2015 NAB Challenge Week 1 Hawthorn v Collingwood

We get a preview of what might be.

Preseason

Preseason matches are always problematic. Most interested observers generally take the "sour grapes" view: the preseason is a waste of time, except 2011 when Collingwood won the preseason premiership. Perhaps giving the coaches even less reason to care this year is the sad fact that there will be no playoffs and no premiership. In other words, this year it's just 3 practice games, folks.

To underline the point, Clarkson didn't bother to coach last night, leaving that to erstwhile Carlton coach, Brett Ratten. Perhaps he wanted to protect his win percentage.

Impressions

It felt like I was watching a VFL game or a seconds game - which is about the same thing. There just didn't seem to be any intensity. Or, it was as though nothing was at stake (see preceding section).

I wasn't at all persuaded by the commentators' assertions that for some of these boys this was the most important game they had played. I figured they were just trying to keep their audience.

I'd be surprised if any supporters of rival teams would have watched more than 5 or 10 minutes.

What did we learn?

Others may take different lessons. With some reservations, here's what I gleaned. But first a word of caution. I'm not too familiar - actually, that's complete rubbish: I'm not at all familiar with the new players. I mean, I have trouble when a player changes numbers (eg Jamie Elliott changed from 19 to 5). So there may have been some young players who did really well and I didn't notice.

Overall, I thought the senior players delivered most of the result. I include in this group transferees: Levi Greenwood, Patrick Karnezis both of whom had great games. I thought Alex Fasolo was terrific as were Jesse White, Tyson Goldsack. Brodie Grundy, Jamie Elliott, Steele Sidebottom were ok.

I never liked Travis Varcoe when he played for Geelong and, so far, my opinion hasn't changed. Last night he looked lazy.

Ben Kennedy kept putting his body on the line and kept trying. I'm not sure he was all that effective. Ben Sinclair and Josh Thomas were better than ok.

I know I'm obsessive but Taylor Adams and Tom Langdon still need to learn to dispose of the ball. I was dismayed to see Langdon allowed to take kick-ins.

Nathan Brown looks like he still needs time to regain confidence. Alan Toovey played half a game; he looked like he was in the same camp as Brown.

Marley Williams looked like he was trying, but seemed less effective than his best.

Jack Frost was the only man to play every game last year, but he looked distinctly short of a gallop.

As I said, I may not have recognised many of the kids. I thought Jordan De Goey and Corey Gault showed a bit.

The rest I either didn't recognise or didn't notice.