World Footy News

With the NAB Challenge coming to a close this weekend, most teams chose to use the hit-outs as a chance to play closer to full strength teams. As a result less international players were on show across the weekend’s matches.

Richmond’s Sudanese rookie Mabior Chol gathered another five possessions with his 87% game time in the team’s torrid encounter with Port Adelaide. Chol enjoyed his NAB Challenge, exciting Tiger fans and showing enough skill to suggest a useful AFL career is ahead of him. He still has much to learn but the signs are promising and his efforts to date will see him debut sooner rather than later.

Zach Tuohy (pictured) was his usual assured self in the Carlton defence against the Sydney Swans. His 24 possessions at an 83% disposal efficiency, including 6 rebounds from the defensive 50, showed he will again be a key part of the Blues’ defence this season.

Pearce Hanley’s 15 possessions and six tackles were a sound return for the Irish star. But his efficiency was just over 50% suggesting he is still a little underdone leading into Round One. The Lions went down to the Giants. Young Sudanese rookie, Rueben William, did not play.

Jason Holmes managed less than half a game In St Kilda’s loss to the Melbourne Demons, yet still managed 21 hitouts (second only to Melbourne’s Max Gawn). Holmes is certainly still improving as a ruckman and needs only to have a greater impact around the ground to be a greater concern to opposition teams.

Essendon were once again on the receiving end of a belting, but Irish rookie Conor McKenna again managed to get into the action with nine possessions and a tackle in his 60% game time. However, his disposal efficiency still needs work with barely half of his possessions finding their target.

All teams have next weekend off ahead of the Easter Round One. Most clubs will still have intra club matches whilst some may run around again in VFL matches in the lead-up to the season proper which commences with the Richmond v Carlton on Thursday 24th March.



(Picture: http://www.afl.com.au )