James Sellar

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

After his first few games last year, I was convinced that he was the worst footballer I'd ever seen. That turned around when he was thrown into the backline on the night we beat Essendon, and since then my opinion of him has changed. It's nice to see that he played well as a forward yesterday, but from what I have seen he is better in the back half.

I wouldn't be opposed to playing him as the second tall in the forward line until Clark comes back, though.

[rpfc 28,779]

Yes, I think he can take the second forward if they are a ruckman/gorilla to keep McDonald from having to wrestle.

I think that we will go with Dawes at (FF), Sellar (CHF), Pedersen (BackUp Ruck), and Jamar (Ruck) for Rd 1.

[Swampfox 190]

Did very well against a good player for ONE game of footy

Has done his case to be selected in the best 22 in round 1 no harm at all

Neeld as you would expect praises the team as a whole rather than individuals

Pick 14 in any draft should have some football ability

Its all about consistency now

[Demonsterative 3,020]

Is 3rd best tall backman IMO. He is behind Frawley and T Mac. He played some good consistent games down back last season. He is worth perservering with in a BP, or on the Gorilla's.

He can also be the swingman and go forward but is better suited down back. He has very good skills too. Something that is needed down back.

IMO, he played a VFL level game yesterday and should have dominated considering the opposition.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Sellers reminds me a bit of Ingerson. When he first came to us from Adelaude he was shocking and I wondered where he would fit it. Took some time but it was worth it. Maybe history will repeat.

Absolutely agree, when Ingo first came to Melbourne I thought his position was standing on the mark but as the back line grew around him he showed himself to be a very good player. I reckon Sellar will play well for us with a better side around him he has much better skill than a lot suggest.

He will give it everything, every week.

[tonatopia 278]

One should not forget that Sellar was originally a top ten draft pick (No. 8 for Adelaide).

We threw away cook, picked up seller, let's call it even.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

Thought he was the slowest player I had ever seen last year. Runs like he's wading through wet concrete. But also thought he was one of the hardest triers in the side. I didn't think he was particularly skilled and I didn't believe he had enough leap to be a back-up ruckman. However, that was all last year and I have no idea how he might have improved since then. Is he faster this year, perhaps? does he have a bigger leap? I hope he has been able to add some skills to complement his willingness to work hard.

[olisik 4,060]

I dont remember it but it said in an article in theage today that he kicked 5 last year against Collingwood in dubai. If he did that and then went on to have the season he did in 2012, then I wouldn't get to excited about him kicking 5 against Port Adelaide's fringe players.

[Ouch! 2,266]

I dont remember it but it said in an article in theage today that he kicked 5 last year against Collingwood in dubai. If he did that and then went on to have the season he did in 2012, then I wouldn't get to excited about him kicking 5 against Port Adelaide's fringe players.

I read somewhere that wasn't us, but when he played for Adelaide, I think they got the timing of when he kicked that bag a little mixed up.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

Sellar played on Jackson Trengove who is a fairly good player, but Trengove was really poor on Sunday. Sellar gave him an absolute hiding. Sellar is not the best tall on our list but he is miles ahead of others:

Gillies - I remain unconvinced.

Fitzpatrick - I saw some good signs recently, but he was ordinary against PA. However, I am unsure of how much game time he actually got.

Pedersen - I just can't see the upside of this bloke.

The most impressive thing about Sellar's game was his one-grab marking and also his second efforts when the ball was on the ground.

If Jamar and Spencer play it is difficult to get Sellar into the 22.

[DeeSpencer 26,083]

If Jamar and Spencer play it is difficult to get Sellar into the 22.

You'd be mad to play both because I'm yet to see Spencer be better than Jamar in the ruck (although the Russian is not exactly a star) and Spencer up forward is just a shambles so really it would be the the equivalent of being one man short.

At the moment I think Pedersen and Sellar are in a battle for the ruck forward spot and I think Pedersen might still be ahead due to the fact he's trained all preseason for that spot I think he'll need to show something in the next 2 matches to solidify his position.

