All Australian - 40 man squad on page 89

[Zagg]

The Saints and Cats have definitely won in getting players named in the squad. Both teams will struggle to get players into the final 22 though...

 

[Bosk]

Enright is rarely thrashed unlike Gibson v Geelong x 2 (which is all I can go on with first hand knowledge)

Could that have a little something to do with Enright having Scarlett, Taylor & Lonergan there to help him?

 

[windyhill]

So soft naming a squad, just name the team. This squad thing is an attempt to cover their arses, just a soft cop out.

 

[Bosk]

Like you shoved it up them in 2009,2010,2011?

No, like when we shoved it up them in 2008 after we beat an arrogant bunch of tosspots.

Suck it up Handbagger scum.

 

[ndot]

Lol Glass.

Taking the piss surely.

i actually agree with this. glassy has been decent this year, but personally i think our other key backs in mackenzie and schofield have been as good if not better. bit mystified about that one...

as for naitanui, i'd love for him to get in but i doubt he will. it would make up for lecras getting robbed a few years back. you could make an argument for naitanui ahead of any of the other ruckman named.

 

[Dickie Greenleaf]

i actually agree with this. glassy has been decent this year, but personally i think our other key backs in mackenzie and schofield have been as good if not better. bit mystified about that one...

as for naitanui, i'd love for him to get in but i doubt he will. it would make up for lecras getting robbed a few years back. you could make an argument for naitanui ahead of any of the other ruckman named.

Yeah, no knock on Glass as he's been a fantastic player but along with Enright's inclusion, you could probably come up with (at a minimum) three or four others who have had better years.

 

[barmy44]

Could that have a little something to do with Enright having Scarlett, Taylor & Lonergan there to help him?

Think before you post next time idiot.

do hawthorn play with a 1 person backline now?

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Am I the only one who is baffled at Nic Nat's selection?

 

[raskolnikov]

The AA selectors must have felt sorry for St.Kilda with no flags to show for all their grand finals over the last few years. Only way to explain the selection of Riewoldt and Hayes.

 

[t_bond_legend]

There is no way the Coleman medallist is getting picked as a key forward ahead of Pav, Tomahawk, Buddy or DrewP.

The same 'DrewP' that kicked 8 goals against the top 8 sides on the 8 or was it 9 times they he played against them? Good one, needed a chuckle today.

 

[Zagg]

The AA selectors must have felt sorry for St.Kilda with no flags to show for all their grand finals over the last few years. Only way to explain the selection of Riewoldt and Hayes.

Can't argue with you about Roo, but Lenny has had a stellar year. Is a big chance to win our B & F next week. Faded a little towards the end of the season, but you can't put up a decent argument that any of the mids who missed were demonstrably better than Lenny.

Saying that though, he hasn't hasn't done enough to earn a spot in the 22. He was criminally denied in 2010 though!

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

So soft naming a squad, just name the team. This squad thing is an attempt to cover their arses, just a soft cop out.

Correct. Why stop at 40?

 

[BACCS]

This has been pedalled out a lot and while it may have been true at one point of the season it's just guess work now. Unless you've got a link?

Also, his around the ground work is far inferior to Cox and Maric.

Number 2 in hitouts by very few (to Maric I think), and he was still leading hit outs to advantage at about round 20 when they showed the statistic on some footy show. His around the ground work is inferior to Maric? We got rid of Maric for this exact reason! Maric has always been a nifty goal kicker, but Jacobs gets across the turf ten times better. Jacobs ruck work is also far superior to Cox's now, but I agree his around the ground work isn't there yet.

 

[sTeeL]

Am I the only one who is baffled at Nic Nat's selection?

Yes.

 

[shaun1800]

Bit rough that Andrew Swallow and Kieran Jack get in and not Matty Boyd, who had more possessions than any other player in the league. Swallow especially I think is overrated.

 

[BACCS]

Now, I actually agree that Minson's year has been superb.
However, I think this overhyped line is peddled out without thinking.
Naitanui has been recognised in the top 4 ruckmen in the comp this year, and rightly so.
I'd have him ahead of Cox this year as well.
The thing is that you can look at the HO stats but unless you see how Naitanui wins them that is what makes him so important to West Coast.

