The ANB Appreciation Thread

[don cordner 204]

Had a very good game on Saturday night against the tigers, still not satisfied as he makes way to many changers and would rather him not in the team

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

 

[Neil Crompton 5,556]

ANB's second quarter goal was sensational - and I would have laid money he couldn't kick it. He also ran his butt off all day, as per usual, and did a couple of other nice things against Richmond. However -and perhaps I shouldn't say this (it is an appreciation thread after all) - but I do not rate ANB as a player anywhere near as highly as most of the posters on here do. Before I get lynched, let me state my reasoning:

- for someone who gets to the ball as much as he does (and he certainly does), the number of possessions he ends up with I believe is poor. He fumbles, he loses his feet, and he is bumped off the ball far too often, and easily, for someone who wants to retain his place in the side. 

- when he does get the ball, his disposal - particularly by hand - is usually poor, and often results in turnovers. His disposal by foot has improved over the years, but by god it needed to.

- he rarely attempts overhead marks when the opposition is around, even if he is the only Melbourne player there. (And there was an example on Saturday where he deliberately pulled out of a contest - which certainly was not a good look).

- he averages about 4 tackles a game over his career, which on the surface looks great, I just wonder how many of these result from his (good) second efforts following another of his fumbles or falling over occurrences, when the opposition was able to get the ball from him.

- the fact that he is now in his 7th year in the system he should, by now,  have been able to resolve his above listed shortcomings as a player if he was ever going to - therefore I see little upside to his current playing ceiling.

As such, while I am not promoting for him to be dropped after Saturday's game, I just feel that a player like Kade Chandler would provide us with more bang for the buck than ANB does. 

There, I've said my piece - you can hang me now.

 

 

 

[Pickett2Jackson 3,904]

They are definitely a great bank, very competitive interest rates and their customer service is A+.

 

My mistake, thought it said NAB.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Pickett2Jackson
Thought it said NAB

[P-man 13,366]

“Hey look a player appreciation thread. What a perfect opportunity for me to write an essay outlining why that player sucks in every way possible.”

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,129]

After Neil's 'hang-me-now' post and P2J's ?, I feel enough in a safe place to raise something that has been nagging me for some time. Serious question: someone, somewhere, referred to ANB as a future MFC captain. Was it on here? Or where might it have been? (maybe I dreamt it, because Hy-phens would seem to be natural MFC captain material?)

[DEE fence 5,013]

6 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

ANB's second quarter goal was sensational - and I would have laid money he couldn't kick it. He also ran his butt off all day, as per usual, and did a couple of other nice things against Richmond. However -and perhaps I shouldn't say this (it is an appreciation thread after all) - but I do not rate ANB as a player anywhere near as highly as most of the posters on here do. Before I get lynched, let me state my reasoning:

- for someone who gets to the ball as much as he does (and he certainly does), the number of possessions he ends up with I believe is poor. He fumbles, he loses his feet, and he is bumped off the ball far too often, and easily, for someone who wants to retain his place in the side. 

- when he does get the ball, his disposal - particularly by hand - is usually poor, and often results in turnovers. His disposal by foot has improved over the years, but by god it needed to.

- he rarely attempts overhead marks when the opposition is around, even if he is the only Melbourne player there. (And there was an example on Saturday where he deliberately pulled out of a contest - which certainly was not a good look).

- he averages about 4 tackles a game over his career, which on the surface looks great, I just wonder how many of these result from his (good) second efforts following another of his fumbles or falling over occurrences, when the opposition was able to get the ball from him.

- the fact that he is now in his 7th year in the system he should, by now,  have been able to resolve his above listed shortcomings as a player if he was ever going to - therefore I see little upside to his current playing ceiling.

As such, while I am not promoting for him to be dropped after Saturday's game, I just feel that a player like Kade Chandler would provide us with more bang for the buck than ANB does. 

There, I've said my piece - you can hang me now.

 

 

 

Not going to hang you, but I do feel you are watching looking for flaws, he has clearly improved his disposal efficiency, he deserves credit for that, his tackles seems harder and his running is incredible and makes him disruptive to the oppositions game plan. He is never going to be Salem, but I challenge you to look again and give credit for improvement. Had a handball to Salem that resulted in a goal IIRC.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,824]

16 hours ago, deelusions from afar said:

Prior to the game (following Casey's win) I thought, it's only a matter of time before Bedford or Chandler comes in for him

Really?

