Bought back a lot of memories this.

Hadn’t been over here since the Geraldton & District Wood Chop in ’86 where I broke a Western Australian record. Hasn’t been beaten since.

Snuck in a wave. Spent the morning visiting old wood industry mates. Delivered some SuperCoach spoken word in town over lunch. Many thanks to representatives of the Yamatji Peoples for the didgeridoo backing. Enchanting.

Then the main course – over to Wonthella Oval for a highly SuperCoach significant clash between West Coast & Fremantle.

And by Christ it was hot. Hot as buggery. 

So hot the powers decided to activate this weak-as-piss policy, which needs to be taken into consideration when you flick through the stats below;

Due to a temperature increase in Geraldton, the heat policy has been enacted: 22min set quarters, 8 min 1/4 & 3/4 break, 22min at HT.

— AFL House (@AFL_House) February 25, 2017

Heat and soft pricks aside, this was our first fair dunkum look at the Mitchell-adjusted West Coast midfield.

Luke Shuey, Matt Priddis and Andy Gaff also came into the side. Critically, THIS was our first chance to see Jack Redden, Lewis Jetta, Elliot Yeo, Chris Masten, Dom Sheed, Liam Duggan and Mark Hutchings scavenge for remaining midfield minutes. 

And there was Fyfe. Nat Fyfe.

He who sprouts Lyfe. He lead out a pretty bloody strong Fremantle unit missing only Lachie Neale, Sandiballs, Bennell & Clarke from the 22.

Importantly though.. Freo were missing strong rookie prospects Luke Ryan & Luke “Serious Penis” Strndica. Gave Ross an absolute earful at quarter time and chucked a sausage roll at his man tits, which I’m now disappointed with myself about – but life goes on.

Then there was a slightly out of context sentence encouraging you all to order your 2017 Jock Reynolds SuperCoach Magazine here while you can due to the fact it is probably the greatest item since the Golden Fleece.

FACT: You’re flailing behind the #SuperCoach pack if you don’t snap one of these up #JockMag Get one here: https://t.co/EukFPW3RF2 pic.twitter.com/hqnFjNOcAt

— Jock Reynolds (@jock_reynolds) February 18, 2017

West Coast

They had 115 touches of the pill by quarter time.. to Fremantle’s 48. Blew the haze off the park from the word go. Yes.. they are a game ahead of Fremantle in terms of preparation but there was more to it than that. This was an absolute bludgeoning.

Structurally significant blokes not playing: Nic Nat, Scott Lycett, Jonathan Giles, Jeremy McGovern, Tommy Lamb, Will Schofield

Sam Mitchell | MID | $568000

Within 10 minutes had disposed of the pill 10 times and had cleared the ball out of congestion more than anyone on the park.

As attractive as today was from a Sam Mitchell SuperCoach point of view – the effect on West Coast’s outside mids absolutely stunned me. Looked every bit the flint that could ignite the West Coast outside mids in a big way this season.. there could be several SuperCoach beneficiaries on the outside with Mitchell in the side. Brilliant signs for a Sam Mitchelled West Coast team today.

Finished with 28 possessions (not bad considering the shortened game time), although only 4 of them were contested, and he didn’t tackle once. In his defence, there wan’t much to tackle today.

Matt Priddis | MID | $593800

Hair held up surprisingly well in these sweltering conditions, appearing to maintain some real buoyancy and bounce throughout the contest which was encouraging.

As was the case with most of his mates – he came to play. 27 touches @85% and 5 tackles. Will quietly walk into the SuperCoach season under-estimated once again, and under-selected.

Nathan  Vardy | RUC | $265500

With no Nic Nat, Lycett or Giles this was his time. He needed to grab this rucking contest extremely firmly by the gonads. He was useless as tits on a bull and grabbed stuff all. 12 disposals, just 2 hitouts (!). Did kick a snag in the 3rd quarter, but jogged around like a bloke that didn’t feel as if he belonged at this level. Don’t touch the poor bastard with a barge pole.

Luke Shuey | MID | $574500

Can’t help but think that this bloke could be the biggest winner out of the Sam Mitchell recruitment. Played in the guts all day and kicked arse. Would be a hell of a call to select him at this price, but a 5-7 SC PPG increase may not be out of the question. 15 kicks amongst his 27 possessions.

Andrew Gaff | MID | $493300

See Luke Shuey. Great today, licking his chops with Mitchell in there distributing the pill. Not a bloke I’ll consider at this price. I put Chris Masten in the same boat with Gaff – I don’t believe these blokes have it in them to become top 10 midfielders. 24 touches @92% – only 2 of them contested.

Josh J. Kennedy | FWD | $532200

The dominant big prick on the ground, gave Hamling a bath early in the piece. Nothing happened today that would suggest there will be a backward step taken by JJK in 2017. Bit more quiet in the last half but tucked 5 sausages under his jumper in an impressive performance.

Mark LeCras | FWD | $428600

The frog was good. Very bloody good. Had 2 goals and over a dozen touches before half time then used sparingly after the main break. Finished with 3 including a game high 13 marks.

Elliot Yeo | MID/FWD | $409200

Went to Nat Fyfe in a tagging role.. a fair old indicator as to what we might expect from him in 2017, and a fair old indicator about how keen West Coast were on a full dress rehearsal today. Completely and utterly scrub him off any kind of left-field crazy arse watch list he may have been on.

