Alex Rance vs. Michael Hurley

[Gosha]

So Richmond fans, the two-time All-Australian centre half-back would not make your backline?

No he wouldn’t.

Firstly, he isn’t taking Rance’s spot for obvious reasons. Rance is the best defender the game has ever seen. No slight on Hurley because not even Scarlett or Silvagni would displace him.

Secondly, Astbury is a better pure defender. His style as a player complements Rance more than Hurley’s ever would. Replacing Astbury with Hurley would result in more goals conceded.

Thirdly and most importantly, Astbury is the superior player. Simple. He’s a better contested mark, he’s more accountable, he has better positioning, he’s a better stopper and he does the basics better. In addition to all that he has stood up in three finals and helped us win a premiership.

 

[Bazzar]

No he wouldn’t.

Firstly, he isn’t taking Rance’s spot for obvious reasons. Rance is the best defender the game has ever seen. No slight on Hurley because not even Scarlett or Silvagni would displace him.

Secondly, Astbury is a better pure defender. His style as a player complements Rance more than Hurley’s ever would. Replacing Astbury with Hurley would result in more goals conceded.

Thirdly and most importantly, Astbury is the superior player. Simple. He’s a better contested mark, he’s more accountable, he has better positioning, he’s a better stopper and he does the basics better. In addition to all that he has stood up in three finals and helped us win a premiership.

People forget from 2011 - 2015 Astbury only played 24 games through chronic injury, also missed 3 games in '16, has played every game since r10 '16 Dreamtime game where he gave poor 'ol Mitchell Brown a football lesson.

 

[Gosha]

People forget from 2011 - 2015 Astbury only played 24 games through chronic injury, also missed 3 games in '16, has played every game since r10 '16 Dreamtime game where he gave poor 'ol Mitchell Brown a football lesson.

To be fair to Mitchell Brown (whoever that is), Dave gives most forwards a football lesson.

 

[Bazzar]

To be fair to Mitchell Brown (whoever that is), Dave gives most forwards a football lesson.

For some reason Mr Hurley wasn't playing in that Dreamtime game.

 

[eth-dog]

People forget from 2011 - 2015 Astbury only played 24 games through chronic injury, also missed 3 games in '16, has played every game since r10 '16 Dreamtime game where he gave poor 'ol Mitchell Brown a football lesson.

Wow, what a scalp! A guy who'd kicked 20 goals in a year once.

 

[Bazzar]

Wow, what a scalp! A guy who'd kicked 20 goals in a year once.

You don't get it do you. As I said Astbury hasn't missed a game since that Dreamtime game and he just keeps getting better and better. No way would Hurley replace him in our current backline.

 

[eth-dog]

You don't get it do you. As I said Astbury hasn't missed a game since that Dreamtime game and he just keeps getting better and better. No way would Hurley replace him in our current backline.

Uh huh. Of course.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Hurley would obviously get a game, but not at the expense of Astbury.
Astbury would still take the gorillas, Rance and Hurley 2nd and 3rd depending on match ups or as the lose man to take advantage of attacking ability and Rance's ability to impact nearly every contest and Grimes would take the oppositions beat small every game rather then 3rd tall which he is more then capable of, just ask Tony Greene and Eddie Betts.

All a moot point though because it's never happening.

 

[Bazzar]

Hurley would obviously get a game, but not at the expense of Astbury.
Astbury would still take the gorillas, Rance and Hurley 2nd and 3rd depending on match ups or as the lose man to take advantage of attacking ability and Rance's ability to impact nearly every contest and Grimes would take the oppositions beat small every game rather then 3rd tall which he is more then capable of, just ask Tony Greene and Eddie Betts.

All a moot point though because it's never happening.

Don't forget the QF when Danger went forward and Grimes easliy had the better of him.

 

[Frank Gallagher]

No he wouldn’t.

Firstly, he isn’t taking Rance’s spot for obvious reasons. Rance is the best defender the game has ever seen. No slight on Hurley because not even Scarlett or Silvagni would displace him.

Secondly, Astbury is a better pure defender. His style as a player complements Rance more than Hurley’s ever would. Replacing Astbury with Hurley would result in more goals conceded.

Thirdly and most importantly, Astbury is the superior player. Simple. He’s a better contested mark, he’s more accountable, he has better positioning, he’s a better stopper and he does the basics better. In addition to all that he has stood up in three finals and helped us win a premiership.

FMD!!

 

[Gosha]

FMD!!

What’s up?

