Analysis 2014 AFL Awards

[Dylan12]

The purpose of this thread is part analysis, part depository for articles relating to the myriad of awards and part discussion on the impending AFL award season, be it All-Australian, Brownlow Medal, Rising Star etc. etc.

The first of those is the All-Australian squad. This was from the Lions site:

While you would expect that both Rockliff and Hanley must be in line for maiden All-Australian appearances (particularly after being surprisingly overlooked last year), don’t be surprised to see a couple of other names feature in the squad.

Despite missing the first half of the season, Stefan Martin has been the form ruckman of the competition since Round 12 and could come under some consideration. Dayne Zorko is another who has posted career-best numbers in 2014, and wouldn’t look out of place in the AFL’s ‘Team of the Year’.

My first reaction to the above is that Joel Patfull has no chance when his own club doesn't even throw his name into the mix when discussing possible AA chances. Not that I thought the selection panel would even have considered him anyway.

The second award is this newly 22Under22 team, of which the Lions had three nominees:

The 22Under22 concept was launched in 2013 to recognise the AFL’s best young talent. To be eligible for selection, players must be aged 22 or younger for the entire AFL season (including finals).

Lester, who has played 51 games in four seasons with the Club, has listed among the potential defenders, and is the most experienced Lions player named in the squad. Aish (midfield) and Taylor (forward), meanwhile, both earned a nod for their standout debut seasons. Although you can’t argue with the quality of the 45-man squad, there were a handful of other Lions players who could consider themselves desperately unlucky to miss out – namely Justin Clarke, Josh Green, and Sam Mayes.

For mine, the biggest talking point out of the squad is the guys from the Lions that didn't make the squad, particularly Justin Clarke and Josh Green ahead of Ryan Lester, who I think himself would admit, that 2014 was below what he would have hoped to have achieved.

 

[patfullfankezz]

My first reaction to the above is that Joel Patfull has no chance when his own club doesn't even throw his name into the mix when discussing possible AA chances. Not that I thought the selection panel would even have considered him anyway.

It's rubbish, he's been one of the best, if not THE best intercept defender of the past couple of years. If you ever needed any evidence that the AA is nothing more than a popularity contest, here it is.

 

[Billy Puller]

Josh Green not making it is a joke. Easily the best of all the U22 players selected from the lions.

 

[Caiphus]

For mine, the biggest talking point out of the squad is the guys from the Lions that didn't make the squad, particularly Justin Clarke and Josh Green ahead of Ryan Lester, who I think himself would admit, that 2014 was below what he would have hoped to have achieved.

Naming RL as a defender as well seems more like they were running out of candidates.

 

[Ironmonger]

Geez it's a little cringeworthy.

I'm really excited about Aish, but he's been selected ahead of players like Coniglio, Dunstan, Newnes and Viney and I don't see how that can be justified on 2014 form.

Lester is a very strange nomination for all kinds of reasons. Gardiner and Clarke have played better and are actually defenders.

And as others have said, Green should easily be ahead of Billings, Bontempelli, Menzel and probably Taylor.

 

[Rally]

Green and Tom Lynch are the only players under 22 leading their club's goal kicking. Lynch managed to find a spot though.

 

[Skoob]

Like the AA, this new under22 thing is, as pointed out, a popularity contest. Merely a list of various members of a panel's favourites with perhaps a dash of "we better put a player from team X in". The AA team now regularly has players listed out of position, just because "you couldn't leave him out'.
All a bit of a wank, really.

 

[The Golfing Lion]

It's a shame cause it should mean more than it has become. Pick 5 or 6 key positions and then fill the rest with midfielders that played forward or back maybe once. Patfull is the perfect example of someone who should be considered but isn't. Just not popular enough

 

[Harris Specter]

Just another example of how much the Victorian media watches Lions games.

 

[Dylan12]

Further to that 22Under22 team, I am surprised Billy Longer made the squad. I didn't think he'd been that good, unless its more of an indictment on how few under 22's have excelled in the ruck this season. Every time I have seen Grundy play, he'd gone alright.

 

[Dylan12]

Certainly far from an official award, but again, amazing how underrated Joel Patfull is when he fails to make an 'alternative' AA side:

One would think the AFL world doesn't even know Joel exists. Crazy.

 

[captainrich]

Certainly far from an official award, but again, amazing how underrated Joel Patfull is when he fails to make an 'alternative' AA side:

One would think the AFL world doesn't even know Joel exists. Crazy.

hardly the most credible of lists, has polec traded for pick 34?? its sad how these guys who get paid for what they do cant even do the bare minimum research

 

[Mr Ripper]

Should dump all of this crapola and just bring back the Cazaly Awards.

 

[iBeng]

Certainly far from an official award, but again, amazing how underrated Joel Patfull is when he fails to make an 'alternative' AA side:

One would think the AFL world doesn't even know Joel exists. Crazy.

