St Kilda Development Coach and Sandringham Senior Coach Jake Batchelor runs through each AFL-listed player's performance following this weekend's VFL clash against Casey.

On the game

It was a tough day for us. There was a fair realism around our experience against the oppositions’, with eight of our boys playing their first competitive game of VFL footy. That isn’t to say we accept the result, but it was good to see some of the guys get a game’s experience against a strong VFL side. It was definitely a learning curve, and we are going to strive to get better off of that.

Paddy Ryder

Paddy had a really solid game. He was on managed minutes and he performed well, he played more forward in the first half and then switched back into the ruck in the second half.

He was a bit rusty, his touch was off and he gave a few free kicks away in some ruck contests but he presented well and got better as the game progressed. He got through unscathed, so it was a big tick there too.

Jarryn Geary

Gears played wing for us for the majority of the game and then moved into the backline when we needed some experience down in defence. Wherever he goes, that line is going to set up well.

He slotted the first goal of the game for us, launched one from close to 50 metres out. His inside and outside work was strong and when our team lost shape, he was the one who held it for us.   

Leo Connolly

This was Leo’s best game so far this year, he had 19 disposals and showed some good signs. His focus is to try to provide an option on attack for us. He’s not always getting the ball but as long as he is providing an option when we start to move it forward.

It’s a good trigger for him to keep him engaged, but he’s also in a good spot to defend after that. He was used in a lot of our attacks off half-back, and he’s got the ability to either speed it up or slow the footy down.

He’s a bit like Jack Sinclair in his vision, where he can be composed when the game becomes fast-paced. He was one where he consistently made the right decisions with the ball in hand. There’s still some defensive positioning stuff we can get more help from him, and he can get back to help out our key defenders but a good step forward for Leo.

Marcus Windhager

Marcus had a solid game for us, he played the first half as a forward and then we rotated him through our midfield. He’s got good poise and a nice balance of ball-winning capabilities and strengths, but then also knows when he needs to be the one on the outside and be the receiver.

There’s a couple of inside-50 kicks and options that we can keep working on, but 23 touches, nine of which were contested and five clearances, is not a bad start for his first competitive hit-out at the VFL level.

Mitch Owens

It was Mitch’s first VFL game, his fourth or fifth game for the club taking into account practice games as well as his debut last week. He performed well and worked his way into the game nicely. He ended the game with 20 touches, 14 contested and nine tackles.

He’s a bull, that’s his strength and the next steps from here will be how he can get some easy uncontested marks and some outside ball, just so he isn’t taking on everything in the middle of the pack.

Matthew Allison

Matty had a tough day, our team defence let him down a few times, from all three lines. He was caught out one-on-one a few times in our defensive-50, which you should never have. So he fought and scrapped as hard as he could, but he was playing on a good player in Mitch Brown who ended up kicking quite a few on him.

He was originally slated to be on the wing, but we moved him back into defence a couple of days before the game with a few of our AFL-listed players travelling to Perth. He copped it in the end, but there were still some pleasing things he did. There’s still some defensive craft we can work on with him, but he is progressing as a player.

Jack Peris

It was an in-between game for Jack. He loves the ball in his hands and give us some drive off the half-back, but the progression for him is now making decisions on when is the right time to do that and when does he need to help set up behind the ball.

He’s still learning, it was his first official VFL game for the club and he had some good contests and ended up with four tackles which is quite good as a small defender. You don’t get too many chances to tackle as a small defender so that was pleasing to see. He’ll be better for having gone up against a strong opposition.

Josiah Kyle

Josiah had a mixed bag, he had a few fantastic chase-down tackles and pressured players but there were also a couple of decisions he made that didn’t go along with our team-first mentality that is the expectation of anyone who plays for St Kilda or Sandringham.

Josiah was the first one to put his hand up and say that he can get better in that area. Saying that, he chased, he tackled and he harassed which you want from your small forward so it was a good learning week for him.

Dean Kent

Kenty played three and a bit quarters for us, he copped a cbit of a knock in the final term so he sat out the rest of the game. He was the one early in the game who looked lively for us and was getting some good penetration off his left foot. Obviously disappointing for him that he couldn’t play out the game but his attitude was great and hopefully he’ll get up for next week.

Max Heath

Maxxy started the game strongly. He was the starting ruck, we gave him that opportunity to go against Majak Daw and he competed well. Defensively, he was getting to the balls that went long down the line and he was marking most of them. We managed to get some good defensive shape from him.

As the game went on, he began to tire a bit and the mind and body begun to waver a little bit. It was his first game on a big ground against a good side, on a hot day too – it was a good learning curve. His physicality and marking are his two clear strengths so we are going to keep working on that with him.