Bernie has to be close to our best. He is a quality player. He probably only has 2-3 years left after this one so I think it is only a matter of time before he declines slightly and the likes of Salem and Brayshaw push ahead of him. As of today, probably our best player.

Fair go. Wait until he does it against a good side before you start announcing him the club's best player.

You would think a 30 year old with finals experience should be able to perform like he did against a team of fetuses. Vince should be putting up these types of performances every week, not against a bottom 4 side.

Considering the quality of Melbourne's midfield, McDonald and Hogan are better players.

Fair go. Wait until he does it against a good side before you start announcing him the club's best player.

You would think a 30 year old with finals experience should be able to perform like he did against a team of fetuses. Vince should be putting up these types of performances every week, not against a bottom 4 side.

Considering the quality of Melbourne's midfield, McDonald and Hogan are better players.

He did it against Adelaide when they were flying, playing on one of the games best.

He did it on Cotchin on a Friday night and kicked the clutch goal.

Did against the Bulldogs who were going alright.

And did it on the big stage against Collingwood playing on Pendlebury.

I'm not saying he's our best player, I'm just saying your argument is the worst.

He's a goal kicking mid that gets lots of the ball and shuts down very good opponents.

Rank him how you want, but we are very lucky to have him.

For me its still Jones.. Has more of an Impact.. Bernie right behind him!

He is our form player at the moment.

Don't jump on the bandwagon just yet.

He has had a role to play and has done it well.

Vince and jones are about par this season, T-Mac thereabouts as well.

Id like to think that by the end of the year and into next year Tyson is back to his best and along with Viney these two should be challenging for the title as our clubs best/most important players.

Watch for Salem's game to grow to a new level next season

T Mac was good until two games ago. In that time Cloke Towelled him up and on the weekend for much of the game an aging Riewoldt did the same. Still makes the same mistakes and does not get enough body on body in contests!

Needs to learn and quickly!

Pizz weak contribution again curry. Winding yourself up to get pantsed for the 14th time this year? Lol!

Do we have what can be considered a 'best player'? Maybe Hogan, that's it. FFS we just got beaten by last year's wooden spooner.

Best and worst are relative terms. Even the worst clubs have a "best" player; the player that is better than all the other players.

Pizz weak contribution again curry. Winding yourself up to get pantsed for the 14th time this year? Lol!

but mummy I wanted to win and we didn't WAAAAAAA *throws sippy cup

harden up

Yep, I reckon Vince is our best player at the moment. Jones has dropped off his high standards this year (not by much)

What were the crows thinking getting rid of him??

He did it against Adelaide when they were flying, playing on one of the games best.

He did it on Cotchin on a Friday night and kicked the clutch goal.

Did against the Bulldogs who were going alright.

And did it on the big stage against Collingwood playing on Pendlebury.

I'm not saying he's our best player, I'm just saying your argument is the worst.

Adelaide haven't been flying. Beating North at home and the pies isn't any great achievement looking at who the pies have beaten.

Cotchin has been sporadic all season especially before their current streak. Shutting him down puts him at the level of about another 4 or 5 mediocre mids.

The Bulldogs aren't much chop yet either.

As for Pendlebury, he got 27 disposals and was ranked Collingwood's third best player on the day.

All your examples of games where he's been one of the best have been against bottom 10 sides. How has he gone against top 8 sides? Stood out against any of the contenders? Tom McDonald did, Jesse Hogan showed plenty considering his position and how the midfield was going. If fans are ranking him up there as the best, well it kind of sums out how Melbourne have been going.

Looking at just the midfield, these players are better than Vince... Jones, Viney and Brayshaw. By the end of the year you may be able to add more names.

Surely you have to be worried that a vanilla mid who, at late 20's/early 30's, was offering so little that the coaches had to give him tagging roles in a midfield lacking experience and was playing in regular 5+ goal losses.

The OP's question shouldn't be a celebration, but more of a worry.

Looking at just the midfield, these players are better than Vince... Jones, Viney and Brayshaw.

If you think that Brayshaw and even Viney are ahead of Vince on current output you are delusional and mistaking potential for performance.

but mummy I wanted to win and we didn't WAAAAAAA *throws sippy cup

harden up

If you think that Brayshaw and even Viney are ahead of Vince on current output you are delusional and mistaking potential for performance.

There's more to a performance than what they do with the ball. Watch what they do at the stoppages and you will see why they're getting games ahead of more experienced players and not being found out like an Neal-Bullen was.

There's more to a performance than what they do with the ball. Watch what they do at the stoppages and you will see why they're getting games ahead of more experienced players and not being found out like an Neal-Bullen was.

That's a completely different discussion. Those players weren't being compared to ANB, Bail or McKenzie. You were suggesting that they are ahead of Vince who is both a leading possession winner and best tagger.

Edited June 16, 201510 yr by Radar Detector

There's more to a performance than what they do with the ball. Watch what they do at the stoppages and you will see why they're getting games ahead of more experienced players and not being found out like an Neal-Bullen was.

Yeahh nah..

vince is close to our best player. To say those young players are ahead of him is laughable.

Edited June 16, 201510 yr by dazzledavey36

Jones still ahead for me but not by much, in fact there's a fair argument to say they are neck and neck.

I must have watched a slightly different game on the weekend. Bernie had a good game no doubt while keeping Armitage to 20 touches, however he went at 60% efficiency, often bombing it in hope, and I recall a few turnovers in the middle of the ground. He also didn't impact the scoreboard like he often does. For comparison, Viney only had two less clearances, more tackles, the same amount of contested possessions and went at 83%. I thought Jones had at least as much influence, but Bernie got the plaudits from all corners so I accept his game must have been better than I remember.

Edited June 16, 201510 yr by P-man

He has broken even or won his battles with the best mids in opposition teams. He is showing more desire and hardness than I have seen previously from him. I think he has been better than Jones and Tmac so far this season so based on this year alone he is our best player in my eyes. Has successfully gone head to head vs Pendles, Danger, Cotchin and Bont (who he absolutely tore to spreads and was the match winner). For me he is playing at his B&F level from Adelaide. Seems to have matured a lot as he has gotten older.

To suggest Viney or Brayshaw, who have both been very good this year, are at his level is plain wrong.

I don't think Im going out on a limb here by saying Bernie is top 3 at the club

My top 5

Viney

Bernie

Nat Jones

Hogan

T Mac

Have all been very good and pretty consistent this year, as I said i don't think Im giong out on a limb here but all had great seasons to date.

Fantasy points wise the top 4 in order are:

Jones

Cross

Vince

TMac

then a big gap, and next 3 are Hogan, Brayshaw, Vanders

take the points with a grain of salt if you wish. if you dont know - they are combination of stats, disposals, tackles, pressure acts, inside fifties etc

Cross's consistency of performance is often overlooked.

It's difficult to believe Vince had ZERO pre-season and is playing the way he is. Either he's a freak or pre-seasons are overrated. Maybe both.

Hogan is our best player already.

Easily.

Over the past month, our midfield as a whole is in really good form

Vince, Jones, Viney, Cross, Brayshaw, Toumpas and now Watts. (Vandenberg before his injury too, I'll hold judgement on Tyson)

What has hurt us is a lack of decent flankers, which is where Salem and Kent would be really handy

Hogan is our best player already.

Easily.

He is almost certainly our most important, but it's a stretch to call him our best. I'd have him 4th in our B&F right now behind Vince, Tmac, And Jones. By the start of next year he should be our clear #1 player.