Universal Love Robbie Gray appreciation thread

[philreich]

Just got this in an e-mail from a Hawks fan:

Sam Mitchell is a champion, Jack Gunston is a very good player who was stiff not to win a Norm Smith medal.
I really like Robbie Gray and would have him at Hawthorn, but he'll need to do it for 3 or 4 seasons before he's a champion.

The term champion is so overused. I blame the media, who feel the need to pump blokes up and have the modern players as the best ever!

I'd be happy if Gray won the Brownlow and Duckwood didn't, but a Brownlow medal doesn't make you a champion either. Look at Shane Woewoeful.

 

[RossFC]

Honestly cant get over this. The pickup, the way he just graciously dances past opponents, it's beautiful.

He reminds me of Pendlebury, the way he seems just to have more time compared to everyone else going 100mph around him.

Lama you are the king of gifs.
Hopefully we see some in the future of Flynn running from the back pocket to the forward pocket at AFL level

 

[raman]

Just got this in an e-mail from a Hawks fan:

Sam Mitchell is a champion

Here's where I stopped reading.

 

[finbarr]

Do any of these people remotely understand what Robbie Gray went through with his injuries? That knee injury looked Henschel-esque when it happened. And I happen to know someone who sat in on the operation as an observer, who said he had extreme doubts Robbie would come back from it.
Well he has come back from it, and how! That alone gives him claims to the title "champion" in my book.

 

[tangolikelama]

Do any of these people remotely understand what Robbie Gray went through with his injuries? That knee injury looked Henschel-esque when it happened. And I happen to know someone who sat in on the operation as an observer, who said he had extreme doubts Robbie would come back from it.
Well he has come back from it, and how! That alone gives him claims to the title "champion" in my book.

Bradbury/woewodin

/Thread

 

[philreich]

Do any of these people remotely understand what Robbie Gray went through with his injuries? That knee injury looked Henschel-esque when it happened. And I happen to know someone who sat in on the operation as an observer, who said he had extreme doubts Robbie would come back from it.
Well he has come back from it, and how! That alone gives him claims to the title "champion" in my book.

I reckon these so called experts will change their minds over the next few years when, fitness permitting, Robbie becomes an even better player. As stated (I think by Tribey) in this week's podcast, Robbie is in the prime of his life - give him another successful pre season, and I reckon he'll have an even better year in 2015.

 

[Hellgood]

Look it's more than fair that people want to see Robbie do it over a period of years before calling him a champion of the game.

Who here considered Dangerfield a champion after playing some sensational football in 2012?

 

[simmo_bc]

Honestly cant get over this. The pickup, the way he just graciously dances past opponents, it's beautiful.

He reminds me of Pendlebury, the way he seems just to have more time compared to everyone else going 100mph around him./QUOTE]

sheesh, that is amazing..

I was at the game but haven't watched it on tv - that is pure class, he is playing on another level.

 

[RossFC]

https://www.facebook.com/1914999208...1499920865354/920150841333588/?type=1&theater

 

[Papa G]

I have Gray on around 20 votes. Play a blinder this weekend and I reckon he might win the Brownlow.

 

[Hellgood]

https://www.facebook.com/1914999208...1499920865354/920150841333588/?type=1&theater

Thats a bloody good comparison by Welsh considering it was a year before Ablett really came of age.

Been looking through a few old threads on the draft board, some pretty good calls there:
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/robert-gray.281276/

 

[Hellgood]

Although I loved this one...

Pretty much agree. Gray has some party tricks but needs to use Amon Buchanon as a role model and get as fit as he can so he can run through the mf. I thought Gray was mildly disappointing in the GF where Mitch Farmer took the honours. More worrying for Gray's draft prospects, Farmer ran off him(has some serious speed) and Gray's lack of defensive pressure was highlighted on a pretty big stage.

Mitch Farmer, now thats a name I hadn't heard in a while.

 

[faquito]

Although I loved this one...
Mitch Farmer, now thats a name I hadn't heard in a while.

His name gets used up all the time...

When asked "what did Schulz cost us on the trade table?" and..

