Player Watch Matt Crouch - Re-Signed to End of 2025

[NikkiNoo]

Hey, did we forget to acknowledge this feat after the West Coast game?

With combined 87 disposals (or was that 88) from the game, Matt & Brad's season total of 1,202 smashes the Cornes' 1,174 total from 2007.

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Did we have records of other pairings' season totals or do the Crouches also hold that record now?

Yup, our boys are the best pair of brothers in a season for disposals. They were after that record during the West Coast game, and so were the rest of our players keen on getting them to that record.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Hey, did we forget to acknowledge this feat after the West Coast game?

With combined 87 disposals (or was that 88) from the game, Matt & Brad's season total of 1,202 smashes the Cornes' 1,174 total from 2007.

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Did we have records of other pairings' season totals or do the Crouches also hold that record now?

If they both stay fit next year, they will smash the record!

 

[Crow_Magnon]

Wouldn't surprise me if he polls very well tonight in the Brownlow. Even Brad's back half of the year was exceptional too.

 

[Bicks]

Here you go, from March this year:



And I wasn't alone. There were plenty of us who could see how good this guy was going to be. There really was only one massive naysayer.

True to a point but there were several others also who were quite critical even early in this season...

 

[Vhaluus]

Here you go, from March this year:



And I wasn't alone. There were plenty of us who could see how good this guy was going to be. There really was only one massive naysayer.

I thought he was going to be a good solid footballer.

I had no idea how good he'd get.

Happy he exceeded my expectations.

 

[Bicks]

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of both the Crouch Bros from even last year. However, the consistency and skills have gone to another level regarding Matt this year. I think the real improvement coincided around the time Sloane was starting to be tagged heavily, which gave Matt more added responsibilities.

The lad himself has been quoted as saying it's all basically down to his fitness levels and IMO has zero to do with Sloane being tagged, hell Scott had Blicavs tagging Matty early in the game the other night and quickly binned that strategy when the tag was having little effect on Matt's game.

 

[pirate bob]

I still remember the first time I saw Brad play live. It was playing WC in Perth before his injuries. Matt is seriously kicking arse now. Brad if he can stay on the park for the next couple of years is to blow a few people away. His skill was simply sublime considering his age.

 

[TrainRoo32]

I still remember the first time I saw Brad play live. It was playing WC in Perth before his injuries. Matt is seriously kicking arse now. Brad if he can stay on the park for the next couple of years is to blow a few people away. His skill was simply sublime considering his age.

Same here after watching him play that game I thought here we go. We got ourselves a ripper here...... during all the bad luck he has been going through I believed he could rise above it all he needed was a fair run of it.
If he stays injury free he will only get better.

 

[John Who]

The lad himself has been quoted as saying it's all basically down to his fitness levels and IMO has zero to do with Sloane being tagged, hell Scott had Blicavs tagging Matty early in the game the other night and quickly binned that strategy when the tag was having little effect on Matt's game.

I think there's no doubt it's part the age/experience and his natural evolution. My earlier point was due to Sloane being more heavily tagged, this allowed Matt more opportunities to take over the reign as a midfield general. Not only more opportunities were created, but it allowed Matt to have more confidence to back himself in.
Kind of like this scenario: if you have a star standing next to you, you're more likely to pass the ball to the star. If there is no star next to you, or the star's gone missing, then you're likely to take more ownership of the situation and make yourself become the star.

 

[cmndstab]

Second-most Brownlow votes amongst the Crows this year, albeit only just! 11 votes in breakout year is a good return. Hopefully the umpires pay a bit more attention next year!

 

[WAG]

Searched for any article on Matt winning the Age Player of the Year but there's nada. Until I found this tucked away at the bottom of a Brownlow odds piece.



Congratulations Matthew Crouch. If only we had Bruce here for the creepy, awkward post award interview.

 

[SugarShane]

"Who?"
-AFL Umpires

 

[cmndstab]

That's a pretty significant winning margin! What system do they use to assign votes in the Age POTY?

 

[Danoz]

That's a pretty significant winning margin! What system do they use to assign votes in the Age POTY?

I think they rate their 5 best players out of 10.

 

[TARANTULA]

Second-most Brownlow votes amongst the Crows this year, albeit only just! 11 votes in breakout year is a good return. Hopefully the umpires pay a bit more attention next year!

Yeah he is definitely on the radar now after a stellar year. Will poll more next year easily.

 

[Infra Ted]

So he won the record.

Yay?

 

[Redleg Crow]

11 games in a row with 30 + disposals. Can hold his head high.

Will win the B&F by a record amount

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

Good in him! Well done M Crouch!!

 

[Bicks]

I imagine in the mind of NTRabbit, when it comes to the perception of Matt Crouch, his thought process goes something like;

AFC Recruiters for selecting him: Idiots
AFC Coaches for playing him: Idiots
AFC Fans for liking him: Idiots
AA Committee for selecting him: Idiots
AFLPA for respecting him above all but 6 other players in 2017: Idiots
AFL Umps for Brownlow selection: 4th in Brownlow odd's would leave me to believe they're Idiots
Sportsbet.com.au: Idiots for the above
AFC B&F Selection Committee: Haven't awarded him yet either, but considering he's the favorite they are certainly gonna end up Idiots
NTRabbit: Smart

You missed Matt won The Melbourne Age Player Of The Year too though when it wasn't won by a Victorian there wasn't a lot of fanfare.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Take SEN player ratings for what they are, but this is not a bad season at all:

http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/117840/Matt-CROUCH

 

[radiojake]

Take SEN player ratings for what they are, but this is not a bad season at all:

http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/117840/Matt-CROUCH

check out Brad's 2015 season
http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/117166/Brad-CROUCH

 

[Cleric]

And

You missed Matt won The Melbourne Age Player Of The Year too though when it wasn't won by a Victorian there wasn't a lot of fanfare.

And the showdown medal.

 

[Danger in Texas]

check out Brad's 2015 season
http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/117166/Brad-CROUCH

Lol Brad didn't play in 2015?

 

[Golumless]

Take SEN player ratings for what they are, but this is not a bad season at all:

http://www.aflplayerratings.com.au/Ratings/Player/117840/Matt-CROUCH

Now, all he has to do is learn how to take those 8/10 performances and turn them into 9/10+ (I do find SEN pretty fair with their ratings usually).

Still an absolutely fantastic season from Crouch, and one I didn't think he had in him yet.

 

[Redleg Crow]

Great season, worthy Best and Fairest winner.

Here's the thing though - if he can get his fitness up a bit more (which he should, midfielders generally do play more minutes the older they get) he is going to blow away the records.

Last year he averaged 71% game time, this year 77%.

He averaged 33 disposals. Tom Mitchell averaged 35.8 disposals but from 88% game time.

Here are the average disposals per 100% game time by the top disposal players:
Matt - 42.8
Mitchell - 40.9
Merrett - 39.0
Oliver - 38.9
Ablett - 38.2
Brad 37.7
Treloar - 36.7
Dangerfield - 35.1
Martin 34.9