
R:	McIntosh 203 22 R	Simpson 185 31 M	Harvey 172 28 M
	Moran 200 20 R	Harris 180 24 M	Campbell 169 19 M
	Goldstein 201 18 R		Adams 176 18 M

Positional Depth, from fig.3, indicates that the Kangas are well off for flankers. However, the key positions & midfield show a thin layer of twilight players, with very young & inexperienced players beneath.
Their understudy CHB, CHF, FF, C, & rovers are still teenagers. This tells me that, with a few injuries, the Kanga's line-up ends up with a few holes.

Conclusion:
The Kangas have improved their list. They now have young replacements for many positions that were not filled in 2006.
It would seem that the their hierarchy have also learnt that trading future stars, i.e. draft picks, for rejects from other clubs doesn't work.
The list is better but still needs those understudy midfielders & key position players to gain greater experience.

 

[pahoffm]

Was just watching the Rnd 1, Div 2 game, Tas v NT from 2005. Some of you would remember it as the game in which Todd Grime kicked 10 goals.

In the 2nd qtr of this game a little fellow flashs in a few times for the NT, Matty Campbell.
He has explosive pace, and can kick a nice goal on the run.
Have doubts about his engine.
Though remember, this was the 2005 chmps, so he was under-age.

 

[CyberKev]

Kangaroo tragics, as per their Geelong counterparts, have rudimentarily dismissed 2006 as a momentary blip that separates their 2005 finals year from the one that they'll have in 2007.

Anything's possible, of course, but IMO this view has delusion writ large all over it.

Ironically, the Kangaroos look lean on the backline, unless Hay ( I always thought he was 196cm when at Hawthorn, but maybe he's lost an inch from his scone and repositioned it outwardly on his abdomen) makes good on the not entirely convincing assertions flowing out of Arden St assuring all and sundry that he's hot to trot again.

More tellingly, there's pretty much nothing to get excited about up forward if Thompson goes down, although Hale is talented enough to make a strong fist of a key forward role, perhaps.

Their drafting looked better this time around, but they still look bottom four quality to me.

 

[Djevv]

Was just watching the Rnd 1, Div 2 game, Tas v NT from 2005. Some of you would remember it as the game in which Todd Grime kicked 10 goals.

In the 2nd qtr of this game a little fellow flashs in a few times for the NT, Matty Campbell.
He has explosive pace, and can kick a nice goal on the run.
Have doubts about his engine.
Though remember, this was the 2005 chmps, so he was under-age.

I saw him in the NT vs Nth Adel Roosters february last year. I thought he and another kid - Aaron Motlop - were terrific. Fast, elusive and dangerous near goals - but small. I posted about him about the same time. I would have been pleased if the Tiges had got him, but its good to see him picked up by someone.

Hope he makes it.

 

[Djevv]

Matty looked pretty good on the weekend vs Freo. 3 goals and lots of touches. Kangas have got themselves a pocket rocket there!

 

[mb64]

Kangas will take a slide this year along with their finances.9-12