The Rise and Rise of Hugh Greenwood

[J_Moore]

There's been a fair bit of media discussion around Crows defender Alex Keath this year, but there's another mature-age pro-sport-hopper at the Crows who I think is the more remarkable story: Hugh Greenwood.

Since debuting in early 2017 at 25 years of age, Greenwood's career has been on a steady upward trajectory, as captured here by the AFL Player Ratings.



The guy is a contested beast, consistently producing quality numbers in contested possessions, tackles, clearances, etc in a side that already has Sloane and Matt Crouch in the middle.

He also manages to kick goals at about the same rate as more celebrated goal-kicking mids.

But it's the quality of his footy that marks him out. He's a genuine class player, winning tough possessions, using the ball well, and kicking difficult goals - hence his good performance in the AFL Player Ratings.

Question is: what's his ceiling? He's already 27, but only four and half years into his senior footy career. I think there's probably 1-2 seasons of continued improvement there, injury permitting. I think there's a chance he could pull out an All-Australian season (or at least the AA squad) before he's done. For a guy that only switched back to playing professional footy at 24, that's a big achievement.

Close to the most underrated player in the competition, for mine.

 

[Golden_6]

I actually can't tell if this is a serious thread or not. Solid player but didn't he spend the first 3 weeks of the season playing SANFL?

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Think he rose and rose and then deflated.

 

[TryAnHit]

I actually can't tell if this is a serious thread or not. Solid player but didn't he spend the first 3 weeks of the season playing SANFL?

He had 0 preseason so had to do a mini one

 

[J_Moore]

I actually can't tell if this is a serious thread or not. Solid player but didn't he spend the first 3 weeks of the season playing SANFL?

It’s serious. Greenwood was injured so not fit for rd 1. In his 3 games since coming back, he’s sitting top 10 for contested posessions per game. And his first game was ordinary.

 

[PAFC_1870]

Close to the most underrated player in the competition, for mine.

You gotta do it for a length of time before you can get that.

Offers a point of difference in his team, which will make him stand out though.

 

[J_Moore]

You gotta do it for a length of time before you can get that.

Maybe, but I feel like the underrated guys with longevity are usually recognised as good, but people don’t understand quite how good.

For Greenwood, I don’t think he’s really on anyone’s radar at all. He might as well be Ellis-Yeoman

 

[PAFC_1870]

but people don’t understand quite how good.

I think plenty go a long time without people really appreciating them, usually it takes a big milestone game or something to say anything.

I reckon he's not of that stereptype 'crow-bot' type, not the traditional very disciplined non flashy Crow player they've had for years and years. Fogarty had that potential, but seems to have gone backwards at a rate of knots.

If he gets to 100 games or so and isn't getting the recognition I'd agree.

 

[1970crow]

I actually can't tell if this is a serious thread or not. Solid player but didn't he spend the first 3 weeks of the season playing SANFL?

Almost no training after Xmas with an abdominal strain. Lever played a couple in our 2s after an interrupted preseason a couple back. It’s quite common with us that medium term injuries get a loosener upperer or 2 in the 2s. Unless you’re Sloane or a couple of others.

 

[Tandy]

Yep he's been more than solid for the Crows. His debut year was crazy. Teams should try pry him out of Adelaide

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Since debuting in early 2017 at 25 years of age, Greenwood's career has been on a steady upward trajectory, as captured here by the AFL Player Ratings.

View attachment 669131

Those aggregate AFL player ratings are the sum of a player's past forty games. Guess what happens when a player has no history? They start at zero and steadily climb over forty games.

 

[Tandy]

Very good player and is out of contract

He'd do well at North too!

 

[J_Moore]

Those aggregate AFL player ratings are the sum of a player's past forty games. Guess what happens when a player has no history? They start at zero and steadily climb over forty games.

They don’t always climb to 2nd at their club, 26th for their position, and 41st in the league though, do they?

Similarly vintaged players have graphs that look less like a ski jump.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Similarly vintaged players turn out to be a different vintage - they're 20 year olds.

 

[J_Moore]

Similarly vintaged players turn out to be a different vintage - they're 20 year olds.

So? They’ve got no history.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

So?

So a 25yo with a year of SANFL behind him having a more consistent start than an 18yo old fresh out of juniors isn't a shock.

 

[Mantastic]

They don’t always climb to 2nd at their club, 26th for their position, and 41st in the league though, do they?

Similarly vintaged players have graphs that look less like a ski jump.View attachment 669239View attachment 669250View attachment 669251

What about someone like Tim Kelly? Seems a more apt comparison.

 

[Crow till I die]

Yep he's been more than solid for the Crows. His debut year was crazy. Teams should try pry him out of Adelaide

apparently a radio talk show in the west yesterday including Pavlich was making comment that Greenwood looked at moving to Perth last year and might still be open to a move. Most on our board have called bullcrap due to the reason stated on the radio show but really who knows? Don't want to lose him as he does offer a point of difference due to his size, contested work and ability to pack mark and kick some goals but if he wants out..I guess the club will extract a decent deal for him

 

[J_Moore]

What about someone like Tim Kelly? Seems a more apt comparison.

Yeah Kelly’s chart is going to look very similar if he produces an extra 10 games at his current output. A couple more dips than greenwood’s but more big jumps.

But that’s not really the point. Kelly is clearly a better player. The player ratings aren’t the proverbial suppository of all wisdom, and I only included the chart as a visual aid for the Tasmanian posters.

But for a season last year everybody was talking about how great Tim Kelly is and how immediate his impact has been.

My point is that Greenwood’s put together two seasons of very good, top-level football, straight out of the blocks, but he’s barely mentioned.

 

[Hobbes]

He's a contested beast. Always feels like somebody who could take the game by the scruff of the neck.

 

[fnerd]

apparently a radio talk show in the west yesterday including Pavlich was making comment that Greenwood looked at moving to Perth last year and might still be open to a move. Most on our board have called bullcrap due to the reason stated on the radio show but really who knows? Don't want to lose him as he does offer a point of difference due to his size, contested work and ability to pack mark and kick some goals but if he wants out..I guess the club will extract a decent deal for him

FWIW before he had a total re think of his professional sporting life greenwood had signed a 3 contract with the Perth wildcats.
Whether the rumour you speak of is true or not , moving to Perth is clearly not issue for him

 

[Go the Guts]

For Greenwood, I don’t think he’s really on anyone’s radar at all. He might as well be Ellis-Yeoman

That's exactly how we want it. Greenwood is a 6 foot 4 contested beast midfielder who takes pack marks and scores goals as you said. And Ellis-Yolmen is another contested animal. Had a lazy 33 touches last week. No opposition rate either of them. They all think our midfield consists of Brad and Matt Crouch and Sloane only. Love it. Slipping nicely under the radar.

 

[J_Moore]

Go off, king.

 

[nahnah]

would have been a nice get for the Bombers or Saints, Suns did well

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

Go off, king.

That's hilarious