Toast Tex Walker and Jordan Dawson both AA 2023

[UcantCme]

Congrats Tex

The best KPF in my time that I have seen in terms of kicking both sides of the body


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[119others]

Title says it all.

Congratulations to the big fella. Well deserved

Well done to both our lads on well deserved first time AA honours.

got me thinking who else may make the AA squad over coming years. What other potential elite players do we have on our list. And thankfully the answer is MANY (most since early 90’s) so it’s not the time to give up on the Crows right now.

defence
Murray - was building towards a prototype modern day KPD. Fingers crossed after ACL
Max - perhaps not likely next 2-3 years but longer term without doubt
Hinge - could be as early as next year
Worrell - down the track, a remote chance

forward/ mids
Rankine - lock it in Eddie
Peds and Rachele - very good chances within in a few years (3-4 years), ultimately a lot of our future success hinges on these 2 highly drafted mid/forwards
Fog - I wish I could say yes but unlikely
TT - hasn’t shown enough for me to be convinced. JUH looks far more likely and questions remain on TT best possie
Soligo - more your Edwards very good type, rather than elite. Which is still an excellent result with draft position

probably missing someone, will have morning coffee and review further but believe 2-3 defenders and perhaps 3 forward/mids are capable of making the AA squad over the next half a decade.

still need 2-3 more elite players clearly including mids

 

[Geoffa32]

Well deserved. Not just for this year but his body of work over his career.

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[SugarShane]

I think we are a better team when Tex is selfish! Most skilled big man in the league by a country mile.

When you think about it, how many players in our team would you be satisfied to see Tex pass to? Maybe Fogarty? Though even he was skittish in front of goals this year. Tex taking a low percentage shot is about as reliable as most of our players from 35m out.

 

[SugarShane]

The last round of 2020, he kicks 1.1, his 15th and final goal of the year to pass Mods.

Shithouse year for him and the club. Surely won’t kick many more from there…

…171 goals later, and hopefully a few more to come.

Ha, I remember that. It felt so hollow. Almost like he should've pulled a Mark Taylor 334. But now? What a resurgence.

 

[jo172]

This really pleased me.

If he never got one it would of been a terrible historic anomaly.

Wonder who the best ever/current players not to make an AA team are now?

EDIT - some quick googling would tend to suggest Scott Lucas

Scott Lucas

Age

46

Ht

192cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.5

4star

K

12.4

5star

HB

3.1

3star

M

6.0

5star

T

1.9

4star

G

1.9

5star

No current season stats available

D

17.2

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

4.8

4star

M

6.6

5star

T

0.6

3star

G

4.4

5star

 

[maxlilly]

Congrats Tex
What an outstanding year.
Couldn't happen to a better bloke.
Right up there now with the all time great Crows players

 

[SydCrow]

Serious manlove for this guy. So good below his knees, so hard to tackle and the best kick in the comp. Should have been AA captain in 2015. If we had played after Carlton would he have won the Coleman?

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Eagleboy2011]

Well deserved. Not just for this year but his body of work over his career.

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app

When we talk heart and soul players, Tex is that for the AFC. Tex has saved Nick's job this year imho.

 

[jenny61_99]

Great accolade, much deserved for my favourite current day player.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

I mean it's a complete and utter joke he hasn't got one before, but rapt for the big fella! The best on his non preferred I've seen except possibly D Jarman

 

[MarcusP2]

When you think about it, how many players in our team would you be satisfied to see Tex pass to? Maybe Fogarty? Though even he was skittish in front of goals this year. Tex taking a low percentage shot is about as reliable as most of our players from 35m out.

The Stephen Curry effect.

 

[Brenton Davy]

If he never got one it would of been a terrible historic anomaly.

Wonder who the best ever/current players not to make an AA team are now?

EDIT - some quick googling would tend to suggest Scott Lucas

This post had me wondering if Tex is the oldest AA “rookie”

 

[Coopers]

This really pleased me.

If he never got one it would of been a terrible historic anomaly.

Wonder who the best ever/current players not to make an AA team are now?

EDIT - some quick googling would tend to suggest Scott Lucas

If he had played his career at Collingwood, I wonder how many AA's Tex would have?

 

[Betts are off]

Tex making himself one of the best players in the league this last 3 seasons has been a thing of beauty. Made some very tough seasons to watch bare-able.

TBH I wouldn't mind seeing him play a bit more selfishly the next year or 2. Unlike many, I feel like the slightly more selfish version of Tex is actually better for our team then the super unselfish version he's always been.

He's the biggest momentum player we have. When he's on, we're on.

 

[Vader]

This post had me wondering if Tex is the oldest AA “rookie”

Oldest in the AFL era, according to The Age.

No idea how far you have to go back in the VFL era to find an older AA "rookie".

 

[BRL121]

Tex making himself one of the best players in the league this last 3 seasons has been a thing of beauty. Made some very tough seasons to watch bare-able.

TBH I wouldn't mind seeing him play a bit more selfishly the next year or 2. Unlike many, I feel like the slightly more selfish version of Tex is actually better for our team then the super unselfish version he's always been.

He's the biggest momentum player we have. When he's on, we're on.

What? You strip off to watch him?

