Past #43: Aaron Hall - Shinboner #1013 retires after 58 NM games - Thanks Aaron

[Fish Sticks]

I posted this in the autopsy thread and I get that it's a super unpopular opinion, but I reckon his year has been overrated by a lot of people and I'm not convinced he should be the short or medium-term answer to a role that is, imo, one of the most important in both the modern game and the way that Nobes wants us to play.

While, yes, he does give us a lot of overlap run atm and he can hit some ridiculous kicks to get our ball movement going, he still turns it over way too often for someone playing that role, and some of those turnovers are genuine shockers. The thing about those turnovers in that part of the ground, too, is that they almost always end up in scoring shots for the opposition because we're completely out of our defensive shape. I'm not absolutely convinced that the risk of him turning over the ball in dangerous positions is worth the reward of our scintillating ball movement when it does happen. I'd love to see some advanced stats to see the comparison between scoring shots from a Hall turnover versus how many shots we get per Aaron Hall kick. My suspicion is that the number is not as beneficial to us as it seems to the naked eye and hence my risk vs reward comment.

Honestly, I'm going to be disappointed if all of Hall, Atley and JZ start in our 2022 backline. There are just far too many turnovers in that group of players and it's going to continually fu** us if we persist with attacking the corridor, which I absolutely believe we should.

I agree to an extent… his field kicking has dropped off what it was earlier in the season & he is prone to a turnover.
His 1-2 run & gun style is great though & his meters gained is top 10 in the league.
We don’t currently have anybody on our list to do this role, apart from maybe Polec, who I think should be trialled in the same role - he is the best ball user on our list (along with Thomas)
If Hally could start kicking more of those 50m goals on the run, we’d be absolutely loving him.

 

[amaz199]

Field kicking is mostly a result of just how overworked we've been with recent travel requirements in relation to the pandemic.

Some players get gassed and the kick just doesn't hit properly.

He can run and hit targets and will have the occasional miskick. It comes with a footballer so driven on taking the game on.

It should not be the reason for him to change, ever.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

I agree to an extent… his field kicking has dropped off what it was earlier in the season & he is prone to a turnover.
His 1-2 run & gun style is great though & his meters gained is top 10 in the league.
We don’t currently have anybody on our list to do this role, apart from maybe Polec, who I think should be trialled in the same role - he is the best ball user on our list (along with Thomas)
If Hally could start kicking more of those 50m goals on the run, we’d be absolutely loving him.

Yep, another unpopular (at least I think it is) opinion of mine is that I'd love to see Polec tried at half back before the next season to see if he's worth keeping next season. I'm not convinced there's a role for him on the wing atm and I think his kicking ability would be perfectly suited to half back in the way that we're currently playing.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

Field kicking is mostly a result of just how overworked we've been with recent travel requirements in relation to the pandemic.

Some players get gassed and the kick just doesn't hit properly.

He can run and hit targets and will have the occasional miskick. It comes with a footballer so driven on taking the game on.

It should not be the reason for him to change, ever.

Yeah, I agree that he absolutely shouldn't go into his shell and that he should continue to take the game on. My point is though that I'm not convinced the reward is worth the turnovers, which almost always results in the opposition hitting the scoreboard.

And I'm not so sure I agree with your travel excuse, but to be fair I had this opinion before the last couple of weeks. Hall has always had some shockers in him and this is just a continuation of that imo, just in a more dangerous part of the ground for us.

 

[Devington]

Yep, another unpopular (at least I think it is) opinion of mine is that I'd love to see Polec tried at half back before the next season to see if he's worth keeping next season. I'm not convinced there's a role for him on the wing atm and I think his kicking ability would be perfectly suited to half back in the way that we're currently playing.

Disagree, in part. I'm very confident that if/when he's fit he can own a wing again, possibly (hopefully) with some centre square rotations, but there isn't a chance in hell he'd make it on a half back flank, his defensive attentiveness would be more of a liability there than at any other location on the ground and he's about the worst player I rate when it comes to defensive aerial contributions.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Yep, another unpopular (at least I think it is) opinion of mine is that I'd love to see Polec tried at half back before the next season to see if he's worth keeping next season. I'm not convinced there's a role for him on the wing atm and I think his kicking ability would be perfectly suited to half back in the way that we're currently playing.

Or just trade Polec now and use the cap space Whatever is left of his salary on Kelly

 

[Fish Sticks]

Disagree, in part. I'm very confident that if/when he's fit he can own a wing again, possibly (hopefully) with some centre square rotations, but there isn't a chance in hell he'd make it on a half back flank, his defensive attentiveness would be more of a liability there than at any other location on the ground and he's about the worst player I rate when it comes to defensive aerial contributions.

Polec’s defensive abilities are the main concern obviously. Not that this role requires a hell of a lot of defensive efforts, but you do need to have a crack, when it’s your turn.
His ball use is a tantalising prospect though… he is an amazing kick of the football & has the confidence to execute. He would suit our gameplan perfectly & would set up a lot of attacking moves.

