Review 2011 season player reviews: Stake your claim in the BigFooty Annual.

[Captain Jack]

I'll take Gysberts

 

[Crimson Azure]

I'll take Gysberts

Done.

Think I'll wait and see what happens to Emo Maric in the next few weeks before submitting mine. Can't leave the story hanging on the edge not knowing if he's going to get the Tijuana or not.

The wait is over.

Feel free to get him done & nominate another.

 

[00Stinger]

I'll take Trengove and Martin

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Do you want the reviews posted in here as well as in the 'Change Rooms' CA?

 

[Crimson Azure]

Do you want the reviews posted in here as well as in the 'Change Rooms' CA?

Yeah post it in both, this is the review thread and it should be in the players own thread too.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

# 4 – Jack Watts

Expectations for season 2011:

I’m not sure what most Demon fans expected of Jack, but as a staunch believer in his talent I was hoping for a mini-breakout season (think of this more as a serious announcement of talent); although, as we had only seen glimpses of his ability in years 2009 and 2010, it was hard to gauge just how much improvement should be expected of Jack.

At the beginning of season 2011 I thought to myself; "A 25 goal season from Jack, playing at CHF, would be great" and it would have him following a similar development path to some elite players; such as Nick Riewoldt.

Basically I considered this year another one of development.

One thing was certain in my mind, he would win over a lot of doubters (I even had a couple of casual bets following this theme) and would play some very good football.

Key Statistics:

Season
- Disposals = 16.1
- Goals = 1.0
- Marks = 5.6 (1.2 contested)
- Tackles = 2.4
- DT/SC = 72.8/75.0

Overall Performance:

Overall I, and Melbourne fans as a whole, was very pleased with Jack’s progression and performances this season. He was literally a shining light for us this season, playing a lone hand in some matches.

The season started off averagely for Jack however; he lacked intensity and desire. I’ll be honest, when he was named as a substitute for the game against the Gold Coast my confidence in him wavered for the first time (Although I didn't let the Essendon supporters in Watts vs Hurley threads know this!! ... come at me).

His response however, was fantastic (Let my faith waver... no more). There was a notable change in his attitude from the next round (a bloodbath at Patterson’s) and he looked a like a player with purpose, skill and desire.

Jack proceeded to produce an array of very pleasing performances for the next few weeks; playing some excellent roles in our games against St. Kilda, Essendon, North Melbourne and Collingwood (He was one of the few who could hold his head up high after the Queen’s Birthday debacle).

Then came two weeks of football that I don’t think I will forget… the weeks that Jack Watts showed what he could accomplish on a football field.

Firstly there was the round 13 game against Fremantle; Jack was literally everywhere and he had the ball on a string. He was taking one handed grabs, weaving in and out of players on the wings, scooping the ball up one handed in the forward line and weaving through forward fifty congestion. I watched this game live and it was a joy to have my faith in Jack given excellent vindication.

Then came a match against Richmond, round 14… again I was in the stands to watch this display. Jack rose to the occasion, taking contested grabs and kicking important goals… that goal on the third term siren is one that has stuck in my memory ever since (in fact I’m going to make it into a .gif and set it as my desktop background after I finish this review), it was a great moment.

Jack had a more subdued end to the season than I would have liked, but my sources tell me that he struggled with a chest infection (or an ailment of a similar ilk) in the lead up to the Port Adelaide game… and to be fair he didn’t look quite right up in Darwin (Those familiar with a chest infection would do well to remember the adverse impact upon it has upon lung capacity… anyway this only from a ‘sauce’). His form and effort was solid in the coming weeks, and in the context of team performance he was regularly a standout.

He did have one last game worthy of significant praise, and it was on a dark day too. Round 20 against Carlton; an excellent performance… there was individual brilliance in the form of two running goals from outside 50, courage in the form of marks running back with the flight in defense and class in the form of don’t argues on B. Thornton and the use of his speed and agility to weave through packs and players on the wing.

There were a few cameo 'moments of class' in the last month of season 2011 (particularly the West Coast game; why couldn’t Morton have drop punted that shot at goal??) but it was fairly obvious the long season had taken its toll.

Which was a little disappointing considering I thought there was an opportunity for Jack to finish the season off really strongly (GC, Richmond and Port).

Wattsy capped off the season with a top 10 finish in the Melbourne BnF (9th overall) and I would rate his season as a 7.5/10; a really solid foundation for him to explode from over the next couple of years.

Where to go??

Well, the obvious answer is that Watts will only improve from here. He has more weight to put on (hopefully he’ll work his way up to just under the 100kg mark from the 91.5 – 92 he is currently), a bigger fitness base to build, more strength to develop and more experience to gain in terms of playing AFL football and learning how to play with his teammates and within Neeld's game structure.