 

[Vader]

If he had played his career at Collingwood, I wonder how many AA's Tex would have?

Looking back, here's where he finished in the goal kicking ladder for each year:
2023 - 2nd
2022 - 13th
2021 - 9th
2020 - 40th
2019 - 10th
2018 - 41st
2017 - 7th
2016 - 10th
2015 - 4th
2014 - 23rd
2013 - injured (only played 5 games)
2012 - 4th
2011 - 25th
2010 - 25th
2009 - 50th

** Stats taken from finalsiren.com. Stats are goal totals for the full season, including finals. Note that the Coleman Medal (and AA selection) are based on performance in the H&A season, so these stats aren't quite comparing apples with apples - but it's the best I could do.

Realistically, 2012 & 2015 are the only other years where he ever came close to earning AA selection.

There's a fair argument that he should have been selected in 2012. In that year he finished 6 goals behind Pavlich & Franklin, but Pavlich had the benefit of playing 4 more games. Only Franklin kicked more goals per game.

The case for 2015 is a lot weaker. He finished a clear 4th on the goal kicking ladder - 21 goals behind Kennedy, and 4 goals behind Betts & Cameron, all of whom kicked more goals per game than Tex.

If you assume that only 2x KPFs will be selected in the AA team (in order to squeeze as many midfielders in as possible - even in positions they never played), then 2012 is the only other season when there was any realistic case for giving Tex an AA jacket.

 

[Betts are off]

What? You strip off to watch him?

Lol, you don't?

 

[jo172]

Oldest in the AFL era, according to The Age.

No idea how far you have to go back in the VFL era to find an older AA "rookie".

not an answer to the question at hand, but interesting:



For what it's worth the old All Australian team was selected from interstate carnivals, so quite conceivably there would be a few.

 

[jo172]

Looking back, here's where he finished in the goal kicking ladder for each year:
2023 - 2nd
2022 - 13th
2021 - 9th
2020 - 40th
2019 - 10th
2018 - 41st
2017 - 7th
2016 - 10th
2015 - 4th
2014 - 23rd
2013 - injured (only played 5 games)
2012 - 4th
2011 - 25th
2010 - 25th
2009 - 50th

** Stats taken from finalsiren.com. Stats are goal totals for the full season, including finals. Note that the Coleman Medal (and AA selection) are based on performance in the H&A season, so these stats aren't quite comparing apples with apples - but it's the best I could do.

Realistically, 2012 & 2015 are the only other years where he ever came close to earning AA selection.

There's a fair argument that he should have been selected in 2012. In that year he finished 6 goals behind Pavlich & Franklin, but Pavlich had the benefit of playing 4 more games. Only Franklin kicked more goals per game.

The case for 2015 is a lot weaker. He finished a clear 4th on the goal kicking ladder - 21 goals behind Kennedy, and 4 goals behind Betts & Cameron, all of whom kicked more goals per game than Tex.

If you assume that only 2x KPFs will be selected in the AA team (in order to squeeze as many midfielders in as possible - even in positions they never played), then 2012 is the only other season when there was any realistic case for giving Tex an AA jacket.

Note that last night three Key Forwards got selected.

You also need to look at the AA teams to get some silly results.

I.e 2012 Dean Cox is named in a Forward Pocket. Telling me that shouldn't have been Tex?

2015 Jake Stringer is named in a Forward Pocket

2017 Joe Daniher is named in a Forward Pocket

EDIT - Actually it seems most teams of the era have 3 KPFs with one in the pocket, Tom Lynch (GC) in 2016, Roughead in 2013 and 2014, Gunston in 2018 ...

 

[Vader]

Note that last night three Key Forwards got selected.

You also need to look at the AA teams to get some silly results.

I.e 2012 Dean Cox is named in a Forward Pocket. Telling me that shouldn't have been Tex?

2015 Jake Stringer is named in a Forward Pocket

2017 Joe Daniher is named in a Forward Pocket

EDIT - Actually it seems most teams of the era have 3 KPFs with one in the pocket, Tom Lynch (GC) in 2016, Roughead in 2013 and 2014, Gunston in 2018 ...

If there's 3x KPFs, then Tex should have been AA in 2012.

The AA selectors are famous for selecting players in positions they never play. Usually it's an attempt to shoehorn as many midfielders into the team as possible. Bad luck to players on the wing, flanks, or even pockets, as they are inevitably pushed aside to squeeze extra mids into the team.

 

[FR0GGY]

So has he made the squad before?

 

[FR0GGY]

It’s almost unanimous that Tex is the most heart and soul player for the crows, who comes in at no 2?

 

[119others]

Congrats Tex
What an outstanding year.
Couldn't happen to a better bloke.
Right up there now with the all time great Crows players

is he almost equal with Jarman as our best ever kick - both sides - especially when kicking for goal? Tex has Jars covered for distance and his left foot is a thing of absolute bloody beauty. That left foot roost from 50 after baulking Allir in the showndown - it never looked like missing. His regular snaps from the boundary including last weekends left foot snag from probably 35 metres. Just such a pure strike of the ball. Fair dinkum, he must be the best non-preferred kick in the whole of the AFL isnt he?