Midseason Player Rankings

[reincarnated]

Surprised no one has done one yet.

So I'll kick it off. I'll give everyone a ranking out of 10. Some players would have played 1 game or just a few, however I have still given them a mark out of 10 just from those game or games they've played. (Though it might be harsh).

I haven't done player reports. I'll leave that to the experts...

Jay Neagle – 6
Ricky Dyson - 7
Jobe Watson - 9
Brent Stanton - 8
Angus Monfries - 7
Leroy Jetta - 5
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - 5
Mark McVeigh - 5
David Zaharakis - 7
Andrew Lovett – 10
Sam Lonergan - 6
Courtney Dempsey - 8
Tayte Pears - 10
Jay Nash - 4
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - 6
Henry Slattery - 7
Hayden Skipworth - 6
Michael Hurley - 7
David Myers - 4
Scott Lucas - 5
Cale Hooker - 7
Darch Daniher - 7
Alwyn Davey - 7
Patrick Ryder - 10
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - 5
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - 6
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7
Bachar Houli - 7
Thomas Bellchambers - 6

Best 5 players have to be...
1) Ryder
2) Pears
3) Lovett
4) Watson
5) Winderlich / Stanton

[tubbis]

Are we just ranking everyone or are we doing a Top 5 best players this season or Top 5 Brownlow Pollers kinda thing?
Either way my Top 5 this season:

1. Paddy Ryder (need I say more?)
2. Jobe Watson (elite in and under player. footskills getting better!)
3. Andrew Lovett (always had the potential and finally delivering. one of the best kicks in the team)
4. Jason Winderlich (fulfilling potential. fantastic to see him up and about running.)
5. Tayte Pears (revelation young defender)

I'm still not 100% sold on Stanton.

[AndyLesPaul]

Good idea.

Jay Neagle – 6
Ricky Dyson - 8
Jobe Watson - 10 (easily.)
Brent Stanton - 9.5
Angus Monfries - 7
Leroy Jetta - 6
Jason Winderlich - 10
Brent Prismall - n/a (only one game.)
Mark McVeigh - 5 (n/a too)
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 10
Sam Lonergan - 6
Courtney Dempsey - 8.5
Tayte Pears - 10 (key for our defence following the loss of fletcher
Jay Nash - 4
Matthew Lloyd - 8 (may not kick many goals, but he does play his part.
David Hille - injured
Henry Slattery - 7.5 (plays a relatively pivotal role in our defence.)
Hayden Skipworth - 7
Michael Hurley - 8 (had a great debut)
David Myers - 5 (has not been great.)
Scott Lucas - 7 for last week. about 5-6 for weeks prior
Cale Hooker - 8, can make some crucial mistakes though.
Darch Daniher - 7
Alwyn Davey - 9
Patrick Ryder - 10 our only ruck left.
Dustin Fletcher - 8 great in defence
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - n/a
Heath Hocking - 8
Michael Quinn - 6
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7.5, played an important role when he was in the team.
Bachar Houli - 7
Thomas Bellchambers - 5

[BringBackCransberg]

I think the clear leaders are Watson, Ryder, Lovett, Winderlich, Pears, Dempsey.
Fletch would easily be there if he didn't run into himself.

Not far behind are Stanton and Hocking.

For pure entertainment value Quinn's game against Fremantle still has psychic echoes whenever I'm near Docklands.

[reincarnated]

Are we just ranking everyone or are we doing a Top 5 best players this season or Top 5 Brownlow Pollers kinda thing?
Either way my Top 5 this season:

1. Paddy Ryder (need I say more?)
2. Jobe Watson (elite in and under player. footskills getting better!)
3. Andrew Lovett (always had the potential and finally delivering. one of the best kicks in the team)
4. Jason Winderlich (fulfilling potential. fantastic to see him up and about running.)
5. Tayte Pears (revelation young defender)

I'm still not 100% sold on Stanton.

We have the same top 5 (though in different order). I believe this is a sign that reliance on the older players is coming to an end. Players are stepping up and wanting to carry this club forward.

Hille, McVeigh and Fletcher have missed most of the season, and you can add Lucas to that list. We have put our self in a good position for a crack at the finals in the second half of the year.

Knigter is right, that the youngsters have done a power of work, and now McVeigh, Reimers, Prismall, Hurley, Daniher, Lovett-Murray, Welsh, Fletcher etc needs to put in 110% for the second half and help carry the load. Ryder just needs some one to help him.

[Smyth94]

The thing that I've got against rankings such as these (0-10) is that it assumes every player on our list is at the same stage of their careers with the same expectations - impossible.

Each player will have different KPI's/goals/objectives so someone like a Pears who probably wouldn't be in the top ten full backs in the league and if was to be rated against every full back in the comp, would be made to look mediocre, yet within his own age group he is perhaps the best performed backman in the whole league.

Youth (18-21) or (0-40 games)
Middle-teir (22-25) or (41-100 games)
Senior (25+) or (100+ games)

Since a lot of our players are in the "Youth" bracket I'd say we're doing very well given the senior players we have missing (or underdone)

[Daytripper]

Based on output for the year, irrespective of age and experience.

Jay Neagle – 5
Ricky Dyson - 7
Jobe Watson - 9
Brent Stanton - 8.5
Angus Monfries - 7
Leroy Jetta - 5
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - 2
Mark McVeigh - 4
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 5.5
Courtney Dempsey - 7
Tayte Pears - 7.5
Jay Nash - 3
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - 4
Henry Slattery - 6.5
Hayden Skipworth - 5.5
Michael Hurley - 3
David Myers - 3
Scott Lucas - 5
Cale Hooker - 6.5
Darch Daniher - 5
Alwyn Davey - 7
Patrick Ryder - 9
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - 3
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - 4
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6.5
Bachar Houli - 6.5
Thomas Bellchambers - 5.5

[kelvin_sheedy]

Jay Neagle – 4
Ricky Dyson - 6
Jobe Watson - 9
Brent Stanton - 8.5
Angus Monfries - 6
Leroy Jetta - 4
Jason Winderlich - 8.5
Brent Prismall - 2
Mark McVeigh - 4
David Zaharakis - 4
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 5
Courtney Dempsey - 6.5
Tayte Pears - 7
Jay Nash - 3
Matthew Lloyd - 6.5
David Hille - 4
Henry Slattery - 6.5
Hayden Skipworth - 5
Michael Hurley - 3
David Myers - 2
Scott Lucas - 4
Cale Hooker - 5
Darch Daniher - 4
Alwyn Davey - 5
Patrick Ryder - 8
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - 3
Heath Hocking - 6.5
Michael Quinn - 2
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6.5
Bachar Houli - 5
Thomas Bellchambers - 4

[eb075]

I know it's nit-picking a little but the only changes I would make to the original list in this post:
Neagle - 4
Watson - 10
Dempsey - 9
Lucas - 4
Hooker - 8
Davey - 5

Top 5 (in no order):
Ryder
Watson
Pears
Dempsey
Lovett

with special mention to Lloyd - I know this sounds odd but when he's firing he's still the cream on the top of the cake and when he's not, he's taking 2-3 of the best backmen away from the heat (which is probably why he appears to be not firing).

[Kong]

If this gets a decent amount of posts, I'll calculate/average the rankings before the Melbourne game.

[bombre-boy]

Looking at it slightly different i think these are the guys who have improved..