Mark  Hutchings | MID | $386600

This boy gathered it 24 times last week, and was good early playing a high half forward / midfield pinch hitting role. Appeared cleaner and more assured with the aggot in hand this week. Pulled off the park before he could whack a stake in the ground – 37% TOG in the end.

Drew  Petrie | FWD | $356400

Droopie should have taken some kind of mentoring role at North Melbourne after getting the chop. Injury to key talls, and/or continued Nathan Vardy underpant stainage could be the only thing that gets him a game this year. 7 hitouts today. 5 more than Vardy.

Jack  Redden | MID | $348600

Higgo and his old Mum would have been watching him with interest today. 9 tackles last week, but very little accumulation of the pill. Sat on his arse for the entire first half – a very bad sign when you consider the fact that West Coast played their A team (and had their A game on) in the first half. Rotated through the midfield when he came on.. could only manage the 8 touches.

Sharrod Wellingham | DEF | $344000

Old trampoline boy was BOG for West Coast last week, taking kick outs and played most of the game.. and I’ll admonish it – he was good again today. Still completely agree with Kev – you don’t want a bloke called Sharrod in your team. Fools gold.

Lewis  Jetta | MID/FWD | $318300

Good boy! 21 touches with 16 of them by hoof – and pumped the ball inside 50 five times. Here’s a bloke who averaged 83 in his last season at Sydney before falling off the face of the SuperCoach earth after crossing to West Coast last year. Looked comfortable in his skin and fit. Not for me, but the signs were there today.

Dom  Sheed | MID | $267400

Fluffed around on the outside a bit but worked his way into the game. 19 touches @ 90% efficiency, however – only 6 of them contested. You have to wonder where he sits in this West Coast structure in 2017.

Fremantle

While you don’t go writing a mob off in their first preseason hitout.. you could be excused for doing just that based on the flaccid purple dribble that flopped onto the park today. Granted, West Coast came to play and this was Freo’s first crack at it but stuff me – this was ordinary.

Fyfe aside, there really was stuff all SuperCoach relevance to be plucked out of this one for Freo.

Pricks not out there with their mates: Aaron Sandilands, Zac Clarke, Lachie Neale, Harley Bennell, Alex Pearce, Griffin Logue, Luke Ryan, Luke Strnadica.

Nat  Fyfe | MID | $573500

The bloke we were gagging to see today. Looked fit, strong and quickly asserted himself as Fremantle’s most prolific seed gathers today. 22 touches which was a Freo game high. 16 of them were contested. Delicious shit.

Incredibly.. was tagged by Elliot Yeo from the second quarter. Don’t see that too often in a preseason hitout. Plucked a solid hanger in the 3rd quarter which aroused me for a few reasons. Primary arousal was achieved because it was a real indicator of his confidence and lower body health. Secondary arousal achieved for the manner in which his hair fell across that angelic point scoring face upon his descent.

In my and/or your team.

Cam McCarthy | FWD | $203600

Back from his spell in 2016. The word is he’s been working like a mad dog to get himself fit and ready. While Fremantle struggled to get the ball up near the sticks McCarthy still looked a lonnnng way off when he found himself near the thing. Ross Lyon’s been banging on about how impressive he’s been over summer.. lets have another look at him next week. Had his hand on the pig-skin only 7 time with 75% game time.

David  Mundy | MID | $507200

The Mund has an absolute SHOCKER. Started in the guts, spent some time across half back – barely touched the sides at any point today. 8 possessions from his 75% TOG.

Michael  Walters | FWD | $427600

One of the few blokes, along with Fyfe, who flew the flag for Ross when Fremantle were being pummelled in the first half. Please don’t go slapping him into your SuperCoach side, we should see much of the same from him in 2017. Up and down, will average your 78-82SC which equally no-mans land. 14 touches made him Fremantle’s second most prolific ball winner..

Connor  Blakely | MID | $400400

We had Fyfe, Mitchell and some other cracking prospects to look at today. And you know what community? I was as excited about seeing Connor Blakely today as I was about these other blokes. However, I’ll leave the press box disappointed. Ross didn’t give him much of a crack at it today. Still managed 12 touches from his 60% odd game time, half of them being contested.

If you have a squiz at his Beast profile from this year’s magazine you’ll see that there’s something special on the horizon here. By the way, got your magazine yet? You’re mad if you don’t so snap one up here and I’ll whack one in the mail on Monday.

Keep him on ice.. I want to see him again next week.

Bradley  Hill | MID/FWD | $355200

Not nearly enough impact on the game considering his 80% game time. 10 disposals.

Jonathon  Griffin | RUC | $335200

The leading ruckman on the ground today. This was more to do with the fact that he was the only ruckman worth a warm cup of piss out there than anything else.

Sean  Darcy | RUC | $117300

Benched for the first half before being provided his first sniff at the big time. Not ready the kid – held the ball in his mits twice with 4 hitouts in the last half.

Looks like I’ll be the first prick out of this press box this evening – got time to head to the pub for a few jars with Pridd. How did you see it today folks?

Remember we’ve got our very own CoachKings Sunday Session cranking tomorrow so whack in your 9 man Gold Coast v Essendon team now and try and win yourself some FREE cash!

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Jock Reynolds