Naitanui, Kreuzer, Clark or Ryder?

[Underdog]

He is in the top 1% of the competition with his handballs....?

His handballing is genuinely brilliant. It's not just the handball, but winning the possession then showing the strength, vision and accuracy.

The consistency and damage caused by his handballing would relatively be the equivalent of Rich's kicking.

He won't get recognition for it however. It will take people a few years and for his consistency in performances grow for people to understand and appreciate his style of play.

I've watched him for the past few years and whilst he is a fantastic tap ruckman, he plays a very good inside game also. It will take people a while to adjust to seeing a ruckman play in his manner.

 

[George Washington]

His handballing is genuinely brilliant. It's not just the handball, but winning the possession then showing the strength, vision and accuracy.

The consistency and damage caused by his handballing would relatively be the equivalent of Rich's kicking.

LOL

I believe he has potential, but you are just being ridiculous. The other week he had 7 touches, 7 clangers. Of those 6 were his 'elite' handballs...

Ablett, Watson are elite 'handballers'.

 

[Underdog]

I believe he has potential, but you are just being ridiculous. The other week he had 7 touches, 7 clangers. Of those 6 were his 'elite' handballs...

WRONG.

Perhaps you should watch the game.

6 of those were free kicks. He and the umpires had a shocker in that sense.

I guess that shows the credibility of your opinion on the matter...

Regardless, I never once suggested he was a finished product at 19. Of course he's still largely potential.

 

[Crimson King]

You do know he gave away 6 free kicks that added to his clangers?

Edit: Underdog beat me to it.

 

[Quinz]

I believe he has potential, but you are just being ridiculous. The other week he had 7 touches, 7 clangers. Of those 6 were his 'elite' handballs...

6 of those clangers were FA's.

In his first season he has had to play as the main ruckman on several ocassions, and has won more often than not. This is coming off a knee injury earlier in the season as well.

His tapwork is sensational, watch the third quarter against North to see how much impact he can have with very few possessions.

And his handballing is outstanding, sets up play really well. Not to mention his defensive efforts to smother and tackle- I have seen him a few times every game smothering opposition kicks, such as the two goals against Hawthorn he created out of nothing, or intercepting the Adelaide kickout last week.

He still has a lot to work on, such as running to space, and he does handball sometimes when he kicks, but I am thrilled with how his is progressing at this stage in his career. Don't forget ruckmen take the longest to develop- Cox wasn't even on our list at the same age.

 

[Crimson King]

People shouldnt also forget he had knee surgery in the pre-season and missed most of it + the first couple of months of the season. When you take that into account, his output has been pretty good.

 

[Underdog]

People shouldnt also forget he had knee surgery in the pre-season and missed most of it + the first couple of months of the season. When you take that into account, his output has been pretty good.

Indeed.

I guess, to be fair...the standings of this poll seem to reflect that people recognise that.

 

[tcwaters]

Bastards. You all me beat me to the clanger count. Ah well

potential, potential, potential...

no matter how many times you say it, it is still a dirty word.

Natanui looks to have it in spades but the big question is can he deliver.

He already is.. He had a few goal assists in his first game and took a screamer.. In his second game he pretty much won us the match.. Shit, I went through all this in my earlier post.. He does have a long way to go, but he is already showing that he'll be a star.

I watched that North game and I wouldn't have him in your best.

BEST
West Coast: A Selwood, Houlihan, Priddis, Wirrpanda, Lynch, Naitanui, Swift
North Melbourne: Harvey, Petrie, Anthony, Grima, Rawlings, Adams

Few quotes, on just that game alone.

Nic Naitanui (20 hit-outs) helped the Eagles gain the ascendancy around the stoppages

Nic Naitanui at the very least will be a damn good ruckman going by this performance.

The likes of Houlihan, Naitanui and Wilson continue to impress for West Coast

The West Coast victory was highlighted by good performances from a string of younger Eagles including Tom Swift, Tim Houlihan, Nick Naitanui Patrick McGinnity and Callum Wilson

Naitanui's aerial dominance provided the Eagles with plenty of ball in the third quarter, while his work when the ball hit the ground also delighted the 32,472 crowd

A quote from Darren Crocker:

"They moved the ball quickly and I thought Naitanui was good at some centre bounces and they got some quality clearances."

He may not have been the best, but he was important to the win.

 

[ThePine]

so according to you, Naitanui is an inside mid of the same ilk as Daniel Kerr with an elite handball.

ffs, get your hand off it.

He averages 14 hit outs and 8 handballs a game (1.7 kicks).

but.. but... but.. he can jump!