One of the beauties of Watts is that we aren’t quite sure what he will become, he has a large number of attributes which make him an outstanding candidate for a variety of roles.

Ultimately I see him becoming a roaming CHF, although a prototype CHF at that… a 'play-maker' if you will.

He’ll be a goal kicker, he’ll be a star and I don’t think we’ll have to wait too much longer to see his full capabilities.

What are my expectations for Watts’ 2012 you ask?

Well, I’ve placed great faith in the lad.... and I’m not about to stop now! Considering a KPP's fourth season can often be their breakout (although keep in mind Jack is a year younger than most others taken in the 08 draft... yes, including Hurley and Naitanui) I'll ask for 40+ goals, 17-ish disposals per game, 7+ marks (with at least 2 of them being contested!!!) and a sprinkling of goal assists as well.

On a more specific note I would like Jack to win more contested possessions, take more shots on goal (hopefully he won't be swung to half back whenever we are losing under Neeld!!) and obviously increase his consistency throughout the season.

Make it happen Jack!

 

[Eth]

Nice work, mate.

 

[Demon 86]

Good review TPM well played

 

[Demon 86]

# 31 – Tom Scully

Expectations for season 2011:

I think everyone knows that expectations of Scully leading into 2011 had almost nothing to do with on-field performance. All eyes were on him and his management for a decision on his future from February onwards when Eddie McGuire made his famous ‘tom toms are beating’ claim on radio. From then on almost all focus was on whether or not Tom would take up the financial offer of a lifetime and turn his back on the oldest football club in the world. Of course we all know how that panned out.

If you ignore the off-field drama and turn your mind back to his football, I think the expectations for Tom this season were fairly high until he injured himself. Everyone expected 20 odd games where he worked on his consistency and disposal, with a few games like the 39 disposal WB match in 2010 thrown in for good measure. Ultimately these expectations were never going to happen after his knee was diagnosed with ‘bone stress’ which eventually ruled him out until round 11.

Key Statistics:

Season
- Disposals = 20.8 (7.6 kicks & 13.2 handballs)
- Goals = 0.1
- Marks = 2.1
- Tackles = 5.4
- DT/SC = 76.7/71.1
- Disposal efficiency = 65%

Overall Performance:

Overall there is no doubt that 2011 was an extremely disappointing year for Demon’s fans all round. The ‘will he/won’t he’ Scully saga dominated headlines from February onwards meaning it was never going to be an easy year for Scully on or off the field. Ultimately Tom made his decision and it was to leave the Demons for a record breaking pay check. Debate will continue amongst Football fans as to whether this was the right decision but it is all superfluous- he is gone. In any case this isn’t a debate about whether he made the right decision; this is an on-field performance review.

With expectations of a big year for Tom dashed in March, focus turned to his recovery. The knee injury which we now know will plague him for the rest of his career turned out to be far more serious than the initial 4-5 weeks we were told. We had to wait until late May for Tom to have his first run, and it was through the VFL. He racked up 19 touches and a goal in little more than a half of football against Williamstown, immediately forcing his hand up for senior recall. There was no doubt from any of the on-lookers down at Werribee (Willy's ground wasn't playable for some reason) that he is well above that standard.

His first AFL game for 2011 was against Essendon on a Friday night, and his first touch (an ordinary kick that only just hit its target) was greeted with rapturous applause from the MCC. In fact this game was probably his best of the season as he racked up 24 touches, 8 clearances and a goal. Tom made a mockery of the theory that 3 months out would mean he’d take a while to adjust- proving that when he’s uninjured he is an absolute running machine. His impact was plain to see and he helped us to a great 33 point win after embarrassing ourselves the Friday before against the Blues. Interestingly despite Tom being excellent for the evening he had 6 clangers- something that would become a trend throughout the season.

Scully’s next few games were also good as he averaged around 26 touches against the Pies, Dockers and Tigers. The highlight of the two games was at the start of the Freo match when the game was in the balance and Scully racked up 7 touches in as many minutes to ‘light the fuse’ and set the Dees on their way. He was at his best running hard, breaking lines and delivering with reasonable efficiency. It was during those 7 minutes that you could really see what sort of player he is capable of becoming.

The next month or so was a tough one for Tom on and off the field. A very quiet night against the Dogs (well held by the solid Liam Picken) and an absolute stinker against Port in Darwin (again held by one of the best stoppers in Kane Cornes) was sandwiched by the ‘revelation’ that GWS had indeed made a lucrative contract offer to his management. The speculation about his future from then on hit fever pitch, and Tom’s form dipped off as well. Coincidence? Maybe, but no matter how professional and dedicated you are it couldn’t be easy going about your business with that sort of media frenzy carrying on every day.

