AFL.COM - FRONT 6

[demondavey]

Yes, here we go again when debating the selection of the AA side and casting opinions. I saw today that Jennifer Phelan and Peter Ryan selected Patrick Dangerfield on the half forward flank, and made apologies to the following Hawks, Cyril Rioli and Jack Gunston. My question, and I argue this every year; Why is a midfielder being selected on the HALF FORWARD FLANK? Why does Jack Gunston, Hawthorn's leading goalkicker, have an apology made to him for not being selected? I just don't understand why players are selected in positions in which they do not play during the season? Sure Patrick Dangerfield is a good player who has had a good year, but he is a midfielder, so select him through the centre line or on the ball. The way I see it, there are 6 midfield positions plus the bench, so maybe 1. Jack Gunston is a better Half Forward than Patrick Dangerfield is, and has had a better season in that position than Patrick Dangerfield has. I also loved the description, in summary;

'Won 322 contested and 255 uncontested possessions, he did not leave speculation where he might play in 2016 rattle him. Capable of winning a vital clearance or kicking a team winning goal, he is a star'

So, like a really good midfielder, he is excellent at clearing the football and pushing forward for a goal? Does that automatically mean he is a half forward flanker?

This year, like every other, there will be players that miss out on their nominated positions for the sake of adding a star or a bigger media personality, that is what makes the AA side a joke, much like the brownlow medal is a joke because it is a midfielders award. The players votes award and the coaches award bears much more relevance than an overrated and weightless 'best of the best' side or a brownlow medal voted on by the umpires who barely have enough time to keep up with the ever changing rules let alone be able to vote the best players properly. Perhaps it is time to take the responsibility away from the field umpires for the brownlow and select a panel of 3 senior umpiring officials each week or resting umpires to select the best players each game based from a non working position, i.e within a box?

 

[magtrev]

Personally I agree 100%.

Dangerfield has in no way been the best HFF in the league lol, people should earn their spot in the position they play or not at all.

 

[Despair]

IF: You're expecting any logic or reasoning behind AFL decisions

THEN: You're going to have a bad time

 

[billy fragos]

He doesn't play HFF ever... Rests at FF occasionally although most of his goals have come from the midfield this year.

R: Goldstein - Fyfe - Dangerfield

They are the top 3 in the AFLPA MVP award. Should be the way the team is named

 

[demondavey]

IF: You're expecting any logic or reasoning behind AFL decisions

THEN: You're going to have a bad time

He doesn't even play HFF. Rests at FF occasionally.

R: Goldstein - Fyfe - Dangerfield

They are the top 3 in the AFLPA MVP award.

Exactly

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

WTF is Danger doing there?

 

[TassieSaint]

This has been happening since AA was instituted. If you have ever played on a forward or back flank/pocket you are liable to be selected there. The AA team is a weird hybrid of the best 22 players by position and the best performed 22 players regardless of position.

 

[DangerSloane]

I agree that he shouldnt be HFF.
Any pundit that doesnt have him in the AA midfield is smoking crack though

Also Jack Gunston doesnt make my AA team regardless.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Couple of years ago most back pockets were gun midfielders who have made their first aa team/played in poor preforming teams

 

[Suma Magic]

Every team has a midfielder resting on the HFF.

Danger has spent some time forward and so it's not a surprising choice.

 

[HolyRioli]

Dare I say I have slightly more faith in the AA selection committee than the muppets who write on the AFL website ... the last couple of years they have been more inclined to pick half forwards at half forward, back pockets as backpockets and midfielders as ****ing midfielders ONLY

That said ... I won't hold my hopes too high

 

[Suma Magic]

Having 6 pure forwards as forwards would be less realistic than having 5.

 

[The Swert]

ummm...who were their nominated Front 6?

 

[kickazz]

It kinda sucks but then again the best players invariably end up in the midfield. If one were to truly pick a best team you'd probably be better off with a mid who just missed out on a midfielders spot than a genuine HFF.

Given that AA is mainly* honorary, I think there is a bit of scope to stick to traditional positions more though.


*to be selected for international rules a player must have been selected for AA at some point.

 

[carnthedons]

IF: You're expecting any logic or reasoning behind AFL decisions

THEN: You're going to have a bad time

Alright Purple

 

[The Falcon Strike]

We don't play a 6/6/6 gamestyle anymore.

So picking 6 forwards in itself is unrealistic

Having Dangerfield in a pocket and spelling with Fyfe would be a perfect combination for a real team.

