AFL Player #35: Matt Guelfi - Out for <insert weeks> with a calf strain - 18/3

35 - guelfi.jpg

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 23, DERO
 
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May 6, 2007
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What role does he play?

If I took the two games Long played last year, in which he was serviceable, what is it that Guelfi is doing which is beyond Long?

An astutue mind such as yours can see the answer easily or is your blindness clouding your judgement?

Guelfi plays a hard nosed small defensive role. Utility when required to play forward if needed also. Long does not play either of these roles to a required AFL standard
 
Poor man's Ben Howlett in that he doesn't kick goals like Benny was able to.
Howlett was a rookie pick wasn’t he? And used in a different way once he was drafted too. Not sure if it’s a fair comparison at this point.
 

Oraaaaazio

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Poor man's Ben Howlett in that he doesn't kick goals like Benny was able to.
I don't see any similarities at all tbh, Howlett was a mid/resting half forward. Guelfi primarily plays a defensive role. Howlett when he debuted was the same age as what Guelfi is now so he was more ready to go when he started his AFL career & even so, he kicked 13 goals in his first 32 games vs Guelfi's 8 to this point in his career. Think Guelfi is and will continue to be a solid role player, not everyone can be a star and you don't need 22 A graders to win a flag, I'm comfortable with him in the side and if he's the 22nd player in your side you could do a lot worse.
 
Howlett was a rookie pick wasn’t he? And used in a different way once he was drafted too. Not sure if it’s a fair comparison at this point.
How does where Howlett was drafted bare any relevance?
I don't see any similarities at all tbh, Howlett was a mid/resting half forward. Guelfi primarily plays a defensive role. Howlett when he debuted was the same age as what Guelfi is now so he was more ready to go when he started his AFL career & even so, he kicked 13 goals in his first 32 games vs Guelfi's 8 to this point in his career. Think Guelfi is and will continue to be a solid role player, not everyone can be a star and you don't need 22 A graders to win a flag, I'm comfortable with him in the side and if he's the 22nd player in your side you could do a lot worse.
Both undersized midfielders who could rotate at either end, don't get a lot of the ball, don't use it effectively and their main weapon is their tackling ability. Ergo, poor man's Ben Howlett.
 
He's one of those bottom 6 players who would be lauded in a good team performing well which we currently are not hence he is held up as one of the key reasons why.
 
Both undersized midfielders who could rotate at either end, don't get a lot of the ball, don't use it effectively and their main weapon is their tackling ability. Ergo, poor man's Ben Howlett.

Don’t remember Howlett playing defence. Yes Guelfi doesn’t score as many goals but doesn’t spend as much time forward as Howlett did. Even when he’s been forward it’s been more defensive role.
 
How does where Howlett was drafted bare any relevance?
Because Guelfi is in his second year on an AFL list, having coming in as a mature age player via the national draft after one season in WAFL seniors. That implies a higher ceiling and some development still expected from him. At the same age Howlett was playing his 13th game for the club as an upgraded rookie, having been drafted with pick 30 in the rookie draft as Peel Thunder's 2009 best and fairest winner with 4 seasons of WAFL seniors under his belt. The expectations on him would be different, more of an "as is" selection.

With the same number of games under their belts, their numbers were pretty similar. Guelfi had more shots on goal in his first season (5.6) while Howlett kicked more goals in the same number of games (6.2).

In their second seasons, they've quite clearly played in different roles. Howlett kicked 9.5 over 23 games, and ytd Guelfi has played 17 games, had five shots on goal for a return of 3.2, with the .2 being last weekend against Port. He isn't getting anywhere near the sticks most of the time.
 
Don’t remember Howlett playing defence. Yes Guelfi doesn’t score as many goals but doesn’t spend as much time forward as Howlett did. Even when he’s been forward it’s been more defensive role.
Howlett probably didn't spend as much time there due to being much better forward. And Howlett generally did a defensive role inside 50 as well, but had better goal sense than Guelfi.
 
Because Guelfi is in his second year on an AFL list, having coming in as a mature age player via the national draft after one season in WAFL seniors. That implies a higher ceiling and some development still expected from him. At the same age Howlett was playing his 13th game for the club as an upgraded rookie, having been drafted with pick 30 in the rookie draft as Peel Thunder's 2009 best and fairest winner with 4 seasons of WAFL seniors under his belt. The expectations on him would be different, more of an "as is" selection.

