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Defensive forward - ANB’s replacement?

Romey
in Melbourne Demons

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I expect Kade Chandler, Harry Sharp or Jack Billings to fill Nibbler's role.

Jack Billings is definitely under pressure to perform in season 2025.

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    Thanks to those who have contributed to the discussion. I’ve really enjoyed reading the wide variety of viewpoints on this topic. 


    I think there have been up to 15 players suggested so it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

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    I went to training yesterday. Watching Harry Sharp blitz everyone including Lingers with both endurance and speed. It's a no brainer for me he will fill the role and ultimately be an upgrade with his pace and skill. Having said that the way Nibbler played his role became pivotal to the whole ball movement. So it will take some time to get up to the ability to execute the role the way Nibbler did. 

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    3 hours ago, Its Time for Another said:

    I went to training yesterday. Watching Harry Sharp blitz everyone including Lingers with both endurance and speed. It's a no brainer for me he will fill the role and ultimately be an upgrade with his pace and skill. Having said that the way Nibbler played his role became pivotal to the whole ball movement. So it will take some time to get up to the ability to execute the role the way Nibbler did. 

    Haven’t seen Sharp have a lot of pace. He’s got a high cruising speed but not sure he’s really fast. Not sold on his skills either. But it’s nice to see the endurance is as advertised!

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    54 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

    Haven’t seen Sharp have a lot of pace. He’s got a high cruising speed but not sure he’s really fast. Not sold on his skills either. But it’s nice to see the endurance is as advertised!

    He's noted for his pace. Looked very sharp, excuse the pun.

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    6 hours ago, Its Time for Another said:

    I went to training yesterday. Watching Harry Sharp blitz everyone including Lingers with both endurance and speed. It's a no brainer for me he will fill the role and ultimately be an upgrade with his pace and skill. Having said that the way Nibbler played his role became pivotal to the whole ball movement. So it will take some time to get up to the ability to execute the role the way Nibbler did. 

    Agree sharp is leading the race for nibbla's role.

    But an upgrade on nibbla?

    Please.

    Nibbla is a premiership player who has played 176 AFL games, and has barely missed a game in 4 seasons.

    Finished third in the bluey this year,  his third top ten in a row.

    Sharp on the other hand couldn't get a regular game at the lions, only playing 16 games in four seasons.

    Nibbla was a best 22 lock who left for family reasons.

    Sharp left the lions because he couldn't get a regular game. 

    The crows were prepared to give up pick 28 for nibbla.

    We gave up pick 49 for Sharp.

    I'll concede sharp has plenty of upside, and may well get to nibbla's level, and hopefully surpass it.

    But there's no guarantee he will, and at ths point he is certainly no upgrade.

    Edited by binman

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    Kynan Brown was another who ran well yesterday, finishing second in the 2km time trial. He could be another replacement option for ANB… I don’t think he has been suggested in this thread yet.

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    1 hour ago, binman said:

    Agree sharp is leading the race for nibbla's role.

    But an upgrade on nibbla?

    Please.

    Nibbla is a premiership player who has played 176 AFL games, and has barely missed a game in 8 seasons.

    Finished third in the bluey this year,  his third top ten in a row.

    Sharp on the other hand couldn't get a regular game at the lions, only playing 16 games in four seasons.

    Nibbla was a best 22 lock who left for family reasons.

    Sharp left the lions because he couldn't get a regular game. 

    The crows were prepared to give up pick 28 for nibbla.

    We gave up pick 49 for Sharp.

    I'll concede sharp has plenty of upside, and may well get to nibbla's level, and hopefully surpass it.

    But there's no guarantee he will, and at ths point he is certainly no upgrade.

    Pretty sure you've missed @Its Time for Another point here.

    He's not saying that Sharp will come in and have the immediate impact that Nibs did but more so that eventually he'll play that role well and potentially be an upgrade over time because based off his observations he feels that he's got a better skill set then ANB. 

    It's interesting that you're comparing a 21 year old Sharp to a 28 players that's played over 150 games at AFL and a premiership player. If you go back to around the same age bracket as Sharp, then ANB was pretty much in a similar position to where Sharp is now. He was a battler who was in and out of the senior team.

    Don't forget also that we put Nibbler on the trade table at the end of 2020 when he was 24 years of age and by luck we had no club interested in him at the time. 

    Respectfully, @Its Time for Another did also say there is no guarantees that Sharp even gets to that level, purely based on observations and opinion. 

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    I still think it’s Chandler. Sharp needs to prove he can play AFL footy before you give him a crucial role in the 22.

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    10 hours ago, rpfc said:

    I still think it’s Chandler. Sharp needs to prove he can play AFL footy before you give him a crucial role in the 22.

    We have earmarked him for a purpose and I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t end up as Nibbler’s replacement. 

    Or if not a slightly different version of Lingers on the other wing or he might be a very good outside mid in the midfield quartet plus ??? Who could very well expand our on ball brigade to elite. 

    With Yhe champs back plus JV and Sparrow and Langford in due course plus Sharp Lindsay Riv Kossie and Mc Vee all being rotated through as  needed. Talk about variety and versatility and most players are good / great or will be in their original positions.

    Only worry is will Goody use this variety and versatility?? 

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    17 minutes ago, 58er said:

    We have earmarked him for a purpose and I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t end up as Nibbler’s replacement. 

    Or if not a slightly different version of Lingers on the other wing or he might be a very good outside mid in the midfield quartet plus ??? Who could very well expand our on ball brigade to elite. 

    With Yhe champs back plus JV and Sparrow and Langford in due course plus Sharp Lindsay Riv Kossie and Mc Vee all being rotated through as  needed. Talk about variety and versatility and most players are good / great or will be in their original positions.

    Only worry is will Goody use this variety and versatility?? 

    So Goodwin created and encouraged this variety and versatility but we worry about whether he will use it?

     

    Re: Sharp - he has not played a game of AFL yet. Let’s have some tether to reality.

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    9 minutes ago, rpfc said:

    Sharp - he has not played a game of AFL yet.

    Played 16 games for Brisbane.

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    9 minutes ago, rpfc said:

    Re: Sharp - he has not played a game of AFL yet. Let’s have some tether to reality.

    He has played 16 AFL games and was an emergency for the Lions' GF side.

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    5 minutes ago, binman said:

    He has played 16 AFL games and was an emergency for the Lions' GF side.

    My bad.

    Point somewhat intact tho.

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    On 04/12/2024 at 09:10, rpfc said:

    My bad.

    Point somewhat intact tho.

    Not intact. There was no position for him at Brisbane. There is a role wide open for him at Melbourne. A role that plays to his strengths. He could well become an upgrade on ANB. Remember ANB’s role was more about following instructions and being an endurance runner than a particularly high skill set.

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    46 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

    Not intact. There was no position for him at Brisbane. There is a role wide open for him at Melbourne. A role that plays to his strengths. He could well become an upgrade on ANB. Remember ANB’s role was more about following instructions and being an endurance runner than a particularly high skill set.

    Nah, it’s in tact. Let him prove he can play at AFL level.

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