Who are our 6 most important players for the rest of the year

[Minotaur]

That is a fancy way of asking who are our Top 6 right here right now.

1. Chad Cornes

I think that is axiomatic

2. S. Burger

I have actually been a bit disappointed with Junior this year. After the game against the West Coast last year I think many of us thought/hoped he might start playing near at that level consistently and appraoch the Judd class. HOwever, I still think he is the only player who can tear apart aside if Chad misses out for some reason.

3. B Lade

Offers so much either in the ruck or as a solid forward who will not miss goals in a big match or an important moment.

After that I really start to struggle to distinguish between about 10 players.

4. Tredrea

Before the injury, he was really starting to hit his straps. I think the second quarter last week showed the immense value of having a guy who can lead up between CHF and Centre and be relied on to take a mark when the flow is not there for us.

5. Thurstans

Never, ever thought I would ever be contemplating having Thurstans in our first tier, but he has become the lynch pin of our defense. With Waklin looking dodgey fitness wise for the rest of the year, the continued good form of Thurstans on the oppositions number 1 forward is pivotal.

6. Kane Cornes or Peter Burger or perhaps even Surjan - just can't really make up my mind.

I have proably missed someone really obvious!

 

[Rafa Benitez]

Brogan
Cornes
Tredrea
S.Burgoyne
Thrustans
Motlop

 

[reCOGnise]

dom springs to mind as he is such a vital part of our midfield and he is often forgotten but he is truely a top tier player for PAFC and is a massive cog in our midfield and therefore our whole game plan and what our game is about!

 

[*PAF]

Most important players or best players?

IMO our most important ones are the players that need to either step up or maintain a certain standard in order to allow our best players to concentrate only on what they do best.

With that in mind:
1. Pettigrew. He needs to be tight and rebound thus minimising the need for Chad in the backline.
2. Cassisi. He needs to keep up the form of his last few weeks where not only has he stopped whoever he has been tagging and got the ball out of packs, but his attacking play has been on par with Tyson Edwards. His influence in the way we have been attacking of late should not be underestimated.
3. A combination of any 2 out of Motlop, Westhoff and Tredrea. Their ability to work for whatever is best for the team rather than for themselves has been contagious. Now the whole forward line is doing the same.
4. Pearce. IMO it is no coincidence that as soon as he has appeared fitter Shaun Burgoyne has been able to find more space.
5. Chaplin. He really is a general back there. Not sure just which player he can be compared to as it is not about his game as such, but more the fact that the other talls always seem to have better games when he is in the side.
6. Chad. Only put him in because he deserves to be involved in any accolade thrown our way this year. What can one say about his season? The best season by any of our players in the AFL so far?

 

[Minotaur]

^^^

I think that the distinction between best and most important is sometimes over done.

The best are the most important.

For example you put Pearce as important because he frees up Shaun. I think everyone would agree that Shaun is the better player.

I see your argument, but if Pearce goes down he can be replaced whereas I am not sure that Shaun can. Shaun is therefore better and more important. The same holds for the Pettigrew Chad argument.

 

[*PAF]

^^^

I think that the distinction between best and most important is sometimes over done.

The best are the most important.

For example you put Pearce as important because he frees up Shaun. I think everyone would agree that Shaun is the better player.

I see your argument, but if Pearce goes down he can be replaced whereas I am not sure that Shaun can. Shaun is therefore better and more important. The same holds for the Pettigrew Chad argument.

When Pearce was unfit, Shaun was almost non existent compared to his usual form.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

In no particular order

Chad
Kane
Cassisi
Lade
Brogan
Peter Burgoyne

Tredrea when fit pushes out one of those six.

Others who are important are Chaplin, Ebert, Motlop, Salopek, Boak, Junior etc.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Come finals time, Wakelin and Wilson will go to the top of the list.

 

[Andre]

^^^

I think that the distinction between best and most important is sometimes over done.

The best are the most important.

Usually, they are close to the same, but not always. Our six best players (currently) I'd have as Chad, Shaun, Lade, Senior B., Motlop and Ebert (this takes into account injuries (Tredrea) and age having slowed down players like Wakes and Wilbur).

Our six most important players I'd have as Chad, Shaun, Lade, Senior B., Wilbur and Thurstans. In importance we need Wilbur setting the tone - especially come finals and a defensive tall (other then Chad if he's back there) who's in consistent (I'll just blink now - Toby!!!) good form over two 'smalls' - no matter how good.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

It's a very hard thing to work out considering the team work and ethic they boys have,s haring responsibility and giving it allfor the team.

Obviously the standout is Chad who looks like he wants to drag us to a premiership this year.

Out of a pure structural point of view, which is always important, if Lade or Brogan goes down it puts a lot more pressure on our ruck efforts.

