Cripps Bontempelli Merrett Kelly - the next big 4?

[citizen-erased]

Kelly is an absolute Ferrari but I would still have Bont a rung above anyone else in this list. He belongs in the Fyfe/Martin/Danger bracket for me.

I dont think he's there yet, but i dont think he's far from it. Reckon he is where Martin was in 2015/16. Building to having a year where he stands on the heads of the rest of the comp.
Reminds me so much of Hird and Kouta as players who combine magic with skill.

 

[citizen-erased]

I believe Cripps has more clearances than any player his age in the history of AFL. I remember hearing that stat last year. I think he knocked off Libba. Now if that is anything to go off I think it would be fair to say he will be the most dominant contested ball player in the next decade

Oliver would be his primary threat. At Oliver's age, Cripps was pulling the same clearance numbers (0.1 more a game).
Oliver is also competing with Viney and Jones for clearances, who are machines in their own right.

They're the 2 young guns in the clearance game to be watching over the next few years.
Titch is still pretty young too. And has found his niche at the hawks as their Lewis replacement.

 

[TylerDurden]

Perhaps uncover your other eye then.

You don’t rate him?

 

[schmuttt]

Plus he doesnt dive for frees like Oliver or act like a twat on social media. Oliver could learn a thing or two Cripps.

Rob Acquaro is that you?

 

[citizen-erased]

Plus he doesnt dive for frees like Oliver or act like a twat on social media. Oliver could learn a thing or two Cripps.

Jordan Lewis disagrees

 

[Foucault1989]

Oliver would be his primary threat. At Oliver's age, Cripps was pulling the same clearance numbers (0.1 more a game).
Oliver is also competing with Viney and Jones for clearances, who are machines in their own right.

They're the 2 young guns in the clearance game to be watching over the next few years.
Titch is still pretty young too. And has found his niche at the hawks as their Lewis replacement.

Yeah both have bright futures ahead of them. I think Cripps' size just puts him above Oliver. Before he broke his leg last year he was starting to go forward and look dangerous in the air and also starting to not just handball from contests but break and run from packs. I recall that goal against Melbourne where he literally pushed Lewis out of the way and nailed it from 45. I haven't seen Oliver do any of that so at this stage I have Cripps ahead because I think he is not only as good as Oliver inside the contest but has more upside outside and up forward.

 

[RobbyRoy]

Cripps is a beast, no doubt. But it doesn’t matter when Tom gets to the pill first. Hands and balance are that good, likewise his core strength and ball security. He’s a clearance animal.

Mitchell does amazing work around the stoppages but I wouldn't saying getting the ball first is his major strength, certainly not compared to Cripps. I know stats aren't everything, but they do show Cripps being a fair way ahead in terms of clearances. Send them in to a stoppage against each other ten times and I would be very confident Cripps wins it at least 8 times.

 

[TylerDurden]

Mitchell does amazing work around the stoppages but I wouldn't saying getting the ball first is his major strength, certainly not compared to Cripps. I know stats aren't everything, but they do show Cripps being a fair way ahead in terms of clearances. Send them in to a stoppage against each other ten times and I would be very confident Cripps wins it at least 8 times.

Both averaged 6 a game last year, with Mitchell averaging more contested possessions. Not sure your point. Let’s hope they match up on each other this year.

 

[Laphroaig]

You don’t rate him?

If you're talking about Mitchell T, no.

He's half a gun player. Without seriously talented receivers around him he lacks impact. Fast hands and great hands are not the same thing. He extracts the ball, check. His quick hands get it out. Check.

What he doesn't do with any regularity is demonstrate the vision and timing which releases the receiver into an space where they are an immediate danger. Typically, the receiver has to get that part done.

What the great creators do, and Williams is the best I've seen, is exactly the opposite. They see small gaps, second and third options and split second opportunities that lesser players don't. And having seen them, can execute. In Williams' case he could also deliver it lace out to a player in half a meter of space out to 40m off either foot. So the opposition never knew what to defend.