Jacobs is just as good with his taps and is leading in that department, yet others don't seem to think this is important as his around the ground work is 'inferior'. He is also 2nd in hitouts to Minson, and has averaged around 12 disposals a game I think and has kicked 6 goals. Cmon, gotta make your minds up.

 

[Chewy]

In the years Geelong and Collingwood had ridiculous amount of reps, they were absolutely dominant in the H&A seasons. Hawthorn were not.

In 2007, Geelong had a similar season to the Hawks this year. A slow start (2-3) then came home like a train. They went 18-4 (152.8%) with an average winning margin of 54.9 points

They got 9 players into the All Australian team!

Hawthorn have finished the year at 17-5 (154.6%) with an average winning margin of 62 points. That's dominant, in any language.

Look at the teams the Hawks have played twice: Sydney (16-6), Collingwood (16-6), West Coast (16-6), Geelong (15-7) and Port Adelaide (5-16). The AFL decided to give us a loaded draw in the first 5 rounds with games against all of this year's top teams: Collingwood, Geelong, Adelaide, West Coast and Sydney. We weren't at full throttle, just easing our way into the year and went 2-3. Big deal. Since then, we've gone 15-2.

Hawthorn were pretty stiff to lose their 2 games against Geelong. Both games could've gone either way. Nothing in it. Also when Hawthorn played the high-flying Eagles in round 4 at Subiaco (before the injury bug hit West Coast) Rioli kicked 2 late goals but missed a snap from the boundary line with 30 seconds remaining that would've given us a win. We could've easily been 19-3 or 20-2. Had we won all 3 of those close games by a kick, our average winning margin would still be a massive 53 points.

In 2008, Geelong were 21-1 (160.8%), average winning margin: 51.9 points [7 x All-Australians]
One of the great teams, but they also had a remarkably tame draw where they played most of the Top 8 teams just once (Haw, WB, StK, Adel, Coll) and all of the bottom four teams twice: Melb (3-19), WCE (4-18), Frem (6-16), Port (7-15), Rich (11-10-1), Syd (12-9-1), NM (12-9-1).

In 2009, St Kilda were 20-2 (155.7%), average winning margin: 37.6 points [5 x All-Australians]
Teams they played twice: WB (15-7), Adel (14-8), Ess (10-11-1), Syd (8-14), WCE (8-14), NM (7-14-1), Melb (4-18)

In 2010, Collingwood were 17-4-1 (141.7%), average winning margin: 46.3 points [4 x All-Australians]
Geelong finished 2nd (17-5) and they had 5 x All Australians that year.

In 2011, Collingwood were 20-2 (167.7%), average winning margin: 53.1 points [6 x All-Australians]
Geelong were 19-3 (157.4%), average winning margin: 48.7 points [3 x All-Australians]
Hawthorn were 18-4 (144.1%), average winning margin: 44.3 points [2 x All-Australians]

 

[eaglespremiers]

If you could only pick one of them for a game, Cox would be picked. Currently, that may well change next year.

I can't find the button to dispute this (perhaps Bigfooty needs an upgrade?).
Anyway, consider yourself disputed.
Though I'm not disputing that Cox is the equal of Naitanui in most ways it seems as if Naitanui has become our barometer and I feel like we missed him earlier in the season more than I anticipate we'd miss Cox.
Then again Cox is a match winner.
Still, lining up against Essendon earlier this year I was certain we'd lose because we didn't have Naitanui playing.

 

[caterina]

. you could make an argument for naitanui ahead of any of the other ruckman named.

Go on then, we're all ears

 

[Duskfire]

Way way more than just "fair" in Geelong's case. Frankly the selection panel have a blatant love affair with the Cats and were probably mourning the fact they couldn't slip Scarlett in there one more time.

Well, I think Lonergan, Taylor, Selwood and Hawkins are all worthy nominations. Not sure why they aren't; all four have had fantastic years. Enright is the only one you could argue otherwise, but the other four are deadset and no surprise at all. Many people who have posted their AA over the last few weeks have had a combination of those four.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Jacobs is just as good with his taps and is leading in that department, yet others don't seem to think this is important as his around the ground work is 'inferior'. He is also 2nd in hitouts to Minson, and has averaged around 12 disposals a game I think and has kicked 6 goals. Cmon, gotta make your minds up.