Edit: Albeit I would squeeze Robbie Gray in there somewhere... for a bloke who doesn't play for the Eagles, I have an unhealthy obsession for the bloke.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

We don't play a 6/6/6 gamestyle anymore.

So picking 6 forwards in itself is unrealistic

Having Dangerfield in a pocket and spelling with Fyfe would be a perfect combination for a real team.

Edit: Albeit I would squeeze Robbie Gray in there somewhere... for a bloke who doesn't play for the Eagles, I have an unhealthy obsession for the bloke.

This is all good and all. But the only time I have ever seen this actually work with the rotations is when Mitchell won the HBF position and rotated with whoever won the midfield position. But have f Dangerfield on HFF because it could work is stupid, I don't think he has lined up on the HFF the whole year (teamsheet wise).

 

[The Falcon Strike]

This is all good and all. But the only time I have ever seen this actually work with the rotations is when Mitchell won the HBF position and rotated with whoever won the midfield position. But have f Dangerfield on HFF because it could work is stupid, I don't think he has lined up on the HFF the whole year (teamsheet wise).

Teamsheets are a crock of shit though....

I think a lot of the angst comes from the way a team is laid out

ie FB, HB, C, HF, FF, RC

Teams simply don't line up that way anymore.

More realistic would be

2 x Tall defender
3rd tall
1 lock down defender
2 x running defender
1 utilitis
2 x inside mid
1 x ruck
1 x ruck/forward
etc etc etc

HOwever we just try and then pigeon hole blokes back to the FB, HB line.

Midfielders spell forward - that happens. So if you were to pick your best 22 - you are going to pick about 12 blokes who can play through the midfield and spell forward

It wouldn't be unrealistic that the likes of Fyfe, Dangerfield, Wingard work on a rotation so that 1 is forward at all times.

From a balance point of view - if anything there doesn't appear to be a 7th defender or utility who could push back. Someone like a Stephen Hill has done that role well this year when required

 

[SterlingArcher]

Off the top of my head Dangerfield, Fyfe, Harvey, Ziebell, Cotchin, Martin, Deledio, Gray, Parker and Bontempelli are all primarily mids but rest forward every game, and would be almost permanent forwards if their midfields also contained Kennedy, Mundy, Pendlebury, Gaff etc. Of course a normal midfield is not going to be the AA midfield, so these guys get a 70-30 split or whatever.

No problem at all if Dangerfield is named HFF. In a real game teamsheets mean nothing, so no issue if the AA teamsheet means nothing. Only thing I like is a balance of talls and smalls because that accurately portrays 18 teams starting line ups, and so does having a mid on the flank, who will go into the midfield as soon as the center bounce is done.

 

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

I like that they don't even try to pretend he's a forward by listing his goals, goal assists, etc. The stats they list are his contested and uncontested possessions. They also mention his clearance ability and then slip in his goal scoring ability as an afterthought.

 

[Big Fresh]

It's not unusual for a team to have 7-10 midfielders so it's not really cause for outrage when the All Australian side includes as many mids as an actual team.

Look at every team line up and you'll see midfielders named on the flank and in the pockets.

 

[The_Reaper]

This has been happening since AA was instituted. If you have ever played on a forward or back flank/pocket you are liable to be selected there. The AA team is a weird hybrid of the best 22 players by position and the best performed 22 players regardless of position.

Worst case was 2004.

Phil Matera - >60 goals as a forward pocket.
Luke Power - 12~15 goals as a midfielder

AA Forward Pocket was Luke Power

And then Brett Kirk and Chad Fletcher made the bench.

 

[AG]

Dont see an issue. Teams don't play old fashioned positions anymore. Flankers are pretty much hybrid forwards/mids now anyway.

I prefer they squeeze a more deserving player in the AA team within a reasonable position.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Most clubs aren't playing a 6 man forwardline, really, are they?

The only reason the side gets named the way it does is because of the traditional way of naming a team which uses obsolete positions.

They'd be better off naming 5 defenders, 5 forwards, 10 mids and 2 ruckmen, give or take depending on the years performances. Putting them into positions like they do just leads to this gnashing of teeth every year when extra midfielders are invariably squeezed in on a flank.

 

[mcuzzy]

Dustin Martin being at HF in Carey's draft team was a bit of a blunder too.

We have genuine half forward/mids like Deledio and Edwards, the former even having a better season.

If they're not good enough, then none of our players are, so select a half forward from a different team.