- Sep 5, 2013
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The never ending Priddis debate - part II
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Matera92
Brownlow Medallist
The man, the legend, and now a talking figurine
He is not as fast as the tumbleweed....Matty is chasing that tumbleweed out of frame.
Noticed a recent post in this thread and was then surprised to find I apparently should have been banned way back, though for what specifically nobody actually elucidated. Godfather32 intimated that it was because I reckoned Terry Wallace's opinion was better than the keyboard warriors here who had been critical of Priddis. Even though I don't recall saying that it has a ring of truth. What I did say, and reiterated many times, was that my own opinion of Priddis was bouyed by the collective concensus of media experts, umpires, B&F voting panels, All Australian selectors and AFL coaches (giving me some faith that my thoughts were pretty well on the money). Not sure how any of that warrants a banning. Over the 2 odd years I contributed to this thread Priddis won a Brownlow and was a runner up, was in the All Australian squad one year and and in the team the next year, was 4th and 7th in the AFLCA award and won an Eagles B&F and was runner up the other year. But apparently neither any of those people who deliberated on those awards nor me had any true idea. To quote Mandy Rice-Davies, "Well, they would say that, wouldn't they".
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kaiserchief13
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The thing is Priddis has changed a lot since a few years ago when I created the original thread. He used to try and kick the ball when he was under pressure due to him being so slow. He has developed his game and realised though that he needs to get the ball out to faster players with better skills which has made him a far superior player. He is still a liability on the defensive spread though.
Sounds good in theory but the stats don't support it. Since Priddis' debut in 2006 (just 2 games) his percentage of handballs for total disposals has been (in ascending years) 39%, 46%, 53%, 61%, 69%, 58%, 66%, 61%, 58% and 66%. Since his early days he's been basically a 2/3 handball, 1/3 kick type player. As far as I'm concerned Priddis has always been a player who wins the ball in tight and dishes it off to the run and carry types. The better the team is performing the more outside options you have.
- Jun 11, 2013
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Yep, Simpson changed Priddas role and the way he impacts a game as soon as he got there. Having come from Hawthorn where they used to set up a guy 30 metres from a stoppage when they played us to get an easy possession from a Priddis 30m snap around the corner out of congestion, he knew something had to be done. It took til the Adelaide game later that year for it to really sink in when Simpson first took the reigns, but in that game you could see it all click in Priddis mind, and he started using the ball better by holding onto it to get it off to our better disposers of the footy more. He also started to be a bit more deceptive with ball in hand, and not just handball to the guy standing next to him, and only really disposed by foot when he had the space to steady and take his time. It all added up to him becoming a lot more effective and that contributed to him winning a Brownlow imo.
Forward Press
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The arrival of Nic Naitanui imo has been a catalyst for Priddis' emergence in the past couple of years. That guy dishes up hitouts to advantage like they're going out of style and Priddis, Shuey and co have benefited enormously from it, as it gives them time to create or just pump it into the F50 themselves.
We can win without him but that doesn't mean we shouldn't still be playing him for as long as his body allows it.
We can win without him but that doesn't mean we shouldn't still be playing him for as long as his body allows it.
- Jun 11, 2013
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Are they the same type of stats that say Kennedy isnt elite in his position despite winning the Coleman?
Are they the same type of stats that say Kennedy isnt elite in his position despite winning the Coleman?
No, they're not. The argument raised was that he'd suddenly learned to handball more but the objective data shows that false. Determining "elite" status is a combination of many factors some of which are subjective. Apples and oranges.
- Jun 11, 2013
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I'm just saying stats dont tell the full story mate. Thats all. I've watched him for many years and i've seen the change in which he uses the ball, and he definitely changed the way he used it after Simmo arrived. He may have similar numbers of handballs, but he doesnt handball it to the guy standing next to him straight away anymore, he tends to take the tackler on and use his strength to get it away to a better outside option these days. He's also not as prone to the round the shoulder kick as he used to be.
That's not what you were saying because as I pointed out "elite" status is determined by a combination of factors whereas a claim that a player is kicking less can be checked by empirical data. As for his "changing" the way he's played my opinion is that that is due not so much to a directive he's received but having more options to give the ball off to others. If you win the ball but there's nobody clear to dish it off to you generally have little option but to throw it on your boot if you're under the pump (which is generally the case at the bottom of packs) least you get pinged for holding the ball. As a bonus I think Priddis is one of the best in the AFL at hanging on to the ball when there are no options and getting a ball up call, most others will get pinged for holding it but Matt is very good at convincing the umps he had no prior opportunity.
Don't get him started...
Biggie
Eat better and exercise
Matera92
Brownlow Medallist
Blind freddy can see he's making better decisions with ball in hand.
- Jun 11, 2013
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- Jun 11, 2013
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- Jun 11, 2013
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Ok, so you're telling me what i was saying before now are you?..haha right..
No, on the contrary I'm telling you that you said you were saying before, you weren't.
That's why he's called Blind Freddy.
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