Opinion 2019 AA Eagles

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Feb 18, 2012
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For all the talk of McGovern having a downish year, there's no defender anywhere near him for contested marks. And he's going at 81% disposal efficiency. Career high for 1%ers. Rebounding more, giving away fewer frees and making fewer clangers than 2017-18. It's still pretty damn solid. And who else is in the mix?

Yep; think we all forget how lucky we are to have Gov;

Among key defenders (total for the season)

#1 intercept marks
#1 contested marks
#1 marks
#1 intercepts
#4 contested defence loss rate
#8 disposals
#13 one percenters
82% disposal efficiency

I'd agree that Gov has had a bit of a down year relative to the past couple, but his stats are still ridiculous; no other key defender comes close. With the way the modern game is played, he could just rack up AA year after year. Should make his fourth team in a row from 5 completed seasons. Insane.
 

Candiru

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Yep; think we all forget how lucky we are to have Gov;

Among key defenders (total for the season)

#1 intercept marks
#1 contested marks
#1 marks
#1 intercepts
#4 contested defence loss rate
#8 disposals
#13 one percenters
82% disposal efficiency

I'd agree that Gov has had a bit of a down year relative to the past couple, but his stats are still ridiculous; no other key defender comes close. With the way the modern game is played, he could just rack up AA year after year. Should make his fourth team in a row from 5 completed seasons. Insane.
Bottom line: who's been better?

He may well have had better years but that's irrelevant. McGovern isn't competing against himself from seasons past. He's competing against other key defenders in 2019 and I'm not sure there are two guys who've got him covered.
 

Luuuc

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One of the main reasons Gov has had a quieter season this year is that opponents are so aware of his awesomeness that they craft their entire forward half strategies around avoiding him. There aren't too many players who disrupt opposition teams to that extent. And even despite that he still finds ways to be damaging.
 

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Yamumluvsbigcox

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Oct 22, 2012
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Yeo should also get his first, will win his 3rd B&F in a row, this week talked about as the best player in the comp. How Edwards from Richmond was AA last season ahead of Yeo is just baffling.
Yeo is already an AA (2017) . Should be in the team

But i feel shuey has had more impact this season but will only make the squad

Shep is a lock

Hurn will be captain

Darling will make the squad

Mcgovern will make the squad .

We may be lucky and get 4 as richmond did last year hopefully shuey or darling
 
Dec 18, 2005
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Remember Jack had a slow start and took a while to hit form this season.

So not a full AA quality season, Im just happy he's hit form at the right time of year.
He offers more than someone like Ben Brown for example. Doubles him for Goal assists, Tackles and One percenters from less game time. Despite this, I think most will come from the backline.

Shep, Gov and Hurn are all good bets.

Gaff possible as he's a winger. Yeo right up there too.
 
Dec 18, 2005
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Yeo is already an AA (2017) . Should be in the team

But i feel shuey has had more impact this season but will only make the squad

Shep is a lock

Hurn will be captain

Darling will make the squad

Mcgovern will make the squad .

We may be lucky and get 4 as richmond did last year hopefully shuey or darling
I think they love having a stat to hang their hat on.

Shep #1 marks
Gov #1 intercept marks, #3 contested marks
Yeo #1 tackles etc
 

ioppolo

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Oct 3, 2010
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Stats aren't everything but that doesn't matter to the AA selectors. Harris Andrews doesn't have flash stats but his impact at Brisbane is huge
 

Art OF war

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May 5, 2008
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If we finish first, there is a good chance that we have four or possibly 5 that make it.
For me McGovern 90/10
Hurn (c) 85/15
Shep 50/50
Yeo 55/45
Shuey 40/60
 
May 5, 2006
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B: Hurn (C)
HB: McGovern
HF: Darling

IC: Yeo

Maybe: Shuey, Sheppard

IMO Sheppard has been better than Hurn but Hurn is incumbent and gets more kicks. Selectors love stats. Sheppard's role is tough when it comes to AA selection because he's up against similar third talls, key defenders, small defenders, attacking half backs and high possession back pockets and there are only 4 spots after FB and CHB are filled. If you were picking any 22 players you want would you pick Brad Sheppard as a third tall or would you pick 3 of McGovern/Rance/Tarrant/Talia/whoever?

Last year they picked two key defenders, Tom Stewart who is a similar third tall to Sheppard that gets more of the ball, Laird who touches it 95 times a game and Hurn, plus Whitfield who while a gun is a pretty dubious pick for a defender.
 

Ishmael_

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Stats aren't everything but that doesn't matter to the AA selectors. Harris Andrews doesn't have flash stats but his impact at Brisbane is huge

He's missed four games though hasn't he? I think Brisbane will suffer from the AA lag and only get a couple of players in. Neale and Cameron are locks and I reckon Rich because it's a good story.

Shep with the better year, but Hurn with the debacle from last year, so I think Hurn will get in and make captain. Really Cripps should be captain this year, but the selectors made their bed when they decided on a lark to make Franklin captain, so I think they'll feel the need to make up for that.

