13 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

He's absolutely killing all of our chances of trying to win this game! Runs around like an absolute headless chook and [censored] it up all the time.

Give me Kent or Vandenberg next week please!

About a year ago I accepted that Alex Neal-Bullen will, amongst other things, never be our most skilled player, will fumble at times, will choose the wrong option every now & then; however, he won’t get outworked, he’ll surprise with the odd clever decision & freakish execution (even if it looks like a fluke), he’ll contribute by doing a lot of the hard things that lead to team success, and he has the propensity to be just damn effective.

He frustrates me in flashes, but I wouldn’t take him out of this side in a hurry.

1 hour ago, Mach5 said:

About a year ago I accepted that Alex Neal-Bullen will, amongst other things, never be our most skilled player, will fumble at times, will choose the wrong option every now & then; however, he won’t get outworked, he’ll surprise with the odd clever decision & freakish execution (even if it looks like a fluke), he’ll contribute by doing a lot of the hard things that lead to team success, and he has the propensity to be just damn effective.

He frustrates me in flashes, but I wouldn’t take him out of this side in a hurry.

spot on Mch5...   one of our hardest workers, and a little like the young Jones boy at the beginning.

Nibbler will get better as he plays more games, and learns.

He is a dangerous player.

1 hour ago, Mach5 said:

About a year ago I accepted that Alex Neal-Bullen will, amongst other things, never be our most skilled player, will fumble at times, will choose the wrong option every now & then; however, he won’t get outworked, he’ll surprise with the odd clever decision & freakish execution (even if it looks like a fluke), he’ll contribute by doing a lot of the hard things that lead to team success, and he has the propensity to be just damn effective.

He frustrates me in flashes, but I wouldn’t take him out of this side in a hurry.

Check out his pass to Jeffy that lead to TMacs first goal. It was a ripper

He's always going to give us the same traits: hard running (indeed, he'd be top 3 IMO with Gaff and Scully), 100% effort for 100% of the game, and tackling/defensive pressure.

He's also always (I think) going to struggle with the offensive parts of his game. He's not a great kick, he's a worse set shot for goal, and he isn't always the best decision maker.

He's kept his spot all year because the positives outweigh the negatives, and so long as he keeps busting a gut to make options, run, tackle, chase and lead the way on the field and off as to work ethic, that will probably remain the case.

Positives far outweigh his negatives. 

My old man last night said to me “ANB is a second tier player”. Thinking about him like this makes me happier about him. He’s never going to be elite, or even very good. But he’ll rotate from bad - good and often in the time frame of one game. Expecting this makes me appreciate that he really shouldn’t be dropped. 

2 hours ago, S_T said:

Positives far outweigh his negatives. 

 

13 minutes ago, Mad_Melbourne said:

My old man last night said to me “ANB is a second tier player”. Thinking about him like this makes me happier about him. He’s never going to be elite, or even very good. But he’ll rotate from bad - good and often in the time frame of one game. Expecting this makes me appreciate that he really shouldn’t be dropped. 

He's only but a kid in footy terms...  22Yrs & 52 games of footy, playing as one of out top 10 players.

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-melbourne-demons--alex-neal-bullen

On 7/28/2018 at 9:26 PM, dazzledavey36 said:

He's absolutely killing all of our chances of trying to win this game! Runs around like an absolute headless chook and [censored] it up all the time.

Give me Kent or Vandenberg next week please!

You just had a bad dream  Dazz you can wake up now. Dazz!, Dazz! can you here meeeeee! It's the Nibbler. You know who l am?

On 7/28/2018 at 9:26 PM, dazzledavey36 said:

He's absolutely killing all of our chances of trying to win this game! Runs around like an absolute headless chook and [censored] it up all the time.

Give me Kent or Vandenberg next week please!

You just had a bad dream  Dazz you can wake up now. Dazz!, Dazz! can you here meeeeee! It's the Nibbler. You know who l am?

This thread is a joke 

As pointed out above, his positives outweigh his negatives. A Superstar he is not, not even a star. But he is an important cog, one who is crucified for his mistakes, but rarely commended for doing the 1%'s (i.e. his 2-way running).

It is often said the quality and depth of a team is measured by their bottom 6. If we get to a stage where he is a constant member of this group, then we will be in a pretty good position.

I'm more than surprised at the reason this thread was created. He was extremely important to our win and has become the standard at the club when it comes to forward pressure acts. He's a bottom tier player in the context of our team but he's doing his job for the most part quite well.

What's the point of his one supposed strength (elite running) if it brings no actual advantage? Eg, late in a game where he can outrun his exhausted opponents?

But wait ... there he was in the dying seconds on his own streaming into an open goal. At last the benefits materialise.

He may be NQR, but his version of NQR is still pretty good. Go ANB. Go Demons.

He's not a finished product, but Jones wasn't either at ANB's age. Always thought early on Jones used to bomb the ball without thinking, just rushing the kick into the forward line.

He's never going to be one of our stars, but he's a role player and does what is asked of him by the coaches. He's the type of player that will rarely get the accolades in a win, but is the first to be picked out in a loss.

3 hours ago, Ouch! said:

He's not a finished product, but Jones wasn't either at ANB's age. Always thought early on Jones used to bomb the ball without thinking, just rushing the kick into the forward line.