His remaining games were fairly ordinary to be honest. Tom accumulated his standard 20 odd touches a game but his ball use was poor and his running not at his previous frenetic levels. He seemed unwilling or unable to take the game on and use his pace to break lines, leading to speculation that he was carrying an injury (and of course speculation that he was just biding his time until joining GWS). It was undoubtedly a poor end to a season that initially promised so much, and his departure merely added to this feeling.

Scully didn’t play enough games to be anywhere near B&F reckoning, but even if he had have his standard wasn’t high enough to get anywhere near there. I would rate his season (on-field) as a 4.5/10, with injury and off-field distractions key factors.

Where to go??

Well it’d be easy to say ‘who cares’ at this point but it’s actually an interesting question putting all ill feeling aside. If Tom was at the Dees next year he would be allowed to develop at his own pace knowing that the likes of Moloney etc will take the bulk of the heat at the stoppages. At GWS Tom will have Power & Junior heart to take some of the heat, but otherwise he and Callan Ward are their premier midfielders and will be expected to lead the line. Whilst he’s shown over his career (including juniors) that he’s adept at handling change & adversity I wouldn’t expect too much from the kid next year despite his reported $2million pay check for 2012.

From a pure football point of view there is no doubt that this move is not in his best interests in 2012 at least, and possibly over the duration of his career. However he has 6 million reasons to disagree with that assertion.

 

[Demon 86]

CA - don't know how to edit text size so can you please make the titles larger like in TPMs review?

Cheers

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Brent Moloney 2011 Review

Games – 22 (First ever full season).
Subbed off - Once.
B&F - 227 votes. First.
Brownlow votes - 19 (Personal Best).
DT - 88 avg.
SC - 99.2 avg (Personal Best).

“It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times.”

Beamer’s season is well summed up by that monkey with a typewriter, cigarette and manacle. Will it be remembered for his best or his blurst?

All Melbourne fans wanted to see a full, injury-free season from Beamer for the first time. We wanted to see him continue to shark Mark Jamar hit outs like nobody else, and we wanted to see him continue to be a strong and popular leader to the young squad, especially after Junior McDonald’s controversial sacking at the end of 2010.

He started strongly against Sydney in a round one draw, being our best player. Things were looking golden against Brisbane in round 3, with Beamer notching up what was to be a season high 36 touches.

Then he got drunk, and it was reported he pissed on a bar. But he didn’t. But he was demoted from vice-captain anyway. But he was remoted* to vice-captain again two months later. "Awesomesauce," we all said! He is our best leader, whether or not it is official.

In those two months he had plenty of strong performances, including an epic 19 clearance game against Adelaide and putting the exclamation point on our best win for the year, against Essendon.

Beamer kept rolling on in his own style, roving hit outs, tackling more than ever before and getting dirty in the clinches until the brick wall that was 186. In a game where no Demon could hold their head high Beamer was unceremoniously given the red vest at half time with a row of bagels next to his name. This truly was the blurst of times. But the fan favourite bounced back from this shocker to finish the season strongly, and was one of the only Demons to give a shit against Port in the final round, registering his fifth BOG in the Brownlow and easily leading the club tally with 19 votes.

In 2011 he confirmed his status as one of the best players in the competition when it comes to roving hit outs, whether from Mark Jamar or Stefan Martin. Beamer proved to be a vital player and barometer for the Demons; our on field fortunes often mirrored the on-baller. He averaged 9 more touches when the Dees won than when we lost. For the first time in three years Beamer kicked more than he handballed, but it was not the mindless blazing away we used to see when he first came to the Dees. His marking tally dropped as he received more opposition attention and found he had to work harder for his possessions; this was a mark of respect from the opposition midfields.

Beamer’s first full season was rewarded with his first Keith “Bluey” Truscott Trophy. His speech was eagerly anticipated by fans after he had given Brock Mclean a verbal slap in 2009, but he ignored He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and kept his message for those still in red and blue. He expressed his belief that our culture needed to be stronger, confirmed his desire to play in September, thanked the Russian for tapping the pill down his throat each week and singled out Col Sylvia as someone who did not live up to his potential in 2011.

So will 2011 be remembered for the best or blurst of Brent Moloney? Will it be remembered for (not) pissing on a bar or for winning the Best and Fairest? Will it be remembered for not registering a stat and being subbed during 186 or for otherwise being one of our most consistent players and strongest leaders?

Your name doesn’t go on an honour board for drinking, your name goes on an honour board for achieving.

You don’t get trophies for when you fail, you get trophies for when you succeed.

To get a trophy in a team sport, you need to succeed a lot. And in 2011, Brent Moloney had many achievements and successes.

