JR#8
Norm Smith Medallist
Hopefully, he can recharge for the end of the season. He has been banged up pretty badly over the last few months.
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Doesn’t do enough and doesn’t stay in games.
In 63 games he’s kicked 57 goals. Less than a goal a game is not good enough for a guy that doesn’t get much of the ball either.
Castagna 61 games from 63 goals
Butler 41 games 49 goals
I agree he’s our most talented. I want the ball in his hands, but if he can’t work out how to stay busy in games, then he needs a lengthy stint in the 2’s.
Still our best small forward when he’s healthy.
Not so sure about that. Footy moves on fast and he is behind a few now.
Higgins and Baker have better goal sense and better game smarts. Both are also far better ball winners. All three have good skills. Rioli is quicker, that's about it.
Sometimes it look like Rioli is an athlete playing footy.
Bizarre call. He's about as natural a footballer as anyone on our list. Seriously classy with ball in hand and has great evasive skills.
I think people sometimes forget just how tough it is to be a genuine small forward. You will regularly get days where you only get the opportunity to have 10 touches. You might have 3 games a year where you can genuinely rip a game apart. Aside from that, your defensive pressure has to be up and you have to always make the touches you do have count. It's a tough ask and not hard to see why your position in the side becomes vulnerable with a slight drop in form (and when we have so many blokes who do exactly the same thing).
We've seen enough from Rioli to know he will be a quality player over a long period of time. Just so happens we have Baker, George, Butler and Bolton all performing or putting their hand right now and you can't have all of them in the side.
Has played his best football as a small forward, and I'd argue that spending the preseason trying to turn him into a midfielder has had a negative impact on his form.He should be played on a wing in the ressies and left there until he his dominating IMO
That's his future position, far too skilled, fit and fast to be wasted as a pure fwd.
I would argue there's more to a natural footballer than being evasive and skilled. Two of the biggest ones he's average in - knowing how to consistently be where the ball is and goal smarts. Backed up by his low possession numbers and goal return vs games over his career thus far and also compared to our other small forwards.
Highly debatably he's our best and most talented small forward. His all round game is lacking. Not only does he need to round back into form, he needs to improve parts of his game.
I would not promote him until he has multiple 20+ possession multiple goal games in the VFL.
Has played his best football as a small forward, and I'd argue that spending the preseason trying to turn him into a midfielder has had a negative impact on his form.
We’re stacked in that area though. IMO he needs to be a specialist small forward who can provide the occasional spark in midfield when required. Exactly like Cyril.He should be played on a wing in the ressies and left there until he his dominating IMO
That's his future position, far too skilled, fit and fast to be wasted as a pure fwd.
Possibly, but he is an endurance beast where as Cyril couldn't run out of site on a dark night.We’re stacked in that area though. IMO he needs to be a specialist small forward who can provide the occasional spark in midfield when required. Exactly like Cyril.
Hey i like that line of yours...the wisdom of the crowd!...Kudos to you!I only get to limited no games being Canb.
last year at the game V GWS the Tiger faithful almost rose as one when he got near the ball
you could sense everyone expected magic - the wisdom of the crowd !!!
my take on see Rioli live , he is just below true elite level , with out big stats his timing and the quality of some of the things he does is inspiring to team mates and supporters alike and game changing
it would appear his work rate and/or output has dropped too low and he will have to spend time in the VFL and work his way back
Castagna & Butler do nice work and can finish off well but we never mention their names as game changers
its a juggling act, dropping Dan , I think it will be good for Club culture
If we win the VFL premiership can we field two sides in the AFL ????
Career disposal averages: Rioli 11.4, Castagna 11.3, Butler 11.3, Bolton 10.1. For comparison Eddie Betts, the best small forward of the past 10 years, averages 12.3. It's the nature of the position and Rioli is very comparable to his peers in this respect. Baker averages 16.5 but that is probably due to a small sample size/terrific form/being played higher up the ground. Not sure where your call re: goal smarts comes from, you don't need stats to see that Rioli has plenty of smarts around goal.
Saying he needs 'multiple 20+ possession goal games in the VFL' is again very ignorant of this position he plays. I would understand it if we're playing him as a wingman, but we're not. Shai Bolton had 15 disposals and was probably BOG against Freo. I get where you're coming from re working on certain parts of your game, but it's completely missing the point. He could go out in the VFL, play high and get 25 but have 0 tackles, would the coaching staff be happy with this? No, because it doesn't fit into our brand, and especially doesn't fit into Rioli's role.
Small forwards should be measured by their impact, not their possession count. Rioli's impact has dropped of late, hence he is out. Sending him back to the 2s and telling him to rack it up would be a very confusing and inconsistent message with the team we are trying to build.
Disposals | Goals | Behinds | Tackles | Clangers | Contested possessions | 1%ers | Bounces | Goal assists | |
Rioli 63 matches | 11.37 | 0.90 | 0.59 | 3.3 | 1.84 | 4.62 | 1.05 | 0.38 | 0.54 |
Butler 41 matches | 11.32 | 1.20 | 0.61 | 3.49 | 2.05 | 4.24 | 0.49 | 0.56 | 0.76 |
Castagna 61 matches | 11.26 | 1.03 | 0.87 | 2.93 | 2.13 | 4.54 | 0.80 | 0.57 | 0.48 |
Betts | 12.32 | 1.91 | 1.00 | 3.11 | 1.76 | 6.41 | 1.1 | 0.31 | 0.93 |
Betts after 3 full seasons and 58 matches into his career | 9.52 | 1.03 | 0.57 | 3.07 | 1.36 | 5.25 | 1.33 | 0.59 | 0.34 |
Rioli 2019 | 11.5 | 0.75 | 1.12 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 4.75 | 1.5 | 0.38 | 0.75 |
Career disposal averages: Rioli 11.4, Castagna 11.3, Butler 11.3, Bolton 10.1. For comparison Eddie Betts, the best small forward of the past 10 years, averages 12.3. It's the nature of the position and Rioli is very comparable to his peers in this respect. Baker averages 16.5 but that is probably due to a small sample size/terrific form/being played higher up the ground. Not sure where your call re: goal smarts comes from, you don't need stats to see that Rioli has plenty of smarts around goal.
Saying he needs 'multiple 20+ possession goal games in the VFL' is again very ignorant of this position he plays. I would understand it if we're playing him as a wingman, but we're not. Shai Bolton had 15 disposals and was probably BOG against Freo. I get where you're coming from re working on certain parts of your game, but it's completely missing the point. He could go out in the VFL, play high and get 25 but have 0 tackles, would the coaching staff be happy with this? No, because it doesn't fit into our brand, and especially doesn't fit into Rioli's role.
Small forwards should be measured by their impact, not their possession count. Rioli's impact has dropped of late, hence he is out. Sending him back to the 2s and telling him to rack it up would be a very confusing and inconsistent message with the team we are trying to build.