With the same number of games under their belts, their numbers are pretty similar. Guelfi had more shots on goal in his first season (5.6) while Howlett kicked more goals in the same number of games (6.2).

In their second seasons, they've quite clearly played in different roles. Howlett kicked 9.5 over 23 games, and ytd Guelfi has played 17 games, had five shots on goal for a return of 3.2, with the .2 being last weekend against Port. He isn't getting anywhere near the sticks most of the time.
So two mature agers from the WAFL, both of whom played bit parts in the midfield, forward and defence, produce similar sort of numbers, have similar strengths (positional flexibility, good tacklers) with one being better around goals. So a poor man's Ben Howlett is on the money then?
 
So two mature agers from the WAFL, both of whom played bit parts in the midfield, forward and defence, produce similar sort of numbers, have similar strengths (positional flexibility, good tacklers) with one being better around goals. So a poor man's Ben Howlett is on the money then?
Like Ben Howlett would be more on the money. Poor man's makes him sound worse than he is. I think that remains to be seen.
 
So two mature agers from the WAFL, both of whom played bit parts in the midfield, forward and defence, produce similar sort of numbers, have similar strengths (positional flexibility, good tacklers) with one being better around goals. So a poor man's Ben Howlett is on the money then?
Nah. What similar numbers are you even talking about?
 
Similar disposals, marks, inside 50's, rebound 50's, CP's, UP's, DE.
In what season? Or are we talking Howlett's 7 seasons versus 1.5 from Guelfi?
 
In what season? Or are we talking Howlett's 7 seasons versus 1.5 from Guelfi?
Career numbers so far. Why are you taking such offense to an obvious comparison?
 
Career numbers so far. Why are you taking such offense to an obvious comparison?
This isn't offence, this is bemusement. You're making very little sense and then doubled down.
 
This isn't offence, this is bemusement. You're making very little sense and then doubled down.
Two mature aged recruits who have similar traits with one being better around goals doesn't make sense?
 
Two mature aged recruits who have similar traits with one being better around goals doesn't make sense?
There's no evidence to support such a statement.
 
He's one of those bottom 6 players who would be lauded in a good team performing well which we currently are not hence he is held up as one of the key reasons why.
Excellent point, he's like the depth players Richmond offloaded last year that were going to turn Gold Coast around. Yet removed from a good performing side they have been exposed as the solid role players they always were.
 

MattF185

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Think he has to stay in this week if Parish can’t get up, plus Langford deserves to get dropped in front of him. Maybe a run with role on Macrae could do him good?
 

BrunoV

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How does where Howlett was drafted bare any relevance?

Both undersized midfielders who could rotate at either end, don't get a lot of the ball, don't use it effectively and their main weapon is their tackling ability. Ergo, poor man's Ben Howlett.


Let's not compare Guelfi's tackling with Howlett's.

Howlett was an animal.
 

hurlygurdy

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Poor man's Ben Howlett in that he doesn't kick goals like Benny was able to.
I don't remember having the confidence in Howlett that i have in Guelfi. Guelfi seems to have a better football brain somehow... Whereas Howlett looked like something of an opportunist, Guelfi looks like he knows more about where he really needs to be at crucial moments for the team. But the comparison is pretty fair on known quantities.
 
It’s almost as if no one here watched any of the Eagles under Worsfold. Those sides were built around an army of gritty, largely anonymous team first role players that played their guts out and allowed the big names to flourish and do their thing.

I really value his attack on the ball, his work rate and his willingness to put his body on the line, it’s something that’s we are drastically deficient in and that’s why he keeps getting picked. He’s no finished article either, he’s still a work in progress.
 
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Apr 26, 2007
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Don’t remember Howlett playing defence. Yes Guelfi doesn’t score as many goals but doesn’t spend as much time forward as Howlett did. Even when he’s been forward it’s been more defensive role.
Our top dozen either aren’t good enough or are injured. An average run of injuries to our key players next season will see a marked improvement or effectiveness of our bottom 6. Fair?
 
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