Rivers had his best season at the club since the year he won the Rising Star award. He showed both leadership and a cool head in a defence that was often under pressure, especially late in the season.

Games MFC 2011 20 MFC Total 128 Goals MFC 2011 1 MFC Total 5

MFC Contested Marks 21 (4th), Rebound from 50 54 (3rd).

Club Champion 201 votes (2nd).

Around this time last year, I was starting to wonder how long Riv. could hold down a regular spot in our best 22. Pleasingly, he erased some of my doubts with a very solid year, borne out by his second placing in the Bluey (although I was a bit surprised by that ranking). Most of his games were typified by his trademark reading of the play while playing a floating / chop-out role in defence, allowing his courage, strong marking and spoiling came into their own. He was less effective on the few occasions he was asked to play a lock-down role on a key forward, especially on bigger bodied opponents such as Cloke, but that's never really been his go.

Keep up the good work Riv. ........ you've got more to offer than I thought!

Rising Star Winner 2004.

Runner-up Best & Fairest 2011.

AFL Games: 128

Goals: 5

Height: 192cm

Weight: 93Kg

D.O.B.: October 18, 1984.

Recruited from: North Adelaide (SA)

Debut: Rd 19, 2003.

#27

Not much time today, but I'll be all over this next week.

In brief, can't defend one on one, poor kicking skills, slow, offers very little rebound, does not offer a target from kickout, can't take kickout.

He was exposed badly by Collingwood last year, so I assume Neeld knows his weaknesses already.

He has got courage, but that's it. Third man up is not a full time roll if he can't offer anything else. Will struggle to get a game from now on.

His recent best and fairest results tells me more about the previous coaching group than how good Rivers is.

I'm just not sure with Riv. I remember heaping praise on him after the Essendon game as he had a great couple of weeks there, capped with that game where he was brilliant... but too often i agree with Thomo, he just doesn't have enough strengths to cover his weaknesses.

With the Sellar recruitment, and Davis/McDonald around, he would definitely be looking over his shoulder.

For me it is not ability or courage which I think he has both.

It is about leadership and I think he displays poor leadership traits especially when the chips are down.

Contrast that to Nat Jones - I think some of decision making may be iffy but his positivity, 1%er's and in particular his efforts to make a difference ESPECIALLY when thing are going south make him a good leader. I dont seem him as captain but I think he leads well on and off the field and I think that is why he was retained in the LG.

Talk about rewriting history in hindsight. Riv is a vital member of a 10 man MFC defence. I don't think he will play every game... horses for courses... but he is amongst the best peel off, spoil the contest defenders in the comp. I won't go into the skill set that everyone else acknowledges (courage etc.) but a top 8 team is built on more than 22 players. Riv will be a required player for the next three years!

My standing theory is that the better the midfield defence goes, the more value we get out of Rivers, given his ability to chop off attacks, but the cleaner the opposition attacks are, the less use he is.

Kind of like Harry O'brien and Nick Maxwell at Collingfilth, they'd both be embarassing if it wasn't for the proverbial team defence that the Flies dedicate themselves so much to.

He was exposed badly by Collingwood last year, so I assume Neeld knows his weaknesses already.

He has got courage, but that's it. Third man up is not a full time roll if he can't offer anything else. Will struggle to get a game from now on.

He will also know his strengths and that may be playing more the Maxwell type role as a floater, he does read the play very well as Malthouse pointed out after the Brisbane game and he saved that game for us. There has been a lot of talk about Sellar freeing up Frawley but maybe not. Who knows, it's all speculation at this stage.

Personally I think all of our over 25's with the exception of Jamar will have to re define their roles this season, it will be interesting to see who survives.

Will become one of this forums major whipping boys along with Green and Davey in 2012.

Will become one of this forums major whipping boys along with Green and Davey in 2012.

Not exactly a bold call when all 3 of them already arguably had whipping boy status in 2011, particularly Green and Davey.

For me it is not ability or courage which I think he has both.

It is about leadership and I think he displays poor leadership traits especially when the chips are down.

Contrast that to Nat Jones - I think some of decision making may be iffy but his positivity, 1%er's and in particular his efforts to make a difference ESPECIALLY when thing are going south make him a good leader. I dont seem him as captain but I think he leads well on and off the field and I think that is why he was retained in the LG.

Retained ? He's out, Nutbean.

Contrast that to Nat Jones - I think some of decision making may be iffy but his positivity, 1%er's and in particular his efforts to make a difference ESPECIALLY when thing are going south make him a good leader. I dont seem him as captain but I think he leads well on and off the field and I think that is why he was retained in the LG.

Not much time today, but I'll be all over this next week.

In brief, can't defend one on one, poor kicking skills, slow, offers very little rebound, does not offer a target from kickout, can't take kickout.

