2006 Player Head to Head Comparison (Average Per Game)

Simon Godfrey Name Colin Sylvia

Melbourne Team Melbourne

104 Career Games 53

Box Hill Origin Bendigo U18

October 18, 1980 Date of Birth November 8, 1985

26 Age 21

184 cm Height 186 cm

86 kg Weight 87 kg

16 2006 Games 17

14.0 Disposals 12.4

7.9 Kicks 8.4

4.0 Long Kicks 3.1

3.7 Marks 4.0

0.2 Contested Marks 0.4

6.1 Handballs 3.9

2.9 Tackles 4.4

0.2 Goals 0.6

0.2 Behinds 0.4

0.9 Frees For 0.6

1.0 Frees Against 0.8

0.1 Hitouts 0

1.8 First Possessions 2.0

1.2 Clearances 1.6

3.1 Inside 50s 2.2

1.0 Rebound 50s 0.7

1.0 Contested Possessions 1.8

13.9 Uncontested Possessions 11.2

2.7 1%ers 3.9

2.8 Errors 2.4

0 Bounces 0.4

Source:

http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/compar...mp;pid2=2004064

GODDERS!!! From 50 OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

GODDERS!!! From 50 OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

In the words of John McEnroe, 'You can't be serious'!!!! During the off season I've been watching replays of games from last year, and it makes me sick that Godfrey is still on our list.

I've never seen a midfielder who is so slow in mind and body when it comes to disposing of the ball. And that is during the home and away season. How would he be in a Grand Final when the tempo is quicker!

Old, I gather by this post that you don't rate Sylvia?

Depends who we were playing against.

Are we playing Sydney? If so, Godders

Are we playing West Coast? If so, neither will be much help.

With Godfrey, you know what you get. He'll run all game, he'll put his head over the ball, he'll do a fairly average job of tagging and an even worse one with the pill. Sylvia is still very much an unknown. He could tear it up in the middle and kick 3 goals, or he could do nothing.

Grand Finals are damn hard to come by, if you happen to get there, you don't want to take any chances with unknowns. Sylvia hasn't yet proven himself to be someone who is worthy of Grand Final selection. Mind you, Godfrey hasn't either (and not from lack of trying).

Bottom line is, if we need Godfrey in our squad on GF day, I worry about a repeat scoreline from 2000.

As for Sylvia, he's still a nobody in terms of AFL achievements. The fact that he was picked up at number 3 in the draft, means absolutely nothing three years on. Potential won't win you a flag.

FWIW Jaded, I thought Sylvia did alot of unsung heavy work against Sydney at the SCG in 2006. Its not a GF but I thought the game pressure and the attrition rate on the MFC team that day placed players performances in that game in high regards.

You are right Sylvia may have achieved little to date. But if its between Sylvia and Godders to rise on GF day. Sylvia can but Godders never will.

I have seen enough of Sylvia to suggest he has more than potential . He needs to put ot together. I hope he does in 2007.

Old, it says under career games that Colin has played 53. Am I reading it right? On MFC.com it says he's played 38.

As RR pointed out, he's not without a handful of strong showings at senior level. I thought his final against the Saints wasn't too bad either. There were a handful of moments where he looked downright dangerous. That 60 metre punt to Robbo on the line makes me wish we could see that right boot of his more often. And in the following week against the Dockers, some of his team-mates went missing, while he maintained a similar effect on the match.

The encouraging aspect from my point of view is that his only hurdle at the moment is not necessarily the skill of his opposition, but his own lack of confidence/fitness. To compare him to contemporaries in Bate and Davey (both young) we see that both those guys had a marked drop-off in effectiveness come September (though that could be something to do with injury). While Colin never really played great footy during the season, at least he maintained his 10-20 possessions in the last 2 weeks of MFC's season.

Another more appropriate and encouraging comparison may be drawn between he and Danny Bell. Think about it. Sylvia and he are both quick midfield types who are renowned as 2 of the hardest trainers at the club. Bell has had one more year in the system, but is only 4 months older than Colin. Both have had OP issues from the beginning of their careers. In Bell's case he only just overcame them in the second half of last year, and his last 3 rounds, along with his 2 finals were sensational. Like Colin, he didn't experience a form drop-off when playing in September.

So by that logic, Colin is exactly 4 months behind Bell in development, which means by February 2007, he'll be ripe for his breakout year!

Yeah, the game stats are wrong.

Sylvia

Sylvia because gives us hardness on the half-forward line and can kick reliably on the run. Godders is now OK for set shots; really!

