Joel Selwood: Really that great?

[MinerBoy]

it seems odd to me that this comes across as 'cheating' to some... the rule is 'a high tackle is a free kick'. therefore, if someone tackles you and you can force their tackle high, you get a free kick..

Not getting into the whole cheating/ducking thing but this point needs attention. If someone tackles you LEGALLY and you can force the tackle high (with shoulder shrug, knee drop...whatever), you actually should not get a free kick. The high contact is purely a consequence of the action that the player being tackled has made and should be play on.

 

[hawkman]

Nah, it's awesome to have this footy chat with an unbiased Geelong fan and such a deep thinker.

I'm glad you set me straight.

All this time, I thought Selwood was trying to draw a free kick.

Silly me.

He doesn't do it just to get a free kick, it's a way of trying to get rid of the tackler. The free kick is a bonus if he gets it.

I would argue that he is contributing to head high contact so shouldn't get a free kick just like someone who genuinely ducks into a tackle doesn't get a free kick but to say he is doing it to just get a free kick is wrong

 

[barmy44]

Not getting into the whole cheating/ducking thing but this point needs attention. If someone tackles you LEGALLY and you can force the tackle high (with shoulder shrug, knee drop...whatever), you actually should not get a free kick. The high contact is purely a consequence of the action that the player being tackled has made and should be play on.

I would argue that he is contributing to head high contact so shouldn't get a free kick just like someone who genuinely ducks into a tackle doesn't get a free kick but to say he is doing it to just get a free kick is wrong

that seems fair to me, and i would be happy with that interpretation.

 

[manboob]

Not getting into the whole cheating/ducking thing but this point needs attention. If someone tackles you LEGALLY and you can force the tackle high (with shoulder shrug, knee drop...whatever), you actually should not get a free kick. The high contact is purely a consequence of the action that the player being tackled has made and should be play on.

Are you serious? They haven't tackled you legally then. By that logic it's impossible to trip/leg somebody when the brut strength of the player being tackled forced the tackler to slip down and get them around the shins/ankles.

 

[Modified Dog]

Being a newbie to BF you probably are unaware this topic has been done to death and, frankly, Geelong supporters are sick of hearing the same crap.

It's not crap. It's a part of his game. Selwood is one of the most difficult-to-tackle players in the AFL. It's not just the free kicks he draws, but he also causes opposition tacklers to have second thoughts about tackling him. They have to approach him differently. Either corral him, or tackle him around the waist (and allow him to handpass)

If Geelong fans are sick of hearing about it and they avoided discussing it, then fair enough, but what I keep hearing is a lot of bullshit about how he isn't trying to draw a free kick, but simply trying to shrug the tackle. Also the reason he gets so many frees is that he "sticks his head over the ball". As though Selwood is the only footballer who sticks his head over the ball.

Geelong fans are no different to fans of every other club. Whenever the umpire pays a free kick against one of their players, they boo, hiss, jump out of their seats and scream abuse at the umpire. So what makes you think people aren't going to say anything about the umpire's biggest pet?

If they awarded the Kevin Bartlett Medal for most free kicks, then Selwood would be a triple KB medallist.

2014 - most frees for
1 Nathan Jones - 14, 3.5 frees per game
2 Joel Selwood - 13, 3.3
2 Marc Murphy - 13, 3.3
2 Trent Cotchin - 13, 2.6
5 Ryan Lester - 11, 2.8
5 Scott Pendlebury - 11, 2.8

2013 - most frees for
1 Joel Selwood - 73, 2.9
2 Trent Cotchin - 46, 2.1
3 Nathan Jones - 44, 2.0
3 Drew Petrie - 44, 2.0
5 Scott Selwood - 43, 2.4
6 Ryan Griffen - 41, 2.1

2012 - most frees for
1 Dean Cox - 60, 2.5
2 Andrew Swallow - 57, 2.5
3 Joel Selwood - 56, 2.7
4 Luke Shuey - 54, 2.6
5 Trent Cotchin - 51, 2.3
6 Jonathan Giles - 45, 2.3

2011 - most frees for
1 Dean Cox - 61, 2.4
2 Joel Selwood - 60, 3.0
2 Marc Murphy - 60, 2.5
4 Andrew Swallow - 49, 2.2
5 Todd Goldstein - 47, 2.2
6 Matt Priddis - 44, 1.8

2010 - most frees for
1 Daniel Cross - 54, 2.2
2 Joel Selwood - 53, 2.2
3 Andrew Swallow - 52, 2.4
4 Luke Hodge - 46, 2.1
5 Dean Brogan - 45, 2.2
5 Mark Jamar - 45, 2.0

2009 - most frees for
1 Joel Selwood - 59, 2.4
2 Andrew Swallow - 52, 2.4
3 Jude Bolton - 48, 2.2
4 Dean Brogan - 45, 2.2
5 Adam Selwood - 44, 2.1
6 Joel Corey - 42, 1.8