May he march onwards and upwards in 2012, continue his dominating partnership with Mark Jamar, keep sharing his passion for the Red and Blue with the new recruits and confirm his place as a true leader at the Melbourne Football Club.

*Shakespeare invented 1700 words and now BSB has invented one word. I’m on my way.[/QUOTE]

 

[Supermercado]

19. Addam Maric

Games - 9
Goals - 8
Sub: on = 1, off = 2
Best and Fairest - 32 votes (31st)

"Maric! At The Centrelink"

After a disastrous 2010 campaign where he played just one match, ironically in Melbourne's best performance of the year, before being dropped again, the man affectionately known as 'Emo' amongst Demon fans due to his vast array of serious expressions, entered the final year of his contract standing at the footballing crossroads.

With the prospect of delisting or a shotgun trade to another club on the horizon the former #21 draft pick impressed during Melbourne's pre-season campaign and won a spot in the starting lineup for Round 1 with dual three goal performances in the final practice matches against Brisbane and Hawthorn. Touted as one of the potential breakout players of the year expectations were high that Maric would make the small forward position his own.

The initial optimism was short lived, and at three quarter time of the Round 1 clash he became the first Demon to be substituted in a match since Round 22, 1977 when he replaced by Ricky Petterd. Petterd went on to be one of the key players in earning the Demons a draw, and after having just seven touches Maric was relegated to wearing the dreaded green vest the next week.

Replacing Neville Jetta, who had also suffered from raised expectations after his strong pre-season, during the third quarter he was ineffectual against a rampant Hawks side and his six touches barely made a dent in Hawthorn as they ran away to an easy victory. His inability to get into the game against a side who he had been one of the best against in a practice match just weeks earlier was another worrying sign.

Dropped from the side after the Hawthorn game it took Maric until Round 7 to break back into the side, but when he did it he rewarded selectors with the game of his life. Following a week from hell for then coach Dean Bailey after Melbourne's capitulation in Perth the new Adelaide Innovations Coach saw his side returned to the MCG and beat his future employers by 96 points. Maric was one of the best with 31 touches, including 21 kicks. With scores of 0.4 for the season it seemed that he wasn't going to fill the crumber role that Bailey was crying out for but hopes were again raised that he might have other discovered talents as a ball winner that the coach could tap into.

His possession tally dropped back to 13 the next week, but crucially it included three goals. None were kicked when the game was in the balance, and he was largely disappointing otherwise, but it proved that the player who came to the club with a reputation as a dead eye set for goal could possibly contribute on the scoreboard and that he definitely still had en eye for goal..

He booted another two majors the next week but was dropped after the Round 10 loss to Carlton, the night Mick Malthouse infamously labelled him as a cheat for claiming a 'goal' that was adjudged to have been touched. Dropped again after that match he returned to Casey and had to wait another six weeks for another chance.

Maric's hopes of cementing a permanent spot in the team were almost on their last legs when Melbourne travelled to Darwin to take on Port Adelaide. Two early goals, and yes even a hint of a smile after one of them, helped Melbourne establish what would eventually be a match winning lead. He added a career high equalling third late in the game. With the troubled Austin Wonaeamirri once again out of the frame it seemed the small forward's position was once again his to lose.

They would be the last goals he'd ever kick for the Demons. Another torrid day against the Hawks saw him on the other side of the subs vest for the second time that season, being handed the red during the third quarter after managing just nine touches.

By now, having battled his way to eight goals in eight games, Maric's position in the Demon squad was hanging by a thread and to nobody's surprise he was one of the first victims of Melbourne's 186 point humiliation against Geelong. The incoming Todd Viney administration dropped him and he didn't appear in the seniors again.

He returned to the VFL for one game, but a foot injury finished his season and kept him out of Casey's finals campaign.

Requesting that the club find him a new home, Maric was initially linked to North Melbourne during the trade period, but his attempt to win a clearance to North failed and he ended the season in the unenviable position of being of contract and without a club. With Melbourne required to delist two players to free up space for the National Draft Maric was one of the victims.

It appears likely that he will join the Kangaroos through the pre-season or rookie draft. Get well soon kid.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I'll take a run at Jurrah this week.

 

[Crimson Azure]

How is everyone going with the players they have selected?

