2011 Most Improved Player

[carn tigez]

Thoughts on who has improved most in 2011? Someone else mentioned this in another thread, and it got me thinking. I reckon it's out of these five, particularly Nahas Vickery and Rance, but it's hard to say who has improved most out of these 3 IMO.

Cotchin and Martin could also be options I suppose.

 

[tigs2010]

Went Cotchin. Has gone from potential to bona fide star and future captain. That's a huge leap to make for a 21yo.

Great poll though. Every one of them has a strong case. Dusty even has improved since last year alot. While the other 3 are probably the obvious having break out seasons.

 

[juss]

Cotchin has gone from good player, to top 30 in the comp. It's probably him. However he was a fairly obvious call so I won't pick him, it was a pretty safe bet to say he'd be a gun, even from his very first game.

Rance on the other hand was almost a delistable dud at the start of the year, with no awareness and horrible in the air. 12 months later he is being talked about as one day possibly an AA Full Back. So I voted him.
Vickery a very close second.

 

[Rustof]

Though i do agree that Cotchin has gone from pretty much good player to our best player.
His main issue was fitness. He was always going to be a gun, just needed his body to keep up.

So for most improved I'd have to go with Rance. Has gone from pretty much questioning whether he has a spot on our list to being our first selected defender and FB. Not to mention one our hardest working players, never dies trying and constantly puts his body on the line without a hesitation of self preservation.

 

[sighclone]

I went for Vickery. Although I've only seen miniscule amount of RFC action, the bit I've seen or heard about- when comapred to last year- he seems to have stepped up as much as anyone.

 

[sprockets]

I thought Vickery was a spud but I'm happy he's proved me wrong. Ten year player but he needs to keep at it. Cotchin was always going to be a star.

 

[Dustin Credible]

For me it has to be Rance.

TV, Cotchin and Dusty have all progressed but as anticipated. Nahas has improved beyond expectations but Alex Rance has gone, in my eyes, from looking like he should be delisted, to being our best KPD and a key plank in building a platform for future success. Massive improvement.

 

[NQTIGER]

Without a dount TV at the start of the season a lot were saying he wasnt going to make it, me included, he is now first picked.

 

[Delediodamage]

I get the feeling if Grimes played 22 games he would of been right in contention, but Rance for mine.

 

[Wallaby]

There is an argument for Martin - if you remember he had a patch early in the season where he was playing at a level pretty close to the best player in the game. He was getting all the TV and Radio publicity. We all knew he was good, but I don't think we thought he'd be that good in just his 2nd year.

He tailed off a bit (particularly after playing in Darwin). But he showed us the level he can reach.

And put me down as a Vickery convert. I still want to see him show some more in the ruck. It's interesting that there are quite a few tall ruckmen/forwards in history who start out as tall forwards and kick a few goals and become permanent forwards - later in their career they become ruckmen and reach greater heights - Salmon. Ottens, Simon Madden. I think we should put Vickery in the 1st ruck very soon.

 

[carn tigez]

And put me down as a Vickery convert. I still want to see him show some more in the ruck. It's interesting that there are quite a few tall ruckmen/forwards in history who start out as tall forwards and kick a few goals and become permanent forwards - later in their career they become ruckmen and reach greater heights - Salmon. Ottens, Simon Madden. I think we should put Vickery in the 1st ruck very soon.

Interesting point that. It's hard to say really; we need a ruckman badly, but if we take Vickery out we need a 2nd key forward just as badly. It's a bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

[camiam]

RANCE, NAHAS AND VICKERY

all have improved the most from my perspective only because these players were pretty much on the chopping block if they didnt perform this year, where as martin and cotchin were always known to be freaks. i selected Vickery because i couldnt see him at the club next year, i didnt see the potential he had. he proved me completely wrong by all means. his marking, pace, set shot for goal and converting them was terrific. nahas i always knew if richmond continued with him they will be happy. nahas use to stuff up alot, but i saw it as a learning curve for him. he was the one who always tried, and thats what we asked for. now his a freak lol. Rance i didnt know where he was going to fit in. now he is our KFB, his size and attack at the ball have been his strong points, terrific player. the tigers have found out so much this year about themselves! credit to dimma

 

[Bruce Monteath]

Went Rance simply for his consistency and the fact that at many times he would have felt like ze Germans at Normandy.

Closely followed by Nahas and Tyrone. Nahas notable as he was a fringe player who is now firmly placed in our starting lineup. I like him because (like another I wont name) he makes the most of limited ability and size. He wont die wondering.

And if the big Vick can continue on the same development curve next year, he will be pushing AA.

 

[folester41]

Rance and by some margin, i thought he was a chance to be delisted if he had a poor season, now he has me thinking he will be at the club long term.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Rance, amazing what he has down down at FB

 

[rfctigerarmy]

Rance for me too. Improved his kicking, stamina, defensive and offensive work, marking and decision making. He was close to gone. Do a search and just see how many wanted him gone (or at least thought he was fin').

The guy has been holding down full back. Incredible.

 

[Dr Awkward]

Vickery was more of a solid progression for me, it would have to be either Nahas or Rance, both of them didn't really indicate last year that they were capable of having the years they had this year.

 

[Mr Magic]

I picked Rance as , particularly after Grimes went down, he has been carrying the backline by himself

 

[The Goon]

Rance. His year was almost the equivalent of Jack's last year - a stand out performance in an area of the field we were really struggling in.

 

[Tiger Titus]

Went with Rance. He's a real Tiger down back, he's courageous, hard, and could still get even better.

My other consideration was Nahas - he deserves more credit than he gets. Vickery, Martin, and Cotchin are all classy thoroughbreds (top 10 picks) that we expected to come on. Nahas is football's equivalent of an unloved mongrel. Picked up as an undersized, mature age rookie he's had to work bloody hard to earn his spot. He gets panned for his form last year, but people forget how much of a pleasant surprise his debut season (2009) actually was. I have a tonne of respect for the little man.

 

[Final Siren]

It's clearly out of these five blokes, with the possible addition of Foley showing some signs as he returns from injury.

Nahas: massive improvement over the pre-season, then was pretty consistent, so it's easy to forget how much he stepped up compared to last year.

Rance: clearly developed as the season went on, so we all get excited, but remember he's only just started to put it together. Loved his work late in the season, but need to see more.

Vickery: huge steps from last season; almost looks a different player.

Cotchin: yes, we expected it, but he turned potential into performance on a regular basis this year. Was in our bests almost every game and is surely a lock for the Jack Dyer medal.

Martin: what's remarkable is Martin smashed everyone's expectations in his first year, so by rights he should have plateaued or disappointed in his second. Instead he just got better.

I'm giving it to Vickery because I was almost ready to write him off last year.

The darker lining: except for the above (plus Foley), it's hard to think of any regular senior player who showed real improvement.

 

[Varicho]

All those guys mentioned improved this year, but for me the one that stands out most is Nahas.

Because of all players, he's proved a lot of people wrong.

I think it's fair to say that had he not been contracted for this year, he would've been de-listed at the end of last year. He's gone from that to one of the better small forwards in the comp..

Improved out of sight.

 

[The Goon]

The darker lining: except for the above (plus Foley), it's hard to think of any regular senior player who showed real improvement.

May be a bit harsh FS. What senior players?

 

[Final Siren]

May be a bit harsh FS. What senior players?

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.

 

[captain blood 17]

I thought Rance but ended up Nahhhhhaaas. Just thought Robin gave us some little man bite during the year, and kicked goals consistently. GWS will be happy with their pick up.