Norm Smith Medal - they got it wrong

[Stereophonic]

Luke Hodge was great today, not taking away from that, the simple fact is that Gary Ablett, like his father in a losing GF against Hawthorn 20 seasons earlier was clearly best on ground.

Kicks: 12
Handballs: 22
Efficiency: 85%
Goals: 2
Clearances: 8
Tackles: 5

Hodge was basically playing his spare man in defence role again (which he does extremely well), while Ablett carried his team for most of the game.
IMHO Abletts performance today was Judd and Bucklley like (2002,2005)

 

[damochandler]

Luke Hodge was great today, not taking away from that, the simple fact is that Gary Ablett, like his father in a losing GF against Hawthorn 20 seasons earlier was clearly best on ground.

Kicks: 12
Handballs: 22
Efficiency: 85%
Goals: 2
Clearances: 8
Tackles: 5

Hodge was basically playing his spare man in defence role again (which he does extremely well), while Ablett carried his team for most of the game.
IMHO Abletts performance today was Judd and Bucklley like (2002,2005)

i thought cambel brown was bog

 

[coasting]

Luke Hodge was great today, not taking away from that, the simple fact is that Gary Ablett, like his father in a losing GF against Hawthorn 20 seasons earlier was clearly best on ground.

Kicks: 12
Handballs: 22
Efficiency: 85%
Goals: 2
Clearances: 8
Tackles: 5

Hodge was basically playing his spare man in defence role again (which he does extremely well), while Ablett carried his team for most of the game.
IMHO Abletts performance today was Judd and Bucklley like (2002,2005)

You are probably correct. Might have stopped his crying too

 

[BomberAce7]

Luke Hodge was great today, not taking away from that, the simple fact is that Gary Ablett, like his father in a losing GF against Hawthorn 20 seasons earlier was clearly best on ground.

Kicks: 12
Handballs: 22
Efficiency: 85%
Goals: 2
Clearances: 8
Tackles: 5

Hodge was basically playing his spare man in defence role again (which he does extremely well), while Ablett carried his team for most of the game.
IMHO Abletts performance today was Judd and Bucklley like (2002,2005)

Hmmm you seriously have no idea!!!

 

[Cats fan 16]

Dunno about Ablett winning it, but i dont think Hodge should have. He was good, but 4 or 5 of those kicks were in the last 5 mins playing kick to kick. I actually think Xavier ellis was very good and would have been worthy

 

[Geddy Lee]

I too would have given it to Brown or Hodge.

 

[Monkey Worshipper]

Wrong

Best man was clearly Hodge. Masrshalled the defence and continually rallied them and commanded them while Geelong fed the ball in.

Was inspirational.

 

[AG]

Bloody stats. Hodge represents the reasons why Hawthorn won. Courage, effort, persistence, leadership and determination. I value all of that more than the number of kicks, handballs, marks etc. The fact is Hodge is a born leader, demands respect and is a superstar of the competition. They got it right.

 

[Stereophonic]

In actual fact, if Clinton Young had stayed on the park, he would of had it in the bag

 

[BT13]

Brad Sewell played a good game

 

[SM]

Meh, knew they'd give it to Hodge after Ablett didn't do enough for it. It was just so predictable even though he wasn't BOG...

 

[Stereophonic]

Bloody stats. Hodge represents the reasons why Hawthorn won. Courage, effort, persistence, leadership and determination. I value all of that more than the number of kicks, handballs, marks etc. The fact is Hodge is a born leader, demands respect and is a superstar of the competition. They got it right.

Gablett doesnt have any of those qualities?

 

[Camo1902]

Ablett was clearly the best for Geelong but all the blokes who have won the NS in a losing side were in teams that got beaten by a narrow margin. 5 goals is too big a loss to receive the medal.

 

[magiceightball]

yeah, ablett played a suberb game.
in the end though hodge contributed hugely in the win for the hawks.
had geelong of won. hodge would have been 2nd or 3rd likeliest to win the coleman.

 

[Brown n Gold]

Dunno about Ablett winning it, but i dont think Hodge should have. He was good, but 4 or 5 of those kicks were in the last 5 mins playing kick to kick. I actually think Xavier ellis was very good and would have been worthy

Well done Sir... Ellis was a star out there today... Courageous, composed..

 

[somthinisgo]

gablett played very well today cant take that away from him. BUT what hodge did was betta. the results reflected gablett as the winner but hodge was the basis of their camrederie he was a leader, his work rate was higher, hes tough as nails AND he won. as much as we hate to say it a losing side is never going to get the norm smith medal

 

[TheGhostOfJohnBelushi]

Luke Hodge was great today, not taking away from that, the simple fact is that Gary Ablett, like his father in a losing GF against Hawthorn 20 seasons earlier was clearly best on ground.

Kicks: 12
Handballs: 22
Efficiency: 85%
Goals: 2
Clearances: 8
Tackles: 5

Hodge was basically playing his spare man in defence role again (which he does extremely well), while Ablett carried his team for most of the game.
IMHO Abletts performance today was Judd and Bucklley like (2002,2005)

And Judd and Buckley shouldn't have won their's. I know the Norm Smith is technically for BOG, but really unless there is an amazingly standout performance (ie. Ablett in 89) it should always go to the winning team's best player.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Luke Hodge was great today, not taking away from that, the simple fact is that Gary Ablett, like his father in a losing GF against Hawthorn 20 seasons earlier was clearly best on ground.

Kicks: 12
Handballs: 22
Efficiency: 85%
Goals: 2
Clearances: 8
Tackles: 5

Hodge was basically playing his spare man in defence role again (which he does extremely well), while Ablett carried his team for most of the game.
IMHO Abletts performance today was Judd and Bucklley like (2002,2005)

Not sure what game you were watching. I am pretty sure Hodge beat Rooke, Stokes and Mooney at different times.

 

[bunsen burner]

This was a hard Norm Smith to pick - not unlike 05. Ellis, Bateman, Ablett, Dew, Sewell, and Ablett were all good. Brown did get towelled up early by Mooney and was lucky Mooney couldn't kick straight.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

If the margin was closer, I could see your arguement. Statistics don't mean everything - Hodge lead well and what he did was quality.

Hodge was BOG - there were about 5-6 other Hawks (like Dew) who would have been worthy winners too.

 

[Cruiser23]

Xav for mine. Was pretty much BOG at half time, put in a great 4 quarter performance.

 

[Captain Judd]

Ablett was BOG in the Granny. Mitchell is a dog by the way. Bateman is a tip rat

 

[Stereophonic]

yeah, ablett played a suberb game.
in the end though hodge contributed hugely in the win for the hawks.
had geelong of won. hodge would have been 2nd or 3rd likeliest to win the coleman.

Son, are you high?

 

[OzBomber]

Was great, but not BOG.

 

[Clean Heels]

I had no interest in the game, but gee..

Ablett was best on by that far that it wasnt funny..

Hodge played spare man, was great in stages, his 20 kicks looks good on paper, but at least 6-7 of them were back and forth..

The only danger in the norm smith to ablett - got injured and was taken off, that was clinton young, he was fantastic..

After being robbed of a Brownlow, Norm Smith and missing out on a flag - I cant blame Gazza for crying..

3 out of the 4 judges on the radio gave him Bog aswell.. poor bloke.