All Australian Team 2016

[Wild Bill]

I'd have a few mids ahead of Rory Sloane and Ziebell at this point - Hannebery, Ward at bare minimum, Zaharakis, J.P.Kennedy also pushing their claims. Unfortunately Hannebery, Ward and Kennedy suffer from playing in teams surrounded by vote-stealing talent and Zaharakis is playing for the wooden spooners.

I also don't think Viney has been the 4th best player so far this year, but he's been good so I won't argue that too much.

All players mentioned have claims. I wouldn't list Ward as better than Ziebell - their stats match up very well.

Viney has been amazing.

 

[JHF1870]

Seriously???

 

[Happy Mastenator]

All players mentioned have claims. I wouldn't list Ward as better than Ziebell - their stats match up very well.

Viney has been amazing.

Ward averages 19 effective disposals to ziebells 14.4. That's a significant difference.

 

[Wild Bill]

Ward averages 19 effective disposals to ziebells 14.4. That's a significant difference.

Lot easy to have effective disposals if you handball more.

JZ - 15.4 kicks 7.6 handballs
Ward - 10 kicks 14.9 handballs

Context is everything.

 

[AFLOnline]

There are two teams on this page - both have him in the team.

100% of teams is still not enough, sorry.

 

[Sttew]

You have Dangerfield twice

That's how good Danger is for Geelong

 

[A Swallow]

Goldy would still be in as second ruck behind Gawn so far I think.

Tall forward slot will be interesting - you can't fit Buddy, Lynch, Riewoldt and Waite all into the one side. Lynch probably misses out of those four, but that is rough.

Yeah forward line is tough. Waite has to be a lock though so far:

- 3rd for total goals
- 2nd for score involvements
- 1st for goal assists
- 2nd for marks inside 50
- 2nd for tackles inside 50
- 6th for contested marks
- 10th for marks overall

Genuinely outstanding stat line, I hope he can keep it up.

 

[TwentyNine]

What's the forward line look like... can you fit Franklin, Waite, Lynch and Riewoldt into the same team? Maybe cheat Riewoldt onto the wing or something.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Lot easy to have effective disposals if you handball more.

JZ - 15.4 kicks 7.6 handballs
Ward - 10 kicks 14.9 handballs

Context is everything.

You realise that retaining possession is more important than saying you had a kick? Ziebell has improved this year because he's handballed more and kicked less, he still has a way to go to balance it up though given he isn't an outside player.

Parker, Selwood, Danger, Mitchell, JP Kennedy, Neale, Hannerberry, they all have either 1:1 ratio's or more handballs than kicks.

 

[LeverPuller]

Gawns played 7 great games, but will he keep it up and will the aa selectors acknowledge it

18 consecutive tracing back to last year. And you would think so, he's been a massive part of Melbourne's rise and has the stats to back it up.

 

[LeverPuller]

The question might be whether Lynch stays by the end of the year...if GC keep getting towelled will he get in? Or does Buddy move to FF and Roo go to CHF?

 

[Happy Mastenator]

18 consecutive tracing back to last year. And you would think so, he's been a massive part of Melbourne's rise and has the stats to back it up.

If Melbourne keep the momentum going this year, and just miss the 8 the AA selectors will want to reward a good news story, and Gawn would be the most deserving at this stage. I don't think anyone would complain too loudly if either of the top 3 rucks got it at this stage of the season. Still a way to go though.

 

[AG]

What's the forward line look like... can you fit Franklin, Waite, Lynch and Riewoldt into the same team? Maybe cheat Riewoldt onto the wing or something.

No reason why he can't fit it. Wing, forward line or the bench. If he is in the best 22 players then you have to squeeze him in.

 

[AG]

The question might be whether Lynch stays by the end of the year...if GC keep getting towelled will he get in? Or does Buddy move to FF and Roo go to CHF?

GC form should be irrelevant. If he finishes top 3 in the Coleman, then he is worthy. Riewoldt/Franklin are unique players, so you can play both plus two other key forwards in a team.

