Opinion The Ruck. We need to talk.

[Only Forwards]

Can we change the thread title to:

The Ruck. If you want an ocular hemorrhage open this thread.

 

[Junk yard]

From the person who asked me to look at Xerris 2022 VFL form

Of which there was none

His overall VFL form, idiot. You were wrong and we move on.

 

[Marstermind]

Who cares?

The absolute irony.


View attachment 2079023

 

[Uncle_Leo]

His overall VFL form, idiot. You were wrong and we move on.

Get to many VFL games in 2021?

 

[Junk yard]

Get to many VFL games in 2021?

Never been once mate, don't live in Vic. Anyway, if you're not willing to admit when you're wrong then we're just going around in circles. All the best mate. I'll catch ya in the Phillips thread when when he's averaging 30 and a goal next year, for my lashings.

 

[Devington]

I was of the opinion he'd settle into being a comfortable lock as our ruck and a solid citizen.Type of player that gets the job done week in week out at a decent level, with a couple of weaknesses to his game he might be able to work his way through with a season or three under his belt and then we might start getting surprised. He always had a great fitness base and physical edge, as well as the ability to occasionally monster games at VFL level, but by the time it was his turn to start taking a spot in the seniors his body just kept failing him after a month or so and he was never able to settle, plus the fact it was always (I think) a two ruck set up prior to this year, so it was hard to get a gauge on his ceiling. Never in my wildest dreams did I see it being this high, let alone reached so soon.

Dunno who should get the most credit for it, probably the helmet Big X himself.

 

[ferball]

Struggling to get through to you isn't it?

I assume you are referring to his VFL form of all of 2 games in 2023?

One where he dominated and the other where he had an ok game?

So you formed an opinion off two games at a lower level whilst I formed one from 9 games at the higher level?

The first little bit of the game he got injured in - r1 - he was very good. Had a heap of the ball, a heap of hit outs and played for about 10% of the game.

 

[ferball]

I DID EXCUSE YOU I CALLED IT IN FEB

Did you? AA?

Full credit then Ligs. Good call.

Doesn't surprise me to be honest.

 

[ferball]

If Will plays an all Australian year next year, or even a season of note ill be quite happy to eat humble dick. You can have a field day quoting me old mate.

I hope we get the chance. I think he's better than you give him credit for but i agree he's regressed this season, especially his fitness. I wouldn't put it down to laziness tho.

It can happen with those illnesses tho. I've seen them **** people up big time. They've never been the same.

 

[ferball]

Last year Xerri only played 2 VFL games and 8 AFL games. At the AFL level, he didn't play well. And at the VFL level he had arguably one good game and one average game.

Xerri didn't play any VFL in 2022, either.

By your own admission you specifically said you were referring to his VFL form in 2021.



Will Phillips this year has produced far more at VFL level (the level that you suggest is crucial for development) than Xerri ever did at VFL level prior to this year. At VFL level in 2024, Will Phillips is averaging 23.2 disposals and 6.5 tackles.

None of what I'm saying is trying to suggest that Will Phillips is better than Tristan Xerri. I'm simply pointing out the hypocrisy of your argument; if people were "foolish" last year to write off 24 year old Xerri who had shown very little at VFL or AFL level in the previous 2 years, and you have to go back to 2021 for his last 'great' VFL game... then why is it acceptable for you to write off 22 year old Will Phillips who has played very well?

Chad X had like 35+ possession games at VFL level and in at least one of them most were contested possessions. He had a few games with Cunners like stats.

 

[ferball]

From the person who asked me to look at Xerris 2022 VFL form

Of which there was none

Early in 2022 he had a couple of games where he got a heap of the ball, a heap of contested possession and a stack of hit outs, quite a few that were good. It was very early in the year before the wheels feel off. There were times he worked very well with Judas.

 

[Ligma]

Did you? AA?

Full credit then Ligs. Good call.

Doesn't surprise me to be honest.

Yep hehehe

 

[Chadwiko]

Chad X had like 35+ possession games at VFL level and in at least one of them most were contested possessions. He had a few games with Cunners like stats.

He had one game like that. In 2021.

These are his entire VFL stats since 2021;

Tristan Xerri VFL stats


Saying Xerri 'dominated' VFL level as a justification for shitting on people who were sceptical about his future as our #1 AFL ruck is dubious at best, and ridiculous at worst when you are also someone who shits on Will Phillips and says he is 'crap' at VFL level while putting up these kind of numbers;

Will Phillips VFL stats

 

[roospur]

My argument is people completely writing off players particularly key position and inside mids way way too early. They take time and it's happened with many of our players. Look at early on in Cunners and LDU threads, embarrassing stuff.