He was exposed badly by Collingwood last year, so I assume Neeld knows his weaknesses already.

He has got courage, but that's it. Third man up is not a full time roll if he can't offer anything else. Will struggle to get a game from now on.

His recent best and fairest results tells me more about the previous coaching group than how good Rivers is.

Hmmn, I am wondering similarly, But I don't understand yet , this gamestyle as I haven 't watched it intently. But I did have these similar feelings re Jared.

This year will bring this gamestyle 'Home' for me, so I have no choice but to analyse it.

Edited February 4, 201213 yr by dee-luded

Ah, yes. Note to oneself: Skim less on Fridays.

Riv still has something to offer I think, but with the new faces on our list I would be surprised if he retained his spot in the best 22 without improving. I'm loving that we now have competition for spots in just about every position.

Talk about rewriting history in hindsight. Riv is a vital member of a 10 man MFC defence. I don't think he will play every game... horses for courses... but he is amongst the best peel off, spoil the contest defenders in the comp. I won't go into the skill set that everyone else acknowledges (courage etc.) but a top 8 team is built on more than 22 players. Riv will be a required player for the next three years!

I agree with most of this. With the exception of my hesitation re: the next three years. I think this year he'll be an important cog in the back half as last season. But I expect the transition to start down back with the likes of McDonald, where this leaves Rivers beyond this coming season, I'm unsure - we'll see. I'm open to change, but unlike Thomo, I see JR playing quite a bit this year (injuries permitting).

I disagree with Thomo's assertion that he doesn't provide a target for kickouts. He was the designated target quite often last season. I don't have the stats on this but from my observations he definitely provided a marking target on the way out of the back 50.

I'm astounded at the negativity about Riv. He's very competitive, able to play on players much bigger than he is and is a very good reader of the play. Have people forgotten how well he did in last years best and fairest?

Automatic selection in my book and will play when fit.

I'm astounded at the negativity about Riv.

I have been for quite a while.

I'm astounded at the negativity about Riv.

I just think Melbourne fans have an obsession with younger players who could potentially be better in three years time. I think the "old age" point of 30 is starting to look like about 27 or 28.

I'm astounded at the negativity about Riv. He's very competitive, able to play on players much bigger than he is and is a very good reader of the play. Have people forgotten how well he did in last years best and fairest?

Automatic selection in my book and will play when fit.

That bit ain't right. It is well known that Rivers one-on-one is vulnerable. Heard ratten talk - he expected JR to play on Waite and Rattens instructions were to take him back to the goal square and have everybody clear out.

he has great strengths but that isn't one of them.

Edited February 7, 201213 yr by jnrmac

That bit ain't right. It is well known that Rivers one-on-one is vulnerable. Heard ratten talk - he expected JR to play on Waite and Rattens instructions were to take him back to the goal square and have everybody clear out.

he has great strengths but that isn't one of them.

Have a look at him pants Ryder and Hill in last years Essendon game. Like all defenders he has his bad days and is beaten by really good players. But he's been playing on bigger players his whole career and doing very well.

I don't agree with you.

Have a look at him pants Ryder and Hill in last years Essendon game. Like all defenders he has his bad days and is beaten by really good players. But he's been playing on bigger players his whole career and doing very well.

I don't agree with you.

Both of those players are ruckman-come-forwards.

Rivers is a superb floating player but he has trouble one-on-one with bigger bodied forwards.

When he had to take Cloke against Collingwood this was on-show for all to see.

If he is to continue in the team we have got to get him out of that role of taking bigger bodied players.

Play to his strength - third tall in contests and being able use his huge footy IQ to get into dangerous positions in the 50.

I dare say Cloke was also on show in the first half of the Grand Final for all to see. Against an All-Australian backline line-up.

Rivers is currently our most experienced defender. He basically led the backline the first half of last year and had his best year to date overall. Most defenders in the comp struggle against a rampaging Cloke in full flight. That day QB, the supply from their mids and their half forwards was plentiful, to say the least. And our coaching was considered as impotent as our players in taking preventative action to stem the flow and correct any positional changes.

Granted, he's not considered as strong as a Frawley one-on-one, body-to-body. Therefore, if his strength is third tall, or going to the second or third string forward, make the change immediately.

Play to his strength - third tall in contests and being able use his huge footy IQ to get into dangerous positions in the 50.

That's the problem - his so called strength is to play lose because that he cannot defend a direct opponent.

He is not tall enough to play on talls, not fast enough to play on quicks, and has poor kicking skills. So the solution is don't give him an opponent or he will get shown up. No place in the team for a player not able to offer anything except being third man up, easiest job in football, however most who play it also add run out of the backline.

If a player needs to play lose, play one that has skill and speed to create attack, not Rivers.