Cripps Bontempelli Merrett Kelly - the next big 4?

[Milanista28]

Still think Matty Crouch should be added to the title.

 

[LeppaMessiah]

At the end of the day all that will matter is these players contributions to premierships. Bont and to a lesser extent Kelly have both had their chances, but I'm sure by the ends of their careers all four would have had some chances. And I think all four will be remembered as guns.

 

[citizen-erased]

Watch him more then. He’s a beautiful kick on either foot. With a lot more penetration than Merrett

I'd back Bonts opposite as better than Zachs.

Will certainly be keeping an eye out in 2018.

 

[citizen-erased]

Still think Matty Crouch should be added to the title.

Yep. his 2017 as him in the conversation.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Who else was going to take votes off Merrett in that 2016 team?

No one, really. But considering we, you know, only won the 3 games and lost most of the others by significant margins in 2016, he wouldn't have had many clear-cut polling opportunities. 19 votes was well above expectations for Merrett that year... I don't know what the record for votes polled in a wooden spoon team is (probably Ablett at the Suns) but that would've been close.

 

[Coopers97]

Matt Crouch Hello???

 

[SCRAY72]

No one, really. But considering we, you know, only won the 3 games and lost most of the others by significant margins in 2016, he wouldn't have had many clear-cut polling opportunities. 19 votes was well above expectations for Merrett that year... I don't know what the record for votes polled in a wooden spoon team is (probably Ablett at the Suns) but that would've been close.

Not a wooden spoon team but in 1980 Footscray finished 5 and 17.
Kelvin Templeton played CHF in a shit side kicked 75-33 for the season and won the Brownlow with 23 votes. The late Merv Neagle second with 20.

 

[TBellicious]

Bombers fans continue to overrate Merrett!

He’s a mighty fine seagull

 

[Heisenberg_]

Kelly isnt the greatest kick. He has games where he looks Judd-like elite, then has games where he Fyfes it up.
very inconsistent.
If i was to use disposal by foot as a measure, Merrett > Bont > Cripps > Kelly.
Cripps is pretty underrated here, probably because he spends 90% of his time doing the heavy lifting for Carlton, which means when he isnt hand balling it, he's injured

FWIW, I still think Bont gives you the better bang for buck player, as he has the height to play multiple roles and play them well.
The dogs should use him more as a mobile CHF the way Carlton use Curnow. They have the midfield to allow for it.

Merrett is still the better player with ball in hand.

Of the 4 Kelly is the best kick and it's not even close.
He sometimes turns it over because he goes for the harder kick because he can pull it off.
The other 3 are good kicks, Kelly is elite by foot.

 

[Freshwater]

Of the 4 Kelly is the best kick and it's not even close.
He sometimes turns it over because he goes for the harder kick because he can pull it off.
The other 3 are good kicks, Kelly is elite by foot.

He may be better than Bont? I don’t know, but I do know that Bont is an elite kick. His kicks in the Grand Final were sublimely timed and executed. He went at 100% effectiveness.

 

[TerryWallet]

Is this thread still going?

ah well

1. Bont - a 9.5
2. Cripps/Kelly - 8.5's
4. Merrett - 8

5. M.Crouch(oh c'monnnnnnn lol) - 7

 

[Heisenberg_]

He may be better than Bont? I don’t know, but I do know that Bont is an elite kick. His kicks in the Grand Final were sublimely timed and executed. He went at 100% effectiveness.

On his day he is, but Kelly is much more consistent IMO with his disposal.

 

[Brutalitops]

Every Bulldogs response in this thread can be boiled down to "but dont you remember the Grand Final when Bont...".

How long before that gets stale? Its like he's Stewart Dew 2.0.

 

[Squiba]

If I were to have my choice of any 4 in that list, I'd go

Kelly>Bont>Merret>Cripps

Personally, Kelly is a cut above, and Bont's versatility and out right class are extremely valuable.

I won't put Matt Crouch in the discussion, as I'm obviously biased.

 

[Marlo]

If I were to have my choice of any 4 in that list, I'd go

Kelly>Bont>Merret>Cripps

Personally, Kelly is a cut above, and Bont's versatility and out right class are extremely valuable.

Bontempelli is a devastating player and I'd have him a level above the rest. Still a kid / injured most of the season. Mature, clutch. Swing him forward in a tight final...

Easy choice for me at this stage. Still plenty of room for improvement, and he turned out to be a lot more intelligent than I thought he was gonna be.

Kelly looks like a Brownlow winning machine.

 

[Squiba]

Bontempelli is a devastating player and I'd have him a level above the rest. Still a kid / injured most of the season. Mature, clutch. Swing him forward in a tight final...

Easy choice for me at this stage. Still plenty of room for improvement, and he turned out to be a lot more intelligent than I thought he was gonna be.

