All Australian Watch: 2011

[Thommo 42]

Lol.


I think Collingwood is recognised as a great team.


I still don't think you have anywhere near the star power of the Cats side of a couple of years ago.

You don't need to be some kind of star, just be in the best 22 in that particular year. Ling, Mooney, Harley etc are not stars, they just had a good year and were named AA.

They went 18-4 and got 9 AA's. I reckon 2 or 3 were very lucky, particularly Mooney - but the argument at the time was they got them due to the team dominance.

Swan, Pendlebury, Shaw may be the only ones, I doubt Thomas will get a look in with the strength of the midfield crop this year, and Didak is playing shithouse. Cloke a chance, however, Pavlich and Franklin are both having good years, and Riewoldt will go close to the Coleman again.

Swan, Pendles, Shaw & Cloke are certainties based on 6 rounds, a few others would be borderline - Tarrant, Reid, Blair, Thomas.

Ahh, you're part of the 'player x from my team' brigade.

Not at all, I think my posting history in these threads over the years speaks for itself.

You're just plucking names for the sake of it after 6 rounds, without justification. Rutten and Jamison? Give me a break. Jamison missed the first 2 weeks and got a touch-up vs Pies and hasn't had any particularly good games. Reid was poor today, but so far this year has combined beating a key forward with solid rebound of about 15-20 touches a week, and anyone wathing can see how lethal his kicking is. Tarrant is ahead of Rutten and Jamison also, but I wouldn't have him in the side, despite G.Healy declaring him the bet performed FB in the comp this season. I'd have Merret, Reid and Scarlett as the key defence posts.

Name the ten. That will tell us whether or not it is unreasonable.

I can't we're 5 rounds in and we're not 19-3 yet.

 

[Sin City]

Rutten and Jamison? Give me a break. Jamison missed the first 2 weeks and got a touch-up vs Pies and hasn't had any particularly good games.

Way off the mark.

 

[jonoman89]

I never knew conceeding one goal to Cloke in the 4th was a touch up?

He had a clean sheet against Essendon and Sydney. Had only the one kicked on him against Adelaide.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Ahh, you're part of the 'player x from my team' brigade.

It's not often you see those type of posters, but sometimes it is good to mix things up.

 

[Pykie]

You don't need to be some kind of star, just be in the best 22 in that particular year. Ling, Mooney, Harley etc are not stars, they just had a good year and were named AA.

They went 18-4 and got 9 AA's. I reckon 2 or 3 were very lucky, particularly Mooney - but the argument at the time was they got them due to the team dominance.




Swan, Pendles, Shaw & Cloke are certainties based on 6 rounds, a few others would be borderline - Tarrant, Reid, Blair, Thomas.



Not at all, I think my posting history in these threads over the years speaks for itself.

You're just plucking names for the sake of it after 6 rounds, without justification. Rutten and Jamison? Give me a break. Jamison missed the first 2 weeks and got a touch-up vs Pies and hasn't had any particularly good games. Reid was poor today, but so far this year has combined beating a key forward with solid rebound of about 15-20 touches a week, and anyone wathing can see how lethal his kicking is. Tarrant is ahead of Rutten and Jamison also, but I wouldn't have him in the side, despite G.Healy declaring him the bet performed FB in the comp this season. I'd have Merret, Reid and Scarlett as the key defence posts.




I can't we're 5 rounds in and we're not 19-3 yet.

Its funny how the AA team works.


The end of the season is weighted far greater than these early rounds, as they are still in the selectors minds.

It's wrong, but it happens every year.



Realistically by that time, Lake and Frawley will be fully firing, I'd be EXTREMELY surprised if Tarrant or Reid got anywhere near it.

Tarrant may make the 40 man squad, but then again, Frawley and Lake will probably come good, Taylor, Morris, Merrett, Jamieson, Fletcher etc.


If Didak comes home with a wet sail in the second half of the season, he could be in with a chance.


Blair doesn't have a hope in hell tbh, they would select a Harvey type before him.