There's a reason Mitchell T is called a crab; and there's a reason that an opposition coach said "I wasn't worried that he was getting so much ball, because he wasn't hurting us."

I can't say if Mitchell lacks disposal skill or confidence, or both. But he takes the soft safe option way too much; and in fact far to often he dishes it off to a player in a LESS attacking space than Mitchell was. He doesn't rate mention alongside any of the names he has been declared the equal of here.

 

[Sonny Hayes]

If you're talking about Mitchell T, no.

He's half a gun player. Without seriously talented receivers around him he lacks impact. Fast hands and great hands are not the same thing. He extracts the ball, check. His quick hands get it out. Check.

What he doesn't do with any regularity is demonstrate the vision and timing which releases the receiver into an space where they are an immediate danger. Typically, the receiver has to get that part done.

What the great creators do, and Williams is the best I've seen, is exactly the opposite. They see small gaps, second and third options and split second opportunities that lesser players don't. And having seen them, can execute. In Williams' case he could also deliver it lace out to a player in half a meter of space out to 40m off either foot. So the opposition never knew what to defend.

There's a reason Mitchell T is called a crab; and there's a reason that an opposition coach said "I wasn't worried that he was getting so much ball, because he wasn't hurting us."

I can't say if Mitchell lacks disposal skill or confidence, or both. But he takes the soft safe option way too much; and in fact far to often he dishes it off to a player in a LESS attacking space than Mitchell was. He doesn't rate mention alongside any of the names he has been declared the equal of here.

He doesn't rate mention alongside any of the names he has been declared the equal of here.

He was easily in the top 5 midfielders of the season, what Mitchell did as a lone soldier in our midfield at times this season was super impressive. You use the Bucks example of him "doing no damage" well go ask any of the Geelong players if he was hurting them in the round 17. He was All Australian and finished 3rd in the Brownlow, which was also ahead of the 4 others being discussed.

What he doesn't do with any regularity is demonstrate the vision and timing which releases the receiver into an space where they are an immediate danger.

Well i think you need to pay closer attention to his game.
This sort of stuff was not a rarity from him this season.

 

[Laphroaig]

He was easily in the top 5 midfielders of the season, what Mitchell did as a lone soldier in our midfield at times this season was super impressive. You use the Bucks example of him "doing no damage" well go ask any of the Geelong players if he was hurting them in the round 17. He was All Australian and finished 3rd in the Brownlow, which was also ahead of the 4 others being discussed.


Well i think you need to pay closer attention to his game.
This sort of stuff was not a rarity from him this season.

A broken clock is right twice a day.

We could bring in footage of the meaningless one twos that do nothing but pad his stats and slow the ball down, and the love affair with the safe useless option\ too

 

[footyfan1978]

Tom Mitchell bollox needs it's own thread and go discuss his comparison with Luke Parker, Dylan Shiel, Treloar and Lachie Neale. He is in a more mature age bracket than these young guns. Take it there jealous Hawkies.

 

[Foucault1989]

Tom Mitchell bollox needs it's own thread and go discuss his comparison with Luke Parker, Dylan Shiel, Treloar and Lachie Neale. He is in a more mature age bracket than these young guns. Take it there jealous Hawkies.

But but but they have good youth too and we are not allowed to forget it. They are apparently on track for a 6 month rebuild as well. Remarkable

 

[TylerDurden]

If you're talking about Mitchell T, no.

He's half a gun player. Without seriously talented receivers around him he lacks impact. Fast hands and great hands are not the same thing. He extracts the ball, check. His quick hands get it out. Check.

What he doesn't do with any regularity is demonstrate the vision and timing which releases the receiver into an space where they are an immediate danger. Typically, the receiver has to get that part done.

What the great creators do, and Williams is the best I've seen, is exactly the opposite. They see small gaps, second and third options and split second opportunities that lesser players don't. And having seen them, can execute. In Williams' case he could also deliver it lace out to a player in half a meter of space out to 40m off either foot. So the opposition never knew what to defend.