2008 - most frees for
1 Joel Selwood - 63, 2.6
2 Daniel Cross - 52, 2.1
3 Angus Monfries - 50, 2.6
4 Joel Corey - 49, 2.0
5 Luke Ball - 48, 2.7
6 Jimmy Bartel - 46, 1.8

2007 - most frees for
1 Daniel Kerr - 52, 3.1
2 Joel Corey - 47, 1.9
3 Jude Bolton - 46, 2.0
4 Nick Riewoldt - 45, 2.2
5 Marc Murphy - 44, 2.0
13 Joel Selwood - 35, 1.7 (time on ground: 68%)

 

[matthew_s]

Are you serious? They haven't tackled you legally then. By that logic it's impossible to trip/leg somebody when the brut strength of the player being tackled forced the tackler to slip down and get them around the shins/ankles.

or if I go and headbutt some guys fist he should be done for striking.

 

[cats_09]

2011 - most frees for
1 Dean Cox - 61, 2.4
2 Joel Selwood - 60, 3.0
2 Marc Murphy - 60, 2.5
4 Andrew Swallow - 49, 2.2
5 Todd Goldstein - 47, 2.2
6 Matt Priddis - 44, 1.8

If the bold text is to give the impression that Selwood averaged the most frees for that season, then you got 2011 wrong - Dean Brogan averaged 3.3 that year which is more than Selwood's average of 3.0.

For all the talk of how many free kicks Selwood gets, out of 7 complete seasons of AFL, he has only topped the averaged frees for on 2 occasions, which doesn't seem a lot compared to what we are lead to believe by the amount of crap he receives.

 

[MinerBoy]

Are you serious? They haven't tackled you legally then. By that logic it's impossible to trip/leg somebody when the brut strength of the player being tackled forced the tackler to slip down and get them around the shins/ankles.

Of course I'm serious. The tackle is laid legally before the player shrugs or drop knees and causes his body into a different position. The cause of the high contact is completely at the fault of the player being tackled.

 

[tugga]

I rate Selwood very highly.
Out by himself is Gaz Jnr and then I have Selwood and Pendlebury in their own group as next.
Could probably throw Watson in with Selwood and Pendles as well.

 

[wce4premiership]

I'd have them grouped as

Ablett

Pendles, Selwood, Mitchell

Watson, Beams, Swan, Fyfe, Cotchin etc..

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

Yep, a technique which is employed purely to draw a free kick.

I laugh at the suggestion from some Cats fans that Selwood is trying to slip a tackle with this move.
They must be drinking their own bathwater

Where have you been Chewy?

 

[manboob]

Of course I'm serious. The tackle is laid legally before the player shrugs or drop knees and causes his body into a different position. The cause of the high contact is completely at the fault of the player being tackled.

So the same applies when a player shimmies his hips and causes the tackler to slip low?

 

[Bobby_]

It's not crap. It's a part of his game. Selwood is one of the most difficult-to-tackle players in the AFL. It's not just the free kicks he draws, but he also causes opposition tacklers to have second thoughts about tackling him. They have to approach him differently. Either corral him, or tackle him around the waist (and allow him to handpass)

If Geelong fans are sick of hearing about it and they avoided discussing it, then fair enough, but what I keep hearing is a lot of bullshit about how he isn't trying to draw a free kick, but simply trying to shrug the tackle. Also the reason he gets so many frees is that he "sticks his head over the ball". As though Selwood is the only footballer who sticks his head over the ball.

Geelong fans are no different to fans of every other club. Whenever the umpire pays a free kick against one of their players, they boo, hiss, jump out of their seats and scream abuse at the umpire. So what makes you think people aren't going to say anything about the umpire's biggest pet?

If they awarded the Kevin Bartlett Medal for most free kicks, then Selwood would be a triple KB medallist.

2014 - most frees for
1 Nathan Jones - 14, 3.5 frees per game
2 Joel Selwood - 13, 3.3
2 Marc Murphy - 13, 3.3
2 Trent Cotchin - 13, 2.6
5 Ryan Lester - 11, 2.8
5 Scott Pendlebury - 11, 2.8

2013 - most frees for
1 Joel Selwood - 73, 2.9
2 Trent Cotchin - 46, 2.1
3 Nathan Jones - 44, 2.0
3 Drew Petrie - 44, 2.0
5 Scott Selwood - 43, 2.4
6 Ryan Griffen - 41, 2.1

2012 - most frees for
1 Dean Cox - 60, 2.5
2 Andrew Swallow - 57, 2.5
3 Joel Selwood - 56, 2.7
4 Luke Shuey - 54, 2.6
5 Trent Cotchin - 51, 2.3
6 Jonathan Giles - 45, 2.3

2011 - most frees for
1 Dean Cox - 61, 2.4
2 Joel Selwood - 60, 3.0
2 Marc Murphy - 60, 2.5
4 Andrew Swallow - 49, 2.2
5 Todd Goldstein - 47, 2.2
6 Matt Priddis - 44, 1.8

