Player Watch #30 Alex Neal-Bullen - signed to 2026

[Demonised]

For those interested in the partner vs girlfriend terminological debate, Steven Pinker wrote about this phenomenon in "The Stuff of Thought". Basically, due to accidents of history or human psychology, we're often left with an absence of appropriate words that would pick out very definite or useful concepts that we would otherwise expect to exist. In this case of the concept of "a person with whom I'm in a serious, monogamous relationship, but to whom I'm not yet married", the words we use to denote it are either too casual ("boyfriend" / "girlfriend"), too sterile or legalistic ("partner"), or just plain ridiculous ("paramour"). A particular reason for this may be the fact that, historically, pre-marital relationships were either delegitimised or stigmatised, meaning there was never the opportunity for a word without inappropriate connotations to arise in the English speaking world as a neutral signifier of this concept.

A similar lexical gap arose, for what it's worth, due to our squeamishness about excrement. Owing to its stigma in polite society, we don't have a neutral word to denote this concept that is not childish in connotation ("poo"), clinical in connotation ("faeces" / "excrement") or vulgar in connotation ("Carlton FC").

Pinker is a deep thinker. Would have to be an MFC supporter.

 

[Topkent]

6th rated pressure play in the AFL this season, not a chance in hell he's getting dropped. Kids a ripper

 

[stabler]

6th rated pressure play in the AFL this season, not a chance in hell he's getting dropped. Kids a ripper

I ****ing love nibbler. Wears his heart on his sleeve. Got teary watching him pump his chest after the final nail

 

[stabler]

Further to that, any lip readers know what he said after his goal?

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Further to that, any lip readers know what he said after his goal?

"* everyone on BigFooty saying I should be dropped earlier this season even though I had the highest pressure rating at the club back then too"

 

[Cannon82]

Further to that, any lip readers know what he said after his goal?

"* I wish I could kick half as well as I can run, and if only I had a functioning pair of hands instead of these slippery flippers."

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Up date thread title please.... Sexy eyes is back for 2 more years!

 

[Jamurp]

Up date thread title please.... Sexy eyes is back for 2 more years!

Dude deserves it! Playing an important role this year, really impressive speaker too after watching that vid.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Dude deserves it! Playing an important role this year, really impressive speaker too after watching that vid.

Yea, he and TMac, kudos to them on their form after being told wed look at trade options last year, other players would have folded.

 

[Proper Gander]

Yea, he and TMac, kudos to them on their form after being told wed look at trade options last year, other players would have folded.

Probably the most inspiring stories of the year.

Two guys out of form that we were looking to offload and they both just went no, knuckled down and trained to prove everyone wrong. I’m really impressed

 

[TheCount]

Up date thread title please.... Sexy eyes is back for 2 more years!

You aren't wrong tho ... how's that smoulder!!

 

[Headless]

Really good this year.

 

[Bluelegs]

Yea, he and TMac, kudos to them on their form after being told wed look at trade options last year, other players would have folded.

We should tell more players to look elsewhere.

 

[Toump Ass]

Kozzie lurking, love how he sticks out his tongue after a snag, but Nib still clearly the biggest and best goal celebrator ("peacock") at the Dees. That's an important role.
Always get a lump in my throat when he hammers one home and grabs his red & blue jumper

Ripper, so stoked with this. Carn Alex!

 

[AmericanAFL]

Congrats Nealey.

 

[mrmonkey]

Craig Jennings was on SEN discussing Melbourne's tactics and how to counter it. He mentioned the importance of ANB role. He said that ANB gets to the stopages to allow petracca to play on instinct. It's a little contributing but it's a very selfless act.

 

[AmericanAFL]

Credit to the coaches and the playing group. A recurring theme we’ve been hearing all year is one where players are accepting their roles and doing the non sexy stuff that maybe doesn’t pad their individual stats, but is for the betterment of the team.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Sticking tackles better and his kicking has improved a ton.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Kozzie lurking, love how he sticks out his tongue after a snag, but Nib still clearly the biggest and best goal celebrator ("peacock") at the Dees. That's an important role.
Always get a lump in my throat when he hammers one home and grabs his red & blue jumper

Ripper, so stoked with this. Carn Alex!

This post inspired me to get back to my roots and use a ANB avatar again. I was going to go with Spargo which would have been a fine choice, however, Im pretty sure the first avatar I used on this account was one of Nib.

So glad to find the photo that you describe above. Thanks Toump.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Craig Jennings was on SEN discussing Melbourne's tactics and how to counter it. He mentioned the importance of ANB role. He said that ANB gets to the stopages to allow petracca to play on instinct. It's a little contributing but it's a very selfless act.

