By Connor Burns
Coburg started well last Saturday afternoon before fading late to lose by 34 points against the Suns. Here is a player-by-player summary to see how your Lions players performed on the weekend.
Flynn Gentile (29 disposals, four marks, five tackles, eight inside-50’s)
Was up and about early, delivering the ball inside 50 well on several occasions. Gentile, along with Trudgeon and big Cooper Keogh were crucial parts of that midfield that took it right up to the Suns in the first half. Unfortunately, Coburg lost the territory and clearance battle badly in the second half, which prevented their scoring opportunities. Still Gentile racked up plenty of the footy and had another very solid game, as he pushes for higher honours later this year. You would imagine he would be in strong contention for the J.J Liston Trophy as the league’s best and fairest after the season finishes as well.
Joel Trudgeon (26 disposals, six tackles, five marks, one goal)
Trudgeon played a game that we’ve come to expect from him this season. His consistent performances week to week have been an impressive attribute from the 21-year-old. One of the main onballers alongside Gentile, Trudgeon was tough in the clinches, laying six tackles and registering four clearances in another strong display. He has also added goalkicking to his game in recent times, kicking 10 goals so far this season, and kicked one again on the weekend.
Donovan Toohey (26 disposals, three marks, two tackles, four rebound 50s)
Toohey was back to his best after a quiet game on return last weekend. He used his big kicking to set up play off half-back, registering four rebound 50’s. He has been an absolute ball magnet since joining the club from Fitzroy in the VAFA in the off-season. He had plenty of metres gained as well and will hope to finish the season in strong form.
Lachlan Walker (25 disposals, eight marks, three rebound 50’s, three clearances)
Walker produced another very strong game against the Suns. As one of the more experienced VFL players at Coburg, he leads the backline group, getting his job done every week but is also able to find plenty of the footy. He is a good hybrid type defender, who can play on talls and smalls. Continues to put together one of his best VFL seasons, where he’s averaged 24 disposals and six marks.
Ryan Sturgess (24 disposals, 10 marks, two inside-50’s, three rebound-50’s)
The hero against Port Melbourne made his return from illness after a week out, in what was a welcome addition to the side. Sturgess picked up from where he left off, looking solid off-half back. He rolled behind the footy to take intercept marks and was impactful in repelling gold coast’s attack. He uses the ball well and has a booming leg, using both of those things to advantage on Saturday. A solid return for ‘Sturg’, he will be looking to finish off the year strongly.
Josh D’Intinosante (24 disposals, seven marks, six tackles, eight clearances)
JD responded well from a quiet game last week, impacting the contest strongly. His midfield work was impressive with an equal game-high eight clearances, and he provided a real presence through the middle of the ground. The 23-year-old has had a pretty good season this year, becoming a strong leader in a young side. Has great skills, but also a hardness and attack on the footy that’s second to none. The two are a rare combination. He didn’t hit the scoreboard on Saturday but is one of the forwards/mids for Coburg that’s capable of pushing forward and hurting the opposition.
Braedyn Gillard (21 disposals, three marks, three inside-50s, three rebound-50s
Put together a relatively solid game, after dominating against Frankston last week. He had just one clearance but was able to accumulate the footy around the ground. One of the senior players in the side, Gillard is a member of the leadership group and has put together a solid individual season, especially in the backend of the year. He is a key part of Coburg’s future and will look to finish this year well.
Josh May (18 disposals, seven marks, three rebound-50’s, one tackle)
May has solidified himself as a versatile key defender since crossing over from Port Melbourne in the off-season. He is very athletic and is able to impact in the air and on the ground like Kalpakis. He has barely played a bad game this year and performed well again on Saturday. Probably didn’t use the ball as well as he often does but has solidified himself as a key member in Coburg’s defence this season.
Cooper Keogh (18 disposals, 45 hit outs, four clearances and two marks)
Had another good outing to continue a great individual season. He always wins plenty of hit-outs and must be given credit for the impressive seasons of on-ballers Gentile and Trudgeon. Came across from North Melbourne’s VFL side in the off-season and has solidified himself as one of the best rucks in the VFL competition. Won plenty of the footy on the weekend, winning clearances and getting the ball going for the Burgers. Will continue to push his case for higher honours in the next few weeks.
Max Kennedy (18 disposals, one mark, one tackle, two clearances)
Kennedy has been a mainstay in Coburg’s side since first playing last year. However, he has improved his output significantly this year. Kennedy has racked up the footy on the wing and was solid without being brilliant on Saturday. Had a good game coming up against some good wingers. The next step for Kennedy will be kicking goals and impacting the game more from an offensive point of view. Still quite young and he has plenty of scope for improvement in his game.
Max Thompson (17 disposals, five marks, two tackles, one goal)
Started the game brilliantly, kicking an early goal and setting up some scores for Coburg. He ran up and down the ground as a wingman, providing an outlet option consistently across the day. He has been more damaging in recent games, kicking six goals in his last three outings to become one of the most in-form wingers. The 21-year-old has been pretty consistent since coming into the team midway through the season and will be important in their last two games of the season and beyond.