 

[LeverPuller]

If Melbourne keep the momentum going this year, and just miss the 8 the AA selectors will want to reward a good news story, and Gawn would be the most deserving at this stage. I don't think anyone would complain too loudly if either of the top 3 rucks got it at this stage of the season. Still a way to go though.

It'll be either Gawn or Viney from the MFC. They are the difference.

 

[Wild Bill]

You realise that retaining possession is more important than saying you had a kick? Ziebell has improved this year because he's handballed more and kicked less, he still has a way to go to balance it up though given he isn't an outside player.

Parker, Selwood, Danger, Mitchell, JP Kennedy, Neale, Hannerberry, they all have either 1:1 ratio's or more handballs than kicks.

Half of his 28 touches on the weekend were contested and did a lot of work in the defensive 50. Not a great place to over posses the ball. Was huge again and the AFL just added him to the Team of the Week - even if he kicked too much - in your opinion.

 

[LeverPuller]

Does anyone know the longest time a side has gone without an AA? Melbourne has been 6 years...and 6 tears without someone in the squad of 40 (can't remember if this was around in 2010)

 

[Wild Bill]

Atley was immense for you guys and he definitely played better. I thought Thompson also deserved a mention and Mongtana was great. Ziebell would have been about 8th maybe not even in norths top 5.

I'm not denying shuey had a bad game and it puts him out of the conversation for now however he got a hard tag, can you tell me the last time Ziebell had one of those?

Not only was he one of the Roos best - he was one of the best players in the AFL on the weekend. You know how to football?

JACK ZIEBELL (North Melbourne) – One of the League's hardest midfielders, Ziebell worked deep into defence to help his team and still racked up 28 possessions, half of them contested.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Half of his 28 touches on the weekend were contested and did a lot of work in the defensive 50. Not a great place to over posses the ball. Was huge again and the AFL just added him to the Team of the Week - even if he kicked too much - in your opinion.

This has been an ongoing issue his entire career, and all those players listed get a lot of contested ball. Not rushing and just booting the ball forward, but finding a teammate in space, is what separates the truly elite from the good. He's making progress but still needs to get better at that.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

B: Dale Morris, Heath Grundy, Ben Stratton

HB: Rory Laird, Phil Davis, Heath Shaw

C: Nick Riewoldt, Sam Mitchell, David Zaharakis

HF: Jack Ziebell, Tom Lynch (GCS), Buddy Franklin

FF: Dayne Zorko, Jarrad Waite, Eddie Betts

R: Max Gawn, Luke Parker, Jack Viney

INT: Joel Selwood, Corey Enright, Todd Goldstein, Patrick Dangerfield

Changes:
- Hunter out for Zaharakis
- Hannebery out for Riewoldt
- Sloane out for Selwood

Josh Kennedy (SYD) really unlucky. Ward, Gibson, Pittard, Dahlhaus not far off. Ziebell and Betts on shaky ground, as are Laird and Davis depending on how many weeks they miss.

 

[GordonBlue]

Would the league's number 1 clearance player and number 2 contested possession player be a sniff of making the squad?

 

[00Stinger]

Would the league's number 1 clearance player and number 2 contested possession player be a sniff of making the squad?

Could be in the 40. not in the 22 though

 

[Chris_6678]

If Brad Sheppard keeps going the way he is i could see him getting a gig this year. Gov, Nic Nat & maybe Gaff a chance ...though Gaffs disposal has been really off over the last few weeks but still racking up numbers.

 

[Sprout]

Would the league's number 1 clearance player and number 2 contested possession player be a sniff of making the squad?

Didn't work for Nathan Jones when he carried Melbourne's midfield and had those rankings. Didn't even make the 40. Maybe Cripps will get more favourable treatment.

 

[Trav 20]

I also don't think Viney has been the 4th best player so far this year...

Number one in the league for centre clearances, 3rd for clearances, 3rd for contested possessions, top 20 in tackles.

I'd say he's deserving.