Basically what the Tigers do for Dusty, cover for him at stoppages to allow him to cheat forward. Can never have enough defensively minded midfielders

 

[FTP]

Hey Dees fans,

One of our talking points this week has been Alex Neal-Bullen and his improved play this year + strong understanding of his role.

Apologies for the long post but have to post it all here - if you want to read the full article - https://footytalkingpoints.com.au/2021/06/10/ftp-12/

If you enjoy this kind of analysis - please subscribe to our blog!



The Melbourne Demons are 11-1. Very few people would have anticipated a start like this especially given how they looked at the end of their last pre season game (which never truly reflects where a team is at yet it’s hard not to put weight into it).

It’s an impressive 11-1 as well beating fellow premiership aspirants in Brisbane, Richmond, Geelong, Bulldogs and Sydney. 5-0 against top 8 sides. Many things have gone right this year for Melbourne to play such improved football – the maturation of their stars, the trust in their defensive system behind the ball and cleaning up their ball use going inside 50. However, one of if not the most important improvement has come from Melbourne’s role players who have a stronger understanding of what is required of them week to week. They’ve all improved this year – Neal-Bullen (ANB), Spargo, Petty, Sparrow and even Hunt who has been solid defensively but has found more ways to be useful with his pace offensively.

ANB’s (#30) transformation from a player who was asked to throw some flyers out to other clubs last trade period to one of Melbourne’s most important role players has been quite amazing. ANB plays one of the hardest roles in the AFL – the high half forward role. In the high half forward role, players are required to work up to a stoppage and cover off the most dangerous – usually the spare opposition winger. ANB may get involved in that initial contest but if Melbourne win the ball forward, he is required to push forward and get to the drop of the ball at a forward 50 entry. He has to provide the important pressure at ground level that is so important to how Melbourne set up behind the ball. This hasn’t been an issue for ANB in the past – he’s always had a good tank being one of Melbourne’s fittest players. Yet, it’s still an incredibly difficult role to play with consistency week to week because it requires a high work rate with significant amounts of unrewarded running.

The thing that has improved markedly this year for ANB is his composure with his ball use and finishing around goals. ANB throughout his career has struggled with his ball use forward of center – perhaps exhausting himself from his multiple running efforts. This caused him to be a bit of a liability for Melbourne when he gathered possession and drove Melbourne inside 50 (He wasn’t the only one – Melbourne have been average to below average with their inside 50 entry before this year). Now, he isn’t rushing so much – he takes that extra second to assess his options and is finding the right target. He is also more composed finishing around the goals – assessing his options before making the right decision.




His numbers for the role he is playing have improved drastically – Inside 50’s are the best for his career (showing that he is putting himself in more dangerous areas to win the ball) and he’s ranked 8th in the AFL for total tackles inside 50. ANB is part of a broader forward 50 group who are so clear on their role and what is required of them with and without the ball – think of Spargo, Pickett, Fritsch, McDonald. This is evidenced by Melbourne being one of the top teams in the league for tackles inside 50 all year.

Yet, ANB is going above and beyond his role as a high half forward. He is a competitive beast – look at how he competes in a 3v1 contest, bringing the ball to ground, getting a hand in on the disposal to force a turnover before jumping to his feet and providing a handball outlet. This is the kind of stuff that wins games and I would be surprised if this isn’t shown in Melbourne’s review because it’s pure effort and work rate.




(Side note: Clayton Oliver’s work rate to be behind Salem when he kicks that high ball and find a way to both get there and win that contest with clean hands is what makes him one of the best players in the AFL)

ANB reminds me of Castagna back in 2017 – a player that was pretty maligned at Richmond, always in and out of the side, before settling on his role. In the last three years, Melbourne has had an impressive spine with superstars on every line. That was never the issue. It always felt like their bottom 5 or 6 let them down week to week and didn’t know their defined roles. That has changed now. Everyone understands their role in this team and it’s a key reason why the Demons look primed for a home final.

 

[Grimesy87]

Hey Dees fans,

One of our talking points this week has been Alex Neal-Bullen and his improved play this year + strong understanding of his role.

Apologies for the long post but have to post it all here - if you want to read the full article - https://footytalkingpoints.com.au/2021/06/10/ftp-12/

If you enjoy this kind of analysis - please subscribe to our blog!



The Melbourne Demons are 11-1. Very few people would have anticipated a start like this especially given how they looked at the end of their last pre season game (which never truly reflects where a team is at yet it’s hard not to put weight into it).