Anyone else interested in doing a player, you can nominate here.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Liam Jurrah 2011 Review

Games: 18
Goals: 40 (Club leader)
Best and Fairest: 121 votes, 13th
Martin Flanagan article mentions: 4

“Do you know what it’s like to be the most athletic guy on the field and then be told don’t follow your instincts? Follow the playbook, no matter what!” –Virgil Merriweather

I feel that this quote from the excellent season 4 of Friday Night Lights can be used to sum up Liam Jurrah’s 2011. In the program, Vince “Where the **** is Wallace?” Howard is a raw footballer who is the most athletic guy on the field. Coach is approaching him like he does all the other players, by getting him to rehearse the set plays, and ignore his instincts. Vince’s form suffers, until he is once again given the freedom to play his natural game. Liam Jurrah in 2011 was a caged beast, who at times appeared uncomfortable and unsure on the field. Let’s look deeper…

Before the season started, most Melbourne supporters would have been drooling at the prospect of an injury free Liam Jurrah. Upon completing his first pre-season uninterrupted, it was excitement time for the red and blue. What could he do this year? How long before he had wrapped up mark and goal of the year? When would he kick his first bag? Win us a match? Get his first mention in a Martin Flanagan article?

Well Flanagan dropped his name in February, seemingly just for fun in an article about Peter Costello, the AFL and philanthropy. Things were looking good for LJ’s supporters. Round one and LJ took a beautiful one hander, it was looking golden. Minds were being cast back to the halcyon days of the early 90s, of Allen Jakovich and David Schwarz. How many would he slot this year? By the time the bye came, LJ had slotted 12 goals from the first four games. A strong 5 goal game against Brisbane was the highlight from this period.

The Warlpiri Wizard had a duck against West Coke, before a treble of threes against Adelaide, North, and St Kilda. But it was a funny thing. 21 goals from 8 games is a fine return, and most Demon faithful would have taken that at the start of the year. But there were mutterings in the outer. “He has to chase.” “He has to get more physical.” “He has to work harder.” For every freak goal there was a half hearted chase. For every burst of talent there was a contest lacking the required physicality.

As the season carried on, more concerns continued to grow, and the mutterings became louder. “He goes missing too often when we need him.” “He scores too many goals in junk time.” “He is being repressed.” The honeymoon period was definitely over; The Cougar was no longer being judged with an asterix next to his name.

We weren’t seeing Jurrah leaping over packs, he was waiting on the ground, seemingly due to the lack of crumbers available for the Demons. As the season wore on, LJ found his goal kicking form waning. The debacle that was 186 was on the cards at the first bounce; LJ was lining up on the wing, next to Jimmy Bartel. Within five minutes Bartel had scored a goal and set up two others. Jurrah was moved forward but the truth seemed clear: the coaching staff was not sure how to use him best. There was nothing to gain by lining him up on the wing against Bartel. That was a match up he was never going to win, and it is still unclear what he was meant to learn from it. The season petered out for Liam after that. He lined up for Casey, got a niggle, came back to the ones where he bagged a pair of threes before injuring his wrist flying high against the Gold Coast.

So what do we make of 2011? He got through his first full(ish) AFL season, which is a massive positive. He kicked 40 goals, playing mostly in an unfamiliar role. Yet, many Melbourne supporters are disappointed with his season. Why is this?

The answer is that it is 2011, and AFL is more of a team game than it has ever been. For a player who is all natural flair, Jurrah is being forced to relearn the game that is so simple to him. What does he know of presses, zones and defensive pressure? The round-by-round assessment provided by Mark Williams from the coaching staff surprised me by the negativity. Every week “forward pressure,” “not working hard enough” or “attack the ball” seemed to be mentioned. Rarely did you see a purely positive week review.

Going forward under Mark Neeld and his new coaching staff will be fascinating. There seems to be two ways they can try to untie the Jurrahcane knot. They can put their hands up, and with the addition of Mitch Clark and the development of Jack Watts and Jeremy Howe, allow Jurrah freedom in the forward 50 to do his thing. To give him licence to fly for the big grabs, and read the play as only a natural can. Or, they can try and mould him into the footballer they want him to be. Focus on the defensive side of his game, and possibly try and turn him into the crumber Melbourne is struggling to find.

This brings me back to the original quote. Is there room in 2012 and beyond for a natural to do what comes naturally? To play an individual game in a team sport? The heart says just let him play, it will work out. In a strong forward line, he won’t be kicking 40 goals in a season. He will be kicking 60+. But the head says that there is no room for someone who doesn’t run hard enough when the ball isn’t in his hands. That you can have the flair, but you need the grit as well.

Daniel Sims sums up the predicament in Angry Boys: “It’s shit when adults are right and kids are wrong.” Liam Jurrah still plays AFL like a kid in the playground; and we all fell in love with him for it. But it is time to start playing like a man. To get some highlights when the ball isn’t in his hands. This is what we want to see in 2012. We still want the Warlpiri Wizard, but we also want the modern footballer.

And we also want some more Martin Flanagan articles.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

My Strauss one is almost finished; just doing some re-drafting.

