BennyHarper
Senior List
- May 25, 2005
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Nathan Buckleys AA team.
"WHEN the All-Australian selectors sit down and finalise their side there will be many contrary opinions, so I have had a crack myself.
The game today is as even as it's ever been and this makes it more difficult to cut players from the herd. There is more focus on defence than at any era of the game and as a result the difference between the average player and the best has reduced considerably.
Choosing players in position is also harder, for example Luke McPharlin playing the first five games as a centre half-back and then playing as a forward.
Perhaps the major difficulty is comparing players who can put in brilliant performances against those who play consistently at a high level.
I've tried to take all this into account and pick the best side in position.
THE BACKLINE: In today's football the backline needs to have the ability to stop dangerous forwards but also provide run and rebound to create attacks.
I chose Darren Gaspar as full-back after his magnificent return to form. Freed from the injuries that have dogged him, his performances have provided a backbone for the Richmond surge.
Centre half-back was the position hardest to choose, so I chose another tall defender. Shane Wakelin is almost in career-best form. He has been able to stop his man, get across to assist other defenders and has provided great rebound.
Adam McPhee and James Clement have the ability to play on talls and smalls and provide flexibility.
Jess Sinclair has probably been the most consistent flanker, his skills and ability to read the play has controlled games. Luke Hodge earns his spot on the other flank after roaming far and wide and thwarting most opposition tactics.
THE MIDFIELD: The ruck position was a battle in two – Peter Everitt and Dean Cox. Everitt has played a greater proportion in the ruck than Cox who has a set rotation policy. So Everitt gets the nod.
The three most damaging mid-fielders have been Shane Crawford, Ben Cousins and Chad Fletcher. Crawford has covered the ground as well as at any stage of his career. Cousins is my pick for the Brownlow. Where Fletcher once slipped under the guard of opposition teams, they now know how dangerous he can be.
Andrew Embley is a big man who plays as small as he does tall. Has kicked goals and thrives on physical contests. Nick Dal Santo's poise in close is a standout. He has been annointed a champion of the future.
THE FORWARDLINE: Surely the Coleman medallist should be the full-forward. Well, this year there is no debate, Mark Williams is the best-performed full-forward and has kicked the most goals.
Matthew Richardson, with 33 goals and 96 marks, has proved himself at centre half-forward once again, perhaps this time more consistently.
Matthew Pavlich's work rate has been amazing and his reading of the play is utilised at its maximum, forward of the ball.
The three remaining forwards are all medium types who have done the most damage. Shannon Grant has won games off his own boot for the Roos. Richmond's Nathan Brown will not make the team at the end of the year but he was one of the first picked at the halfway mark. Gary Ablett had quiet performances early but has been irrepressible since.
INTERCHANGE: How do you fit 20 players into four? You can't. Cox gets a run as the second ruckmen, assuming that is what we need in an All-Australian side.
Mark Ricciuto has been a consistent high performer, his long penetrating kick proving invaluable.
Scott West has been able to stop players while picking up possessions and setting up play from stoppages.
The last spot I have given to Daniel Cross, who has not only stopped his men cold but had the running power to collect more than 250 possessions himself thus far.
I appreciate how hard it can be and will wear any flak that comes my way. Many players have claims to earn a position in the side at the end of the year and there will ultimately be players unlucky to miss. Perhaps that is what makes the All-Australian teams so controversial.
Buckley's All-Australians
B: Adam McPhee, Darren Gaspar, James Clement
HB: Jess Sinclair, Shane Wakelin, Luke HodgeC: Andrew Embley, Chad Fletcher, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Shannon Grant, Matthew Richardson, Matthew Pavlich
F: Nathan Brown, Mark Williams, Gary Ablett
RUCKS: Peter Everitt, Mark Ricciuto, Scott West
INTER: Shane Crawford, Dean Cox, Daniel Cross, Ben Cousins"
What do people think?
"WHEN the All-Australian selectors sit down and finalise their side there will be many contrary opinions, so I have had a crack myself.
The game today is as even as it's ever been and this makes it more difficult to cut players from the herd. There is more focus on defence than at any era of the game and as a result the difference between the average player and the best has reduced considerably.
Choosing players in position is also harder, for example Luke McPharlin playing the first five games as a centre half-back and then playing as a forward.
Perhaps the major difficulty is comparing players who can put in brilliant performances against those who play consistently at a high level.
I've tried to take all this into account and pick the best side in position.
THE BACKLINE: In today's football the backline needs to have the ability to stop dangerous forwards but also provide run and rebound to create attacks.
I chose Darren Gaspar as full-back after his magnificent return to form. Freed from the injuries that have dogged him, his performances have provided a backbone for the Richmond surge.
Centre half-back was the position hardest to choose, so I chose another tall defender. Shane Wakelin is almost in career-best form. He has been able to stop his man, get across to assist other defenders and has provided great rebound.
Adam McPhee and James Clement have the ability to play on talls and smalls and provide flexibility.
Jess Sinclair has probably been the most consistent flanker, his skills and ability to read the play has controlled games. Luke Hodge earns his spot on the other flank after roaming far and wide and thwarting most opposition tactics.
THE MIDFIELD: The ruck position was a battle in two – Peter Everitt and Dean Cox. Everitt has played a greater proportion in the ruck than Cox who has a set rotation policy. So Everitt gets the nod.
The three most damaging mid-fielders have been Shane Crawford, Ben Cousins and Chad Fletcher. Crawford has covered the ground as well as at any stage of his career. Cousins is my pick for the Brownlow. Where Fletcher once slipped under the guard of opposition teams, they now know how dangerous he can be.
Andrew Embley is a big man who plays as small as he does tall. Has kicked goals and thrives on physical contests. Nick Dal Santo's poise in close is a standout. He has been annointed a champion of the future.
THE FORWARDLINE: Surely the Coleman medallist should be the full-forward. Well, this year there is no debate, Mark Williams is the best-performed full-forward and has kicked the most goals.
Matthew Richardson, with 33 goals and 96 marks, has proved himself at centre half-forward once again, perhaps this time more consistently.
Matthew Pavlich's work rate has been amazing and his reading of the play is utilised at its maximum, forward of the ball.
The three remaining forwards are all medium types who have done the most damage. Shannon Grant has won games off his own boot for the Roos. Richmond's Nathan Brown will not make the team at the end of the year but he was one of the first picked at the halfway mark. Gary Ablett had quiet performances early but has been irrepressible since.
INTERCHANGE: How do you fit 20 players into four? You can't. Cox gets a run as the second ruckmen, assuming that is what we need in an All-Australian side.
Mark Ricciuto has been a consistent high performer, his long penetrating kick proving invaluable.
Scott West has been able to stop players while picking up possessions and setting up play from stoppages.
The last spot I have given to Daniel Cross, who has not only stopped his men cold but had the running power to collect more than 250 possessions himself thus far.
I appreciate how hard it can be and will wear any flak that comes my way. Many players have claims to earn a position in the side at the end of the year and there will ultimately be players unlucky to miss. Perhaps that is what makes the All-Australian teams so controversial.
Buckley's All-Australians
B: Adam McPhee, Darren Gaspar, James Clement
HB: Jess Sinclair, Shane Wakelin, Luke HodgeC: Andrew Embley, Chad Fletcher, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Shannon Grant, Matthew Richardson, Matthew Pavlich
F: Nathan Brown, Mark Williams, Gary Ablett
RUCKS: Peter Everitt, Mark Ricciuto, Scott West
INTER: Shane Crawford, Dean Cox, Daniel Cross, Ben Cousins"
What do people think?