It’s an impressive 11-1 as well beating fellow premiership aspirants in Brisbane, Richmond, Geelong, Bulldogs and Sydney. 5-0 against top 8 sides. Many things have gone right this year for Melbourne to play such improved football – the maturation of their stars, the trust in their defensive system behind the ball and cleaning up their ball use going inside 50. However, one of if not the most important improvement has come from Melbourne’s role players who have a stronger understanding of what is required of them week to week. They’ve all improved this year – Neal-Bullen (ANB), Spargo, Petty, Sparrow and even Hunt who has been solid defensively but has found more ways to be useful with his pace offensively.

ANB’s (#30) transformation from a player who was asked to throw some flyers out to other clubs last trade period to one of Melbourne’s most important role players has been quite amazing. ANB plays one of the hardest roles in the AFL – the high half forward role. In the high half forward role, players are required to work up to a stoppage and cover off the most dangerous – usually the spare opposition winger. ANB may get involved in that initial contest but if Melbourne win the ball forward, he is required to push forward and get to the drop of the ball at a forward 50 entry. He has to provide the important pressure at ground level that is so important to how Melbourne set up behind the ball. This hasn’t been an issue for ANB in the past – he’s always had a good tank being one of Melbourne’s fittest players. Yet, it’s still an incredibly difficult role to play with consistency week to week because it requires a high work rate with significant amounts of unrewarded running.

The thing that has improved markedly this year for ANB is his composure with his ball use and finishing around goals. ANB throughout his career has struggled with his ball use forward of center – perhaps exhausting himself from his multiple running efforts. This caused him to be a bit of a liability for Melbourne when he gathered possession and drove Melbourne inside 50 (He wasn’t the only one – Melbourne have been average to below average with their inside 50 entry before this year). Now, he isn’t rushing so much – he takes that extra second to assess his options and is finding the right target. He is also more composed finishing around the goals – assessing his options before making the right decision.




His numbers for the role he is playing have improved drastically – Inside 50’s are the best for his career (showing that he is putting himself in more dangerous areas to win the ball) and he’s ranked 8th in the AFL for total tackles inside 50. ANB is part of a broader forward 50 group who are so clear on their role and what is required of them with and without the ball – think of Spargo, Pickett, Fritsch, McDonald. This is evidenced by Melbourne being one of the top teams in the league for tackles inside 50 all year.

Yet, ANB is going above and beyond his role as a high half forward. He is a competitive beast – look at how he competes in a 3v1 contest, bringing the ball to ground, getting a hand in on the disposal to force a turnover before jumping to his feet and providing a handball outlet. This is the kind of stuff that wins games and I would be surprised if this isn’t shown in Melbourne’s review because it’s pure effort and work rate.




(Side note: Clayton Oliver’s work rate to be behind Salem when he kicks that high ball and find a way to both get there and win that contest with clean hands is what makes him one of the best players in the AFL)

ANB reminds me of Castagna back in 2017 – a player that was pretty maligned at Richmond, always in and out of the side, before settling on his role. In the last three years, Melbourne has had an impressive spine with superstars on every line. That was never the issue. It always felt like their bottom 5 or 6 let them down week to week and didn’t know their defined roles. That has changed now. Everyone understands their role in this team and it’s a key reason why the Demons look primed for a home final.

Great analysis and we'll highlighted.

Every fanbase is going to have their maligned players, and typically it is these type of role players who fall into that category.

ANB has always done so much right without the ball, his issues have been with ball in hand. But he seems to be another who's improved on the back of speciality training with Williams, as he is kicking the ball better and seems to be a lot more assured ball in hand now.

 

[Topkent]

Great analysis and we'll highlighted.

Every fanbase is going to have their maligned players, and typically it is these type of role players who fall into that category.

ANB has always done so much right without the ball, his issues have been with ball in hand. But he seems to be another who's improved on the back of speciality training with Williams, as he is kicking the ball better and seems to be a lot more assured ball in hand now.

See Choco probably has something so with it, but I reckon alot of it is that now that all our defenders aren't pressed so ******* high our forwards have alot of room to actually move, which gives the half forwards time over the ball.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

How ******* good is that Salem kick? It’s ironic because for what an ostensibly brilliant kick he is a disposal like that is arguably more valuable than most of his short bullet passes

 

[adonski]

How ******* good is that Salem kick? It’s ironic because for what an ostensibly brilliant kick he is a disposal like that is arguably more valuable than most of his short bullet passes

Yep that was the first thing that came to mind after watching the snippet