 

[tcwaters]

Geez, you're thick.. Watch him play, you'll realise he doesn't need many touches to change a game.. His 3 goals, his tap work, his smothering.

It 'aint all about how many touches you get

 

[ThePine]

im just over all the hype.

a ruckman was influential in a centre clearance? FMD!

I don't expect a west coast supporter to see my point.

 

[Underdog]

so according to you, Naitanui is an inside mid of the same ilk as Daniel Kerr with an elite handball.

No, I was comparing styles. Naitanui is very much a work in progress.

 

[Underdog]

im just over all the hype.

a ruckman was influential in a centre clearance? FMD!

I don't expect a west coast supporter to see my point.

The hype only exists because uninformed people that haven't seen him play or only a few times circulate the same rubbish myths that they hear from similarly uniformed people.

I've been watching the kid for a couple of years.

 

[ThePine]

The hype only exists because uninformed people that haven't seen him play or only a few times circulate the same rubbish myths that they hear from similarly uniformed people.

I've been watching the kid for a couple of years.

the hype exists because he stands out.

i still think he will be a good tap ruckmen but he really needs to (dramatically) improve certain aspects of his game to take it the top level.

the modern ruckmen needs to be influential all over the ground with a full skill set.

Its also a fair argument to say that what Naitanui lacks in some areas he makes up for in others. Eg, cant kick but is a freak

 

[Crimson King]

That's why we have Coxy to mentor him.

 

[lewigie]

the modern ruckmen needs to be influential all over the ground with a full skill set.

No, he doesn't.

Naitanui won't be a linkman.

He will revolutionize the ruck

 

[Quinz]

im just over all the hype.

a ruckman was influential in a centre clearance? FMD!

I don't expect a west coast supporter to see my point.

You're arguing that Naitanui "has potential but the question is can he deliver". We've demonstrated to you that Naitanui has gone beyond potential and shown enough already to indicate that he can be a very very good player.

Not to mention you claim to have watched the North game and didn't see much from him, in contrast to the media, coaches and fans who saw the game.

In fact a lot of the time he has more influence than people give him credit for, especially those who don't see the games and only look at the stat sheet. The hype may be big in the media, but as supporters most wouldn't have expected as much as what he has delivered this year.

Just in case it wasn't evident before- he's 19, had a knee injury earlier in the year, and is influencing games as the teams number one ruckman. Ruckmen generally takes years before they start to really impact, I wasn't even sure if he would play this year.

 

[INSANE]

I don't get how some still have doubts on him, he is already influencing the outcome of games.....twice v hawks and roos and was great v bombers, can't believe some people think he needs to earn cheap stats to be a star, i'm with cuz re; statistics.

He is unique and plays a completely different, but equally as influential game to most ruck already........he is 19 remember.

On the kicking ffs, if Ohailpin can learn to kick................ANYONE can, remember kicking a footy can be taught to anyone, it is not rocket science, though kicking like Gilbee, Buckley etc can't be taught.

 

[tcwaters]

im just over all the hype.

a ruckman was influential in a centre clearance? FMD!

I don't expect a west coast supporter to see my point.

Watch him play, then pass judgement. Whether he's dominating the hithouts, tackling the other ruckman if need be, or firing out a sniper of a handball which, more often than not, sets up attack for us.. Fact of the matter is, Naita is influential in the centre. All at the tender age of 19 & being the #1 ruckman.

Like Quinz said, he has shown he has what it takes to become a great player. The hype surrounding Naita is somewhat justfied.. It may have been, at times, a bit over the top, but if you can't see that he will become a star, then perhaps you're not all that switched on.. When his fitness levels rise, you will see a player like never before.

Prepare to be Terminaited

 

[anti_]

the lack of votes for clark shows the low number of brisbane supporters on here.

i reckon he's a dead-set gun, he beats ryder for mine at the moment.

in the future...im hoping nicnat, but its hard to tell. all of them have different qualities:

nicnat - the jump, tackling, quick hands, 1%ers

clark - all round solid player, good tap work, marks, nice disposal and im sure he'll kick more goals in time (he done some nice things fwd early on in his career)

ryder - in the mould of nicnat, but more of a natural footballer. highflyer who has good skills and quality tap work.

kreuzer - i tend to think he's a bit under-sized if used as a 1st ruck, good agility, great kick and knows how to take a big grab and snag a few goals.

i think we're going to have some epic ruck battles in the years to come.

 

[kangars8]

at this point Mitch Clark is by fair the better ruckman of the 4 and will possibly make the AA side. although nicnat and paddy ryder have the most potenial and ability, im not fully convienced they can fulfill it though

 

[Hollow Knight]

Clark comfortably ahead of the other 3 at the moment.