Most Important Attribute in Modern Footy

[ringo200]

Hypothetically there is a draft coming up and you are in charge of pick no.1. Your club has no specific needs and has equal depth in all positions across the field.

There are 11 stand out candidates for the pick that you are considering. All the candidates are at exactly the average level of all the attributes except for one which they absolutely excel at, you are convinced that they will become the best in the AFL at that particular attribute, so which one would you choose?

 

[juss]

very very hard to pick and in that situation it would come down to a clubs needs.

I voted for disposal by hand and foot for the following reasons:

- disposal, getting the ball to a teamate or to the goals is what the game is all about in the end, the ball needs to go from player to player.
- great speed and strength mean nothing if after a great run the player turns the ball over
- average disposal can mean turnovers and missing a leading player and these days turnovers mean a quick opposition rebound and goal
- great players have atleast good disposal, many great players are not as good as they could be because there are question marks over their disposal
- it's probably the most damaging aspect as hitting a leading forward lace out with a 50m pass is a very valuable thing in a player

 

[gx122]

no hair?

 

[ringo200]

no hair?

I said he'd be the best in the AFL in it, how can anyone possibly beat Natanui?

 

[Axel.]

Nice thread.

 

[TheBigUnit]

Decision making, as it has a wide scope (decision making with/without/when the opposition has the ball), incorporates aspects of/improves the effect some of the other mentioned qualities and is one of the the most critical and IMO the most difficult quality to improve.

 

[flackjack]

Decision making. If your're making bad choices, then it doesn't matter how strong you are in the other attributes...

 

[ringo200]

I just wanted to clarify why I put height in, imagine the tallest ruckmen in the AFL, who also was about average at all those other things, I reckon that would make a pretty dominant player.

 

[Damon_3388]

It's not the absolute most important attribute, but fitness (and by the same token, workrate) is very important IMO. We always hear about how much better players like (for example) Cyril Rioli and Trent Cotchin will be once they increase their tanks, because fitness and workrate is what elevates an average player to good, and a good player to the elite level. Guys like Gary Ablett, Paul Medhurst, Steve Johnson, and Leigh Montagna are examples of guys who have taken their game to another level in the last few years through increased fitness and workrate, and extraordinary fitness and dedicated workrate is what consistently keeps guys like Brett Kirk involved and contributing each and every week.

 

[Power King]

1. Good disposal.
2. Decision making.
3. Dedication (can be applied to most aspects in the poll in order to improve.. some thing can only be improved by so much though, hence good disposal and decision making at 1 & 2).

 

[Bombers1234]

1. Disposal
2. Decision Making
3. Not an option, but i would say ability to win own footy.

 

[The Swert]

What are footy smarts compared to decision making? Reading the play and making the right decisions is all part and parcel.

I've voted for disposal, kicking especially. Although height is underrated. Yes you don't need to be 200cm, but you don't see many guys under 180cm anymore. Average footballer's height is getting taller and taller which is why basketballers are more than ever a recruitment option.

 

[lions_den]

Fitness.

 

[donbooger]

I would have picked desicision making but I think it is not as effective if your disposal is no good. In kids you would look for disposal as if you are a bad kick you usually remain so for your career other attributes can be developed.

 

[ringo200]

What are footy smarts compared to decision making? Reading the play and making the right decisions is all part and parcel.

I've voted for disposal, kicking especially. Although height is underrated. Yes you don't need to be 200cm, but you don't see many guys under 180cm anymore. Average footballer's height is getting taller and taller which is why basketballers are more than ever a recruitment option.

I tend to view it as decision making is picking out the right option with your handballs and kicks, and footy smarts is more the things without the ball, knowing when to lay a shepherd and when to run off and make yourself an option, always knowing your place in the teams gameplan, making the right leads without getting in the way of your teammates and then use of the body in the contest would all be footy smarts, as well as in defence knowing when to leave your man and help out.

 

[a_fighting_fury]

IMO you left out one of the most important aspects, TACKLING.

 

[Yellow Feathers]

Without doubt: Dedication.

It's all in the 1%'ers. If somebody makes it to AFL level they should already have pretty good skills.

Look at the Saints this year with their forward defence. It wasnt the superstars that made it happen, it was the average players who put in the extra effort and got the result.

If a player is dedicated everything else falls in place anyway eg. skills, disposal, decision making.

 

[Carlton_Blues]

Without doubt: Dedication.

It's all in the 1%'ers. If somebody makes it to AFL level they should already have pretty good skills.

Look at the Saints this year with their forward defence. It wasnt the superstars that made it happen, it was the average players who put in the extra effort and got the result.

If a player is dedicated everything else falls in place anyway eg. skills, disposal, decision making.

Dedication without skill is useless. How many try-hards have been dropped because of their turn-overs or poor footskills/disposal?

 

[Yellow Feathers]

Practice makes perfect, right? These so called "try-hards" were dropped because they obviously weren't dedicated enough.

 

[Rack Watts]

I went with Footy Smarts, I think it's one of the only non-physical attributes that's difficult to improve, it's possible but it's easy to tell who has them from the start (Rioli, Otten, Hurley and J.Selwood). The players that have Footy in their blood and brain are usually the best players and stand out from the rest.

 

[Rack Watts]

IMO you left out one of the most important aspects, TACKLING.

Jetta is one of the best tacklers in the game but it really doesn't make him stand out much.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Practice makes perfect, right?

No. That saying is rubbish. A more apt saying is..

Perfect practice makes perfect.


For what it's worth I went...
1. Disposal
2. Decision making
3. Dedication