View Full Version : Magpies all Australian chances at this stage
I am in London so my knowledge of our best performed players for the year is limited to stats and the highlights on youTube. I was wondering who is a serious sniff of getting a gong this year. From my limited knowledge..
Paul Medhurst - He is an interesting one. To people outside the club he still carries the stigma that developed at Freo. But no one can argue with his stats. He is arguably the best performed small forward in the comp this year, is doing all the team things, is in the top 10 goal kickers in the league and is racking up plenty of footy. Will the selectors make him earn his stripes and omit him this year?
Heath Shaw - Stats have suffered in recent times with extra attention being paid to him but he has still turned in some match winning performances. Will he be rewarded for a couple of very solid seasons or will the selectors leave him out due to his ability to be tagged out of the game?
Didak - Leading kick getter in the competition and we all know about his finishing ability. He is such an eye-catching player. What may go against him is that he is contending for a midfield/half-forward position of which there are plenty of other good names playing well. May be unlucky in my opinion.
Dane Swan - Selectors will take more notice of him this year after his unexpected brownlow tally in '07 but he hasn't quite reached the same standards as last year IMO. Still accumulating good numbers in the guts. Must be an outside chance.
They seem to be the only ones in contention at this stage. Are there any others?
Personally I think we've been bent over by the AA selectors in recent years. They seem to take great pleasure in not picking our blokes. I think clement was ripped off in '06 and Heater in '07.
I think we also suffer from that old chest nut that the pies are a good team with no stars. Even though we're developing some potential stars, I wonder how long this tag will hang over us.
Will be interesting to see if we get a look in this year
Didsy will be selected it will be interesting to see in what possy though with his new midfield role.
little heater is my fave player and he aint going as well as he was going last year so if he wasnt good enough last year and if he isnt as good this year (you can figure it out).
i think medhurst and davis would be lucky to make it maybe one of them i cant see enough room in the AA squad for both of them. And you usualy need to have 2 good years to be selected as an all austtralian.
swans one of the best players in the league and he will not be selected.
Hopefully Pendels can make the interchange bench.
The Dawes
7 Jul 2008, 09:16
Our players are not rated as individuals it seems, so I won't be surprised if no Collingwood player gets named.
Heath, Medhurst and Didak are all in contention.
It seems to count for players to have a better second half of the season than first half, so I hope these guys and others can maintain good form over the last 8 games and stay in contention.
Our players are not rated as individuals it seems, so I won't be surprised if no Collingwood player gets named.
Heath, Medhurst and Didak are all in contention.
It seems to count for players to have a better second half of the season than first half, so I hope these guys and others can maintain good form over the last 8 games and stay in contention.
Good point, we see this time and time again. Late season form seems to be very important.
I'd say that Heater and Dids are good chances, with outside chances to Swan and Medders. However, there is no way we will get more than 2 in the side (and most probably get none).
Didak seems a certainity.
Swan would be the most unlucky player to not get in...but midfield spots will be tight.
I dont think Medhurst and Davis will get in, but both are in career best form. Medhurst would be competing against Murphy and O'Keefe...and i reckon the AA selectors will name 2 collingwood forwards.
Heath SHaw might get in by default down back simply because there are not many running half backers with his versatility. Heater has played some blinders this year, and has had a few shockers as well. Cant really think of a fantastic rebounding defender this year however. Most have been in and out of sides.
Thats probably about all for AA selection, but there have been some other good performers who go unnoticed. Reckon Browny has made a huge difference to us this year but is not in contention. Rhyce Shaw has also developed himself into a fantastic run with player who also wins a lot of the ball.
Towelled up Judd, McVeigh and decent on Cooney. Plus he is winning a stack of it.
O'bree is also having a big year. Leading our clearances by light years and up there in the tackling. Very underrated player
PendlePie
7 Jul 2008, 14:11
Didak, Medhurst and Shaw will all push for starting positions IMO. Swan is a chance, but only on the bench.
Godfrey Jones
7 Jul 2008, 14:17
i reckon rhyce shaw is a smoky
but seriously i dont even expect didak to be named and he would be our best chance.
and nathan brown wont be named because he is a first year, but he should.
Medhurst for sure
then maybe Heater, Dids and Swan
On League Teams only Tony Shaw had a Magpie being Medhurst.
I have a suss feeling that we are a shot at missing out again despite what looks like another top 6 finish!
Swan and Didak are going about their footy in a business like manner. They're guns and both deserve very serious consideration.
i reckon rhyce shaw is a smoky
but seriously i dont even expect didak to be named and he would be our best chance.
and nathan brown wont be named because he is a first year, but he should.
Rhyce Shaw - No chance
Didak - Definitely best chance, and I think probably will get in
Brown - You seriously reckon he should be included? :confused:
Magpie Magic
7 Jul 2008, 15:14
Didak and Medhurst are probably the most likely to get a spot in the team at the moment.
Shaw is also a chance, but he's had some really poor games when tagged.
Swan is an outside chance and has been good this year, but he has some tough competition.
Didak: Previous All Australian, less goals this year, but still has kicked 19 in more of a midfield role. But will get in on the HFF or the Bench.
Swan: Should have been in last year, and has served his penance, probably on the Bench.
Medhurst: Has kick 37 goals so far this year, and will most likely kick over 50 by the end of it. The comps most improved player. He'll be either on the HFF or FP.
As for Nathan Brown although he's got no chance of getting in who would
be the AA CHB? Scarlett surely the AA FB, but I'm not sure about the CHB.
That's my two cents worth....