He's never going to be one of our stars, but he's a role player and does what is asked of him by the coaches. He's the type of player that will rarely get the accolades in a win, but is the first to be picked out in a loss.

Jones still does!

Agree, ANB won't be one of our stars and he plays his role well.  And as you say, we don't notice all the good things he does as it is often when 'he doesn't have the ball'.  But we notice his turnovers which are usually by foot as his handball isn't bad.  Fix his kicking to teammates and especially to goal and he will be an Impact Player.

I also think he doesn't yet have full belief in himself.  He looks a tad nervous and hesitant when about to kick.  Eyes darting everywhere - could be just looking for options.  In time he will gain full confidence. 

I haven't been a fan but now think he is a bona fide best 22.

Edited July 30, 20186 yr by Lucifer's Hero

You don't need all our players to be stars to win flags. Just a couple and the rest all role players, look at Richmond. Do you think blokes like Lambert, Castagna, Riolio, Mcintosh, Broad, Townsend, Caddy, Vlastuin, Ellis, Astbury, Short, Grimes are all stars? No, they are role players. 

That's what ANB is. A role player, and he will eventually be one of our 22 who will help deliver a flag. 

Edited July 30, 20186 yr by juzzk1d

Playing a role and is a valuable player.. off topic, gee Brayshaw looks good. He allows the ANBs to focus more on finding space as he breaks out of packs and does grunt work 

12 tackles thats a massive game from a pressure forward

26 minutes ago, juzzk1d said:

You don't need all our players to be stars to win flags. Just a couple and the rest all role players, look at Richmond. Do you think blokes like Lambert, Castagna, Riolio, Mcintosh, Broad, Townsend, Caddy, Vlastuin, Ellis, Astbury, Short, Grimes are all stars? No, they are role players. 

That's what ANB is. A role player, and he will eventually be one of our 22 who will help deliver a flag. 

Let's break this down a bit.
First the defenders:
- Astbury, Broad, Grimes are all locked down defenders who are excellent in contests and keep it simple with the ball. Astbury and Grimes are excellent footballers
- Short and Ellis (when in form for Brandon) are excellent skilled running defenders
- Vlastuin is a star who can do it all as a defender.

- Rioli is battling injuries this year but he's a star. And Caddy is pretty close to it too this year, he's elevated his decision making and skills to be a really talented player.

- Castagna and Townsend are very much role players in Richmond's system and they would frustrate fans in losing sides. That said, they have clearly defined roles. Castagna is a great athlete and uses his pace to pressure and stick tackles. Townsend is pretty much a cheap shot artist but he's mean and physical and competes in the air.

The players ANB resembles more to me are Lambert and McIntosh. Like ANB those guys are both elite runners and therefore they get involved in play frequently and contribute defensively through work rate. However I wouldn't call either of them role players. A role player to me is someone who can excel in one part of the game - attack or defend - or one skill - hit out, punches, tackles, pressure - and that be enough to contribute to the side. ANB is going to keep finding the ball and being involved around the play and so to me he can't be classed as purely a role player. 

Lambert at Richmond sorted out his disposal and is now a superb player and has even gone in to the midfield more this year. McIntosh hasn't sorted his disposal and is still best 22 based on his run and contested work on a wing but has been dropped and played VFL footy. ANB has to keep developing his skills and awareness or he'll be more of a McIntosh than a Lambert.

 

He does so many things that don’t show up on a stat sheet, hard running, accountable on his opponent, he makes the odd mistake but so does most of our team. I think he’s had a much improved year and will continue to improve 

On 7/28/2018 at 10:41 PM, Demonland said:

I think I'll just leave this here. 

 

The thing that I'm hoping Dazzle has picked up from this video is that Nibbler is at the initial contest like everyone else and then he just runs (unlike everybody else) because he is the fittest bloke at the club.

Yes we have all noticed he can miss the odd kick, but he's playing a position that is always under pressure and a spot where you are heavily criticised when you lose and begrudgingly accepted with "about time" or "downhill skier" when you win.

What is sad is that if you really watched him as if you were his father, you would be rapt with his positioning and intensity and his team-first ethic. 

Instead you have just allowed your own personal vendetta to get the better of you.

I personally get sh..ted off with Jordy's lack of pace but it doesn't stop me realising what he brings to the table.

Repeat after me 100 times:

"I must not bag Nibbler"

On 7/29/2018 at 12:47 AM, nosoupforme said:

I will give you one in Joel Smith I have no idea how he is getting a game if you watched the game you would understand Censored what was he doing out there. Goody is blind, However he is being carried.  If that was JW the supporters would be screaming. Watch the replay that's all l have to say. When you win everyone looks good even clangers don't stand out.

Who comes in for Smith? He is very much finding his feet at the top level but the cupboards ain’t overflowing gun half backs at present. 

1 hour ago, sisso said:

12 tackles thats a massive game from a pressure forward

Our game stats, with tackles, selected/highlight >>>

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/fts_match_statistics?mid=9672&sby=6#t1

 

His gut running at the end to seal it was elite.

He's been such an important player all year. Sick of people seeing a player make a few mistakes and therefore call for them to be axed. Happens far too often.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-20/improving-demon-just-keeps-on-running

He runs hard both ways as well.