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,824]

This form from Nibbler has been on the build for a while really.  Thought his first game back of the 2020 restart was pretty decient and then he got dropped (or was it suspended).  His final 2020 H&A game against Essendon was pretty good as well, as was Spargo's.

Asides from the hard running and tackling, I think the other real stand-out feature of Nibblers game at the moment is is distribution by foot and delivery inside 50 in particular.  Similar could be said about Spargo, only that ANB has been getting amongst the goals a bit to cap it off, but I think Spargo will have a day out in that regards and nail a few sausage rolls as well.

Glad to see these guys like ANB, Spargo, Hunt and T Mac have persevered and fought back to find some form again, when they could have almost been on the MFC scrap heap.  Shows real character I recon.

[dee-tox 4,835]

Average skills but he runs and runs and runs. That complements the likes of Kozzy who are a bit more mercurial. 

That superior running power is invaluable in a game that goes for more than two hours.

Doing fine job at the moment. 

[ProperDee 1,698]

This from Neil Crompton  “(And there was an example on Saturday where he deliberately pulled out of a contest - which certainly was not a good look).”

I can forgive pretty much anything on a footy field except shirking a contest. He is a multiple offender. Granted,  the bloke has done well this year (in a winning team)  and yes, the goal on Saturday night was brilliant but watching a team mate put self preservation before the team deflates the spirit like a pin pricking a balloon.  These things also are not missed by opposition coaches and players. That cannot be tolerated in a team looking to win a premiership. Yeah, I’m harsh and will be berated but do you want a premiership team or not? Maybe Choco needs a one on one with him.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

One of the greatest gut runners and scrappers in the game.  Must be a nightmare to play on.

He got a tip on that shot from the boundary from Melk to aim for the top left goal post i reckon.  And that's exactly what he did.  What a goal.  Was it on goal of the week?  Not even a mention probably but should've been given the conditions and circumstances.

Haven't seen too many better in the belting rain.  Cracker mentioned Jacko running around Langdon which i don't recall.

The one i do recall is Gazza from just on or outside 50 meters at Princes Park against the Hawks on about a 45 degree angle.  Not quite as far out as Duncan's on the weekend but close.  Pii$$ing down rain the whole quarter.

Gazza booted that heavy parched leather through for six, half post height, splitting the middle with a beautiful spiral.  But the bladder...the bladder....

Edited April 26, 2021 by Rusty Nails

[ProperDee 1,698]

Hahaha! The reaction from a non-footballer was expected. You obviously think it’s ok to squib a contest on the footy field.

[Lord Nev 13,512]

2 hours ago, ProperDee said:

This from Neil Crompton  “(And there was an example on Saturday where he deliberately pulled out of a contest - which certainly was not a good look).”

I can forgive pretty much anything on a footy field except shirking a contest. He is a multiple offender. Granted,  the bloke has done well this year (in a winning team)  and yes, the goal on Saturday night was brilliant but watching a team mate put self preservation before the team deflates the spirit like a pin pricking a balloon.  These things also are not missed by opposition coaches and players. That cannot be tolerated in a team looking to win a premiership. Yeah, I’m harsh and will be berated but do you want a premiership team or not? Maybe Choco needs a one on one with him.

Can you please point out exactly when in the game this happened and show how 'deflated' the team was after this apparent incident. Always good to provide some kind of evidence when trying to assassinate someone's character.

I mean, Goody specifically mentioned ANB's leadership last week so obviously ANB's attitude has done a full 180 in a week and it had a negative impact on performance against the reigning premiers on the weekend...

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,824]

9 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

Can you please point out exactly when in the game this happened and show how 'deflated' the team was after this apparent incident. Always good to provide some kind of evidence when trying to assassinate someone's character.

I mean, Goody specifically mentioned ANB's leadership last week so obviously ANB's attitude has done a full 180 in a week and it had a negative impact on performance against the reigning premiers on the weekend...