The doomsday scenario is Ablett makes the team and gets made captain, when on post-bye form he really shouldn't even be in the team and his leadership ability is objectively poor. However, he's tied on 8 AA jumpers and this panel seems like they enjoy putting their stamp on things and gifting him the captaincy and another AA is just the sort of thing they'd do.
 

RanaNaved

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Gov a no brainier imo. As others have said, judge him against his competition not his personal best year and he is still the best CHB.
 

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Reminiscence

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Sep 8, 2010
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Locks: Hurn, Gov, Darling
High Chance: Yeo, Shep (really should be a lock)
Good Chance: Shuey, Gaff
Squad: Sheed
Smokie: Jetta
 
Mar 1, 2011
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Gov probably makes it again. If anything, he's like the Rance/Scarlett/Silvagni auto-selection in the backline with AA selectors. Harris Andrews and Dylan Grimes probably his only competition.

Hurn more of a chance that Sheppard. Selectors may even be sheepish about stiffing him for captaincy last year. Shep will probably be overlooked as he is every year. Vying with guys like Crisp, Sicily, Vlastuin, the fast dudes from Essendon, Dane Rampe, Luke Ryan, as well as a plethora of other overrated rebound defenders.

Yeo a good chance. Shuey's a tough one. Deserves a gig, but you've got the likes of Fyfe, Neale, Bont, Cripps probably locking up spots, while there'll be a heap of other mids vying for the limited spots.

Would love to see Darling selected, but his start to the year probably means no. Likely a Cameron/Brown/Hawkins combo for the key forward posts.

Gaff I'd probably say has a better shot than Shuey. Could land a wing spot.

Sheed... probably squad at best. Had a good year, but won't be rated.
This is all spot on. Saved me writing it.

I'd love to see Sheppard and Shuey get selected, even if it means that Hurn/Yeo/Gaff etc miss out because of it.

EDIT: Also Darling.
 
Mar 1, 2011
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One of the main reasons Gov has had a quieter season this year is that opponents are so aware of his awesomeness that they craft their entire forward half strategies around avoiding him. There aren't too many players who disrupt opposition teams to that extent. And even despite that he still finds ways to be damaging.
Yeah I saw Carlton's whiteboard on the weekend and they had 3 things listed:

(1) Friends
(2) Family
(3) Be aware of Jeremy McGovern's awesomeness
 

MrWoollie

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We really have a lot of guys who are there or thereabouts for the 40. Just a few random thoughts.

Gov - hasn't had the direct impact of the past 2-3 years, but there is a pretty significant reason for this. Every other team is scared of the Gov, and many have modified their game plan to avoid him. If Gov is down the line, kick short inboard, If Gov is in the hole, go short or over. If Gov is holding the middle ground, go around him and so on. For one player to totally change how the opposition plays means that he may have less direct impact, but more overall impact. Not sure the AA selectors look at this.

Hurn - major embarrassment for the selectors last year. Buddy as captain - *****. His first 15 games of 2019 were better than his 2018 but has tailed off since the injury. Would have been a lock (and as captain) a month ago, but will need a big ending to guarantee a spot. If in is captain. Cue red faces at the selectors table. Would they leave him out just to avoid scrutiny?

Sheppard - best season so far and should be in the main side. But if Gov and Hurn get a gig, having three backs from one side? Unlikely.

Yeo and Shuey - hard to get a gig in the midfield. Yeo more likely because of his one-on-one games against Cripps, Fyfe, Bont etc. Shuey misses.

JD - 20 goals in the last three weeks and he's in. Anything less and he misses.

Gaff, Sheed - no chance.
 
Dec 4, 2017
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He's missed four games though hasn't he? I think Brisbane will suffer from the AA lag and only get a couple of players in. Neale and Cameron are locks and I reckon Rich because it's a good story.

Shep with the better year, but Hurn with the debacle from last year, so I think Hurn will get in and make captain. Really Cripps should be captain this year, but the selectors made their bed when they decided on a lark to make Franklin captain, so I think they'll feel the need to make up for that.

The doomsday scenario is Ablett makes the team and gets made captain, when on post-bye form he really shouldn't even be in the team and his leadership ability is objectively poor. However, he's tied on 8 AA jumpers and this panel seems like they enjoy putting their stamp on things and gifting him the captaincy and another AA is just the sort of thing they'd do.

Re Cripps, his first 8 games were great (when they lost nearly all of them), since then he's had only 2 good games, was out for 2 and was tagged out of the rest. Hurn for captain every day! Geelong have the best points against tally and 2nd best points for so they will probably get a couple of defenders and forwards too.
 
Mar 30, 2009
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Re Cripps, his first 8 games were great (when they lost nearly all of them), since then he's had only 2 good games, was out for 2 and was tagged out of the rest. Hurn for captain every day! Geelong have the best points against tally and 2nd best points for so they will probably get a couple of defenders and forwards too.
Yeah think Stewart is almost a certainty but I can’t for the life of me see any of their forwards getting a gig. Hawkins is probably the only one. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Cameron and Hawkins at FF and CHF
 

Brolga

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Nov 20, 2011
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Remember Jack had a slow start and took a while to hit form this season.

So not a full AA quality season, Im just happy he's hit form at the right time of year.
Yet this same logic won’t be applied to Dusty who will likely be picked on late season form.
 

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