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Aiden Riley

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cricket,
Sorry about the spelling if it is wrong but I just want to talk about the young fella. I have been wrapped in his first year of afl .and proberly should of played in our last game but am eager to see him in action in 2014. We talk about how good some of our 1st year players perform from their 1st outing but in my opinion there was just no stage fright at all from him. Don't worry about brad crouch,otten or Brodie smith he has got to be in the centre square from the out set.he will be the toughest player we have had for sometime,he uses the ball well has great reflex gives and a pretty good set shot for goal . I hope and believe if he he is given more opportunities he is the one to surprise us.
Anyway post your thoughts. Paul
 
I totally agree, I think he is undervalued because we have good depth. I expect he could cement himself in the side this year, if he gets enough opportunities
 
Agree that she should have played ahead of Pets in the PF and has got every chance of getting some game time this year in any of the smaller running positions. Think he will get a go in 2013 thou I think that's what you meant...still only 2012. Pigdog will get some games and should be a regular by 2014 bar injury.
 

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Endorse the OP.

I think the pig dog is vastly underrated here. Don't think the club will though and expect him to be yet another challenger to the midfield.
 
Yep, I reckon bicks gave him a game or two at the end of 2011.

Paul / Budget,
I cant speak highly enough of what I think of Riley.

See the round 1, 2013 team thread. He's in my round 1 team. I swear he's the next sam mitchell. Long ways to go I know, but he's already on the same trajectory (if not better). They share very similar build and similar tank and similar attitude, that's why I say what I am.

He was fantastic in a couple of games late in the season, can't remember exactly which ones, I remember one where he topped the clearance count despite his all of 5 or 6 games of experience. Thommo, Danger, Sloane were all playing that day and he beat them all. Late in the Sydney final (i think), when a lot of team mates were choking under pressure, he has a heap of swans bearing down on him at half forward and just ignores the pressure and does a beautiful opposite leg pass to one of our forwards to set up a goal.
 
It's going to be so tough for players trying to push into the midfield since we have so much depth:

Danger, sloane, thommo, vb, vince, Douglas, porps, McKay, crouch, smith, Riley, wright, Lyons, Martin, jaensch... I'm sure I've missed a couple
 
I rate the kid, but I really think his best opportunity was to seek a trade elsewhere. IMO he should be a walk up start to a sides best 22, but with our wealth of quality contested ball players fighting for spots in our 22 I think he'll continue to struggle for a spot. Which is wrong.

Currently I have about 5-7 blokes who I can't fit in the side and I think "gee, surely such and such is best 22" but I just can't fit him in.

However, I suppose it's great for our club, especially in our current predicament, to have a player of his quality in reserve. Our depth through the midfield is quite unbelievable IMO, key positions and ruck are a little shaky, but midfield and flankers we bat very deep.
 
Mr_Moogle said:
That tackle from Riley was probably my favourite highlight of the 2011 season. Its a shame we weren't rewarded for it. The ball ended up spilling out to a Geelong player who cleared it easily.
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Pretty certain it's the main reason Ottens retired at the end of the season. Post traumatic stress disorder.
 

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I don't think that he is under rated, it just been difficult breaking into our midfield in a year where we had very limited injuries
 
I think he has talent but will have an issue getting into our best 22, especially with Crouch comming in. I think he maybe one of the guys who looks to be traded to get a run.
 
Cleric said:
I think he has talent but will have an issue getting into our best 22, especially with Crouch comming in. I think he maybe one of the guys who looks to be traded to get a run.
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This could be an issue. It pains me to say it, but we're probably better off having someone like Johncock (who is 30) clear a spot for someone like Riley (who is 20). I'm not sure where this thought process places a guy like Callinan - you just don't drop a guy who has kicked 39 goals in a season from a forward pocket plus set up countless others.
 

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The Crows do have good depth when it comes to inside mids but plenty of our other mid-fielders are only average. I'd say Vince and Douglas would both be on notice. We all know how damaging Vince can be when he's in form but he only plays in patches and lacks consistency. Douglas on the other hand isn't nearly as flashy as Vince. He can be decent at times but I'd say most of the time he's a B-grade AFL footballer. I see no reason Riley couldn't push either of those guys out.
 
Cleric said:
I think he has talent but will have an issue getting into our best 22, especially with Crouch comming in. I think he maybe one of the guys who looks to be traded to get a run.
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Agree with this. Riley is a handy depth player, capable of stepping up to the top level when required without embarrassing himself. However, I struggle to see him ever being a member of our "best 22". Just too many better (and similar) players already on our list.
 
Rory Walkerfield said:
This could be an issue. It pains me to say it, but we're probably better off having someone like Johncock (who is 30) clear a spot for someone like Riley (who is 20). I'm not sure where this thought process places a guy like Callinan - you just don't drop a guy who has kicked 39 goals in a season from a forward pocket plus set up countless others.
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Yes.. and no. I'm in favour of dropping players like Callinan & Johncock if they're keeping a highly rated talent out of the team. For example, I'd be happy to see one or both playing SANFL if it means that Crouch gets a consistent AFL gig next year. However, Riley just isn't good enough or talented enough to be the player we drop Callinan/Johncock for. He's just not that good - solid depth player, but unlikely to ever be "best 22".
 
Love this kid. I can see him being a fringe player at best next year. Eventually will take over from Thommo when retires or moves out of the midfield. Hard, tough competitor.
 

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