2011 Most Improved Player

[carn tigez]

Well, I'd class senior players as those who aren't new to the club and had played at least 25 games before the start of this year. That means:

• Cotchin
• Deledio
• Edwards
• Foley
• Graham
• Jackson
• King
• McGuane
• Moore
• Morton
• Newman
• Riewoldt
• Thursfield
• Tuck
• White

So this should really be the core of our side. One of them (Cotchin) clearly improved. Deledio and Riewoldt I'd say had good years, but neither was a real step up from 2010 (particularly Jack's). Foley was good, but mainly because he was returning from injury; he's still not back to his best.

All the rest you'd have to say went nowhere or backwards.

So while there were promising signs from our kids, that wasn't really matched by the seniors. Which you'd expect, to an extent, but just shows how much we rely on the kids to take us places.

King improved, Moore was out all year, and I'd say Edwards probably improved a bit too. The rest I agree on.

 

[Madison]

Well, I'd class senior players as those who aren't new to the club and had played at least 25 games before the start of this year. That means:

• Cotchin
• Deledio
• Edwards
• Foley
• Graham
• Jackson
• King
• McGuane
• Moore
• Morton
• Newman
• Riewoldt
• Thursfield
• Tuck
• White

So this should really be the core of our side. One of them (Cotchin) clearly improved. Deledio and Riewoldt I'd say had good years, but neither was a real step up from 2010 (particularly Jack's). Foley was good, but mainly because he was returning from injury; he's still not back to his best.

All the rest you'd have to say went nowhere or backwards.

So while there were promising signs from our kids, that wasn't really matched by the seniors. Which you'd expect, to an extent, but just shows how much we rely on the kids to take us places.

You think 25 games make a senior player? Senior is usually 100+.

And of course we are relying on kids to take us places, if our senior core were quality we wouldn't always be in the bottom 8.

 

[Tiger_Stripes]

Without a flicker of a doubt, Rance. Nahas, Cotch and Vickery all made huge leaps but all were still at times inconsistent. Rance gave us a solid season and a 10 year pledge.

 

[Final Siren]

You think 25 games make a senior player? Senior is usually 100+.

Right, I was being generous. What I'm saying is that very little of our improvement this year came from the 15 core guys who have been at the club for more than five minutes.

IMHO these guys all had a worse 2011 than 2010: Edwards, Graham, Jackson, McGuane, Moore, Morton, Newman, Riewoldt, Tuck, White. That's 10 of 15. Thursfield and King are borderline: 12 of 15.

So what took us up the ladder this year was not our core group. I don't expect veterans to suddenly improve out of sight, but I think it's a concern when almost every player with any experience doesn't seem able to improve beyond the level that had us finish bottom-2 last year.

 

[Final Siren]

King improved, Moore was out all year, and I'd say Edwards probably improved a bit too. The rest I agree on.

Edwards finished 6th in our Best & Fairest last year; I seriously doubt he'll do that again. King finished 9th last year; he might be thereabouts. And sure, Moore was out through injury, but Foley was back in, so that's a wash.

 

[TigerTank]

I have to confess that simply considering this poll has made me feel a whole lot better about this season, which was otherwise a bit of a disappointment.
All of those (apart from perhaps Martin, whose improvement was steady at best) have improved dramatically. Comments about Cotchin going from very good to elite are spot on.
However I had doubts about whether Rance, Vickery and Nahas would make it at all. I now think all will. Of those, the one I am most pleasantly surprised about is Vickery. Good tall forwards are worth their weight, so he'd be my choice.

 

[LOZWILDA]

Went Rance just ahead of TV, both big improvers this year along with Cotch, Martin, Grimes and Nahas.

 

[carn tigez]

Edwards finished 6th in our Best & Fairest last year; I seriously doubt he'll do that again. King finished 9th last year; he might be thereabouts. And sure, Moore was out through injury, but Foley was back in, so that's a wash.

Did you consider that King and Edwards dropping off in the B and F might be due to the massive improvement in Cotchin, Rance, Nahas, Vickery? I can't remember where Cotch finished last year but I know the other 3 were nowhere near top 10, and now they most likely will be. Just because they don't finish the same in the B&F count doesn't mean they got worse, it just means they didn't improve as much as others.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Went Rance because he looked so out of it last year - great transformation.
I always thought TV looked like he had the ability, just needed size and confidence.
Nahas, talent but needed to life his workrate and confidence.

Cotch and Dusty always looked like stars, and they just got better as expected.

 

[jarrod24]

It's hard to go past Rance. Massive improvement from last year, although it is good to see a lot of improvement from a whole heap of the boys.
Already looking forward to next year to see if they can step up again.

 

[Final Siren]

Did you consider that King and Edwards dropping off in the B and F might be due to the massive improvement in Cotchin, Rance, Nahas, Vickery? I can't remember where Cotch finished last year but I know the other 3 were nowhere near top 10, and now they most likely will be. Just because they don't finish the same in the B&F count doesn't mean they got worse, it just means they didn't improve as much as others.

That's true, but I'm saying flat out I don't think they improved.

With specific reference to the Jack Dyer medal, we'll be able to see what the coaches thought, because they report the raw score awarded to each player as well as his overall rank.

Cotch was 7th last year, btw.

 

[carn tigez]

Yep that's fair enough, everyone has their own differing opinions. I reckon King will have a higher rating than last year and Edwards possibly slightly higher although I'm not too confident on that, but I also don't think he was in need of much improvement.

 

[Final Siren]

Major improvers in 2011 by Jack Dyer votes!

 

[BearMe]

Gone for Vickery, only because I had real douts he would make it. Looked slow and to gentle for me, I now think he will be very good kind of like Ottens was / is. As for Rance I think he always had the body looked like a afl player but hes had a really good year not sure hes tall enough for chb if we slot moore at fb this could solve our problems.