Watson - has worked on his one difficency his disposal...work rate cannot be questioned
Winderlich - Lets hope his back holds up. Our main link up player. One of the few with decent disposal.
Lovett - Thank goodness we didnt trade him. Hopefully he will continue to live up to his talents. The best kick in the team (maybe with fletch)
Ryder - The only positive of Hille going down. One wonders if Hille was still up and going, would Paddy have still been playing average footy at CHB? But i am happy he is showing us how good he is with a free reign...One of the reasons that ruckmen types will change to a mobile player.
Pears - Didnt see any upside on what i saw previously, but he has excelled this year. Built like a brick shizer, but seems to read the play well and not overawed by the situation.
Dempsey - Finally he is showing us something. I would not have been upset to have seen him traded, but glad he has stayed.
Hooker - Will be a solid player. Hopefully he finds a position and can make it his own.
Dyson - Big improver. Deserved his criticism in previous years,but now he has earnt his place in the team with solid footy.

Michael Hurley - Is the one guy i cannot wait to see over a full season. I reckon he will be one of the best backmen in years to come.

Everyone else has played up to or below my expectations....

P.S we have a crap run home, but hopefully we can win 10 games this year, which i would class as a success.

[loopy_cam]

Jay Neagle - 5
Have been impressed with Jay since he has come back. Is obviously still young so will be inconsistent but I think he's having a fairly good season. Still needs a couple of pre-seasons under his belt.
Ricky Dyson - 7
Ricky is having a very good year considering most, if not all, had him being delisted at the end of this year. He is pushing for a best 22 spot which is all you can ask for really. Justifying Knighter's decision to give him a two year deal.
Jobe Watson - 10
Absolutely superb. Couldn't ask anything more of Jobe this year. Would be pushing All-Australian at the moment IMO and is quickly becoming one of the premier midfielders of the competition. Definitely our most important player.
Brent Stanton - 8
Stants just keeps playing well. Needs to just keep doing what he's doing.
Angus Monfries - 4
Poor season so far from Angus IMO. Had the one great game against Carlton, as he does every year, and hasn't done much since. Way too inconsistent for my liking. At his best he's a matchwinner but it is too often that he doesn't get himself into the game enough. Needs to make a contribution on his off days.
Leroy Jetta - 6
Although he doesn't get much of the ball, what he does with it is worth having him in the side for. I am infinitely more confident in our forwardline with Jetta in there as he creates so much. When he gets more of the ball he will be great. Needs to kick more goals himself.
Jason Winderlich - 9
Been a revelation this year. It's like having a new recruit with him missing most of last year and what a recruit. Outstanding.
Mark McVeigh - 4
He's been injured and unable to perform at his best. It's a good thing that we've been doing this well without Spike who was our best midfielder last year.
David Zaharakis - 6
Very good for a first year player.
Andrew Lovett – 9
Another who has been very, very good. In the top 5 in the AFL for scoring involvements IIRC and has been very damaging. I must admit I was hoping we'd trade him at the end of last year but he has proved me wrong tenfold.
Sam Lonergan - 5
Not a great first half of the season by Lonergun. He hasn't been bad but I was just expecting more from him after what he did last year.
Courtney Dempsey - 9
Always knew this kid had it in him and he's doing everything right. Will be one of the standout rebounding defenders in the league by the end of next year.
Tayte Pears - 9
Another who has been great. For a guy this young to be standing the best key forwards in the game and beating most of them is outstanding.
Jay Nash - 4
Been poor and will probably be delisted.
Matthew Lloyd - 6
Not great from Lloydy. I was hoping he'd carry on his form from the second half of last year but he hasn't been able to do that.
David Hille - 4
Was poor before he got injured. Was not asserting himself on matches as much as he could have.
Henry Slattery - 8
Very good from Slatts. Keeps his opponent quiet more times than not.
Hayden Skipworth - 7
I think he's been good. Definitely ahead of Cousins when comparing output so far. Is a part of our best 22.
David Myers - 3
Very poor from Myers. I was expecting so much more from him but he hasn't delivered anything really. I know he needs to be given time but I was expecting more.
Scott Lucas - 3
Has been very poor. Hopefully the game against Adelaide is a sign of things to come for the second half of the year. How can a guy who's played so many game lose his accuracy when kicking for goal so quickly?
Cale Hooker - 8
As with Pears he has been very good on much more talented and experienced opponents. Looking to be a good pick at such a late stage. I'd like to see him in the forward line as I seem to recall him having a large amount of success there early last year for Bendigo before switching to defence.
Darch Daniher - 8
Also been good in defence in the games he's played. Jeez our defense is looking good.
Alwyn Davey - 5
Not been at his best so far this year so that is another plus going into the second half of the year. Lets see him kick some more goals.
Patrick Ryder - 9.5
Very good since going into the ruck. For him to shoulder the responsibility of being the number one ruck at such a young age is a very good sign for the future. He is going to be a great ruckman when he is able to win more possies around the ground.
Dustin Fletcher - 8
Just keeps on keeping on. Ecstatic that he is going on another year as he will definitely quicken the development of our young backline.
Adam McPhee - 5
Don't think it's been the greatest season from McPhee. I like him better up forward but, because of injuries, he has been forced to play back. Hopefully, with other guys coming in, he can resume his role as the link man in the forward line.
Heath Hocking - 8
Looks to be very composed when he has the ball and has handled the tagging role in Wooshas absence very well. Uses his body well to stand up in the tackles and get a handball out.
Michael Quinn - 6
Was exciting in his two games but still definitely needs time at Bendigo. Will be pushing for senior selection again next year.
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7
I think he's been very good when he's been in. I've always liked NLM so this may be biased but I think he has a place in our side as a forward or a rebounding defender. Should never play key defence as he can't do it and will be ruthlessly attacked for this fact.
Bachar Houli - 6
Looks good when he has the ball. His kicking is very good. But he definitely needs to go in harder.
Thomas Bellchambers - 4
Too young to be playing but was forced to do so due to injuries. We won't see his best for a long while.

[dirtywhitepacker]

Jay Neagle – 5
Ricky Dyson - 6
Jobe Watson - 10
Brent Stanton - 8
Angus Monfries - 6
Leroy Jetta - 4
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - 2
Mark McVeigh - 4
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 4
Courtney Dempsey - 8
Tayte Pears - 9
Jay Nash - 1
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - 3
Henry Slattery - 5
Hayden Skipworth - 5
Michael Hurley - 2
David Myers - 3
Scott Lucas - 4
Cale Hooker - 6
Darcy Daniher - 6
Alwyn Davey - 6
Patrick Ryder - 10
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - 2
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - 2
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6
Bachar Houli - 6
Thomas Bellchambers - 4

[WatchWatson]

Jay Neagle – 4 - Shows what he can do in glimpses but needs some more fitness to really make his mark over Four quarters.

Ricky Dyson - 6 - Has improved this year and may have found a permanent spot, but needs to keep working hard.

Jobe Watson - 9 - Most important player Essendon has. Without his hard work in the centre we would struggle to get it out, and is still improving.

Brent Stanton - 8 - Seems to have found some consistency and is a tireless worker. If he can kick some more goals consistently he would be extremely dangerous.

Angus Monfries - 6 - Seems harsh to give him this rating but is just not consistent enough. Shows glimpses of brilliance but i feel last year was better than this year and he shouldn't be going backwards.

Leroy Jetta - 4 - Needs to work harder, he applies good pressure in the forward line but not all of the time and seems to fumble so much.

Jason Winderlich - 8 - Amazing recovery from that back injury. He is playing the sort of footy i would have expected next year.

Brent Prismall - N/A - Not going to judge him on one game. Hopefully he is everything we expected.

Mark McVeigh - 5 - Has had a horrible year to date with injuries and is down on fitness but we no he is a gun and hopefully he can get back to his best this year.

David Zaharakis - 6 - Starting to look tired but has had an amazing debut season. He knows how to get the ball and use it. hopefully the break does him well.

Andrew Lovett – 8 - Amazing to think he might have been somewhere else, this guy is our game changer as Michael Long was years ago. Just needs more four Quarter efforts.

Sam Lonergan - 6 - Gives it all he has all the time but not up to his standards of last year, just needs to have more impact moments.

Courtney Dempsey - 7 - A completely different player to last year. Amazing what can happen when you get your body right.

Tayte Pears - 8 - Has done an amazing job this year. Seems to have slotted in nicely and isn't afraid to take his opponent and the game on. The surprise packet of the year.

Jay Nash - 4 - Has gone missing amongst the mass of up and coming defenders, i believe he has what it takes but needs to start working really hard to achieve it.

Matthew Lloyd - 7 - Hasn't had his kicking boots on this year but still has one of the most important roles in the team and if he can find some consistency i think we will find that our entire forward line will function allot better.

David Hille - 6 - Not the same player as last year, he really seemed to struggle at times and never found the space he did last year. Lets hope he can get back on track for 2010

Henry Slattery - 6 - Improving all the time and is a real genuine team player, he always goes in hard and gives it 100%. Needs to work on his footy smarts as he can turn it over sometimes.

Hayden Skipworth - 6 - Has done about what everyone expected to date, he gets a good amount of the ball and uses it well but will probably see himself fighting for a position in the second half of the year.

Michael Hurley - N/A - One game is hard to give you any idea of how a player is going to turn out but like Pears seemed to read the play well and wasn't afraid to take it on. Bring on 2010

David Myers - 5 - Showed allot last year but his recent growth spurt has put his body out of sorts and i think it may take some time for him to find his feet. Capable of anything though and we must preserver with him.

Scott Lucas - 5 - Coming back from a knee injury isn't always easy especially when your Scotty's age but showed some improvement and kicked some goals against the Crows so hopefully heading in the right direction.

Cale Hooker - 6 - Another surprise packet for the year, Hooker seems to fit right in to AFL life and with this year under his belt it should put him in good stead for years to come.

Darch Daniher - 6 - Showed some good signs early this year, i think he will be a real solid defender in years to come.

Alwyn Davey - 7 - Another to suffer a knee injury last year, he seems to be struggling with his movement and his kicking is nowhere near where it was but always applies good pressure and like Lucas hopefully can start to put it together in the second half of the year.

Patrick Ryder - 9 - All this time in the back-line and we didn't even know. He is a genuine star and is only going to get better. I cant ever remember a ruck-man that has laid more tackles. when we get a back-up player for him and he can get some rest he will become even more deadly.

Dustin Fletcher - 7 - Was playing really good footy this year and what more would you expect from the champ.

Adam McPhee - 6 - In the long run i'm not sure what his future looks like, where do we play him. so far this season he has been all over and hasn't really excelled anywhere.

Kyle Reimers - N/A - From what i saw against the Crows, Kyle is going to have some fitness problems and should use the remainder of the season to try get his body right.

Heath Hocking - 7 - Amazing year to date and is really giving it his all. Another one of those surprises you just have to love.

Michael Quinn - 4 - Needs allot of work but showed early in the year that if he puts the work in he could turn out be a really good player.

Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7 - Since returning to the team he has been pivotal to the structure of our back-line and provides some extra strength and support to some of the younger players. Never thought i would say it but we need him back in a hurry.

Bachar Houli - 7 - He really gives it hiss all but his disposal and more importantly his decision making need to catch up with his effort.

Thomas Bellchambers - 6 - Makes you wonder where Laycock will be if Tom can stay on the park. He showed some real encouraging signs so far and like all ruck-man the more time he gets the better he will become.

Scott Gumbleton - N/A - Showed in the pre-season that his body is still not there and will need to work on that to get some games.

Jason Laycock - N/A - Coming up to the most important time in his career where if he doesn't get up and running he may find himself up for trade.

Jarrod Atkinson -N/A - Allot like Laycock he will have to start performing allot better and with allot more endeavor as there is now allot of stiff competition around him.

Tyson Slatery - N/A - Haven't seen enough to make a call.

Michael Still - N/A - Still developing but i have great expectations.

Andrew Welsh - N/A - Cant wait to see him back. I expect that his fitness may be an issue but like the other guys that have come back from injury this year he just needs to work on getting back to his best.

John Williams - N/A - Still a work in progress but might find himself getting a game later in the year.

[eth-dog]

Jay Neagle – 6
Ricky Dyson - 8
Jobe Watson - 10
Brent Stanton - 8
Angus Monfries - 7
Leroy Jetta - 4
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - 6
Mark McVeigh - 6
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 5
Courtney Dempsey - 9
Tayte Pears - 9
Jay Nash - 4
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - 6
Henry Slattery - 7
Hayden Skipworth - 7
Michael Hurley - 6
David Myers - 4
Scott Lucas - 6
Cale Hooker - 7
Darcy Daniher - 7
Alwyn Davey - 7
Patrick Ryder - 10
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - 6
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - 5
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7
Bachar Houli - 7
Thomas Bellchambers - 6

[daffo]

Jay Neagle – 4
Ricky Dyson - 7
Jobe Watson - 9
Brent Stanton - 7.5
Angus Monfries - 6
Leroy Jetta - 6
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - 4
Mark McVeigh - 3
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 7.5
Sam Lonergan - 5
Courtney Dempsey - 8.5
Tayte Pears - 9.5
Jay Nash - 4.5
Matthew Lloyd - 6
David Hille - 3
Henry Slattery - 8
Hayden Skipworth - 4
Michael Hurley - 5
David Myers - 3.5
Scott Lucas - 4.5
Cale Hooker - 5
Darch Daniher - 6.5
Alwyn Davey - 7
Patrick Ryder - 10
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 5
Kyle Reimers - 3
Heath Hocking - 8
Michael Quinn - 4
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 3
Bachar Houli - 6
Thomas Bellchambers - 5

[lamaros]

Jay Neagle – 4
Ricky Dyson - 6
Jobe Watson - 8
Brent Stanton - 7
Angus Monfries - 6
Leroy Jetta - 5
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - N/A
Mark McVeigh - N/A
David Zaharakis - 5
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 6
Courtney Dempsey - 7
Tayte Pears - 9
Jay Nash - N/A
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - 6
Henry Slattery - 6
Hayden Skipworth - 6
Michael Hurley - N/A
David Myers - 4
Scott Lucas - 4
Cale Hooker - 6
Darcy Daniher - N/A
Alwyn Davey - 6
Patrick Ryder - 9
Dustin Fletcher - 8
Adam McPhee - 6
Kyle Reimers - N/A
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - N/A
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7
Bachar Houli - 5
Thomas Bellchambers - 4

People are getting weird about some players. Daniher at 7s when he can't get in the team mostly? Myers at 3 when he's played in most of our wins? NLM at 3?

Silly stuff.

[Godzke]

Based on output for the year, irrespective of age and experience.
reincarnated and andylespaul ... your ratings are very very generous.

i agree mostly with daytripper and kelvin

my rankings, like daytripper's, based on output regardless of age, experience or injury:

Jay Neagle – great kicking accuracy and marking strength but poor work ethic. has only played half the games to date. 5
Ricky Dyson - fringe performer. has his big moments and his big drop offs. he's avg 19 disposals so he's finding enough of it. disposal efficiency of 72% needs to be higher. 6
Jobe Watson - consistent ball winner, disposal effectiveness is improving, excellent at the clearances but needs more work on his finishing (which is improving). 9
Brent Stanton - works hard and is finding enough of the pill, effectiveness has dropped off in the last three weeks with disposal efficiency dropping below 70% ... which is unacceptable 8
Angus Monfries - presents nicely as a small forward on the flanks, but doesn't do enough. avg under 16 disposals a game, .70 goals a game and only 1.5 tackles a game implies his work ethic is not up to the standard it needs to be. 5.5
Leroy Jetta - Has shown some promise but overall has done little. only played 5 games this year avg a measely 12. gotta do more. 3
Jason Winderlich - He has speed, he has efficiency (80%) and he's driven to win the ball with hunger. A role model for every other midfielder in the team. Crucial player. Solid season so far. starting to win more of the ball with an avg of 21 possies a game. 9
Brent Prismall - has been injured and pysically underdone so can't rate. only 53% disposal efficiency in his first game which you would assume is his career lowest. 1
Mark McVeigh - Played just 3 games this year and that will be his rating. Has shown decent effectiveness but very much underdone. Will require a big second half of the season from him. 3
David Zaharakis - Has done well for his first season and still has a long way to go but is on the right track. Has won over the Bomber faithful with his ANZAC day heroics but needs to put the head down and work on cementing a spot in the team after displaying a disgraceful 59% disposal efficiency so far this season. 5
Andrew Lovett – His breakout season as far as performances and mentality goes. fastest player in the competition, good disposal use (can be a tad better), work ethic improving, on target for Best and Fairest and maybe AA selection. 9
Sam Lonergan - only averaging 13 disposals a game but with reasonable effectiveness. shows a good work ethic and defensive pressure. needs to settle in finding his niche in the team rather than moving back and forth from each of the ground as a forward or backmen. 5.5
Courtney Dempsey - Has applied an excellent work ethic with great speed and agility. avg 16 disposals as a half back flanker ain't bad but with very good efficiency. 7.5
Tayte Pears - Has done very well as a KP backmen this year. Can play further up the ground as a link up player, needs to make sure he knows he can't run off his man when playing a KP forward. 7.5
Jay Nash - Doesn't work hard enough and has been frozed out from the first team to some extent, but has shown excellent ball use with 87% efficiency. Needs to really breakthrough or threatened with delisting at the end of the year. 4
Matthew Lloyd - Has worked hard at times but not given enough on other occasions. Is still a KP forward at heart and needs to find that form rather than just relying on easier possessions up the ground. 6
David Hille - Was having a solid start without being fantastic up until ANZAC day. unfortunate end to his season. 4
Henry Slattery - Has made decent contributions here and there, doesn't find the ball a lot but does use it well. Good work ethic but doesn't strike me as a player who can really read the play. Second half of the season may make or break his career under knights 6
Hayden Skipworth - Has done well in his first season in the senior team. Avg 20 disposals with excellent disposal use in the mid 80% range. Injury has prevented him from having a bigger role within the team. 6
Michael Hurley - Made a huge impact in his first game on Tredrea but has the most recent bomber to suffer from repeated injury problems with just one game under his belt. Should be fit soon with a potentially epic second half of the season in store for him. 2
David Myers - Has made an alright impression in the first half with some promising performances but desperately needs to find consistency and rhythym to his game. Is fighting Hooker for a place in the team. 4
Scott Lucas - Was dumped for a reason. his return last week was very good but needs to prove in this second half of the season why knights should retain his services going forward for at least another season or two. 4.5
Cale Hooker - Has done well coming into the side to replace Hooker after ANZAC Day. Finds the ball a fair amount for a big bloke playing back. decent efficiency. can show plenty more though. 6.5
Darch Daniher - Has showed promise but unfortunate to be struck down with injury. Has a lot of competition to find a black in the backline with Pears, Hooker, Hurley and Myers all looking to find a game. 5
Alwyn Davey - Ferocious tackler combined with awesome acceleration and solid work ethic. has the potential to go a long way but has been found wanting in front of goal with only .70 goals a game this season. Will look to see a big step up in the second half after a decent first half. 6.5
Patrick Ryder - An ordinary start to the season with little to no impact before exploding onto the scene as a ruckman on ANZAC day. Unbelievable athleticism and an excellent work ethic has seen him dominate HOs and tackles but very inconsistent in finding the pill as well as using it with his stats going up and down like a yo-yo. Needs to learn that he's not an alywn davey for the purpose of being an impact player ... he's there to make a contest, win and use the ball at every opportunity across 4 quarters. Not in bursts. Second half of the season could be very telling. 8.5
Dustin Fletcher - Was looking good for the first half of the year as he continues to defy his age before struck down by injury. Will look to his leadership as being imperative towards moulding and maturing the backline in the comng months/years. 5
Adam McPhee - Has had some shockers this year, but disposal efficiency remains better than most in this team. Needs to improve work ethic, impeded by injury but needs to rest or get over it. 6
Kyle Reimers - Just the one game from injury and an ordinary peformance (bar an excellent goal) with just 9 disposals at 33% efficiency. In my view is possibly the most important youngster coming through the ranks that could be goal-kicking half-forward flanker we've been needing since J.Hird retired. 0.5
Heath Hocking - Good defensive mindset, applying plenty of tackles, running hard and works hard to create pressure around the contest. Has had some big games but has gone missing in others. Consistency is imperative to developing his game further. 7
Michael Quinn - His never say die attitude by running and backing himself where ever possible won numerous praise but criticism as well. Just the two games so far this year and with players returning from injury may find him playing the rest of the season for Bendigo. 1.5
Nathan Lovett-Murray - Made a comeback from injury, played well for 4-5 games and then suspended. A disappointing outcome given he was starting to hit some solid form. Excellent in the air and the perfect player to have roaming across the backline. Expect big things from him when he serves his final round of suspension this week. 5
Bachar Houli - Has done well since coming into the side without securing his spot in the team. Starting to find plenty of the ball and with surprisingly high disposal efficiency as well. Potential to nail down one of the Half-Forward positions in the second half of the season. Is fighting reimers, monfries and possibly Jetta for this. 6.5
Thomas Bellchambers - Has done alright in coming into the side as a season-long replacement for Hille but after a few promising sightings has been struck down with injury. A potential career opening opportunity has cruelly passed him by. 3

[Ben the Gooner]

Jay Neagle - has been an enigma. He has had games where he's presented well, taken some huge marks and kicked some vital goals, and he's had games where he just hasn't been near it. I really enjoy watching him play, because he presents so well and can bob up and take a huge mark from four deep and kick a goal when the team really needs it. I see a lot of potential, but he really needs to improve his fitness and consistency. Needs to spend a preseason with Lloydy in the way that Reimers did with Stanton to improve his fitness. 4.5

Ricky Dyson - has been very impressive since being dropped then re-instated for ANZAC Day. Has certainly cemented his spot on the list, and also in my best 22. 7.5

Scott Gumbleton - hopefully this surgery sorts his injury troubles out once and for all. N/A

Jobe Watson - has taken his superb game to another level. He is now elite. 9.5

Brent Stanton - has certainly improved defensively but still struggles with the tag. 7

Angus Monfries - more of the same from Monfries who, it has to be said, is under-rated by a lot of Essendon fans. 6

Leroy Jetta - if the script was slightly different, he could have kicked all 3 goals on ANZAC Day to win the game for us (should have had a holding the ball free 10m out directly in front before Dyson's goal, as well as the fumble), but has been in and out of the side. He should really be in the same side as Neagle to add some more defensive pressure. 4

Jason Winderlich - has shown why he was a first round draft pick. Has been right up there as one of our best. 9.5

Brent Prismall - I'm not expecting much this year, and it's been too hard to judge. N/A

Mark McVeigh - is one of our best players, and can literally play any forward, midfield and back with aplomb. Hopefully he gets back to his best in the second half of the season. 4

David Zaharakis - I certainly didn't expect him to play all bar one of our games, and neither did he. He has become a legend at the club already for one particular kick, and has played some great games for a first year player. Looking like a steal at 23, although it's very early. 7

Andrew Welsh - hopefully he can get back soon, because he's a player who lifts his team-mates when he plays. N/A

Andrew Lovett - has become a very consistent player, and is stringing together performances he used to pull out only on occasions. 9

Sam Lonergan - has been down on last year, but has still been pretty good. Is borderline best 22, but given the fact that we have run over every black cat and cracked every mirror in Essendon, he'll get a lot of games. 5.5

Courtenay Dempsey - has removed most of the doubts I've had about him. I still have a few question marks about his defensive nous, but his running game has been outstanding. 7.5

Tayte Pears - in just his second year, having been picked as a bottom ager, Pears has been outstanding. Taking the best forward every week, with the likes of Fletcher and Hurley out of the defense, Tayte has been amazing. 9

Jay Nash - disappointing. I expected Jay to improve this year, but he's become a genuine chance to be delisted. I like him as a player, and I think he has potential, but he really does need to step up. 2

Matthew Lloyd - seemed to be distracted by the 900th earlier in the year, but has been performing pretty well since then. Still capable of tearing a poor defense to pieces (Carlton), yet allowing Neagle to have the forwardline to himself at times, Lloydy has been very selfless at times. 7

David Hille - was in poor form before his knee injury, although everyone knows he is a very good footballer. His injury may be a blessing in disguise for it has allowed the rise of Paddy Ryder. However, there still remains the question of whether Hilley will return to the peaks he hit last year. 4

Henry Slattery - unfairly maligned, Slats has improved this year, and we saw last week how important he is, with arguably our best player (McVeigh) having to fill his boots. 7

Hayden Skipworth - (DISCLAIMER: Do not read if you are TheDon35) Skippy has been quite good this year. Providing a bit of poise across the half forwardline, and a bit of experience to a very young team, he's shown exactly why we picked him up. 6.5

Michael Hurley - hard to judge anyone on one game, but keeping Warren Tredrea goalless is not a particularly easy thing to do, especially in your first game. We certainly made the right choice. N/A

David Myers - has definitely been injured. With glandular fever interrupting his preseason, and rumours of OP, this season has not really been a fair indication of his talents, and the fact that he got so many games is a bit baffling. 2

John Williams - probably in line for a delist/re-rookie. N/A

Scott Lucas - was in very poor form until this past weekend, but showed everyone why he was a Crichton Medallist. Until he strings a few more of those together, though, it's been a poor season. 4.5

Cale Hooker - started well when he came in, and was only truly outclassed last week, when he had to ruck as well as play key back. 6

Jason Laycock - seeing Bellchambers this year has re-inforced the fact that we need to hope this guy gets fit and at the very least sees out his current contract. N/A

Darcy Daniher - best $100 anyone will ever make. Hopefully he's learnt his lesson and will earn his spot back. 5

Alwyn Davey - has shown again why he is an integral part of this team. He needs to improve his footskills to reach the next level. 6.5

Paddy Ryder - immense. And to think Daisy was picked ahead of him:D 9.5

Dustin Fletcher - still a superstar. 7.5

Adam McPhee - has filled Fletch's boots nicely down back, and has just generally been pretty good, all around the ground. 8

Rhys Magin - can we still retain him? Spots on our senior list are at a premium, and I'm not sure he warrants one just yet. N/A

Michael Still - has been injured, one for the future. N/A

Tyson Slattery - pushing selection in a good backline in your first year as a pick 67 is impressive. N/A

Kyle Reimers - need him back and firing. He's a very good player when he's on song. N/A

Jarrod Atkinson - fairytale story, but I'm not entirely sure it'll have a happy ending. N/A

Heath Hocking - has cemented a spot in the top 25, and is deputising for Woosha very well. 7.5

Bryce Carroll - I have no idea about him, to be honest. N/A

Michael Quinn - If he can start to develop his kicking skills and his footy nous to a decent level, we have a potential gem on our hands. 3.5

Nathan Lovett-Murray - has proven me wrong, and is definitely worthy of a spot on our list next year. 6.5

Bachar Houli - I've been very impressed with him since he came back. 6

Tom Bellchambers - has shown a lot of potential, but isn't there yet, and won't be for a few years. 4

Tom German - Ditto Carroll. N/A

Christian Bock - Hopefully he can bulk up like his brother. N/A

Kade Klemke - Ditto German. N/A

Rankings:
1. Jobe Watson
2. Jason Winderlich
3. Paddy Ryder
4. Tayte Pears
5. Andy Lovett

Apologies to McPhee.

[reincarnated]

reincarnated and andylespaul ... your ratings are very very generous.

i agree mostly with daytripper and kelvin

my rankings, like daytripper's, based on output regardless of age, experience or injury:



Generous...hmmm maybe because we are in a better position than I thought we will be, and that too on top of the massive injuries to important players and form issues with senior players.

(Incredible that we almost fix up the soft tissue injuries, but we are now getting unavoidable impact injuries).

[R_n_B]

Jay Neagle - 5
Has the talent, needs the fitness

Ricky Dyson - 6.5
Consistantly consistant since Anzac Day. Deserves a spot in the 22.

Jobe Watson - 9
Love Jobe's work. If he got injured, we would be in trouble.

Brent Stanton - 8
Quieter the last few weeks, but still been very good.

Angus Monfries - 6
Unsure about Angus. Ofcourse, would love him to show more like what he did against Carlton and Hawthorn, and that is probably is what frustrates people so much -he can play fantastic game then appear to show nothing the next week.

Leroy Jetta - 4.5
Would like to see him play 3+ games in the seniors before being dropped.

Jason Winderlich - 9
Didn't even expect him to play much this year, but to be one of our best players is quite amazing!

Brent Prismall - 3.5
Hard to judge off one game where he has come back from a major knee injury and playing with new teammates. Will improve.

Mark McVeigh - 5
Early injuries have meant he hasn;t shown the same impact he did last year. Will get better.

David Zaharakis - 6.5
Been quite good. Has adecent kick and also showed he can play up foward too.

Andrew Lovett - 9
Been consistantly good every game. Very happy and relieved he wasn;t traded.

Sam Lonergan - 5
Been dissapointed with him this year, because was hoping for more of what he showed last year.

Courtenay Dempsey - 7
Great run off the backline. Has chipped in with a few goals too. Best news is there hasn't been another injury setback.

Tayte Pears - 9
Only 19 and played ~15 game and has beaten and played well against KPFs that 100+ game backs should be playing on. Deserves a Rising Star Nimination, but probably won't even get one :rolleyes:

Jay Nash - 3.5
Did ok in his only game, but even with his experience, he can't crack a game in the best 22.

Matthew Lloyd - 7.5
Won't be kicking 4 goals every game anymore. Still draws the opponent's best defender and still offers plenty.

David Hille - 5
Didn't carry on his great form from last year, then got injured. The emergence of Paddy as a ruckmen could actually be a great thing for Hille, even with a major knee injury. More equal time between the two in the ruck means they can both have greater impacts elsewhere in the game.

Henry Slattery - 6.5
Does what he is required to do almost every week. Would like him to become more involved when we have the ball.

Hayden Skipworth - 6
Been ok, very good depth player.

Michael Hurley - 6
Played well in his only game thus far. Showed very encouraging signs.

David Myers - 5
Improved slightly over the games he played. His disposal wasn't very good. I really hope he can become a great player as I want him to be a 200+ gamer for this club.

Scott Lucas - 5.5
Awful start to the season. Looked like he had no confidence, dropping marks, missing set shots at goal. Last week was very encouraging and hope it means we will be seeing more of the Lucas we know.

Cale Hooker - 7
Been alot better then I thought. Like what Hille's injury did to Ryder, I think Fletch's injury did to Hooker. Shown he can become a very good KPB. I reckon he has a bit of Fletch in him.

Darcy Daniher - 5.5
Shown alot of imporevement from last year. Thought he did a great job on Fev, but needs to get stronger. Like Hooker, Darcy looks like another promising KPB

Alwyn Davey - 6
Hasn't had the same impact that I know he can have. His disposal has been a bit iffy this year, including his kicking at goal. But does the chasing and is important to the team.

Paddy Ryder - 9
Great to see the real Ryder show his stuff. Ruck is definetly his best position, but his experience down back was important. He often jumps to early at the centre bounce......and very very high!

Dustin Fletcher - 7
This guy is never going to slow down. With the emergence of Pears, Hurley, Hooker and Daniher, he could play for another 3+ years.

Adam McPhee - 7
Mainly been down the back filling up spots due to injuries. Been good down back, but prefer him to play up foward.

Kyle Reimers - 3.5
Obviously was underdone in his first game of the season. The important thing is that he is now injury free and we can look foward to having our little sh*t back, that we need. Can't wait for the Collingwood game :D

Heath Hocking - 6.5
Been better then I thought, espeically after what I remember from the preseason games. Good pick up for someone who was rookie drafted. Hope he can become similar to Jobe.

Michael Quinn - 4.5
Needs a few seasons to develop and learn. Showed good signs that he can play the game and he loves to take the game on.

Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7
I admit, at the start of the season I didn;t give a stuff if he wasn;t in the seniors. Now, I don't want him out :D Provides versatility and physicality that are important. However, he did get himself and his teammates into trouble a few times playing in defence

Bachar Houli - 7
Good to see he is playing well. His kicking hits the target more times then not. Would like him to be harder at the ball. Also has shown he can shut down his opponent e.g. Milne, Nahas.

Tom Bellchambers - 4.5
Like last year, he shouldn't be playing 3+ games in a row at AFL level yet. However experience will be good for his development. Has shown he has the ability to take a grab and provide something up foward.

[rainman06]

Jay Neagle – 5
Ricky Dyson - 6.5
Jobe Watson - 9.5
Brent Stanton - 8.5
Angus Monfries - 6.5
Leroy Jetta - 4
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - n/a
Mark McVeigh - n/a
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 5
Courtney Dempsey - 8
Tayte Pears - 7.5
Jay Nash - 1
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - n/a
Henry Slattery - 6.5
Hayden Skipworth - 7
Michael Hurley - n/a
David Myers - 3
Scott Lucas - 5
Cale Hooker - 6.5
Darcy Daniher - 4
Alwyn Davey - 7
Patrick Ryder - 9
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - n/a
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - 3
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6
Bachar Houli - 6
Thomas Bellchambers - 4

[efcboy]

Neagle - 4
Dyson - 7
Gumby - MIA
Watson - 8.5
Stanton - 7
Monfries - 6
Jetta - 2
Winderlich - 9
Prismall - 5.5
McVeigh - 5
Zaka - 7
Welsh - MIA
Lovett - 8
Lonergan - 3
Dempsey - 7.5
Pears - 8.5
Nash - 1
Lloyd - 6.5
Hille - MIA
H.Slattery - 3
Skipworth - 6
Hurley - 5.5
Myers - 2.5
Williams - 1.5
Lucas - 4.5
Hooker - 7
Laycock - MIA
Daniher - 3.5
Davey - 6
Ryder - 9
Fletcher - 6.5
McPhee - 6
Magin - 1
T.Slattery - 3
Still - MIA
Reimers - 3
Atkinson - 2
Hocking - 6.5
Quinn - 4.5
Lovett-Murray - 5
Houli - 5.5
Bellchambers - 4

[Phat Toni]

I always find it hard to do these as it's hard to find a point of reference. For example a young player might be given a 7 based on remarkable improvement yet a senior player might be given a 7 yet has been clearly better than the young player and is getting marked down due to his lofty expectations.

Here goes anyway
8 - 10 Clearly at the top of the tree
Jobe Watson
Brent Stanton
Jason Winderlich
Andrew Lovett
Patrick Ryder
Courtney Dempsey

6 to 8 Been good contributors in their own way
Ricky Dyson
Tayte Pears
Matthew Lloyd
Alwyn Davey
Dustin Fletcher
Adam McPhee
Heath Hocking
Bachar Houli
Henry Slattery
Hayden Skipworth

4 to 6 Been ok at times but consistency a problem
Jay Neagle
Angus Monfries
Cale Hooker
David Zaharakis
Sam Lonergan
Darcy Daniher
Nathan Lovett-Murray

2 to 4 Need to lift
Leroy Jetta
Jay Nash
David Myers
Scott Lucas
Thomas Bellchambers

0 to 2 Upgradable due to injuries/not playing
Brent Prismall
Mark McVeigh
David Hille
Michael Hurley
Kyle Reimers
Michael Quinn
John Williams

Best 5 players
Watson
Lovett
Ryder
Winderlich
Stanton

Sorry Pazza I know that wont help your accumulation calculation, just omit mine.

[TheDon35]

Rankings based on 10 being the best footballer going around.

Jay Neagle – 5 - Showing signs but a long way to go.

Ricky Dyson - 6.5 - Much improved but still needs to work on skill and decision making

Jobe Watson - 8.5 - A genuine top 25 player in the comp IMO

Brent Stanton - 7 - Good is very good but too easily shut out of it at times.

Angus Monfries - 5.5 - Superb against Hawks, not much else

Leroy Jetta - 4 - Has looked dangerous but can't hold onto the ball. Improving

Jason Winderlich - 8.25 Career best football

Brent Prismall - NA

Mark McVeigh - 2

David Zaharakis - 5 Massive talent

Andrew Lovett – 8 Just needs a touch more consistency to be one of the best going around.

Sam Lonergan - 4 - goes missing too often but hardness is great.

Courtney Dempsey - 7 Would love to see him run with the ball more

Tayte Pears - 7.5 Exceptional talent

Jay Nash - NA Looking for a new club next year

Matthew Lloyd - 5.5 A few excellent games and many poor games.

David Hille - NA

Henry Slattery - 4

Hayden Skipworth - 3

Michael Hurley - NA

David Myers - 2 Been terrible in the games he's played. Plenty of room for improvement.

Scott Lucas - 2.5 One good game and a heap of terrible games.

Cale Hooker - 7 Even against Tippet he was playing footy the right way. Very suprising player for me this year.

Darch Daniher - 6 Shown he's got some tools and still much upside.

Alwyn Davey - 6.5 Seems to come into the game when the heats off and be extremely dangerous during that period. Would love a touch more consistency.

Patrick Ryder - 8.25 - Find of the year. Is going to need to find a strategy against moster ruckmen.

Dustin Fletcher - 6.5 Ok without being great.

Adam McPhee - 6 Probably a bit more consistent but nothing great

Kyle Reimers - NA

Heath Hocking - 6 Had some really good games but is let down in areas like pace, penetration, versatility.

Michael Quinn - 3 - A bit to work with but he may have left it too late to pick up our ball. I hope not because he's got some X factor.

Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6.5 Been reasonably effective in the games he's played

Bachar Houli - 6.5 - Improving with each game. Is someone that needs to develop whilst playing at the top level. Not in the reserves.

Thomas Bellchambers - 4 - Long way to go

Top 5:

Watson
Winderlich
Ryder
Lovett
Pears

[ant555]

Not really player rankings and this is something i posted in another thread but if i sit down and grade our list in the same way i have to grade the kids coming out of TAC Cup then you start to see the issues.
At the moment we have a side at its best i think would play finals most years but i doubt has the reall quality of players to push into the top four on a regular basis.

The young defence is really solid. They are doing a really good job on limited experience. Pears and Hooker have made huge improvment this year and Daniher has also looked better than last year. Then you add Hurley who showed he can be the real deal in his one game. We have four young KP talls that are going in the right direction.
Then we have Fletcher who is the x-factor he could be gone after this year but hopefully he has another 2 or 3 years in him and we can nurse him through to be our third tall defender/ loose man in the back half.
Throw in Demspey who adds pace and run to the side and the back half looks ok even if Slattery gets bagged by a lot of supporters. Not an easy job being a small defender and he has cut out a lot of the stupid free kicks he used to give away.

Midfield is an issue.

Watson, great clearance work. Imrpoving kick and good by hand. The issue is he lacks the pace to be productive on the defensive side. He virtually has to go head to head with an opponent and we have to hope he comes out on top. Currently his clearance value keeps him in the side but they will have to work out something to counter his lack of pace around the ground.

Stanton. Not going to go too deeply into this as i have said it all before but not many Essendon supporters agree with it. All i will say is defensive actions and no i am not talking about a hard tag. Shepherds and blocks and trying to stay near an opponent when the ball is going the other way. I see kids playing TAC Cup who are prepared to do it. WTF is it so hard for Stanton to apply it. His defensive pressure and non possesion time is very ordinary.
Its too bad becasue his offensive game is extemely good.

If you ever wonder why there are two opposition players running loose through our midfield sadly you can point the finger at our two best offensive weapons in Watson and Stanton. Until we get our game going to a point where everyone jumps on an opponent and shuts them down when the opposition has got the ball we will have problems.

On the other mids
Winderlich - showing this year that he is up to AFL level and a good B grade mid. He does also need work on his defence but is better than most.

Lonergan - hard at it. Defence reasonable but needs to win more of the footy.

Hocking - currently being used in the wrong role. Is a mid that will do all the team things and can set play up but will never be in the A grade class. Has the work ethic to be a good 5th or 6th mid. His TAC Cup and VFL form showed he could possibly work in tandem with Watson at the clearances as he was better known as an inside mid who found a lot of the footy and set things up.
Is second to Stanton at the endurance side of things.

Zaharakis - has proven my concern about the lack of left side to be wrong. Has been caught a few times because of it but generally is smart enough for it not to be a factor. Once he gets a buite of a build he will be our best mid. Has a good defensive game for a mid. Finds the ball and can kick goals.

Lovett- doing this year what he needed to do all along. Finding the footy around 20 times per game and working harder every week and not just every 4th week.

Skipworth . Another who is not a star but does have the work rate both ways. Does not have a lot of fans amongst Essendon supporters but i would suggest that they miss a lot of the non possesion time efforts he puts in.
Like Hocking not a star but a good contender for you 5th or 6th mid and can play small forward.

Prismall - proably not going to see the best of him this year but showed promice as an outsdie mid for Geelong and they really did not want to give him up but the salary cap forced their hand.

Dyson . Improved this year but simply not a player that will win you a game. Would be good as a winger in a side with a couple of star mids but in our side he is another in a longish list handy/
good but not A grade mids.

McVeigh. Good enough in the middle but i have always throught he was a better small forward/ small defender. Is close to A grade.

Welsh. Injures over the last two years have not let us see him do what he can do in the middle on a regular basis. Lets hope he can get back to his 2007 form.

So we have a midfield that has no genuine A graders in it. On top of that there is only one potential A grader coming up in Zaharakis.
We have pace in Lovett. We have players who can find lots of the ball in Watson and Stanton but the issue is these guys are our best three mids and all have some serious flaws in their defensive side.

In the ruck Ryder has been great. Is living up to the promise he showed as a ruckman at under 18 level.

Hille is a concern. He has to get back the around the ground form as he was never in the elite area of winning taps and hitouts to advantage.

Laycock is a serious worry. Has the ability but simply has too many injuries. Has had 20 plus operations since he has been on our list.

Bellchambers has shown a bit but is still 2 or 3 years away from being a serious number 1 or 2 ruckman.

Then we have a few of the in between players.

McPhee. Great work rate. Generally does the team things. Can be used in a few spots but has an annoying habit of fumbling or dropping marks. Is not a great decision maker under pressure and can not really hold down a KP post. Looks great when he can play a free running game and just kick long.
Looks bad when he has to use the ball under pressure.

Reimers. Potentially one of the best players on our list. IMO wont be a genuine mid. Has the potential to be simialr to Aker. A player who can run through the midfield but will be more of a dangerous half forward.

Myers. Still finding his way and not doing a lot at the moment. Is a player who had some unrealistic expectations on him as he was always going to be a player who was going to take time. There has also been some confusion about his skills. He is actually a skilled player who can use both sides but he suffers from taking some poor options or trying to be too precise with his long kicking. He is currently playing about 5kg under the weight he should be at. At the moment the jury is still out but as said he was always going to be a 3 or 4 year project.

Jetta is a bit of an enigma for mine. Lots rate him but i never have. Did not think much of him bfore the draft and to be blunt he has not done a lot to change my mind. Despite a lot of people saying he is quick he is in fact not ovelry fast at all. He has issues with trying to run around players to get on his right side and seems to have limited confidence in his own goal kicking unless he is running and kicking around the body. He is an ordianry over head mark and lacks the engine to play any great midfield role.

Monfries.Another problem. Lots love him but for me he has too many flaws. Not quick, makes poor decisions under pressure. Also make poor decisons by hand and too often handballs to players under pressure.
Has not shown any signs that he can make it as the midfielderwe drafted him as. As a small forward his front and center ability is ordinary and he does not kick enough goals.

Nash more than likely finished.

Atkinson does not look to have come on any further this year.

Lovett Murrey has done ok since he has come back in but is another good ordinary player. More of a player that adds depth to your list than a game winner.

Then we have the forwards and here we have a big issue.

Lucas can still kick goals but is simply too slow and can not turn. This allows good sides to run defenders off him all day. I think his time is up.

Lloyd can still play but has lost a lot of his spring and his goal kicking confidence is down. With the lack of form from our other forwards at times he is often double teamed. has a year or two left but is certainly not near the level he was.

Neagle has the ability but serious question marks on if he has the mental toughness to make it. has to start having more 10 to 15 possession games and leave the 3 or 4 possesion games behind. Also has issues with his lower legs/feet which often sees him on modfied training programs. The jury is still out over him being the answer.Is young so he has some time to work it out.

Gumbleton. If he ever gets out of the injury ward we may know something. Is still only young but hee needs to get a full season in at any level next year. Can play if he ever gets his body right.

Davey does what he does at half forward. Would be nice if his skills where a bit better but he keeps the pressure on in the forward half.

Willaims has yet to do anything that gives me the impressions he is going to make it at AFL level.

As far as the rookies and the other young players picked up last year it is too early to go into an in depth evaluation.

Most Essendon supporters will not like or not agree with this but it is simply a view taken using the evaluaition process i have to use in recruiting when working for another club. No rose coloured glasses or favourites.
I just think we are a side that can make the finals with a good run but will be short of the top 4 sides.

Our forward line is a massive issue with Lucas on the way out and Lloyd not too far behind him. Will Neagle and Gumby be able to deliver within 2 years ?

Can the midfield mould itself into a Sydney type unit with no real A grade stars but a work ethic to cover it ?

The only real plus i am seeing is the defence which funnily enough only last year was being talked about as our weak point.

Hope i am wrong and will be happy if i am but i am just not seeing the premiership window and injuries may be the reason we dont get there

[kaskine]

Jay Neagle – 6
Ricky Dyson - 7.5
Jobe Watson - 9.5
Brent Stanton - 8.5
Angus Monfries - 5.5
Leroy Jetta - 5.5
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - n/a
Mark McVeigh - n/a
David Zaharakis - 6
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 5
Courtney Dempsey - 8
Tayte Pears - 7.5
Jay Nash - n/a
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - n/a
Henry Slattery - 6.5
Hayden Skipworth -3
Michael Hurley - 6
David Myers - 3
Scott Lucas - 5
Cale Hooker - 7
Darcy Daniher - 4
Alwyn Davey - 7
Patrick Ryder - 9
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 7
Kyle Reimers - n/a
Heath Hocking - 7
Michael Quinn - n/a
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6
Bachar Houli - 7.5
Thomas Bellchambers - 5

[Ben the Gooner]

Hayden Skipworth - 3

...

Michael Quinn - 3 - A bit to work with but he may have left it too late to pick up our ball. I hope not because he's got some X factor.

...

Thomas Bellchambers - 4 - Long way to go

Always good for a laugh.

[suprisepacket]

Jay Neagle - 5
Have been impressed with Jay since he has come back. Is obviously still young so will be inconsistent but I think he's having a fairly good season. Still needs a couple of pre-seasons under his belt.
Ricky Dyson - 7
Ricky is having a very good year considering most, if not all, had him being delisted at the end of this year. He is pushing for a best 22 spot which is all you can ask for really. Justifying Knighter's decision to give him a two year deal.
Jobe Watson - 10
Absolutely superb. Couldn't ask anything more of Jobe this year. Would be pushing All-Australian at the moment IMO and is quickly becoming one of the premier midfielders of the competition. Definitely our most important player.
Brent Stanton - 8
Stants just keeps playing well. Needs to just keep doing what he's doing.
Angus Monfries - 4
Poor season so far from Angus IMO. Had the one great game against Carlton, as he does every year, and hasn't done much since. Way too inconsistent for my liking. At his best he's a matchwinner but it is too often that he doesn't get himself into the game enough. Needs to make a contribution on his off days.
Leroy Jetta - 6
Although he doesn't get much of the ball, what he does with it is worth having him in the side for. I am infinitely more confident in our forwardline with Jetta in there as he creates so much. When he gets more of the ball he will be great. Needs to kick more goals himself.
Jason Winderlich - 9
Been a revelation this year. It's like having a new recruit with him missing most of last year and what a recruit. Outstanding.
Mark McVeigh - 4
He's been injured and unable to perform at his best. It's a good thing that we've been doing this well without Spike who was our best midfielder last year.
David Zaharakis - 6
Very good for a first year player.
Andrew Lovett – 9
Another who has been very, very good. In the top 5 in the AFL for scoring involvements IIRC and has been very damaging. I must admit I was hoping we'd trade him at the end of last year but he has proved me wrong tenfold.
Sam Lonergan - 5
Not a great first half of the season by Lonergun. He hasn't been bad but I was just expecting more from him after what he did last year.
Courtney Dempsey - 9
Always knew this kid had it in him and he's doing everything right. Will be one of the standout rebounding defenders in the league by the end of next year.
Tayte Pears - 9
Another who has been great. For a guy this young to be standing the best key forwards in the game and beating most of them is outstanding.
Jay Nash - 4
Been poor and will probably be delisted.
Matthew Lloyd - 6
Not great from Lloydy. I was hoping he'd carry on his form from the second half of last year but he hasn't been able to do that.
David Hille - 4
Was poor before he got injured. Was not asserting himself on matches as much as he could have.
Henry Slattery - 8
Very good from Slatts. Keeps his opponent quiet more times than not.
Hayden Skipworth - 7
I think he's been good. Definitely ahead of Cousins when comparing output so far. Is a part of our best 22.
David Myers - 3
Very poor from Myers. I was expecting so much more from him but he hasn't delivered anything really. I know he needs to be given time but I was expecting more.
Scott Lucas - 3
Has been very poor. Hopefully the game against Adelaide is a sign of things to come for the second half of the year. How can a guy who's played so many game lose his accuracy when kicking for goal so quickly?
Cale Hooker - 8
As with Pears he has been very good on much more talented and experienced opponents. Looking to be a good pick at such a late stage. I'd like to see him in the forward line as I seem to recall him having a large amount of success there early last year for Bendigo before switching to defence.
Darch Daniher - 8
Also been good in defence in the games he's played. Jeez our defense is looking good.
Alwyn Davey - 5
Not been at his best so far this year so that is another plus going into the second half of the year. Lets see him kick some more goals.
Patrick Ryder - 9.5
Very good since going into the ruck. For him to shoulder the responsibility of being the number one ruck at such a young age is a very good sign for the future. He is going to be a great ruckman when he is able to win more possies around the ground.
Dustin Fletcher - 8
Just keeps on keeping on. Ecstatic that he is going on another year as he will definitely quicken the development of our young backline.
Adam McPhee - 5
Don't think it's been the greatest season from McPhee. I like him better up forward but, because of injuries, he has been forced to play back. Hopefully, with other guys coming in, he can resume his role as the link man in the forward line.
Heath Hocking - 8
Looks to be very composed when he has the ball and has handled the tagging role in Wooshas absence very well. Uses his body well to stand up in the tackles and get a handball out.
Michael Quinn - 6
Was exciting in his two games but still definitely needs time at Bendigo. Will be pushing for senior selection again next year.
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 7
I think he's been very good when he's been in. I've always liked NLM so this may be biased but I think he has a place in our side as a forward or a rebounding defender. Should never play key defence as he can't do it and will be ruthlessly attacked for this fact.
Bachar Houli - 6
Looks good when he has the ball. His kicking is very good. But he definitely needs to go in harder.
Thomas Bellchambers - 4
Too young to be playing but was forced to do so due to injuries. We won't see his best for a long while.


Fantastic, i agree with most especially Monfries, who rarely does anything. You can't have skipworth, jetta and monfries in same team i would trade monfries at seasons end as he is far to inconsistant and hasnt got a motor for the mid field. Great seasons watson, ryder, hooker, pears, winders and lovett. keep up good work.

[Seb78]

Jay Neagle – 4
Ricky Dyson - 6
Jobe Watson - 9.5
Brent Stanton - 8
Angus Monfries - 6
Leroy Jetta - 4
Jason Winderlich - 9
Brent Prismall - 2
Mark McVeigh - 4
David Zaharakis - 6.5
Andrew Lovett – 9
Sam Lonergan - 5
Courtney Dempsey - 7
Tayte Pears - 8
Jay Nash - 2 (Limited opportunity - don't think he's this bad)
Matthew Lloyd - 7
David Hille - 3 (Injured)
Henry Slattery - 5
Hayden Skipworth - 5
Michael Hurley - 2
David Myers - 3
Scott Lucas - 4
Cale Hooker - 6.5
Darcy Daniher - 6
Alwyn Davey - 6
Patrick Ryder - 9.5
Dustin Fletcher - 7
Adam McPhee - 4.5
Kyle Reimers - 2
Heath Hocking - 7.5
Michael Quinn - 2
Nathan Lovett-Murray - 6
Bachar Houli - 6
Thomas Bellchambers - 5

Top 5

1/ J Watson
2/ P Ryder
3/ A Lovett
4/ J Winderlich
5/ H Hocking
6/ B Stanton
7/ M Lloyd
8/ A Monfires
9/ T Pears
10/C Dempsey

[TheDon35]

Always good for a laugh.

We'll agree to disagree on Skipworth despite me being right.

I'm not sure about your point in highliting my ratings of Bellchambers and Quinn.

[Ben the Gooner]

We'll agree to disagree on Skipworth despite me being right.

I'm not sure about your point in highliting my ratings of Bellchambers and Quinn.

If you think you can honestly compare Skipworth, Bellchambers and Quinn this season, you are more delusional than I thought.

[George Washington]

Averages


Watson - 9.3
Ryder - 9.3
Winderlich - 9.0
Lovett - 9.0
Pears - 8.5
Stanton - 8.1
Dempsey - 7.7
Hocking - 7.2
Fletcher - 7.1
Lloyd - 6.9
Dyson - 6.8
Slattery - 6.6
Davey - 6.6
Hooker - 6.5
McPhee - 6.5
Houli - 6.3
Lovett-M - 6.3
Monfries - 6.1
Zaharakis - 5.9
Skipworth - 5.8
Daniher - 5.7
Lonergan - 5.3
Neagle - 4.9
Lucas - 4.8
T-Bell - 4.7
Jetta - 4.6
Hurley - 4.5
McVeigh - 4.5
Hille - 4.5
Quinn - 3.8
Myers - 3.5
Prismall - 3.2
Nash - 3.1
Reimers - 3.1