Tom Lonergan v Scott Thompson

[Ashton Agar]

Which defender is better?

 

[carnthedons]

Quite different players in terms of the output they're having. Lonergan more pure stopper and Thompson's got more offense to his game.

I'd say Thompson and they're diverging at the moment

 

[Heaps of fun]

As a pure stopper Lonergan has been the best going around. Thompson's potentially caught him on that front now add the fact that he gets it 20 times a game and is a beautiful long kick there's not much of a contest as who's the better player overall.

 

[Adam H]

Lonergan has the better record and does it in the big games. Killed Cloke in the 2011 GF. Dont like the way Thompson flops to the ground at the slightest contact.

 

[Bobby_]

for a bloke who was drafted as a key forward until he lost a kidney, done one hell of a job as a defender over the last 6 years.

 

[The Bomb]

Lonergan for me, He just does his job perfectly time after time, come finals knowing the opposition KPF wont have a impact would be massive.

 

[MiloStedman]

S.D. Thompson. Surely close to the best defender in the game.

 

[TheMcGrathMan]

Obviously have the blue&white glasses on, but had to go Thompson.

Don't get me wrong, I rate Lonergan very highly, and think he beats his man straight out more often than Thompson does.

However, I think the gap between their stopping ability is smaller (don't think there's that much difference) than the gap between their rebounding ability. Thompson is no slouch as a stopper, and he's just about an elite rebounder. Lonergan, elite stopper, but do doubt his abilities - he's a safe player, and while that's all he needs to be with Taylor/Mackie in the team who can take more risks running off, it does bring him down in a "who's a better player" discussion.

Of course, Lonergan is proven to be a good forward (36 goals in 16 games in 2008), whereas Thompson is untried, so that then adds more debate to the poll.

So I started typing this out that I'd think I'd take Thompson comfortably, but considering Lonergan does perform in finals, and can be thrown forward, and he's an excellent stopper, I'm not so sure now..

 

[eth-dog]

Thompson for me

 

[Bardo State]

Thompson has been the better performed of recent times but if I'm heading into an important game, I'd rather have Lonergan at full back

 

[theasian]

Lonergern the better stopper. Thompson the better player overall.

Would make an ideal FB/CHB pair. In Truth Scotty is a better CHB than FB.

 

[Winter]

Thus far in 2014 Thompson has taken twice the amount of contested marks, rebounded the ball out of 50 four times as much and equals Lonergan for 1%ers, all the while having 9 more disposals a game at 91% efficiency in comparison to Lonergan's 78%. Meanwhile over the whole of 2013 Thompson conceded less goals and was the All-Australian fullback - http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...1=2337&tid2=10&pid2=1359&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S.

Lonergan is a very good player, but I don't think there is a defender in the game better than Scott Thompson right now.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

Thompson playing like brian lake in his very best form. stopping and rebounding with plenty of footy for a fb. lonergan a fantastic shut down defender, you will be delighted with lonergan in your side but thompson is an attacking weapon as well as a defensive rock.

 

[Bardo State]

Thus far in 2014 Thompson has taken twice the amount of contested marks, rebounded the ball out of 50 four times as much and equals Lonergan for 1%ers, all the while having 9 more disposals a game at 91% efficiency in comparison to Lonergan's 78%. Meanwhile over the whole of 2013 Thompson conceded less goals and was the All-Australian fullback - http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...1=2337&tid2=10&pid2=1359&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S.

Lonergan is a very good player, but I don't think there is a defender in the game better than Scott Thompson right now.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...1=2337&tid2=11&pid2=1555&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S

 

[Bulldog1954]

Longeran is very good defensively but in my opinion the attacking benefits Thompson provides outweigh the few extra goals he may concede

 

[Heaps of fun]

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...1=2337&tid2=11&pid2=1555&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=S

I'll take the one that can mark.

 

[Bardo State]

I'll take the one that can mark.

When did Brian Lake enter the discussion?

 

[Heaps of fun]

When did Brian Lake enter the discussion?

Sums it up. Gibson+Lake=Thompson.

 

[eth-dog]

You could put Cale Hooker into the argument as well. Having an excellent year as well

 

[Bardo State]

Sums it up. Gibson+Lake=Thompson.

Except that Lake and Gibson are decidedly superior to Thompson in their strengths. Thompson is more like a watered down average of Gibson and Lake, not really a stand out at anything.

 

[eth-dog]

Except that Lake and Gibson are decidedly superior to Thompson in their strengths. Thompson is more like a watered down average of Gibson and Lake, not really a stand out at anything.

Thompson is the complete package as a defender. Does it all to an above average level.

 

[Bardo State]

Thompson is the complete package as a defender. Does it all to an above average level.

Tongue firmly in cheek

North poster rattled off a bunch of statistical metrics as to why Thompson is so much better than Lonergan and the best defender in the league, so I put up a comparison showing Gibson outperforming Thompson in several of these areas.

Thompson is quality but relying on statistics to prove a defenders worth is fraught with danger.

 

[eth-dog]

Tongue firmly in cheek

North poster rattled off a bunch of statistical metrics as to why Thompson is so much better than Lonergan and the best defender in the league, so I put up a comparison showing Gibson outperforming Thompson in several of these areas.

Thompson is quality but relying on statistics to prove a defenders worth is fraught with danger.

The other key stat is "goals conceded. From memory:

Hooker: 2 goals (vs Petrie, Roughead, Henderson, Clarke/Sandilands)
Gibson: 7 goals (vs West, Daniher, Pav and Day)
Thompson: 6 goals (vs Daniher, Jones, Schulz, Franklin)

 

[Bardo State]

The other key stat is "goals conceded. From memory:

Hooker: 2 goals (vs Petrie, Roughead, Henderson, Clarke/Sandilands)
Gibson: 7 goals (vs West, Daniher, Pav and Day)
Thompson: 6 goals (vs Daniher, Jones, Schulz, Franklin)

Cheney played on Pavlich (who didn't have nearly as good a game as his four goals would suggest)

The whole reverse Coleman thing isn't great either in my view as players drift off opponents, with some forwards going into the ruck or midfield, it's a bit narrow to assign a player a direct opponent and count their defensive contribution as number of goals conceeded.

 

[eth-dog]

Cheney played on Pavlich (who didn't have nearly as good a game as his four goals would suggest)

The whole reverse Coleman thing isn't great either in my view as players drift off opponents, with some forwards going into the ruck or midfield, it's a bit narrow to assign a player a direct opponent and count their defensive contribution as number of goals conceeded.

Huh, thought it was Gibson. Happy to be corrected though.