Shotgun McKenzie's review.

 

[RandB]

I'd be interested to hear what Japaljarri has to say about Liam's season as well.

IMO he slowed down a bit in the winter months due to the cold - that was when he uncharacteristically shelled a few marks and handball receives and didn't look as sharp as usual. IMO he should wear gloves in June/July (not to keep his hands warm lol but to give him a firmer grip) but admittedly it comes down to individual preference and it may feel a little foreign

Good write up by Bondy though.

 

[LeverPuller]

2011 End of Season Review

#2 - Nathan Jones

Stats
Games: 22
Goals: 14
Brownlow Votes: 1
DT Average: 86.3
SC Average: 89.18
B&F Position: 4th (171)

Expectations
Chunk would slot into the midfield once more in 2011. However, he was expected to step up with the departure of both Cam Bruce and James McDonald. Furthermore, an expectation of Jones as a role model for the young ones coming through in the midfield, despite his own relative lack of experience, was to be expected.

Season 2011
Jones indeed did step up to the plate in 2011. His no-nonsense, run-all-day and go-hard football was a sigh of relief when accusations of bruise-free football flew about. Jones regularly notched up tackles in addition to his average 22-25 touch game, and continued to power through games.

His best games were often ones where Melbourne did struggle - the Queen's Birthday clash, for example, where Melbourne were towelled by Collingwood, Jones continued to rack up touches across half back as he smashed through contests.

The biggest flaw in Jones' game would still be his disposal, however. This is a two-part issue. Primarily, it's a quality of disposal issue. Rather than hitting a lead, Chunk is one who'll hit a standing target, meaning that an opposition player can come over the top and intercept. Furthermore, he does have a penchant for kicking a shank. But these flaws are being reduced, and we are starting to see Chunk, now having passed that magical 100 games barrier, really mature into a serious midfielder. Rounding out the above will turn him not into a class act, but complete his gritty tough go all day midfield capability.

And also, GET OFF BLOODY TWITTER NATE! I know you love to tell the world about the surf, but tell us about it after you've tonked the Pies, not for the fun of it!

Rating: I'd rate him a B. Very hard to rate an A in Melbourne's 2011 side with so many poor performers, but Jones delivered consistency and grunt in a side that sorely lacked both of the above.

2012: I'm expecting him to clean up his disposal but continue his hard-working, hard-running game. If he does so (and I have a fair bit of faith in Neeld to achieve this - see Dane Swan circa 2006) then he'll begin to become a seriously damaging threat.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Can I ask that any who have selected a player give me an idea when you plan to get it done by?

The sooner the better & you can then also look to review another player.

 

[Crimson Azure]

#12-Colin Sylvia

MFC player profile
Big Footy player thread
MFC site 2011 player review

2011 Statistics:

Games Played: 19
Disposals: 20.0
Marks: 3.9
Goals: 1.3
Tackles: 5.3

Dream Team: (Avg - 90.68) (Start Price: $399,500 Finish Price: $311,700 (-$87,800)
Supercoach: (Avg - 96.26) (Start Price: $428,200 Finish Price: $367,000 (-$61,200)

Expectations for 2011:

Most MFC supporters were looking for few things from Sylvia in 2011:
1. To become more consistent. He no doubt has the ability to dominate games & to heavily impact on the final result but for the most part he will only do this a hand full of times per season. He really need to maintain a higher level of consistency & not go missing when he is not firing at his best.
2. Become a leader. The dream was for him to not only lift on but also off the field as a leader both in word & deed. If he was able to do this in combination with improved consistency he would become one of our strongest assets.
3. Reach his potential. For years we've seen glimpses of what he can do but to fully meet what we know he can do he needed to not only excel in the two above areas but also needed to keep himself out of trouble whilst growing his reputation amongst teammates & fans alike.

For a little more on our expectations see his 2011 preview here.

Overall Performance:

In another year where Sylvia got himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons both in the pre & post seasons it was another year where he showed us the good, bad & ugly.

His season had the expected highlights such as his performances against Adelaide & Richmond but let himself down against teams like Geelong when a player with his ability should lead by example.

I would say that his consistency improve a little but from my point of view it was 2009 & 2010 Colin in the 2011 season, he gave us exactly what he has his whole career but managed to fall away completely in a few games rather than 6-8 as he had in times past.

Where did he improve? I think the main area was his pressure on the opposition ball carrier. His tackle average went up by over one tackle a game & in many games had more than any other player on the field. This was positive as it showed a little more awareness during games & was what helped me consider his year to be a slight improvement from other seasons.