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Hurley isn't even the second best KPD in the comp, that would be McGovern. Statistically the best intercept and best 1v1 defender.

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Hurley isn't even the second best KPD in the comp, that would be McGovern. Statistically the best intercept and best 1v1 defender.

He wouldn't get a game for Richmond either.

 

[fumbler]

Wow, what a scalp! A guy who'd kicked 20 goals in a year once.

I recall most forwards kicking 20 goals

 

[tony__montana]

Hurley isn't even the second best KPD in the comp, that would be McGovern. Statistically the best intercept and best 1v1 defender.

Would like to see how many 1 v 1 contests McGovern has in a season vs other KPD's. I probably see him play on average 7-8 games a year on TV and I always thought of him as an incredible aerialist and reader of the ball but more of an intercept 3rd man up type as opposed to a KPD. I might be totally wrong and happy to be corrected but would be interested in seeing that and also who he actually plays on. Does he take the number 1 or number 2 fwd each week or is my perception that he takes a 3rd tall incorrect?

 

[NUFC Tiger]

He wouldn't get a game for Richmond either.

Harsh. He might get a gig in our VFL side.

 

[Gosha]

He wouldn't get a game for Richmond either.

Yes he would. Top three KPD in the comp:

1. Rance
2. Gov
3. Astbury

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Would like to see how many 1 v 1 contests McGovern has in a season vs other KPD's. I probably see him play on average 7-8 games a year on TV and I always thought of him as an incredible aerialist and reader of the ball but more of an intercept 3rd man up type as opposed to a KPD. I might be totally wrong and happy to be corrected but would be interested in seeing that and also who he actually plays on. Does he take the number 1 or number 2 fwd each week or is my perception that he takes a 3rd tall incorrect?

Definitely can correct you on this.

I don't know the final number, but it was amongst the top couple for defensive contests amongst all players. Mid season only May had had 1 more (51) and Rance had solidly more (80), which is impressive for both McGovern and Rance, given McGovern played as a utility quite often and Rance makes a lot of contests.

In terms of % he was 6% lost just before the finals and 7% lost by the PA game. Rance was 17% IIRC.

It's been discussed a few times and even Richo, who is Rance fan number 1 has conceded how impressive it is. McGovern often takes the best forward and rarely plays as the extra number. We usually leave that to a flanker. Why McGovern is so good is that he reads the play well and peels off his opponent, or just outmarks them. A lot of his intercepted marks are contested. He plays tall or small opponents and regularly beats them at ground level, hence why his 1v1 contest numbers and % won are so high.

He is absolutely a dominant KPD, hence the recognition he receives for example making the 40 man squad in 2015, in his first full season 30 odd games into his career, then AA in 2016 and 2017. Honestly, only Rance is the better defender given his leadership, effort and experience. But I am being unequivocal about this, Rance is the better player at the moment and one of the best players overall in the comp.

 

[Summer Nights]

Hurley maintains his 2017 lead on Rance with a superior round 1 performance (just). A little sloppy in moments but conceded 1 direct goal and more prolific in most statistical areas, including contested ball and intercept possessions.

Rance with a reasonable if not quietish game, degraded a little by a sloppy handball turnover goal and burnt on the lead a bit by Curnow.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

dreaming hurley spudded it up for 3qtrs

 

[Heisenberg_]

You can bump this thread when teams try to tag Hurley to curb his influence rather then let him run around by himself getting easy ball.

 

[Jade]

dreaming hurley spudded it up for 3qtrs

28 touches, 7 marks.

Hurley shits on Rance as a footballer. Rance is by some considerable stretch the most overrated player in the game.

He's actually been a better player than Rance for more than three years. And no amount of people yanking themselves vigorously is going to change that.

 

[Tiger2709]

28 touches, 7 marks.

Hurley shits on Rance as a footballer. Rance is by some considerable stretch the most overrated player in the game.

He's actually been a better player than Rance for more than three years. And no amount of people yanking themselves vigorously is going to change that.

then you woke up feeling a little damp spot at the front of your jim jams.

Seriously you must be kidding, Hurley is okay but just not in Rance's class.

Rance is judged against the games best backmen ever, Hurley is judged against Rance, that says it all really.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

28 touches, 7 marks.

Hurley shits on Rance as a footballer. Rance is by some considerable stretch the most overrated player in the game.

He's actually been a better player than Rance for more than three years. And no amount of people yanking themselves vigorously is going to change that.

rance is the best defender in the game you have nfi

 

[Jade]

Rance is judged against the games best backmen ever

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL