Alan Didak

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Everybody want's to hate Didak

Boohoo, great generalisation there. Didak is my favourite Magpie player by a long way and has been since he started, if you knew my brother he'd tell you that.

We all have different definitions for elite, different requirements etc. I'd say elite is the top 5 in the league, now while Didak is in top 5 form, he needs to consistently be considered a top 5 player to qualify as elite(imo). There's a difference between being capable of elite football, and doing it on a month by month basis.

This isn't a biased opinion, I could use Goodes as a perfect example. In his prime years he was elite, and is still capable of playing elite football, but he's not in that category. You'd imagine Didak has much more upside now, considering he's younger, but I think I made my point clear.

For the record, I believe he'll be a top 5 player at the end of the year.

 

[Subtemperate]

So elite is only the top 5 in the league?

So.... When we had Carey, Lockett, Ablett, Dunstall.... Matera, McKenna, Jakovich, Darren Jarman, Buckley, Voss, Hird, Rehn..... (as an example)... your saying only 5 were elite?

Seems like a weird way to work it out to me...

 

[yaco55]

Didak is an elite player with great disposal and vision.

He had another 30 possession game tonight, but this was his least effective game in the last 4.

I thought he got too many of his possessions in the back half to be as destructive as the last 3 weeks.

His best game in the last 4 was against the Swans when he was a class above the rest of players.

In saying that he was Collingwood's 4th or 5th best player tonight.

Another excellent game.

 

[1eye]

Very good player yes. Let's wait for his retirement to get the full picture.

 

[Big Nasty]

I cannot believe Collingwood supporters are putting Didak in the same bracket as Judd and Ablett.

He's had a superb month no doubt, but he's performed well when his team has been flogging other sides. Just wait until Collingwood has a couple of bad games and see what his out put is then.

Also it took Ablett & Judd atleast a couple of remarkable seasons to get the plaudits they have now, and to be considered the true elite players of the comp.

 

[smiddaz123]

I cannot believe Collingwood supporters are putting Didak in the same bracket as Judd and Ablett.

He's had a superb month no doubt, but he's performed well when his team has been flogging other sides. Just wait until Collingwood has a couple of bad games and see what his out put is then.

Also it took Ablett & Judd atleast a couple of remarkable seasons to get the plaudits they have now, and to be considered the true elite players of the comp.

Obviously if you look at the entire picture, Judd and Ablett are comfortably ahead.

On current form, Didak is definitely in the same bracket. I'd argue his last month of football has been better than any other player.

 

[Jedi01]

I cannot believe Collingwood supporters are putting Didak in the same bracket as Judd and Ablett.

He's had a superb month no doubt, but he's performed well when his team has been flogging other sides. Just wait until Collingwood has a couple of bad games and see what his out put is then.

Also it took Ablett & Judd atleast a couple of remarkable seasons to get the plaudits they have now, and to be considered the true elite players of the comp.

So on this theory we are still not able to judge if Ablett is a good player?

 

[smiddaz123]

Well, Ablett was easily Geelong's best when we smashed them by 80 odd points last year. Was probably the only cat that could've held his head high.

The whole 'Didak is a front runner' crap is laughable though, in all honesty.

 

[Big Nasty]

Obviously if you look at the entire picture, Judd and Ablett are comfortably ahead.

On current form, Didak is definitely in the same bracket. I'd argue his last month of football has been better than any other player.

Not biased much?

Ablett & Judd's best games >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Over Didak's.

Didak has been in great form no doubt, but his games in the past month aren't gonna go down as great individual performances like some of Ablett's & Judd's best matches.

 

[PatrickBateman]

So on this theory we are still not able to judge if Ablett is a good player?

Ablett was BOG in the Grand Final last year. Good enough?

 

[Big Nasty]

Well, Ablett was easily Geelong's best when we smashed them by 80 odd points last year. Was probably the only cat that could've held his head high.

The whole 'Didak is a front runner' crap is laughable though, in all honesty.

Not to mention his grand final performance, and his bursts of brilliance in games when we've needed a lift.

Yes we might have only lost 3 games over the past few years, but in each of those games Ablett has been clearly Geelongs best player.

 

[rose jam]

Ablett was BOG in the Grand Final last year. Good enough?

Ablett's game in the GF was overrated , his disposal was sloppy

 

[Big Nasty]

Ablett's game in the GF was overrated , his disposal was sloppy

Wouldn't have expected anything else from you Rose Jam.

Also Overrated is a term that should be reserved for a Collingwood player when he has good game, suddenly they're the best player of all time, and Brownlow favourite according to Collingwood supporters.

 

[PatrickBateman]

Obviously if you look at the entire picture, Judd and Ablett are comfortably ahead.

On current form, Didak is definitely in the same bracket. I'd argue his last month of football has been better than any other player.

To me, Didak will never become elite until he starts winning some hard ball. He almost never goes in hard, throws his legs at the ball rather than putting his head over it. He gets such a large kick:handball ratio for that reason... he usually gets the ball via a mark or handball receive. Defensively he's very, very average also. Got his backside torn out by his young opponent(can't recall who it was) in the first quarter whenever there was a contest.
I realise he got heaps of ball... so what. His contested game is still severly lacking. Elite players should have all bases as well as covered. He's the kind of player who will shine when the team is up, just like others have mentioned.

3 good games doesn't make a player elite. Players who lift the team when its down, show leadership on the ground, set the best example, show courage etc are trates of the best. Didak is likely to crawl in a hole when the team is down.. Lastly, elite players perfrom under the heaviest tags. Didak has yet to gain respect enough to get one. Pendlebury/Swan are the targets atm, as they are the play makers. I'm telling you, they are both more valuable to Collingwood than Didak.

One of those ********s on Channel 7 said something regarding Daicos needing to come out of retirement now(suggesting Didak has his measure)... this just cements the Channels reputation for being the greatest collection of ameaturs out there. Daicos won the Pies a flag in '90... pretty much off his own boot that final series... all you young punks out there, get some respect for a man that won you the only silverware you've had in the last 50 years. That comparison is embarrising. Daicos is a legend of the game.

 

[Badesumofu]

Ablett was BOG in the Grand Final last year. Good enough?

The ability of some Geelong fans to deny what is factually true is astounding. Allow me to disillusion you - Geelong lost the 2008 Grand Final. Luke Hodge was best on ground, because he had the most impact on the match. Luke Hodge won the Norm Smith Medal.

And yes, before you feel the need to point out the obvious, Hawthorn have been crap this year. No illusions here.

As for Didak, he's an awesome player. He has a touch of magic about him. I would say he is definitely elite.

 

[smiddaz123]

Not biased much?

Ablett & Judd's best games >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Over Didak's.

Didak has been in great form no doubt, but his games in the past month aren't gonna go down as great individual performances like some of Ablett's & Judd's best matches.

I don't think it is. Look at his past 4 performances. As good as anyone's, considering how damaging his kicking has been.

Clearances, close to 30 kicks, goals, goal assists. It has been an incredible month of footy from him.

 

[Big Nasty]

I don't think it is. Look at his past 4 performances. As good as anyone's, considering how damaging his kicking has been.

Clearances, close to 30 kicks, goals, goal assists. It has been an incredible month of footy from him.

Not to mention he usually has a defender chasing him up the ground, while the oppositions best shutdown players are playing on Swan & Pendleburry. Also his defensive efforts when his opponent has the ball isn't great. People have been bagging Judd for this, but Didak is worse in my opinion.

 

[PatrickBateman]

The ability of some Geelong fans to deny what is factually true is astounding. Allow me to disillusion you - Geelong lost the 2008 Grand Final. Luke Hodge was best on ground, because he had the most impact on the match.

Thanks for making that clear... when did I state that Geelong won the flag in '08?

Hodge played a great game and was on the winning team, he won the medal. BOG is always highly arguable.

 

[Grumpy Bum]

Thanks for making that clear... when did I state that Geelong won the flag in '08?

Hodge played a great game and was on the winning team, he won the medal. BOG is always highly arguable.

I thought Mark Williams was the player that kept Hawthorn in the game in the first half. I rated his game better than Hodge's

 

[PatrickBateman]

I don't think it is. Look at his past 4 performances. As good as anyone's, considering how damaging his kicking has been.

Clearances, close to 30 kicks, goals, goal assists. It has been an incredible month of footy from him.

He's performed against terrible opposition at home. I want to see him pull out a performance when your side is down and out... this character is what separates the elite players from the others. So he cuts up Melb/Freo/Ess at the MCG... big fricken deal.

 

[Pie eyed]

Thanks for making that clear... when did I state that Geelong won the flag in '08?

Hodge played a great game and was on the winning team, he won the medal. BOG is always highly arguable.

Didak was BOG in the GF then....????
I would have thought once it was presented the Norm Smith was pretty indicative of BOG.
Geelong supporters may have reason the disagree but Meh...that's life.

 

[Big Nasty]

He's performed against terrible opposition at home. I want to see him pull out a performance when your side is down and out... this character is what separates the elite players from the others. So he cuts up Melb/Freo/Ess at the MCG... big fricken deal.

Exactly. And as you already pointed out - With all the possessions he's been getting in the last month, he hasn't been accumilating many contested possessions. Which tells me he isn't being as tightly checked as an elite player should be.

 

[PatrickBateman]

Didak was BOG in the GF then....????

What are you on?

I would have thought once it was presented the Norm Smith was pretty indicative of BOG.
Geelong supporters may have reason the disagree but Meh...that's life.

There has been many highly questionable norm smith medals handed out over the years my friend. I'm definitely not the only one who thinks so.

 

[magpietray]

He's performed against terrible opposition at home. I want to see him pull out a performance when your side is down and out... this character is what separates the elite players from the others. So he cuts up Melb/Freo/Ess at the MCG... big fricken deal.

what about against sydney at anz stadium he was the reason we won that game!

 

[Big Nasty]

what about the sydney at anz stadium he was the reason we won that game!

Honestly, Sydney played one of thier worst quarters of footy that final period, In the 3rd quarter when Sydney was winning the match Didak was hardly sighted. Also Didak's opponent Crouch shouldn't have played that game as he was carrying an injury.