[robbo24 66]

Have you guy seen the replay on the website? He got over the top goals and free kicks. Besides his first contested mark he didn't look that good. Lets have some perspective here. He'll be lucky to play round 1

[robbo24 66]

Having said that, I'd have him ahead of Pedersen. Not sure the coach sees it the same way though

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Have you guy seen the replay on the website? He got over the top goals and free kicks. Besides his first contested mark he didn't look that good. Lets have some perspective here. He'll be lucky to play round 1

If he could kick 5 over the top and free kick goals every week he'd be my first picked.

[robbo24 66]

If our team got 5 over the top goals each week we'd probably win most weeks too. Doesn't happen

[rjay 25,093]

Having said that, I'd have him ahead of Pedersen. Not sure the coach sees it the same way though

He's (Sellar) a much better ruck option. If he plays and performs again this week then the spot is his.

[alias275 259]

IMO, he played a VFL level game yesterday and should have dominated considering the opposition.

As repeated for the 3rd time. Doesn't matter what other players were on the field during that game. Seller was in a one on one with Trengove all day. Trengove is no where near VFL level. He's actually been Ports key position backman for a while now and IMO I felt he easily won that dual.

I thoroughly watched the reply last night and if he was not out in front taking the hard marks, he was crumbing the crap deliveries and doing something with them.

[Weedster 174]

Sellar is a much better ruck option than Pedersen, if he can kick goals then Pedersen will find it hard to take that spot when Clark is back.

Agree. Sellar, if fit, will prove better than Pederson IMHO

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

Everybody, calm down. we all know Sellar isnt a good AFL footballer. So he got a bag in a 2nds match in Renmark in early march. Lets settle down and keep some perspective.

If you look at his goals a lot were from very fast breaks where he was one out and the ball came in deep with little or no pressure Granted he still had to get the job done but this is essentially ideal conditions for a big forward.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

Disagree about Spencer. Unco - yes. Awkward - yes. But he is winning ruck contests and his 2nd and 3rd efforts are way better than Jamar's. I reckon both Jamar and Spencer will play round 1.

The battle is for the Sellar/Pedersen/Fitzpatrick/Gillies spot and it is Sellar for mine. But I agree with Weedster above - the coach seems to like Pedersen.

[CBDees 3,167]

Have you guy seen the replay on the website? He got over the top goals and free kicks. Besides his first contested mark he didn't look that good. Lets have some perspective here. He'll be lucky to play round 1

I saw him play on the replay and also he was unlucky to miss his 6th goal (against the wind) and also participated in some goal assists. I, for one, would not be dismissing his potential in our top 22 as a forward (with Gillies down back).

[Dees2014 2,377]

Just looked at the replay (by the way I thought who ever was responsible for it at Port they did an excellent job in difficult circumstance - the commentator even bothered to memorize both sides' players!). Some observations:

1. Sellar surprised me. I always thought him to be pretty average, but on Sunday he was almost neitz--like. He even looks like the great man at times - similar gate, even kicking style and his contested marking I thought was great. If he can add a Neitz-like fast lead then we might really have some thing. I would play him next week at full forward and Gawes at CHF. when Clark comes back if he (Sellar) maintains the form, I would leave him at FF, and have Clark play in the pocket. I don't see any point playing his down back unless you swapped him occasionally for Watts, but a hefty presence up front with a commission to throw his weight around a la David Neitz I think would give those around him a lot of confidence. Great signs and I'm sure an unexpected, but very welcome bonus. Without putting too much of a dampener on it though I understand he kicked 5 in a practice match for the Crows in Dubai a couple of years ago, and never got near to that form again, so I will reserve my judgement for a few more weeks but encouraging nevertheless.

2. The Flash is back! Aaron Davey looked at home for the first time in about three years. Gone was the running around (slowly) like a headless chook, and being easily pushed off the ball, and intimidated by opponents, and back was the hard fast running, the heavy tackling, and the pin point accurate kicking, including ( hooray hooray) goal kicking. This alone, if it get his confidence back, would make Renmark worthwhile for the MFC.

