Mega Thread All Australian Watch: 2011 Cont'd...

[Thommo 42]

I feel Jack Reiwolt is getting underrated a bit.

After he copped a bit in the media after the first few weeks I feel he's been playing real team football, while still putting through plenty of goals.

He has had some very sharp hands to give off goals to Martin/King several times, and is one of the best 'talls' around as far as providing forward/tackling pressure goes imo.

I reckon he's playing better than he did last year, the ball is not going to him as often and he's not taking the big hangers - but he plays real team footy and should be the FF imo.

 

[Prudster]

There's no real need to compare Reid and Jamison because one is a FB and one is a CHB. Reid may be in contention for a spot with McPharlin (and potentially others like Taylor) for a CHB spot. Merrett is not worth even discussing because he is now out for a fair chunk of the season and isn't in contention for AA based on that.

Cloke has been the best CHF this year & definitely deserves his spot, hence why he's in most people's teams from what I've seen. He's averaging more contested marks than uncontested marks, that's pretty much unheard of in the modern game. People have always said that he could be a top line forward if his goal kicking accuracy improved - he has kicked 29.17 so far.

Erm, pretty sure Buddy has been better.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Does anyone else feel like Jack Riewoldt shouldn't be an automatic selection like he's being made out to be? Even though he's topping the goal list, Cloke and Franklin have had far superior seasons. IMO he's been the 3rd best tall forward this season and deserves to be in the team at the moment but he's not guarenteed like the BF groupthink seems to believe.

I guess the thing with JR is that he doesn't really fit the typical power-forward blueprint, so he's an easy candidate to bump into a pocket. I certainly wouldn't view him as an automatic selection.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Erm, pretty sure Buddy has been better.

Yeah. Only by about 3 country miles. 20 touches, 6 marks and 4 goals a game to go with 4 BOGs.

Ahhhhhhh Buddy

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Erm, pretty sure Buddy has been better.

Yeah. Only by about 3 country miles. 20 touches, 6 marks and 4 goals a game to go with 4 BOGs.

Ahhhhhhh Buddy

Buddy hasn't played CHF

He also hasn't playd FF or wing or HF

He just pretty much plays where he wants and is dominating.

He'd be 1st picked in the forward line - but you could make a reasoned argument as to where you want to slot him in that 6

 

[MC_9]

Buddy hasn't played CHF

He also hasn't playd FF or wing or HF

He just pretty much plays where he wants and is dominating.

He'd be 1st picked in the forward line - but you could make a reasoned argument as to where you want to slot him in that 6

I agree, but because he is the best KP forward for the year, he should be entitled to receive one of the most prestigious positions on the ground in CHF.

 

[AG]

Why not FF? Leading the Coleman.

In 20 years no one will remember what position he was picked, just that he has 'x' number of AA's.

Just get the right players in the team, shouldn't worry about position specifics.

Last year is the perfect example imo. Hayes should be remembered as having an extra AA, instead guys like Jamar and Johnson got another one just to have some make belief balance to the side.

Obviously keep it within reason but arguing about a CHF v FF, wing v HF etc. pointless.

 

[BACCS]

Surprised Johncock and Rutten aren't getting much of a mention. Stiffy has been one the premier small defenders in the AFL for 3 or 4 years now, and has finally got consistency into his game this year.

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

^ Yup, agree with Johncock's nomination!

People say we're 'bereft' of form small forwards, but IMO there have been quite a few.

 

[Barnzy]

.He rarely leaves forward 50 and has snagged a huge number of Joe the goose style cheapies.

Through superior reading of the play. A football talent. Learn the game.

 

[Silvagnis]

and andrew walker as a starting forward in the 18 is genuinely laughable stuff. he has kicked 30 goals for the year to date. 24 have come in games v suns bris port adel melb rich. he has kicked 6 goals combined in 5 games v coll geel ess stk syd where he has obviously faced sterner opposition. he is not even in contention for a spot

Should the AA selection panel ignore Cloke's games against North, Melbourne, St Kilda, Richmond, Port, Footscray and Adelaide?

Cloke's kicked 23 of his 29 goals in these matches.

I guess your rule only applies to Walker.

Walker more than likely won't be AA, but you're incredibly dismissive of his form against top and bottom sides. Unlike Cloke, Walker wasn't held scoreless by the Crows. Cloke and Dawes only fired against Carlton after Watson swapped with Jamison. The Pies targeted the second gamer when he was on Dawes or Cloke.

 

[hellfire]

The Pies targeted the second gamer when he was on Dawes or Cloke.

Kind of logical, isn't it?

So what you're saying is, we went through Dawes all night to exploit the weaker matchup, and when the move was made, we brought Cloke into the game and he fired? Wow! Revolutionary stuff!

 

[robertg22]

Why not FF? Leading the Coleman.

In 20 years no one will remember what position he was picked, just that he has 'x' number of AA's.

Just get the right players in the team, shouldn't worry about position specifics.

Last year is the perfect example imo. Hayes should be remembered as having an extra AA, instead guys like Jamar and Johnson got another one just to have some make belief balance to the side.

Obviously keep it within reason but arguing about a CHF v FF, wing v HF etc. pointless.

Exactly. Good old precious Hawks supporters - see my team earlier in this thread, I had Buddy at FF which he pretty much plays anyway. Cloke is more of a prototypical CHF, looks more at home at CHF than FF & IMO has been the 2nd best key forward this season.

 

[SwanBet]

1. Franklin
2. Cloke
3. Reiwoldt
4. Kennedy
--
5. Walker

All this talk of kicking goals against dud teams, who cares? each team plays them, there selection should not be hindered by the teams they scored goals against.