Dylan Laurie (15 disposals, nine marks, two tackles, two inside-50’s
On his Coburg debut after crossing from the Northern Bullants, Laurie produced an impressive display. He got his hands on the footy early in the contest, winning several important one on one contests. Also used the ball well with his silky right boot on several occasions. Will look to build on his performance this week against his old side and finish the year strongly. Will hope for more senior opportunities in 2025.
Charlie Beasley (15 disposals, six marks, four tackles, four rebound-50’s)
Beasley looked solid against the Suns on the weekend. Against a team with a lack of talls in the forward half, the key defender was able to dominate in the air at times, with intercept marks and big spoils. Since coming back into the side in round 17 after a six-week VFL absence, Beasley has improved every week and will look to cap off a pretty solid season over the next two games.
Kyle Weightman (12 disposals, two tackles, two inside-50’s, one goal)
The ‘Flea’ returned after one week on the sidelines with a knee injury. He provided us with his trademark flare and excitement early in the contest. He was involved in some early score involvements, within his forward handballs and he also broke the line a few times. Weightman has consistently hit the scoreboard and will be hoping for a few big games to round out his 2024 season.
Mitch Podhajski (10 disposals, seven marks, two inside-50’s, three goals)
‘Pods’ has continued to go from strength to strength since his return from injury. He came away with a season best return of three goals and provided a strong target all day. Playing on former AFL player James Frawley and young gun Jed Walter, Podhajski got the better of the battle. It is exciting to see what he can do in the final two games of the season and next year if he can get a good run at it without injuries.
Ben Crick (10 disposals, four marks, two tackles, two rebound-50’s)
As spoken about last week, Crick is continuing to develop and feel comfortable at the level. The youngster is playing a tough role as a half-forward and is covering plenty of ground. His speed and up-tempo style of play is exciting, and he has the ability to eventually become a very dangerous forward. He showed flashes of brilliance and class on the weekend, while laying tackles and working back to rebound the footy on multiple occasions.
Jesse Corigliano (10 disposals, five marks, three tackles, four goals)
The skipper had a great game with maximal impact from his possessions. He started the game on fire, kicking two goals in the first quarter and was very impactful in giving the Lions a commanding early lead. All of his 10 disposals resulted in a score, with his four goals the highlight for Coburg. Corigliano normally plays down back, using his leg to spark offensive chains but has hit the scoreboard in recent weeks. It is a move that should continue as the season ends, and Corigliano looks like a potential long-term forward option for the club.
Josh Watson (nine disposals, three marks, three tackles, two inside-50’s)
Coming off one of the best games of his VFL career, Watson struggled to reach the same heights on the weekend after being hampered by an ankle injury. His pressure and attack on the footy are always second to none, as he laid tackles and was in the thick of everything. A knock to his ankle during the game left his sore and unable to compete the way he had done during the early stages of the game. Watson had put together a consistent month leading into the Suns game, but it now appears his season is over.
Deacon Kalpakis (nine disposals, four marks, four rebound 50’s, one tackle)
Kalpakis has been ultra-impressive this season, with an ability to impact in the air and lockdown a key forward. The 20-year-old wasn’t as offensively damaging on the weekend, but still locked down young forward Sandy Brock, alongside Charlie Beasley. He has a bright future and a nice left foot and will continue to develop and get better. He plays with maturity beyond his years and was solid again on Saturday despite not being exceptional.
Caleb Ernst (nine disposals, four marks, two tackles, one goal)
The big man played his first game at VFL level since round eight, after plying his trade back in Bendigo for Strathfieldsaye. His return was promising, playing arguably the best game of his short VFL career. He looked dangerous at stages and finished with three scoring shots, for 1.2. He took four marks and provided a good target. The goal for Ernst will just be consistency as the season rounds out, and he will look to impact the game more often as he gains experience at this level.
Henry Brown (nine disposals, three marks, one inside-50, one rebound-50)
Brown is very early into his VFL career, and has showed positive signs for the future. After coming out of junior footy less than two seasons ago, Brown has got a good taste of senior footy this year. His numbers are never big, but the pressure he applied on the weekend was important. His ability to push high up the ground as a link up player is important to Coburg’s team structure. He plays a tough role as a half-forward, and the next step for Brown is to impact the game more offensively and consistency kick and set up goals.
Liam Serong (five disposals, four marks, one tackle, one rebound-50)
Has now played nine games this year and showed gradual improvement. He has good athleticism and showed that at times on Saturday despite a relatively subdued impact on the game. As one of the youngest players on Coburg’s list, Serong will continue to work on his consistency and put on size to be able to compete with some of the best forwards. He nonetheless played his role on the weekend, while it was the smaller forward s for the Suns that proved tougher to stop.
Sam Grant (three disposals, 11 hit outs, one mark, one clearance)
Grant played his first game of VFL since round 11 and struggled to have a big impact on the contest. The developing tall has played eight games this year and has showed some great signs with his high marking and strong ruck work. It was his weakest game at VFL level this season, but he will be better for the run. Still provided a good chop out in the ruck for Keogh and could be used in a similar role if the Lions want to stretch the Northern Bullants this weekend.