Also, I reckon the midfield depth of the league is greater than in 2007/2008 when Geelong was on that run.


I can't see Thomas getting a look-in currently over the seasons that the "second bunch" of midfielders are having, such as Watson, Mundy, Swallow, Murphy, Griffen, Bartel and Boyd. Ablett's also a dark horse, averaging close to 30 ppg in a side getting belted by 100+ a week.

Their seasons are at another level currently, especially the first 3.

Then of course Swan, Pendlebury, Judd, Chapman and Selwood will probably command spots.


As was said earlier, Pavlich and Franklin are having great years, and if Riewoldt wins the Coleman, its pretty hard to exclude him, Cloke is no certainty.

 

[Thommo 42]

Now I've had a go at everyone else....

Here is my team based on exposed form in 2011 only

B: Corey Enright - Daniel Merrett - Matthew Scarlett
HB: Heath Shaw - Ben Reid - Heath Scotland
C: Jimmy Bartel - Jobe Watson - David Mundy
HF: Andrew Embley - Travis Cloke -Dustin Martin
F: Nat Fyfe- Jack Reiwolt - Geoff Garlett
R: Dean Cox - Dane Swan - Scott Pendlebury
INT: Aaron Sandilands - Lance Franklin - Chris Judd - Matthew Pavlich

Others: Griffen, Blair, Chappy, Moloney, Murphy x 2, Swallow, Rockliff

 

[eaglespremiers]

Now I've had a go at everyone else....

Here is my team based on exposed form in 2011 only

B: Corey Enright - Daniel Merrett - Matthew Scarlett
HB: Heath Shaw - Ben Reid - Heath Scotland
C: Jimmy Bartel - Jobe Watson - David Mundy
HF: Andrew Embley - Travis Cloke -Dustin Martin
F: Nat Fyfe- Jack Reiwolt - Geoff Garlett
R: Dean Cox - Dane Swan - Scott Pendlebury
INT: Aaron Sandilands - Lance Franklin - Chris Judd - Matthew Pavlich

Others: Griffen, Blair, Chappy, Moloney, Murphy x 2, Swallow, Rockliff

You're welcome to put Judd on the bench. Just don't sook if he wins the Brownlow from the "All-Aus" bench.

Also don't really get the Andrew Embley love. He's had a really good year but if the choice is between him and Marc Murphy for a HFF position then the spot has got to go to Murphy.

 

[Thommo 42]

Its funny how the AA team works.


The end of the season is weighted far greater than these early rounds, as they are still in the selectors minds.

It's wrong, but it happens every year.

Not always, but on balance that is true.

Realistically by that time, Lake and Frawley will be fully firing, I'd be EXTREMELY surprised if Tarrant or Reid got anywhere near it.

Tarrant may make the 40 man squad, but then again, Frawley and Lake will probably come good, Taylor, Morris, Merrett, Jamieson, Fletcher etc.

Lets be clear, are we predicting a side here, or are we picking a side based on 6 rounds so far?

I think Lake is clearly th best full-back in the game, but he is coming from way back fitness wise this year and can't see him doing enough. Jamison is seriously overrated because he is the only key defender at Carlton. It's a cliche, but he would be no chance of a game at the Pies.

If Didak comes home with a wet sail in the second half of the season, he could be in with a chance.

Would need to be a soakin wet sail. He is very underdone, and if we weren't winning in a canter every week he would be playing 2's.

Blair doesn't have a hope in hell tbh, they would select a Harvey type before him.

On form or reputation? You couldn't seriously suggest Boomer has been anywhere near Blair in 2011. Yes, Blair is in the best side and will never be as good as Boomer - but we're talking 2011 form only for AA.

External factors should be ignored, form is all that matters.

Also, I reckon the midfield depth of the league is greater than in 2007/2008 when Geelong was on that run.

Maybe the stats depth is, not sure the midfield depth is any better.

I can't see Thomas getting a look-in currently over the seasons that the "second bunch" of midfielders are having, such as Watson, Mundy, Swallow, Murphy, Griffen, Bartel and Boyd.