Thoughts people?
unplugged
7 Jul 2008, 15:35
It's hard because Collingwood, in my eyes, is one of the most evenly-spread teams in the league. Sure, we have some standout players (Swan, H. Shaw etc) but I wouldn't really expect too much as everyone is somewhat close in a way.
I think if we place top 4-6, and get next to no-one selected for the All-Australian team, we should actually see this as still a good thing. It'd mean that our teamwork, and coach especially, is fantastic. :D
WakeUpTaz
7 Jul 2008, 15:48
Those guys who do the AA team are idiots, if i remeber correctly on the SFS they put up a AA team up to this point and LEon Davis was the only pie in the team.
Shaw and Didak should be on the field and Swan on the bench. I don't think Meddy will make it this year.
Frankly I like it when we get snubbed. Firstly I reckon player agents will push contracts up if they receive these kinds of awards, and that can mean salary cap trouble down the track.
And although players deserve recognition for their seasons, I thought we were pretty fired up following the snub last year and Geelong seemed to rest a little on their laurels after so many of their players received gongs. Malthouse definitely uses the snub as motivation and helps us play the underdog card which we seem to love.
So please AA selectors, snub the pies again this year. :)
All things being equal, Didak is a certainty. However the selectors have consistently proven to be idiots so who knows.
SIDE BY SIDE
7 Jul 2008, 19:40
Didak should be a certainty but would not surprise me one bit if he doesn't get in. Same as Medhurst and Swan but we are never rated as a side with great players just one that gets the most out of their players.
skelly12
7 Jul 2008, 21:47
Didak: Previous All Australian, less goals this year, but still has kicked 19 in more of a midfield role. But will get in on the HFF or the Bench.
Swan: Should have been in last year, and has served his penance, probably on the Bench.
Medhurst: Has kick 37 goals so far this year, and will most likely kick over 50 by the end of it. The comps most improved player. He'll be either on the HFF or FP.
As for Nathan Brown although he's got no chance of getting in who would
be the AA CHB? Scarlett surely the AA FB, but I'm not sure about the CHB.
That's my two cents worth....
Thoughts people?
That would be Nathan Bock
Medhurst is the only real chance at this stage. Didak? I don't really see how, from a non-biased perspective. He may have had a lot of kicks but also kicks with a high clanger count(check it out).... and low handball to kick ratio, which tells us he is playing outside most of the time and would NEVER get a midfield role.. no way.
Mehurst has been dangerous and could warrant a spot if the form continues.
DT_fanatic
7 Jul 2008, 23:10
as much as id like to say swan will be in there i highly doubt it. his kicking has been pretty bad this year and that's going to keep him out of contention. if he could just sort that out he'd be a star of the comp...
didak is the only real possibility IMO.
shawthing09
8 Jul 2008, 15:11
Didak>Shaw>Medhurst IMO
Small goal kicking fowards rarely get picked in the AA sides look at Williams at Hawthorn when he wsa in full flight the pockets and flanks go to the bigger fowards and unlucky midfielders.
Didak is a chance on the HFF. Heath hasn't been as consistant this year. But the abscence of and abscence of form to players like Malcesci Hayden and even Campbell Brown being down on last year might see him make it in
CENTERMAN
8 Jul 2008, 15:46
Medders > Didds > Swanny. They hate us so we'll probably end up with a bench player at most.:mad:
vinnie_vegas69
8 Jul 2008, 16:14
The only forward below 190cm that has kicked more goals than Medhurst this year is Daniel Motlop, who has kicked two more goals, but Medhurst is averaging 5 disposals and 4 marks more a game than him.
That said, I expect 0 AA selections this year, yet again.
shawthing09
8 Jul 2008, 16:44
The only forward below 190cm that has kicked more goals than Medhurst this year is Daniel Motlop, who has kicked two more goals, but Medhurst is averaging 5 disposals and 4 marks more a game than him.
That said, I expect 0 AA selections this year, yet again.
Mark Willams 05 63 goals 9 disposal a game no AA.
Medhurst is getting more of the ball this year but IIRC Williams 63 was much higher in the coleman count for 05 then meddy will be this year the overall winner was Grehig with 74.
Quite simply the AA foward line will include players like Pav Fev Buddy etc as well as players who play mostly midfield but where unlucky to miss a spot like boomer harvey being picked in the foward pocket last year
That would be Nathan Bock
Spot on mate!:thumbsu:
vinnie_vegas69
8 Jul 2008, 16:51
Mark Willams 05 63 goals 9 disposal a game no AA.
Medhurst is getting more of the ball this year but IIRC Williams 63 was much higher in the coleman count for 05 then meddy will be this year the overall winner was Grehig with 74.
Quite simply the AA foward line will include players like Pav Fev Buddy etc as well as players who play mostly midfield but where unlucky to miss a spot like boomer harvey being picked in the foward pocket last year
Well, Medhurst is on track to kick 59 goals this year, so he won't be far off if he holds that line, and Medhurst is doing much more than just kicking goals, and he's winning a lot of praise for his team-oriented play, so he'll be more closely considered.
But as you say, given that the team selection is a shemozzle where they have 4 full forwards and two midfielders in the forward line, he'll probably miss out. Maybe a bench spot though?
bradrowe#32
8 Jul 2008, 16:54
I don't really care if no one makes it. Sure, it looks nice on the players CV, but it has been severely tainted in the past few years when love childs have been selected over deserving players.
Timmy from Thomastown
8 Jul 2008, 17:16
Medhurst a certainty, Swan a chance. Cloke an outside chance if he plays out of his skin in the next 8 weeks.