2010 - most frees for
1 Daniel Cross - 54, 2.2
2 Joel Selwood - 53, 2.2
3 Andrew Swallow - 52, 2.4
4 Luke Hodge - 46, 2.1
5 Dean Brogan - 45, 2.2
5 Mark Jamar - 45, 2.0

2009 - most frees for
1 Joel Selwood - 59, 2.4
2 Andrew Swallow - 52, 2.4
3 Jude Bolton - 48, 2.2
4 Dean Brogan - 45, 2.2
5 Adam Selwood - 44, 2.1
6 Joel Corey - 42, 1.8

2008 - most frees for
1 Joel Selwood - 63, 2.6
2 Daniel Cross - 52, 2.1
3 Angus Monfries - 50, 2.6
4 Joel Corey - 49, 2.0
5 Luke Ball - 48, 2.7
6 Jimmy Bartel - 46, 1.8

2007 - most frees for
1 Daniel Kerr - 52, 3.1
2 Joel Corey - 47, 1.9
3 Jude Bolton - 46, 2.0
4 Nick Riewoldt - 45, 2.2
5 Marc Murphy - 44, 2.0
13 Joel Selwood - 35, 1.7 (time on ground: 68%)

are you really Chewy?
What did you do to have your old account permanently closed down?

 

[MinerBoy]

So the same applies when a player shimmies his hips and causes the tackler to slip low?

No different to when a player ducks his head into a tackle.

The player is fully entitled to take evasive action to shrug the tackle off but if their own actions cause the tackle to slip high (once it has already been applied legally) it should be play on.

 

[wce4premiership]

A tackle is a complete action from start to finish, if it slips high it isn't legal by definition. It's the tacklers decision to tackle, Selwood is well within his rights to try shrug it, sidestep it, fend it off, whatever. He often shrugs, so did Kerr (to greater affect) and yes he gets frees for it, I doubt he complains, anyone can try.

 

[MinerBoy]

A tackle is a complete action from start to finish, if it slips high it isn't legal by definition. It's the tacklers decision to tackle, Selwood is well within his rights to try shrug it, sidestep it, fend it off, whatever. He often shrugs, so did Kerr (to greater affect) and yes he gets frees for it, I doubt he complains, anyone can try.

They don't just slip high. They get high by the movement initiated by the person being tackled. I'm not even naming Selwood for the Geelong posters taking offence - lots of players do it. It should be play on.

It's rewarding a player for being taken high due to their own actions.

 

[Big Bryza]

In 2012 when Watson won the Brownlow, Stanton had 14 Brownlow votes - the same amount as Selwood and only 1 less than Pendlebury.

But keep telling yourself that Watson has no competition - I'm sure it fits your false, made-up narrative.

Pendles missed about 6 games in 2012 due to a broken leg.

 

[oscarheel]

Obviously the OP is stirring the pot. Is easily up there as the best in the competition. Unlike Ablett, Swan, Pendlebury, S.Johnson, Cotchin etc. He doesn't inflate his possession count getting easy 1-2's. But like Watson, & Judd in his prime... every possession he get's is usually a hard ball get that leads to the team's advantage.

My top 5 in the league would be. > 1,Ablett. 2,Selwood. 3,Watson. 4,Mitchell. 5, Pendlebury.

 

[Big Bryza]

Ablett

Selwood, Pendles

Mitchell, Watson



Best of the up and comers - Fyfe, Dangerfield, Wines.

 

[Mateyman]

Ablett

Selwood, Pendles

Mitchell, Watson



Best of the up and comers - Fyfe, Dangerfield, Wines.

One name is not like the other 2

 

[Mateyman]

Obviously the OP is stirring the pot. Is easily up there as the best in the competition. Unlike Ablett, Swan, Pendlebury, S.Johnson, Cotchin etc. He doesn't inflate his possession count getting easy 1-2's. But like Watson, & Judd in his prime... every possession he get's is usually a hard ball get that leads to the team's advantage.

My top 5 in the league would be. > 1,Ablett. 2,Selwood. 3,Watson. 4,Mitchell. 5, Pendlebury.

Watson is not the 3rd best in the league.

 

[Empire_Persian]

This.

Obviously the OP is stirring the pot. Is easily up there as the best in the competition. Unlike Ablett, Swan, Pendlebury, S.Johnson, Cotchin etc. He doesn't inflate his possession count getting easy 1-2's. But like Watson, & Judd in his prime... every possession he get's is usually a hard ball get that leads to the team's advantage.

Selwood is a beast. In my books, among the top five midfielders in the game.

 

[Bomberblitzer]

Watson is not the 3rd best in the league.

Nice opinion bro.

 

[Mateyman]

Nice opinion bro.

99% of non-Essendon supporters agree.

 

[Bomberblitzer]

99% of non-Essendon supporters agree.

I'm not sure if its your place to speak for "99% of non-Essendon supporters" as if you actually know what they think.