How the hell does Sam Jacobs make that when hes considered a lock for AA? Hell, Pods in that as well? He wouldnt be in anyones AA side. Josh Kennedy will likely make the actual squad...

Crazy.

 

[patfullfankezz]

Certainly far from an official award, but again, amazing how underrated Joel Patfull is when he fails to make an 'alternative' AA side:

One would think the AFL world doesn't even know Joel exists. Crazy.

It's infuriating. But expected. A) He's up in Brisbane, which means you get 90% less exposure, B) He's a defender, which is another 50% less exposure, C) He doesn't go looking for the limelight, which again knocks about 25% off his exposure.

He's basically non-existant.

 

[Fatcat08]

The premise was a AA squad that is made up of bargains when you weigh up their output vs what the teams gave up for them at the trade or pick table. In which case Rockliff should have been an absolute shoe-in for this team given he was a PSD pick and has had a better year then every mid on that list. Patfull as well given he was a 4th round pick, better value than both Spangher and Hombsch.

 

[Dan12]

The premise was a AA squad that is made up of bargains when you weigh up their output vs what the teams gave up for them at the trade or pick table. In which case Rockliff should have been an absolute shoe-in for this team given he was a PSD pick and has had a better year then every mid on that list. Patfull as well given he was a 4th round pick, better value than both Spangher and Hombsch.

All the players in that team came from other clubs. Draft bargains aren't included, so Rockliff can't be included and I doubt he knows that Patfull was once on Port's rookie list.

 

[Fatcat08]

All the players in that team came from other clubs. Draft bargains aren't included, so Rockliff can't be included and I doubt he knows that Patfull was once on Port's rookie list.

Fair enough on the first, missed that when i was looking at them. Agree on the second.

 

[PTizzle]

Patfull's even more of an oversight if that's a bargain list really. But as said above its sadly to be expected that AFL journalists don't properly know players careers.

 

[Ironmonger]

This might have been posted on another thread and I haven't seen it:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-08-27/who-will-be-this-years-rising-star

IF THE 2014 NAB AFL Rising Star Award goes the way our writers expect then it will be a very close race between the Western Bulldogs' Marcus Bontempelli and Brisbane Lion, Lewis Taylor.
There's no doubt midfielder Bontempelli has provided some amazing highlights and a genuine goal-of-the-year contender, but many of the AFL.com.au writers preferred the consistency of small forward Taylor.

Marcus Bontempelli61
Lewis Taylor 59
Luke McDonald 29
James Aish 15
Luke Dunstan 8
Harry Cunningham6
Tom Langdon 6
Josh Kelly 5
Kade Kolodjashnij 5
Jake Stringer 5
Zach Merrett 4
Jonathon Patton 3
Jack Billings 3
Troy Menzel 1

It won't surprise anyone to know that I believe Taylor should win it ahead of Bontempelli.

But if the voting goes along similar lines and they end up the clear two frontrunners then I'll be pretty happy regardless.

Around about round 13 or 14 Taylor seemed to have been totally lost in the discussion. It's good to see that through consistently good performances he's seemingly worked his way into contention.

 

[Dylan12]

IF AFL players were cars, Marcus Bontempelli would be a red Lamborghini Veneno Roadstar, Lewis Taylor a beige Holden Astra. The Bontempelli model would boast a passenger-side speedo and leather air vents as standard features whereas you would struggle for fast glass and air in the Taylor Astra. Such is the difference in style of the two young men considered most likely to be vying for contention when votes are cast tonight for the 2014 NAB Rising Star, an award that will be announced this Wednesday. And while Bontempelli has been an odds-on favourite for the past two months after creating his own human highlight reel in the middle part of the season, I believe Taylor clearly deserves the award based on his level of consistency over 22 games.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/ma...ising-star-award/story-fndv8weh-1227042265321

 

[Caiphus]

What a terrible metaphor. If anything Lewie is Mini Cooper works; or a lotus...

 

[Dylan12]

Josh Green becomes only our second 'small' forward to take out the club's leading goal-kicker award with 33 goals following Akermanis' 44 in 2004. Green's tally of 33 is the fourth lowest leading total in the club's history following Brown 28 (2013), Clark 27 (2011) and Leppitsch 26 (98).

 

[Lace Out]

Surely not far behind Betts and I know who I'd take being 7 years younger.

 

[Skoob]

Josh Green becomes only our second 'small' forward to take out the club's leading goal-kicker award with 33 goals following Akermanis' 44 in 2004. Green's tally of 33 is the fourth lowest leading total in the club's history following Brown 28 (2013), Clark 27 (2011) and Leppitsch 26 (98).

It's not always a bad thing to have your leading scorer to have low numbers (I know, that's not what you're saying). What we have at the moment is a real spread of contributors. Buddy has the Coleman sewn up (I think). Being Sydney's main avenue to goal, he takes the day off and they lose to Richmond (I know, oversimplifying their loss). Anyway, we saw what happens when you're dependent on a key forward, for years we had a bad case of "no Brown, no Lions).