Past Nicholas Graham

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He's played some good footy in the navy blue but unfortunately his foot put him out of the comp. Hopefully he'll be able to play one more game before the season ends although it's starting to get unlikely.
 

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In a season where we've had very little to get excited about I wanted to just remind everyone how good this kid was when given the opportunity, before injury.

I was browsing through the Rising-Star-eligible player stats today (mainly to see how much Cripps was totally bossing it) and the thing I didn't expect was how far up the list Graham was on averages for quite a few categories. Sure, you could argue that 6 games isn't a large sample size, but here's the thing .. Graham was getting better every game, so those average would only have gone up with more games.

In 6 games NG averages vs all RS-eligible players:
Inside 50's: 1st
Clearances: 3rd
Disposals: 6th
Handballs: 6th
Tackles: 5th
Contested Possessions: 4th
Supercoach score: 2nd
Dreamteam score: 3rd

source: http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2015&rt=RA

In today's presser JB mentioned that the future moving forward was basically Cripps, Kruezer, Buckley, Docherty, etc. I've got no doubt that if Graham hand't got injured his name would be included in that list too.
 
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In a season where we've had very little to get excited about I wanted to just remind everyone how good this kid was when given the opportunity, before injury.

I was browsing through the Rising-Star-eligible player stats today (mainly to see how much Cripps was totally bossing it) and the thing I didn't expect was how far up the list Graham was on averages for quite a few categories. Sure, you could argue that 6 games isn't a large sample size, but here's the thing .. Graham was getting better every game, so those average would only have gone up with more games.

In 6 games NG averages vs all RS-eligible players:
Inside 50's: 1st
Clearances: 3rd
Disposals: 6th
Handballs: 6th
Tackles: 5th
Contested Possessions: 4th
Supercoach score: 2nd
Dreamteam score: 3rd

source: http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2015&rt=RA

In today's presser JB mentioned that the future moving forward was basically Cripps, Kruezer, Buckley, Docherty, etc. I've got no doubt that if Graham hand't got injured his name would be included in that list too.

Nick Stevens apparently spotted Graham a mile out as going to make it! maybe we should bring Stevens in as a recruiter (once he gets parole)... should be able to get his services cheap too...
 
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Nick Stevens apparently spotted Graham a mile out as going to make it! maybe we should bring Stevens in as a recruiter (once he gets parole)... should be able to get his services cheap too...
not sure if clinically insane
 
Stevens could give whatever character references he wants, unless Rogers rated him he wasn't getting drafted. The guy had been in the system and being watched closely for a few years with footage available of every single game he played and luckily he was rated highly by us. The Stevens recommendation is yet another thing that is way overstated on BigFooty.
 

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In a season where we've had very little to get excited about I wanted to just remind everyone how good this kid was when given the opportunity, before injury.

I was browsing through the Rising-Star-eligible player stats today (mainly to see how much Cripps was totally bossing it) and the thing I didn't expect was how far up the list Graham was on averages for quite a few categories. Sure, you could argue that 6 games isn't a large sample size, but here's the thing .. Graham was getting better every game, so those average would only have gone up with more games.

In 6 games NG averages vs all RS-eligible players:
Inside 50's: 1st
Clearances: 3rd
Disposals: 6th
Handballs: 6th
Tackles: 5th
Contested Possessions: 4th
Supercoach score: 2nd
Dreamteam score: 3rd

source: http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2015&rt=RA

In today's presser JB mentioned that the future moving forward was basically Cripps, Kruezer, Buckley, Docherty, etc. I've got no doubt that if Graham hand't got injured his name would be included in that list too.

Average impact per match would have been even better if not named sub for first of those matches....
 
Graham has only played (been allowed to play) a total of 16 games and even then, about 6 may have been as sub.

We shouldn't be looking at Graham as being a top ten player for us but he could well fit into the next tier as being a reliable work-horse.

Have a feeling he and Cripps will work very well together for years to come. He's a very smart player is Graham.....even for his perceived short-comings.
 
His major issue is lack of pace but each time I've seen him he has got better. Loves a goal too. Think he can be better than mid-tier.

Always spotted up players well in the 2's and has done likewise on the bigger arena.

Never seems to get fazed, nor is he intimidated by higher profile opponents.
Get to the right spots, be strong enough to beat your man, tackle as though your life depends on it and support your peers......easy.. :)
 
He was in a few of our best 22's before this season started yet didn't get a chance until Barker got the reins.
I'd be disappointed if he isn't a starting player next year, though we do have 3 other senior mids who'll come back in in front of him.

We say he's slow but I can recall him chasing down and laying important tackles in his few games this year. That, plus his clean disposal and lack of hesitation made him standout in our team.
 
The thing I like is he can kick a goal in a congested forward line. Really makes him handy and should mean as auto-selection each week. Having Cripps, Murphy, Gibbs, Bell (maybe) and Graham all going between on-ball and forward will be great.

Lack of sub and probably fewer interchanges next year or the one after means mids who can play forward will be important.
 
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This is Grahams block of 5 games he got this season, before injury.............Fair upward curve, isn't it?
He was really stiff not to get a rising star nomination during this time. It annoys me how they chose the weekly winner. Tom Boyd has played one decent game in his career and got nominated.
 

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