There's a reason Mitchell T is called a crab; and there's a reason that an opposition coach said "I wasn't worried that he was getting so much ball, because he wasn't hurting us."

I can't say if Mitchell lacks disposal skill or confidence, or both. But he takes the soft safe option way too much; and in fact far to often he dishes it off to a player in a LESS attacking space than Mitchell was. He doesn't rate mention alongside any of the names he has been declared the equal of here.

Soft/ safe option? He’s got 3 blokes hanging off him every time he wins a hard ball. Of course a lot of his touches will be rushed, it’s the nature of the role he plays - an inside bull. He’s an ELITE inside ball winner. It’s indisputable.

 

[captain cotch 9]

1. Bont-Freak
2. Kelly-Class
3. Cripps-Grunt
4. Merrett-Hard worker

 

[Cleanupsoup]

So when do we add Matt Crouch to the conversation?

 

[citizen-erased]

So when do we add Matt Crouch to the conversation?

he's in for mine.
His 2017 was outstanding and really built on a solid 2016 too. Seemed to benefit from the addition of another inside ball getter in his brother coming into the team, and the addition of some good support outside runners in Cameron, Knight and Atkins.
If the Crows can get Gallucci and Poholke up and going soon, with the addition of Gibbs i think they'll hang around the top 3-4 teams for a few years to come.
And it will only give Matt more time and space to develop. Esp as a goal kicking mid.

 

[Dez!]

Yeah both have bright futures ahead of them. I think Cripps' size just puts him above Oliver. Before he broke his leg last year he was starting to go forward and look dangerous in the air and also starting to not just handball from contests but break and run from packs. I recall that goal against Melbourne where he literally pushed Lewis out of the way and nailed it from 45. I haven't seen Oliver do any of that so at this stage I have Cripps ahead because I think he is not only as good as Oliver inside the contest but has more upside outside and up forward.

More upside on the outside? Oliver is an excellent kick with good speed and evasiveness, his kicking alone gives him more upside on the outside than Cripps.

I'll give you Cripps up forward though with his size.

 

[Foucault1989]

More upside on the outside? Oliver is an excellent kick with good speed and evasiveness, his kicking alone gives him more upside on the outside than Cripps.

I'll give you Cripps up forward though with his size.

Oliver may be all those things but Cripps has had the time to show it more. Seriously though... Both absolute guns of the present and future. If Cripps played for Melbourne you'd say he was better and vice versa with myself and Oliver. Let's just enjoy them. But back to this thread....

 

[Laphroaig]

Soft/ safe option? He’s got 3 blokes hanging off him every time he wins a hard ball. Of course a lot of his touches will be rushed, it’s the nature of the role he plays - an inside bull. He’s an ELITE inside ball winner. It’s indisputable.

The capitalisation really convinced me you know what you are talking about.

On the other hand you might like to explain how a bloke who has got 3 blokes hanging off him every time he wins a hard ball ranks 2nd in the AFL for uncontested possessions.

Use as many capitals as you like, if you think it might help.

 

[TylerDurden]

The capitalisation really convinced me you know what you are talking about.

On the other hand you might like to explain how a bloke who has got 3 blokes hanging off him every time he wins a hard ball ranks 2nd in the AFL for uncontested possessions.

Use as many capitals as you like, if you think it might help.

You wish you had him. Must grate that it’s a FS potential pick gone begging.

 

[tugga]

If Jaeger O'Meara can get a clean run at it in 2018, his name will be in this discussion as well.

 

[Laphroaig]

You wish you had him. Must grate that it’s a FS potential pick gone begging.

So you don't have the answer to that question then?

Didn't think so.

 

[Donakebab]

If Jaeger O'Meara can get a clean run at it in 2018, his name will be in this discussion as well.

Not sure why given he's not from the same draft.

 

[Bomberblitzer]

Not sure why given he's not from the same draft.

Also consider that he's done nothing of note since his first season. As opposed to these four who are all consistent performers.