Doggo

Posted this in the captaincy thread but i think it's relevant here too. Why Beamer is going to win this years B&F...

Brent Moloney for captain. Trengove his deputy. Jones, Rivers, Frawley in the extended LG. I shudder to think how much worse we would have been if we didn't have Beamer this year. He's our only real leader at the moment. Ironically, in the 186pt drubbing he was ill and we were basically playing with 17 men even with him out there. He had 0 possession and was subbed at half time, and the rest is history. What i'm trying to say is: No Moloney = No Melbourne. Consider these stats i just dug up: This year Beamer ranks at the club: 1st in Contested Possesions (71 more than Sylvia ranked 2nd, 98 than Jones ranked 3rd) 1st in Clearances (+83 on McKenzie ranked 2nd with a total of 61) 1st in Tackles (+14 on Sylvia ranked 2nd) 2nd in Inside 50's (-2 behind Sylvia) 2nd in Disposals (-10 behind Jones) 1st in Kicks 2nd in Handballs Equal 4th in Running Bounces 5th for 1%ers Equal 5th for Clangers (11 less than Sylvia ranked 1st. Trengove, Jones, Martin and Green have all turned it over more this year) The contested possession and clearance stats are the most staggering. 83 more clearances (more than double) the next best player McKenzie! He has 102 more clearances than Jones, who many regard as one of our inside hardball winners (played on the wing a lot this year). Games nowadays are won in the contested possesion, clearances, and tackles being the KPIs to look out for. Beamer leads from the front here and even if for only a year or two until Trenners/Grimes/Watts et al are ready, he must be in the box seat for the skipper role next year. Brad Green is clearly not a captain's bootlace. It's hurting the team's performace and it has hurt Brad Green's reputation as a very good AFL footballer. Today's form from Greeny was a nice change and what we need from him every week.

I agree and I think he's been great. But he's missed 5 or 6 weeks through injury this year, and that'll hurt his final position IMO.

Was really composed, a cool calm head deep in defense. Rarely beaten and almost had a little bit of Dustin Fletcher about him. Very impressive debut and looks a real find.

A strong body and size at the stoppages; a disciplined team attitude; decent footskills. I was at the game and Tom didn't play well, he looked like he someone who hadn't played AFL for 2 years. The step up in intensity is steep. Would benefit from the run if he got another go next week, but doesn't deserve a game next week on today's match.

A quick stab at the top 10 IMO: 1. Moloney (21/21) 2. Jones (21) 3. Watts (21) 4. Martin (20) 5. Sylvia (19) Frawley (20) Trengove (18) Rivers (19) Garland (16) Green (20) edit: games played in brackets

Played a lot on the wing and as part of the midfield rotation in the 2nd half, not sure about the 1st half. Had i think only 1 disposal at half time and finished with 9. I've been a wrap for the kid, and in a way hope he gets one more shot next week, but on today's performance alone he doesn't deserve one.

I had that same strange feeling today too. I normally love to get vocal and fired up at the footy, but today was just tiresome almost. Maybe i'm jaded after a long, shitty season. A lot of people are, I guess. The crowd were as flat as the players. 22k there apparently, but it felt/sounded like 5,000.

The Good BLEASE! This kid is an absolute jet. Lighting fast, poised, good user of the footy (28 disposals at 82% efficiency, as well as most 'metres gained') and today he showed an improved work rate and gut-running. Was very impressed with his running both ways. Tom McDonald. Really composed, cool calm head deep in defense. Was rarely beaten and almost had a little bit of Dustin Fletcher about him. Very impressive debut and looks a real find. Howe's immediate impact as the sub. Garland. Moloney hitting the scoreboard in Sylvia's absence (should have had 4) Green playing as he should (if not a tad greedy in front of goal). The Bad Cale Morton. The kid's confidence just looks totally shot. Had a purple patch at the start of the 3rd i think, but overall was a poor effort again from Cale. Tom McNamara. I've been a fan of his and was hoping he would have a strong showing today, but he just couldn't get near it. Didn't do enough and probably won't get another go to save his career next week. Moloney's miss from 20 out directly in front. The fact I found it difficult to cheer at times. The game lacked intensity and both teams just looked to be going through the motions. Despite the performance of Blease and the relatively close scoreline, the game was a complete snoozefest. The Ugly Jurrah's shoulder, hopefully it's not too bad. Losing a million clearances in a row in the 2nd quarter. Our inability to play with strong intent and purpose over 4 quarters. I think every other team in the league would have beaten us today on that effort. We were very ordinary and only scored a lot of the time as a result of GCS turnovers. We really weren't able to impose ourselves and control the game the way Todd would've liked and overall, despite the 4 pts, it was a pretty disappointing effort. A bit like last week, but with a different result. As a team our confidence is shot, and you can see it. I'm not sure that we can beat Port over there next week.

Whilst I sort of agree in theory with the OP, Trengove's ace up the sleeve, which will hopefully lift him into the upper echelon of players once in his peak, is his outstanding overhead marking ability. He may not have the dash or speed of the more dynamic midfielders in the league, but his aerial ability is elite for his size, allowing him to play effectively as a forward, and perfectly complementing his hard, smart inside midfield play. It pretty much will allow him to effectively break hard tags in the future.

6. Blease - WOWWEEEE! 5. Garland 4. Moloney 3. Jones 2. Tom McDonald 1. Frawley

No thanks. As others have said already is too light, and even more damning IMO, is a horrible kick. Can take a big mark but is horrible below his knees, not a great set shot, and gets rag dolled ala Jack Watts circa 2010. A big NO unless it were a deal for deadwood like Bate or Dunn (which they wouldnt take anyway). So it's simply a no.