Thomas is influencing games like few people do at Collingwood. He was better than Pendles for the first 4 rounds, yet everyone has Pendles as a certainty. I've named Pendles and not Thomas, purely to avoid criticism of bias.

Then of course Swan, Pendlebury, Judd, Chapman and Selwood will probably command spots.

Selwood nowhere near it on form in the first 6 rounds. Again, I'm notmaking predictions here - I'm talking 6 rounds of form (or 5 in some cases)

Way off the mark.

I never knew conceeding one goal to Cloke in the 4th was a touch up?

Cloke and Dawes kicked 5 between them, they took 18 marks between them, including 10 contested and the smalls had a field day at their feet because the key defenders couldn't put a decent spoil on.

You're not going to blame all that on poor young Matthew Watson are you?

Those 2 blokes completely dominated and Jamison was responsible for at least one of them for all of the game.

Tarrant has had 1 goal kicked on him this year, and Merrett conceded 5 on Sat night alone. I've named Merrett because its just outright stupid to make a call based on # of goals conceded in modern footy. I'd have Jamison behind about 10 other key defenders this year at least.

 

[Thommo 42]

You're welcome to put Judd on the bench. Just don't sook if he wins the Brownlow from the "All-Aus" bench.

why would I sook? He did the same thing last year and the Brownlow is completely subjective measure from one group of very unpopular members of the footballing fraternity.

Also don't really get the Andrew Embley love. He's had a really good year but if the choice is between him and Marc Murphy for a HFF position then the spot has got to go to Murphy.

Of course, if you were picking a side to play tomorrow, Murphy is ahead of Embley, but if you were picking an AA side based on form and output for your club in 2011 over the first 6 rounds - Embley is ahead.

If it were as simple as just naming the best 22 players in the comp, it would be boring. It's not about that, its about form in one season. (in this case, in 6 rounds) Eg. Luke Hodge is clearly in the best 10 players in the comp, but should he be AA in 2011 based on this years form?

 

[Rustof]

Wasn't Tarrant on Riewoldt who kicked 4?

 

[eaglespremiers]

why would I sook? He did the same thing last year and the Brownlow is completely subjective measure from one group of very unpopular members of the footballing fraternity.

Of course, if you were picking a side to play tomorrow, Murphy is ahead of Embley, but if you were picking an AA side based on form and output for your club in 2011 over the first 6 rounds - Embley is ahead.

Unpopular yet impartial. Which is more to say than the AFLPA MVP and Coaches Award. Also Judd will be leading the Coaches Award after this week.

The thing is, on form and output in 2011, Murphy is ahead of Embley.

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

Cloke and Dawes kicked 5 between them, they took 18 marks between them, including 10 contested and the smalls had a field day at their feet because the key defenders couldn't put a decent spoil on.

You're not going to blame all that on poor young Matthew Watson are you?

Those 2 blokes completely dominated and Jamison was responsible for at least one of them for all of the game.

Tarrant has had 1 goal kicked on him this year, and Merrett conceded 5 on Sat night alone. I've named Merrett because its just outright stupid to make a call based on # of goals conceded in modern footy. I'd have Jamison behind about 10 other key defenders this year at least.

So did you actually keep a close eye on these contests or are you just making assumptions? Jamison barely lost a one on one all night, and Collingwood repeatedly played through Watson's man. Watson was lost out there and Cloke and Dawes got the vast majority of their touches when he was on them. Both were blanketed by Jamison. Jamison also received a coaches vote (presumably from Ratten), which indicates that Ratts thought he was our second-best player.

Fail.

 

[Summer Nights]

I laugh at the mere mention of the name reid and AA. Only way he can regularly win a one-on-one in defense is to hold, push and take his opponents high. Far off AA.

 

[robertg22]

I laugh at the mere mention of the name reid and AA. Only way he can regularly win a one-on-one in defense is to hold, push and take his opponents high. Far off AA.

Rubbish.. his one on one work has been top shelf so far this year (and in the 2nd half of last year I will add)
He regularly outmarks his opponents, gets plenty of the ball and uses the ball beautifully.