 

[Fish Sticks]

Or just trade Polec now and use the cap space Whatever is left of his salary on Kelly

We’d have enough for both…

 

[AnEmptyChair]

Disagree, in part. I'm very confident that if/when he's fit he can own a wing again, possibly (hopefully) with some centre square rotations, but there isn't a chance in hell he'd make it on a half back flank, his defensive attentiveness would be more of a liability there than at any other location on the ground and he's about the worst player I rate when it comes to defensive aerial contributions.

Oh, yeah, I agree with most of that. I just think that in the modern game of team defence and attacking half backs, you can afford to carry one half back that is defensively suspect. And I think his kicking skills and decision making from D50 would be a real asset in the way Nobes has got us playing.

 

[Bugsy Malone]

I'm really happy with the season Aaron has produced this season. He's brother was really on the money when he told me about he's operation, and the great pre season he was having. I am looking forward to seeing him in a North jumper for hopefully the next four years and playing the same quality footy he is currently playing.

 

[Krakouer Bonar]

Aaron traditionally polls well in the Brownlow Medal when he plays well.

Not saying he'll win, but he should poll the most votes of any North player.

 

[King Corey]

I'm really happy with the season Aaron has produced this season. He's brother was really on the money when he told me about he's operation, and the great pre season he was having. I am looking forward to seeing him in a North jumper for hopefully the next four years and playing the same quality footy he is currently playing.

Barry?

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

Aaron traditionally polls well in the Brownlow Medal when he plays well.

Not saying he'll win, but he should poll the most votes of any North player.

Naturally, there's a contingent here who want him delisted.

I guess it's Newton's Law... For every person who can recognise talent, there's somebody who wouldn't know it if it hit them smack in the face.

 

[andana]

On page 3?
Thought he was influential

 

[hotchilli]

On page 3?
Thought he was influential

Just use to it by now, having an excellent season.

 

[tazaa]

Just a joy to watch off half back.
What he does well is he runs into dangersou areas on the ground and opens up the play either with a 45 meter diagonal kick into space or dishing off a handball into a teammate in a better position. The overlap play works when you have smart and quick ball users.
And we thought MacMillan and Pittard were the answers.
The other bloke who did this so well was Spud.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Just a joy to watch off half back.
What he does well is he runs into dangersou areas on the ground and opens up the play either with a 45 meter diagonal kick into space or dishing off a handball into a teammate in a better position. The overlap play works when you have smart and quick ball users.
And we thought MacMillan and Pittard were the answers.
The other bloke who did this so well was Spud.

Absolute gun of a season .
His take the game on run & carry , give n go & bouncing out of defence has been superb . It’s been a while since we have had such a large meters gained type player

 

[shinboner magic]

without him our transition from defence would be atleys hands.

 

[Sphynx]

without him our transition from defence would be atleys hands.

Makes you wonder how we'd look with someone to compliment Hall, instead of Atley.

Positives signs from Atu in that regard.

 

[shinboner magic]

Makes you wonder how we'd look with someone to compliment Hall, instead of Atley.

Positives signs from Atu in that regard.

Maybe if Perez didn’t get injured, hall might not of got his shot back there

 

[RossHenshaw]

Maybe if Perez didn’t get injured, hall might not of got his shot back there

Yep I couldn’t agree more … & was thinking the very same thing all season.
It’s been mentioned many times before but this was the very role we have been waiting for Atley to play all along. We saw glimpse in his first to third years but we all know what he’s been doing for the last 200 games. Maybe we just expected too much from Atley & just hadn’t got it . He is definitely not a 1 in 1 lock down defender like Turner has been doing .
I can’t believe there is still one recently returned BigFooty campaigner (changed alias name from S Baker ) who is not a member & doesn’t attend games that is suggesting we try & put Atley to a wing ?! Yep sure .. let’s kick Frog , LMac & Bailey out for him
The only place Atley can be put it is …. (Better not say) …. Noble will work it out at season end

 

[Val Keating]

Love what Halls doing. I’d be surprised if other clubs in the window won’t offer him a decent deal. I want him to stay but can see Richmond going hard tonight replace Houil.

 

[justroyal]

Makes you wonder how we'd look with someone to compliment Hall, instead of Atley.

Positives signs from Atu in that regard.

Yep Atu. We saw glimpses with them together

 

[Merlin007]

Love what Halls doing. I’d be surprised if other clubs in the window won’t offer him a decent deal. I want him to stay but can see Richmond going hard tonight replace Houil.

I'm a bit old-fashioned - Aaron's had one good year out of three, so I reckon he's still a bit in the red on the ledger

 

[Val Keating]

I'm a bit old-fashioned - Aaron's had one good year out of three, so I reckon he's still a bit in the red on the ledger

Before this season I’d agree, s**t even till recently I thought he’d drop off, but I think this is his most complete season. The knock on him has only ever been his defensive side, and ironically he’s playing in defence as our rebound attack player and hasn’t had to defend. It’s actually surprising that teams aren’t playing a defensive forward on him. He’d be a valuable addition to any side that has a solid defence and can cover him. His drive off half back has been excellent. I want him at North because I think our stingy defence is perfect for him but teams will come knocking. He’s not slowing down. Imo he has 3-5 years of top shelf footy left in him. The question will be if other clubs offer him more coin and if we think he’ll be in our next tilt.