Franklin is the clear standout, only real lock for the team. Cloke is a near certain lock, media have jumped on the bandwagon and will be CHF. honestly who gives a ****, cloke leads the league by a country mile in contested grabs which is what CHF's do, Franklin is leading the coleman which is what FF's do.

I see only one of reiwoldt or kennedy making it, id give it to reiwoldt at the stage. Walker is a fair way of the pack, however if he performs like he has the last few weeks again he may be looking at the 3rd tall posi.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Cloke should be there ahead of Walker, without question. If Jamison and Scarlett can be on the team as back pockets instead of actual back pockets, Cloke can be there ahead of an inferior Walker

Walker is a utility and on team balance would be in ahead of Cloke on a flank. Franklin is the only KPD who i would give AA honours from a flank.

Personally i don't see how Cloke is ahead of Kennedy, who averages more Marks, Goals, Tackles, Goal Assists.

Assuming Buddy is played of a flank you could make an equal case for both of them for a CHF position. Contested marks vs Marks is an issue of playing style, Kennedy is a superior lead up CHF. You would rather put it ontop of Clokes head. Equally inspite of Cloke getting more touches and inside 50's, it's Kennedy who has more Goal Assists.

Also it doesn't really matter who you put of FF or CHF if you had players like Kennedy, Cloke or Franklin in your AA side. It's harder to make a case for Jack.

 

[smiddaz123]

Walker is a utility and on team balance would be in ahead of Cloke on a flank. Franklin is the only KPD who i would give AA honours from a flank.

This team doesn't actually play, who cares about team balance. It's about rewarding the better player. Cloke has been a better forward than Walker this year.

 

[jonoman89]

This team doesn't actually play, who cares about team balance. It's about rewarding the better player. Cloke has been a better forward than Walker this year.

The AA panel have repeatedly adopted the view that they pick the team for a game, like any other team in the AFL.

Team balance is vital for the way AA has been selected.

 

[pacman]

If Walker gets in before Cloke it would be a joke, Walkers last 2 weeks have been very good as has Leon Davis but before that they've been OK but not much better than that.

 

[The Architects]

If Walker gets in before Cloke it would be a joke, Walkers last 2 weeks have been very good as has Leon Davis but before that they've been OK but not much better than that.

Agreed. Everyone seems to be getting carried away with Walker because he's kicked at 75% and the last two weeks have been decent bags. There have been better forwards this year who would be comfortably ahead of him at the moment.

 

[gravy1]

The afl.com.au mid-season AA team:

ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM

B: Daniel Merrett, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright

HB: Bryce Gibbs, Harry Taylor, Heath Shaw

C: Dale Thomas, Jimmy Bartel, Chris Judd (c)

HF: Steve Johnson, Lance Franklin, Nathan Fyfe

F: Jeff Garlett, Travis Cloke, Josh Kennedy

Foll: Dean Cox, Scott Pendlebury, Matthew Boyd (vc)

I/C: Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett, Marc Murphy, Ryan O'Keefe

Looks pretty good.

 

[Cynic]

Think Bartel and Scarlett may be there on reputation more than form...although to be honest that does seem to play a large role in the final selection.

 

[gravy1]

^

Not to mention the fact they generally like to reward players who have been around the mark for a few years

 

[Juddernaut08]

The afl.com.au mid-season AA team:

ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM

B: Daniel Merrett, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright

HB: Bryce Gibbs, Harry Taylor, Heath Shaw

C: Dale Thomas, Jimmy Bartel, Chris Judd (c)

HF: Steve Johnson, Lance Franklin, Nathan Fyfe

F: Jeff Garlett, Travis Cloke, Josh Kennedy

Foll: Dean Cox, Scott Pendlebury, Matthew Boyd (vc)

I/C: Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett, Marc Murphy, Ryan O'Keefe

Looks pretty good.

Looks like they're trying to make sure the amount of representation reflects ladder position.

It's also interesting that Matty Boyd is the only player from a team outside the 8. (Merrett won't be there end of year)

I'd argue Bartel doesn't deserve to start before Murphy, Selwood and Gaz.

Merrett won't be in there come end of year, so Jammo, Macpharlin and Glass will probably fight it out with Scarlett and H.Taylor for the 3 KPD spots.


EDIT: J.Roo will be in there if he wins the Coleman.

 

[robertg22]

The afl.com.au mid-season AA team:

ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM

B: Daniel Merrett, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright

HB: Bryce Gibbs, Harry Taylor, Heath Shaw

C: Dale Thomas, Jimmy Bartel, Chris Judd (c)

HF: Steve Johnson, Lance Franklin, Nathan Fyfe

F: Jeff Garlett, Travis Cloke, Josh Kennedy

Foll: Dean Cox, Scott Pendlebury, Matthew Boyd (vc)

I/C: Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett, Marc Murphy, Ryan O'Keefe

Looks pretty good.

That's a shocking effort IMO - I've seen much better in this thread for the most part.

 

[Jesus Baulks]

The afl.com.au mid-season AA team:

ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM

B: Daniel Merrett, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright

HB: Bryce Gibbs, Harry Taylor, Heath Shaw

C: Dale Thomas, Jimmy Bartel, Chris Judd (c)

HF: Steve Johnson, Lance Franklin, Nathan Fyfe

F: Jeff Garlett, Travis Cloke, Josh Kennedy

Foll: Dean Cox, Scott Pendlebury, Matthew Boyd (vc)

I/C: Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett, Marc Murphy, Ryan O'Keefe

Looks pretty good.

If in doubt, select a Geelong player.

Why the fudge is Matthew Boyd vice captain by the way? Does anybody actually watch him play or do they just look at his inflated stats the next day in the newspaper and get wowed? No idea why he is starting in the midfield before Selwood, Ablett or Murphy. They've all been better than him this year.

Jamison is the All-Australian FB to date at the moment as well, no ifs or buts.