Where did it go wrong? After the smashing we received from Geelong he was dropped for a game which, from my point of view was directly related to not standing up & putting it all on the line. It may have been to make an example of him but none the less that was the type of game you'd like to see him lift for the team. He also had two incidents this year & he seems to find trouble. Is it all his fault? Maybe not, but he just keeps being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

His best game for the year was against both Collingwood & Richmond. Both losses you might say. They were but that’s what made them good games for him. Colin can be somewhat of a frontrunner, dominating when the team as a whole is on top. In these games he showed the will to be part of the contest, to try to affect the outcome of the game & against Collingwood he was the only player for the MFC to bother the scoreboard on more than one occasion. Particularly against Richmond in a tight game he kept us in the contest & almost managed to get us across the line. The effort against Richmond is the endeavour we would love to see every week from Colin.

What of 2012?

Well Colin has already I'd imagine put his new coach off side after the latest transgression & he'll need to really put in the hard yards to prove his worth as a mature player & try to be seen as a leader. He will miss round one but needs to make round two the first stepping stone to bigger & better things.

What we want to see from him is exactly what we have asked for, for as long as I can remember: Consistency!

I think the time is now for that to happen, he has five months to show our new coaches what he can do & he has next season to convince the Melbourne faithful that he will become a consistently elite player we all hope he will be.

 

[Captain Jack]

#5 - Jordan Gysberts

2011 Season Review

Stats
Matches: 15
Goals: 3
Kicks: 140
Marks: 51
Handballs: 151
Disposals: 291 - average 19.4
Tackles: 64
DT average: 76.4
SC average: 75.6

Expectations
In best Dean Bailey fashion, I think we all expected a year of development and growth from a player who'd shown some great signs in his 3 games in 2010. No one thought Gysberts would be tearing games apart this year given his lack of experience and light frame, but at the start of the year I reckon we would have asked for some of those silky-smooth skills and plenty of time learning his craft in the centre of the ground.
The focus was also on preparing his body better for the rigours of AFL after an injury-prone first year.

Performance
After an interrupted pre-season and a Round 3 start in the seniors, Jordie played some great footy over the first half of the season. He just racks up the touches with ease and his disposal is generally excellent.
His season peaked (along with the rest of the club) with the awesome win over Essendon in Round 11. He had 30 touches and 8 marks at a high efficiency, and earned 2 Brownlow votes for an excellent game. He was also involved in this goal, which we will now review:
[youtube]n0HyxFr7uF0[/youtube]
Note his excellent gut running from the back pocket to CHF, and the kick which hits Trengove on the tit. Wonderful. That game, along with previous strong form, earned him a second Rising Star nomination (after one the previous year).
There were a handful of other games where he notched up over 25 touches, and he was an indispensable part of the midfield over that early stretch, and especially when we hit a crisis mid-season with injury and suspension.
Unfortunately, his season went downhill from there along with the rest of the team. The lack of big bodies in the midfield really showed him up (along with others) as the second-year player he is. Along with that, his shortened pre-season started to show through and he looked to tire quickly. He was rested for the Fremantle game and came back somewhat refreshed, but didn't reach the heights again.
His season finished after a hand injury in Round 20, which was probably a good thing in the end as his effectiveness was well down.

Overall I, along with most, was pleased with Jordie's progress in 2011. He played some excellent games, and even on his off days later in the year he still managed to knock up some good numbers. He finished 15th in the B+F, a creditable effort.

What's next?
Get in the gym and put on some more bulk. As mentioned above, he struggled at times with the lack of protection offered by his midfield team mates. While we may go weak at the knees for centre bounce combinations such as Martin-Gysberts-Trengove-McKenzie, they certainly weren't very effective in 2011 thanks to a combined games total around the 80 mark.
To use another Bailey-ism, they need continuity of games together as a group. It's all one big learning experience at this stage for Jordie and co., and with another 40-60 games under his belt he'll be a quality player.
Hopefully he can get a full pre-season in this year, as I think we could all tell he really lacked the fitness needed to run out a full season.
In terms of on-field improvement, his efficiency by foot could use some work, but I think this will come in concert with a bigger fitness base, a cooler and more experienced head, and more help from his teammates. I'd also like to see him go forward a bit more and kick some goals. He's tall for a mid, and his finishing skills are great, especially on the run, so I think he could have a good impact up there.

In 2012 I want to see Gys play 20 games and really come on as an integral part of our midfield with a higher fitness base and more experience. Hopefully the new coaching structure/game plan sees his close-in and clearance work get closer to its obvious potential.

End of incoherent ramble.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Can I ask that all who have committed to do a review let us know if you intend to do one & those who have completed a review choose anopther player to review.

We are hoping to get this done in the next two weeks so it'll be ready to also be part of the sitewide downloadable PDF review.