Really good read that.

+1 Judd, as much as i hate him, is an absolute superstar. Few players are in his realm. He's Michael Jordan like. Luke Ball, ridiculous!

Thailand, got back today. I should have just stayed over there.

I've been in Thailand since the win against Port. Man, am i glad that I haven't been able to watch this all unfold. Despite not seeing the last 2 capitulations, i completely agree with the OP. We've been "bruise-free" all year, this needed to happen for us to make any real meaningful step forward.

I've always felt the exact same thing. His 3 AFL games in '09 were promising. I rated him ahead of Cheney, on talent, when he was at the club, and felt like he was wrongly being groomed as a tall defender when he really just wasn't big enough for it. Always was a very smart, disciplined defender; a "team man" a bit like Bartram. But also a good long kick, sound decision maker, strong mark for his size, could sneak forward and kick goals. Pace was a bit questionable, but carried a lot of niggles early on that he seems to be getting over now. I'm glad he's now being used as more of a midfielder/occassional swingman, because at 190cm he was never going to make it as a FB/CHB at AFL level, not to mention being behind names at the club like Frawley, Garland, Rivers, Warnock, McDonald etc... Learning midfield & flanker roles gives him a chance at least, although he's gonna have to do something special between now and the end of the year to earn interest from Melbourne or another AFL club.

Apparently the ginger kid Cameron Johnston on the rookie list kicks 60m+ "effortlessly"... Long way off playing though, he's only a little fella. Brent Moloney perhaps? Back on topic, on Petterd's kicking, as others have already mentioned, it has always been a weakness IMO. IIRC even as a junior, disposal by foot was his biggest pre draft question mark. I even remember one of his first set shots in AFL footy, back in 07 or 08. Excited to see how the youngster would go, he proceeded to kick the ugliest mongrel helicopter punt i'd ever seen, that didn't even make the distance from about 45m. It was embarrassing! Over his career he's shown that occassionally he'll kick it well, and even have some good kicking days, but generally has more shockers than good ones. And that's for both set shot and field kicking. Unfortunately at times this year it's pretty much been Godfrey-esque and i have less and less faith that the ball will end up hitting it's desired target when he has it. But i don't think all is lost for Ricky Bobby's kicking just yet, at least at goal. He could still improve dramatically in a short space of time; it's happened before, Robbo back in the early-mid 2000's went from a poor set shot to an exceptional set shot pretty much in the space of one season (from 2004 to 05). Although his field kicking was a lot better than Rick's, his early set-shot kicking was horrible, were very similar to how Ricky kicks. High ball drop, prone to helicopters, swings the ball from right to left a lot, inability to hit 50m on a consistent basis, etc. Robbo went onto become our most reliable kick (along with Green) from 2005 onwards, with a perfect set-shot technique, which he credited to long hours of set-shot repitition during the 2005 preseason. I really hope Rick can turn it around Robbo style, because if he could just polish his kicking up that little bit, he's got real talent to burn and could become an absolute weapon. Look at the way Travis Cloke kicks it these days with his much publicised 'crowd noise' training routine. He was one of the worst kicks i'd ever seen. Shows that improvement is possible, it just takes a lot of hard work.

My point was more about the fact that he looked rough-as-guts, but was a really friendly bloke. Missing teeth, tatts all over, crusty old Richmond tracksuit top. A real feral. That was why i was so surprised. Of course it doesn't matter what team, all clubs have feral supporters. But he was just so typical of a die-hard, feral, 'insert team name here' supporter, yet was far from it.

Sat next to a really friendly, though rough-as-guts looking, tiger supporter at ground level of the Ponsford stand. To my surprise, out of nowhere he greeted me 'good luck' before the game, and shook my hand after the match to congratulate me/us. What a lovely bloke. Totally changed my preconceived ideas about RFC supporters...

6. Moloney 5. Watts 4. Garland 3. Jones 2. McKenzie 1. Nicholson edit: Somehow i forgot Frawley. Was absolutely unbelievable on their Jack. Slot him in for 1 vote over Nicho.

Add Joel Corey and Corey Enright to that too and it's enough to make anyone's head explode.

I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up at GWS next year.

Just got home, haven't looked at the stats or anything yet and my memory is a bit sketchy after a few frothies. I'll probably watch the replay during the week and want to change my votes, but for now it's... 6. Martin - the most complete game i've seen from him. Probably beaten in the tapouts, but his work around the ground and up forward was just superb. 5. Watts 4. McKenzie 3. Howe 2. Green 1. Sylvia Apologies: Scully, Trengove, Nicho, MacDonald, Petterd and about 10 other blokes too... Lots of impressive performances today.

Agree 100%. The Russian in the forward line taking pressure off LJ will do him a world of good. Jurrah is horribly out of form and/or carrying a few niggles, and he's still coming 5th i think in the Coleman. The thing i feel about Jurrah is that when it does click, it will click with a bang. I see a bag of 5 or 6 around the corner, perhaps against the Tigs? Yep, pretty good call that too. Might give him the same boot up the arse that it gave Jack. Given his lack of aerobic capacity, the fact he looks a bit injured, and the poor form, might just be a good way to lighten his load a little bit, as well as sending a message that he needs to improve. Jurrah coming on fresh, late in the 3rd when everyone else is blowing, would be nightmare for opposition defences.