Player Watch #3: Jed Anderson - successfully returns against Adelaide

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roojor

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What ever happens this year stories like Jed have me excited for the future it tells me we have a excellent football environment. That a player who was going nowhere for three years is now probably in the top five in the B&F shows we the culture is correct. kudos for Brad for giving him a go and for Jack being humble enough to play a different role.
 

Jesslc

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What ever happens this year stories like Jed have me excited for the future it tells me we have a excellent football environment. That a player who was going nowhere for three years is now probably in the top five in the B&F shows we the culture is correct. kudos for Brad for giving him a go and for Jack being humble enough to play a different role.
Yeah I bet Jack hates playing deep forward haha
 

Heaps of fun

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Improving every week

Thomas Loftus
May 14, 2018 12:42 PM

Prior to this season, few people outside Arden St would have foreseen the impact Jed Anderson would make on the North Melbourne team in 2018.

But internally, he was doing the hard work, and those working closely with him knew it was only a matter of time before he stamped himself on the game. “He’s getting an injury-free run, which is the most important thing,” Brad Scott told the media after the game against Richmond. “Jed went away with a single-minded focus to get fitter in the off-season, which included taking himself off to Utah (1-4 year players trip), which he funded himself, and got himself as fit as he’s ever been.”

For the third time this season, Anderson eclipsed his AFL-high for disposals in a game, picking up 28 against the Tigers on Sunday. Used primarily as an outside mid or small forward, Anderson had struggled to nail down a place in the Roos’ best 22 in his previous two seasons as a result of mixed form and a tough run with injuries. But after earning a role as an inside midfielder in 2018, North’s number three has thrived.

His aggressive nature and attack of the ball has given the team’s engine room an added dimension, and has enabled players like Jack Ziebell and Shaun Atley to play and impact more in the forward line. His ability to win the ball in contests has also lightened the load on Ben Cunnington, who has himself thrived this season. And the stats are backing up Anderson’s growing influence and importance.

In his 25 career games pre-2018, Anderson failed to reach 20 disposals in a single game. Involved in each of North’s eight games so far, the 24-year-old has reached 20 disposals on four occasions. “The opportunity to play in our midfield has shown everybody what he can do,” Scott added. “He’s a pretty unique player, and he’s becoming really important for us.”
Nice piece but Anderson has nothing to do with Atley playing forward. It's Ryan Clarke and Hartung that has released Ats.
 

GreatBradScott

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If he takes the next step and those disposals climb into mid 20s you are looking at a borderline A grader.
His defensive and contested numbers now are above average.

Still very young and if his body can grow stronger, he's going to be a very dangerous extractor/defensive shield for us.
 

andana

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How Jed Anderson has turned things around and is setting the tone at North Melbourne

A YEAR ago, Hawthorn young gun Ryan Burton was absolutely flying and North Melbourne fans might have been feeling ripped off.

Why would this have agitated Kangaroos fans?

Well, the draft pick Hawthorn used on Burton — who slipped down his draft order due to a serious injury — had originally been flipped to the Hawks by the Kangaroos in exchange for Jed Anderson.


In that trade, Hawthorn traded Anderson, Pick 38 and Pick 40 to North Melbourne for Pick 15 and Pick 55.

But across his first two seasons at North Melbourne, Anderson struggled, playing just 15 games.

A hamstring injury ruined much of his 2016 season, while shoulder surgery delayed his start to 2017, with Anderson in and out of the Kangaroos’ senior side throughout that year.

But this year, Anderson is like a different player.

Against the Tigers on Sunday afternoon, the Kangaroos midfielder put forward one of his finest performances yet.

Anderson had 28 disposals, including 16 contested possessions, while he also recorded seven clearances, five tackles and three inside-50s.

It was the third consecutive week Anderson had recorded 21 or more disposals, while he has also averaged 14 contested possessions in that same time frame.

On Monday night, the On the Couch team listed Anderson among their ‘couch gems’, highlighting a number of career-high stats.

Those include career-high averages of 18 disposals, 10 contested possessions, four clearances and five tackles, while Anderson currently leads the AFL for smothers, with 14 for the season so far.

“The Kangas paid a price for Jed Anderson, he was a really highly-rated kid and they had to hold their nerve because they copped some criticism,” Melbourne great Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“But he’s career high (for) disposals, contested footy, clearances, tackles and smothers — best in the comp, that’s a good return.”

Scott said Anderson’s hard work to get himself fit and injury-free was the key to his recent form.

“He’s getting an injury-free run, which is the most important thing,” Brad Scott said post-game.


“Jed went away with a single-minded focus to get fitter in the off-season, which included taking himself off to Utah — which he funded himself — and got himself as fit as he’s ever been.”

Crucially, Anderson’s midfield improvement has opened the door for skipper Jack Ziebell to spend more time forward, where he’s at his most dangerous.

While Ziebell has been wayward in front of goal, he already has 20 scoring shots and 12 marks inside-50 after just eight games. Last year, in 19 games, he had just 19 scoring shots and 11 marks inside-50.

Most importantly, a couple of tough losses aside, the Roos are absolutely flying.

And if there’s one player who epitomises North Melbourne’s ability to shatter expectations this season, it’s Anderson.

“The opportunity to play in our midfield has shown everybody what he can do,” Scott said.

“He’s a pretty unique player, and he’s becoming really important for us.”
 
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Ischenko

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Might give myself a self-satisfied pat on the back here as I never gave up on Jed...he always always always had a crack - even at his absolute shittest - and if you do that the rest will come in time if you have talent.

He'll feel deeply grateful to the club for backing him in too, and I suspect he's a fella who is serious about doing everything he can to repay faith. We have 8 to 10 more years of the pleasure of his footballing - all that could be improved is his kicking and his haircut.
 

ferball

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Might give myself a self-satisfied pat on the back here as I never gave up on Jed...he always always always had a crack - even at his absolute shittest - and if you do that the rest will come in time if you have talent.

He'll feel deeply grateful to the club for backing him in too, and I suspect he's a fella who is serious about doing everything he can to repay faith. We have 8 to 10 more years of the pleasure of his footballing - all that could be improved is his kicking and his haircut.
His hair needs to be about a foot longer.
 
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