Player Watch #41: Mabior Chol - FA to GC

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You are not seriously going to argue with stats about who is a better footballer, Nankervis or Soldo.

Soldo is a big lumbering dinosaur, Chol is a Mercedes in comparison. And yes they are both learning, but until about 6 weeks ago, Chol had been floating around the forward line with nothing much to do (ruckwise) while Soldo has been carrying the ruck dept. for a couple years in the VFL.

Soldo is a better tap ruck.
Not remotely suggesting Soldo is better than Nank, im saying statistically he holds his own, and his detractors like yourself who view him as a "lumbering dinosaur" are way of the mark. Go watch Grigga and big Ivy's assessment on coaches corner a few weeks ago.
 

Grrr

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Not remotely suggesting Soldo is better than Nank, im saying statistically he holds his own, and his detractors like yourself who view him as a "lumbering dinosaur" are way of the mark. Go watch Grigga and big Ivy's assessment on coaches corner a few weeks ago.
Of course they are going to talk him up. He's a decent ruckman, but a ruck division of Nank (or Soldo as a fair backup) and Chol/Balta is far more dynamic.
Soldo averages 7 possessions a game because he spends all his energy just getting to the ruck contests. Hense the dinosaur reference.
 
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Some excellent posts in this thread, well done all. All of these players, Nankervis, Chol, Soldo and Balta have it all the play for yet, great competition for two crucial spots in the team. When the whips are cracking at the business end of the season my money would be on Nankervis and Balta being in the team, their brutal strength will be valuable in finals. None of the 4 are out of the question though.
 
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Marcel Proust

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Some excellent posts in this thread, well done all. All of these players, Nankervis, Chol, Soldo and Balata have it all the play for yet, great competition for two crucial spots in the team. When the whips are cracking at the business end of the season my money would be on Nankervis and Balta being in the team, their brutal strength will be valuable in finals. None of the 4 are out of the question though.

CCJ is developing nicely too
 

Vassp

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Of course they are going to talk him up. He's a decent ruckman, but a ruck division of Nank (or Soldo as a fair backup) and Chol/Balta is far more dynamic.
Soldo averages 7 possessions a game because he spends all his energy just getting to the ruck contests. Hense the dinosaur reference.
Agree 100%. Chol Balta would be a crazy combo. Speed and coverage in spades.
 

Marcel Proust

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We wont see Balta again this year guys. No chance.

He barely understands football and you cant carry a bloke like that into finals.

Its Chol or a small.

i dont buy we can carry Ellis, DES, Short types but not Balta

brando might have a better football brains understanding of systems etc. balta is vastly superior in some footy aspects /athlete wise...
 
i dont buy we can carry Ellis, DES, Short types but not Balta

brando might have a better football brains understanding of systems etc. balta is vastly superior in some footy aspects /athlete wise...

Stop it, Balta over Ellis or short? Not in this season and far from it.
 

T4P

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I’m with Morro on this one, Balta’s football IQ is in single digits. His athletic traits have done much to mask it, but he’s got a lot to learn still.

I think it’s amazing that Chol has forced his way into our genuine best 22 side. Would be stiff to see him dropped, but understandable given low TOG numbers.

His left shoe to George on the weekend was succulent
 
Oct 8, 2011
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I’m with Morro on this one, Balta’s football IQ is in single digits. His athletic traits have done much to mask it, but he’s got a lot to learn still.

I think it’s amazing that Chol has forced his way into our genuine best 22 side. Would be stiff to see him dropped, but understandable given low TOG numbers.

His left shoe to George on the weekend was succulent
Balta and Chol are quite similar in a way. Both starting out with great athletic traits, but not natural footballers.

Chol has certainly come a long way. He looks like he could be an AFL player now, not just an athlete playing AFL.

I think Balta will get there in a couple of years
 
Balta and Chol are quite similar in a way. Both starting out with great athletic traits, but not natural footballers.

Chol has certainly come a long way. He looks like he could be an AFL player now, not just an athlete playing AFL.

I think Balta will get there in a couple of years

Spot on, the difference between the 2 is simply time in the system
 

DustinsGuns

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Quiet.

It's definetly one of the questions come finals. He only played 58% field time today yet had 9 HO, 10 touches and a goal. He's a dead eye dick for goal, an excellent field kick, but none-the-less doesn't seem to do enough for a second ruck.

I like him alot, so I'm curious to see what happens with him over the next couple of weeks. Want to see him play a high utility/half forward role. Don't want him going for the same marks as Jack and Tom, which so far he hasn't.
 

Cotcho

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He's very good at his best but sometimes poor. I think we need to persist with him but I'd like him to have just a little bit more urgency. He doesn't panic which is good but is sometimes slow when he needs to move fast. I don't think he's tired but he certainly looks lethargic at times, which is probably due to not understanding the pace of the game yet.
 

Marcel Proust

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Chol has insane potential.

NicNat light with better forward ability

Insane to compare Ellis and Balta.
Completely different roles and stages of development.
Tired of the Ellis detractors.

but you could play Balta on a wing

with two of Soldo, Chol, Nankervis ruck

Lynch, Riewoldt forward

it would be bloody awesome and intimidating
 
The was a passage of play in the last coming forward on the southern stand side he contested for a bobbling ball and a port player bumped him over the line.
Thing was though the Port guy could’ve really cleaned him up cause Chol didn’t really brace himself or protect himself.
I don’t know that he gets the collision stuff
 
Jun 2, 2012
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How did people see his game today ?.
Had some nice moment and he continues to do some good things when he has the ball.

I like that his athleticism and running ability allows us to play a second ruckman with out much affect to our structures.

However he averages 8.8 hit outs a game, I can acknowledge his limited TOG and he doesn’t spend huge chunks of the game in the ruck but I question if he’s really having any impact in the ruck. Can we warrant the selection of a second ruck if we’re not getting much improvement in the ruck/clearances as a result.

I wouldn’t bring Nank straight back to ruck on his own and whilst Chol has been really impressive I’m just not sure if he’s best 22 when everyone’s fit.
 

Neen

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Kept an eye on the Grundie/Cox Soldo/Chol duck duel last night, and I thought around the ground our rucks did better. Soldo and Chol are completely different beast and Nank sits somewhere in between them. Chol's strength is his versatility, and his movement through traffic. Scary thought considering there's still more upside.

I love his kicking action, and if he keeps kicking goals, he might become our next "Cholman" Medalist, after Lynch has won a few.
 
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