 

[blues4flag]

So did you actually keep a close eye on these contests or are you just making assumptions? Jamison barely lost a one on one all night, and Collingwood repeatedly played through Watson's man. Watson was lost out there and Cloke and Dawes got the vast majority of their touches when he was on them. Both were blanketed by Jamison. Jamison also received a coaches vote (presumably from Ratten), which indicates that Ratts thought he was our second-best player.

Fail.

Not to mention Jamison had a career high 16 kicks, 10 marks and 20 touches.

Only to follow it up 2 weeks later with 8 marks and 16 touches, his second best numbers for those stats in his career thus far.

 

[King Elvis]

Rutten has been fantastic all year, he'd have to be in contention.

Scott Thompson around the mark too, but that's about it from the Crows.

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

I think another couple of good performances from Kyle Hardingham should see him entering the discussion. He's been fantastic down back this year.

 

[hird+lloyd=legends]

Big Stu Crameri, probs wont be AA come end of the year but so far 6rounds in been one of the best forwards.

^Agree with hardingham aswell.. Kepler anyone?

 

[theyellowsash]

Big Stu Crameri, probs wont be AA come end of the year but so far 6rounds in been one of the best forwards.

^Agree with hardingham aswell.. Kepler anyone?

keplar has played some pretty good games but ide struggle to think where he would fit. wouldnt be above cox or sandi for the ruck and there are better performed big forwards (jack r, franklin, cloke to name a few).

looks like having a very good year though. a couple years ago who wouldve thought it

 

[Summer Nights]

Rubbish.. his one on one work has been top shelf so far this year (and in the 2nd half of last year I will add)
He regularly outmarks his opponents, gets plenty of the ball and uses the ball beautifully.

This is just one quarter. Would hate to do the whole game for Reid's 'efforts'.

Right click and select Open Image (or similar) to see full-size.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Reid does nothing more than what 95% of all other defenders do in the AFL.

He shouldn't be mentioned in this thread based on the first six weeks anyway.

 

[Thommo 42]

are you talking about AA umpires or something?

Reid won all 3 contests for his team and no free kicks paid.

 

[Scodog10]

Thommo love your passion to have Reid in the team but he hasn't been the best CHB after the first 6 rounds, both Mcpharlin and Taylor have been better. His time will come it just ain't right now.

The only locks I'd have at the pies are Shaw, Cloke, Pendles and Swan. Wouldn't be surprised to see Cloke drop out of that list and Thomas would be the only one outside of that group that I could see challenging come the end of the year. I'd have him in if they picked it specifically on positions because right now he's probably the best winger in the league, but I'd be surprised if he made it just as a midfielder which is the way they go these days.

Jeez mumbo its hard enough to be a defender these days without free kicks like the ones you posted being paid. If we started paying those ones every game we'd get back to the days of 100 free kicks a game

 

[m7jebus]

I think another couple of good performances from Kyle Hardingham should see him entering the discussion. He's been fantastic down back this year.

Absolutely. He's beginning to justify Matty Knights' decision to take him over Michael Barlow, at the very least (as is the form of Heath Hocking and Sam Lonergan, mind).

Was browsing some season stats earlier (don't know why) and stumbled upon this side-by-side comparison. I found the numbers quite interesting...

Kyle Hardingham:

57 kicks
36 handballs
49 contested/43 uncontested possessions
88.2% disposal efficiency
29 marks (10 contested)
13 tackles
35 one %ers

Harry O'Brien:

57 kicks
39 handballs
40 contested/53 uncontested possessions
87.5% disposal efficiency
27 marks (6 contested)
3 tackles
21 one %ers

Not quite clones in terms of playing style, but they're both mid-sized backmen and rebound players (especially with Dempsey out for the Dons) and I think Hardingham's figures and overall performances stack up very very well.

 

[jknothimjustafan]

Random question.

When was the last time a first year player was All Australian? Who was it? Or has it never been done?

If not could it happen this year? Who might be closest?