Walsh is the best player from this draft by quite a margin. Rankine is a highlights reel, let's see how his consistency develops in coming years. Walsh.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 4 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
I see little has changed
Smith + Rozee > Walsh aloneThe simple discussion - which no one has cared to take up was my challenge: Name any of the 'imaginary' 2 listed that back then would have had the impact that Walsh has already had...for Carlton and where Carlton was before Walsh....
The list management and team discussion could be further enhanced by team dynamics...
eg You don't think that Cerra and Hewett would have liked the idea of playing alongside Cripps and Walsh - or maybe Harry and Charlie decisions to stay might be influenced at the margin if no more by the midfield that is going to feed them?
Rankin V Walsh - ask any list manager or coach who they'd rather have...please.
It's a rating system for intangible hypotheses.Who's Rankine?
Bruuuuucebruce doull or lindsay smith?
Interesting discussion, and as much as I love Rankine, and Walsh for that matter, and consider Rankine a unique talent with much upside who has already impacted the Crows performances and improvement, I think it would be fairly safe to say that most Crows fans would be united in voting Jordan Dawson as our most important player atm, and by a reasonable margin at that.This is certainly an "upon reflection" question. But somewhere in the questions is a philosophical component.
We had the #1 Choice of the AFL draft, and there truly was an abundance of choice . Amongst them Sam Walsh, the King brothers, Rankine, Lukosius, Bailey Smith. Arguably all could have gone number 1 in other draft years.
At the time , the Blues were desperate to build an elite midfield around Cripps and Walsh was seen as the best bet and the most fool proof.
Fast forward to today and we now have Crips, Walsh, Kennedy, Hewitt, Cerra, as the core midfield with many others capable of rotating through such as Doc, Fisher, Martin, williams.
The point is that we seem to have been able to assemble an elite midfield group with seemingly little problem.
Again, arguably, we could survive without Walsh as long as the others stay fit.
Now, with Rankine becoming the Crows most important player, and he being IMO a totally unique talent, having transformed the Crows forward line, would it have been in hindsight better to take Rankine instead of Walsh in 2018. IMO it will be much harder for us to find a Rankine type player- one that would make our forward line unbeatable.
I understand that many will want to defend Walsh to the end, but that is not really the question. Both are phenomenal players. But would we have been better off going with Rankine. There was certainly a few people who wanted to take Rankine at the time
We’re not looking for rational discussion here - Say Walsh or GTFOInteresting discussion, and as much as I love Rankine, and Walsh for that matter, and consider Rankine a unique talent with much upside who has already impacted the Crows performances and improvement, I think it would be fairly safe to say that most Crows fans would be united in voting Jordan Dawson as our most important player atm, and by a reasonable margin at that.
Interesting discussion, and as much as I love Rankine, and Walsh for that matter, and consider Rankine a unique talent with much upside who has already impacted the Crows performances and improvement, I think it would be fairly safe to say that most Crows fans would be united in voting Jordan Dawson as our most important player atm, and by a reasonable margin at that.
No Doubt Walsh is a gun. The Best young midfielder since Judd? I think thats the point. There have been quite a few since Walsh that have claims to be as good or nearly as good. So walsh could be replaced (arguably) with players such as Rowell, anderson, Serong Green, Daicos, Ashcroft, Sheezel etc .Walsh by the flemington straight.
End of the day games always have been and always will be won in the middle. Walsh is the best young midfielder to come through the draft since Chris Judd, you don't pass that up for anyone.
No Doubt Walsh is a gun. The Best young midfielder since Judd? I think thats the point. There have been quite a few since Walsh that have claims to be as good or nearly as good. So walsh could be replaced (arguably) with players such as Rowell, anderson, Serong Green, Daicos, Ashcroft, Sheezel etc .
Is Sam totally irreplaceable? I would argue no.
With Rankine, IMO he is a totally unique player mercurial in the Toby Green shai bolton , Dusty mold potentially (I think he is at a team that will get the best out of him, in a way that the Suns were not going to)
I am not saying SW is vanilla, far from it, he is an elite player with leadership written all over him. But leadership comes in different forms (compare toby green vs coniglio) . Sam is a vital cog in our midfield and team structure. But we could still have a great midfield without him
We have had our best start to the season since 1995 someone said. We have had Hewit out for some and kennedy out for some and of course we have had Walsh out. I would say that our midfield is performing adequately.
We have had our best start to the season since 1995 someone said. We have had Hewit out for some and kennedy out for some and of course we have had Walsh out. I would say that our midfield is performing adequately.