3. The tackling in general was very good - something that has been missing from sides coached by Neeld, and the fact that it was done by the youngsters was a great sign. I hope their seniors take note, but I fear they won't.

4. Also the run and carry, the spread, and the willingness to use the corridor was great. This obsession with the Collingwood like hugging of the boundary line was there but not nearly to the same extent as most Neeld sides of the past I have seem. With it came intelligent use of handball and running in numbers which was not only good to see, but also effective delivering scoreboard pressure.

All in all it was an encouraging performance. I assume this week's side will look more like round one. I will be much more convinced when I see the same traits from the senior players, but in the meantime well done the young guns.

[rjay 25,093]

Just looked at the replay (by the way I thought who ever was responsible for it at Port they did an excellent job in difficult circumstance - the commentator even bothered to memorize both sides' players!). Some observations:

1. Sellar surprised me. I always thought him to be pretty average, but on Sunday he was almost neitz--like. He even looks like the great man at times - similar gate, even kicking style and his contested marking I thought was great. If he can add a Neitz-like fast lead then we might really have some thing. I would play him next week at full forward and Gawes at CHF. when Clark comes back if he (Sellar) maintains the form, I would leave him at FF, and have Clark play in the pocket. I don't see any point playing his down back unless you swapped him occasionally for Watts, but a hefty presence up front with a commission to throw his weight around a la David Neitz I think would give those around him a lot of confidence. Great signs and I'm sure an unexpected, but very welcome bonus. Without putting too much of a dampener on it though I understand he kicked 5 in a practice match for the Crows in Dubai a couple of years ago, and never got near to that form again, so I will reserve my judgement for a few more weeks but encouraging nevertheless.

2. The Flash is back! Aaron Davey looked at home for the first time in about three years. Gone was the running around (slowly) like a headless chook, and being easily pushed off the ball, and intimidated by opponents, and back was the hard fast running, the heavy tackling, and the pin point accurate kicking, including ( hooray hooray) goal kicking. This alone, if it get his confidence back, would make Renmark worthwhile for the MFC.

3. The tackling in general was very good - something that has been missing from sides coached by Neeld, and the fact that it was done by the youngsters was a great sign. I hope their seniors take note, but I fear they won't.

4. Also the run and carry, the spread, and the willingness to use the corridor was great. This obsession with the Collingwood like hugging of the boundary line was there but not nearly to the same extent as most Neeld sides of the past I have seem. With it came intelligent use of handball and running in numbers which was not only good to see, but also effective delivering scoreboard pressure.

All in all it was an encouraging performance. I assume this week's side will look more like round one. I will be much more convinced when I see the same traits from the senior players, but in the meantime well done the young guns.

Something that has been missing at MFC, Neeld has worked to get this fixed and it looks to be on the improve. The proof will be when we see the complete squad doing the same.

[Moonshadow 17,677]

Even though he bagged 5 last game, I much prefer Sellar as a back, where he can run at the ball and dish off or deliver fwd. I don't rate him as being creative enough to play as a KPF.

[jimcor 212]

After his first few games last year, I was convinced that he was the worst footballer I'd ever seen. That turned around when he was thrown into the backline on the night we beat Essendon, and since then my opinion of him has changed. It's nice to see that he played well as a forward yesterday, but from what I have seen he is better in the back half.

I wouldn't be opposed to playing him as the second tall in the forward line until Clark comes back, though.

I agree. In the first few games, he seemed to offer nothing but by the end of the season, I thought his improved performances and his ability to contribute consistently down back put him in our best 22. While Frawley & Garland (who I think are more naturally gifted players) struggled with consistency, Sellars put in week after week. Who knows, he might just turn out to continue to get better and eventually justify his original drafting by Craig. Regardless, good pick up for the Dees by Craig & Neeld