Wait, what?
I'm all for Jacobs being the starting ruckman.

 

[Chewy]

So soft naming a squad, just name the team. This squad thing is an attempt to cover their arses, just a soft cop out.

Bullshit.

It adds interest to the All Australian concept and it also gives the fans some idea of what they're thinking

Back when they just named the team without any preamble, it left most fans feeling outraged. People would clog the talkback lines and bleat, "What about [insert name here] ? Did those muppet selectors even consider him? I bet they never even watched us play. The idiots probably just went on the stats!"

I remember seeing Gerard Healy on Talking Footy getting frustrated with all the complaints and saying "Yes, we did consider him. We also considered Player X and Player Y. But 30 players just won't go into 22"

By naming their squad of 40, the blow is cushioned somewhat. Geelong fans know that Lonergan and Taylor are in the mix, Sydney fans know that Teddy Richards is a chance and the WA people know that McPharlin and Glass have not been overlooked. When they announce the team and 2 or 3 of these guys are named, the fans of those who missed out will feel less compelled to whinge about it. They'll know they were next in line. That's better than wondering if they rated a mention at all.

Why would you complain about the AFL shedding some light on the selection process and revealing the short list of 40 ?

Big Footy is funny. You see people complain abut everything.

 

[Butler]

Cox is better than Naitanui. Cox - number one ruckman. Naitanui rucks in spurts, either against guys like Minson who do it without a break or against second-string ruckmen who are all clearly inferior to Naitanui.

On "how Naitanui wins them" - can you clarify what you mean by that?

Not having a go but any debate about Naitanui should be stopped at this post as it proves that you haven't watched enough of us this year to judge.

Naitanui is our number 1 ruckman. He starts every game in the middle and every quarter. He goes against the opposition number 1 ruck more than Cox does.

Similar to Rioli i believe most of the outrage towards Naitanui's inclusion is the fact that people stick to the BF excuse of overrated/overhyped that has stuck to him. It's ridiculous and it leads to people making assumptions without actually taking note of the year he has had.

It should also be noted that i do not believe he will make the final AA team and i don't think he deserves to just yet. I do believe that his spot in the squad is warranted though.

 

[windyhill]

Bullshit.

It adds interest to the All Australian concept and it also gives the fans some idea of what they're thinking

Back when they just named the team without any preamble, it left most fans feeling outraged. People would clog the talkback lines and bleat, "What about [insert name here] ? Did those muppet selectors even consider him? I bet they never even watched us play. The idiots probably just went on the stats!"

I remember seeing Gerard Healy on Talking Footy getting frustrated with all the complaints and saying "Yes, we did consider him. We also considered Player X and Player Y. But 30 players just won't go into 22"

By naming their squad of 40, the blow is cushioned somewhat. Geelong fans know that Lonergan and Taylor are in the mix, Sydney fans know that Teddy Richards is a chance and the WA people know that McPharlin and Glass have not been overlooked. When they announce the team and 2 or 3 of these guys are named, the fans of those who missed out will feel less compelled to whinge about it. They'll know they were next in line. That's better than wondering if they rated a mention at all.

Why would you complain about the AFL shedding some light on the selection process and revealing the short list of 40 ?

Big Footy is funny. You see people complain abut everything.

As someone said above, why stop at 40 ? Pure arse covering exercise.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Not having a go but any debate about Naitanui should be stopped at this post as it proves that you haven't watched enough of us this year to judge.

Naitanui is our number 1 ruckman. He starts every game in the middle and every quarter. He goes against the opposition number 1 ruck more than Cox does.

Similar to Rioli i believe most of the outrage towards Naitanui's inclusion is the fact that people stick to the BF excuse of overrated/overhyped that has stuck to him. It's ridiculous and it leads to people making assumptions without actually taking note of the year he has had.

It should also be noted that i do not believe he will make the final AA team and i don't think he deserves to just yet. I do believe that his spot in the squad is warranted though.