After taht, I'd be picking a match winners like Jr and I think Toby gives us a lot of flexibility down back. Given our other two talls are inexperienced at the moment and Wakelin is a touch suss on the injury front and speed, I'd give him a tick.

After that, Kane, Dom and PB have all changed roles since the break and excelled. Even D Rod is getting tagged now. It's a very hard question.

Our forward line is functioning very nicely and I think it might have to take a few hits to break up its consistency.

We have Gray, Salopek waiting to come back in and Lower, Bentley, Symes and a few others who are worthy of spots.

So

1. Chad
2. Brade
3. S. Burgoyne
4. Thurstans
5. Cassisi
6. P. Burgoyne

We are very lucky to have and are developing many match winners in our side.

 

[Capital Power]

Thurstans. If we keep playing a free-flowing end-to-end style (and I hope we do) then in defence we need to man up and restict the opportunities the opposition has. If we are going to score 9 goals in the first quarter, then "only" conceding 7 is a "win". It's primarily now Toby's job to make sure that happens.

Cassisi, for the reasons others far more qualified than I have already outlined

Motlop, because he well and truly seems to have exorcised the demons from the St Kilda game last year. We need him to stay confident and be able to deal with the (inevitable) odd monumental stuff up...

D-Rod. How exciting is it when he's pumped??

Pearce. At his best he is a stunning example to our "new" young players as to what can be achieved with a season or so of focus and commitment. He provides another quality option through the middle and makes match ups very difficult for opposing coaches

Tredders. If he's fit and on the park, he leads by example and is an obvious inspiration to the team. If he's not then he's still our heart and soul. (where does all this crap I see about him being "aloof" and not respected by the playing group come from? What a load of boll***s)

 

[Carnport]

Dunno about 6 most important players. This year, perhaps more than normal, it seems that the premiership is up for grabs and that a team that gets to September fit and with as many guns as possible could pinch the silverware. A fit squad and we've got a real chance.

More OT - I have this ongoing feeling, that I can't prove, that Dean Brogan is the singularly most important player at the club. I'm not a stats person, but it seems to me that year after year that when he is fit we win. It would be interesting to see some stats on this (REH??????).

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Dunno about 6 most important players. This year, perhaps more than normal, it seems that the premiership is up for grabs and that a team that gets to September fit and with as many guns as possible could pinch the silverware. A fit squad and we've got a real chance.

More OT - I have this ongoing feeling, that I can't prove, that Dean Brogan is the singularly most important player at the club. I'm not a stats person, but it seems to me that year after year that when he is fit we win. It would be interesting to see some stats on this (REH??????).

Brogan is massively important. When he plays well, we usually win.

 

[*PAF]

Brogan is massively important. When he plays well, we usually win.

That is because when we have Brogan plus Lade both fit and firing we have the best ruck combo in the AFL by a long margin and if there was no intechange bench they would appear even better, as not only does neither one of the two need to be hidden but they are an integral part of the first 18.

 

[Ferox]

I reckon the most important 6 to our season from here are the bottom six ala Blighty.

Who are they?

Lonie & 5 youngsters.

Our best? - IMO Chad, JB, SB, Lade & Brogan... & Tredders &/OR Rodan

 

[*PAF]

I reckon the most important 6 to our season from here are the bottom six ala Blighty.

Who are they?

Lonie & 5 youngsters.

Our best? - IMO Chad, JB, SB, Lade & Brogan... & Tredders &/OR Rodan

Yep, agree with that.
As long as your top 6 are in the upper echelon, and ours are, then the most important would be the bottom 6.

If the top 6 are not there, then the onus would be on them to get up there first, before shifting back to the bottom 6.

 

[Andre]

I reckon the most important 6 to our season from here are the bottom six ala Blighty.

I only partially agree with that. I think a sides bottom players are very important to get into the finals - covering the inevitable injuries/suspensions, but come finals time, the cream rises to the top.

 

[*PAF]

I only partially agree with that. I think a sides bottom players are very important to get into the finals - covering the inevitable injuries/suspensions, but come finals time, the cream rises to the top.

Back to the chicken and egg stuff.

A champion team will always beat a team of champions, but at the elite level a champion team with no champions will not get very far either.
What you need is to find the champions and to get these champions to be consistent, that we have, then the most important thing becomes to get everyone to play as a champion team, this is where we are at.

Who are the most important? Well it depends at what stage of the rebuild you're at, in our case atm it is not improving our best 6. If that was the case we would have won the premiership in both 2005 and 2006 as our best 6 now are the same as back then and they are as good as any best 6 in the AFL or at the very least more than what is required to have a genuine shot at the premiership.