 

[Palpatine]

Xerri's post stoppage defensive effort, follow up work, and tackling was way ahead of Goldy last year. His fitness also matched Goldy.
He needed to be better at ruck craft, marking and general positioning. He was picked rd 1, goldi was not picked. The coaches knew he needed games to improve on these shortcomings.

On SM-A326B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ferball]

He had one game like that. In 2021.

These are his entire VFL stats since 2021;

Tristan Xerri VFL stats
View attachment 2079729

Saying Xerri 'dominated' VFL level as a justification for shitting on people who were sceptical about his future as our #1 AFL ruck is dubious at best, and ridiculous at worst when you are also someone who shits on Will Phillips and says he is 'crap' at VFL level while putting up these kind of numbers;

Will Phillips VFL stats
View attachment 2079730

One game of 35 touches, others with good midfielder numbers (25+) that were mostly contested from memory. In most of those games we got flogged, at least one by 100 points but it might have been a couple in a row, and he was one of the few players we had who even got near the ball.

BTW I don't shit on Will Phillips. I have repeatedly defended him from people who I don't think watch closely enough.

 

[Junk yard]

He had one game like that. In 2021.

These are his entire VFL stats since 2021;

Tristan Xerri VFL stats
View attachment 2079729

Saying Xerri 'dominated' VFL level as a justification for shitting on people who were sceptical about his future as our #1 AFL ruck is dubious at best, and ridiculous at worst when you are also someone who shits on Will Phillips and says he is 'crap' at VFL level while putting up these kind of numbers;

Will Phillips VFL stats
View attachment 2079730

Jesus, stop deflecting. You got it wrong it's okay. 30 possessions for a ruck is very different to 30 for an inside mid. Will's had 30 twice, I wouldn't say that's very good for a bloke playing inside mid in the two's. We'll know who was right about Will soon enough. At the the start of last season tristan would've played more than half his career games in the two's. If you haven't watched more than half of the games he's played developing I'm not sure you qualify to have a valid opinion.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

He had one game like that. In 2021.

These are his entire VFL stats since 2021;

Tristan Xerri VFL stats
View attachment 2079729

Saying Xerri 'dominated' VFL level as a justification for shitting on people who were sceptical about his future as our #1 AFL ruck is dubious at best, and ridiculous at worst when you are also someone who shits on Will Phillips and says he is 'crap' at VFL level while putting up these kind of numbers;

Will Phillips VFL stats
View attachment 2079730

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Jesus, stop deflecting. You got it wrong it's okay. 30 possessions for a ruck is very different to 30 for an inside mid. Will's had 30 twice, I wouldn't say that's very good for a bloke playing inside mid in the two's. We'll know who was right about Will soon enough. At the the start of last season tristan would've played more than half his career games in the two's. If you haven't watched more than half of the games he's played developing I'm not sure you qualify to have a valid opinion.

You literally said to look at 2022 form in the VFL and he didn't play a game in the VFL

Who's deflecting?

 

[Caracas]

Hopefully, North can sustain the same consistent intensity going forward in our games as we have displayed throughout this “circular” thread. I’d imagine we’d have won an extra eight games if we’d managed to maintain a similar four quarter effort.

 

[Samsquanch]

FML can you kids shut up and stop bickering for just five bloody minutes!!!!

Xerri has done a great job this season. It doesn't make any difference who saw it coming, who predicted it or who thought he'd be a dud. He's shown great intent, he plays with a serious expression and he's worth every rousing cheer he gets from the crowd in my opinion.

 

[Samsquanch]

Remember when we all thought Braden Preuss was going to be the man?

We have X now.

Don't worry.

Be happy!

 

[JGreezy]

FML can you kids shut up and stop bickering for just five bloody minutes!!!!

Xerri has done a great job this season. It doesn't make any difference who saw it coming, who predicted it or who thought he'd be a dud. He's shown great intent, he plays with a serious expression and he's worth every rousing cheer he gets from the crowd in my opinion.

It's all a testament to the work he's done to improve. It's a great story. I never saw it coming. Respect to anyone who saw something that I didn't. I've got no delusions of being a great talent scout.

 

[Marstermind]

Xerri has been excellent this year, Teakle has added some support as a ruck/forward and the ruck is the least of our problems now and everyone should be at least happy about this in another otherwise pathetic season.

But instead of anything about how all that works we have six pages of "I told ya so".

This thread sux. Please lock.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

*Holds breath and checks to see if I contributed to this thread... Nope, all good!