All Australian thread 2015

[billy fragos]

I wouldn't have four inside midfielders without pace on the bench.

Pendlebury may not have pace but he's not an inside midfielder

 

[Richo83]

I don't see the need for Rioli. Swap him for Pendlebury and it looks good.

Eh, I think Gray has been better than Pendlebury this season, so if you're going to replace Rioli with anyone, it should be Gray. Personally, Gray is a lock, he's been one of the top players in the league this season, averages 26.4 disposals, 4.4 i50s, 14.1 contested possessions, 1.1 goal assists a game, 7.8 clearances and over a goal a game. They're amazing numbers, but the eyeball test tells me that he's had an amazing season too, rarely does he waste a possession and he's not a chip scab nor are his kicks safe sideways kicks either, he's always looking to create. I just can't see how Gray misses, he's been IMO better than Wingard who is a lock. There's an argument for Pendlebury too.

As much as it pains me to say it, Martin could possibly drop out of the forwardline, and replaced by Gray. Martin has had a few matches where he hasn't really done much, like against Carlton and Essendon. I can see why Pendlebury deserves to be ahead of Rioli, but I also get why people want to see a variety of players in there.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Rory Laird is a lock!

No he isn't.

 

[billy fragos]

Rory Laird is a lock!

Not quite a lock

 

[billy fragos]

Rory laird is the only small defender in contention who actually plays a lockdown role

 

[Big Fresh]

Pendlebury may not have pace but he's not an inside midfielder

He is, but it doesn't really matter what label you want to give him considering he's another one-paced pure midfielder. He's still well in contention but at least one of those guys should miss out.

Rory laird is the only small defender in contention who actually plays a lockdown role

Heath Shaw plays the same role. Laird rarely plays on the most dangerous small forward.

 

[Richo83]

I'm not sure the whole inside/outside midfielder terminology makes sense anymore. Players generally rotate through positions and play both. From what I've seen from Pendlebury, he's still Collingwood's prime inside movers.

 

[JPetro83]

Rory laird is the only small defender in contention who actually plays a lockdown role

Typical blind Victorians. he is a lock and in due time they will see this.

 

[The_Eagles]

The Kings team is pretty good

 

[Righteo]

Pendlebury may not have pace but he's not an inside midfielder

Rory laird is the only small defender in contention who actually plays a lockdown role

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Rory Laird is a lock!

I'm not sure you know what a lock is

 

[Back One Out]

For about 150 pages, Sam Mitchell appeared in every team in this thread bar one. He was on most lists as one of the locks.

All of a sudden after missing one game he is being left out of a few teams on here (recency effect and all that).

I think this is a mistake. He has easily been Hawthorn's best player this season. That's obvoiusly the consensus on here as he is easily leading the Hawthown board votes and the 'Big Footy Medal' votes voted on by supporters of all sides. It would be a huge upset if he didn't win the B&F in a canter.

More broadly, he has been getting more of the ball than any other player in the competition. this is of particular significance as his decision making and ball use has been elite (his efficiency stats are also higher than nearly all of his AA competitors).

Despite missing two matches, most voting systems rightly have Mitchell in the top handful of players in the competition. The Herald Sun (3-2-1 like the Brownlow) have him 3rd. 3AW (5-4-3-2-1) also have him 3rd. The Age (9,8 or 7 votes to the best 5 players) have him 6th (from 3rd last week) despite their strage vote system rewarding games played. I'm pretty sure our own Big Footy medal has him top 5 too.

Definitely think he should be included… has put many good seasons together where he has been very unlucky to miss selection.

Good post.

Of course, Mitchell should be included, but this is no guarantee he will. Mitchell has been snubbed by All Australian selectors more times than any other champion I can think of, so it would be par for the course to see him left out again. In a parallel universe, with a different bunch of clowns on the selection panel, Mitchell would be shooting for his 5th or 6th All-Australian selection.

This year, Mitchell will move into 5th place on the all-time list of Brownlow vote-getters behind Gary Dempsey, R Harvey, G Ablett and C Judd.

As you said, he's at short odds to win his 5th club best and fairest (the same number as Ablett, Judd, Harvey, Voss and Hird).
That will make it 8 top three placings and 11 top five finishes over the journey.