Kelly looks like a Brownlow winning machine.

I'd like Bont that bit more, if he was just more, physical, I guess.

It is hard to put a finger on, but aside from his out and out class and his wrapping tackles, he doesn't neccesarily impose himself on a game with physicality. For mine, Kelly is a super classy, hard edged mid who can turn a game against the tide like no other of the above.

I rate Bont, sensational player, but for mine Kelly just pips him.

 

[ManOfClay]

Every Bulldogs response in this thread can be boiled down to "but dont you remember the Grand Final when Bont...".

How long before that gets stale? Its like he's Stewart Dew 2.0.

Or remember his best and fairest in the best team in the league and AA year, or his AA squad selection and second consecutive best and fairest before his 22nd birthday?

We could be like Carlton supporters and just repeat over and over again some narrow stat Bontempelli got a lot of a few years ago.


What else do you have?

 

[Suma Magic]

If I got to choose one:

Kelly > Bont > Cripps > Merrett

All are a-grade stars. Not much between Kelly and Merrett.

Cripps' injury history influenced my thinking.

 

[schmuttt]

I'd like Bont that bit more, if he was just more, physical, I guess.

It is hard to put a finger on, but aside from his out and out class and his wrapping tackles, he doesn't neccesarily impose himself on a game with physicality. For mine, Kelly is a super classy, hard edged mid who can turn a game against the tide like no other of the above.

I rate Bont, sensational player, but for mine Kelly just pips him.

Kelly is more physical than Bont? I don’t think Bont is a brute in any sense (And I don’t think Kelly is soft either) but there isn’t much difference there imo.

 

[footyfan1978]

Of the 4 Kelly is the best kick and it's not even close.
He sometimes turns it over because he goes for the harder kick because he can pull it off.
The other 3 are good kicks, Kelly is elite by foot.

I am not so sure. Fairly sure I seen the Bonts pull off some amazing kicks on his left foot. Kelly is the best mover of these guys for sure. Bonts and Cripps more big bodied guys that happen to play in midfield but never going to be fleet as foot of the smaller guys. But Kelly is also never going to be able to be as good as mark as those guys can be. You would love all of them in your team if you could. Merrett probably clear 4th for mine but still very nice player if you got him. Think he is more outside player than other three.

 

[Substance]

Bont, proven matchwinner, can put him anywhere to win a game which puts him clear 1 for me

Kelly, first season as a full mid and flourished, class user, elite runner and a goal kicking mid. Doubt you could swing him fwd like Bont and seal a win but he could set one up through the midfield.

Zerrett, is very good at almost everything but kinda lacks the absolute elite traits the top 2 have.

Cripps, will get smashed week in, week out until the Blues get him some helpers. Has been promising but 2018 will be the litmus test. Has started well but wouldn't be shocked if he fell away. Not close to the top 2, being judged on potential at this stage.

I think that's my order too for now.

Bit bored of this debate like many others, but I'm still amazed by the quality of this draft.

 

[SHill Shall]

I think that's my order too for now.

Bit bored of this debate like many others, but I'm still amazed by the quality of this draft.

That’s my order too!

 

[Rack Watts]

Bombers fans continue to overrate Merrett!

He’s a mighty fine seagull

If you had a guy that could deliver a ball like this guy, you wouldn't waste him on the inside, you'd try to give him the ball every time you won the contest. He's good at winning his own ball on the inside, but he's only handballing it to a guy who's worse with it. Insult him all you want, he's the best kick in the AFL at the moment.

 

[ManOfClay]

I'd like Bont that bit more, if he was just more, physical, I guess.

He’s physical enough. I can’t find the video but I remember Scott Pendlebury discussing this and highlighting the bont’s Physicality as something that set him apart.

Watch the second game vs north in 2016. He had north players, particularly Michael Firrito, rattled.

 

[citizen-erased]

If I were to have my choice of any 4 in that list, I'd go

Kelly>Bont>Merret>Cripps

Personally, Kelly is a cut above, and Bont's versatility and out right class are extremely valuable.

I won't put Matt Crouch in the discussion, as I'm obviously biased.

i think you can put Crouchy in.

And thats a pretty good assessment of the players.
Bonts versatility is hard to ignore. He is a game changer, where the other 4 are quarter by quarter consistent guns.
Kelly really broke out this year, and there's a reason he was rated as good as he was in that draft.

I struggle to put him ahead of Merrett for the fact he's done it for a season and a bit. Merrett has done it for 2 and 1/2 seasons.

But then i struggle to put them in any particular order. I think this topic has moved now with the emergence of other players and the differences between the 4.

I'd be putting up;
Cripps v Oliver v Wines
Merrett v Crouch v Kelly
Bont v Curnow (early, but still) v Petracca (Burton could join this conversation depending how his year forward/mid goes in 2018).

I think they're more comparable players.