I just realised there is a thread on Nathan Jones and SEN. If the mods want to chuck this in there, that's fine. Cheers.

Given the depressing nature of the season, I've lately been trying to look for the positives in an otherwise bleak campaign. They've been few and far between, but Nathan Jones has been a standout. He'll be lucky to miss out on the Bluey this year, and this from a player in just his second season with only 8 games to his name in his debut season. I've been very surprised that in the talk I've heard on likely Rising Star winners for the season, Jones hasn't figured more prominently. I realise it's quite typical of pople on club message boards to pump up the tyres of their own players, but I think Jones has a case for the award, or at the least a top 3 position. I'll go through some of the likely chances and no-hopers from the Rising Star crop of 2007 below.

Thus far this season, there have been 21 Rising Star nominees. By process of elimination, I'll start getting rid of some names of players who won't win the award due to a lack of games played in 2007. If we use Marc Murphy's 13 games as a guide that you can't win the award playing so few games, I'll be generous and use 15 games as a minimum for qualification. This counts out 11 of the 21 (Goldsack, Boak, Williams, Westhoff, McMahon, Clarke, Gray, Clark, Petterd, Wood and Hawkins. The remaining ten are comprised of Jones, LeCras, Gilbert, Hurn, Gibbs, Higgins, J Smith, J Selwood, Ryder and Pendlebury. That's a pretty handy list right there.

Of those 10 remaining players, only Scott Pendlebury has amassed more possessions than Jones this year, although the Magpie surprisingly has quite a few more tackles to his name than the Demon. I wouldn't have the two Eagles at the top of my list. Hurn has had quite a bit of the ball, but has a pretty handy midfield alongside him to deflect attention away from himself. LeCras has kicked over 30 goals, but averages under ten disposals a game. Ryder has improved vastly, but wouldn't be ahead of the top four or five, neither would Gibbs. Similarly, I've liked Gilbert's season, but it hasn't been enough to warrant receiving the award. Smith would be in the same boat. That leaves me with Jones, Pendlebury, Selwood and Higgins.

I can see the award going to Selwood or Pendlebury, but I don't know that Jones has had the same media buzz about his performances this year.

Whether or not he takes home the Bluey or the Rising star, we look like we have a fair player on our hands.

Whether or not he takes home the Bluey or the Rising star, we look like we have a fair player on our hands.

I think this point above is spot on. He should be top 5 but it Sellwood for me. Either way he is a fine player.

Yeah unless Jonesy has a 30+ possie game this week to boost his average up, I don't think he has a bees dick chance to be honest. But he'll be a fine player, and he's my tip for bluey and the most brownlow votes for us.

I think this point above is spot on. He should be top 5 but it Sellwood for me. Either way he is a fine player.

As they say in the dear old US, he'll probably be the second runner-up.

Selwood in front of pendelbury with jones in 3rd for me

I just realised there is a thread on Nathan Jones and SEN. If the mods want to chuck this in there, that's fine. Cheers.

Given the depressing nature of the season, I've lately been trying to look for the positives in an otherwise bleak campaign. They've been few and far between, but Nathan Jones has been a standout. He'll be lucky to miss out on the Bluey this year, and this from a player in just his second season with only 8 games to his name in his debut season. I've been very surprised that in the talk I've heard on likely Rising Star winners for the season, Jones hasn't figured more prominently. I realise it's quite typical of pople on club message boards to pump up the tyres of their own players, but I think Jones has a case for the award, or at the least a top 3 position. I'll go through some of the likely chances and no-hopers from the Rising Star crop of 2007 below.

Thus far this season, there have been 21 Rising Star nominees. By process of elimination, I'll start getting rid of some names of players who won't win the award due to a lack of games played in 2007. If we use Marc Murphy's 13 games as a guide that you can't win the award playing so few games, I'll be generous and use 15 games as a minimum for qualification. This counts out 11 of the 21 (Goldsack, Boak, Williams, Westhoff, McMahon, Clarke, Gray, Clark, Petterd, Wood and Hawkins. The remaining ten are comprised of Jones, LeCras, Gilbert, Hurn, Gibbs, Higgins, J Smith, J Selwood, Ryder and Pendlebury. That's a pretty handy list right there.

Of those 10 remaining players, only Scott Pendlebury has amassed more possessions than Jones this year, although the Magpie surprisingly has quite a few more tackles to his name than the Demon. I wouldn't have the two Eagles at the top of my list. Hurn has had quite a bit of the ball, but has a pretty handy midfield alongside him to deflect attention away from himself. LeCras has kicked over 30 goals, but averages under ten disposals a game. Ryder has improved vastly, but wouldn't be ahead of the top four or five, neither would Gibbs. Similarly, I've liked Gilbert's season, but it hasn't been enough to warrant receiving the award. Smith would be in the same boat. That leaves me with Jones, Pendlebury, Selwood and Higgins.

I can see the award going to Selwood or Pendlebury, but I don't know that Jones has had the same media buzz about his performances this year.

Whether or not he takes home the Bluey or the Rising star, we look like we have a fair player on our hands.

Hurn plays in a back pocket. Very, very rarely has he had a run in the midfield. He's a good player though, strong bodied and very tough.

For me: Selwood, Pendlebury, Jones, Higgins, LeCras.

I think the fact that Jones isn't getting has much hype is because he sort of "arrived" last season. I know Pendlebury did too but he had less impact in a worse team last year. And Pendlebury plays for Collingwood - always publicity there.