Here's the list of top Brownlow vote-getters from the AFL era, plus their best & fairests and All-Australian Awards
I've substituted in the VFL Team of the Year for the guys whose careers overlapped the 80's and 90's.

Brownlow votes, avg, best & fairests, All-Australian
215 (0.59) Robert Harvey___.4xB&F, 8xAA (1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003)
209 (0.83) Gary Ablett jr.___.5xB&F, 8xAA (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
209 (0.82) Chris Judd_______5xB&F, 6xAA (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
184 (0.61) Simon Black____..3xB&F, 3xAA (2001, 2002, 2004)
183 (0.50) Brent Harvey____.5xB&F, 4xAA (2000, 2005, 2007, 2008)
178 (0.73) Sam Mitchell_____4xB&F, 2xAA (2011, 2013)
178 (0.66) Nathan Buckley__.6xB&F, 7xAA (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
175 (0.56) Scott West______.7xB&F, 5xAA (1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006)
169 (0.78) Dane Swan_____..3xB&F, 5xAA (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
162 (0.50) Adam Goodes____3xB&F, 4xAA (2003, 2006, 2009, 2011)
159 (0.54) Shane Crawford_..4xB&F, 4xAA (1996, 1998, 1999, 2002)
154 (0.64) Greg Williams____2xB&F, 5xAA (1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994)
150 (0.56) Michael Voss_____5xB&F, 5xAA (1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003)
148 (0.59) Ben Cousins_____.4xB&F, 6xAA (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006)
146 (0.49) Mark Ricciuto_.._..3xB&F, 7xAA (1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
144 (0.41) Craig Bradley___..4xB&F, 6xAA (1986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997)
143 (0.60) John Platten_____.2xB&F, 5xAA (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992)
142 (0.45) Andrew McLeod__.3xB&F, 5xAA (1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007)
140 (0.50) Matty Richardson..1xB&F, 3xAA (1996, 1999, 2008)
138 (0.55) Scott Thompson_..2xB&F, 1xAA (2012)
137 (0.84) Joel Selwood____.3xB&F, 4xAA (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014)
137 (0.51) Wayne Schwass_..3xB&F, 1xAA (1999)
135 (0.51) Nick Dal Santo__..0xB&F, 3xAA (2005, 2009, 2011)
133 (0.53) Garry Hocking___.4xB&F, 4xAA (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996)
129 (0.52) Jason Dunstall___.4xB&F, 4xAA (1988, 1989, 1992, 1994)
129 (0.46) Lenny Hayes_____3xB&F, 3xAA (2003, 2005, 2009)
128 (0.47) Tony Lockett_____3xB&F, 6xAA (1987, 1991, 1992, 199, 1996, 1998)
126 (0.54) Peter Matera___...1xB&F, 5xAA (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997)
127 (0.51) Wayne Carey____.4xB&F, 7xAA (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)
126 (0.40) Stewart Loewe__..1xB&F, 3xAA (1990, 1991, 1992)
125 (0.54) James Hird_____..5xB&F, 5xAA (1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003)
124 (0.47) Nick Riewoldt___..6xB&F, 5xAA (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014)
122 (0.41) Matthew Pavlich_..6xB&F, 6xAA (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
118 (0.67) Scott Pendlebury_.3xB&F, 6xAA (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
115 (0.49) Luke Hodge______2xB&F, 3xAA (2005, 2008, 2010)
114 (0.55) Daniel Kerr_____..0xB&F, 1xAA (2007)
114 (0.46) Jimmy Bartel____.0xB&F, 2xAA (2007, 2008)
114 (0.42) Matthew Knights__2xB&F, 1xAA (1998)
112 (0.47) Jonathan Brown__.3xB&F, 2xAA (2007, 2009)
112 (0.41) Tony Liberatore__.1xB&F, 1xAA (1990)
112 (0.34) Chris Grant_____..2xB&F, 3xAA (1997, 1998, 1999)
109 (0.39) Gavin Wanganeen 1xB&F, 5xAA (1992, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2003)
109 (0.36) Paul Salmon____..2xB&F, 3xAA (1987, 1988, 1997)
107 (0.36) Jason Akermanis_\2xB&F, 4xAA (1999, 2001, 2002, 2004)
106 (0.58) Jobe Watson____..3xB&F, 2xAA (2012, 2013)
106 (0.50) Steve Johnson__...0xB&F, 3xAA (2007, 2008, 2010)
106 (0.40) Peter Bell_______.3xB&F, 2xAA (1999, 2003)
105 (0.43) Jim Stynes______.4xB&F, 3xAA (1991, 1993)
104 (0.56) Lance Franklin___.1xB&F, 5xAA (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014)
103 (0.45) Paul Kelly_______.4xB&F, 3xAA (1995, 1996, 1997)
101 (0.61) Matt Priddis____...1xB&F, 0xAA
100 (0.43) Gary Ablett sr.__..1xB&F, 8xAA (1984, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1993, 1995)
99 _(0.41) Paul Couch______.3xB&F, 2xAA (1991, 1995)
98 _(0.43) Matthew Boyd____3xB&F, 2xAA (2009, 2011)
97 _(0.38) Matthew Lloyd____0xB&F, 5xAA (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
96 _(0.45) Darren Jarman_....1xB&F, 3xAA (1992, 1995, 1996)
95 _(0.30) Nathan Burke____.3xB&F, 4xAA (1993, 1996, 1997, 1999)
93 _(0.42) Tony McGuinness_.2xB&F, 4xAA (1987, 1990, 1992, 1993)
93 _(0.36) Nigel Lappin_____.1xB&F, 4xAA (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
92 _(0.36) Joel Corey______..2xB&F, 2xAA (2007, 2008)
91 _(0.42) Leigh Montagna___0xB&F, 2xAA (2009, 2010)

