Who have you been the most impressed with?

[AFDogs]

Including a poll with (IMO) our most improved players. Who has impressed you the most?

Listed in the poll are 8 players who have improved immensely since last year. There is also the 'Other' option if you're looking at somebody else.

Bontempelli - wouldn't say he has impressed me massively on the basis that we all knew he was going to be a gun this year. His movement through tight packs and precise forward entries are a sight to behold.
Stringer - ask anybody who our best current player is, and most will say this guy. The things he can do on a footy field haven't been seen before. Freak. Kind of knew he was going to be good as well, so not a massive surprise.
Wallis - contested beast and somebody I see a massive future for. Our midfield would look lost without him. His rapid improvement has been surprising, and very impressive.
Hunter - getting heaps of the ball and using it well. Racking up 30+ games almost on a weekly basis. Came out of nowhere, considering he was playing VFL or starting with the vest just a few weeks ago.
Dickson - a genuine goal kicker. Dead eye Dicko. Very happy with his output and solidified a spot in our best 22 as a sharpshooter.
Johanisson - now looking like a genuine star in the making. Uses the ball well and offers good dash. Probably our most underrated player at the moment.
Dahlhaus - doing it week in week out. Winning the ball and moving it forward. Wish he would work on his set shot goal kicking more.
Wood - looking AA bound. Without him down back we would have been exposed plenty this year.

I give my vote to Hunter, purely for the fact that he has come so far in such a short time. From VFL, to sub, to best 22.

 

[womble54]

I vote Stringer. GABlett Senior reincarnated.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Probably been most surprised by Wood and Dickson. Rapid improvement at their ages is more surprising then in younger players.

Stringer and the Bont have looked like being stars all along

 

[who_let_the_dogs_out]

Jesus, so many its hard to choose just one, which is great.

Wallis, stepped up when he needed to, and has absolutely killed it.
Stringer is doing what a lot of us knew he could and would do, which is why most were high fiving when we took him at pick 5, impressed, but not gobsmacked. Kid is a beast and will only improve, which should have every other team shitting themselves.
JJ -really coming on well. Awesome sight to see him taking the game on. Thank god we didn't lose him to Essendon.
Bont - no surprise after that debut season, just more of the same and then some.
Hunter - has been awesome the last few games and hopefully it can continue. The rumours of him wanting out are hopefully bs.
If he had played a full season like the last few games he would be my pick for this thread.
Dickson - best kick in the side obviously, would love him to probably get his hands on the ball a bit more in the forward 50, but he is just about undroppable now, which is great to see.


But after all that I voted Easton Wood. Has quickly stamped himself as elite, and has to be AA.
Luke Dahlhaus a close second. Has taken his game to another level, which has come with maturity. From all reports is a great trainer now and probably now knows what it takes to be a professional footballer. Loved hearing him state he wants to be a 1 club player, after the rumblings that he wanted out last year.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Very hard to choose. Could've been anyone but in the end for me it came down to Wood and Dickson and I chose Wood.

At the start of last season, I thought Wood and Tom Young were fighting for a spot probably shows how far his come in my eyes. Same goes with Dickson, I don't think anyone could've predicted that he would have kicked 44 goals this season without missing a game.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

I would like to say Johanisson, Wood or Dickson... But I just can't go past Stringer.
Came to us with massive wraps and has lived up to an unrealistic amount of hype.

edit: Just changed my vote to Wood...

 

[timtamWB]

Honestly, it's Easton Wood easily. He was almost a list clogger for a while, and out of nowhere he's become pretty much an AA lock. Guys like Stringer and Bont, we knew they would be awesome. Wood came from nowhere.

 

[Kennel Master]

I vote Stringer. GABlett Senior reincarnated.

E.J.Whitten reincarnated. (I think I'm the first to make this comparison)

Too early?

KM

 

[Some Idiot]

Like trying to choose a favourite son. They've all been fantastic.

 

[DognBones]

This is a bit like being asked which of your children you prefer.
However, if I'm pressed to make a choice I'd probably say Stringer by the mere fact that he's advanced from very talented cameo performer to amazing-to-watch match-winner.
Wallis comes second for consistent improvement and Hunter third place for a serious breakout over the past 5 weeks.
But then again, I love all my children!