Godders has a fantastic capacity to run all day. But now, we have Bartram and could even use the AA-team member Junior. Jones, McLean, Bate and Sylvia will cover for Junior in the middle.

Sylvia because gives us hardness on the half-forward line and can kick reliably on the run. Godders is now OK for set shots; really!

Godders has a fantastic capacity to run all day. But now, we have Bartram and could even use the AA-team member Junior. Jones, McLean, Bate and Sylvia will cover for Junior in the middle.

Is there a statistic that measures the quality of disposals?

Is there a statistic that measures the quality of disposals?

Jack, this is a real hobby horse of mine. In AFL we seem to measure K, HB, P, T, HO's etc but not a granular enough level. Bludgers like, say, Joel Bowden look a million dollars on paper unless you see where, when and how he gathered his touches.

In the US they have more granular stats and although I generally disagree with over-analysing these sorts of things, there is a template that I reckon we should look at.

In Gridiron, they measure yards carried and yards thrown. Both assume the attacking team retains possession. In other words, yards sideways or backwards do not count. Incomplete plays do not count. This is the epitome of effective possession.

I may start a new thread. In the meantime, Godders stats last year improved heaps and Colin is still in the rehab group.

Neither will influence our ability to win the flag this year although Col could be a wild card.

Normally, I would say Sylvia, but I'll say Godfrey in this instance with my Kevin Sheedy hat on. Pre-game, Neale instructs Godfrey that the Grand Final is to be his last career game, and that his sole task is to knock opposition players out all game. With no send off rule, he could have the opposition without a bench at 1/4 time, and potentially down to 10 men at 3/4 time, thus delivering the Demons their first premiership in 43 years, becoming an instant hero among the Melbourne faithful, and basking in the glory of his match-winning performance from his cell over the next 10 years.

Unless clueless, Sylvia anyday.

What a waste of a priority draft pick if its come to the point where we have to compare these 2 blokes.

I expect.....make that hope Sylvia develops into a top 6 or 8 MFC player in the next year or 2.

Here's a look at the top 10 for the 2003 draft.

Red means I think Sylvia is behind the player todate

Green means Sylvia is ahead of the player todate

Adam Cooney 63 games

Andrew Walker 56 games

Colin Sylvia 36 games

Farren Ray 42 games

Brock McLean 47 games

Kepler Bradley 45 games

Kane Tenace 30 games

Raph Clarke 22 games

David Trotter 8??

Ryley Dunn 4 games

Is there a statistic that measures the quality of disposals?

Yes Champion Data lists effective disposals.

In 2005

SG Kicks 70% HBall 80% total 74%

CS Kicks 86% HBall 79% Total 83%

Quite a difference

I presume that the question to this thread is if we were playing in a GF who would you pick between Godfrey and Sylvia.

With Godfrey you know what you're going to get, he's a fierce competitor who will always give 100%.

Sylvia is still an unknown quantity, he looks capable of anything but is dreadfully inconsisent.

For me the answer is simple, Sylvia every day of the week.

The reason is that we know what Godfrey is capable of, and sadly (because I love wtching him play) he doesn't have the quality to be a premiership player. Sylvia though is capable of anything, and I'd be willing to roll the dice and play him. Clubs don't get the opportunity to play in GF's all that often and winning one takes a special team with great players. You could throw him into the midfielder and tell him to run through Judd, or you could leave him one out in the goal square.

Considering Junior and Bartram are already our no.1 and no.2 taggers, I'd play Col every day of the week.

Considering Junior and Bartram are already our no.1 and no.2 taggers, I'd play Col every day of the week.

It feels like a no brainer - but the stats are interesting. You'd have ot say Col though.

It feels like a no brainer - but the stats are interesting. You'd have ot say Col though.

Yes, at this stage of Sylvia's career, it should be a no brainer, but it isn't.

That's the whole point. His stats don't even match those of a guy who most of us never want to see play senior AFL games again.

He isn't a lost cause, but he's certainly a worrying one.

It would seem to me that it would depend on matchups.

If you think you are a good chance to win most positions, you would play godfrey.

Meat and potatoes.

Will generally be worth his spot not withstanding some goofs. Wont win the game.

On the other hand, If you knew White was on for example, Sandilands and Carroll was on say Lloyd, you would have to try to find an exploitive move.

A risk would be required. A tactic to unbalance the other coach.

You dont win a flag without taking chances but you do try to minimise them.

Col may win you the game, but its risky.

Coaches see things differently as well.

So if John Kennedy was coaching, I think he'd play Godfrey.

I reckon Sheedy would play Sylvia.