 

[LeverPuller]

Shotgun Big Max

EDIT: apparently not quick enough

 

[Demon 86]

I'll take Grimes (yeah easy due to injury )

 

[Supermercado]

#37 - Max Gawn

Games - 4
Goals - 1
Sub: on = 0, off = 0
Best and Fairest - 5 votes (37th)

The 8th Wonder of the World - before he was famous

Bar a 100 goal full forward there's nothing more footy fans love than a titanic, hulking, massive figure who dwarves all who stand around him. Thrill to the giraffe like antics of Aaron Sandilands, fail to read Spider Burton's PIN number when you're standing behind him at an ATM, barely conceal a snicker at the playing career of Peter Street.

So, maybe not every colossus quite reaches Sandilands style iconic status. In fact most of them are, frankly, crap and eventually ll end up playing in the Yackandandah and District League. But there's a mystique about drafting one of these giants that makes us want to believe that no matter what everything's going to turn out ok. It's believed that there's a cult in the Murray District who are still convinced that Brendan Van Schaik is set to be the next big thing.

So when Melbourne called out the name Max Gawn at selection #35 in the 2009 AFL Draft fans everywhere rose to applaud. Sure we'd missed out on superstars like Joel Houghton, Sam Grimley, Troy Taylor and err.. Jack Fitzpatrick but we'd signed somebody who was a) freakishly tall, b) had a comical name and c) looked like Jaws from the James Bond films. When he featured in a frankly ludicrous Herald Sun photo shoot involving his head almost hitting the doorway the Cult Figureometer 5000 red-lined.

Of course there was the small matter of the serious knee injury he was recovering from at the time which meant that Demon fans saw nothing of him in 2010 unless they made the trip to Casey to see him play in a meaningless VFL reserve grade slopfest. Three games into his comeback he hurt his knee again. To a lesser extent, but it was still another set back for the man that some (i.e me) were already referring to as MAXIMUM even though we'd never seen him in person.

As season 2011 began expectations weren't high for the tallest man ever to go through draft camp. He was stuck behind Mark Jamar, Jake Spencer and surprise packet Stefan Martin in the ruckman pecking order and a slow start to the VFL season did his chances of making a senior debut no favours. However when fellow VFL ruckman Jake "The Spencil" Spencer was struck down with a serious knee injury, and Mark Jamar suffered a knee complaint of his own Gawn was suddenly vaulted all the way to the verge of a surprise senior debut.

Named as an emergency in Round 7 and Round 8 he played his best two matches of the season in the VFL and with Martin requiring backup in the senior side he was handed his first appearance in high profile Friday night clash against Essendon. He didn't set the world on fire but based on where he'd come from just a few weeks before it was a solid performance. He almost capped his debut with a goal but unfortunately for the 53,077 at the game and what must have been a couple of hundred watching on Channel 7 he failed to negotiate the three story drop between hand and boot and delivered the worst set shot since Ben Holland shanked a kick from the goalsquare in the last ever match at Optus Oval.

Comic goalkicking shenanigans aside his debut had been a positive one, and Gawn more than deserved to keep his spot in the side until Jamar returned. He was one of the few positives in the Queens Birthday Monday debacle against the Magpies before playing what was by far his best senior game of the season the following week against the hapless Fremantle Dockers.

As Freo were put to the sword with extreme prejudice Big Maximum helped himself to 22 hitouts, laid a tackle which led directly to a Jack Trengove goal and helped lay the platform for the party atmosphere which followed by taking another big grab in front of goal. With the hearts of the meagre crowd in their mouths at the prospect of another That Was The Season That Was qualifying miss the big man showed he had learnt his lesson and banged the ball home to the popular acclaim of all present.

Unfortunately for Maximum just as he seemed to be coming to terms with playing senior AFL football Mark Jamar returned from injury and the second tallest manbeast in the competition was returned to the VFL. In recognition of his promising performances he was named as an emergency the next week before returning to Casey for some match practice. Two more strong games later he travelled to Darwin with the Demons, but in conditions that would probably have felled a man his size he sat the game out.

After playing in Casey's 130 point loss in Geelong he was promoted to the senior side in Todd Viney's first game in charge by virtue of having played in a side that was ten goals better than the utter rubbish which played in the main game. He was ineffectual against the Blues and after another stint as an emergency found himself back at Casey where he played out the rest of the year - including two promising performances in finals matches as his teammates crumbled.

Gawn enters 2012 third on the pecking order, and the year promises to be another one where he builds up his reputation in the VFL with a handful of senior matches but Melbourne fans can be pleased that even in the event of an injury to either of the first choice big men that Maximum is a more than acceptable replacement who, on the Jamar scale, should be winning his first All Australian selection in about 2017.