Paul Wheatley

[grazman 7,451]

now he is fit and on fire

he is easily in our best 22

And that has always been the case

He's not fit, he has trouble getting one of his arms up above his head (he dislocated his shoulder earlier in the year). I'm 100% convinced he needs an op on it to get it right, he's clearly inconvenienced, but he's been one of our best. A very under rated player IMO.

[DoubleDees 1]

Rowan Jones, Lewis Roberts-Thompson, Josh Mahoney, Gary Moorcroft etc.....

Premiership teams need all types of players, I dont see why Wheatley with his brilliant kick, speed and versatility can not be part of a Premiership team

Couldn't agree more.

I cant stand it when they talk of Premiership players like they are all elite. Players like Neitz are 100 times better players than any of those.

[Pepe Dee Pew 0]

I think Wheaters will be retained. Odds on Biz will not be around next season so Wheats gives us the extra option as third tall in the back half.

Plus he now looks stronger than ever before. In the past i have been critical that he just didn't look strong enough and thought he needed a lot of time in the weights room. But IMO he has built up a fair bit now without losing pace and he looks like getting into career best form.

[Jarka 767]

I think Wheaters will be retained. Odds on Biz will not be around next season so Wheats gives us the extra option as third tall in the back half.

Plus he now looks stronger than ever before. In the past i have been critical that he just didn't look strong enough and thought he needed a lot of time in the weights room. But IMO he has built up a fair bit now without losing pace and he looks like getting into career best form.

He is definitely safe - Ward, Brown, Holland, Pickett, Neville, Jamar, Ferguson and Warnock would all go before him.

[Gouga 570]

I agree he is safe. Has a few more years up the sleeve than Brown, Holland and Ward.

For the record I wanted him delisted after the Hawthorn game in Round 2.

[davey_magik 1]

Definitely keep. We wouldn't get a whole lot for him and he's very handy playing on the wing.

[Key Deefender 143]

I think when analysing any player's value, it's also whether he brings to the table something that few or no other players on our list can do. And Paul Wheatley does that.

Admittedly I've also been a sceptic as to his worth, mainly due to injury, but his last few weeks have underscored his ability to do some things that others can't or have trouble doing consistently. One is to kick in from behinds and hit long targets that can set up a forward thrust that will leave the opposition in its wake. We have had alot of trouble in this area. He is also a long rebounding defender or tall running linkman that can spear the ball into the forward line to fast leading forwards and hit them every time or kick a long goal himself.

He is no insider but he complements our grunt players and he is a great finisher. He can play tall or short, is deceptively quick, has long arms to spoil or mark and can read the play. His ability to stay injury free is a question mark, but his value has been telling over the last few games.

Turnovers lose matches and to want to give up a player who is skilled at long ball delivery particularly when he is also racking up 20+ touches a game is beyond belief.

He is no worldbeater but he brings a unique skill to our team. I would not want him doing the same thing for someone else. I just want him to stay fit and keep doing what he's doing - because he does it so well.

[mordja 187]

Cant see how you would get rid of him....

Injury prevented any real progression last year. Last 3 games have been good.

29 poss on the w/e, 25 effective (according to SEN), he kicks it long and direct which is a great attribute and we should see more of it.

Sunday was our second highest stat for long kicks (not sure of the definition here, again stated on SEN), Wheatley's contribution can not be underestimated.

However....

All of the above is null and void if we get a decent young player offered in return (or as part of a deal), he may not be in the best 22 if MFC is to win a flag in the next 5 years, but at the moment who would you put in for him?

[Mousey 47]

Keep! When healthy one of the most effective players on the list, can play a number of roles given to him- either back, a run on job or even half forward. His special weapon of the booming kick is an exciting thing to watch and i think he is playing the best of his career at the moment and is definitely in our best 22!Kind of reminds me of a Tim Notting type player=very handy!

[Redleg 41,427]

Couldn't agree more.

I cant stand it when they talk of Premiership players like they are all elite. Players like Neitz are 100 times better players than any of those.

I think there are two types of premiership players. There are the ones that actually win you a flag because of the way they play and there are the others who were lucky enough to get in the side on the day. Every club has plenty of the second group. It is the first group that are the standard of what a real premiership player should be. Nevertheless all of them are called "premiership players".

[Paddee 0]

I think when analysing any player's value, it's also whether he brings to the table something that few or no other players on our list can do. And Paul Wheatley does that.

Admittedly I've also been a sceptic as to his worth, mainly due to injury, but his last few weeks have underscored his ability to do some things that others can't or have trouble doing consistently. One is to kick in from behinds and hit long targets that can set up a forward thrust that will leave the opposition in its wake. We have had alot of trouble in this area. He is also a long rebounding defender or tall running linkman that can spear the ball into the forward line to fast leading forwards and hit them every time or kick a long goal himself.

He is no insider but he complements our grunt players and he is a great finisher. He can play tall or short, is deceptively quick, has long arms to spoil or mark and can read the play. His ability to stay injury free is a question mark, but his value has been telling over the last few games.

Turnovers lose matches and to want to give up a player who is skilled at long ball delivery particularly when he is also racking up 20+ touches a game is beyond belief.

He is no worldbeater but he brings a unique skill to our team. I would not want him doing the same thing for someone else. I just want him to stay fit and keep doing what he's doing - because he does it so well.

In the last couple of games I've noticed him looking out for the youngsters on the field too. I think it was against Essendon where Ricky P had a second shot for goal after earlier missing. Wheats went to the lad as he was lining up for goal & said something to him & subsequently Ricky wobbled through a goal. I noticed because I thought some of the other senior players in the forward line should have done the "encouragement/settle down/take your time" thing first.

[drdrake 3,187]

Any player is tradable if the right deal can be made a deal that will benefit the MFC. If the club got offered pick 1-25 in the draft or Judd for him and first round pick you would trade him. I can't see either happening so he will be a Melbourne player next year.

[monoccular 17,573]

IMO Paul has shown since he returned from injury just what he can contribute to our attacking play.

For far too long was he played under the ex-coach as a defender.

Running off a wing he can link defance to attack with accurate penetrating kicks to the leading forward: from the wing he can also move back for at least some of the kick-ins, again with penetration and accuracy, better than any other player on our list.

Buckley could, with time, prove to be a similar type of player, but not yet.

IMO it would be a very retrograde step to trade him - unless of course we were to get judd or Pavlich for him!! yes, just about everyone has a price.

[deefuture06 0]

Well said Key deefender.

[Deano74 156]

As I've said before, a keeper. Only 26 so he'll be around for a few years yet.

Wing is where it's at for Wheatley though - needs to be given more scope to attack.

Playing as a wingman he can push back and play defensively (after all, he played there for x years), but we can also utilise his skills on the counter-attack and get him pushing forward and kicking some long goals for us.

I have always liked his ability to kick goals outside fifty, definately keep him and play him across half forward using his kicking to the max.

[demonfanjezza 1]

In addition he does a beautiful kick out after a behind is scored and launch us into attack

[Goodvibes 3,596]

I think there are two types of premiership players. There are the ones that actually win you a flag because of the way they play and there are the others who were lucky enough to get in the side on the day. Every club has plenty of the second group. It is the first group that are the standard of what a real premiership player should be. Nevertheless all of them are called "premiership players".

In basketball terms (and I hate using them) Wheatley can "play a role". He's been a little more than a role player over the past month and I certainly think there's a place on our list for him in 2008 and beyond; whether he's in our best 22 depends on form and fitness.