"we got Schulz for Mitch Farmer, therefore we can give up Cam Hitchcock for Jeremy Cameron".

 

[tribey]

 

[Seanybruz]

Although I loved this one...
Mitch Farmer, now thats a name I hadn't heard in a while.

Farmer the gift that kept on giving not only got us Schulz in a trade but pantsed Robbie enough that he slid to our pick late in what was probably our best ever draft.

 

[mic59]

Just got this in an e-mail from a Hawks fan:

Sam Mitchell is a champion.

At least when Jimmy Bartel throws his head forward he only does it to get a shot on goal, not to get another player suspended.

 

[mic59]

https://www.facebook.com/1914999208...1499920865354/920150841333588/?type=1&theater

Notice that Todd Goldstein was also in that draft. We picked up Boak, Gray and Westhoff. If we had Goldstein as well we would really have cleaned up. Rounds 2 and 3 we took P.Stewart and Krakouer. The Kangaroos took Goldstein in the 3rd round at 37, just before Krakouer at 39.

 

[RossFC]

Notice that Todd Goldstein was also in that draft. We picked up Boak, Gray and Westhoff. If we had Goldstein as well we would really have cleaned up. Rounds 2 and 3 we took P.Stewart and Krakouer. The Kangaroos took Goldstein in the 3rd round at 37, just before Krakouer at 39.

Sam Jacobs was pick 1 in the rookie draft for Carlton he would have been a better option.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Although I loved this one...

Robbie's had a great year and all, but I can't wait for him to reach the standard of Amon Buchanan.

 

[Hellgood]

Robbie's had a great year and all, but I can't wait for him to reach the standard of Amon Buchanan.

To be fair, Buchanan had a very good claim for the Norm Smith in 2005 and a more than decent career.

 

[questionable]

Thats a bloody good comparison by Welsh considering it was a year before Ablett really came of age.

Been looking through a few old threads on the draft board, some pretty good calls there:
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/robert-gray.281276/

that thread actually gives a good insight into how he slipped so far.

it seems like oakleigh and vic metro played him (effectively) as a lead-up forward who could crumb a bit. this was around the time clubs were rightly becoming wary of ~180cm 'key' forwards - brett ebert types.

gray's ability at ground level and in traffic was known, but it seems no one backed him to be able to do it in the midfield. it's a testament to him that he's proven everyone wrong in that respect.

 

[tangolikelama]

 

[tangolikelama]

I love Robbie this much..

 

[PepeSilvia]

I'm not saying that this is a particularly good estimation of how the Brownlow voting will pan out, because, you know, umpires... But if Robbie was to get 3 Brownlow votes for each game that he got the most AFLCA MVP votes, 2 Brownlow votes for each game that he got the second most AFLCA MVP votes, and 1 Brownlow vote for each game that he got the third most AFLCA MVP votes, he would give it a real shake.

R5 v West Coast (Win) - 8 votes, =1st.
R6 v Geelong (Win) - 7 votes, =2nd.
R7 v GWS (Win) - 5 votes, =2nd.
R8 v Fremantle (Win) - 9 votes, 1st.
R11 v Melbourne (Win) - 6 votes, 3rd.
R12 v St Kilda (Win) - 9 votes, 1st.
R13 v Sydney (Loss) - 6 votes, 3rd.
R14 v Footscray (Win) - 4 votes, =3rd.
R16 v Essendon (Loss) - 7 votes, =1st.
R18 v Melbourne (Win) - 8 votes, 2nd.
R20 v Sydney (Loss) - 7 votes, 2nd.
R21 v Gold Coast (Win) - 9 votes, 1st.
R22 v Carlton (Win) - 10 votes, 1st.

I think the only person who had a game rivalling Robbie's yesterday was Lachie Neale's, so I'd pencil Robbie in as 2nd best yesterday.

If you go by the 'system' that I hypothesised earlier, this would see Robbie on 29 votes after Round 22, with probably another 2 to come.

 

[*PAF]

For mine the only thing that has stopped Gray being head and shoulders above anyone else in the comp this year has been his goalkicking. Even then he has been up there with the very best.