 

[Purple Suit]

Hodge won't be Captain. He's pushing shit up hill to make it anyway but surely the latest discretion will completely rule him out of an Captaincy debate, even for Hawk fans.

 

[Suma Magic]

Hodge would be the last choice for skipper after the year he has had.

Still a talented player though.

 

[Dan]

Hodge won't be Captain. He's pushing shit up hill to make it anyway but surely the latest discretion will completely rule him out of an Captaincy debate, even for Hawk fans.

I think it makes his case stronger.

 

[Purple Suit]

I think it makes his case stronger.

Sure, Captain drink drives. Great leadership.

 

[El_Scorcho]

I think it makes his case stronger.

Because all of his mates in the media (read: The All Australian selectors) will spend so much time over the next couple of weeks falling over themselves talking about how great a bloke he is and what he's done for the game etc that they'll start to actually believe the garbage that comes out of their own mouths and they'll select him as Captain.

 

[billy fragos]

Pendlbury regularly has 15 more uncontested possessions than contended possessions.

Recently he's been playing wing/half back he's not an outside mid anymore.

 

[Back One Out]

Hodge would be the last choice for skipper after the year he has had.

Still a talented player though.

Hodge has led the Hawks brilliantly this season. Came back from his 3 game suspension to lead the team through an 8 game winning streak which shored up their place in the top four. He averaged 29 possessions and 126 ranking points through this period and polled votes in 5 of the 8 wins. Been an absolute weapon of half back, through the middle and has also gone forward to kick 15 goals.

 

[Suma Magic]

Hodge has led the Hawks brilliantly this season. Came back from his 3 game suspension to lead the team through an 8 game winning streak which shored up their place in the top four. He averaged 29 possessions and 126 ranking points through this period and polled votes in 5 of the 8 wins. Been an absolute weapon of half back, through the middle and has also gone forward to kick 15 goals.

He's also been done twice for cheap shots and been caught drink driving. Doesn't matter how good you are at footy, those aren't the acts of a leader.

 

[Bicco]

Amazed at how little love McPharlin is getting. Hasn't been beaten ( more than two goals scored against) all season and has had no help due to all othe Freo KPD's being injured. Maybe worth noting the lack of Freo defenders in general being mentioned but I just don't watch enough of other teams footy to know the full story.

 

[WCEbrody]

Hodge has missed 5 games through suspension. He may not even make the 22, forget about being captain.

 

[mcuzzy]

Reckon Deledio deserves a spot on the bench with Rance in the backline.

Not a bad season for us, but I don't think anyone else in our squad deserves a spot.

 

[ize_]

Lids best on again tonight. If you're picking a Richmond player on the HFF, it's gotta be Deledio and not Dusty.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Typical blind Victorians. he is a lock and in due time they will see this.

Typical blind South Australians. Always going on about Victoria bias this, Victoria bias that.