The JLT Problem

First half of round one of the JLT has been completed with West Coast wrapping up a 2-point win over the Power shades of their last season Elimination final win. Watching the four games got me thinking just like the AFLX last week it is so hard to make any prediction of round one of the 2018 season because of the JLT series. In the first game North Melbourne prize pick 4 Luke Davies - Uniacke struggles to make an impacted on the game with only 12 touches but he is more or less a certain round one started for the Kangaroos but if you go over to Sundays game Fremantle’s pick 2 Andrew Brayshaw was one of Fremantle’s best with 14 touches. Both Davis – Uniacke and Brayshaw look to be starts in round one for their clubs but the rookies and players outside the best 22 are the real issues.

 

Sticking with the Fremantle game Fremantle’s new whipping boy Matthew Taberner was fantastic with 3 goals straight and taking a team high seven marks. Taberner who played only eight games last season was fantastic at WAFL but when he got called up always struggled. Fremantle rookie Bailey Banfield kicked 2 goals 1 point and took 5 marks as well as having 5 score involvements. The issue is will he even get off the rookie list to even play a game and how much can you tell off one game. Adelaide’s Lachlan Murphy kicked 3 goals and looks a nice replacement for Charlie Cameron but it is so hard to pin point.

 

The flip side of this is new Essendon requite Jake Stringer struggled in his Essendon debut only racking up 6 touches and getting a nice cut above his head for his troubles. Essendon will almost certainly stick with him for the start of the season. Adelaide and Melbourne were without their captains and half of their captains for Melbourne’s case so put a big hit on their game plan.

 

All we have to do is look back and 2005 and 2007 NAB Cup where Carlton went on to win both and finish 16th and 15th respectively. So, the preseason series is to try new players and new game plan but picking a best 22 or a who and who will not make finals because of a first practise game is ridicules.unfortunately for fans and Super team fans a pre-season game will not make a start but it might make you stand out for a possibly round one hit out.