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Opinion 2009 Top 10 Most Improved

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1. Leigh Montagna
2. Sam Gilbert
3. Shaun Higgins
4. Zac Dawson
5. Paul Duffield
6. Daniel Jackson
7. Mark LeCras
8. Paul Bower
9. Clinton Jones
10. Patrick Ryder

Unlucky: Mitch Clark, Chris Tarrant, Chris Knights, Andrew Lovett, Jobe Watson, Rhyce Shaw. Might be more I have forgotten.

Try and pick guys who have been on an AFL list for at least a few years.
 
Montagna was already a half decent footballer who has become one of the best performed players this year.

Zac Dawson was lucky to be picked up in the rookie draft and has become a key player in the premier team so far this season.

Zac Dawson easily.
 
I think Montagna at number 1 implies that you underrate how good Montagna has been in the past. He has been a gun midfielder since 2007, and last year he had a great year. He led the league in kicks and had a fairly similar year to say Bateman, but of course got none of the credit because he didn't play for a top team. He's gone up a level in 09 but I can't help thinking the only reason he's suddenly rated so much higher is because we're now on top.

Anyway I think 4, 5, 6 on your list should be 1, 2 and 3 with Duffield number 1. I seriously barely knew who he was pre-season, he's only played a handful of games prior to this year (due to injury or poor form I dunno, freo fans?) and yet suddenly he comes from nowhere averaging high 20's possession and potentially in the mix for AA and a top 3 B+F finish.
 
I have Montagna as no.1 because I think it's harder for a player to go from good to elite as opposed from no name to good. To make the step into the elite category is difficult especially when you have been around as long as Montagna. I probably did underate Montagna over the years but he has got the absolute most out of himself to be considered the no.1 player in the competition at the moment.
 

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Farren Ray, Aaron Davey, Pears, Whitecross are some others
 
TassieSaint said:
I think Montagna at number 1 implies that you underrate how good Montagna has been in the past. He has been a gun midfielder since 2007, and last year he had a great year. He led the league in kicks and had a fairly similar year to say Bateman, but of course got none of the credit because he didn't play for a top team. He's gone up a level in 09 but I can't help thinking the only reason he's suddenly rated so much higher is because we're now on top.

Anyway I think 4, 5, 6 on your list should be 1, 2 and 3 with Duffield number 1. I seriously barely knew who he was pre-season, he's only played a handful of games prior to this year (due to injury or poor form I dunno, freo fans?) and yet suddenly he comes from nowhere averaging high 20's possession and potentially in the mix for AA and a top 3 B+F finish.
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He was a fringe player, who debuted in sirengate i think (you wouldnt forget that one), and who has just worked his bum off since. He isnt flashy but he is a hard worker. A definite big improver.
 
Colin Sylvia.

Finally pulled his finger out.

Also, Jason Winderlich even thought it may be more down to finally getting himself fully fit?
 
Hard to put Tarrant up there. He's improved on last year but he was an AA half forward in 2003.

Sylvia would have to be top couple in the most improved stakes. From Melbourne Aaron Davey might be up there but he was already good. James Frawley would probably be our second most improved behind Sylvia.
 
AUSSIE GUN said:
1. Leigh Montagna
2. Sam Gilbert
3. Shaun Higgins
4. Zac Dawson
5. Paul Duffield
6. Daniel Jackson
7. Mark LeCras
8. Paul Bower
9. Clinton Jones
10. Patrick Ryder

Unlucky: Mitch Clark, Chris Tarrant, Chris Knights, Andrew Lovett, Jobe Watson, Rhyce Shaw. Might be more I have forgotten.

Try and pick guys who have been on an AFL list for at least a few years.
Click to expand...
I would've had lovett in the top 10 but probably not watson in the "unlucky" group. He has improved a fair bit this year but I think there's a fair few others who have made bigger gains.
 
a few guys that could be there are
Sylvia
Winderlich
Shannon Burns
Swallow
 
I haven't seen too many non-Brisbane matches this year, but from the ones I've seen Zac Dawson is the standout and Chris Tarrant has been in the best form he's seen since moving to Freo. Higgins has impressed me but I didn't see enough of the Bulldogs last year to know how much of an improvement he's had (although judging by the commentary and his supercoach scores, quite a bit).

Still, seeing as I've mainly see the Lions play, I can only really comment on Lions that have improved this year, and that means Justin Sherman and Mitch Clark.
 

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Wouldn't say Knights deserves to be on the "unlucky list" just yet, however if his form continues for the rest of the season, then I would rate him a shoe in for the top ten. Even though he is the captain, Dom Cassissi would be up there, seems to be more consistent this year, and one of few Port players performing (just thought I would chuck one in from left field;)).
 
Ricky Dyson. May not be up there with the best, but has improved out of sight and deserves a mention. Previously was a squib and a terrible kick who hurt the team weekly and when he got resigned our supporters were fuming, but now he throws himself in at contests, runs hard all day and is one of the best kicks in our side.
 
I can not comment on top 10, only Jackson as I have not seen enough of the others.

I have not seen a player change so remarkably in terms of football ability than Jackson this year. (He showed some promise last year but many were calling for a delisting after being drafted in 2003).

For those who don't know him, he is a former rower and has a very powerful pyhsique. He was always fit, but this year he has improved even more to the point where he ran a tan time equal to the fastest ever at richmond. He is quite quick off the mark as well. As a result I don't think any player in the league can outrun him.

He is playing as our number 1 tagger now and blanketing the best opposition mid each week. He is as tough as nails, very courageous and niggles the opposition to distraction. He also gets a lot of the ball himself. I would hate to play against him.

Football wise, he now does the robert harvey when he is tackled, and takes the ball up giving him free hands to still give the ball off. He has become a fairly reliable disposer of the ball and often looks to open up the play and bring it back into the corridoor...a rareity at Richmond of late.

Most of these improvements have only been highly noticeable this year.

He is probably leading our B&F by the length of flemington straight.
 

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Closing one eye, I would agree with LeCras and would also throw up Shannon Hurn's name. Has been a rock as our 'quarterback' and would be top 3 in our best and fairest IMO.

Opening the other eye, I like most of the names on your list. Would also mention Travis Varcoe and Michael Jamison too.
 
The improvements from a number of Saints has been the main reason we've been doing so well. Ray and Dawson have been great, slotting easily into our side. Whilst Joey has gone from good to one of the best in the leagues. And Jones too has proven his worth.

Straying from the Saints. Agreed on Jackson. I didn't know much about him last year. But he's clearly the Tigers best player this year. He's done a lot of things this year, and impressed a lot of people. Still pretty young as well, and Im sure he'll be part of the core group when Richmond get up the top of the table in how ever many years.

Sylvia too. Demons fans have been pulling their hair out over him long enough. It's good to see him finally repaying the Dees for selecting him so high, and their constant picking of him in their best side, even though Im sure many Dees were asking for him to be dropped in the last couple years. As with Jackson, will probably make up the core group in a couple years, leading the likes of Morton and most likely Scully in the middle.

LeCras too, really popped out of no where, was probably doing the same thing last year, but Im sure it's only now people outside of WA have noticed how good this kid is.

Those are the few I've seen (barely) enough to comment on.
 

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