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Stringer, his stints in the midfield are incredible.

 

[Dry Rot]

Lack of Picken love in this thread means that Mods must immediately close the thread and ban all posters before me.

Utter disgrace.

 

[the conch]

Very hard to choose. Could've been anyone but in the end for me it came down to Wood and Dickson and I chose Wood.

At the start of last season, I thought Wood and Tom Young were fighting for a spot probably shows how far his come in my eyes. Same goes with Dickson, I don't think anyone could've predicted that he would have kicked 44 goals this season without missing a game.

Kudos also to the medical / fitness training staff.
Remember Wood showed glimpses in previous years but had his progression and game time derailed with Hammy and back? strains. I think I heard Eaton talking earlier in the year about how they had devised a special program for him.... kudos.
But more generally ... and for a young team (an the oldies) playing such a contested game style it's great we've had, relatively, so few injuries this year.

 

[Bazza Bulldog]

I don't think he's come as far as the other 8, but Jack Macrae has also improved significantly IMO. He is better defensively and is starting to improve his kicking (less of those round the corner efforts). Other names not on the list ... Picken, Stevens, Redpath, Campbell, Roberts and Moyds kicking.

 

[yebiga]

I suppose a lot depends on your expectations pre-season

For me the most surprising and dramatic improvement has come from Wallis
The others I expected. But wallis has stepped up to a level which truly surprises
He is a beast inside and one on one
Could not be happier for him
I expect not many of us would have thought wallis would win our BnF

 

[yebiga]

I suppose a lot depends on your expectations pre-season

For me the most surprising and dramatic improvement has come from Wallis
The others I expected. But wallis has stepped up to a level which truly surprises
He is a beast inside and one on one

Could not be happier for him
I expect not many of us would have thought wallis would win our BnF

 

[Bulldog Brent]

Bevo. Full stop.

 

[Dazb86]

Wood and Dickson. Borderline best 22 to absolute locks.

 

[Kony Abbott]

Koby Stevens has to be a contender also. But woody for me, just in front of JJ

 

[HK_Bulldog]

Matty Boyd. When we lose, Boyd was not in the team.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Too hard to pick - can we add a "whole team" option

 

[gangsta deluxe]

Matty Boyd. When we lose, Boyd was not in the team.

Have to agree with this. Boyd brings a solidity and calmness to our defensive group that no other player does.

Confident we wouldnt have (i) lost to St Kilda after accruing that huge lead, and (ii) copped that level of blowout against WCE were he playing in either of those games.

 

[Yojimbo]

Luke Dahlhaus for me, his injection into the midfield rotation
has added much needed pace and link up ability. He has also
displayed a harder edge that many would have not seen in
his game before.

Realistically though we live and die as a team and the game
plan and philosophy has seen buy in from the players taken
to a whole new level. The overall improvement across the
list is by far the number one in the competition.

 

[BRWB]

For surprising - Easton Wood and Matt Boyd. Closely followed by Picken and then JJ for me. Just didn't see their performances coming. All were ordinary ball users in my book but have really improved in this area which is a credit to them and the coaching.

Wallis and Hunter I tipped for breakouts, and Bont and Stringer we knew would be awesome - so know surprises there for me.

But the most impressive player? We'll J Stringer is the biggest game turning freak since Buddy IMO (he's already gone past Cyril) So hard to go past him.

 

[_Mike_]

Picken and M Boyd for me because even though every single player in that list has improved this season for me both Picken and Boyd both changed their game styles.

Picken has become not only a good shutdown player, but one with a good offensive game compared to his last few years. I was near convinced that Picken would struggle to get a place in the side but he is such a valuable asset in the middle and his father would be damn proud of him

M Boyd, say no more. The old dog IMO was done and dusted but the move to a rebound defender was a sheer stroke of mastery by Bev. When playing on ball, M Boyd suffered from poor disposal efficiency and more often than not failed to hurt the opposition with his inside 50's. Now as a rebound defender Boyd has the awareness and upstream vision to direct and create forward attacks and his disposal efficiency has skyrocketed.

Who said you cant teach an old dog new tricks.