I think I recall the moment - in the third quarter perhaps.  But the one I'm thinking of there was ANB and 3 other blokes that could have gone for it - another Melbourne player and two Richmond blokes.  More a case of miscommunication and misunderstanding between team mates I think.  If they had both flown and spoiled each other, I'm sure we could have criticized that too.

Even if he squibs every  now and then, it isn't a huge trend in my view and in this day and age, players need to think something about self presevation.  Remember reading an article written by Brandon Jack of Sydney earlier this year and the extents he would hype himself into to commit to every ball and now has issues with concussion.

[Lord Nev 13,512]

1 hour ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I think I recall the moment - in the third quarter perhaps.  But the one I'm thinking of there was ANB and 3 other blokes that could have gone for it - another Melbourne player and two Richmond blokes.  More a case of miscommunication and misunderstanding between team mates I think.  If they had both flown and spoiled each other, I'm sure we could have criticized that too.

Even if he squibs every  now and then, it isn't a huge trend in my view and in this day and age, players need to think something about self presevation.  Remember reading an article written by Brandon Jack of Sydney earlier this year and the extents he would hype himself into to commit to every ball and now has issues with concussion.

If we're talking about that one on the defensive 50 near the boundary it wasn't a 'squibbed' contest at all, and pretty sure Brayshaw and possibly Viney were there too, so if we're labeling ANB a squib for not going up in the contest then....

[Lord Nev 13,512]

This was in the 3rd quarter, I don't know if this is the 'incident' being referred to, but if so, not only is it not a squib but the other players to pull out of the contest are Viney and Kozzy...

[Dr.D 1,771]

as wrong as I was about Pickett, as right as I was about ANB

[monoccular 17,428]

This year he has come into his own with the whole “playing as a team” commitment.  
IMVHO he has always done the team thing first and foremost; now it gels more with the entire list joining in. 
 

PS looking forward to seeing the clip of where he (allegedly) squibbed the contest when the accusers post it.  (Even the time will do as I watch the replay yet again.)

Edited April 27, 2021 by monoccular

[Neil Crompton 5,556]

The incident I was referring to occurred in the 1st quarter, with 5 min 15 seconds to go before the siren.

[dworship 3,342]

43 minutes ago, monoccular said:

This year he has come into his own with the whole “playing as a team” commitment.  
IMVHO he has always done the team thing first and foremost; now it gels more with the entire list joining in. 
 

PS looking forward to seeing the clip of where he (allegedly) squibbed the contest when the accusers post it.  (Even the time will do as I watch the replay yet again.)

I wouldn't hold your breath mono. Just for the record I've seen ANB put himself in harms way numerous times and I wouldn't be mentioning any of this to the "D" Army where his mother Sharon is a regular. I take offence when posters on here question the courage of any of our players from the comfort of their keyboard. Admittedly, I don't know the courage of said keyboard warriors but I do know pizz weak when I read it.

 

Edited April 27, 2021 by dworship
Spellin

[Lord Nev 13,512]

5 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

The incident I was referring to occurred in the 1st quarter, with 5 min 15 seconds to go before the siren.

You're kidding right? This is the apparent 'incident' below. He's not close enough to contest the mark and then tackles the Richmond player who collects it.

[dworship 3,342]

On 4/26/2021 at 9:39 PM, Neil Crompton said:

However -and perhaps I shouldn't say this (it is an appreciation thread after all) - but I do not rate ANB as a player anywhere near as highly as most of the posters on here do. Before I get lynched, let me state my reasoning:

- he rarely attempts overhead marks when the opposition is around, even if he is the only Melbourne player there. (And there was an example on Saturday where he deliberately pulled out of a contest - which certainly was not a good look).

 

 

 

 

You really should stick to petrol sniffing.

Edited April 27, 2021 by dworship

[Fork 'em 6,983]

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

This was in the 3rd quarter, I don't know if this is the 'incident' being referred to, but if so, not only is it not a squib but the other players to pull out of the contest are Viney and Kozzy...

If any-one squibbed this one it was Cotchin.

[Neil Crompton 5,556]

Nev, I called it as I saw it - and to me, live, it was not a good look. 

I respect your opinion on this. I just have a different one.