Blue Abroad Podcast Network

Here's an interview I did with Markos Kern from Fun with Balls after his award winning presentation at the 2019 SPOBIS conference.

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It was a frustrating year for Jack as he seemed to battled with himself more so than anything else.

The reality is, nothing is linear. Progress comes in ebbs and flows - so for Jack it is all about staying resilient, working hard and eventually finding the breakthrough.

Let's remember a very important factor - he's still only 21 years old!

He is a hard worker and has shown glimpses of the "footy brain" so his focus in 2019 is really coming into his own and playing at a consistent level.

I can see him playing around 10 games in 2019 with the potential for more provided that he's able to make genuine impact.

What do you think?

VERY excited to have Sam at our club.

It's hard to keep a lid on the excitement that surrounds the 2018 number 1 pick, especially when our coach and best players are talking about how special this guy has been throughout the pre season.

Nevertheless, we do need to keep things in perspective and understand that the next few years are a transition period as Sam adjusts to the rigours of a full time professional athlete.

I think he will have an impact in 2019 and hopefully his body lasts the test of time.

What are you excited about Sam play in 2019?

2018 saw Zac Fisher lay the foundation of what could genuinely be a breakout season in 2019.

He exceeded my expectations with his ability to win the ball in congestion and use of his creativity. 

I can only imagine that living with Crippa would have his off-field habits at an elite level and the bond that the two of them share is definitely evident.

I'm really excited to see the growth in Zac this season and I would have no hesitation in backing him to play every game and average over 20 disposals.

What about you - what is his ceiling this year?

Not much else can be said about our 307 game club champion. 

We should be very grateful to have such a person within the confines of our club, someone who our younger players can look at with a serious amount of inspiration.

There were moments in 2018 where he might have seemed to be slowing down but he responded as he always does, finishins the season with a 26 disposal average. 

A lot of what we do this year will be defined by our approach to the game and therefore my only expectation of Simmo is that he continues to lead by example, put the club first and help fast track our development.

It will be a sad day when he is no longer lining up in the navy blue.

What do you expect from Simmo in 2019?

Very excited to welcome Mitch to the club after 4 years at the Crows, including plenty of valuable experience in big games.

The back injury is a horrible way for him to begin his Carlton chapter but he will hopefully be on track for a round 1 debut.

The attention that he will attract will undoubtedly help the development of Charlie and Harry - which I believe will be the greatest value that Mitch will provide to the group.

If he were to play as a permanent forward, I believe he's capable of a 40 goal season but I'm yet to be convinced that this will be his role for the entire year.

Ultimately he's a much needed bigger body who is buzzing to be a part of our great club and I'm very excited to see the Governor take flight.

What do you think?

I was pleasantly surprised with how many games Lochie was able to play in 2018.

The experience he gained will be worth it's weight in gold over the next important years of his development as we look to fast-track our young crop to 100 games and beyond.

The lightly framed midfielder showed his ability to win the ball in space and that will be vital for our offensive spread in 2019.

He looks set to line up in round 1 and with that, he puts himself in the best position to keep that spot for the entire year.

Anything close to 20 possessions a game would be a great return for Lochie and along with Paddy Dow, adding a layer of running power to his game.

What do you think?

13 games in yet another injury-plagued season for the former skipper.

With the captaincy (and extra scrutiny) relinquished, I can truly see Murph having a great year for the club.

Our extra layer of midfield depth will hopefully allow for a more suitable role whereby he should find himself in positions to utilise his running power and skill by foot.

I'm excited to have the former AFL MVP back at full fitness and enjoying his footy again.

His decision to stay at the club and set the example for our younger players with respect to staying loyal in the ever-growing free market model is something that should be appreciated by all of our supporters.

What do you expect from Murph in 2019?